Greetings!
It’s hard to believe that Summer is drawing to a close! It is that wonderful time of year with warm days and nights with crisp air.
So what happened with FVM over the Summer? Everybody was still hard at work!
The Health Facility construction is at 85%, while staff houses about 95%
complete. Tiwonge spent a day taking a carpenter through the Facility planning for desks, chairs, tables and waiting room benches, and spent yesterday at the Blantyre shops getting quotes on other furniture items.
Dan Hayhoe and Dr. Kalua are preparing the medical equipment lists. What an exciting time it is as we see everything taking shape.
We had the challenge of choosing a paint colour to add some life and joyful welcome to the front of the building. A lot of colours have to be avoided so it doesn’t appear FVM and the Health Facility are taking sides with a particular political party. Stay tuned for the great reveal!
Our Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes, including feeding, educating, and playing with the children, reached a joyful milestone successfully wrapping up on the 18th of July. Thanks to your generosity, feeding and playtime for the children continue once a week (on Wednesdays). 142 children of 483 (29%) graduated from preschool into formal primary schools.
Three students given FVM education assistance have graduated with bachelor’s degrees. Seven college students are in their final years. Forty-one of 59 students (70%) have completed secondary education and are waiting for examination results. During our recent trip we were waiting to pull out onto the road when Newton Sindo and a young lady shared a quick exchange of greetings. As we pulled away he mentioned she is one of the early preschool program attendees, now grown, bringing her skills and abilities to benefit her local area. The longlasting effects of your giving are seen and felt within communities.
Thanks to your faithful partnership, our Spiritual Care activities have included community-based Bible study sessions, 6 open air evangelism rallies, and 64 radio broadcasts (32 in Chichewa and 32 in ChiTumbuka languages) on Trans World radio, reaching about 4 million people.
We are deeply grateful for the overwhelming feedback received through telephone calls and texts. 5,000 Christian Calendars have been distributed.
We are trying to wrap our minds around the incredible inflation that is happening in Malawi. The predictions are estimating inflation could climb to 40% by December. Prices are fluctuating wildly as the September elections approach. There is a lot of anxiety due to daily living expenses. Can you please pray with us for wisdom in our role as an organization that supports employees and volunteers. We want to ensure that FVM honours God and the funds entrusted to us within these difficult living circumstances.
What lies ahead and prayer points?
● Day of African Child and Sports (28 August and 5 September 2025)
● Presidential, Parliamentary, and Local Government elections on 16 September 2025
● Sunuzi Health Centre Construction finishing work
FVM has been supported faithfully by a generation who have given for decades now. I remember my parents attending the FVM auctions and following the ministry of FVM over the years. It was one of the reasons that drew me to say “yes” when Dan asked if I would consider being on the Board. With this family history in mind, we have begun talking with our daughter about how we can pass this torch to yet another generation. Would you consider doing the same? If you are part of our original donors, would you consider how support to FVM could be carried on within your family? If you are one of the younger generation who have heard about this ministry, would you consider carrying on a legacy? I look forward to a glorious reunion ahead as we join together on a future day – reunited with ones who have gone before, all cultural misunderstandings removed between Malawians and North Americans, all economic differences erased and NO inflation, and with pure joy and abandon we will dance in the light and freedom of the One who called us to love and serve together. What a day – I hope you join the party!
Zikomo kwambiri from the bottom of our hearts.
