Mission: Malawi 2016
Blessed to be a blessing
By Gary Fallesen
Founding president, Climbing For Christ
Sometime in the last couple years I took to signing emails to ministry partners and workers, “Be blessed to be a blessing.” It’s not original. It’s older than Father Abraham. In Genesis 12, the LORD said to Abram (before He changed his name to Abraham), “I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”
Blessed to be a blessing.
Damson Samson, our Malawi-based missionary to East Africa, gets that.
CHRISTmas 2015, Damson said, “I felt I had to do something that can make somebody smile.” He thought maybe it was his idea, not God’s. He resisted the urge. But before the New Year, he said he realized it was “by heaven’s direction” that he should bless some widows and disabled children.
“I remembered what you have been teaching me, ‘Be blessed to be a blessing,’” said Damson, who prepared with his wife a “little gift” of meat, flour and salt for 22 widows and three children using some of the support he receives each month from Climbing For Christ.
Nearly twice as many widows (41) showed up at the appointed hour. Nearly twice as many smiles.
Happy widows, happy New Year 2016! (Photo by Damson Samson)
“It remains my prayer, as James 1:27 says, ‘pure religion and undefiled before God, the Father is to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction,’” Damson said. “How many Christians are considering this pure religion?”
How many indeed.
Climbing For Christ’s Project 1:27 – an initiative to serve orphans, based on James 1:27 – began in Malawi in 2009 in partnership with Pastor Duncan Nyozani’s Searchlight Ministries. Our first mission to Malawi occurred in 2010. Teams returned in 2011 and 2014, and another will GO in March. These teams are sent to love on orphans sponsored by 10 different individuals, a business and church.
Mission: Malawi teams also have been involved with a Mothers & Babies Center started by Pastor Duncan. A new clinic is under construction and Climbing For Christ is assisting in the project.
“Love cares for those who need our support,” said Damson, who proposed a project work teach evangelism to guides and porters on the nearby Mulanje Massif. “We need to do His will. Life is short; we can only succeed if we make others smile.”
PRAY for the orphans in Malawi and for their care. We lift Pastor Duncan’s health and the responsibilities God has given him.
GIVE to support (among other things) Project 1:27 and construction of a new Mothers & Babies Clinic in Malawi.
GO on Mission: Malawi 2016 from March 4-14. Malawi is estimated to cost US$475 plus airfare. Email info@ClimbingForChrist.org to express an interest in this trip and to request a mission application. To GO, you join Climbing For Christ.
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