By Rev. Regina Claas

See also slideshow about travel

A bunch of joyful children gives me a warm welcome at the house of Rev. Fletcher Kaiya, the new General Secretary of the Baptist Convention of Malawi (BACOMA), and his wife Clara. These 12 children are AIDS orphans, abandoned by their families, sick and malnourished and hopeless when they arrived at Clara's house. Now they look healthy and happy, and their chances to survive the terrible AIDS pandemic have greatly improved. These are only 12 out of thousands of children left to cater for themselves - or die. The Kaiya family is not the only Christian family who has taken in such lost children. Graham Chipande, one of three Malawian Home Missionaries supported by EBM, also has adopted six orphans, and many Christians do likewise.

From the offices of BACOMA and Kaiya's home in Blantyre we first went South to Nsanje, the most southern provincial town in Malawi, almost surrounded by Mozambique. A terrible dust road is the only access, and people say, if you are ordered to a government post in Nsanje, you are being punished! The people hunger for the Word of God and several Baptist churches and preaching points in the area need urgent attention. A group of believers even traveled four days from Mozambique across the border and all the way to Blantyre to ask for help from the Baptist leadership.

After the visit to Nsanje we started our journey northwards. Now the devil started kicking! He was obviously not pleased that we tried to reach Rumphi in the North, where Brasswell Nkonjera, another Home Missionary, is supported by EBM. The third one, Hauke Kuzalo, met us on the way, in Ntcheu, to show us his mission field of several rural churches. That's when we started to meet resistance. The pickup we were traveling in had serious problems and we got stuck in the middle of nowhere on a very remote road, with no accommodation and no food, no network for the cell phone, and fast advancing darkness.

Our discouragement was an indication that the devil had a feast! We decided not to give in and prayed for the continuation of our journey. And God answered our prayers! Step by step problems were solved, and we were amazed at the miracles that happened. One humorous story was that when we left the broken car with one of the home missionaries in the dark, the village chief came to sleep with him in the car, to make sure nothing would happen to the vehicle!

When we reached Rumphi, the Christians were joyous and grateful that we had made it. They were greatly encouraged by our visit. We in turn were impressed with what God is doing in the most remote areas of Malawi, among the poorest of the poor. Many people receive Christ as their Savior. They are greatly struggling with the AIDS pandemic and with the current famine. People have eaten grass and became sick, because they could not find food. People are being turned away from hospitals because the are "only" hungry, not sick - and they are left to die from hunger.The Government and NGOs are trying to assist with famine relief. BACOMA is involved in feeding schemes. The Baptist World Alliance relief arm, BWAid, is helping with funds. A Round Table to address the needs in all of Southern Africa and to coordinate the relief work will be held in Johannesburg from 9 - 11 November 2002. Rev. Z Motaung will represent the BCSA. The BWD has asked women's groups to donate clothes for Malawi - these may be sent to Fountain Baptist House and are very much needed.

Please continue to pray for Malawi. In addition to the social problems, the young democracy is facing a threat in form of a constitutional change. It has been proposed to lift the limit for presidential re-election from two terms of five years each to three or even unlimited terms. The "Third Term" discussion is hot right now with the next elections coming up in 2004. There is also a growing influence of Islam in Malawi. Pray for the Baptist Convention and all the churches and Home Missionaries as they serve the Kingdom of God!

October 2002
Regina Claas - EBM Regional Representative To Southern Africa

<== back slideshow about travel