In 1964, Malawi gained its independence from the UK! About 17 million people live in this small African country in the southeast. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. There is a high percentage of HIV infected people. One of the leaders of the local union churches, Willard Muvalo, told us until recently everyone in the hospital was using the same needle to take blood. The disease spread and was ignored for a certain time and forbidden to talk about. Infant mortality is also high.
The church in Malawi, despite the economic difficulties, is growing. Over the past 30 years, the union “Zambezi Evangelical Church” has grown 10 times. Starting with several dozen churches, they now are up to several hundred churches. Such growth was contributed to the training pastors received when they could not complete a theological school and didn’t know how to plant a church! They asked us to continue training for the pastors who want to plant new churches.
We invited over 200 people to the pastoral conference. We paid for the food and the arrival of some of the ministers. Pastors from the most remote corners of Malawi arrived first with their wives in Blantyre. The practical classes were well received. Talking to their wives from heart to heart, taking her hands and looking into her eyes, they never tried that before. And here we had to step over some cultural barriers. We spoke openly about many things that prevent us from serving God. After the service, they sincerely asked us to continue such training!
Ministry in Malawi – Wilhelm Daiker