Africa Trip Report

 Malawi 

We are pleased to announce that our board approved this past week our official partnership with Reaching Souls International. This culminates the process begun as a burden that God placed on my heart for Africa over two years ago.  Let me share with you about the work there so that you can celebrate with us.

Reaching Souls International (RSI) is currently involved in seven countries in Africa:

Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. They use the strategy that is paramount as a partner with Doulos, funding and supporting Nationals to reach their own country for Christ.  They currently have 830 National Missionaries with the support of 57,000 unpaid lay leaders that they train as co-laborers to assist them in evangelistic efforts that they call "Timothies". (From the model of the relationship shared by Paul and Timothy)

On April 26, I ventured to Malawi to see the work for myself.  For those of you who are "geographically challenged", as I tend to be, let me give you a little help.  The country of Malawi is located in East Africa, bordered on the north by Tanzania, the west by Rwanda and the south and east by Mozambique.  It is approximately 45,000 square miles and has a population of more than 13 million people.  It is nicknamed "the warm heart of Africa", probably for the sweet legendary welcome to all who visit.  It is both mountainous and flat farmlands and Lake Malawi runs almost the entire length of the eastern border.  Because of the extreme poverty there is a prevailing sadness and hopelessness on the faces of the majority of the people.  However, I did find an enormous difference in the attitude of those within the body of Christ as you can see from the video on our website.  Life is simple and daily existence consumes much of their time.  Life expectancy is short and I saw only a few elderly people.  One of the missionaries there, Caesar Nkhoma, who is 37, asked me to pray that he might live to see his 2 children ages 10 and 7 finish secondary school. 

In Malawi, we visited the cities of Lilongwe, Zomba, Blantyre, Kasungu and Nkhotakota. For 8 days we traveled almost ¾ of the country, spending most of the time preaching in villages and watching the Missionaries and Timothies in their roles.  We were blessed to be a part of 267 conversions and 50 baptisms. I met with Samuel Mwale, the National Missionary Director of Malawi and Charles Changala, the Associate Southern Director over Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, to hear reports of all that God is doing there.  It was staggering to hear the numbers of those being saved.  Last year, through the work of 232 National Missionaries and 16,000 Timothies in Malawi alone, there were 667,000 conversions.  God is truly igniting the hearts of Africa and Doulos Partners wants to join him in His work there.

RSI also has a segment of their ministry for orphan care for which there

is obviously an overwhelming need.  Their approach is very different and refreshingly effective. They have established paid regional orphan directors who oversee committees and together they work with the churches to qualify the orphans and guardians.  The strategy is to keep orphans connected to biological family members, their village and the church.  The ministry provides the finances to buy food and pay school fees so that the orphans can remain in this environment.  The job of the directors and the committees is to make sure all the money is spent as it should be.  James 1:27 instructs us to care for widows and orphans and RSI's is one of the best plans that I have seen.  There are 350 supported orphans in their system to date.  I had the chance to hear testimonies from some of the guardians and children about their lives before and after receiving the support.  Very Inspiring!

In conclusion, we are excited about the opportunities to minister on the continent of Africa.  The first trip that will be available for you to participate in will be May of 2012 to Zambia.  Please look for future updates and visit the website regularly.  If I can be of assistance in helping you to carry out God's call on your life to go on mission, don't hesitate to call me

Yours and His,