Here in Malawi!

"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Luke 10:2 NIV

Hello Dear Friends,

Yes, I am suddenly in Malawi. A country I was hoping to see one day but surprised it came around so quickly! I am here for three weeks while my application for a two year work permit is processed in Zambia. I had to leave the country to be able to apply and so have the blessing of a short trip to Malawi.

I am based with the Malawian team and staying at their Service Centre. It is harvest time! The rains have stopped and winter is coming and so now all the maize is tinder dry and ready for harvest. The sea of maize fields are now brown and crackle in the breeze. Everyone is out in the fields and you see large piles of maize ready to be loaded into ox carts or outside a village home waiting to be shelled. Mats are laid out with milled maize drying in the sun. This is the crop that everyone will survive on until the next harvest. I see all of this whizzing passed on a motorbike which is a main mode of public transport off the main roads and into the villages. You will see me on the motorbike with Levson, my taxi driver. My longest trip was an hour one way. We pass village after village, and magnificent mountains and endless fields of maize in various stages of harvest. You can see from the photos below that everything is brown and dry. I imagine a very different landscape when the fields are green. I would like to see that some day.

Malawi is blessed with a faithful Service Centre team and a many committed Care Workers. I have been deeply challenged by how many have made searching after the lost ones very personal. They have embraced a family of three sisters and brother, aged eleven to nine whose mother has died, father abandoned them and grandfather unable to care for them. Some of the Care Workers and Service Centre team with the least resources were the first to offer and take these children into their homes. Now the children have the care and love of an extended family.

At another Care Point the Care Workers had already met to discuss how they could make a plan to support the four most vulnerable families in their community. Most Malawians live in poverty and yet these people search out the most vulnerable of those in need. The first step in the Care Workers' plan was to take the next visitors who came to the Care Point to see the situation of these families. I was privileged to be one of the first visitors. It is so inspiring when the people of God work to together to look out for everyone in their community. How wonderfully blessed is this community through its Care Workers.

Please pray for....

• my return travel to Zambia on the 5th of June. I fly into Lusaka and will visit immigration on the following Monday to finalise my work permit. I will then travel on to Kabwe for the week with the team and then return home to Luanshya.

• the team in Malawi who need God's wisdom and compassion everyday to serve the many vulnerable families around them. Pray for their health, protection, encouragement, spiritual growth and unity as individuals, as a team and within their families.

• my team in Kabwe who always have much to do. I have been continuing to support their work as much as I can at a distance. Please pray for good communication, wisdom and unity in our team also, as we do our very best to serve the vulnerable.

• In early July our team will be running our first youth camp in our area. We are starting small with 20 children for three days but there will still be a lot to organise. Pray that our youth have a great time but are also deeply touched by the love of Jesus. Many of the young people will have painful, even tragic life stories that only the Lord can heal and minister too.

• our faithful Care Workers and for the Lord of the harvest to send out more harvest hands. People ready to love, sacrifice and give freely. Pray that will be me and you also!

God bless you for your prayers and support,

Emma