Malawi Matters

On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 03:21:00 +0000

In 1969 Elvis Presley recorded a Mac Davis song that was, for him, a major comeback hit. The song titled, “In The Ghetto”, has a line that I experienced for myself this weekend - “On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'…” Everyone that lives in Chicago knows exactly what this means. Now, I do as well.

We flew to Chicago for a missions service. All week, prior to departure, I was somewhat apprehensive about the weather. At least twice a day I would go on-line to see what was being forecast. Each report was about the same. Mild, mid 40’s, and no precipitation. Sitting in DFW Airport on Saturday morning just before flying out I received a text message from our daughter. “Did you know it snowed 8” in Chicago last night?” I couldn’t believe it! The thing that I greatly feared the most had come upon me - snow! And not just a light North Texas-type snow. No, it was 8 inches of snow!

We arrived, rented a car, and, to my surprise, were able to drive to our hotel without any trouble. Even with 8 inches of snow the roads were clear. I guess when you live in these conditions, you are prepared to deal with them. But it was certainly a cold and gray Chicago morning!

We couldn’t possibly visit Chicago without testing the famous Chicago-style pizza. We paid a visit to

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria.

It has to be the best pizza I have ever eaten in my life!

We ministered in a great church on Sunday, Church On The Rock. Bryan and Carmen Garfield are the pastors, and they are great people! We enjoyed our time very much and know that much was accomplished for the Kingdom of God! COTR is a missions-minded church that is launching out in an even greater effort than ever before to take the gospel of Christ to all the world!

Changing Gears

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:09:00 +0000

I learned to drive in a car that had a standard transmission. I know, it was a long time ago, and some of the younger generation may not know what a standard transmission is. A standard transmission requires a clutch in order to change gears. One of the first things you learn when driving a standard transmission is that you sometimes have to change gears in order to continue at a steady pace. Drive up a hill, you have to down-shift. Drive in heavy traffic, you have to change gears. It is as simple as depressing the clutch with your left foot and then shifting the gearshift to the desired position. Interestingly enough, the same is true in life. Sometimes you have to change gears in order to continue the chosen path.

Fredna and I have changed gears. No, we have not changed jobs or positions, just changed gears. This month we begin our year of furlough. We arrived in Texas a few weeks ago and have finished setting up our home-base for 2012. We will be living in the Dallas metroplex while we travel visiting our sponsoring churches and making new friends.

We have not been home for an extended period of time for the past seven years. We are happy to be able to reconnect, and our children are happy to have a mother and father that are closer than a long-distance phone call! Our entire family was able to be together for a few days just before Christmas. Caleb, our last-born, had to leave before Christmas day, but we thank God for the time we did have. Speaking of Caleb, he is engaged to be married! His fiancé is a lovely young lady from California. I know, it hurts to admit that she is not a full-blood Texan, but at least her mother was born in Texas. We were able to meet and get to know Jaclyn before Caleb left, and we look forward to welcoming her into our family. We will do our best to make her a real Texan!

For an itinerating missionary, there is a lot of gear-changing, so to speak. We leave next week on a trip to Springfield, Missouri, and then on to Chicago, Illinois. The trip to Springfield will accomplish almost all of our medical tests, and the trip to Chicago will be for our first missions convention while home, We are looking forward to both.

If you pastor a church and would like to have us for a service, please call. If you attend a church and would like for us to visit your church, please tell your pastor about us and our ministry. He or she can then call. My cell number is 214.686.6001.

Now I have shifted to overdrive (5th gear), and we are picking up speed. Be sure to “ride along” during this special time. We will meet a lot of interesting folks, and visit a lot of interesting places. Please keep us in your prayers, and we hope to see YOU soon!

Ministry at Diampwe

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 11:36:00 +0000

Yesterday we travelled to a village church for ministry, Diampwe A/G. Diampwe is pastored by Rev. Charles Store, who also pastors Mlambo A/G in Kampeni village.

It is not unusual for a pastor to have multiple churches in the Malawi Assemblies of God. Many of them plant churches within a 20 or 25 kilometer circumference of the original church. The pastor will then alternate between the churches for Sunday services. An elder in the church will be the speaker on the Sundays that the pastor is attending one of the other churches. Most of the time, an elder that is helping to take care of the church will feel the call to full-time ministry him/herself. When this happens, the elder will begin to make preparations to attend AGST (Assemblies of God School of Theology) in the capital city of Lilongwe. This is just one of the reasons that the Malawi Assemblies of God is growing so quickly, and this growth facilitates the need for pastoral training.
Fredna taught Sunday School, as she usually does most every Sunday. This time of ministry is interesting, especially in the village church. Time is not something to be strictly observed. It is just a suggestion as to the beginning of an event. Attendance is always very sparse when the class first begins, and seems to grow with every passing minute. When the main service begins, the church is usually full. Of course, there are always those that have to / want to stand outside the door. Especially the young children who will do what ever it takes in order to get a glimpse of the azungu (white man)!
Each church, and the pastor, has a desire to “show-off” the ministries within the church when special guests are present. The women’s ministry (OMC), youth ministry, children’s ministry, and sometimes the men’s ministry will sing a special song – or two, three, four…
I love to hear these groups sing. The music of their voices, and the drums are wonderful. There is no way to accurately explain what the sound is like, you must experience it personally in order to appreciate it! Of course, the singing is accompanied by specific dance routines. It seems to me that they must practice for many hours in order to accomplish these sometimes intricate moves. I know I can’t keep up!

After all the special singing comes “Offering time – Blessing time!” Tithers are called forward first. This group usually receives special prayers. Then the congregation is given instruction as to where their offering must be placed. One basket (or usher) is for regular offer. One basket (or usher) is for the building fund. One basket (or usher) is for the work of Missions. The praise team is called back to the front, and a lively song is offered as everyone dances to the front to give their offering.

After the offering is taken the praise team will lead the congregation in a worship song, preparing every heart for the entry of God’s Word. The song will always end with spontaneous prayer from the entire congregation. Then everyone will take their seat (on the floor), ready for the preacher. From where I am seated, I see a lot of bare feet at this time!

And now it is my turn! The pastor will introduce me, usually with platitudes that make my white face turn very red! Malawians are both pleased and excited when special guests visit them – especially the missionaries, and they love to express their gratitude. Today, Pastor Store interpreted for me. He has done this before, and he does a good job.

My message dealt with problems that we face in our lives. Everyone has problems, even village people. Sometimes, especially village people! At the end of the message, most everyone came for prayer, asking God to help them face and overcome their problems. To me, this is a critical time in the service. It is the time when people reach out to God in faith believing that He will help them. And He does!

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (Mark 11:24 KJV)

Mtchayi Revival Center

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:44:00 +0000

Last Sunday I had the privilege of ministering for one of my students at the Assemblies of God School of Theology, (AGST), Rev. Benson Mwalungila. Benson pastors Mtchayi Revival Center in Mtchayi village, and is a first-year degree program student at AGST. He was in my class, Work of The Pastor this past semester. I love teaching this particular class – I suppose after pastoring for almost 18 years it is just part of who I am.

Village churches are really excited when a missionary comes to their church. They even feel privileged when this happens. What they do not understand is that we, the missionaries, are the ones that are privileged!
When the pastor introduced me as the preacher, he explained that I was his teacher at AGST. I told the congregation that what the pastor did not know was that I was there to administer his final exam for the course. Pastor Benson had a very worried look on his face at this point in time. I explained that since the class was all about pastoring, I would let them (the congregation) tell me how he was doing. By this time the pastor was beginning to melt under the building pressure. I simply asked them to vote by hand-clapping, and cheering if he was a good pastor, or by their silence if he was a bad pastor. You would have thought the Dallas Cowboys had just made a touchdown when I said, “vote”. The Pastor’s look turned from that of worry and concern, to that of utter joy! Truly, he is a very good student!

Matthew 16:18 (ESV) And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Area 44 Healing Temple Assembly of God

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 06:43:00 +0000

Last week we were able to build another tabernacle, Area 44 Healing Temple Assembly of God. Rev. Anderson Mataka, and his wife Elsie serve as the pastors of this church which is in a very poor area of Lilongwe. The old church structure consists of a grass roof, 1/4” thick plywood walls, and six brick support columns. A strong wind could demolish the building easily. This does not deter people from coming together to worship God. Each Sunday the building fills to capacity with worshippers. The new tabernacle will be finished out with brick walls that the people of the church will mold themselves. Eventually, the old structure will come down and a beautiful building will take it’s place.

