Our transition back to life in Malawi has gone well and has been aided with constant water and almost constant electricity! Driving around Lilongwe we can see how the maize harvest is going, which is the main topic of conversation wherever we go. Some have already started harvesting while others are waiting to get as much growth in the corn cob as possible. Unfortunately there are small, withered maize stalks around the city that tell a sadder tale of families who enter the next 12 months with limited food.
Settling back
After three weeks we are finally feeling that we have settled back into our home and got things in order again. Both Beth and Grace have got into the rhythms of home life and are dealing very well with the higher temperatures. David has been back at the office and is working closely with Amon Chanika to develop the areas that David is to focus on for the next few months. A lot of his work will be designing training programmes for various Scripture Union (SU) ministry activities.
The staff of SU have a lot on their plates at the moment. They are busy each weekend conducting Bible Reading Promotions in churches and working with teachers during the week to plan fundraising for the children’s camps in July and August. As Scripture Union globally celebrates 150 years of ministry, SU Malawi is playing its part by organising a celebration event on Saturday 8th July. Various committees are meeting through May to put plans together and ensure a great celebration of what God has been doing through SU for a century and a half.
Finding hope in Christ
Coming back to Lilongwe and facing everything that cross-cultural mission in a developing country brings, we have been reminded that our joy is not found in circumstances around us, but is found in Christ alone (Philippians 3:1). This is also the good news of the gospel that we all share wherever we are found: that our joy and our hope is in Christ and cannot be found anywhere else, but in Him.
We would appreciate your prayers for SU as it makes the good news of the gospel known to children, young people and families so that many can know true joy. Pray too for the various activities happening over the next few months (fundraising, 150th celebrations, camps) and for those involved, that Christ will be at the centre of all we do. Finally, please pray for us as a family as we continue to find our feet as a family of four and get back into the routines of life in Lilongwe.
David and Pamela McCullagh have been serving with Scripture Union Malawi (SUM) since 2013 and are based in Malawi’s capital city, Lilongwe. David’s role is Ministry Co-Coordinator, meanwhile Pamela works as SUM's Resources Coordinator.
You can read more about them, their work and monthly mission reports here. This blog is taken from May’s report.