Malawi Orphan Care Project, Inc.

The third team distributed Shoes That Grow to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders recently at the orphan project. The shoes grow larger as their feet grow and are designed to last five years.
Ali siku bwino. (It’s a good day).

The third team will begin leading Bible lessons and distributing the shoe that grows today. Please continue to pray for good health, safety, and God's will to be done in all they do.

We thank God the team arrived in Malawi safely. Pray for the team as all the checked bags did not make it to Malawi.

Please pray for the third team to travel to Malawi this year. Please pray for safety, good health, and God's will to be done on their trip. They begin their travel to Malawi today. They will begin distribution of the shoe that grows.

This here, will make you smile!God is great.

The team enjoyed a final dinner with our Ministry Partner family on Saturday evening in the capital city, Lilongwe.

Yami, our ministry partner, translator, and chauffeur extraordinaire (among many other hats), had us at the airport Sunday morning for our scheduled departure. Debbie left for Barcelona and arrived safely on Monday morning to spend time with her son. Hope and Sharon left for Nairobi and arrived safely on Monday afternoon in Minneapolis.

We are so grateful for you, our faithful prayer warriors! God answered your prayers for a meaningful time of ministry and serving our partners in Malawi. The team stayed healthy and safe throughout many miles on the road and in the air. God had our bags "show up" at just the right moment. There were many opportunities for our faith and trust in our Heavenly Father to grow! God proved Himself faithful over and over throughout the past 12 days, with many God moments! We know these were a result of those praying for us!

Please offer a prayer of gratefulness and thankfulness for His answered prayers, as well as for us, the team members, to discern God's next opportunities for us to serve Him as we process this experience in which He gifted us. To God be all the glory, for all He has done, in us, through us, and in spite of us.

You all were an important part of this team! We are extremely grateful. Thank you for your prayers and for allowing us to be the hands and feet and love like Jesus to our friends in Malawi.

We had a great final day of ministry at the Orphan Project on Thursday. Our day began with a walking "field" trip to visit two small businesses in nearby villages.

The first visit was to a Barbershop. Kumdukani was the barber. He is 26 years old and learned to cut hair by watching others. Over time, he was able to purchase equipment and has a solar panel outside his rental building. He also offers services for cell phone charging and a TV for his customers to watch while waiting. He offers a fair price for many different haircuts and has returning customers. Customer service is extremely important to him.

Walking a little further, we came to a village where Roger was selling chickens by the side of the road. Roger was mentored by another man who sells chickens and in turn, is mentoring other young men. We learned pricing is the same among all chicken sellers, depending on the size of the chickens.

The morning was spent wrapping up the small business training, while community members who had been patiently waiting for clinic to open were seen. Adults and children were seen for a variety of complaints including cough, general body pain, general joint pain, and parasites, to name a few. When clinic concluded this day, a total of 574 adults and children had been seen over our ministry days.

We enjoyed a heartfelt farewell from the men, women, and children of the orphan project who demonstrated their kindness and gratitude through spoken word, gifts, song, dance, and hugs. We were SO blessed by those we came to serve. We know firsthand why Malawi is known as "the warm heart of Africa.”

Thanks again for your faithful prayers! God has been faithful in provision and protection.

574 patients were seen and treated at our clinic for the past 3 days.
On our last day of clinic, when the clinic was closed and the team was packing up, a family of 4 brought in their sick mother on a motorbike, carried her into the skills building. She could not stand. Best way was to check and treat her right where she was placed. In the end the family was very thankful the team stayed back and helped treat her even when the clinic was closed.

Thanking God for how flexible and willing the team was to go a long way to serve.

The team is doing well and we are all healthy!

Wednesday was a full and long day of ministry, as described by team members.

Thirty-eight community members returned to business training to undertake the grueling task of developing a financial plan for their business or the business they hope to start.

205 community members (adults and children) came to the medical clinic. Each was able to be ministered to for their own personal health concern.

We are truly grateful for our ministry partners, Yami and John, as well as the young college men, Dixon, Hastings, Christopher, and Leonard, who have spent many hours translating at our side. The young men have done all of the weighing and measuring of the patients as well.

Two "lost" bags joined us, so we have more supplies to share with our friends here!

Thanks again for all of your prayers - we appreciate you! We serve a good and faithful God!

Tuesday was an exciting day at the Orphan Project!
We celebrated with the Project for the many blessings God has provided them. We were able to share their well and a maize mill with the surrounding communities - both of these allow the community members to access water and the grinding of corn without walking long distances and/or paying higher costs for milling. Five hens are sitting on eggs for their own chicken business too!

The initial small business training was presented to nearly 50 eager participants. The students were encouraged to reflect on how God has created us to work, and when working, we need to do our very best for God. One student shared about his current business, using the principles he had learned earlier. He is currently selling chickens on the roadside with future dreams of selling chicken in his own restaurant!

Kids and adults were seen in the clinic. Heights, weights, and blood pressures were taken, followed by triage and the gifting of some basic medications and prayer.

One of the best parts of the day is giving and receiving love from the dear people who are hosting us. God created us to live in community with each other - what a gift their friendship is!

The team is doing well, healthy, and excited to shine God's light during another busy day of ministry.

We are expecting two of the "lost" bags to arrive today (Wednesday). That leaves just 1 bag to find us in Malawi.