Doctor Donna Ivey, and her team, came to the church to conduct a medical clinic on the day after the tab was finished. People here rarely receive basic medical needs. It either is simply not available, the distance is too great, or the cost is too much. Many doctors and nurses conduct these clinics in areas where little or no care is available. The people began to queue well in advance of the opening in hopes that they would be able to see the doctors. They stood outside the church for long periods of time, waiting to enter. After entrance, they faced another queue that almost filled the church. Kristen McGaffee, daughter of A/G missionaries, Dan & Noreen McGaffee, helped with the clinic. Fredna and Lydia, another McGaffee daughter, took photos and played with the kids.

Just close to the church is a water well where women come and draw water for their daily needs. It is only about 12 feet deep, but services the entire area of people.

After all the work was finished, we enjoyed a wonderful Pizza party!

I am always amazed how people survive on so little. Most of the things we take for granted, are only luxuries in a place of poverty.

2 Cor. 8:9 (ESV) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Rev. 2:9 (ESV) I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich)…

Healing Temple A/G

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Chambwe A/G Church Plant

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:46:00 +0000

A new church was planted about 30 kilometers from Lilongwe, Chambwe A/G. Fredna and I were invited to speak at this important event. It began with preliminary door to door evangelism during the week. There was children’s ministry on Saturday, and the JESUS film was shown on the soccer pitch Saturday night. Sitting outside at night in Africa watching the JESUS film, along with hundreds of people is quite an experience. Every eight seconds, somewhere in the world, another person indicates a decision to follow Christ after watching the "JESUS" film. It is an incredible tool of evangelism used around the world. We are so very fortunate to have the equipment and the means to be able to travel into the villages and use this tool.

On Sunday morning, we met in the local school for the very first service of Chambwe Assembly of God. Rev. Lucy Chikoko has been named as pastor, and she is very excited to embark upon this new chapter in her life. There were about 60 people present for first service including 13 local Chiefs. Each village has a chief, and each group of villages have a Group Headman. These Chiefs were happy to have a new church plant in their area because “a church will help the people”.

After the service we gathered in a nearby house for the traditional Malawi meal of chicken, greens, nsima, and tomato sauce. After the meal, two ladies came wanting prayer for physical problems.

It was a great week for a church plant – Chambwe Assemblies of God!

Chambwe Assembly of God

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Mbabzi Miracle Center

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Mbabzi Miracle Center, the church with a new tabernacle. This church was in desperate need of a structure. The one they were meeting in had actually fallen to the ground. When this happened, they moved their meetings to one of the member’s home. It seems that this member then decided that they would separate themselves from the church, which then left them with no place to meet.

There was a donor in the USA that had donated the funds for a tabernacle to be built in Africa. This is the great equation for building: need + resources = building!

The pastor and his family were so excited to be getting this tabernacle. They have been at this church for over a year. Today, they are worshiping along with their congregation under a new structure. They have already begun the process of molding bricks in order to finish the building.

Mbabzi is a small community about 25 kilometers from Lilongwe. This church has already made a huge difference in the area, and not doubt will continue to grow and impact the area with a greater sphere of influence.

We thank God for churches like Mbabzi, and we thank God for donors who supply the resources to build in Africa!

Not All Ministry Is With A Bible!

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:27:00 +0000

I became an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) while pastoring our first church in Electra, Texas. There was a need then, and there is a need today. Most villages in Malawi do not have any medical facilities. Sometimes, those facilities are a great distance away. Many minor injuries, or insect bites are left untreated and therefore become more severe than they should be.

When I work in the village, there is always someone who needs simple, basic first-aid attention. This past week was no exception. We built a tabernacle (metal church building) for a church. The pastor brought a young girl to me with an injury on her leg. She was leaning on a make-shift crutch, and trying her best to keep from putting weight on her left leg. When I looked at the sore, I believed it to be a tropical ulcer. It was already very large and very deep. I doctored it, and tried to stress the need for her to seek medical attention. Then we prayed for her. The next day she had been taken to a clinic about 15 kilometers away. When I saw her again, about 4 days later, she was much better, and not limping so much.

One woman had some sort of insect bite that had become infected. Simple needs, yet so dangerous when left untreated.

A mother brought her young daughter for me to look at. She had sores covering almost all of her body, and like many children, she was just a bit afraid!

With each need, there is an opportunity for prayer and to share the love of Christ. Not all ministry is with a Bible. Sometimes, we are the Bible!

Decade of Pentecost Launch in Malawi

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:27:00 +0000

On April 21, 2011, the Decade of Pentecost was officially launched by the Malawi Assemblies of God. Rev. Dr. Lazarus Chakwera signed a document declaring that in the the next 10 years the Malawi Assemblies of God would add 2 million new members, and 3,000 churches to their existing status.

