Malawi Africa Mission Trip July 2009

Pictures

2009-07-15T06:16:00.000-07:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/malawimissiontrip2009/sets/

Email from Mathews Banda-Save Orphans Ministry

2009-07-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

I received the following email from Mathews Banda with Save Orphans Ministry. Mathews assisted in driving our team to the SOM AIDS clinic in Ntcheu. Mathews was a great help to our team and we really appreciate all that he did for us. He was worked for SOM for over 6 years.

Hi, Brian.

Hope you traveled well back home, and you really enjoyed your stay here in Malawi as i did. You were a blessing to me and i thank very much, my wife too and my children say hie to you and the family, looking forward to see you angain. Pass my greetings to the entire group. Brian i was amazing to see you producing DVD at short period of time, hope when you make several of them you send me one. Thanks once angain for the gifts you gave to me, may God continues blessing you all the time as you continue helping others through your ministry. I am insipired the way you people courangeous you are, thats the ministry Jesus told us to be doing as it stated in matthew 25v35.
In him

Matthews.

Matthews Banda
Private bag B456,
Lilongwe 3,
Malawi.

Thank You

2009-07-08T06:53:00.000-07:00

We made it back home safely. I want to thank all of you that have followed our trip. It was an indescribable and humbling experience that will forever change very member of this team. I will be posting lots of pictures on Flickr. I will post the link on the blog as soon as I get the picutures loaded. We have a lot of pictures so it may take a day or two to get them all loaded.

Thanks again for all your support and prayers.

God Bless All of You

Pictures of SOM AIDS Clinic

2009-07-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

Back from Ntcheu-Visiting SOM Aids Clinic

2009-07-05T09:25:00.000-07:00

We are back from Ntcheu. Sorry I was not able to update the blog the last few days. We were out far away from any internet access. We had an amazing experience visiting the Save Orphans Ministry Aids Clinic for Orphans. I have lots of pictures to share. and I will post some of them later this evening.

Below is some information about SOM.

Save Orphans Ministries is a non-profit Christian organization with community based programs and is registered by the Government of Malawi. SOM was set up in 1996 by a student who was at the time in his second year at African Bible College in Lilongwe-Malawi-Africa. Save Orphans Ministries is a member of Evangelical Association of Malawi and Council of Non-Governmental Organization of Malawi and has a board of trustees.

One year after the set up only five orphans were supported and by October 1998, 200 orphans were reached. To date more than 6,000 orphans 400 caregivers are benefiting from the organization's programs with our Bible Clubs reaching 15,000 children who meet once every week.

More info:

www.saveorphansministries.com

Ministry of Hope Crisis Home for Abandoned, Orphaned and HIV Positive Babies

2009-07-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

Today the team visited the Ministry of Hope Crisis Center. This is an infant home that was established to rescue and provide shelter and crisis care to babies at risk-i.e. those who are abandoned, neglected or abused, those affected with HIV/AIDS as well as those with critically/chronically ill mothers who can no longer care for them.

We learned today of Talandira Hope. Talandira is one of the babies who had no hope in her life. She was found dumped along Lilongwe River crying for help. One night a private guard went to the river to wash his face; there he found the baby crying for help without any guardian around. He reported the issue to police who alerted the crisis nursery to rescue the baby. When they arrived at the scene, the baby was just crying and and her eyes were filled with fear and hopelessness.

The time she was found, she was full of charms around her body. It is believed that those charms were put for good luck. Since her rescued by the Crisis Nursery, the baby has been doing fine. Now because of care and love she is getting the baby is always smiling. With Prayer and God doing great things in her life, Talandira Hope has now seen the light at the end of the tunnel. Today Talandira Hope is under foster care in Malawi.

While we visited the Crisis Nursery we spent two hours feeding and playing with the 13 of the 16 Babies that are currently being cared for by the Crisis Nursery. It was a wonderful experience for all of us. The pictures cannot begin to explain the emotions we all felt today holding and playing with those little babies.

More Mtsilitza Village Pictures

2009-07-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

Mtsilitza Village Pictures

2009-07-01T04:18:00.001-07:00

Second Day of VBS and Mtsilitza Village

2009-06-30T13:52:00.000-07:00

We completed our second day of VBS and it was another success. The kids had a great time playing games, decorating T Shirts, making crafts and eating Snowman treats made out of graham crackers, marshmallows and candy. Yours truly got to dress up like a penquin today and entertain the kids with some moves I learned from the movie Happy Feet.

