"The Lord is my Light and my Salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the Stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

​Answer to Prayer
Our team has been reduced in size as we lost one of our team members – not to death or any illness, but we willingly sacrificed him as a living sacrifice to serve the Lord at a Sola Scriptura Bible College that is in desperate need of help. In our last Mission update, we urged you to pray that God would send someone to fulfil this need; God has answered your prayers. We have released Ryno to respond to the earnest plea for help that came from the valiant old missionary who is single-handedly running this effective Bible College with its vast responsibilities and numerous challenges. Ryno was eager to respond to this need and thoroughly believed that God has called and prepared him for such a time as this.

Mission Overview
We have currently been on this Africa Overland Mission for more than 4 months and have conducted more than 300 meetings in 6 countries including South Africa, Zambia, Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, and Malawi. We have travelled more than 14,000km over a vast variety of complicated, compromised, and corrugated road surfaces and have had only one puncture. We have delivered and distributed almost two tonnes of valuable Gospel literature, Discipleship books, Bibles, New Testaments, tracts, DVDs, and MP3 discs.

We have been ministering in Malawi since 24 August and have conducted more than 150 meetings in the 8 weeks that we have been ministering in this needy, desperate, and hungry country.

 Vibrant Mission Partners
We are really enjoying the ministry here in Malawi. The folk here have a deep desire to learn and are desperately grateful for everything we share with them. The Church that we are currently working with is doing a great work of expanding the Kingdom of God here in Malawi. They have a noble vision and vibrant passion for mission work within Malawi. They are especially keen on Evangelism Training to counter the insidious advance of Islam. This Church has already planted more than 280 churches in Malawi and Mozambique. The bishop of this church had attended the Great Commission Course and is thoroughly desperate for the training he received to be taught in all the churches.

 Frontline of the Battle
Malawi is crucial at this time in the battle against the treacherous advance of Islam. There are many new mosques being built along the roadsides and Muslims are actively involved in "evangelism" (propagation) in many areas. They successfully motivate the local, vulnerable, and gullible people to become adherents of their "peaceful" religion by offering various rewards such as: food, business training and opportunities, education, and other such motivations. Although claiming to be peaceful, the Muslims are aggressively resisting the Church, beating and stoning Evangelists, burning down churches, and in some areas violently protesting against the sale of pork in the local market places. Now is the time that the Church must wake up and counter this sinister advance of Islam. If Malawi succumbs to this Muslim advance, Islam will be in an advantageous position to spread their dangerous false teachings to other neighbouring countries in Central Africa.

 Facing the Challenge
During our time here in Malawi we have mostly gone to areas that are under imminent threat of being over powered by Islam, such as Nkhotakota, Machinga, Blantyre, and Nsanje. We have preached in a church that had been burned down by Muslims. We have encouraged the believers to stand strong in their faith. We have taught Muslim Evangelism and conducted outreaches in strong Muslim areas, and motivated, trained, and equipped the local believers to be more actively involved in sharing their faith with their Muslim neighbours.

Blantyre and Gomorrah
Blantyre is a very wicked city. Some may call Malawi a Christian country, but in the time I have spent in this city, I cannot agree. Immorality is prevalent, prostitution, though illegal, is rife, witchcraft is a strong influence and used by many - even pastors and church members, alcohol abuse is obvious as many drunks stagger the streets at night, and the strong insipid presence of Islam is inhospitably evident by the disturbing loud speakers frequently violating the air with their call to "prayer".

 W​hat is the Good News?
We had the opportunity to conduct Evangelism Training in three different areas in the city of Blantyre. The church is largely sleeping, not getting involved in sharing the Good News! These Christians are just attending church out of religious ambition, yet have no passion to share their faith with others. When we ask them what the Gospel is, they don't even know! This is a shameful indication of a lack of basic Biblical understanding. In the Chichewa language, "The Gospel" is directly translated as, "Good News". There is a desperate need for teaching the Gospel to the Church and for motivating them to take this Good News and share it with others. I have been so surprised at the joy which overcomes these church-goers when they hear and understand the Gospel.

Hopeless Situation
I have been seriously disheartened by the apathy and lack of passion in the church in Blantyre - so much so that I almost gave up, wanting to just go back home and leave this city to face the imminent destruction that it seems to deserve. The only thing that kept me going on was the thought that, even if I can motivate one individual to become actively involved in spreading the Gospel, God could use that one to bring a Biblical transformation to this wicked city.

"If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live, or we die, we belong to the Lord." Romans 14:8

Shire Valley
We conducted an intense time of ministry in the Southern part of Malawi known as the Lower Shire Valley. Some of the locals call it hell – because of the extreme scorching temperatures that assault the body's senses. We experienced temperatures up to 45 degrees Celsius! But I believe there is another reason why this place should be called hell, and that is due to the strong presence of witchcraft in this sweltering valley. There are often reports of people literally flying in order to reach and harm others; children are carried away at night by spirits and 'taught' the methods of witchcraft and there is a mystical crocodile that attacks and kills targeted individual. Shape-shifting is common as people take on the form of creatures in order to move about unobserved.

