An ongoing mission: sharing the word of God in Malawi
Imagine sitting in a wheelchair, starving and waiting for scraps of food from your family—only being allowed to eat after everyone else has eaten and the dogs have been fed.
This is real life for disabled individuals in Malawi, Africa. Jesus Cares Ministries (JCM), a ministry of TLHA, is partnering with Kingdom Workers, Lutheran outreach programs and disability organizations in Malawi to bring change through education and ministry.
There is a long-term plan to equip volunteers and church organizations to positively impact
the lives of Malawians. The plan includes three core areas:
- DISABILITY EDUCATION: Educating Malawi disability organizations and church leaders on the different areas of disability and how to serve those with disabilities.
- JCM TRAINING: Continuing “Worship at the Cross” training for existing and new volunteer teams.
- MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT DISTRIBUTION: Providing additional disability materials in the Chichewa language, such as training manuals, education pamphlets, devotions, prayer books and story posters.
Tidzalerana means “we help one another.”
The shelter, which took two years to finish, opened in 2010 and is located outside the slums of Blantyre. The shelter is funded by a Christian nonprofit organization from the Netherlands that provides missionary work. There are 14 individuals living in the shelter.
One individual living at Tidzalerana is Yusufu, a 26-year-old male who is unable to walk. He was hidden and locked up by his mother who didn’t want her boyfriends to know she had a disabled son. The grandmother found out about the poor treatment of Yusufu and brought his case to the attention of the Tidzalerana shelter. JCM volunters visit the shelter to provide education and support.