It’s likely that over the past few days you’ve heard mention of Tropical Storm Ana – the cyclone that swept through southern Africa earlier this week, leaving a tremendous amount of destruction in its wake.

Malawi was one of the countries that was affected. For over twenty-four hours on Monday and Tuesday, there was a non-stop deluge of rain and heavy winds. Though the damage we’ve sustained is nowhere near as bad as countries like Mozambique and Madagascar, it is still significant. It’s estimated that around 11 people have died because of the storm; another 107 are injured. Over 217,000 people have been affected in various ways. 10,159 have been displaced because of destroyed homes and are living in 44 camps located throughout the Southern Region. Crops, incredibly important in a country where about 80% are subsistence farmers, have been ruined by floods. Infrastructures like bridges and roads have been washed away. Hydroelectric plants, which supply the bulk of the country’s power, have also been damaged as a result of being overloaded.

In Zomba district, where SALT’s site is located, the main challenge has been housing. While we have not experienced as much flooding and destroyed infrastructure, the sheer volume of water was more than many homes in the villages could handle. Houses here are typically constructed of mud bricks. The bricks themselves are hardened by heat, but the ‘mortar’ that they use is often nothing more than clay. When exposed to large amounts of rain, such as we received on Monday, this can very easily be washed away. As a result, dozens of homes have collapsed partially or completely. Because we have only started rainy season, having even just one wall missing from a house makes for a pretty miserable existence. Additionally, it’s very likely that many have had some of their food stores and other household items damaged by the water.

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the needs this storm has created. Certainly, in the south, it will be months before the infrastructure can be rebuilt and people can return to their homes. In a country that is already poor, this is a tremendous blow. Please pray that the Lord will give the government wisdom and integrity to use the funds it receives to effectively help the people who have been affected. Here in our area, SALT is trying to alleviate some of the immediate needs with things like durable plastic to cover holes and other necessities. We are praying about how to possibly also offer assistance that provides more long-term solutions and hopefully prevents the same thing from happening again.

In the meantime, please pray for the people of Malawi (and the other, surrounding countries). Pray that the Lord will use this tragedy to turn hearts and minds to eternal matters. Pray that we at SALT would use the opportunity to demonstrate His love and point people to the Savior. Pray, as well, for the many practical challenges and needs of the people, as the true extent of the storm’s damage is just beginning to be revealed.

Sources: BBC News, The Nation