Dear friends,

While we are still restricted by the Covid 19 pandemic, the Malawians at large have decided to just ignore the restrictions and get on with life. Knowing the situation there, I understand the impossibility of social distancing, hand washing and all the other Covid related do’s and don’ts.

Also political campaigning is happened in light of new elections slated for June 23, 2020. These elections are held to right the wrongs of last year’s elections, when the results were rigged in favour of the then-ruling party. This was overturned a few months ago by a judge and new elections were ordered. Since the last elections, months of demonstrations, even deadly ones ensued. For a while it was dangerous to travel, as we reported in a previous letter. But now peace seems to have returned to the Warm Heart of Africa, as Malawi bills itself.

We have recently received this year’s supply of Bibles from the Gideons/ ShareWord International. The DCI Team is very thankful for this provision. Only heaven will tell how many lives will be saved and changed for God’s glory through these Bibles. We were also informed by the Gideons that this will be the last time they will make Bibles available for Malawi, for now. Apparently giving is down and the budget needs to be adjusted accordingly. As already mentioned, we are thankful for the partnership we have enjoyed these past number of years.

And talking about giving, we are so thankful for you, our partners in this discipling venture in Malawi. God is doing amazing things and saving a people for Himself in Malawi. Elly and I trust that together we will able to keep up the supply of Bibles for all the people who want to be discipled and are sharing their faith with others.

We are co-workers together with God. Be encouraged as you read Caleb’s report below.

Shalom,

Hans and Elly Timmermans

P.S. If you want to help finance the work in Malawi, just email your gift to: dcioffice@shaw.ca
or use our Donate page.

Caleb’s Report of the first June trip to the Chitimba area

It was interesting going to the mountains for followup to the Kalora-2 Life Group in Chitimba area in Karonga District after the Covid 19 break. We were also challenged to see how far these three old men, Mr. Ngwira (the coach) and his two friends took the Gospel to these remote and hard to reach villages in the mountains.

33 people attended the follow-up meeting at Kalora. George shared an encouragement from Colossians 2:6-7, that as they have received Jesus Christ so they should walk in Christ Jesus.

TESTIMONY of Mark Mwowo

He is the leader of Kalora-2 Life Group. He testified how God’s word through the Life Group has changed his area. He said many ministers of the gospel neglect this area because it’s beyond the mountains and very hard to reach. The few crusades that came to this area, were not successful as no one-to-one discipleship or follow up took place. The area is now experiencing revival of God’s Word because of one-to-one discipling. Mark is also very thankful to DCI and partners for changing his village with the Gospel and giving them New Testament Bibles and a DB books so that each one is now able to read for himself the word of GOD. They did not have Bibles and so did not know the Word of God.

After this we visited Thekelo Life Group. 29 people attended the meeting. I encouraged the people with the word of God from Revelation 3:5 where Jesus says, “The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life.” And after receiving this encouragement, we listened to praise reports.

TESTIMONY of Wisdom Gondwe

He had been living a life of drinking too much beer and smoking, so that he couldn’t support his family. He used to spend MK15,000 to MK 20,000 for beer in a day. He always fought with his wife over the lack of food and family necessities. But God has changed his life through one-to-one discipleship and now he is one of the faithful participants at Thekero Life Group and a follower of Christ Jesus. He is no longer drinking or smoking. He now also shares the gospel with other people using the DCI materials he was given. He is also increasing in knowledge of God’s Word.

Since this was our first field experience since we the Covid 19 outbreak, we had lots of expectations. But interesting enough, people responded positively, and our programs have been successful with no Covid 19 challenge. And the issue of blood suckers is now history of the past. We experienced no threat as regarding to blood suckers.

Thanks,

Caleb

Dear Friends,

The Covid 19 pandemic has also affected Malawi. For a few months all travel stopped. Especially after a group of people threatened to kill the DCI Team in Jenda. They were looking for strangers that were supposed to be satanists and since John and George and Caleb were not known in that area, they found themselves in grave danger all of a sudden and had to flee for their lives. We heard similar stories from Karonga, in the very north of Malawi.

John, George and Caleb have been busy at the office as well, painting the metal roof and sealing the stones of the fence. The Team has also been busy designing a teaching paper on Giving to take to the villages. We have been wanting them for a long time that help from Canada can stop any time and to think of ways to continue the work should that happen. A few weeks a go we finally had a Zoom meeting with the Gideon/ShareWord people and they told us that, beginning next year they would not supply us with Bibles any longer. So the Malawians the DCI Team have discipled need to begin looking for a way to continue discipling others and buy the Bibles for their new disciples. This will be a new experience for them since giving is not generally part of the DNA of the Malawians. They are also very poor in the villages. But putting aside just a little money will make it possible to buy a Bible for a neighbour who needs one as he or she is discipled.

George has been meeting with a group headed by Pastor Daniel Mtambo, also in  the Mzuzu area. You can see him on the left in the photo. Beside him is his wife and the people being trained. George is the second from the right.

In the middle of June the new and last supply of Bibles came from the Malawian Bible Society, paid for by the Canadian Gideons/ShareWord. We are so thankful for the Bibles given to the DCI Team over the years. Tens of thousands have been used to disciple God-hungry Malawians and bring them to faith in Christ. Heaven will let us see the impact of the work! that will be so exciting to meet the ones touched by the love of Christ.