Frustrating Ministry
In one of the villages in this dark region, we conducted an Evangelism Workshop with the local church. We met under a tree because the mud-brick church was too small to host the Seminar. Other churches had been invited to join the program. This was great because there were a large number of folk to minister to, but the fact that we were outside opened our meeting up to others too. Even this was great because we had the privilege of sharing the Gospel to the curious crowd that had joined our meeting under the tree. But this also opened up a disturbance of the atmosphere created by the insipid, unhappy, disturbed, powers of darkness that crawled into our meeting place inciting their subjects to unsettled, irreverent, upsetting behaviour which certainly made it difficult for me to minister. I had to stop speaking on a few occasions to try to bring order back to the meeting, praying hard that God would bind up these evil forces. The young children specifically were tools of the devil in this regard.

Darkness Defenceless Against the Light
On one particular night, as we were experiencing this same frustrations while I was preaching at an open air Evangelism Crusade (which was initially meant to be an evening Bible study for the believers), I felt defeated and disheartened as I came to an end of my presentation of the Gospel. The meeting had been disturbed and interrupted on numerous occasions by rowdy, noisy, stubborn, hard-hearted, hecklers who seemed intent on mocking and trivializing the message and the meeting. I had tried to maintain order, and tried to present the Gospel clearly under the difficult conditions, but felt as if I had failed – I wanted to just give up, but pressed on persistently – almost forcing myself to continue. At the end of this meeting, I gave an unenthusiastic altar call, thinking there might be at least one to whom the Truth might have gotten through. There was one, then two. As they were coming forward, the hecklers intensified their jeering, mocking and banter, but these two came boldly forward unmoved by the ridicule that was being poured out upon them. Six others later reluctantly joined these two bold young men. I was astounded that through all the darkness of this situation, God's Light had shone through to these sincere determined responders.

Silas Freed from Prison
The next morning as I was taking my morning walk, I was cheerfully greeted by a young man with a bright face. This was a rare occurrence due to the strong powers of darkness in this area; I therefore eagerly returned his greeting. He introduced himself to me as Silas and told me that he was one of those who had responded to the Gospel the previous night. I then recognized him as the first person who responded amid the jeering and heckling. He also expressed his keen desire to have a copy of God's Word in order to help him grow in this desperately dark area. This blessed my heart immensely, and I was very pleased to give him a Bible and a copy of Biblical Principles for Africa. Silas expressed his joy of being set free by the Truth. He has just completed his schooling, and now has a desire to study to be a minister of the same Gospel that has set his heart free.

"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32

 Witchdoctor Steps Forward
In another village of the Lower Shire Valley we had been ministering for 3 days we were confronted by a similar blindness and resistance to the Gospel. The church members, including the pastor, had no idea what the Good News was and when we explained the problem of sin, they all admitted that they would go to hell if they died. They understood that their sin had separated them from God and earned them His wrath, yet they had no idea how they could be set free from this disastrous problem. On the last day of our ministry here after many had joyfully responded to the Gospel preaching – as if they had heard the Good News for the first time, a woman who was a leader in the church stepped forward in deep contrition and remorse with loud cries. She said that she has a burden on her heart that she needs to be rid of. She confessed that she is a witchdoctor, though she doesn't want to be, and she is often forced by evil spirits to do things she doesn't want to do. But this day she confessed her sin of witchcraft, and sought Christ for freedom from this bondage. We praise God for her and for the many others like her who have been set free by the Good News of Jesus Christ.

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36

 Valuable Resources
Much of the vital literature and resources that we have distributed and used for teaching and training have been extremely valuable in assisting these desperate and eager believers and their gratitude is evident and encouraging. Thanks to our generous supporters, we have been able to buy and distribute 72 Chichewa Bibles to eager believers who recited the Ten Commandments in order to "earn" a copy of God's Word. We have also been able to bless two pastors each with a bicycle to help them spread the Gospel further.

Thank You

Thank you very much for all your prayers, encouragement, and support that you have given to make our ministry here in Malawi possible. We would not have been able to do any of this without your participation. Thank you to those of you who have sacrificially and generously given of your finances which have enabled us to accomplish all that the Lord has called us to do.

May God bless you thoroughly!

In His service - and loving it!

Michael Watson
Missionary Field Worker

Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Office: +27-21-689-4480
Email: mike@frontline.org.za
Email:  mission@frontline.org.za
Website: www.frontlinemissionsa.org

Victory Loves Preparation

See:
Tanzania for Christ
Burundi for Christ
Congo for Christ

Dear Family and Friends
​
Jesus said “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen."  Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)

​I greet you in the precious Name of our Lord and Commissioner Jesus Christ!

The Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ is the most profound challenge we face as Christians. It challenges us in all areas of our lives, such as our knowledge of the Bible and ability to communicate its message, especially the Gospel, clearly. Our Faith – to persevere through the toughest of trials. Our obedience - to act upon the commands and teachings of Christ. It challenges our motives which influence our everyday decisions. Will I love my neighbour as myself? Will I pray for those who curse me?

