The latest news on Mwana Ministries from Janey and, of course, Kimberly and Daniel
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God's power for the salvation of everyone who believes
As I reflect on 2022, I am truly thankful to God for his work in my life and in rebuilding the ministry. I have been doing children’s ministry in Africa for 20 years, but what the Holy Spirit has been teaching me in this past year has changed everything! It feels like I am only beginning my ministry and only now stepping into promises God spoke years ago!
Each week Mwana Mission starts in my office. As I welcome the Holy Spirit and ask Him for help in writing the lesson for the week. Creativity comes with colour, with images, with humour and with truth! The puppet voices are recorded, sounds and music are added, equipment is packed and off we head to the schools.
Wednesday is my day; we start the afternoon in Twinpalm Community School with over 200 children excitedly waiting on our arrival. Our action packed one hour programme leaves us only a few minutes to pack up and rush to Impact One where over 300 children are waiting! Being tired after working for God is a good feeling! On Thursday I take time to edit my lesson before handing it on to Phaidess who leads Mwana Mission in Chipata and Chazanga community grounds. The material continues to be handed on to our other leaders until it has been used in the 12 locations. We estimate that we are reaching about 2,000 children every week. We have a core of well-experienced leaders who are taking ownership of the ministry and actively looking at expanding the work. So, watch this space as we take the Gospel to more children in 2023!!
Tommy Time has been broadcast on the Zambia National TV station since August last year. As we look to the future of Mwana Media, the Lord is taking us into a new season. In May, we plan to start building a filming studio within Mwana Park. The studio will help us to produce quality Christian content that can be broadcast on multiple platforms across Zambia and Africa. The need for such content is rapidly increasing. Subscription TV decoders offer a variety of internationally made cartoons and shows for children, but parents need content they can trust and right now there is not much available. I desire to raise teams of God fearing, talented and passionate Zambians using their gifts in making Gospel content that will influence children and youth across Zambia and Africa. This big dream that burns in me is not easy, especially after what I have gone through in recent years. Only God can make it happen!! Just more reason to stay at the feet of Jesus!
A number of our Mwana Action children are waiting on exam results and hoping to go on to further education. We pray the Lord will make a way for them all.
This year we had the opportunity to give a special Christmas Hamper to an orphanage in our community. Home of Happiness is a special home for 117 vulnerable children and orphans. Many of the children have special needs. When I first visited in October I found the children eating their first meal at 1pm! On the day we gave out the hamper of food, clothes, shoes and toys, the joy was abounding, but our hearts were breaking! So many children in such poor facilities, how can their individual needs be met? They cannot! It is overwhelming. Mwana Ministries is called to preach the good news of Jesus Christ, and that is what we will do this year. Home of Happiness will be one of our new schools for 2023. Giving a child an opportunity to receive the love of God and to know the Father heart of God can bring healing, joy and purpose and much more.
This term we will have 12 children attending our little home school at Mwana Park – The Learning Studio. We are venturing into using more inquiry-based learning, which is a teaching method that triggers the children’s curiosity, and in turn the children become experts in answering their own questions; a great way to grow skills in critical thinking, problem solving, communication etc. One of our assistance teachers, Gracious, has been modelling the techniques beautifully to the children, especially when it comes to bugs, and insects. She has an infectious interest in nature, so we have some budding entomologists in our school. Never a dull moment at Mwana Park!
My heart is full of praise to God for the privilege of being in full time ministry. This has only been possible due to the individual supporters and churches who have stood with me. I particularly would like to thank Tayside Christian Fellowship, Sheddocksley Baptist Church, Church at Stirling, Kingdom Faith Church and Echoes International. I also want to thank the trustees who are ever working to support all the Lord is doing. So many individual friends have supported in so many ways. Thank you so much, may God bless you all.
Header photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Article published April 2023