Hello friends and family!
Today there was nothing special scheduled, just a normal ordinary workday. We arrived on site in the morning and steadily laid bricks, and some of the team helped to build forms on top of the walls we have already built up. Once all the walls are at the height of the top of the windows and doors, a concrete "ring beam" that is 7" high with rebar in it, is poured all the way around the building and the two center walls. When this is completed, another 7 courses of brick will be built up on top of the concrete beam, before building up the bricks on the gable ends and installing the steel roof. When all the bricks are laid the building will be parted with a sand and concrete mix to give it a smooth finish, and then painted.
At lunch today we were joined by the local pastor of the church in Mwase, Rev. Lovemore. We had an opportunity to pray for him and his ministry, and he prayed for our team and church after the meal. It was a good time of fellowship with a like minded brother- he is a kind, godly and friendly man.
The church here in Mwase has 4 preaching stations, which are all considered part of the same church. The preaching station in Mwase has about 150 members, and there are about the same in the other 3. He described these churches as Reformed Presbyterian, as part of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (which has about 1 million members), and said the biggest challenge his church faces is the influence of the pentecostal church preaching a watered down health and wealth gospel. Rev. Lovemore preaches in one of the stations each week, with the elders leading the service at the other preaching stations. He asked if we would be able to preach the next time we are in Mwase!
He is also a lecturer and leader at a small seminary in Chasefu that we visited yesterday, which is about 2 hours down these bumpy roads. The seminary has 12 students from Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
It was good to hear from the pastor that the work we are doing here in Mwase is not only helping with solid Christian education here in Mwase but also supports the preaching of the gospel of salvation in Christ.
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