(Photo credit: Department of Disaster Management Affairs, Malawi government)
Brethren,
I bring sad tidings that there has been a major calamity in Malawi. Just when things were looking promising for a seasonable harvest of maize next month, the land has been hit by heavy rains last week which persisted for most of the week, resulting in major floods in central and south Malawi. A state of disaster has been declared by the Malawian president.
Roads under floods in southern Malawi. Picture supplied by Pas Rex.
The floods have severely affected many of the churches in Malawi. Of the 15 pastors, the following pastors have been directly affected by the floods: Royed Waya, Jeremiah Mkuluthu, Jack Mphakela, George Banda, Vincent Wilson, Samuel Kapesi and Sailesi Cidreck. Roads have been blocked, bridges washed away and houses destroyed. We have learned that Pas Jeremiah Mkuluthu’s house has been lost to the floods and his family, with others in like circumstance, have been relocated to a school. As most pastors do not have mobile phones, and because the road network is no longer accessible by motorbike, Pas Rex has not been able to provide more information. Already from what we can gather, the situation is dire.
Here is a short exchange between Pas Rex (Malawi) and Pas Connors (Australia):
Pas Rex Chitakwe: This week has not been good for Malawi especially Southern and Central Regions. It has been raining so heavily day and night and has resulted in floods and collapsing of houses. Many have been injured and some have lost lives. Phalombe, Machinga, Zomba, Chikwawa, Nsanje districts have been heavily affected. Crops and food which they were expected to harvest have been washed away and some are germinating in the fields. Some have lost houses and are being kept in schools. Join us in prayers brethren.
Pas Chris responds: Dear Rex, This is very distressing indeed. We will be praying very much for you all. May God have mercy on poor Malawi. How heavily his hand of Providence lies on your country. This may be a sign that he will do even greater works of gathering God’s elect as the sense of dependence upon Him deepens and becomes more acute. Rex, it is a time to pray and preach the gospel of free grace as it is given in the book of Romans, and even chapter 2:1–11. Matthew 11:28ff also should be preached with compassion. Show your country men the way to find eternal life and the bread of life in Jesus Christ. May God grant his saints grace and help and daily bread also in their time of need. Be assured of our prayers.
At the time of this writing (13 Mar 2019) tropical cyclone Idai has been intensifying and will make landfall in Mozambique tomorrow. Heavy flooding is expected in Mozambique, central and northern regions of Malawi.
MARA has been helping EPCM with prepations for the evacuation and, for the areas already inundated, to get organised with immediate flood relief. Many areas are cut off and will have to be accessed by boats. The aim is that teams should be formed with a pastor present, so that aid will go forth with the preaching and prayer of the minister. Pas Connors has written a tract for the occasion which is being translated to Chichewa. You can read the English version here: Comfort ye, Comfort Ye My People.
I am appealing for your prayers and, if you are in the financial position to, for funds for an urgent, enormous and prolonged relief effort. There is the immediate threat of dehydration and starvation, followed by an impending epidemic of malaria and other waterborne diseases. A failed harvest and another year of famine also looks almost certain.
May the Lord have pity on them, and turn their suffering to a grace.
…………………………………
Tim Law, Secretary MARA
Headlines of Malawi local newspapers, The Nation.