We are so grateful for your support through prayer! God is faithful in answering them! We are praying for you as well.
Off to a busy day to be and live like Jesus...

From the Westwood team in Malawi...
We had a wonderful Monday of ministry.
We visited the home of one of our new friends. The saying here is, “Blessed is the home that has visitors.” Loveless showed us how to add a new smooth layer of "African cement" to her front porch by smoothing out a water-dirty mixture with the palm of your hand and using a stone to make it very smooth. She showed us how to cook (over a fire) dried pumpkin leaves, tomatoes, and ground peanuts to make a meal. She was a lovely and gracious host, showing us her home. It was an honor to provide some useful plastic pitchers, tumblers, bowls, and buckets as a departing gift.

On returning to the project, we stopped by the water hole, previously used by the project. We carried the buckets of water on our heads for a 25-minute walk uphill. The project now has its own well for water right at the site.
Approximately 700 kids came for their daily lunch. The team assisted in serving the nsima and soy meat.
Clinic services were provided to all the women volunteers who give of their time to fix the daily meal.
God has been SO good and faithful to this team. Please pray for good rest, continued good health, and divine adrenaline for the next 3 days of intense ministry. We are SO grateful to you, our prayer warriors, for working together for the Kingdom.

The second team arrived in Malawi safely (but without most of their luggage...2 bags have since arrived and they are waiting for 3 more. Yes, 5 of their 6 bags did not arrive with them). They visited the farm and are now preparing for their time at the orphan project. Please pray for continued safety, good health, and God's blessings on their ministry as well as the remaining 3 bags to arrive (which primarily have supplies for their ministry).

The second team leaves for Malawi today. As leave, please pray for safe travels and health. In addition, please lift up all the unknowns and anxieties this team of three may be facing. They will be doing small business training and providing a medical clinic.

The first team is back in the states. It was an amazing trip. More pictures and information to come. Thanks for your prayers. Team 2 leaves later this week for the medical clinic.

The women volunteers had a break and were treated to a fun day at Lake Malawi. Many thanks to all of you who made this possible.

Malawi has lost its Vice president and 8 other passenger in plane crash. After searching for 2 days their crash site was found and their bodies have been brought to Lilongwe for burial.

Please pray for Malawi as it is going through a tough time.

The mission team blessed our high school students and college students with Bibles!

Such a precious gift that will be used to study for their Bible Knowledge course and their spiritual growth.
It was a beautiful day.

The team just bought 75 Good News Bibles for high school students and Chichewa Bibles for all our volunteers!! To God be all the glory

The team arrived safely! Thank you for your prayers. Tomorrow we prepare for our time at the orphan project. Thank you for your prayers!

Malawi is a beautiful country and is truly the "Warm Heart of Africa". The people of Malawi are warm and welcoming even though it is estimated that 72% of its population lives below the poverty line of $2.15 a day. These pictures were taken at Liwonde National Park where you can go and see much of the natural beauty in Malawi.

God provided!!! Thanks to so many generous donors, the first mission trip this year is able to provide Bibles for teens and volunteers, soccer balls, solar scientific calculators, clothes, string bags, tote bags, and much more. Churches and individuals in Ohio colored bookmarks to be given with the Bibles. The boxes were donated by a company in Ohio. Most of the packing is done. Thank you for your generosity!!

Manna for Malawi update...The music will be provided by "Wanted".
Everything remains the same!

Thank you so much for your generous donations which are providing shoes that grow for the children at the orphan project. The shoes have been ordered and are expected to arrive in Malawi in June. The team that will present the shoes will be in Malawi in July. Zikomo kwambiri!!!! (Thank you so much!!!!)

If The Bride Price" is not being shown on your local PBS station, go to the web address below to watch it on PBS.org
https://www.pbs.org/show/the-bride-price/

Thank you to everyone who donated to provide a special day for the women volunteers and Bibles for the women and teenagers!! Through our Facebook fundraiser and other donations, we have more than enough to cover the costs for these gifts. All money not needed for these gifts will be used for education costs for high school students.
Zikomo kwambiri!!!! Thank you very much!!!!

It's labour day in Malawi! Greetings and blessings to you all from our children.

Manna For Malawi 2024 - Save the Date!!
Sunday, August 18th at the Bridge Tavern north of Crosby featuring Rumbleseat, The Premiere John Mellencamp Experience. The event runs from 2:00pm to 6:00pm. Pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw and chips will be served. The event includes a whole raft of raffle items. This is a free will offering event and parking is free and plentiful. The Bridge is at the junction of State Highway 6 and County Road 11, five miles north of Crosby on #6.
More information to come.

Six people will be traveling to Malawi the beginning of June to lead a special time for the women volunteers, a vacation Bible school experience for younger kids, and more. This team desires your prayers. If you would like to be a part of a new Stay and Pray team for this trip, send us your email address by private message. Then you will receive emails about this mission trip with specific praises, prayer requests, and updates. Please message your email address to us no later than May 20 to be on this year's Stay and Pray team.

New HIV infections in Malawi have decreased by 73% and AIDS related deaths have decreased by 68% from 2010 to 2022. Click the link below to read more.

Malawi registers further decline in new HIV infections Malawi has registered a decline in new HIV infections by 73 percent between 2010 and 2022 while Aids-related deaths have gone down by 68 percent during the same period, the Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda