Ready to return to Malawi

After 25 days in the UK, travelling over 2500 miles and spreading the news about their children’s ministry in Malawi, Elevate and Joseph are ready to head back home.

The last 10 days have involved visits to more churches, including one across the border in Scotland, and more meetings with individual supporters in their homes.

At Sunday services, Elevate and Joseph have been able to sit in on Sunday school classes, observing the teaching going on, and sometimes taking questions from curious, insightful young children. They were amazed at how a Sunday school class in the UK may only have a small number of children, in one instance just one child, and yet there were two dedicated teachers to each class, carefully teaching the children – or child – from God’s Word. In Malawi, Sunday school classes can have up to 100 children, across all ages, with one single “teacher”. And unless that teacher has had CFCM training, he or she is unable to share God’s Word effectively to them.

Elevate and Joseph also attended two training events. They spent a day with Mel Lacey of Growing Young Disciples. It helped them with new ideas, and identifying areas of weakness where they are not doing well. They found it particularly useful to learn about the issues facing young people today and how to guide them through modern pressures in a Christian way. There was much that Elevate and Joseph long to be able to share with the teachers they train back in Malawi, including some important additions to their safeguarding training.

Sadly we have no pictures of Elevate and Joseph with Mel. Their training day came to an abrupt end because of the flooding in Bedfordshire where training was taking place, necessitating a quick exit from the venue! Another contrast with Malawi – yes, areas of UK are vulnerable to flooding at times of excessive rainfall, causing minor inconvenience, changed plans and protracted journeys, but when such flooding occurs in Malawi, it can mean real devastation with homes, personal possessions and entire crops washed away.

Elevate and Joseph have seen many contrasts between UK life and Malawi life (not least the temperature difference!) in the last four weeks. They are looking forward to getting back to their families at home, and will no doubt have many tales to tell. They have been encouraged by the interest, prayers, financial and practical support they have received for their ministry, and return home with thankful hearts, and reinvigorated to impact the lives of children in Malawi through Gospel teaching and practical care.