Am I interceding for the lost? Am I living a holy life, as I reach out to an unholy world? As the Body of Christ we will always find ourselves with a frivolous Christianity when we fail within our personal capacities to actively partake in the fulfillment of the Great Commission. I was confronted with the challenge of Christ`s Commission when I first completed the Great Commission Course (GCC) in January 2014. My whole worldview was shaken and my perspective on Evangelism, especially cross-cultural Evangelism, changed a lot. After the GCC I immediately started with the Missionary Apprentice Training Programme at Frontline Fellowship. I had the privilege of embarking on the Congo Overland Mission in June 2014. We ministered in Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Burundi, and Congo. This newsletter will focus on the time I spent serving at a Bible college in Malawi.

The Road to Mzuzu
After three months in the field with the Frontline Mission team ministering in Zambia, Burundi and Congo, I was sent to serve with Sola Scriptura Bible College in Malawi. It was the evening approximately 18:35 that Michael sent me off to Mzuzu by bus. When I boarded the bus, I immediately realised that I was about to have an African bus ride of a life time! All the seats were taken and the people had filled up about half of the aisle, making me even the more the centre of attraction when I joined the standing passengers. It wasn’t long before the aisle of the bus was completely full. Eventually they told me to sit in front, on the engine cover which is situated next to the driver's seat. It was a hair-raising experience to see the driver move into the right hand lane of the oncoming traffic when entering a right hand turn, on a blind mountain pass! At this point I was also still recovering from a fourth eye infection. The eye patch I had on offered some relief, but there was still a persistent itchiness and strain to keep my right eye closed.

I arrived in Mzuzu at 3am the next morning and was quite exhausted from the eight and a half hour rollercoaster bus ride. Rev. Peet Erasmus was waiting for me at a guard post just outside of Mzuzu. We made our way back to the college and instead of going straight to bed we drank some coffee and talked about the college.

Sola Scriptura
We had many more discussions about Sola Scriptura and the needs of the college. Rev. Peet expressed his gratefulness for some support to assist him and help at the college, I could see how it was a breath of fresh air to him. It was clear that Rev. Peet (78 years old) was exhausted from running the college all by himself. It took me about three days, from my day of arrival, to recover from an enormous blister on my foot which became a big wound after a doctor pierced the blister. They had a pair of crutches lying around which helped me to stay mobile.

Physical Training
Having the memories of the Great Commission Course still fresh in my mind, I couldn’t wait for my foot to heal. I wanted to speak to Rev. Erasmus about implementing PT at Sola Scriptura. He was very much in favour of the idea and said that I could start the next morning, which we did and arranged that the men do PT three times a week starting on Monday, and the women twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. PT was actually helpful to shake off that morning doziness and get a nice fresh start for the day of academics. Life in Malawi certainly does not provide one with the comforts of South Africa. For instance, every week, or second week, we have to collect fire wood. Fire wood was the main source of energy, as electricity would be in South Africa. It is just not acquired with the flip of a switch. As a matter of fact, the collecting, the chopping and splitting of the wood is one of many examples of the active lifestyle you can have in Malawi.

The Need for Maintenance
Being practically minded, I immediately saw a serious need for maintenance on all the buildings and campus property. Although the three houses, men's and women’s dorms, and lecture hall was very well built initially, the maintenance of these buildings is unfortunately suffering neglect dew to a shortage in sufficient support/resources. But I was not aware of the extremely tight budged Rev. Peet was working with and only after a month or so realized that the very reason I was there for, to help Rev. Peet with the things which are slipping through his fingers. Seeing he had both hands full with seventy-five students to manage, this was going to remain unchanged. This did not discourage me because there were many other tasks besides maintenance.

Weekend Outreaches
As part of the student’s training, they have weekend outreaches in different areas every new term. We transported the students with a Toyota Land cruiser and Toyota D4D 3.0 single cab bakkie (pickup trucks). We were traveling roughly 440km per vehicle on Fridays and Sundays, bringing it to 880 kilometers every weekend per vehicle. Not only was this an expensive expedition on our health but also on the colleges limited resources. There are so many factors in the mission field, which is constantly pushing you to your limits, but with a steadfast faith in Christ, we can persevere through difficult times.

Serving the Community
The community around the college property are often dependent on the help of the college vehicles. Rev. Peet will give the women of that area a ride when he drives into town, so that they can take their maize to the hammer mill. I also had to do many ambulance runs in the middle of the night, which I enjoyed doing. At a certain point I was asked to pick up the corpse of an old man and take it to his home, where about two hundred people were waiting. Because of all their protocol that needed to be followed, it took a very long time before they actually loaded the coffin so that I could transport it to the place of weeping.

