Malawi

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.

Please pray for Torch Trust Malawi's goat project, which aims to distribute goats to blind and partially sighted people in Malawi, supplying them with a livelihood. Pray for the team involved in running the project, including the vet, the Torch staff and volunteers, pray that the scheme will provide vital support to people with sight loss.

Our prayers are for Hope Clinic and the Maternity Wing. The clinic saw over 44,000 attendees last year, across both general outpatients and the specialist clinics. Please pray for the ambulance team and that the vehicle will work well despite the state of the rural tracks. For the families in need in the community and many who struggle to get to the clinic. For the final stages of construction of the maternity wing and first midwife house. For provision of two competent midwives and provision of continued funding for the clinic and maternity facilities.

Our prayers are for Hope Clinic and the Maternity Wing. The clinic saw over 44,000 attendees last year, across both general outpatients and the specialist clinics. The work of the dedicated medical team is appreciated by so many people in the community and further afield. Please pray for good sleeping each night for the medical team, who are really busy during the day. For wisdom and guidance for the two doctors as they assess patients and diagnose issues. For continued provision of drugs and other resources needed each day and for safety for the team and strength to do their work.

Pray as we consider the principles of the International Day of Social Justice (20th Feb); pray for human rights, participation, access and equity. Pray we see these flourish in our projects worldwide. Please pray for: increased inclusion for families affected by disability. Increased access to education and health services for minority groups. Equity for girls, disproportionately affected by both Covid and climate change. Pray for greater access to fair legal systems, which support human rights.

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.

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.