September 2011 Newsletter

I’d like to briefly share three things to give you a window into what happens at the Passion Center.

First, the container finally arrived at the Passion Center! Thank you to everyone who prayed, especially as transportation and delivery delays grew. A special thanks goes out to Northwest Bible Church, in Ohio, for coordinating, collecting and packing all of the items. Many items immediately help the children and ministries of the Passion Center and there is much that will make an impact in the future.

Last week, Tomandani, a five year old boy, was brought by his parents to the Passion Center. They are pleading with us to help their child receive the surgeries and treatment he needs to stand and walk. It appears that his left leg and hand are disabled. The regional government hospital continues to send them away insisting that he will eventually learn to walk. But his parents see his condition worsening. Please pray for the team in Malawi as they decide how to help Tomandani. The Passion Center has already helped some children receive the specialized care and surgeries they needed, now we need God’s wisdom to determine how to help other desperate parents and their children.

Lastly, the Passion Center began visiting 120 young men at a reform school. They have an amazing director who radiates grace and Christ-likeness. As a result, many are experiencing love and acceptance for the first time! We’ve been invited to share the gospel and disciple these young men. A few have committed serious crimes, other were caught stealing or disrespecting their parents…Some are simply guilty of being orphaned. Now most are no longer welcome back home. But God is changing their future! This situation reflects one of our foundation scriptures…

Psalm 68:5–6
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, He leads forth the prisoners with singing.

July 2011 Newsletter

Why orphans and widows? Why Malawi, Africa? Why us? Why this way? These are questions that arise every time we send missions teams to Zomba.

The most direct answer to these questions is the face that God cars for the fatherless and the widowed. God’s Word repeatedly reveals that He is aware of their plight and acts through His people to bring hope, comfort and His transforming grace. In Exodus 22:22 God warns, “Do not take advantage of a widow or and orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused.” Later on we read that, “He defend the cause of the fatherless and the widow.” In the Psalms we learn that “You, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand…the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.” We are told that God is, “a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,” that He, “sets the lonely in families,” and “sustains the fatherless and the widow.” (Psalm 10:14, 17–18; 68:5–6; 146:9)

As followers of His son, Jesus Christ, His concerns and priorities increasingly become part of who we are and what we do. We not only lament the pain and suffering they endure, we are motivated by the Holy Spirit to act! Therefore, the Passion Center commits itself to act specifically to bring God’s healing touch to orphans and widows. We partner with Malawian Christians to bring about Godly change and Christ-centered transformation. We also plead for opportunities and resources to extend God’s grace throughout the region.

Thank you for allowing God to work in and through you! May God continue to bless and guide you.

June 2011 Newsletter

Strengthening the last familial bonds that a Passion Center child has with their guardian is one of our main goals. In Malawian culture it’s the duty of a grandparent or surviving aunt/uncle to take in a surviving orphan(s). We recognize that most of these households are ill-prepared to do so and in some cases resent or fear the AIDS orphan(s). Whatever the case, the Passion Center strives to alter the misperception that these orphans are a burden and hope that they will see us as a committed partner with them, bringing healing, comfort and hope to these AIDS orphans. We labor to show that God personally identifies Himself as a “Father to the Fatherless” and that His blessings are on the orphans and on those who care for His “Fatherles” children. There are a number of ways that we do that.

First, the Passion Center helps to relieve the load to the elderly or overtaxed guardian by providing the food, school expenses, clothes and any medical costs these orphans need. The Passion Center staff also makes regular home visits to encourage, counsel and help to resolve any problems that may arise in the home.

These visits also provide an opportunity to share the hope of the Gospel and invite them to Bible studies and church services. We’ve found that many of the guardians hunger for spiritual instruction and as widows/widowers themselves they also have needs. In those cases the staff assists them with blankets, health products and enriched food stuffs. Many of them live in huts that really need repair, to that end, this year’s mission trip will tackle some home repair work.

Additionally, this year every one of the guardians will receive a vision screening, and if needed, glasses. These guardians had little hope of ever getting glasses. We still could use special donations for the Vision Clinic and home repair. So please pray for those needs.

Please pray for the teams that leave this month and thank you for your support. May God continue to bless and guide you.