Road Works
Malawi has a subtropical climate and has a five to six month rainy season, which would inevitably leave any inclined road with some degree of erosion damage. A part of the main road leading into the campus grounds has a quite severe incline, and henceforth severe erosion. It was an enormous mission to get the needed amount of soil onto the road with only one wheel barrow, but we pushed hard for two hours and were able to finish the transporting of the soil onto the road (100+ wheel barrow loads). The next day we continued to wet the road with buckets of water. We walked about 35m to a small river nearby and filled up 20lt buckets in each hand and then walked from the river to the top of the inclined road, about 45m, and worked our way down splashing the water on the new earth. I transported 650lt of water walking 16 times to and fro with two 20lt buckets – I wasn’t very keen for PT the next morning! I also used the Land Cruiser to drive up and down on the road to compress the wet soil. Ridges were added to the first 30 meters of the road before the downhill slope. This decreased the amount of water running down the road quite significantly. I constructed three diagonal ridges which are ten meters apart from each other and each of them has an outlet point on the left side of the road. The logic of ridges is that you do not only divert the water but you actual lessen the collective volume of water on the surface of the road to patches of 5x10m, instead of 5x200m which literally creates a small river. The erosion damage on a 5x10m patch is significantly less and far easier to repair and maintain.

Lectures on Jeremiah
Rev. Erasmus and I eagerly anticipated the arrival of a South African lecturer from the Dutch Reformed Church. He was going to lecture on Jeremiah and other subjects, but due to reasons unknown to me, he never arrived. This left Rev. Erasmus with one week to find a new lecturer. He contacted a former student who is pastoring a church in Mzuzu area and asked him if he would be willing to lecture on Jeremiah. The pastor told Rev. Erasmus that he first had to make some arrangements before he could commit. Three days later Rev. Erasmus came to me with an intense concerned expression on his face and asked: “what are we going to do now?” It turned out that the pastor he phoned on Monday just moments earlier called and said that he would not be able to lecture on Jeremiah. The lectures on Jeremiah were scheduled to start next week Monday and Rev. Piet was due to leave for Mozambique for two weeks on that same Monday! All of a sudden, time stood still... as I observed this potential prospect of me managing seventy five students for two weeks, but also lecturing them on the book of Jeremiah with only five days to prepare! What a thought! I barely processed this only to discover with the over-joyed expression on Rev. Erasmus’s face that I just volunteered to lecture on Jeremiah!

It was late Wednesday afternoon that I was promoted to lecturer and I used the remaining hours of that day to scout for all the available materials on the book of Jeremiah. Thursday I was able to get in a few hours of preparation despite some interruptions. On Friday I only had time to prepare from early the morning till lunch time, after which we took the first two groups of students to their points of ministry for the weekend and arrived back late the night after dropping off the last two groups of students. Saturday I had all day to read up on the book of Jeremiah. Sunday was the same as Friday, only we were fetching the students. The next week arrived too soon and Ds. Peet left early that Monday morning for Mozambique. I was overwhelmed by the reality of what it truly meant to lecture people on the Word of God. As I stood before those precious Malawian people I just knew that I was infinitely unprepared for the great task ahead of me. I prayed and trusted our Lord Jesus to give me wisdom and guidance in the book of Jeremiah and that He will open the minds of the students.

Challenges in the Classroom
I started the first lecture for that day with an introduction to the book, and I started to write on the white board behind me. It was not long before a hand rose from the back row. I asked him “how can I help you?” He stood up and began to express his unhappiness, on behalf of many of the other students, that he, they, are dependent on lecture notes. Seeing that they cannot concentrate in class they need the notes to review it at a later point in time. Amused by his open honesty for not concentrating in the class room, I explained to him that it just simply was not possible to have lecture notes printed for them, for a number of reasons (no finances, no electricity, no time etc. etc.) I encouraged him to write down the things I was writing on the board and the things on which I placed emphasis, as I talk to them. I continued to write on the white board so that I could give an explanation of the things written on the board. But as I continued to write, my interpreter drew my attention to a raised hand among the students. The moment I acknowledged his hand he jumped up and with much self-pity, he expressed on behalf of many others in the class, that they are dependent on hearing what the lecturer is saying. He said “we cannot write in English, or in Chichewa, so you must please talk more.” At this point it dawned on me that there was a serious diversity in the classroom of literate and illiterate students. I understood his point and thought it well to just take a moment to explain what I am writing on the board. I barely started to explain what I was busy writing on the board when another student jumped up: “But Pastor Rhino! You know, some of us are too much dependent on what is “written” on the white board, and now you are only talking!”

With such conflicting requests and interruptions it was a very exhausting experience and very hard to make progress with the first lecture. By the end of the second lecture, I realised that I had just presented all of the information which I had been able to compile over the weekend – Which meant that I was going to find myself, every afternoon, till late night, preparing from scratch for the next morning’s lectures. This in my mind was the worst case scenario, because my own source of knowledge on the book would not be a comprehensive overview of the book, but rather limited to each chapter and unaware of what lies beyond. This obviously restricts one's ability to do cross-referencing within the book and hence fail miserably to portray the context and its significance. I decided to give the students homework for the rest of the week so that I can have at least five full days to prepare. I gave them verses to memorise, a sermon to prepare, and five object lessons which they had to find in the book of Jeremiah.

The next week arrived much faster than I would have hoped, but by the grace of God we looked at the book of Jeremiah chapter by chapter for the rest of the week until Thursday, and Friday morning they wrote an exam. The homework I gave the students to do became an additional two piles that awaited its turn to be evaluated and marked. I marked 75 exams, 75 papers on the five object lessons, and 75 sermons.

