Wells, Word, and Wonderful Works: A Report from Machinga
Greetings in the name of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Jeremiah Jumbo Chitandika, Site Surveyor for You Turn Ministries, here with an update from a recent trip to Machinga, Malawi. It was a powerful time, and we’re so grateful for the traveling mercies God provided.
We arrived in Machinga in May and set up camp. We were joined by a fantastic team from Sales Street Baptist Church in America, led by You Turn Board Member, Lucas LaCour. Their partnership was invaluable.
Strengthening Our Churches
A core part of this trip was visiting the eight churches we’ve previously planted in the area. Our main purpose was to encourage them and edify each other with the Word of God. The American team focused on discipling, while our Malawian team provided crucial translation support. We covered vital subjects like prayer, giving, and the unity of the church, and the response from the congregations was truly amazing!
Spreading the Good News
God also opened doors for evangelism. We had the opportunity to show the Jesus Film in three locations: Vetiwa Primary School, Limbula Village, and the Maadi area. We also preached the good news of Jesus Christ in places where we repaired broken wells. Additionally, we engaged in door-to-door evangelism, particularly around Vetiwa Primary School.
Transforming Lives Through Clean Water
One of the most impactful aspects of this trip was our work on water projects. We repaired six broken wells in the villages of Umbwa, Michesi, Limbula, Mikachu school, Chiwalo, and Tambala. Imagine this: people in these villages had to walk long distances to get water from swamps because their wells were broken. This not only consumed much of their time but also led to health issues from contaminated water.
By helping repair these wells, we’ve given these communities a powerful reason to trust God more, knowing He has heard their prayers and provided clean water. Beyond that, they will no longer suffer from waterborne diseases, children can be ready for school on time, and families can dedicate more time to income-generating activities to feed their loved ones. And above all, we didn’t just give them clean water; we gave them the Living Water, Jesus Christ!
Equipping Leaders for the Future
Our trip concluded with a vital leadership training session on our last day of work in Machinga. We had leaders from 7 churches attend, with only Muwawa unrepresented due to transportation issues. Qualified team members taught from the books of 2 Timothy and Titus, focusing on Biblical leadership skills.
A Word of Thanks
I want to extend my sincere gratitude to the rest of the You Turn team and our supporters for the constant support you provide to our team in Machinga. We truly appreciate it and don’t take it for granted. The people of Machinga also asked me to convey their thanks to You Turn Ministries and our supporting partners for your prayers, food relief, and provision of clean water.
