LOCATIONS: Malawi Praises and Prayers
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Some of our children enjoying their summer holiday
May 2009
Tom Mambo, our COTN–MA Senior Operations Manager, officially resigned from his position on April 30. Tom says he felt it was necessary to step down so that he could concentrate on his pastoral ministry at his church, which is what he feels the Lord is calling him to do. We are grateful for the service Tom has given to COTN, and we pray for him and his family as they transition into this role full-time.
Venture team leader Cindy Dickson of El Dorado Hills, California just returned home along with her team on Monday, May 4th from Malawi! While they were there, they focused on teaching computer skills to our children in Chiwengo, and even delivered three laptops for the children to practice on! In addition, they replaced the screens in all of the homes, which had holes in them and were in poor condition. Thank you everyone involved in the projects! Join us in giving praise to Christ the Provider for meeting this need!
For the past six months, 13-year-old Madalitso Kalichenga has been struggling with a painful condition in her right shoulder. Doctors are unsure of what the cause is, but there appears to be a deterioration of bone tissue, which could potentially result in complete amputation of her arm. We have been praying for her earnestly, and doctors have been waiting for signs of improvement before moving forward on such a dramatic procedure. According to a recent assessment, there is new bone forming inside the arm, which is giving everyone hope! Her next doctor’s appointment is on July 5th. Pray with us that the new bone forming continues to do so, and that she won’t have to go through with this surgery!
April 2009
Major funding of the senior secondary school in Malawi has been pledged! Thanks to all of you who have given generously to this important project. Pray with us that final funds are received soon so construction can begin.
Clement Gondwe, a fourteen-year-old boy from one of our Children’s Homes in Chiwengo, was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. Last month he was flown to South Africa where Dr. Snyckers performed surgery to remove the tumor. After a short recuperation, Clement is now home in Malawi, and is already up walking and talking, though he will still require additional chemotherapy treatments. Praise God for His provisions in this situation—for the complimentary airfare and the reduced surgical fee—and pray with us for continued healing and the remaining finances needed to cover the surgery and treatments.
Last month, COTN–MA staff member Tellina Kanyangala and her husband welcomed a baby girl! “How sweet to hold a newborn baby and feel the pride and joy it gives! Wow!” exclaims Yobbe Lungu, COTN–MA Country Director. The baby girl, named Marcia, was born on March 8th. Praise God for this new and beautiful addition to our COTN family!
March 2009
Praise God for the way He has been at work in young Clement Gondwe’s life. Clement is fourteen and was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. We are praying for the funds to cover his $18,000 surgery and look forward to how God provides this funding. Praise God for the many health professionals from our USA family, such as Dr. Sakata of Seattle, that have helped to get the best care for him. Please give continued prayer for wisdom regarding his treatment plan and upcoming surgery to remove the tumor.
Pray for the family of COTN–Malawi Country Director Yobbe Lungu. While Yobbe has been traveling abroad, his home was robbed of nearly all family possessions. Praise God that his family, who were present during the robbery, were not harmed. Pray for them as they recover from this traumatic experience.
All musical instruments for the KuJAMbula studio have been collected and are now ready to ship! The studio is now fully equipped and on its way to self-sustainability! An advertising campaign is in the works to generate interest in the recording studio, which we have discovered is the largest in Malawi. Please pray in finances to help pay for a new manager to take over running the studio.
February 2009
Praise God for new house parents at our Chitipi Farm Children’s Home—Bruno and Rounia Spoko! The Spokos are strong believers who have been married for thirteen years and have three children. Pray for Bruno and Sophia as they minister to our children daily, raising them to transform the nation of Malawi!
We are asking for urgent prayer for two of our residential children. Madalitso is twelve years old and has been diagnosed with chronic osteomyelitis which has affected her left arm. The doctors had feared that she would need to have her arm amputated, but God has begun to heal her bone and recently they have seen new growth! Clement is sixteen and was diagnosed with a brain tumor this month. He will be flown to South Africa where doctors are expected to remove the tumor. Please pray for his strength and encouragement. Also pray for the additional funding that will be needed to support this operation, recovery, and travel costs.
