It’s not going to be this way forever

From Malawi:

One year ago, I was in Malawi with our partner, Peter Maseko. In addition to being a pastor, Peter is also a doctor. He uses both to serve God by caring for the needs of others. Over the years, I had seen Peter the pastor, but last January was the first time I saw Peter’s passion as a physician.

A ten-year-old girl was brought into see Peter at Pothawira’s then-newly-opened clinic. She was low energy, almost sedate, and having great difficulty breathing. The girl had significant fluid in her lungs; requiring draining, a procedure only available at Salima’s district hospital miles away. We could take her there, and Peter’s personal note of urgency would carry weight. Still, Peter knew the hospital was taxed, and that even on the best of days, this ten year old might wait hours or more before she received the care she needed.

As we loaded her into the car, Peter looked at an adjacent empty field. With tears in his eyes he said, “It wasn’t supposed to be this way.” Peter was speaking about the delay in Phase II of the clinic. The planned expansion would add the capability to deliver babies, a few hospital beds, and perform minor surgical procedures, like draining this girl’s lungs so she could literally breathe easier.

A few weeks ago, the generous funding of a key Pothawira partner came through! The empty field won’t stay empty much longer. We believe God put that land there to house a birthing/surgical center to care for the community and children of Malawi. While the initial investment will likely not be enough the get the doors open, it is more than sufficient to make 2014 a year of building at Pothawira.

I love what God is doing here! The homes are clean, warm, and welcoming…a safe place for children to grow up under the watchful eyes of their mammas. The school is moving forward, educating children from nursery school to 8th grade. The teachers are committed and command the respect of the students. The clinic is seeing more than 1,000 patients a week; people who are willing to often walk for miles and contribute a co-pay for care…and 2014 promises more in each area; growth in homes, education and medical care!

Children living at Pothawira (Safe Haven)

Students in class at Pothawira’s school

So, yes, we should celebrate what’s going on here, but also realize, it’s not going to be this way forever. By God’s grace, your generosity, and the hard work of the Maseko family and their team, it’s going to get better! To learn more about how you can be a part of serving God by caring for the needs of others at Pothawira, please e-mail Adrien.