Dear friends of Malawi,

It’s time for a newsletter updating you on the work in Malawi. I thought it might be time for an update on our family goings and comings also. That’s not something we do very often.

As you probably know, we live in Sarnia – have been here since June 2020. Our 4 children are spread around – from Palmerston (Bonnie & Rudy) to Brantford (Susan and Al), Williamstown (Paul and Vic) to Redding, CA (Sara & Marty). Bonnie is working with “Disciple a City” as the administrator and they are seeing many unbelievers come to Christ in their crusades. Both Bonnie and Rudy are working hard at renovating a house. It has proven to be a lot of work, but well worth it, as I see the pictures of the make-over. Susan is a student once again…halfway through her studies in counselling and hoping to open her own clinic in Brantford soon. Paul has taken a new job at McEwan Feed Mill in Maxville, ON. So he has made the move back to Ontario and enjoying his new job. We miss our youngest daughter, Sara and her husband Marty with their daughter, Madi. Marty works at Bethel Church and Sara still does her interior design work from home. Madi is starting driving lessons! 😊 Our 10 grandchildren are all doing well. The oldest grandson, Brandon, is still in NZ, and has no plans to return. He and Saskia, his wife, are enjoying life in the farming community there. Andrew (Bonnie’s second son) and his wife, Kaitlyn, live near us with their 3 sons, Enoch, Kiyan and Ishmael. That makes us great grandparents. 😊 It is nice to have them nearby. The other 7 live in the London – Brantford – Palmerston area. We look forward to sharing Thanksgiving dinner with most of them soon. Two more grandsons have married the love of their lives. Luke and Phil (the twins) now each have homes of their own. They are both working in the HVAC industry and are doing well.

That’s a brief little update on our extended family. Hans and I are doing well, just getting a bit older, as we all are. Doing the things that we have enjoyed for so long, are not always within reach anymore. We are attending People’s Church (AGC) in Wyoming, ON (a 17-minute drive), as well as a Connect Group that will start up again next week after the summer break. We enjoy good health for the most part and get out to walk/exercise our dog regularly.

We have been blessed with the work in Malawi for 17 years (Elly) and 13 years (Hans). We still marvel at how God has chosen to use us to facilitate such an amazing ministry. Our Team is a delight to work with; our leader, John Singinie is a wise, godly man of God.

We are thankful for every supporter who has shown an interest in the work. As we get older, we are trusting the future of the ministry to God’s care. It is, after all, His Work. God has proven that He will provide for it according to His will. Will you pray with us to that end?

Elly and Hans

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The DCI Team filed the following report on their travel of last week:

We had a successful follow-up trip to Mpherembe and surrounding areas where Life Groups have been established. It was so exciting and encouraging to see the great results of this work. The coach for Mpherembe and area is Brave Nyoni. Before Brave Nyoni, the coach was Kondwani Msiska who is currently at Santhe in the Kasungu District in the Central Region of Malawi. He continues training many leaders and has established many Life Groups there.

Mpherembe is a Ngoni Area with more than 67,000 people. Ngoni like drinking, polygamy, meat and the Ingoma dance. We visited Life Groups at Emgazini, Changoma and Mangombera. At Emgazini the leader of the Life Groups is Kumbukani Mgemezulu. He is a humble and committed leader. He began the work by training leaders and establishing Life Groups. Some of the Life Groups are:

(1) Chiyenga Life Group with leader Steven Ndhlovu

(2) Mayula Life Group with leader Wilson Kajani

(3) Majiga Life Group with leader Rodgers Ngoma

(4) Matindiwizi Life Group with leader Edward Kajani

We heard encouraging testimonies of changed lives and of people discipling one another. In Emgazini lives a man named Nyirenda who was a witch doctor, but he has been saved. As a witchdoctor he had a uniform that he wore when performing his rituals. After he was saved, he burned the uniform and all other paraphernalia which he used for his magic. He said, “Now I believe in the Lord Jesus, I don’t need these demonic items anymore.” This man is now passing on what he has learned about his new Life in the Lord to others. Many people are being saved through his testimony. God is using his testimony of a changed life to reach more people. When Jesus sets one free that person is free indeed.

At Changoma, the leader is Wisdom Chima who was also trained by Ackson Qoma. Ackson trained 5 leaders, and they have established Life Groups. Changoma is in the Mpherembe area where a lot of maize is cultivated. Most of the people who live there belong to the Pundi clan, which has a history of drinking and violence. But through the Life Groups many are saved, and lives are changed.

The leader of Mangombera Life Group is Nellie Botha who was trained by pastor Brown Chilongo. Brown started some Life Groups, and which became of churches. Nellie is one of those whose family was being cursed by the witchdoctors. Her children were suffering from being attacked by demons. This was difficult for the family. However, the Good News came and she has been saved and Jesus has set her and her family free from these demonic attacks. Nellie and her family are now living a joyful life. She is also reaching out to her neighbors and friends. Many find salvation in Jesus and the Life Groups are growing.

Believers in Mpherembe are very thankful for the free New Testaments, Dynamic Basics and other DCI discipling materials. These are great tools for spreading the Good News which they could not afford to buy themselves due to dire situation food wise in their area. Many people are struggling to make ends meet in their daily life.

We were very encouraged to see that leaders are deeply committed to the work of the Lord and that the members of the Life Groups are reaching out to the lost in their neighborhood. Also, leaders are being trained and Life Groups are reproducing.

Seeing a young boy in front of a Nellie Botha’s pigeon coop reminds me of how these pigeons reproduce rapidly, like the believers in Malawi in their Life Groups.

To make this possible we do need your help, for which we are very thankful.

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Thank you for reading this far!
-Hans and Elly for the DCI Team