We are thankful for a recent Venture Team, led by veterinarian Clayton Simon from California, that conducted GPS mapping of all of our farms in Malawi! The work done by this team has enabled COTN to obtain a correctly scaled map of Chichere Farm, which will be beneficial in managing the farm. Also, please pray for a Venture Team from Summit Church in Florida that will be going to Malawi in March to install a windmill at Chitipi Farm, which will be used for pumping water.
Praise God for our Christmas celebrations! In Malawi, each of our children in residential care and village partnership enjoyed a specially prepared feast to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Each child received a soda, a rare treat bringing many smiles! In addition to enjoying a meal together, our children in Mtsiliza and Mgwayi each received and proudly wore their new blue COTN T-shirts. Some of the boys and girls in our children’s homes received a small amount of money that they could use to purchase an item from a local marketplace.
A highlight of Christmas morning for our children in Malawi was attending church, followed by parties with traditional African dance performances!
January 2009
Please pray for Flora, a fourteen-year-old-girl who lives in one of our Chiwengo children’s homes. Flora and her twin sister Rabecca came into the care of COTN in 2000 after living with other family members following the death of their parents. Flora hopes to become a lawyer; please pray that she will excel in her studies and use her God-given talents to glorify Him.
Lilian Khofi, our staff accountant in Malawi, has received the professional designation of “Fellow” by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants! Country Director Yobbe Lungu said, “We are proud of Lilian for her achievement and we feel greatly honored by her humility, hard working spirit, and commitment to use such a prestigious professional achievement while serving with us in COTN–Malawi.”
Please pray for God’s blessing on the women participating in our widows’ program in Malawi—that the skills they are learning will enable them to support their children. Praise God—we are almost halfway to fully funding our $10,000 program budget for this year! Pray that COTN would receive the remaining funds to support these women and families.
December 2008
Khilisimasi Yabwino (“Merry Christmas” in Chichewa)
“On behalf of our children, I write to thank you for the support you have been sending through Children of the Nations. I would like to let you know how your sponsored child will celebrate the birth of Jesus.
“On Christmas Eve the children will be taken to the lake where they will enjoy the beautiful scenery of Lake Malawi. They will also have prayers at night and a get-together celebration. On Christmas morning the children will go to church and then have parties where dances such as beni, chitelera, chimtali, and mganda (traditional African dances) will be performed by all the children. Once again, thank you very much. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2009!”
Davie Kamzunguzeni
COTN–Malawi Sponsorship Officer
November 2008
Please join us in praying for Chance Gondwe, our Education and Vocational Training Coordinator in Malawi. Chance oversees our education programs in Chiwengo, Chitipi, and Mtsiliza. Please pray that God would give Chance strength and wisdom as he strives to empower our children by providing them the best opportunities to learn. Chance said, “One of the things that brings much joy in my life is seeing how these children have been transformed. You can see that God is working in their lives.”
Peter Drennan, COTN–International Development Liaison together with COTN– Malawi Country Director Yobbe Lungu are working to develop partnerships with other nongovernmental organizations that focus on farming projects in Africa. Praise for an agriculture Venture team that will be heading to Malawi in December. The team will lead training on animal husbandry and work with our staff on projects to ensure continued good harvests from our farms in Malawi (Chichere Farm and Chitipi Farm).
COTN recently welcomed two-month-old Esinati into fulltime care at our Chitipi Farm children’s home. This young baby girl came into the care of COTN when her mother died shortly after giving birth and her grandmother was unable to take proper care of her. (Esinati’s father’s whereabouts are unknown.) Please pray that Esinati would grow strong and healthy and come to know the Lord Jesus as she grows in the Chitipi home.
September 2008
Recently, COTN welcomed an infant boy named Joseph to our children’s home in Chiwengo village. He came into COTN care after his mother died from childbirth complications and his father abandoned him and his siblings. Please pray that Joseph will know he is loved and cared for as he grows in the COTN home, and that he will also come to know the love of Christ. We praise God that little Joseph is already fully sponsored!
We praise the Lord that there has been significant progress made in developing a program for our children with special needs in Malawi—the Challenge Children program. During the past few months, COTN has been working to educate our national teachers and parents about the needs of special learners. After this is accomplished, our staff will be identifying students with special needs and delivering special instruction to meet those needs.
