Summary of Malawi Project

On the Road to Africa – Agape Italia Bringing hope to Malawi

Over a year ago a vision came about in the ministry of Agape Italia to bring together the good news with good deeds in the form of humanitarian projects. The staff of this new team are Haswell and Maria Beni, and Marti Sanders, We desire to see this new holistic (body, mind and spirit) ministry approach partnered with each of our exisiting ministries. The hearts of Italians, whether believers or not yet believers have proven to be deeply open to helping those in physical need. From the Student Ministry there is a vision of seeing Italian University students be introduced to the Gospel and possibly come to know Christ through these projects are Christ centered

The time came to step out in faith and launch our first project. Haswell Beni, being from Malawi, Africa, had many contacts in the sister ministry of Malawi. We got in touch with Life Ministry, (ccci Malawi) and asked for help to locate an already developed project that we could join hands with. Immediately, Steve Katakumala, Jesus Film Director Malawi and Ignatius Nyaga, National Director Life ministry Malawi put us in contact with Masintha C.C.A.P Church in Lilongwe (the Capital City). The church was in the beginning stages of developing an education project in the village of Chimutu, just ouside Lilongwe. Their desire was to build 5 blocks consisting of 2 classrooms each for a primary school and a well. It seemed the perfect project for us as we were looking to partner with long term sustainable projects. Through much prayer and planning the trip came together in early 2008. After recrutiing participants throughout Italy, the US and Europe, in late May 2008 at the last minute, we saw the numbr of participants drop to just 5 Italian students from Florence and the Naples area. We were disheartened as we had prayed for 30 people to take part but the Lord showed us that He was answering our prayer that only those truly called would come. Each of the 5 students took a big leap of faith in looking for financial sponsors and chosing to take part in village life for 3 weeks. We have seen God”s hand at work in providing prayer partners and finances from Italy, America and Africa. What a joy that we can be a blessing to each other in this way. It has given us a taste of what heaven will be like when people from all tribes, tongues and nations come together.

The project left on July 4th for the 3 weeks working in Chimutu village outside the capital of Lilongwe, Malawi. The students were welcomed with a choir at the airport followed by a dinner at Masintha Church. From the first day, we’ve seen the spirit at work drawing these students hearts to himself. Some of them are not yet believers but walls are coming down and they are beginning to see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and experience through community the love of Christ. They’ve heard the Gospel numerous times and are daily being exposed to life change stories from Africans, Italians, and Americans. Pray for their continued spiritual searching and that it would soon turn into a lifelong journey of walking with Christ as their Lord and Savior.

As the days went by, the fruits of the Gospel also began to spring up in the local commmunities of Lilongwe and surrounding villages through 5 Jesus Film showings. We’ve seen an average of 500 people at each showing with the exception of one being almost 1,000 people. Each showing ended with nearly 50% of the people indicating new decision for Christ or a rededication of their lives to Christ. The Malawi Jesus Film staff have had the opportunity to go through follow up material with many of these new believers.

During our two weeks at the work site in Chimutu village, God has allowed us to take part in providing life changing blessings to the people. The first day of the project, during the church service, the borehole drilleres arrived to begin work on the well that would soon bring safe drinking water to the village and allow women and children who once walked a minimum of 2 Km to walk only 200 meters to get water. What an experience of joy to see in just under a week, land that was once dry and deserted now providing living water to hundreds of people. Along with the well, we’ve laid the foundation for 2 school blocks (4 classrooms) and each of us with our own hands placed cement and bricks to see the walls of the primary school rise to window level. As staff, we’ve taught several sessions on the basics of Christianity for village chiefs, women and children and done training for local church believers on how to share their faith through their personal testimony. The people of Chimutu are opening up to the message of salvation. Each chief has received a Bible and some have begun to ask spiritual questions.

There is less than a week remaining in the project but we’re certain that we have yet to see the end of the blessings God has in store for the village of Chimutu, and each of us. It’s an overwhelming privilege and honor to be a part of the first holistic Agape Italia team being sent to the world to share the message of Christ and minister to people’s physical intellectual and spiritual needs. We want to see leaders developed at every level of involvement and multiplication of being a blessing one to another begin to take place. This is the reason to be involved in ministry in Italy as the vision becomes a reality. At the end listen to something that has been repeated over and over this month by local church leaders and Life Ministry staff. “ Don’t let the Italians get all the blessings.”

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