Dear partners in ministry,
Just a few days ago, I returned from my first trip to Malawi. Malawi is a small country in southern Africa that is incredibly impoverished, yet has the reputation of being “the warm heart of Africa.” I certainly experienced this warm heartedness as I stayed with Africans in Blantyre to the south and with missionaries in the capital of Lilongwe in the central region. The trip was certainly worth the investment, although it took about 42 hours each way, countless hours of preparation, an overnight in an airport, multiple covid tests, dozens of checkpoints, and an extreme dose of patience throughout.
During my week in Malawi, I met individually with several pastors in both cities (Lilongwe and Blantyre), and conducted two “pre-launch conferences” for 20-25 pastors in each location. The training participants joyfully welcomed our Pathways program, and eagerly anticipate launching Pathways perhaps even in both locations.
My initial connection with Malawi was through a doctor named Christina Miller and her husband Greg. Greg teaches in a Nazarene Bible college in Lilongwe, and Christina specializes in public medicine and was in my youth group 20+ years ago as a junior high student when I pastored at Riverview Church in San Diego.
The Blantyre church service I attended and preached in was filled with exuberant dancing, singing, and congregational interaction. Check out this brief clip:
My connection with the pastors in Blantyre was through an interesting series of God-ordained events. Pastor Rabson Chilewa from Blantyre was searching the internet looking for Bible training. He came across our Pathways program, and as he read about it, he was convinced that was what his pastors needed. He oversees a large network of hundreds of pastors in his region, so he began reaching out, and eventually got connected with me. Although I receive many such invitations from all over the world, Rabson seemed unique. We communicated for several months, and then I took a risk and made a trip to visit him, which was so very worth it. The time was sweet and encouraging for us all. His family graciously hosted me, despite the fact that his wife had suddenly passed away for unknown reasons about nine months ago. He has a team of dear brothers who will serve as coordinators of the network, and one evening we went out for a fancy dinner in the city center at KFC!
After returning to Lilongwe, I met another amazing man, Bishop Edwin, who has planted 120 churches over the past three years in his region. His story is filled with heart-wrenching challenges and exultant victories, and as I listened to his heart for pastors in Malawi, it became exceedingly clear that Pathways Bible Training is truly needed throughout the country. In his words, “Eric, I’m 100% in for Pathways Bible Training.”
Another preparatory trip will be required before the networks are ready to launch Pathways, but I am optimistic that God has great plans for spreading healthy Bible study and preaching patterns through these dear pastors to many in their country.
