In late 2016, a few of us got together to organise a relief/aid organisation to help our Christian brethren in Malawi with the ongoing crisis of famine, and to support them in their efforts to bring the gospel across Malawi and the neighbouring African nations. We formulated the following mission statement:
Our mission is to facilitate timely relief and situation-specific support to the work of the ministry and the furtherance of the reformed gospel in Malawi and throughout Africa.
To make clear how we were not duplicating any existing relationships between the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Malawi (EPC-M) and other churches and presbyteries, we also developed the following position statement in relation to the church institute:
MARA is a para-church not for profit organisation, consisting of members of credal reformed churches, that positions itself as a handmaid to the official ministry of the church institute, focussing on practical assistance to situation-specific needs in Malawi and throughout Africa.
MARA will be involved in situation-specific needs related to the furtherance of the gospel like supplying catechisms, bibles, motorcycles or assistance with the construction of churches. MARA will also coordinate relief for humanitarian needs like grains and hospitalisation, amongst other things. MARA will not be directly involved with supporting work like the training of ministers and the sending of missionaries which it views to be the role of the church institute.
It is our prayer that this site will be a source of accurate information of the spiritual and humanitarian needs of the EPC-M, and a mechanism by which believers are able to contribute to their relief.
/Tim