Rev. Dr. Denny Miller, Director of Acts In Africa (AIA), Rev. Uche Ama, Missions Director for the Assemblies of God in Central Africa & AIA Team member, and Rev. Ken Krucker, Acts In Africa Team member, were present for the three-day event held in Lilongwe, Malawi. Assembly of God pastors and laymen were also present from all over Malawi

Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, President of the Malawi Assemblies of God, inspired the congregation each night with powerful Pentecostal preaching.

I was privileged to be part of this historical event, and as a member of the NEC, National Executive Committee, to place my signature on the official document.

We are very excited to see how God leads us through this Decade of Pentecost!

New Taste Treat

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 09:54:00 +0000

Living in a foreign country and culture often offers real surprises, especially in the culinary department. While shopping in the local store today I ran across these small packages of peas. Yes, peas! I couldn’t resist so I purchased one package of each kind offered. Of course I can’t read what is written on them, but I do pretty good with pictures. Anything with a picture of a chili pepper perks this Texans interest.
The peas inside were either freeze-dried, or slow cooked in an oven like beef jerky. The flavor was actually good. The hot ones were better than the garlic flavored ones. Now I wish I had purchased several of these tiny taste treats, because I feel sure the stock will be gone when I return to the store.
Next time you are in the local yuppie grocery store you should ask for, oh my…, I have no idea what the name is. Just take this picture with you!

When Little Is Much!

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 19:17:00 +0000

I must admit that when Fredna and I first came to Africa in January of 2005, I was probably a bit idealistic. I thought I would be coming with many, if not all the answers. I thought that surely I had much to offer. Boy, was I wrong! It seems that I have done nothing but learn since sitting foot on this continent. I think that one day I should make a list of the these things I have learned.

Probably one of the most important things I have learned is this: Small offerings can be much if you know the heart that is giving it. Let me explain. Most churches in Malawi consider it a great honor and responsibility to give an offering to the minister on Sunday. No matter what size, location, or social status – they give an offering. It is a Biblical principle.

In Africa we have received many different offerings. Money, vegetables, fruit, cloth material, live chickens, and even a live goat. Today, as usual, the Pastor received a special offering for us at the end of the service. As the church was singing, some people began to bring baskets full of potatoes, and a few people brought money. Just before the time of giving was finished, a small-framed woman, who looked to be in her late 50’s or early 60’s, made her way to the front. She carried with her a small package which she laid in the offering. It was a package of biscuits (cookies to Americans). That is all, a small package of cookies.

Tonight I am sitting in my living room reflecting on the days events, and the lessons I was subjected to. I have a hot cup of coffee on the table beside me, and I am enjoying a really tasty Custard Cream cookie.

This morning I saw the heart that gave it!

Malawi Matters Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 14:30:00 +0000

To My Former Malawi Missionary Colleagues

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 14:23:00 +0000

In 1964 Columbia Records released Bob Dylan’s third studio album titled, The Times They Are a-Changin’. Well, the times are certainly changing in Lilongwe, Malawi. You would not recognize the former “village” of Lilongwe if you lived here 20 or even 15 years ago, for it is growing by leaps and bounds!

Thursday of last week brought the grand opening of the newest Game Store, a South African chain store much like Wal-Mart, but on a smaller scale of course. People turned out en masse to welcome the new store. The queue stretched hundreds of meters just to enter the store. Once inside, well, you can imagine.

You can’t imagine what it feels like to know that when you need something as simple as a bolt or washer you no longer have to go to small shops all over the city in your quest! The times are changing!

Today we had lunch at another new establishment here in Lilongwe – the Chili Pepper Restaurant. That’s right, a Mexican restaurant here in Malawi!

Before you get too excited, it sure is not the same thing as Pappasito’s in Texas! There were no chips, no hot sauce, they didn’t even have iced tea. But, just the thought of Tex-Mex in Malawi is pretty exciting. I ordered one of their specialties, a Burrito with chicken. When I gave the waiter my order he politely repeated it to me: “One Bu-lee-tow”. I looked him straight in the eye and said, “Yes, one Bu-lee-tow.” You see, many Malawians exchange an r for an l, and vise versa. Too funny, but it was a pretty good buleetow.

I know that my missionary colleagues faced many challenges in times past here in Malawi. Many modern conveniences were simply not available (many still are not!). But, The Times They Are a-Changin’. And we are glad!

