More Wheelchairs for Malawi
Posted on | January 23, 2012
Irvine, California … During the past few years a strong link has been established between the Malawi Project and the Free Wheelchair Mission in Irvine, California. The result has been over 2,200 wheelchairs shipped and distributed to handicapped people in all three regions of the country. This has taken place through an extensive network of Malawi organizations that work closely with the Malawi Project to distribute the aid that is sent into the country each year.
During recent meetings between the two groups in California the final touches were put on another shipment of 550 wheelchairs to be sent in the next few weeks to Malawi. The wheelchairs will be distributed through the Malawi Project’s southern warehouse in Thondwe, Malawi at the Namikango Mission and Maternity Hospital. Upon arrival in the country organizations throughout Malawi will be notified, and the wheelchairs will be picked up for distribution to those needing them.
200,000 Bricks for New Hospital
Posted on | January 15, 2012
200,000 Bricks
Scott Gordon, President of the Malawi Project, was at the site in July for the groundbreaking ceremony for the new hospital. Nearby was the growing stockpile of bricks. He observes, “Can you imagine a pile of 200,000 bricks made one brick at a time, by hand? This is the commitment of the impoverished village people in the area. They are determined to do all they can to get this hospital constructed, and the school underway. In a western culture where the heavy lifting is done with machines, it is hard to imagine making bricks by hand, one mold of mud at a time. Their commitment leaves ours something to be desired. We have ample heath-care, even though we complain at times over its cost. The fact is that we have new hospitals all over America. We have pharmacies, manufacturers, and abundant supplies of drugs and resources. We have doctors and healthcare workers available at a moments notice, and we have emergency response teams in nearly every fire station across the country. Malawi has none of these. No wonder they are so eager to have this hospital.”
The current value of a brick in Malawi is 2 Kwacha. That means the brick contribution is worth at least 400,000 Kwacha, or approximately $2,500.00. In a part of the country where the average person makes less than $1.00 a day, and unemployment runs 50%, this work is compounded in value.
More Than Simply Bricks
This is the villagers’ contribution to building the new hospital. But this is not their only contribution. With a Shoes for Trees program in place much of 2010 and 2011 the village people planted thousands of trees all over the property to enhance the beauty and value of the land donated for the school, hospital, and training center for helping develop self reliance in the local population, primary the widows and orphans. The program stopped, and the shoes ran out, but the village people did not. They have continued making bricks, planting trees, and cutting a road across the mountain to give access to the upcoming facilities. This work is all being done by hand.
Your tax deductible donation is needed:
| Online: | Via Mail:The Malawi Project, Inc. c/o Mike Ferris – Treasurer 1356 5th Ave, Terre Haute, IN 47807 |
Happy 2012
Posted on | January 1, 2012
Please enjoy this song from a women’s choir from Lambadzi, Malawi. Happy New Year to you all and we look forward to working together in 2012!
14 Million Tracts is a Lot of Reading Material
Posted on | December 23, 2011
Mobile,
Alabama … On a recent tour of the south reporting on the progress of the work in Malawi a report was given to the Regency Church of Christ in Mobile, Alabama. The congregation has a long history of supporting major programs in Africa, and sending literature to preachers and churches for local distribution. Their web site also lists mission programs in Guyana, South America, Ukraine, Florence, Italy, Lima Peru and Rumuokwuruski, Nigeria. The congregation has five elders.
Richard (Dick) Stephens, of the Malawi Project, joined Nancy Talbot from the Regency Church of Christ in Mobile, Alabama, to present a recently printed tract destined for Malawi. Leroy McGaughy, one of the elders of the Regency Church looks on from behind the two, as they recognize and celebrate the 14,000,000 tracts printed and shipped to Malawi in less than 20 years. The Malawi Project assists the effort by using their supply shipments and network to include the materials published by the Regency Church. The number of tracts is quickly closing on the population total for the entire nation. This past year that figure registered 15,447,500 and the Regency effort is focused on passing that total as well.
McGaughy was excited to be able to describe the focus on Malawi that has been maintained by the congregation for so many years. He is the elder who directly oversees the printing and shipment of the tracts.
A Mother Crawls in the Dirt
Posted on | December 16, 2011
Thondwe, Malawi … Mary Saikolo cannot walk. In fact, she has never been able to walk, because of paralysis in both legs. She is both physically challenged, and a single parent. She starts each day by crawling in the dust from her small dwelling house, to a place where she can find enough food for three children, four grandchildren, and her 81-year-old mother. On a good day, Mary builds a fire, and prepares some food for her family. She bakes some mini scones to sell by the roadside. This is the way she raises money for her family. On Sundays, the kids help her travel for 15 minutes, in her wheelchair, to attend Sunday services. Mary is fifty-nine years old. In spite of her age Mary is not only taking care of her three children, she has also taken on the responsibility for caring for her granddaughter, Chisomo Rodrick (her name means Grace), her brother Dziwa 15, sister Merch 12, and a younger sister. Their mother died in 2010.
At five years of age, Chisomo attends an orphan nursery school near her village. But, it takes more than Mary can provide. Not only can she not keep up, the problem is getting more serious. The family is running out of money and resources. She looks at the visitor with deep concern. There is no work in the area for the older children. Malawi has an employment problem with 50% of its people out of work.
“You can see I have stopped baking the scones,” she says. “I do not have the capital,” She was embarrassed that she could not provide food for the visitor during his visit to her home. She had no food in the house that day for anyone, not even the children. “What will happen to them? Who will provide what I cannot give?”
“I understood her problem, and was unable to answer her question and the plea it contained,” noted Wilson Tembo as he left to prepare his report for the Malawi Project web site. “I don’t know what is to become of her, and the children, including little Chisomo.”
Tags: Employment Rate > Family Life
