Successful Relief Distributions
We thank God for His help with supplementary relief to approximately 400 families in Mangochi and Machinga during the months of January and February. We received funds from Mennonite Central Committee through the BIC Church of Malawi. The church also organized distributions in other areas of the country where we have congregations.

In order to preserve funds for the church to aid people in the Chikwawa area, along the lower Shire River valley, we cancelled a March distribution in this area, believing that people may have a supply of green maize before harvest in April. We rejoiced to hear a report from our District Commissioner of zero deaths due to starvation this year.

Please thank God for helping us to help people during a difficult time.

Soon Ready to Roof
We will soon teach on the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, the “roof” over the foundational teaching of God’s Word. Can you put a roof on a house without a foundation, supports or walls?

That’s why we first teach about Almighty God as Creator, God’s creating the world, Lucifer who became Satan, God’s creating Adam and Eve, the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Satan’s deceitful temptation of Adam and Eve, and Adam and Eve’s disobedience and separation from God and God’s placing them outside of the garden. This is the foundation.

The stories of God’s working in the lives of Cain and Abel, Seth, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, the judges, the kings, and the prophets are like the walls. The story of Jesus is like the roof. It begins with His birth, continues through His wonderful life, and is completed by His death, burial, resurrection and ascension.

We do this to help people to have a clear understanding and to model for them how they can teach others after they believe. Satan especially tries to distract people at this stage of teaching through demonic deception or intimidation and he has already started.

Please pray that many would understand, repent, believe and worship the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. (See Matt. 28:17)

Establishing, Equipping & Empowering...
We believe that God has called us to evangelize, establish, equip and empower the Yao to exponentially expand the Kingdom of God. Jesus commanded us to “make disciples,...teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:19-20). And 2 Tim 2:2 says, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

Please pray that God would guide us in discipling new believers so that they may effectively disciple others.

God’s Provision for the Skaggs
We thank God for providing transport for Gerlinde and Ben to fly from Germany to the US in Feb. with a nurse companion, for a vehicle, a new home and many friends to visit Gerlinde and help Ben adapt the house. We praise God for Gerlinde’s marked progress since the doctors have adjusted her medications and for the insurance company’s approval of payment for her ongoing therapy!

Firm Foundation Question
Give careful thought to the following question and try to answer it on your own before reading the answer below.

Why did John the Baptist call Jesus “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?” (See John 1:29)

Other Highlights of the Quarter

Character Corner: Initiative

Initiative vs. Unresponsiveness

Recognizing and doing what needs to be done before I am asked to do it. Locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks. (Prov 30:27, NIV)

Who had the plan to create everything for people? God. Who knew it was not good for man to be alone and formed Eve for mutual companionship? God. Who conceived the way of salvation long before Adam and Eve fell? God, the great Initiator.

Revelation 13:8 says that the Lamb (Jesus) “was killed before the world was made.” (NLT) 1 John 4:10 says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (NIV) Romans 5:8 states, “...God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (NIV)

FFQ Answer: Just like God gave a ram to die for Isaac, so God would give Jesus to die for all people. (See Genesis 22) Just like the Passover lambs died and their blood saved the Israelites in Egypt, so God would give Jesus and His blood to save all people. (See Exodus 12)

Upcoming Events:
March 11: Arrival of Jonathan Lloyds’ parents, brother and friend
March 17: Rev. Ephraim Disi Returns from visiting churches in US and Canada
March 24: EBCoM 1st Term Ends
April 3-6: BIC Africa Missionary Retreat at Club Makokola, Mangochi, Malawi
April 17 EBCoM 2nd Term Begins