Sunday Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 09:14:00 +0000

A few thoughts about a great day at Jerusalem Temple Assembly of God in Mzuzu, Malawi…

Fredna taught School of the Bible (Sunday School), and did a fantastic job! The pastor announced during the main service that she will come back for a Ladies Seminar.
Today I talked about not giving up, because God always has an answer to our problems.
I used examples of people in the Old & New Testaments of people that seemed to be down and out, BUT God had a different ending to their story.
If things are difficult in your life at this moment in time, don’t forget – God might just have another ending to your problem!
At least one hundred or more came to the altar – that never gets old!
Enjoyed the 4 hour drive to and from Mzuzu.
Especially enjoyed the fact that Fredna was with me this weekend. For the past two weeks she has been in Nairobi, Kenya helping to develop ESOL curriculum with missionary Loretta Wideman.

On The Road Again

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 20:19:00 +0000

It was a very full weekend of ministry. Friday, I drove to Zomba in the afternoon. Early Saturday morning, Chiudza Banda and I drove to Thucila to visit a church in the trading center. Abusa (Pastor) Banda is the Divisional Director of the Southeast Division of the Malawi Assemblies of God, and pastors the Zomba Assembly of God Church.

Abusa Jeamy M’bwana pastors Dunamis Temple Assembly of God in Thucila, and has been asking for me to visit there for many months. Thucila will be the site of one of the new extension centers that we are building in Malawi. Pastor M’bwana was expecting us on Saturday morning – more so then we thought! It was market day in Thucila, which means that everyone was either selling or buying. But not the members of Dunamis Temple. They were all gathered at the church waiting for our arrival. The small church was packed, and the excitement was overwhelming. The District Superintendent was there, the Deputy Divisional Director was there, the Divisional Director was there, and the missionary was there. It truly was a humbling experience for me, since it seemed that we held some special celebrity status to the members.

The District Superintendent opened the service with special introductions. He was so excited to introduce all the “dignitaries”. The Divisional Director spoke first, giving an encouraging word for the congregation. Then the church had a special presentation from the ladies group called the OMC’s. The pastor then gave a summary of the church’s outreaches, dreams, and vision for the next several years. After this, I was introduced. I too left them with a word of encouragement, and told them that we should be able to start construction within a short time. We left a very happy group of people that morning! They were shouting, dancing, praising God in every way imaginable.

We drove back to Zomba in order to conduct a leadership seminar at the church. I love investing in church leaders. The rewards are great. After the seminar, Abusa Banda and I visited two more churches in the area, then visited another of the local pastors. It was a great day!

Sunday morning I preached at Pastor Banda’s church to a group of at least 500 – 600 people. The service was wonderful, and the presence of the Lord was very real. Hundreds came to the altar at the end of the service and that never gets old to me!

What Happened?

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 19:31:00 +0000

A few months ago we erected a tabernacle for a church in a village named Matapira. The church was meeting under a thatch roof, with only one wall, so they definitely needed a structure of some type. A few days ago I received some bad news concerning the tabernacle. The pastor phoned me to tell me that it had fallen. It seems that it fell during the night when no one was close by. We are grateful for that since there were no injuries.

When I travelled to the village to inspect the fallen tab, I discovered that four cross-pieces had been removed from the structure. These cross-pieces are used to strengthen the structure, being removed only when a brick wall has been constructed.

No one is sure how this happened, but it did. The cross-pieces were not stolen, and they were not damaged – indicating that they were removed before the tab fell.

The damage was quite extensive as you might imagine. All eight legs were destroyed, and all four trusses were damaged on each end where the legs attach. The legs will have to be replaced and the trusses will have to be brought back into the shop where we can cut out the damaged areas, and rebuild them. Fortunately, nothing else was damaged.

I have no idea as to why someone would remove the cross-pieces. It could be that they wanted to steal them, or that they wanted to steal the bolts, or they wanted the tab to fall. The church members are all a bit scared, because this area is known for powerful witchcraft. I did what I could to explain what happened and encourage them to trust God. The pastor told me that an elderly woman came to his house on Saturday before the tab fell on Monday. She wanted him to prayer for her, but he refused to because she was not born-again, and had no desire to convert to Christianity. He said that since her departure from his house, “nothing has worked” there.

The sad part of the story is that this church has no resources for rebuilding. If you would like to help with the repairs and reconstruction, please contact me.