Beginning next month, COTN staff members Patterson and Esther Lungu will transition out of their roles as home parents in our Chitipi home. Patterson is retiring and Esther will begin serving as our Malawi Challenge Children Coordinator. Please pray for the Lungus as they transition. Also, pray for the children in the Chitipi home who have grown to love Patterson and Esther and soon will be adjusting to life with new house parents. The COTN staff is thankful for Esther’s oversight of the Challenge Children program due to her many years of experience as an educator, house parent, and caregiver of a special needs child.
August 2008
Praise God—the first of the radio programs produced at COTN’s KaJAMbula recording studio in Malawi is ready to be aired on the African Bible College radio station! Our initial set of radio programs are directed toward social issues affecting young girls. Many Malawian girls are forced to leave school to marry and have families at a young age. We hope to empower these young girls with options, pointing them to local relief agencies, and thus breaking this cycle.
We have welcomed a new girl into our Chitipi Farm orphan home in Malawi! Please join us in praying for eight-yearold Adija as she adjusts to life with many new brothers and sisters. She is already helping out in her home by cleaning and washing dishes. We praise God for Adija’s life and pray she will grow in the love of Christ during her time in COTN care.
Our COTN–USA special events director Kristen Bushnell and a videography crew are in Malawi this month preparing for our Some Kind of Miracle benefit season. Please pray that as they spend time with some of our children, they can prepare videos and stories that communicate how God has been at work in each child’s life— from the time they came to COTN until now.
July 2008
We are thankful that our Kamuzu Academy students David and Miriam finished their school year and did well on their examinations. Kamuzu Academy is a selective boarding school in Malawi that is one of the top schools in Africa. David and Miriam will be serving in the US this summer as interns at Canyonview Camp in Oregon. Please pray for them as they minister to children and represent COTN.
Please pray for our farm manager, Foderick Kapalanga, as he prepares for the harvest at Chichere Farm. Our goal and prayer is that the crops and livestock will produce enough food to support all the children in our programs in Malawi and provide a sustainable income.
Praise God for the encouraging visit of a Venture Team from Superstition Springs Church in Gilbert, Arizona. This team ministered in Chirombo village by constructing a bath shelter, smearing floors, washing clothes for aged people, and playing with children. The team was so blessed by their experience that they sponsored eleven children and purchased many items made by widows.
The widows program in Mtsiliza continues to produce self-sustaining income for many women. COTN hopes to expand the widows program into new villages in the future.
Please pray for our national staff in Malawi as they host many people this summer. Malawi has the greatest number of visiting teams this summer—over 200 Venture Team members!
June 2008
Praise the Lord for “The Grove” Church in Chandler, Arizona for the installation of a well in Mgwayi, the newest addition to our Village Partnership program in Malawi.
Also, we are thankful for the safe return of Aness Banda, who has been attending African Bible College in Uganda. Aness reports, “I enjoyed living in a foreign country. Thank you to all that made this possible.”
Please pray for our transportation needs in Malawi. We are desperate to purchase a Coaster bus and two new Toyota Hiace vans. Please pray that necessary repairs would be made to broken vehicles so that teams and interns will be able to minister this summer.
Praise that one of our aunties, Madalitso, will be getting married soon. Please pray for the girls in this teen girls’ home who will be affected by a transition to a new caregiver.
May 2008
We thank God for the COTN–MA staff members who were left behind to manage the ministry while Country Director Yobbe Lungu and staff members, Tom Mambo and Esther Lungu, were visiting the COTN–USA office this past month. We also thank God for their safe travel and successful visit.
COTN short-term missionaries, Mike and Courtney Schmidt are moving to serve with African Bible Colleges in Lilongwe. They will be serving in the clinic with Administration and the HIV programs that partner with COTN. Please pray for God’s blessing in their lives.
Please pray for the health of our children, as several have been infected with malaria—pray that the Lord would heal their bodies.
Our children will be taking their exams this month, pray for their success.
Pray for the agricultural success of our farms—that they would produce above and beyond what is needed in light of the current global rice shortage.
We praise God for those who have given their resources and time to the local ministry in Malawi. The Lord is adding to our COTN family in Malawi.
March 2008
Fyness and Madalitso, one of our Malawian children and her caregiver, have arrived safely in the United States. They will be sharing about COTN in churches and schools in the Baltimore area. Please pray that God would bless their time here, keep them safe and healthy, and give them the words to share about how God is using COTN in the country of Malawi.