After we finished VBS in the morning we visited Tazili Village about a 30 minute walk from ABC. Walking thru the village and were greeted by dozens of children wanting to have their picture taken. They also wanted to hold our hands and walk with us. By the time we reached our destination in the center of the village we had over two dozen children of all ages surrounding us. It was an incredible experience. I will try to update the blog with pictures tomorrow. The internet connection is very slow and it will not let me upload pictures tonight.

When we reached the center of the village we helped Children of the Nation feed orphans. After singing songs with the children we helped the kids wash their hands and we served them their one meal of the day.

In addition to feeding the orphans we met a group of widows that are part of an organization called The Widows Club. The Widows club trains widows in trade such as baking or sewing so they can eventually support themselves. When I get back to the States I will post video of today on you tube. You will not want to miss this video. It is very moving. I also have video of Pastor Mark speaking to all the Orphans just before they ate their meal.

Please visit Children of the Nation and consider sponsoring a child. http://www.cotni.org/71-mtsilitza

Tomorrow we are visiting a crisis nursery to hold and feed sick babies.

God Bless

End of Day 1

2009-06-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

Hello from Malawi. We are wrapping up our first full day. It was a very busy day. We started with the VBS and then took a trip into the city of Lilongwe to experience the culture of Malawi. Visiting the city and experiencing Malawian culture was an amazing experience. We visited a very busy open market, purchased a live chicken for ABC and crossed a river on a bridge hand made out of wood planks and tree limbs. We rode to the city on public transportation which was a minivan jammed pack with passengers. It was quite the experience.

Malawi is one of the poorest countries in Africa. It is very evident everywhere you look. Despite the poverty and the challenges the country faces, its people are very friendly.

Below are some pictures from today's VBS. I will add some pictures from our visit to the City tomorrow.

Hello from Malawi Monday June 29th 6:00am

2009-06-29T04:02:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not updating the blog yesterday. We arrived in Malawi Sunday at around 2pm. We had a very busy day and I could not get connected to the Internet. We received a warm welcome from the Spencer's. (all 10 of them) At the airport they had a huge banner hanging from the balcony welcoming us to Malawi. I will post a picture later today. We immediately felt welcome.

The ride from the airport to the African Bible College took us through some very poor areas of Malawi. It was a little overwhelming. We saw men on the side of the road selling mice on a stick. Yes...I said Mice on a stick. Evidently it is very popular here in Malawi.

Immediately after we arrived at the African Bible College we started preparing for the week. We had some time to visit with our host the Spencer's in the evening. We were very tired last night and everyone got a good night sleep.

It is 1:00pm in Malawi right now. We just completed our first day of VBS and it was a great success. The entire team did a great job and the kids had a lot of fun and the weather has been great. We are about to have lunch with the Spencer's and then we are heading into the local village.

I will update the blog with some pictures later today when we get back from the Village.

Sermon In Shoes by Ruth Harms Calkin

2009-06-27T15:42:00.000-07:00

Do you know, O Christian, you're a sermon in shoes?
Do you know, O Christian, You're a sermon in shoes?

Jesus counts upon you to spread the Gospel News;
So walk it, and talk it,
Live it, and give it,
Teach it, and preach it
Know it, and show it,

A Sermon in Shoes.

Update Saturday June 27th.

2009-06-27T13:49:00.000-07:00

Cheryl made a new friend on the flight from Dakar, Senegal to Johannesburg.

Mark showed off his Cardinal Jacket, he needed it, the temperature when we landed was a cool 55 degrees.

We took a team photo at the airport while we waited for the hotel shuttle. We just had dinner at the hotel and everyone has retired to their rooms. We leave early tomorrow morning for Lilongwe.
Enjoy the pictures.

Arrived safely in Johannesburg

2009-06-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

We just arrived at our hotel in Johannesburg. Thank God that we had no issues. The flight was not that bad. No delays. Baggage arrived in good shape and we made it safely to the hotel. We are all looking forward to lying flat in our own beds tonight and getting some rest after sitting for 16 hours.

I will update the blog with more pictures later today.

God Bless!

President and First Lady

2009-06-26T12:57:00.000-07:00

President Obama and First Lady Michelle stopped by the airport for a quick photo opportunity. Mark and Ray took advantage of the opportunity to give him some advice.

Two Weeks In Africa

2009-06-26T05:38:00.000-07:00

The Journey Begins

2009-06-26T04:58:00.000-07:00

We arrived this morning at Lambert Airport at 4:45am. Everyone was on time. It was a good thing because we had to wait in a long line to check our luggage. The check in process took 90 minutes but went very well.

