Malawi

This week we pray for Muthange, our partners in Malawi. Give thanks that they are progressing their NGO registration, enabling us to develop our partnership with them. Please pray: for the team at Muthange as they pursue change in their communities. f or the protection of vulnerable girls from abuse and exploitation. for the continued success of Muthange’s mentoring scheme. Also, give thanks for the Global Care trustees and pray for their meeting on 17th May

A significant lack of rainfall across Malawi and northern Mozambique paints a bleak outlook for food security and hunger later in the year as prices of staples have already begun rising. A role of the newly-formed Malawi Advisory Council will be to determine how best to allocate any available resources to those who face greatest need. Please pray for God’s continued divine provision and for wisdom and unity for this group of local believers as they decide on this and also on the future direction of Zambesi Mission’s partnerships.

Please pray for Torch Trust Malawi. Pray for continued growth in their client base and for increased monetary funding. Pray for the clients who receive resources from them, pray that the machinery works well and that each document that leaves the site, arrives safely and in good condition. Pray for the goats that have been distributed. Pray for good health and reproduction for the goats, bringing greater blessing to their owners. Pray for anyone who comes into contact with Torch Malawi, that they feel blessed by the work they do, and included in the community.

Millions of Malawians are struggling with the impact of back-to-back climate disasters – last year Cyclone Freddy devastated southern Malawi. This year El Niño has affected the same region. Long spells of drought have caused healthy growing crops to wither and die. Church pastors and congregations are wondering how they will feed their families today, let alone through the coming year until the next harvest in 2025. Let us pray that God will provide them with daily bread. Let’s pray too for initiatives that will improve these communities’ resilience in the future.

Zambesi Mission has been piloting a new initiative to provide pastors with a 'library on a tablet'. Used Android tablets with SD card slots are loaded up with Bible study resources from a range of partner organisations, enabling each pastor to have access to their own theological library. The mission’s supporters have given very generously to allow 40 such tablets to be prepared. Please pray for the logistics of getting them to pastors through Zambesi Mission’s office in Malawi. Pray also that these tablets would enhance and enrich each pastor’s ministry, as they receive and use them.

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.  

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. 

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.

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.