This month there will be a team traveling to Malawi from our Florida office. Please pray for their safety and provision for their ministry during this time. COTN–MA staff member Henry Kumwenda (guest group host at our new Nejwa Village) and his team will continue the process of being trained in hospitality as they host this team. Our children will again display their talents with singing and dance for this Florida team.
We praise God for the good health of our children and staff and for those children who have recently made the decision to commit their lives to Jesus Christ. Some of our older children are awaiting the results from their exams in order to advance to secondary school. Please pray for their success.
February 2008
Praise God for the safe arrival and stay of our Vision Team, along with Chris and Debbie. Through this Venture Team, seven children have been sponsored.
Praise God, we have identified a new village to work in, there is a huge need and already land has been donated for our use.
Please pray for Tom Mombo, COTN–MA Deputy Director, as he transitions into his new role. Tom will now be able to focus on specific needs of the organization in Malawi.
Pray that God would provide reliable vehicles to make the ministry more efficient and to allow our staff members to visit our different sites.
Additional funding is needed for the many children now entering high school. Pray that new initiatives for funding would find favor.
January 2008
We thank the Lord for a successful year of 2007 in Malawi with the expansion of COTN through farming, new staff and villages, and for God’s provision of our everyday needs. We are thankful for the young adults that are able to attend college and are proud of their progress.
Our staff in Malawi are excited to receive the Vision Team arriving later this month. Pray that staff members would be encouraged by the members of the Vision Team.
Our children in Malawi are getting ready to return to school after their summer holiday. Please pray for their spiritual growth and academic excellence.
We have just hired a new farm manager for the Chichere farm. He will begin work Feb. 1, 2008. Please pray for his transition into this position. As COTN continues to grow in Malawi, we are praying that the Lord would provide staff members that have the same heart and vision as COTN.
November 2007
Praise for our new Malawi Country Director, Yobbe Lungu. He officially came on staff with us last month. Mr. Lungu is currently surveying all existing programs. We are excited about Mr. Lungu’s vast experience and look forward to utilizing his expertise.
Praises and thanks for Tom Mambo, who took on the role of acting Deputy Director while we sought to fill the Country Director position. Tom has done a superb job of orienting Mr. Lungu to his new role. We have been blessed with Mr. Mambo’s servant spirit.
Our schools are coming to an end for the school year (schools in Malawi are on the British system). Pray for our students as they take final exams—that they will finish well.
Our Village Partnership Program in our two newest villages, Chirombo and Mgwayi, is slowly taking off. We have added almost 200 children to our sponsorship program from these villages. Pray that sponsors will come forward, enabling us to create more programs to care for these children.
Praise for the Njewa Ministry Center. It is beginning to attract groups interested in renting it or hosting events there. This will provide much-needed revenue income for COTN–MA.
Pray for funds still needed for the final purchase of the Chichere Farm in Malawi. A payment of $77,000 is due in January. Pray that the remaining $63,000 of the $120,000 matching-fund grant will come in, so that this pledge will be fully matched. Praise for the food the farm is already producing. This year is a bumper crop year in Malawi and the farm’s crops are yielding an amazing surplus. While many areas are flooded and crops destroyed, we are excited our food will support not only our children but others as well.
October 2007
Once again 150 youth from our programs will be given the opportunity to attend our annual “Living as Models” retreat. Pray that lives will be changed.
Mike and Courtney Schmidt arrived safely in Malawi and are settling in to their “new home.” The Schmidts will be serving in Malawi for the next two years— Mike will be assisting to set up our Njewa Mission Center and Courtney, a pharmacist, will be working with our Village Assistance Centers focusing on our HIV prevention programs. Pray for them as they acclimate to the culture and begin to build relationships.
Please continue to pray for the remaining funds to come in for the $120,000 matching-fund grant to help us purchase Chichere Farm in Malawi (total price-tag, including first-year operating costs: $250,000). To date, $48,485 has been come in and has been matched! Please pray that God will provide for the remaining $81,515 still needed for this grant to be fully matched.
