These are the words of Joseph Jeke summarizing the year that is about to close. 2023 will be remembered by many in Malawi for the devastation of Cyclone Freddy in March, and great hardship brought about by relentless inflation and devaluation of the Malawian currency. Yet Joseph continues, “Although every home has been affected, we have endured and God gave us strength to go and do his work.” Elevate Mizinga adds, “our family we never sleep empty stomach.” Elevate and Joseph not only praise God for his protection over them personally, but also find much to thank God for when they consider what has been achieved by Children for Christ Ministry over 2023.
Around 750 Sunday school teachers and pastors have been trained in children’s ministry this year. “We can see the rising of the people in doing the work”, says Joseph, and particularly encouraging has been the response of teachers in Nkhotakota, Likoma Island, Mangochi and Luhono.
The increase in numbers of teachers trained is partly due to the increasing involvement and commitment of CFCM’s growing band of volunteer trainers. These volunteers are showing a real passion for ministry to children and are putting themselves out to serve God in this way. With the addition of new trainers on the islands of Likoma and Chizumulu in 2023, a total of 42 Sunday school teachers have attended the “Training of Trainers” course since 2015.
The trainers are also demonstrating their commitment to CFCM by helping with the start-up of local income generating schemes to raise funds for CFCM.
Elevate and Joseph are also very encouraged every time they hear that a teacher who has attended CFCM training has established a CFCM Bible club in their community. This year has seen the start of many new clubs across the country, and so the number of non-church children hearing the Gospel is rising, as well as the number of church children who are being taught in Sunday schools.
Since the establishment of CFCM-UK, the new UK charity supporting Children for Christ Ministry, financial support has increased, for which we thank God. Everything in the 2023 programme has been able to go ahead despite rising costs. In addition, CFCM has been able to provide subsidized Bibles to Sunday school teachers who complete Level 2 of CFCM training , and to bring relief to children in Phalombe who suffered during the cyclone.
We thank God too for our faithful prayer network who have been supporting the work month by month through prayer. If you would like to join this and receive monthly prayer requests by email, follow the link to prayer.
2023 has been a difficult year, but God has blessed the work of Children for Christ Ministry. He has protected staff and their families, built up the team of volunteer trainers, encouraged and inspired hundreds of men and women to preach the Gospel to children, and thousands of children are being brought to Jesus and entering his kingdom. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10:14-16).
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