We all continue to be moved by the needless loss of life and terrible humanitarian crisis occurring in Ukraine. We give thanks for faithful believers ministering to those in need.
However, we ought not to forget the untold millions of the world’s poor who are born into insufferable hardship. They live every day of their lives in hopeless despondency.
Malawi is one such country.
Intolerable Poverty
While researching something else recently, I was reminded of just how intolerable life is for millions born in this country.
According to latest available data from the World Bank, 96.7% of the population consumes less than US$5.50 per day. 70.3% living below the International Poverty Line (consuming less than $1.90 / day). For most of us, such poverty is simply inconceivable.
The work of SALT is almost entirely among such needy people. The communities around us comprise simple farming folk who stumble from crisis to crisis trying to feed, clothe and educate their families.
Here’s an example of how extreme it gets. During a recent visit to the Dzaleka camp, brother William was telling how COOM academy is struggling to keep teachers. Recently, they tried to raise the tuition fees to around K6000 per term (US$7.32). However, so many parents / guardians couldn’t afford that, they had to settle for just K3000 (US$3.66). Consequently, they can only afford to pay a salary of K30,000 ($36 / month) and are losing staff to schools that pay $50 / month!
Working in such an economic environment presents both challenges and opportunities.
Ministering to those in need
Most of our own people and volunteers live in real hardship. They also struggle to feed, clothe and educate themselves and their families – every day of their lives! Ministering the Gospel is challenging when you are hungry. Or when you to walk for lack of transport, or are sick without the means to see a doctor.
However, on the positive side, poor people invariably have a greater interest in spiritual things. They don’t have the distraction of their possessions and careers. As we minister to the practical needs of the hungry and homeless, we have opportunity to share the Gospel with them. We can demonstrate love of God that has been “shed abroad in our hearts”.
We are grateful for every opportunity to serve the Lord among those for whom the lines have not fallen in such pleasant places, and for the generous support of the Lord’s people who enable us to do so in so many different ways.