Annie Chikhwaza shares her latest update in the March 2023 Kondanani Newsletter, testifying to God’s abundant provision at the orphanage.

Something that has become more and more real to me is the power of God in action. I look at what has been achieved and think, only Father God could take care of this.

Medical outreach

The expenses for the hospital have doubled in the last few months and yet we do not have a cent of debt at any moment of time, everything gets paid for at the time it is bought. So many little ones come every day for treatment, the government has no money for medicines, but God has.

We have been able to give oxygen to children who needed it.  We also have the blood pressure clinic once a month for the village people. There is a real problem in Malawi, so many people suffer and have strokes. And again the government can’t supply the medication for the high blood pressure patients.

Then there is the dental surgery. The portable suction unit came with the cheese vat from Cape Town. We have everything ready now and rearing to go. Our dentist is so excited. It will be such a wonderful way to reach out to the village people. When the treatment is given and mouths are wide open, it’s impossible to argue, a great opportunity to let people know about the love of Jesus.

Cheese factory

There is a lot happening right now , and although I would like to get a cool room for the cheese factory, it will have to wait. I have to concentrate on other issues first. The new cheese vat has arrived but, it does not fit through the  door of the cheese factory.  We have already bought a new double door and on Monday we will fit it . This will create a lot of mess, nothing we can’t deal with.

Once that is going, I will approach one of the supermarkets for more orders. I need  to have new labels for the cheese, we always had that printed in South Africa, but it is easier to have it done here. When the owner of the printing company heard it was for a Children’s Village, he said that it would all be for free, now and in the future. Again the Father of the fatherless in action. The cheese sales will supplement our income for the benefit of the children.

Farm update

At this same time we are busy with the renovation of the former pigsties. These buildings are quite big and our herd is growing . The old stables are ancient and at some stage have to be knocked down. At present we keep pigs only for meat for the children, no longer for sale. There are 16 pigs at the moment. 

One of the new stables is finished ,we have started the second one, this is twice the size of the first. It will also house the new milking parlour.

Educating our children

I am also in the process of getting information about medical schools from countries like China and Cuba. They offer African students low fees and they get priority.  It’s sad to have them rejected here in Malawi because there is only one medical university and so many applications. One of our girls is now settled in Zambia at the university there.  She was rejected here in Malawi  to study veterinary medicine. But it is so expensive, the lodgings cost more than the teaching feesI believe Germany offers free schooling for International medical students.  I will investigate that too.

Vanessa who is studying Clinical Medicine spends her holidays in our hospital and is such a blessing. To her it is such a privilege to work with our doctor and get so much experience. 

Our Saturday evenings are a special time for the kids who seek a closer relationship with Jesus . It’s so special to see them grow and get to know Him more and more.

Preparing for the harvest

In about a months time it will be harvesting time in Malawi.  It does not look very good, the weather pattern has  done some damage. As I am sitting here, Cyclone Freddy is doing it’s damaging work. The next few days should be the last of it . Hopefully it moves back to the ocean.

At this time it would be good to raise funds for the next 400 bags we need until the next harvest. The price we believe will be $18 /20 for a 50 kg bag . We will need around $ 8000.00. We have containers to store the maize safely.

The youngsters who graduated in December are helping at Kondanani, they can’t do anything until the paper work is finished at the college.

Our need for more missionaries continues.  Continue to pray for us, the enemy does not sit still, but greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world.

Shalom,

Annie Chikhwaza