Unitisi: “What could I do to this problem and children on my own?”
It Was All Like a Dream to Us
Bringing the Kingdom of God to those in desperate need
Dear Family,
“I was in great fear sleeping in the open skies, wet by night rain and showers, hit by day’s sun heat and all flying and creeping creatures.”
Unitisi Chiama is a widow with three children, and lives in Malawi, one of Africa’s poorest countries. Beset by poverty, drought-induced famine, government corruption and inaction…and then a cyclone late last year that wiped out the few possessions she owned, including her home. “The little food which I kept all went away and I had nowhere to go for help,” because “I am alone, without a sister, brother or parents, and all my relatives are in Mozambique and cannot locate where to find them to help me.”
Thankfully, Unitisi lives near followers of Jesus who have been learning to put their faith into action. They are members of a God’s Love Group (GLG), a farming and discipleship fellowship that is using methods taught by the Farming God’s Way Ministry of Heaven’s Family. (I visited Malawi two years ago and witnessed firsthand how this ministry is transforming barely-surviving subsistence farmers into self-sufficient, prosperous farmers who are using their newfound farming profits and discipleship training to serve others in need, like Unitisi.) Through our FGW ministry partner, the Disaster Relief Ministry was able to help Unitisi and dozens of others impacted by the cyclone, all in Jesus’ name!
Unitisi continued her testimony: “But I thank God through brother Jeff and the Heavens family [that’s YOU] plus the GLGs here we are restored. As you can observe [above], my children and me are all very much happy and very much excited with the new house the GLGs has built through your donation for me. Now I have parents, brothers and sisters through the Heaven’s Family plus the GLGs here. What could I do to this problem and children on my own? Thank you God, thank you God, and you people of Heaven’s Family and the GLGs here!!”
Below are a few of the other families you helped, with captions briefly telling their stories…
At left, Balileni Doctor (that’s her name, not her profession) with her two children and three orphans she’s taken in since she received a new roof to replace that lost in the storm. “She took them as her celebration on the day she discovered that her house has restored back to normal,” our partner said. You’re helping orphans through the Disaster Relief Ministry, too!
At right, Ruth Jumba shared this testimony: “When my house was destroyed by the storm wind, my life and that of my children were in great problem. Our roof was swept away, leaving us in open without any covering to protect us…. My children were crying each night as they slept and see the skies, stars, and sometimes rained by the night rains. We had no peace…and experience sleepless nights. But thank God that during such time we saw some God Love Group members coming and told us that we have been identified to be in the list of those to be assisted. It was like a dream to us, but after some days we saw them coming with materials—iron sheets, poles, nails, and carpenters at last restored our roof. Thank you, thank you very much!”
At left, these three young women are orphans who fled Mozambique as refugees some time ago. “We don’t know how to thank our God for what He has done to us. The storm carried away our roof. Since then we have had very difficulty nights and days…We didn’t know what to do but only crying day and night. It went like this until the GLG were sent by God to intervene our situation.”
At right, Redison Matope told us, “My wife and I were in great problem. We lost our roof….We were sleeping on open skies…wet beddings and without any food as all our maize got lost in the storm. Dangerous creatures like scorpions, snakes, mosquitoes, and night creepers were our threats every night and day. While in such dilemma and sadness of life, we heard that the GLG have identified our house and included in the project to be one of those to be helped. It was all like a dream to us and we didn’t really believe. But one morning, we just saw people coming with poles, nails and Iron sheets. Next day the entire work finished!”
Isn’t it amazing how God puts all of us together to answer the prayers of others half a world away? You contributed to the Disaster Relief Ministry because of your compassion for victims of natural disasters; I had a connection in Malawi that the Lord gave me two years ago, and who told me about the cyclone; the Farming God’s Way Ministry had been busy transforming lives through God’s Love Groups—and all came together to help these people in their time of need! Praise God!
And did you notice that none of those pictured are wearing shoes? I’m humbled by the contentment they have with just their basic needs being met. Lord, help us all to learn from their example.
Thank you, “Heaven’s Family,” for your compassion that’s helped change the lives of those who’ve suffered through this disaster—and for the testimonies YOU made possible. May God help each of us in our time of need as well.
Serving Jesus together,
Jeff Trotter
Director, Disaster Relief Ministry