Each year, there are more mouths to feed than our existing agricultural projects are capable of producing food for. Crops produced from Chichere Farm would not only fill this gap, but would also allow us to take funds used to subsidize our feeding program and reallocate them to other areas of our ministry—allowing us to reach more children.
The Malawian board of directors has officially announced the selection of our first Country Director, Yobbe Lungu. Mr. Lungu comes to COTN with much education and experience. We are excited about Mr. Lungu’s servant attitude and are anxious for him to be freed from his current position this month to serve COTN!
September 2007
Pray for our children as they all head back to school this month—many for the first time ever! What an awesome mystery it is that God uses COTN to “pluck a child out of the midst of their misery” and send them to school. Something many children in Malawi only dream of! Join us in praying for those students returning to school and for those brand new to it—that they will adjust well.
Praise for all the summer teams and interns that served over the summer; they all ended well and have returned to the States safely. Pray for Chris Adare from Spokane, Washington. Chris served as an Intern Leader over the summer and will remain in Malawi to complete educational assessments of all our children and assess internship needs for next year.
Praise for the appointment of our new COTN–MA Country Director, Mr. Yovee Lungu. Much thanks to Deputy Director, Tom Mambo, for serving as Acting Country Director while we searched to fill this position. Tom will continue to serve as the Deputy Director and will have time to concentrate on specific duties.
Continue to pray for Mike and Courtney Schmidt from Orlando, Florida as they make the final preparations to depart for Malawi later this month. The Schmidts will be serving in Malawi for two years. Mike will be assisting to set up our Njewa Mission Center and Courtney, a pharmacist, will be working with our Village Assistance Centers focusing on our HIV prevention programs.
Please continue to pray for the remaining funds to come in for the $120,000 matching-fund grant to help us purchase Chichere Farm in Malawi. To date, $40,740 has come in.
August 2007
Praise for the 10 Campaign, a new HIV/AIDS awareness/treatment initiative in Malawi (“$10 Tests, Treats, or Trains”). More than 120 children and adults have been tested for HIV/AIDS through this ministry.
Pray for Monica Marik and Amy Homen, two associates serving in Malawi for the past year, as they prepare to return to the States later this month. Through Monica’s initial vision for a Widows Knitting Program in Mtsiliza, God has used her to do great things in the lives of each of these women who, without the support of a spouse, solely provides for a family of three to ten children. The widows have recently opened two “stores” and each have started individual savings accounts. As for Amy, she completely redesigned our nursery school program in Chiwengo and researched and designed a curriculum for our teachers to use when instructing class. Pray that both these young women will have a smooth transition. They will be greatly missed.
Praise for the 280+ interns and short-term team members that have already ministered in Malawi this summer.
Pray for Jody Stephenson (COTN Intern Coordinator) currently serving in Malawi for the summer and other staff as they are making all of the logistical arrangements for these visitors.
Pray for safe travel for all of the teams going to and from Malawi this month. Over 75 children in Malawi have been sponsored this summer. Praise God!
July 2007
Pray for the provision of the remaining finances needed to finalize the purchase of Chichere Farm. Pray that the full amount toward the $120,000 matching-fund grant will come in.
Continue to pray for the logistics team, consisting of US and MA staff, as they prepare for 300+ visitors (short-term team members and interns) that are currently arriving in Malawi.
Praise the Lord—our Njewa Mission Center is up and running! Hot showers with curtains, a gazebo with wicker furniture, bunks to accommodate everyone, and a memorial garden welcoming visitors to Salima Village are all completed.
Praise for entrepreneur/visionary farmer Jerry Senner
(79 years old!) and his wife Nancy for the continued blessings they bring to our agricultural program in Malawi. Jerry recently completed construction on and stocked a fish pond at Chitipi Farm and also drilled a new well.
Praise for the first short-term teams that arrived. The short-term team from Northshore Christian Fellowship in Hawaii ministered to outlying villages that have never experienced an outreach.
Praise for TORQ Church in Florida who coordinated a staff retreat for over sixty staff members. Their goal was to focus on encouraging our Malawi staff.
Praise for the short-term team from the Grove Church in Phoenix, Arizona that recently spent time in Uganda and Malawi. Upon returning to the States, they have already raised funds to start a village assistance program in a neighboring village.
Mechanical breakdowns continue to plague our vehicles in Malawi. Pray for a much-needed missionary mechanic to serve there.