Foundations for Farming (“Farming Gods Way”)
Mr. Mark Becket is one of few missionaries in Mzuzu area who does the Farming God's Way (FGW) training. It was with his invitation that I came to hear of the three day workshop he was hosting on his farm, 8km from the college and 6km from Mzuzu. The training cost me 1000 Malawian Kwacha per day which was back then something like R44 ($3), and there was a delicious lunch included. I knew from previous exposure to this farming method that it is very simple and easy to apply, but I was doubtful if three days could possibly be sufficient for training. As we progressed through the three days I was fascinated how basic and obvious the principles are. We participated in many of the methods taught. For instance, we went to a small patch of land 10x20m and practiced the “High standard” principle by using a long rope with markers on every 60cm. The markers indicate where each hole should be made. The end result is minimal soil tillage and seeds planted in a straight line optimizing the percentage of harvest yield significantly.

The life-changing testimony of a Malawian man who trusted a missionary to teach him FGW, made me realise that this is what Malawi needs – FGW training is saturated with the Word of God and based on Biblical principles. One of the Biblical principles they look at is that a curse is brought on the land when a witchdoctor is consulted and “muti” applied to the field. They teach that God is the Creator and giver of all life and without His blessing nothing will prosper. After a field has been planted they stand and pray to Almighty God, our Lord Jesus Christ and acknowledge His Lordship and that without His blessing all our efforts are in vain. Before they pray they say that this is not some magic trick to make the plants grow. It is an acknowledgement that Jesus Christ rules over everything and that we are nothing without Him.

Challenges Faced
The vision of Sola Scriptura is clearly stated by a painting on the wall of the lecture hall: “Africa for Christ!” written over the map of Africa. This is an ambition which is true to the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ given in Mathew 28:18-20. And I believe that God has used this institution to bring many people in a closer relationship with Him, and even prepared them for the higher calling of Matthew 28:18-20.

Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to intercede for Pastor Peet Erasmus, as well as the nation of Malawi and the vital work of training pastors and teachers to disciple the nations.

 
In His service

Ryno Rademeyer

​Malawi was one of the great success stories of the 19th Century missionary movement. Starting with David Livingstone (whose birthday was for many years honoured as a national holiday in Malawi), missionaries succeeded in evangelising and discipling this nation so effectively that what was once the killing fields of Muslim slave traders became one of the most Protestant nations of Africa.

​However, by 1994 Malawian voters (80% of whom profess to be Christians), voted in a Muslim, Bakili Muluzi, as their President. Apparently the Christian voters had accepted the claim that the religious beliefs of the political candidates was not important. However, despite promises of prosperity, government policies since 1994 have resulted in devastating inflation which has destroyed the savings of the average family.

Laying foundations for Reformation - one of the 8 Biblical Worldview Seminars conducted on this 3 month 3 nation mission.Muslim propagation agencies then flooded the country with the message of Islam. The Islamic Zakaat Fund (IZF), overseen by Gaddafi’s son, reportedly has an annual budget of US$40 million. The IZF is building 30 high schools throughout Malawi. Their goal is to Islamise the next generation. Gifted Malawian students are being offered scholarships to study in Islamic countries such as Pakistan.In the government schools, the long established "Bible Knowledge" courses have been scraped and replaced with "Moral and Religious Studies" which emphasise Islam. The Bible Society is now denied access to public schools. Now many Malawians are realising with dismay that they have allowed a Muslim minority to sieze control of their country. Some observed that this was the hand of God in judgement against a lukewarm and complacent church.
​
"If you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments ... those who hate you shall reign over you..."Leviticus 26: 14,17

The Church in Malawi had fallen victim to the myth of neutrality. One Malawian commented that they had neglected to effectively "disciple the nations ... teaching them to obey all that Christ has commanded" Matt 28:19 and failed to preserve Biblical principles in the public sphere. "... if the salt loses its flavour ... It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." Matthew 5:13

It was therefore most timely that Frontline Fellowship sent up a team to conduct Leadership Training Seminars in Malawi.

"Malawi is at a crossroads!" declared one delegate. The current crisis has aroused many Christians out of their complacency. Our team leader observed:
"For people living in an environment characterized by peace and security, the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 119:71 may seem a bit perplexing: "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes. The Law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver." As a result of his affliction the Psalmist was humbled and became teachable and responsive to God’s Law-Word. This condition of the heart was observed among the delegates at our courses in Malawi.

"During the Frontline Fellowship leadership training seminars, Malawian Christian leaders were particularly encouraged by the testimonies of the Protestant Reformers: John Wycliffe, John Hus, Martin Luther, and William Tyndale. That these early Reformers took a bold stand for the truth of God’s Word, continues to be a great encouragement to Christians today.

"Pray that Malawian Christians would be faithful to Jesus Christ, and obedient to carry out the Great Commission in that land, to be salt and light and to apply God’s Word in all areas of life. Pray that they would withstand the pressures (both from within and outside of the Church) to compromise the truth of God’s Word. Pray that they would be bold even in the face of opposition and persecution."

