Preparations for the trip began in Term one of 2018 when students who applied were interviewed and selected to go on the trip. Every student chosen to be a member of the Malawi Mission Trip team was required to attend the course Missions 101 which was run at lunch times over several weeks. In addition to this they attended weekly meetings and two boot camps as part of their preparation.

Once our plane landed, we soon discovered that Malawi is a beautiful country with equally beautiful people who are warm, gentle, friendly and hospitable. We were met by Pastor Moses (an amazing man of God) and his team at the airport at Llongiwe.

We spent the next two weeks doing many things that we would normally not experience in New Zealand. Some of the highlights being:

Going up the Dedza hill with Pastor Moses and members of his congregation to pray over the community of Dedza, the country of Malawi and for the neighbouring countries of Zimbabwe and Tanzania. This was definitely a memorable and spiritually uplifting experience for all of us.

Visiting the community water projects where money raised by our community had been sent to drill bores for fresh water. We were welcomed with song and dance by the community in appreciation for our contributions. The chiefs attended and explained how we have made a difference to their lives in having clean drinkable water available.

Visiting the 'pig projects' in the community where money raised by our students have gone towards blessing widows with pigs that they will raise. They in turn look after and breed the pigs to bless other widows with the offspring and sell off the others as a source of income that enable them to sustain themselves.

Building the community church in Dedza. We were blessed to work with the congregation assisting them in building the new church. Students and adults were involved in carrying out activities of a physical nature such as pushing wheel barrows, digging, raking and carrying water from the well to the site. It was such a joy to have our first worship service in the almost completed church.

Visiting the community, meeting people and praying with them. This was an experience that all of us will never forget as we were challenged out of our comfort zones to connect and pray with people that we had never met before.

Meeting the Grace children (orphans) and giving them the back packs that KingsWay School had fundraised for. To see the joy and delight in their faces was an image etched in our memories.

Teaching at the schools that we worked with, making connections and loving the children was amazing for our students. Teaching English, Bible stories and playing games and sport with the students brought such joy and laughter. Just being able to show God's love in all that we did was an opportunity that can only be experienced in situations such as this.

Having a group devotion every day, praying together, uplifting each other and reflecting on the amazing experiences and people that God enabled us to encounter.

We are grateful to the KingsWay community for their support of the Malawi Mission trip and for the prayers during our trip. A big thank you to the students of KingsWay School for all their fundraising efforts which we used to bless the people of Malawi in so many different ways. These finances have made a difference to many people, touching their lives and most of all, showed them that God loves them and does care for them.

Mr Gavin Daniel
Head Teacher of the Malawi Mission Trip

Highlights of the Hibiscus Coast by Nathanael Brown