Teaching and Healing in the Community:
Training and Development: Over 60 pastors, spouses, chiefs, and community members attended the follow-up training by Namikango Mission in Mngwangwa village. Women attending the training said that they see now that they should have a say in family finances, and they are motivated to start their own businesses and savings groups. The community Conservation Farming garden is growing well and the drainage of the lake has reduced malaria cases this year. Thoko’s chicken business is bringing protein to the community and some supplemental income to the church.
Networking – Greg has connected with trainers in Theological Education by Extension and Pathways as he searches for ways to bring theology training to pastors in the villages. He continues to work with The Word Transforms and is planning strategies for following up on development projects in the Mphewa area. Christina is planning to speak at a women’s conference in March and is discussing possibilities of students and residents coming for internship experiences.
Equipping - Generous donations from our partners this month allowed us to assist local pastors in a number of ways including funding a couples mini-retreat for village pastors to get away from their hectic ministries and reconnect with each other and repairing of a pastor’s motorcycle to improve mobility and connection. We have also partnered with 3 local church leaders and sponsored fees so that they can attend formal training programs in community development, program planning, and public health.
Sustainability – Christina continues to advise on sustainability and grant writing. Last month she assisted the local nonprofit Alinafe in their drive to fundraise to help vulnerable individuals in their community over the next year. This month, she is looking into some grant funding to improve health disparities in California. She continues to spend 10 hours/week assisting with a Preventive Medicine fellowship in Loma Linda, which is supplementing our income and offsetting our living expenses.