Prison Covid-19 Update

A situation which needs your prayers

The government in Malawi has just re-introduced prevention measures designed to slow the progress of the virus – many of them measures which were lifted a month or two back to facilitate the Presidential election. This U-turn has caused considerable confusion about the issue.

Conditions inside the jails are dire at the best of times, but just as Malawi records the first death of an inmate due to Covid-19, prison officers are starting to refuse to engage with infected prisoners as the government struggles to provide the necessary protective equipment. 

Thanks to the generosity of the Lord’s people, SALT has today been able to send funds to purchase soap, plastic buckets and face masks for about 1,600 prisoners in the Northern Region. That equates to about 2/3 of the inmates in the region – less than we would like, but much better than nothing.

We are deeply grateful for the assistance of Bro. Raphael – one of our literature distributors in the the area – who is going to oversee this operation. We are so grateful for many local believers who work so selflessly according to the resources they have to hand.

More importantly, Raphael and his fellow-workers will ensure that each inmate receives a Gospel tract along with the protective gear – so important when some of them could be facing eternity shortly if the virus spreads as it so likely will.

Our simple request is that you remember the situation in Malawi (generally – and the prisons in particular) in your prayers. The country has no ability to cope with a serious outbreak such as this.