Another Tabernacle

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:56:00 +0000

Msaliza, Area 47 is the site of the latest tabernacle to be built. The church has been meeting in a classroom at the school. Renting a room at a school is both good and bad. It is good in the sense that a church is able to find housing. It is bad because the classroom severely limits the number of people that can attend a service. In other words, the growth rate of the church is hampered when it is housed in a school classroom.

Pastor Maclean Banda and the congregation of Msaliza Revival Center desperately needed to move from the classroom of the school and get their own

building. The church was able to purchase land to build on and donors from the USA provided the funding to purchase the tabernacle. Construction began on Monday and was completed by noon the following day. The church will begin to mold bricks in order to brick in the walls.

Today the church held their first service under the new tabernacle!

Preaching & Teaching

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:35:00 +0000

This week I began teaching The Bible and Missions at AGST (Assemblies of God School of Theology), and this morning I am the speaker in the chapel service. I will be preaching on the text 2 Samuel 6:1-11. It is the story of King David bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. You may remember that Uzzah put his hand out to steady the Ark when the cart it was on began to shake. It was there that God struck Uzzah dead.

There may be a lot of reasons for this disaster, but surely one has to be the fact that the Ark had been in Uzzah's home most all of his life. The Ark was holy, and God had given very specific instructions as to care and handling of the Ark. Somehow, Uzzah must have forgotten that he was not allowed to touch the Ark with his hands. When we are around something everyday of our life, it has a tendency to become commonplace to us. We must be very careful to not let the things of God become commonplace in our lives. I wish you could be here for chapel this morning!

Tomorrow morning Fredna and I will be traveling about two and one half hours to the north in order to preach a revival at Mkaika trading center. Our friends Taza & Mayamiko Biza are pastoring there, and have asked us to come show the Jesus Film and preach. The wife, Mayamiko, is actually the pastor of the church. We will be taking three students from the Bible school with us on this trip. These students will be part of a practicum for the class that I am teaching. We will show half the film on Friday evening, then preach. Saturday morning and afternoon there will be teaching sessions. Then on Saturday night we will show the remainder of the film and preach. Sunday morning will be a great celebration of the efforts put forth for this revival. Please pray with us that many will be saved, and delivered from a life of sin. The story and pictures to follow!

Did I ever say that we LOVE weekends in Malawi?!!

Crusade Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:39:00 +0000

This past week I preached a crusade in the city of Blantyre. Kanjedza Assembly of God church, pastored by Abusa George Samuel, is one of the oldest A/G churches in Malawi. Pastor Samuel and Kanjedza A/G have planted 36 churches across the border in Mozambique. Each year he brings those pastors, along with any of the church people that can make the trip, to Blantyre for an annual conference. The Mozambicans make their way to the Malawi border and are then picked up by some of the church members and brought to Blantyre.

For a week these people are fed both spiritually and physically. They sleep in the church each night. It is really a highlight for these believers! The ladies of the church worked very hard to prepare a good meal for the guests each day. One cow and about 25 to 30 chickens made up the protein portion of the meals.

The conference/crusade began on Wednesday night with Rev. Edward Chitsonga preaching. Thursday through Saturday each day began with teaching sessions in the morning and afternoon, then the night service. Rev. Chitsonga and I shared the preaching responsibilities with each of us preaching about 7 times in three days, and it was GREAT!

The Mozambicans came with two different choirs. Each did a fantastic job! The musical instruments were all homemade and produced a wonderful sound. I tried to buy the one-string stand-up bass, but the owner told me that he could not sell it. He would gladly make me one, but I would have to travel to Mozambique in order to retrieve it.

Guess what, I have been invited to go to Mozambique next year to hold several crusades at the villages where the pastors live. I can't wait! The pastors were very excited that I would be willing to make a trip to the rural area of Mozambique to preach for them.

The second choir's instruments were homemade and produced an amazing sound as well. I guess it just goes to show that you don't really have to have a Fender to make good music after all!

This is a six-string guitar. The fret board is a bent wire that sticks up about 1/8 of an inch off the board. The calluses on this guy's fingers were incredible. But, again, the music was wonderful!

Between each service the people would try their best to rest. They were not particular where that was either! When you are tired, one place is as good as any.

These are some of the babies (with their mothers) that were in attendance this past week.

I am so glad that I was invited to be part of this crusade. It was a wonderful experience being able to minister to and to encourage these pastors, their wives, and all the others that attended. I really am looking forward to the possibility of making a ministry trip into Mozambique next year!