"I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life that you and your children may live." 
Deuteronomy. 30:19

​Lynne and Donovan came down with malaria and Lynne also contracted an eye infection. After recovering they continued their ministry. There was much demand for Lynne’s first aid and they soon ran out of medicines and bandages. In Zimbabwe the team also had to contend with harassment and interrogation from the ClO (secret police).
​
The team distributed 27 boxes of Gospel literature including 12 000 Gospel booklets, 454 Bibles in Chichewa, Portuguese and Shona, 30 relief boxes and 7 large bags of second-hand clothing. Below are some extracts from their 30 page report:

In Lusaka a thief grabbed Lynne’s bag (which contained her passport and money) and disappeared into the crowd. I pursued the thief across the 4 lanes of heavy traffic in Cairo Road. As the culprit was close to being apprehended he threw the bag onto the sidewalk, its contents spilling out. By God’s grace all of the contents were recovered!

Our main aim was to conduct Discipleship Training Seminars (each was normally three days) at established rural congregations. Over the years there has been much evangelism in rural Malawi, but very little discipleship, however our Lord commanded: “make disciples . . . teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. . . (Matt 28:19-20). We sought to adhere to the apostle Paul’s strategy: “the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim 2:2).

We conducted 27 seminars which were specifically directed to church leaders, though everyone was welcome. It was not uncommon for some pastors to walk 20 to 30 kms to attend the meetings. At all of our seminars pastors were instructed, challenged, and encouraged “to always be ready to give a defence to everyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet 3:15).

Because these rural churches lacked Bibles and Bible teaching, their knowledge of God’s Word was very limited. It was not surprising to find a Christian who didn’t even know that the Scripture consists of the Old and New Testaments! For that reason we nearly always would begin by teaching: creation, the attributes of God, the fall of man, sin, the person and work of Jesus Christ. Our aim was not only to teach ideas, but also to demonstrate trust in the Lord. The miracles and parables of Jesus Christ were often expounded upon. Church leaders were also taught Biblical principles for the family and for the church.

Polygamy is still a serious problem in the church, and even among pastors! Some “pastors” were attempting to justify their taking of extra wives by claiming that they were only trying to be obedient to God’s command: “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth. . .“ (Gen 1:28). 

These false pastors were then misleading the men in their congregations to take on extra wives, thus making them partakers in the same error. At the seminars, many pastors were strengthened and encouraged by the clear instructions found in Scripture that: “An overseer must be blameless, the husband of one wife (1 Tim 3:2).

The Kalingonda bean in Malawi provides an object lesson. In the garden of Eden, God commanded Adam “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat." And along with that command came a very grave warning “for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Gen 2:17). The kalingonda bean in southern Malawi is greyish in colour and is quite poisonous. Unaware of the harmful results of eating the kalingonda bean, sometimes a young girl might attempt to prepare these beans for a meal. Malawian parents must warn their children not to eat from this plant. And as the parent warns the child out of love, so the Lord warned Adam out of love.

Two Mozambican pastors walked 20 kms to attend one of our seminars. They reported that they had been blessed with good crops this year; however that they were starving for the Word of God. They said that in their area, there were four pastors sharing just one Bible. When it was “their turn” to use the Bible, they would often copy portions of Scripture by hand. Sometimes pages from a Bible would be divided among several pastors. They rejoiced upon receiving 3 Bibles each to take back to Mozambique. In total, 454 Bibles, 110 New Testaments, and 12 000 Gospel booklets were distributed. Over and over again, it was our joy to put a Bible into the hands of a believer, and to see his face light up.

For two years, a young man, Enoch, had been praying that the Lord would provide him with a Bible. In awe he praised the Lord upon receiving God’s Word.
“I rejoice in Your Word as one who finds great treasure” Psalm 119:162.

Train up a Child
As most of the rural women and children are illiterate, Lynne taught them the Ten Commandments and Scripture memory verses using pictures. The women and children responded very well to Lynne’s teaching. When she made the verses into a song they learnt even quicker.

At one meeting the pastors were all asked to make a list of their children from eldest to youngest. That having been done, we began the Bible study from 1 Samuel 1 to 4 (concerning Eli and his two wicked sons), Prov 22:6, Deuteronomy 6:4-7 and Ephesians 6:14 which clearly charge Christian parents with the responsibility of raising their children in the love and knowledge of the Lord. The pastors were then asked which of their children have they instructed in the things of the Lord? One pastor let out a deep groan. It had never occurred to him that he should teach his own children! Another pastor enthusiastically remarked that earlier the same day he had just begun to teach his young son from the book of Genesis.
Malaria and Infections

Although we had been taking our malaria prophylactics; Lynne still came down with malaria twice - each lasting three to four days. Donovan also contracted malaria. Typically, malaria makes one very tired, feverish, dizzy, disoriented, and the body is full of aches and pains. One woman described having malaria in this way: “At first you are afraid that you are going to die. But after a while you hope that you will die!”

