Mission Moments: Malawi

Take care of grandma and grandpa

By Gary Fallesen, founding president, Climbing For Christ

Lucy Unyolo gives thanks to God for this provision. She said the support reached them in a time of need “as they had no hope to see what they are seeing on this day.” (Photos by Damson Samson)

“Since the beginning of this year it has been hard for our widows right here in Malawi,” said Kingdom worker Damson Samson. “The challenges [are increased by] poor rain and the cyclone that hit part of this country (in March).

“Widows normally have less energy to put into agriculture for them to realize something by the end of the year. In addition, most of the children born (to the widows), they don’t take responsibility to care for them. Most of our widows they are grandmas and grandpas who are burdened with the care of the left-behind kids (or orphans). That’s why life for them has been hard.

“Getting support from Climbing For Christ has brought a great change to our widows – and life-saving. Most of these widows could have died years ago, but the story has been changed completely with the help rendered to these people.”

Damson made this statement after feeding 170 widows from four villages in mid-October.

“One of the widows who came thanked God for the food support,” Damson reported. “She said this has come in time. I asked why? She said, ‘We had nothing to eat, but now is another story.’ She put her hands together – a symbol of appreciation.”

Damson preaches in Namata.

Later in October, Damson took a week to visit with hundreds of people from 22 villages in southern Malawi. The goal was to teach family members from 1 Timothy 5, which includes “Advice about widows.” For five days, he went village to village.

“First Timothy 5:1 on down had been preached at every place just to achieve the goal to have our widows cared for,” Damson said.

He also preached the Gospel – and there was a great response.

• “In this day we have harvested 34 lives to the Lord,” Damson said on Monday, Oct. 21 in Namata.
• “We had over 45 accepted Jesus to be their Savior,” he said on Tuesday, Oct. 22 in Msema.
• On Wednesday, 16 were saved at Filitsa.
• “At this place we had 25 who gave their lives to Christ apart from the usual group that raised hands in their prayers,” Damson said on Thursday in Makhanamba.
• Another 19 came to the Lord on Friday in Nasiyaya.

In five days, 139 souls were delivered to salvation.

Mr. Chiwaya, above, was one of 45 souls rescued in Msema. Below, praising God under a baobab tree in Makhanamba.

“The group village head in Nasiyaya thanked God for the teaching and advice given to members of the family,” Damson reported. “She said even for her it has been hard to have seen any of her family members to come and help even washing clothes. She usually has to pay them.

“And this tour we were also organizing caregivers in all villages so they can support our widows right in the villages. The plan is to train them how they can be doing their work volunteering themselves to their own grandma and grandpa.” 

The Word

“Take care of [or honor] any widow who has no one else to care for her. But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God.” – 1 Timothy 5:3-4 (NLT)