Malaria

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:36:00 +0000

When you speak of Central Africa and missionaries, the subject of malaria will inevitably come into the conversation at some point. Speaking of malaria someone said, "It is another rite of passage" for the African missionary. To punctuate this point, especially in Malawi, all one has to do is travel along the shores of Lake Malawi and view the gravemarkers of missionaries that came here 100 years ago. Most of them perished from malaria.

Malaria is a word of Italian origin. It is derived from the words male aria which means bad air. According to the World Health Organization:

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes.
A child dies of malaria every 30 seconds.
Malaria takes the life of 3,000 children each day in Africa.
One million people die from malaria each year.

Malaria symptoms typically appear 10 to 16 days after the infectious mosquito bite, when the infected red blood cells begin to burst. Victims experience flu-like symptoms, including chills, fever, sweating, along with nausea, headache, and vomiting.

The most virulent form of the disease – the P. falciparum malaria (found predominately in Africa) – can be fatal within a matter of hours if not treated.

Malaria can be cured with prompt diagnosis and correct drug treatment. But there is a double-burden of increased drug resistance and limited access to health care in many of the most malaria-prone areas. Prevention is the key to saving lives.

This is the drug administered to me by the doctor. There are only three tablets, taken in a 24-hour period. I am both fortunate and blessed, because I can afford the medicine, live in a place where I can get the medicine, and I discovered early that I was infected. Many are not as fortunate!

Missions Convention

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:01:00 +0000

Churches in the USA are not the only ones that hold missions conventions. The Assembly of God churches in Malawi are very "missions" minded. They believe, and take very literally, the Great Commandment. You remember, don't you?

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen

Area 25, Victory Temple Assemblies of God, in the capitol city of Lilongwe, Malawi held their semi-annual missions convention last month. The theme was Saved To Serve. Senior Pastor, Rev. Bickiel Kapuchi, and the congregation of Victory Temple hold a missions convention every six months. "Faith Promises" are received on the final Sunday of the convention. Those pledging financial support have six months to make good on their faith-promise.

The Malawi Assemblies of God have sent missionaries to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Sudan, and other areas of Africa. Presently several missionaries are poised to enter Namibia, Swaziland, and Lesotho. These are the foreign mission fields being targeted. The church also has a "Home Missions" department. Church plants are going up constantly within this movement. Individual churches are reaching out to needy parts of the country, planting churches, providing pastors and financial support for crusades. The Assemblies of God School of Theology, AGST, has a missions department that plants several churches each semester.

Now before you ask the question, "If they are doing all of that, why do they need missionaries?", you must understand the dynamics of church planting within this country. Many of these plants are conducting services in a rented government school room or under a mango tree. A huge percent of the pastors make less than MK1,000.00 per month - that is $7.00 USD! For all they don't have, there is one thing that this church does not lack, and that is zeal!

I was honored to be the guest speaker for the Victory Temple missions convention. There were about 1,500 people in attendance each evening and many more on the final Sunday morning.

The church was full of Holy Ghost energy each service! Of course I challenged them to support the work of missions in their church. I discovered a long time ago that if you can show people the true need for something, and how they can be part of something larger than themselves, they will participate in no small way!

Just a few weeks before this convention, Victory Temple mothered a church in the southern part of Malawi. A female pastor, along with her husband and two children, enthusiastically accepted the challenge of pioneering this new work. On the second evening of the service, Pastor Kapuchi brought this lady forward to discover how the work was progressing. The pastor told how that they had only been meeting for seven weeks, but already they were ministering to over 60 people. Pastor asked her what her greatest need was at that particular time. She told how that the Catholic church had a building, the CCAP church had a building, but they did not. They were only meeting under a mango tree. They had identified a piece of property that was for sale so they were believing God for this land BEFORE the rainy season (about November). The pastor thanked her for what she was doing, then told the congregation that these were the kind of efforts that their missions money was going for.

I was introduced, and the service was turned over to me. I immediately called for this lady to return to the front of the auditorium. Believing that I had heard from God concerning her needs, I began to probe a bit more. It turned out that the church she was pioneering was a 3-hour bicycle ride from the nearest trading village... when she could borrow a bicycle to make the trip! I called for a chatenji (piece of cloth) to lay on the floor to receive an offering. I began by taking pledges, not for the convention, but for this particular church and pastor. Then we received an open offering.

When we finished, the offering totaled MK139,000.00 and one brand new bicycle! It was just incredible what God did that night! Was it enough to buy the land? Oh yes, it was more than enough -

Exodus 36:5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.

All the Pastor could do was cry!

