Malawi

Pray for our We pray for our '50 miles' January walking challenge, in support of our new project in Malawi. Pray for the girls in Malawi who have to travel great distances to school, which puts them at tremendous risk as they stay away from home and they are young and vulnerable. Pray for our partners in Malawi, give thanks to God for their passion and commitment, and for protection of the teenage girls they support.

Life for church pastors in Malawi is very challenging. The aftermath of Cyclone Freddy and the war in Ukraine has made everything so costly. Then in November the Central Bank devalued Malawi’s currency by 44%. Imagine if you had £100 in the bank today and tomorrow it is only worth £66. This squeeze affects pastors and their families badly, because their church members also feel the pinch and are less able to support their pastors. Give thanks for their faithfulness and pray that the Lord would sustain them and help them to persevere in ministry.

For our Bible Explorer work in Malawi. Please Pray that the Lord will heal Bernard Phiri, a presenter, as due to his medical condition he is unable to present Bible Explorer in five schools. For many children to become followers of Jesus from what they are taught and that they become strong Christians. That God will give all the presenters wisdom as they prepare their lessons and are able to deliver them in a clear way. For more presenters to be trained so that the Bible can be taught in more schools. For continued funding of the programme.

A lengthy project has just been completed with a partner radio station in Malawi to double the size of the audience who can receive the station. Radio Light reaches the Yao people, an unreached people group who are already tuning in to this Christian station in great numbers. Pray for those who listen to these programmes today, that hearts will be set on a journey to Jesus.

In a typical rural church in Malawi, usually just a handful of believers have their own Bible. There are two big issues: access and cost. There are no shops in rural areas and transport to the nearest town or city is usually unaffordable. A Bible costs more than £10, a huge amount for most people. Zambesi Mission’s subsidised Bible scheme aims to address these challenges. They buy the Bibles and deliver them to the recipients who pay a nominal sum for each one. Please pray that more Malawian believers would be able to receive their own copy of God’s Word.

There is much false teaching in Malawi and its neighbouring countries. For many years the Evangelical Bible College of Malawi has been at the forefront of teaching sound doctrine and preparing men and women for ministry in the church. Once the college had a good blend of Malawian and overseas lecturers, something that is important from a cross-cultural perspective.  It also helps with sustainability.  But today it has no lecturers from outside Malawi. For the first time in a decade Zambesi Mission has been looking for workers who might be called to teach at EBCoM.  Please pray about this.

Cyclone Freddy has had a devastating impact on southern Malawi.  Torrential rain led to flash flooding and huge mudslides. As of 18th March, 445 people had died, around 363,000 people displaced and 282 are still missing. The fatalities include ten members of one family from Chilobwe Zambezi Evangelical Church in Blantyre, who were tragically swept away when a raging torrent engulfed the house that they were sleeping in. Please pray for the ongoing disaster relief effort.  Pray too that the mission would have sufficient resources to help meet the enormous needs that their church partners are facing.

Pray for Malawi following the devastating aftereffects of cyclone Freddy. May the Lord hold back the floods but open wide the flood gates of His Spirit in this nation, drawing many men and women, boys, and girls to Himself. Please pray for Al Massira and the team there. That they would be strengthened to reach out and minister to all who are suffering in these days. Pray for Nigeria following recent elections and for Sierra Leone and the elections in June. Pray God raises up just, merciful, humble, and godly leaders that bear His name with honour and gladness.

Malawi is facing a worsening cholera outbreak.  Over 1,000 people have died since the outbreak started in March 2022.  Zambesi Mission’s partner the Zambezi Evangelical Church (ZEC) has five health centres in rural areas.  At Nthorowa, ZEC’s healthcare staff are treating patients in a temporary cholera tent.  Please pray that ZEC and other similar health facilities would have sufficient medicine and equipment to treat those affected and that the outbreak would be brought to an end quickly.  

Helping church partners towards sustainability is one of zambesi mission’s priorities. Dependency casts a long and deep shadow over Malawi. Please pray that churches and Christians would be transformed by the renewing of their minds (Rom. 12 v 2), so that they can start addressing the challenges that they face before God. Pray that zambesi mission’s sustainability initiatives, including Church and Community Transformation, would bear fruit so that each local church would have the resources they need for ministry.

Malawi experienced a devastating hailstorm at the end of November that brought heavy and large hail with strong winds. The locals had never seen hail like it before and it has left many homes, schools and businesses with badly damaged properties. The crops that are planted are now damaged with the hail, which will lead to a poor harvest. Please pray - For good rains, as most family’s survival entirely depends on it. Adequate rainfall that will guarantee good harvest for the coming year. For families to receive the fertilizer needed for their farms, although the costs are rising. 

The global economic crisis is impacting Malawi very badly. The kwacha was devalued by 25% in May, but lack of Forex has led to severe fuel shortages. Inflation is 25% with food price rises are even higher. Crucially the cost of fertiliser has risen five times in just a few years. There is just one growing season each year. Malawi is a subsistence economy where the majority rely on their crops for survival. Growing maize, Malawi’s staple crop, this year will be unaffordable for most people. Please pray that God would sustain the people of Malawi in these challenging times.