In the bush, we had to make a special effort to keep our hands clean (and to keep our hands away from our eyes). After having just treated a child who was suffering from eye infection, Lynne contracted the same. Yellow pus was caked between her eyelids. Spider bites were also a common source of infection.

We found a basic knowledge of first aid very useful. Medical treatment in the rural areas of Malawi and Mozambique was essentially non-existent. Even where there was a rural clinic we found that their medicines and other stocks were depleted. No antibiotics, no bandages, not even aspirin. Many of the children had health problems related to poor nutrition. Infants were often found to be malnourished. This was largely due to the poor diet of the rural people which basically consists of starch (finely ground mealie meal/corn). If a nursing mother is eating nothing more than Nsima (corn meal), there is no way for the infant to get the nutrition required for healthy growth. We saw a number of young children who were going blind due to vitamin A deficiency.

Lynne sometimes spent as much time cleaning and bandaging open infected wounds, or treating malaria, or fever, as she did teaching the women and children. It is very difficult for the children to stay clean so even a minor cut will inevitably become infected. Clouds of flies cluster around any sores or ulcers aggravating the infection. We soon ran out of bandages, gauze, antiseptics, plasters, aspirins, etc. and had to improvise to meet the desperate needs.

Beer or Living Water?

At one seminar we noticed a nearby cluster of grass huts where many people were buying and drinking beer. And of course a cassette player was blaring with some mindless rhythm. Even some of the church members who had come for the seminar smelled of beer. “Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink” and “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbour..." (Isa 5:22, Hab 2:15). We asked the proprietor of the local drinking establishment for permission to preach the Gospel to his customers. He reluctantly gave his approval.

About 40 men and women sat around drinking beer from large cups or small pots. Many children were also there. A message on the broad and the narrow road, and a warning to those walking in spiritual darkness was preached. The men and women listened to the message. The proprietor’s wife became increasingly agitated, and turned the music louder. After preaching against drunkenness we invited those who wished to hear more, to come to the church where we continued preaching.

Many people followed us to the church to hear the Gospel. Later about 1 5 sought counselling.
In Perils Often

At one village our local host turned out to be a dishonest man who misused the funds entrusted to him for catering. As the food ran out he was exposed. What he stole was almost insignificant, however, when compared to the wholesale theft by governments. By devaluing the currency the Malawi government deflated the Kwacha by 50%. This effectively cut everybody’s savings and salaries in half. (Amos 8:5-7)

We also received reports that local Roman Catholic priests were selling indulgences. For 10 Kwacha (less than a dollar) they promised to secure a place in heaven for departed relatives. It was such unscriptural practices that led to the Protestant Reformation nearly 500 years ago. But we “were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold. . . but with the precious blood of Christ" 1 Pet 1:18-19.

The Muslims are definitely on the offensive in Malawi. They continue to pour millions of petro-dollars into this poverty stricken country. Mosques have been built all over the country even in places where there are no indigenous Muslims. While I was at a foreign exchange bureau a Muslim was wanting to exchange one million US dollars into Malawi kwacha! In what was previously considered a Christian nation, Islamic transmissions now dominate the air waves (both by loud speakers and over the radio).

At night we were often kept awake by the incessant beating of drums at various witchcraft ceremonies. Occasionally the pounding of the drums would stop and somebody would let out a blood curdling scream. Our host would explain that the“spirits” had entered someone. On one occasion we went to investigate. Several drummers surrounded a woman who was childless. The “spirits” were being summoned to possess the woman. We witnessed to them, and distributed Gospel literature. The drums did not resume that evening.

On other occasions we were confronted by people tormented by evil spirits. One night we were woken up by the screams of a demented woman nearly a kilometre away. She was the daughter of a witchdoctor. Upon his death the “spirits” had come into her. She would periodically go into fits, convulsing up and down. She consistently refused to hear the Gospel and chose to remain under the control of the “spirits”.

On the day we were to begin our first Mozambique seminar a thief stole all of our funds for ministry and my passport. This led to a two day pursuit over 100 kms and over the border for several policemen and myself to track down the thief and recover most of our funds. The thief was duly “chastised” by the police and local villagers and was in a most remorseful state by the time we were able to share the Gospel with him. This initially frustrating episode was powerfully used of the Lord to weld our team and hosts together and provided great opportunities for ministry.

On occasions we had to move our services outside the church building because there were more people outside than inside. Our dramatised Gospel presentations were particularly well received. We had the joy of proclaiming the Gospel of the crucified and risen Christ to the Muslim Yao. After one message a Muslim woman professed her faith in Jesus Christ, claiming that the message of the cross broke her heart and yet gave her a peace that she had never known before.

The hunger for Bibles was so great that we began to require those who wanted Bibles to memorise and recite the 10 Commandments and some Scriptures before we would present them with their own Bible. This was enthusiastically carried out.
Marx and Darwin in Zimbabwe

One would not have expected a mission school to have painted pictures of Karl Marx and Charles Darwin on their walls but this Lutheran school did. One of their text books “The Good News of Liberation” included such chapters as “John the Baptist - a socialist teacher", “Jesus - a revolutionary teacher” and “Jesus - the universalist.” In another text book the miracles of Jesus in healing and feeding the multitudes was compared to the works of the World Health Organisation and UNESCO of the United Nations today! In these textbooks the UN was doing the work of God and effectively was the kingdom of God!

