It is always wonderful to hear from pastors in areas we have visited, who are carrying on the work we began. The seeds we have planted by teaching and facilitating seminars are growing into a veritable harvest!
An encouraging example of this came this week from Pastor Nation Munthali, a pastor in Northern Malawi, where Empower Missionary Linda Ikea has visited frequently to teach her curriculum on attachment, parenting, and caring for abused, traumatized, and/or orphaned children, Created to Belong. (Read more about this training here.)
Our ministry comes alongside leaders to help combat the root causes of abuse, abandonment and injustice. One of the important ways we do that is through our teaching on trauma. Two seminars, Created to Belong & Healing from Trauma, both address this issue, helping both the traumatized and their caregivers. Created by Linda Ikeda, LMFC and our Created to Belong Director, these seminars bring hope and healing to communities all over Africa.
The Bible tells us that we should help widows and orphans in their distress, and that is often the exact population most traumatized by war, disease, abuse and abandonment.
Pastor Nation is working with Pastor Arnold Pastor Arnold Mphulupulu Phiri, Empower’s Malawi coordinator, to bring the Created to Belong materials to several churches in Northern Malawi.
Linda was delighted to receive an email from Pastor Nation and to learn that he is taking her materials to many who need it. Because of Covid restrictions, she’s been unable to travel to Malawi since 2019. But God seems to be undeterred by Covid and has made another way.
“Really by the grace of God materials are being taught and church leaders in this region are thankful and waiting for your next trip,” Pastor Nation wrote in a recent email to Linda Ikeda. “As we are continuing taking the materials to various districts in the north we ask you, Sue and all brothers and sisters in Christ over there to join us in prayers for the intervention of God on this work. He is God who is our provider in all what we do for the ministry to forge ahead. We are planning to go to Karonga with your material Created to Belong and we will be there for four days.”
Although he is moving forward in faith, Pastor Nation needs our support in order to share these materials with more churches. “I know it is only God who can make it possible,” he wrote. If you’d like to help provide training materials and facilities, click here.
Pastor Nation concluded his letter: “We still urge you and the entire EIM there to keep us in prayer as we have been also praying for you during the great challenges of Covid 19 which affected most of your works there.
We really thank God for the Victory that is in Christ Jesus. (1 Corinthians 15:57-58). We wish you, your family work and ministries the best.
Yours in Christ,
Nation”
Your support makes it possible for those dealing with trauma (and their caregivers) to find healing and hope. Won’t you partner with us to help bring this important message to those who truly need it? Thank you!