Area 44 Healing Temple Assembly of God

Last week we were able to build another tabernacle, Area 44 Healing Temple Assembly of God.  Rev. Anderson Mataka, and his wife Elsie serve as the pastors of this church which is in a very poor area of Lilongwe.  The old church structure consists of a grass roof, 1/4” thick plywood walls, and six brick support columns.  A strong wind could demolish the building easily.  This does not deter people from coming together to worship God.  Each Sunday the building fills to capacity with worshippers.  The new tabernacle will be finished out with brick walls that the people of the church will mold themselves.  Eventually, the old structure will come down and a beautiful building will take it’s place.

Doctor Donna Ivey, and her team, came to the church to conduct a medical clinic on the day after the tab was finished.  People here rarely receive basic medical needs.  It either is simply not available, the distance is too great, or the cost is too much.  Many doctors and nurses conduct these clinics in areas where little or no care is available.  The people began to queue well in advance of the opening in hopes that they would be able to see the doctors.  They stood outside the church for long periods of time, waiting to enter.  After entrance, they faced another queue that almost filled the church.  Kristen McGaffee, daughter of A/G missionaries, Dan & Noreen McGaffee, helped with the clinic.  Fredna and Lydia, another McGaffee daughter, took photos and played with the kids.

Just close to the church is a water well where women come and draw water for their daily needs.  It is only about 12 feet deep, but services the entire area of people.

After all the work was finished, we enjoyed a wonderful Pizza party!

I am always amazed how people survive on so little.  Most of the things we take for granted, are only luxuries in a place of poverty. 

2 Cor. 8:9 (ESV) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Rev. 2:9 (ESV)  I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich)…

 

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Chambwe A/G Church Plant

A new church was planted about 30 kilometers from Lilongwe, Chambwe A/G.  Fredna and I were invited to speak at this important event.  It began with preliminary door to door evangelism during the week.  There was children’s ministry on Saturday, and the JESUS film was shown on the soccer pitch Saturday night.  Sitting outside at night in Africa watching the JESUS film, along with hundreds of people is quite an experience.  Every eight seconds, somewhere in the world, another person indicates a decision to follow Christ after watching the "JESUS" film.  It is an incredible tool of evangelism used around the world.  We are so very fortunate to have the equipment and the means to be able to travel into the villages and use this tool.

On Sunday morning, we met in the local school for the very first service of Chambwe Assembly of God.  Rev. Lucy Chikoko has been named as pastor, and she is very excited to embark upon this new chapter in her life.  There were about 60 people present for first service including 13 local Chiefs.  Each village has a chief, and each group of villages have a Group Headman.  These Chiefs were happy to have a new church plant in their area because “a church will help the people”.

After the service we gathered in a nearby house for the traditional Malawi meal of chicken, greens, nsima, and tomato sauce.  After the meal, two ladies came wanting prayer for physical problems.

It was a great week for a church plant – Chambwe Assemblies of God!

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Mbabzi Miracle Center

Mbabzi Miracle Center, the church with a new tabernacle.  This church was in desperate need of a structure.  The one they were meeting in had actually fallen to the ground.  When this happened, they moved their meetings to one of the member’s home.  It seems that this member then decided that they would separate themselves from the church, which then left them with no place to meet.

There was a donor in the USA that had donated the funds for a tabernacle to be built in Africa.  This is the great equation for building: need + resources = building!

The pastor and his family were so excited to be getting this tabernacle.  They have been at this church for over a year.  Today, they are worshiping along with their congregation under a new structure.  They have already begun the process of molding bricks in order to finish the building.

Mbabzi is a small community about 25 kilometers from Lilongwe.  This church has already made a huge difference in the area, and not doubt will continue to grow and impact the area with a greater sphere of influence.

                         

                         

We thank God for churches like Mbabzi, and we thank God for donors who supply the resources to build in Africa!

Not All Ministry Is With A Bible!

 

I became an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) while pastoring our first church in Electra, Texas.  There was a need then, and there is a need today.  Most villages in Malawi do not have any medical facilities.  Sometimes, those facilities are a great distance away.  Many minor injuries, or insect bites are left untreated and therefore become more severe than they should be.

When I work in the village, there is always someone who needs simple, basic first-aid attention.  This past week was no exception.  We built a tabernacle (metal church building) for a church.  The pastor brought a young girl to me with an injury on her leg.  She was leaning on a make-shift crutch, and trying her best to keep from putting weight on her left leg.  When I looked at the sore, I believed it to be a tropical ulcer.  It was already very large and very deep.  I doctored it, and tried to stress the need for her to seek medical attention.  Then we prayed for her.  The next day she had been taken to a clinic about 15 kilometers away.  When I saw her again, about 4 days later, she was much better, and not limping so much.

                         

                 

One woman had some sort of insect bite that had become infected.  Simple needs, yet so dangerous when left untreated.

A mother brought her young daughter for me to look at.  She had sores covering almost all of her body, and like many children, she was just a bit afraid!

With each need, there is an opportunity for prayer and to share the love of Christ.  Not all ministry is with a Bible. Sometimes, we are the Bible!

Decade of Pentecost Launch in Malawi

 

On April 21, 2011, the Decade of Pentecost was officially launched by the Malawi Assemblies of God.  Rev. Dr. Lazarus Chakwera signed a document declaring that in the the next 10 years the Malawi Assemblies of God would add 2 million new members, and 3,000 churches to their existing status.

Rev. Dr. Denny Miller, Director of Acts In Africa (AIA), Rev. Uche Ama, Missions Director for the Assemblies of God in Central Africa & AIA Team member, and Rev. Ken Krucker, Acts In Africa Team member, were present for the three-day event held in Lilongwe, Malawi.  Assembly of God pastors and laymen were also present from all over Malawi

       

Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, President of the Malawi Assemblies of God, inspired the congregation each night with powerful Pentecostal preaching.

I was privileged to be part of this historical event, and as a member of the NEC, National Executive Committee, to place my signature on the official document.

We are very excited to see how God leads us through this Decade of Pentecost!