welsfriendsofafrica.com, Author at WELS Friends of Africa

February 13, 2019February 13, 2019

Walira Mvula, Walira Matope

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:1-3)

There is a Chewa proverb, “Walira mvula, walira matope” (he who cries for rain, cries for mud). In a place where no rain falls from May to October, the beginning of the rainy season means new life and a fresh crop of food. Malawian farmers view rain as one of God’s greatest blessings; however, the rainy season presents a significant challenge for city planners trying to manage the flow of water through heavily populated urban areas.

February 6, 2019February 6, 2019

Digital Bookmobile

L-R: Pastors Matope, Chipembere and Petro serve churches located in rural areas of Malawi

Imagine for a moment that when you switched on your 52” flatscreen last Sunday to watch the Super Bowl, the screen remained blank. As your frantic calls to your cable provider meet a busy signal, now imagine steam coming out of your ears. You are missing out on the biggest sporting event of the year – not to mention the commercials, the halftime show, and the always entertaining commentary by Jim Nantz and Tony Romo.

January 30, 2019January 30, 2019

The Gospel Keeps Moving Forward

Getting around Malawi in the rainy season is challenging no matter what mode of transportation you use

You can’t believe how bad the roads are in Malawi during the rainy season until you drive them yourself.

My first attempt to deliver books to Pastor Chumba was a fiasco. I have no one to blame but myself. My first mistake was to drive alone. With only Google maps to guide me, I lost my way near the town of Migowi. I turned onto the first eastbound road, unpaved like the majority of roads in rural Malawi. I soon met up with a trio of women warning me about “matope, matope” (mud). The fields on either side of the narrow track were waterlogged, so how was I supposed to execute a Y-turn? I kept moving forward.