Another book “Schools in the Struggle” clearly states: “There is no such thing as an ideologically neutral education . . . a socialist society cannot be created via any other education system than that which is socialist . . education plays such a vital role in society.”If only more Christians realised how important schools are for fulfilling the Great Commission and discipling the nations.
We proclaimed the Gospel in this school with the wall paintings of Darwin and Marx. The children responded very well although the teachers remained aloof. Later we were interrogated by the Central Intelligence Organisation (ClO) - the secret police. Our hosts were also harassed but they later wrote to us reporting that most of the pastors greatly appreciated the visit. One student wrote to us “I was blessed by your preaching . . . your courage was from God. . . I believe in the Lord Jesus and the Gospel.”

Please pray that the door for future ministry in Zimbabwe will remain open.

“Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Cor 15:58

​We also visited the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha, MP (previously the Minister of Home Affairs and Chief of the Air Force). General Shikapwasha has a dynamic Christian testimony and we enjoyed a good time of fellowship with him as he shared how the Lord had healed him from a crippling car accident. His back was broken in several places and the doctors told him that he had no prospect of ever walking again. But by God’s grace he experienced complete healing and a dramatic conversion to Christ.
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Our team delivered school textbooks, library books and supplies for Christian schools and Bible colleges. We had the opportunity to conduct staff devotions for teachers and assemblies for students and staff. At one school we also took history, geography, Bible education and English classes with the students.

One film outreach, with the new Luther film, created much excitement and provoked lots of discussion.

As we were about to begin our 17-hour drive to Malawi, the news came through of a political crisis in the country. President Bingu Wa Mutharika of Malawi had resigned from the Muslim dominated UDF party. President Bingu is known to be a dedicated Christian, and we had already received positive feedback from him on our Biblical Principles for Africa book. In fact, on the President’s request, Timothy had delivered 300 copies of Biblical Principles for Africa to the President’s office for distribution to members of the Malawi government.

For the previous ten years, Malawi had been under a Muslim President. However, because of the two-term limitation, President Muluzi had to step down at the beginning of last year, yet he remained Chairman of the party. President Bingu soon realised that he was been manipulated and controlled by Middle-Eastern elements controlling their party. After an attempt by two Muslim members of Parliament to assassinate President Bingu was thwarted, he determined to break from the UDF.

Our mission team met with the Special Assistant to the President, and other Christian leaders of the country, delivering boxes of valuable books and tapes to them. These leaders informed us of the crisis in Malawi and the danger of the country coming under complete Islamic control, with the implementation of Sharia Law. Saudi Arabia had invested a vast amount of money, manpower and materials into building mosques, madrasses and financing the take over of Malawi for Islam. Malawi is the Southern base for the Africa Muslim Agency. The Quran has been translated into Chichewa – which along with English is one of the two official languages.

“This is Livingstone’s land,” one of them said. “Our people used to be taken off as slaves to Dar Es Salaam. We cannot allow Malawi to be overwhelmed by Islam and lost for Christianity.” Malawi even has a town named after the great Scottish missionary: Livingstonia.

Malawi is a landlocked Central African state extending along Lake Malawi and its outflow river, the Shire. Malawi is 900km long and at its widest about 160km wide. The over 10 million population is officially 80% Christian and 14% Muslim. Life expectancy has been cut to 43 years through AIDS. Malawi is a well watered and fertile land which is agriculturally self sufficient, yet the country suffers from poverty, in part caused by the long lasting and devastating civil war that raged in Mozambique which surrounds much of Malawi.

Malawi has remained relatively peaceful in a region of devastating wars and political turmoil, largely because of the strong Christian influence of the over 25 000 Christian congregations in the country. Yet nominalism and formalism have sapped the strength and vitality of many of these churches and there is an urgent need for spiritual Revival. Malawi remains one of the most spiritual receptive countries in Central Africa.

Our team received impassioned requests for more books, more missionaries and more leadership training courses to help Malawi stand firm for Christ at this critical time. They particularly asked for more Discipleship Handbooks and Biblical Principles for Africa books. We were requested to conduct chaplaincy training programmes, Great Commission Courses, God and Government Seminars and Reformation and Revival Seminars. It was a Macedonian Call from Malawi.

Are you able to help? Any donations of quality Christian books will be carefully, prayerfully and strategically distributed to leaders who will eagerly study and apply these books. Any lecture tapes or CD’s, textbooks or manuals that can be useful in strengthening the churches and discipling the nation will be gratefully received and put to work. Please mobilise your congregation to earnestly intercede for the Christians in Malawi at this critical time.

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,’Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” Isaiah 6:8

Dr. Peter Hammond

Frontline Fellowship,
P O Box 74, Newlands, 7725,
Cape Town,
South Africa
Tel.: 021-689-4480
Fax: 021-685-5884
E-Mail: mission@frontline.org.za