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In the early 1990's Bro. Failos Namaozongo, of Southern Malawi,
found a tract that had been printed at the Faith Publishing House.
He contacted Bro. Wayne Murphey and they began corresponding in
1991. Bro. Failos espoused the truth that he understood. At the
time, he oversaw a number of congregations in Malawi and in
Mozambique.
  In
1996, the Lord dealt with Bro. Michael Smith and burdened him to go
to Africa. Bro. Michael was seeking the Lord about this call when
Bro. Wayne shared with the saints the need that was in Malawi. God
very directly revealed to Bro. Michael that Malawi was where He
would have him go. Bro. Michael had begun to make preparation for
the trip when he asked his father-in-law, Bro. Bob Sallee, if he
would have a burden to accompany him. The Lord had been dealing with
Bro. Bob and he was waiting on Bro. Michael to ask him to go. The
Lord ordered the trip. Bro. Michael and Bro. Bob, not knowing
exactly where they were going to end up, flew to Malawi in August of
1996 for two weeks.
The Lord winnowed their path and they made contact with Bro. Failos
in a remote village in Malawi out in the bush. In very primitive
conditions, with no running water or electricity, they traveled to
various congregations preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Very few
people spoke English and communication was difficult, but they found
the people hungry and receptive to the Word of God. Bro. Failos was
overseeing 10 congregations in Malawi and 13 in Mozambique.
Bro.
Bob was led of the Lord to return to Malawi, accompanied by his
18-year-old daughter, Karen. They left on July 3, 1997 and were in
Malawi for a month. They found that God had been prospering the work
since the previous year and there were many more congregations. Bro.
Bob held a meeting in the village with people coming from many miles
around to hear the Word of God. At the time, food was very scarce
due to crop failure.
 On July 22, their work was cut short when Sis. Karen became very ill
with malaria. With the help of the Lord, Bro. Bob and Sis. Karen
were able to go back to the city of Blantyre where she could be more
comfortable. Karen’s mother, Sis. Irma, and Bro. Michael flew to
Malawi to be with them in the battle. The Lord enabled Sis. Karen to
make the flight back home on August 4. After arriving home, Sis.
Karen was very close to death, but the Lord undertook and divinely
healed her after a month of illness. God had mercy and answered the
prayers of the hundreds of saints that had been petitioning the
throne of God on Sis. Karen’s behalf.
Due to the famine conditions that still existed in 1998, saints
generously sent in funds to help the Church of God in Malawi. Bro.
Bob left on March 15,1998 to fly to Malawi to help administer the
distribution of maize to the impoverished natives. Successfully
completing this mission, Bro. Bob returned home on March 29.
Two days after arriving home, Bro. Bob took ill with what was later
determined to be a severe form of malaria. He passed away less than
two weeks later on April 11, 1998. The Lord had used Bro. Bob to
further His kingdom. May his sacrifice have eternal lasting effects
on those who were touched by his life.
Bro. Michael Smith left on August 25, 1998 for a missionary trip to
Ghana and Malawi. Arrangements were made and he distributed 40,000
tracts that he and Bro. Bob had arranged to be printed in Malawi in
the native tongue of Chichewa. In addition, on almost every trip,
Bibles were purchased and distributed. Bro. Michael spent a few days
of intensive Bible Study with Bro. Failos. They covered the primary
doctrinal teachings of the New Testament church. Following Bro.
Michael’s departure, Bro. Failos held a ministers' meeting and
shared with the ministers the things he had just been taught from
the Scripture.
In May of 2002, Bro. Michael felt constrained by the Spirit to go
back to Malawi for the express purpose of building a chapel in
Msikita Village. Upon arriving, he learned that his wife was having
serious physical complications. He made arrangements to fly back
home. He had a few days in the village before his flight. In that
short time, he was able to hire a builder, order supplies, and set
in order the building of the chapel. It was nothing short of a
miracle. Within a few months the chapel was successfully completed.
The Lord undertook for Bro. Michael’s wife, Sis. René, and blessed
them with a healthy baby boy.
Bro. Michael returned to Malawi in August of 2003. For the first
time, he was able to travel within the neighboring country of
Mozambique and share the gospel with a number of congregations. He
held a ministers’ meeting and taught over 30 ministers from Malawi
and Mozambique. The ministers were very receptive to the pure
gospel. Since the chapel was complete, a meeting was held with over
500 people in attendance from the two countries. The Lord opened the
window of Heaven and poured out His Spirit on their midst.
At present, there are 23 congregations in Malawi and 18
congregations in Mozambique. Although these are some of the poorest
countries in the world, let us pray that they would be rich
spiritually. |