Each night the people accepted the challenge that was presented to them, and they filled the altar giving themselves to God for the work of the ministry - the redemption of lost souls!

Sunday morning was the final service and the day that "faith promises" were received. We had all been challenged by God to do our very best and trust Him for the need. When the pledges were totaled, the rejoicing began!

The total faith promise pledge was the largest this church has received to date. We rejoice together at the faithfulness of God's people to respond to His work. We expectantly wait to hear of the miracles that God will perform to supply each faith promise.

The Mercy of a Policeman

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:13:00 +0000

Today I was traveling with a Malawi Assembly of God Divisional Director to a village about an hour drive from Lilongwe. The highway we were driving on is under construction in a few places. As we were driving I topped a hill only to see a very slow moving vehicle in front of me. There was no traffic coming from the other direction so I pulled out and begin to pass the slow moving vehicle. When I pulled out I saw two policeman standing in the road about a kilometer away, but didn't give them much thought since I was not breaking any laws.

After overtaking the slow moving car I pulled back into my lane. As we came closer to the two policemen standing in the road I saw one put his hand up and motion me to the side of the road. There was no radar equipment in sight, so I thought it must be the never-ending check of all the proper registrations that every vehicle in Malawi must have in order to drive on the roads. The policeman walked up to my window and addressed me as, "Mr. Assembly of God" (the name is painted on the side of our vehicles). I greeted him in my very best Chichewa. He then told me that what I had done was illegal, and wanted to know if I understood that what I had done was illegal. I told him that I didn't know what he was talking about. He said, "Mister Assembly of God, you have been driving inconsiderately!" I then asked what he meant by driving inconsiderately. He said that overtaking the car in a construction zone was against the law, and it was inconsiderate. I told him that the car was only traveling about 15 kilometers an hour on an open stretch of a major highway. He said, "Mister Assembly of God, that does not matter, you were driving inconsiderately." I told him I was very sorry and that I would do my best to become a considerate driver. He told me that God might just forgive me, and he would as well, if I would drive considerately. I said, "Thank you Jesus!" (under my breath of course!)

Plainview First Assembly of God

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 14:57:00 +0000

Pastor Lonnie and Rhonda DiSalvo, and the team from First Assembly of God in Plainview, Texas came to Malawi to help build a tabernacle and minister to the young people of Lilongwe. The tabernacle was in a container that was being held by Malawi customs, and was not released until after the team returned to Texas.

That didn't spoil their trip though! For twelve days this group ministered morning and afternoon to literally thousands of children in the Lilongwe area. Each morning and afternoon we would go to a church school, or group of homeless children for ministry. The group preached, preformed human videos, dramas and skits. It was incredible! They even had the opportunity to work with the youth group from ICA Church, teaching them the art of live drama in ministry.

In some areas there were so many children that it was difficult to even get into the bus when it was time to depart. This team made a huge difference in the lives of the children here, and the children here made a huge difference in the lives of each team member!

Thank you Pastor Lonnie and the youth group of Plainview First Assembly of God!

Containers Have Arrived!

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 22:28:00 +0000

It was a joyous day this past week when two containers arrived from the USA! These containers were filled with tabernacles, heavy equipment, welders, a generator, tools, and a New Holland Skid Steer.

We are building 100 church/extension centers in Malawi. This is a huge project that will help the national church in many ways. Each of the extension centers will be a place where men and women can come for pastoral training. This simply means that a person, who may not be able to attend Bible school, will now be able to receive the training they need where they are.

With over 700 credentialed ministers, and three to four times that many churches in existence, there is a definite need for pastoral training. Class work is being translated, books are being printed, and now buildings are being built. We are helping to meet the need in Malawi, Africa!

What You Miss

noreply@blogger.com (Gaylord Brown) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Sometimes where you live determines what is available. This is true with certain food items. Potato chips are available in Malawi, in some of the strangest flavors. To name a few: biltong, fried chicken, peri peri, chutney, and tomato. You can not buy plain corn chips in Malawi.

When you grow up eating Fritos or Doritos then live in a place where they are not available, well, it is difficult! It has been 15 months since I have tasted a regular Frito. There are times that it seems that I can taste them, but I realize it is just my imagination.

All of this changed yesterday when I unloaded a container full of work equipment from the United States. My friend, Bill Moore, put some Fritos on the container for me. The next time you eat Fritos I hope you enjoy as much as I did today!

You just can't imagine how good something is when you haven't had it in 15 months!