Visiting Colleges

Muli Bwanji? (How are you?) Grace and peace to you. This is Steven writing to update you, our faithful supporters, on our time here in Lilongwe.

On Thursday, we had a wonderful time visiting a Malawi technical school about 20 kilometers from our place of residence. The students graciously greeted us with warm smiles and Malawian handshakes as we arrived later than expected. Payton shared a message on the book of Jonah, urging us to reach out to the seemingly unreachable students on our respective campuses. Nate gave a powerful testimony about how he started taking his faith seriously when God gave his family an extremely sad and unexpected trial. The Malawian students and our team were mutually encouraged by one another’s faith in Jesus Christ as we worshipped together.

The next day, we visited Bunda College of Agriculture near Lilongwe. SCOM hosted a day of fun activities for the campus to enjoy, including a Gospel Show at night. We played all sorts of games and sports with the students (soccer, basketball, triple jump, high jump, musical chairs, sack race, to name a few…). Throughout the day, we got to have incredibly fruitful and encouraging conversations with a number of Bunda College students about their purpose in college and their faith in God. Many students go to school SO THAT they may bring what they learn back to their hometown to enable and strengthen the local community and economy. Quite different from the American culture of almost going to college “because that’s what you do.” Our team was greatly blessed by these conversations.

On Sunday, we started our day of rest by attending worship service with hundreds of believers on at Capital City Baptist Church right across the street. It was an awesome experience worshiping with God’s people in a different cultural context.

Today, we will visit a local orphanage not far from where we are staying. Chris warned us beforehand, “Just know that your heart is going to be broken.” Brothers and sisters, I ask you on behalf of our team that you would continue to pray for us in the following ways:

1. That God would break our hearts for what breaks His.
2. That our team would enjoy His abundant provision in terms of health, nourishment, and rest.
3. That our eyes and ears would be opened to see and hear God across circumstances.
4. That we would break down our own cultural and social barriers to boldly approach more Malawian students in the sharing of God’s love.
5. Finally, that when we continue to face spiritual challenges, by the grace of God and the help of the Holy Spirit, we would succeed and grow as a community of believers as well as individual men and women of God.

We thank you again for your faithful support. God is strengthening us through your prayers.

In Christ alone,
Steven