A letter from Kay Day in Malawi
July 2010
Dear Family and Friends,
Praise God with me. Life has returned to Chigodi Women’s Center! Yes, we have water. That was the beginning of the process, but even more has been happening within the last months to give evidence of new life at the Center.
Two months ago we contacted a tailor about making clergy robes and shirts, items that are difficult and costly to find here in Malawi. This has been an ongoing problem for the pastors of the synod. The pastors either sent out of the country for their clergy clothing, which is expensive, or they tried to find a tailor here to make the garments. These are frequently ill-fitting. We gave my robe to the tailor as a model, to see how he did. The results were wonderful — a perfectly fitting robe, as good as the one I spent much money for in the States. So we hired him, and he has been quietly working in a corner of the classroom, making garments to order for several pastors. This is an income-generating project for the Center. This and the making of mvano (women’s guild) sweaters has given us income for the first time in a year. Praise God with us for his provision and blessing.
Then, once the water began to flow, we began to plan and advertize a new Skills Training Class. This is a four-month program, following the government guidelines for skills training, which includes English, Bible knowledge, home economics, agriculture, finance management, development and tailoring. Fourteen young women registered and began training last week. They are from the communities around the center, so they are able to commute each day for the program. In the future we will offer residential training programs, but for the present having them on site only during the day helps to keep the start-up cost lower and allows room for other programming to begin. This is a double blessing. The young women are eager, attentive students. On Saturday a group arrived in Malawi from Australia. Two of the group will be at Chigodi to help with the Skills Training Class for the next three weeks. This augments our program nicely. Please pray for the women and the learning that is happening in these classes.
Then the program director and I have launched a tour, so to speak, visiting the congregational mvano groups. Our purpose is to enlist their help in completing a dormitory that was begun but left unfinished. The response has been enthusiastic. We are hopeful of raising the $38,000 needed to complete the work by encouraging each group to contribute a small part of the money. There are 1,500 groups within the synod. That comes to about $27 a group. Some groups in the rural areas will not be able to manage this, but many in the towns can do much more. Please join us in praying for the success of this program.
For the first time in the year that I have been the administrator of Chigodi, I have real hope for the future of the Center. Rejoice with me in what God has done to bring new life to Chigodi. Pray with me for God’s continued direction and provision in these projects.
Yours in Christ,
Kay (Cathie to the family)
The 2010 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 59