Further adventures of a missionary (July 2013)

The three of us (Rupert Freese, Peter & Adrie Lord) set off for Malawi on 7th July 2013. We flew from Cape Town to Lilongwe in Malawi. We met the two Malawi brothers – Fredson & Macnel and drove to Kazuni Lake. 

The cigarette lighter on our vehicle was stuck in its socket so we could not charge our GPS so we had to use it sparingly. As a result we missed the turn to Rumphi and the journey took eight hours instead of six. We arrived at the gate of the park where we were to sleep at nine at night to find the gate locked this time. So instead of going through the gate we drove through the big hole in the fence into the park.

We drove to the area of the staff quarters and honked our horn but there was no movement. It was cold so nobody wanted to get out of bed! Fortunately we knew this time where the chalets were and we could drive straight there. Again no water in the chalets just like the last time.

The next day we went to the CHILOMBO church. We ministered all day about repentance from the dead works, how it is nothing that we can do that brings us to Christ we must just submit to him and let him do the work in our lives.

We were surprised and honoured at the reception that was accorded to Adrie. They were really pleased to see the wife of one of the believers. It was to them as if we were proud of the fellowship there (which we are) and we wanted to bring our wives with us to show the strength and the commitment of our new brothers in Christ. Adrie has put her own impression of the visit in a separate article in the blog. (access the article via this Link)

We returned to the game park at 6 having ministered all day to a church that was packed with eager believers. The  hunger for knowledge the ease with which they received and the wonder on the faces as they get the revelation is a true joy to behold and makes the whole trip worthwhile.

Still no water at the game park. After a strong word two buckets arrived- one for the toilet and one to be used to wash. The luxuries of missionary work!

We ministered at CHILOMBO for two full days to a full church on both days on how repentance of sin will not bring us to salvation. Only a turning away from the world and the acceptance of Christ as our Lord and master will result in us being born again.

After Chilombo we drove for nine hours to Malawi Lake where we spent one night in a lodge on the Lake shore before travelling to Blantyre the next day.

In Blantyre we were hosted by the Mc Grath Family in their cottage. What a blessing on the mission trip and a big thank you for their selfless hospitality.

We started ministering at the Blantyre mission church of Chilimba on Friday morning to 22 of the senior believers from all around Malawi and North West Mozambique. The ministry was to be on repentance from dead works, the ministerial gifts of Christ, and end times.

I wrote this when our ministry was in the planning stage as we arrived at Chilimba. The Holy Spirit had a different idea. We never got on to end times. There was a rift in the local fellowship and a whole day was spent on ministry on problems in a fellowship and how they get sorted out and that there is only strength in unity. We ask all readers of the blog to pray for this rift in the Chilimba fellowship to be healed as it keeps rearing its ugly head.

The believers braved same very cold and unseasonably wet weather for the first two days and listened with rapt attention to the Word that the Lord had for them. We give thanks that the Malawi work is maturing and that young believers filled with the Holy Spirit are being raised up.

The believers sleep on mats on the dirt floor of the church while they stay there for bible study. The toilet is a long drop. The washing place and urinal are one and the same tiny building next to the long drop. Food is cooked for all 22 people by 3 woman on a fire in open ground. Water is collected in large pots from a tap some 500 meters away.

Most of the believers are subsistence farmers who in worldly terms have nothing. The average income of those present at the bible study is R500/month and they keep their whole family on that!

While they have nothing they have Jesus in their hearts. It begs the question why do the more developed countries who have (compared to them) everything continually bemoan their lot in life and still do not have Jesus in their hearts! We need to be poor in worldly things and rich in the Spirit! 

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