Pray for a year-old toddler just brought to our Chiwengo home. Both of the toddler’s parents recently died and his extended family cannot care for him. Without intervention, this child faced certain death. Praise God he was brought to our attention and pray for his health.
June 2007
Our school year is coming to a close. Pray that our students score well on their exams. Eighteen students will be taking exams. High scores are crucial as they determine whether or not students are placed into good boarding schools.
Pray for summer Logistics team, headed up by Jody Stephenson, as they finalize details for the 300+ visitors this summer. Pray they are fully prepared in the coming weeks.
Praise for the national staff as they are working hard to see that each visitor has opportunities to develop quality relationships with our children and staff while in-country.
Pray for five new villages that may be entering into our program. Initial research has been conducted by our new Village Assistance Director, Yamikani Lufani. The next step is to begin services to each of these villages beginning with the teams and interns this summer.
Praise for the 350-acre farm purchase! The final contract was signed. An official welcome to Laurie and Ange Muddleton from South Africa who have just come on staff with COTN–MA and will be directing our Agriculture Program. Initial forecasting has estimated that the farm will indeed provide enough food for all the children in all our programs for the next year. A $120K matching fund has been given toward the $250K needed.
Praise for our five COTN–MA interns that will be graduating African Bible College (ABC). They have served in our intern program for the last four years and upon graduation, will officially join our COTN–MA staff.
May 2007
Last week, Tom Mambo (MA Country Director) and the board of trustees visited Nchi Chere Farm (pronounced chee-CHAIR-ee), a 350-acre farm that COTN has the opportunity to purchase. Praise God that the board approved the purchase! Besides 80 acres ready for crops and hundreds of acres for grazing, the property includes four fish ponds and comes complete with an irrigation system, nine barns, staff and guest housing, a school, and farm machinery. Our prayer is that the crops and livestock the farm produces will not only produce enough food to completely sustain the children in all our programs in Malawi, but will also produce a sustainable income for COTN–MA. Every year we feed thousands of children besides those in our programs, and every year there are more people than there is food. It is our hope that this farm might help fill the gap. Chris Clark will visit Malawi this month to give final approval on the purchase of the farm. Pray that the property is all we anticipate it to be and that it will be approved. The total purchase price for the farm is $250,000. Praise God for a $120,000 matching grant that has been pledged from a COTN supporter. Pray that we receive donations to match this pledge so we will receive the full amount of pledged grant.
Praise for continued success of JESUS film ministry. Last month we reported that Ronald, an 18-year-old teen in our village assistance program was being trained to operate the JESUS film projection equipment. Ronald has since trained a team that has grown to ten teens!
Pray for Tom and all our Malawi staff as they prepare for incoming teams and summer interns. This year boasts the greatest number of visiting teams/interns ever! So much to do in regards to logistics. Tom requests prayer for wisdom in scheduling, housing, transportation details, ministry planning, and COTN–MA staff morale.
April 2007
Praise God for Tom Mambo’s safe return home after nearly a month here in the USA. He received a huge welcome at the airport, which was very encouraging. Tom said, “I learned so much while I was there and I’m excited to implement several new ideas.”
One such idea was in regards to nursery school. US preschools are quite different from those in Malawi—which are basically the same as the higher grades: students sit on the floor, classroom-style, and are instructed for hours. After visiting a local preschool in Silverdale, WA, Tom was impressed by the classroom setup, the curriculum, the supplies and toys, and the interaction of the children. He shared these ideas with teachers back home and they loved them!
Construction at Njewa is progressing nicely. The kitchen in the dining hall is nearly complete. Salima Village is done! It is ready to be rented to visiting groups or for community events and will hopefully be income producing.
Praise for the JESUS film in Malawi. Recently, some of the older boys in our program have begun training on how to operate the projector and set up the equipment. Last weekend, one of the boys went with an outreach team to a faraway village to show the film—more than 2,000 first time viewers came over a two-day period. Praise God!
Praise for the success of Chitipi Farm. The farm’s main objective is to produce enough food to feed all the children at our centers. After two months, our initial “chicken harvest” produced enough to send to all the centers, with leftover to buy more chickens. Agricultural crops will be ready to harvest next month. The yield is expected to be better than last year, thanks to the rain.
