by Josie O’Connor & Tina Falvey
In July this year, a team of five women travelled to the village of Fatima Muona in southern Malawi. Malawi, a landlocked country in southeastern Africa, is affectionately known as the “Warm Heart of Africa” due to the friendliness of its people. Muona, located in the southern region, faced significant challenges in 2023 due to Cyclone Freddy. The cyclone brought heavy rain and strong winds, causing rivers to overflow and mountains to release torrents of water. As a result, Muona and the surrounding villages were severely affected, with reports of casualties and damaged infrastructure, including broken bridges and roads. This devastation was evident as we travelled throughout the southern region.
Upon arriving in Blantyre, we were greeted by our host and driver, Charlie, and his wife, Veronica, who would be our cook for the next two weeks. Before heading south to the Muona region, the team needed to gather supplies from a supermarket. As we drove through the regions, the sight of villages and small groups of people standing around left us in silence. After a long, bumpy drive, we finally reached the village of Fatima and the New Life Academy. There, we met Phillip, his wife Martha, and their three children, who warmly welcomed us into their home, which we would share for the next two weeks.
In the first half of our trip, we visited a couple of underfunded medical centres in the bush and we were able to hand over some medical supplies donated from the UK & Ireland. These centres were incredibly basic, tugging at our heartstrings. Charlie, our host, explained the critical need for these centres and noted improvements since his last visit. Many young men working there recognized Charlie, fondly recalling when he had impacted their lives when he lived in Fatima.
There were countless beautiful moments during our trip. The first week was dedicated to exploring the region and spending evenings with the young girls boarding at the New Life Academy. These girls lived too far away to commute daily, so they stayed at the academy. We formed many friendships with them.
We found that there was a significant lack of knowledge about menstruation, which led to young girls experiencing difficulties during their menstrual cycles. To address this, we provided and demonstrated a package containing materials, thread, samples, and other resources which were used to create custom-made, reusable sanitary items. These items proved to be a blessing for a single mother named Margaret from the local village. She will now train the young girls at the academy in sewing and tailoring skills. Since our return, we have learned that the funds were used to purchase a new Singer sewing machine.
Additionally, the funds raised helped initiate a project called Live Goats, aimed at providing hope and a future for young girls and women. We will keep in touch with them to follow their progress. The second week was filled with children’s ministries, playing games, crafts and bible stories. We also visited various villages and their church communities when we saw many people saved and filled with the Holy Spirit.
During the times spent going out in the various communities, we used the Mercy Ministry money of £220 to bless the elderly with bags of rice and beans, droves of children with sweets, and an appreciated pair of socks. The last of the funds were used to cover school fees for two young girls to enable them to finish their secondary school education.
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