The only glitch is when we got to security the majority of the group did not have boarding passes so we had to trek back up to the United counter to get boarding passes

Cheryl wants me to mention it was the guy at the counter that messed up on the boarding passes. We really do know what we are doing!

Mark Mehlig is enjoying some of Ray's delicious Barbecue ribs for breakfast. Yes. Ribs for Breakfast.

Our flight to Washington leaves in 1 hour.

Bo, Abby, Nick and Jake.....I love you!

Rachel and Rebecca....Mom says don't forget to pack your swim shoes!

Mark Mehlig just asked if they had FM radio in Malawi!

Leaving in 5 Days

2009-06-22T05:55:00.000-07:00

The excitement of our trip has been growing for the last few months and we are now just 5 days away from our departure. The team has worked very hard to get everything ready. Our Journey starts Friday morning from St. Louis. We will travel from St. Louis to Washington Dulles Airport. In Washington we have a 6 hour layover. From there we board a South African Airlines flight that will take us directly to Johannesburg South Africa. The total flight time is 16 hours and 30 minutes. We will arrive Saturday afternoon and spend the night in Johannesburg. Sunday we will board another flight from Johannesburg to Lilongwe Malawi. Total air time from St. Louis to Lilongwe is 22 hours.

While in Malawi I will be doing my best to update the blog regularly.

PLease keep our team in your thoughts and prayers as we embark on this amazing journey.

Brian

Just How Big is 143,000,000

2009-05-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

Save Orphans Ministry Video

2009-03-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

Check out this video below. It is a documentary from a church that worked with Save Orphans Ministry in Malawi in 2006.

Our team will also be working with Justin and his wife Ruth from Save Orphans Ministry.

Justin and his wife are in the first part of the video. Our team will be meeting with Ruth next month to discuss how we can help this organization while we are in Malawi.

Save Orphans Ministry Video 1

2009-03-13T19:09:00.000-07:00

Save Orphans Ministry Video 2

2009-03-13T19:06:00.000-07:00

Team Dinner-Tam Tam African Restaurant

2009-02-14T04:50:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago the Malawi Mission team ventured to a local African Restaurant called Tam Tam to try some native African foods and enjoyed an afternoon of fellowship. Tam Tam serves authentic African food. We had a great time.

We had a great waitress who provided us a lot of information on the background and source of the many foods on the menu. We learned a great deal about African foods.

I had goat steak for the first time and my wife tried the Tilapia served African Style. Whole including the head. My wife Bo was a little surprised when it was served.

See the attached pictures.

Our mission team is made up of the following:

Mark Mehlig-Pastor and Team Lead

Suzie Mehlig

Kim Smith

Marilyn Williams

Cherilyn Washington

Ray Washington

Cheryl Anthonis

Shelly Williams

Travel Date Change/Shots

2009-01-23T08:42:00.000-08:00

Our dates for the trip have changed. We are now leaving for Malawi on Friday June 26th 2009 and departing Malawi on Monday July 6th 2009.

I got my first series of shots last week! Ouch!!! I unusually don't mind needles but I would be lying if I said it did not hurt. I had to get two in each arm.

Happy New Year

2008-12-31T07:49:00.000-08:00

Because we are traveling to a third world country it is required that we get a series of shots before making the trip. Below is a list of shots required and the cost. Fortunately I don't have much of a problem with needles.

Hep A - $35 Yellow Fever $96 Typhoid - $67 Polio Booster - $27

We have our next meeting January 11th. We will develope a timeline/calendar for the next 7 months until we leave. I plan to take a picture of the team at our next meeting and post it on the blog.

Happy New Year!

Malawi Mission Team

African Orphans-A Message from Rick Warren

2008-12-22T18:38:00.001-08:00

When Love Takes You In-Steven Curtis Chapman

2008-12-22T18:33:00.000-08:00

Map and Basic Facts About Malawi

2008-12-12T04:09:00.000-08:00

Location: Malawi is in Southern Africa, east of Zambia.

Land Boundaries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, and Zambia 837 km.

Geography: The size of Malawi is 118,480 sq km, slightly smaller than Pennsylvania, US. The terrain is made up of a narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, and some mountains. Lake Malawi, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature. The climate is sub-tropical; with a rainy season (November to May); and a dry season (May to November). The lowest point in Malawi is at the junction of the Shire River and the border of Mozambique, at 37m above sea level. The highest point is Sapitwa the highest peak on the Mulanje Mountain which stands at 3,002 m. Malawi is a landlocked country.

Population: Just over 13 million people live in Malawi. Life expectancy is around 41 years. Birth rate is on average 5.9 per woman. 14% of the population is believed to have HIV/AIDS. Literacy rate is just over 62%.
Languages: Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%, Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, and other 3.6%.

Ethnic Groups: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, and European
Religion: Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, and none 4.3%

Political History: Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu Banda the country held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution which came into full effect the following year. Current President Bingu wa Mutharika, elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another term, has struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor, who still leads their shared political party. Mutharika's anti-corruption efforts have led to several high-level arrests and one prominent conviction. Increasing corruption, population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country.

Economic Overview: Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounted for nearly 36% of GDP and 80% of export revenues in 2005. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for over 60% of exports. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. The government faces strong challenges, including developing a market economy, improving educational facilities, facing up to environmental problems, dealing with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors that fiscal discipline is being tightened. In 2005, President Mutharika championed an anticorruption campaign. Malawi's recent fiscal policy performance has been very strong, but a serious drought in 2005 and 2006 will heighten pressure on the government to increase spending.

A little About Myself

2008-12-12T00:03:00.000-08:00

My name is Brian Taylor and I am a member of Calvary Church in St. Peters Missouri. I am very active with the Open Arms Ministry for Orphans, Foster Care and Adoption. I am Married to Bo and we have three wonderful children, Jake (10), Abby (8), Nick (4).

I was adopted at birth by two amazing people Gentry and Elaine Taylor. Gentry and Elaine adopted three children, Mark who is two years older than me and Janet who is four years older than me. In addition to three adoption's, Gentry and Elaine provided foster care to 250 plus children over a 46 year period. There contributions to the world and the lives of the children they cared for is not easily matched.

Having been adopted and being raised around foster children I have always had a special place in my heart for what God calls "The Least of These".

With my involvement with Open Arms I have become intimately aware of the incredible issue surrounding orphans in Africa. It is for this reason I am accepting this responsibility to travel to Malawi with the Calvary Mission Trip to minister to Orphans and do whatever I am called to do to provide hope for these orphans.

God Bless You

Malawi Mission Trip to Africa

2008-12-11T23:51:00.001-08:00

I will be joining the Calvary Church missions team traveling to Malawi Africa in July 2009 to minister to orphans and others in need. In the book of Mathew, Jesus implores his followers to care for the "Least of These". The Children we'll be helping are the unfortunate victims of HIV/AIDS and other tragic circumstances. Our team will be conducting a vacation bible school program with the assistance of our African Bible College Missionary partners, Steve and Marion Spencer as an opportunity to demonstrate to these kids, in very tangible ways, the good news of Jesus' Love.

Below are some staggering statistics about orphans. It is for these reasons and my own personal experiences that I feel very strongly that I want to do what I can to help these orphans. Please consider supporting our missions team and this mission trip.

You can assist in two important ways.

First, we’d ask you to consider being a part of our prayer team, committing to pray for us as we prepare and then as we serve. Prayer is a key component of each mission trip, and we’re asking God to prepare our hearts with the boldness and courage to share His love. If you’re able to join in this important aspect of our work, we’ll keep you updated with prayer requests during the preparation period and while we’re in Malawi.

Second, as you can imagine, a trip of this nature is costly. Each team member will commit personal resources, Calvary Church has provided a contribution from its scholarship fund and, as a team, we are sending these letters of request for support to our friends who may have a desire to assist financially. The total cost per person is $3500.00-$4000.00

If you are able to join us as a prayer and/or financial partner, please email me at bwtaylor10@sbcglobal.net and in the subject line please put Malawi Mission Trip Support and I will email you a copy of this letter along with a sponsorship form.

You will be provided a receipt for your tax purposes. A gift of any amount will be very much appreciated!

Throughout the Bible, God Shares his compassion, His Love and His special concern for the most vulnerable among us-The Orphan. In fact the Bible mentions the importance of caring for these individuals more than 60 times. Why would God tell us that caring for orphans is pure and undefiled religion? Maybe its because the world sees God’s heart when he works through his people to help the helpless.

God Bless You

Orphan Statistics

130 Million Orphans in the world today
By 2010 the number of children orphaned by AIDS is expected to exceed 25 Million
20 Percent of households with children in Southern Africa are caring for one or more orphans
Every 15 Seconds another child becomes an AIDS Orphan in Africa

2008-12-11T23:30:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the Malawi Africa Hope for Orphans Mission Trip Blog.