Here is the latest report with pictures from Moses M’Tambo in Kalieka Township, Malawi. He directs Chifundo’s Basket for Malawi – our program for the most desperate orphans and vulnerable children. Below he tells the story of one of our children, and reports on other activities that have occurred outside of the twice-weekly feeding program meetings.
Samson Phiri
Samson Phiri was born on 4th august in 2004 and has one sister. He is currently at primary school in standard one and enjoys playing with the toys that have been donated. Samson is a very quiet boy but he enjoys the company of his friends. He is very well-liked and it is never reported at home that he has issues of fighting with his friends. He also has the capability of answering Bible questions perfectly during our flannel graph story times.
His parents divorced in 2004 when Samson was just three months old. Because his father was not faithful to his wife, the relatives decided the divorce in fear of HIV and AIDS. Ever since the divorce, his mother has been the only person who has supported him. Samson’s mother is just like most of the rural mothers – she left school in standard five. Because of her education back ground status she can not secure a good job. She is currently employed as a house maid and gets a monthly salary of K3000 (less than 20 USD ) which is nowhere close to what a, for example, standard house cleaning San Jose maid would get, and far too little to pay for rent, food clothing and medical supplies and treatment, when necessary.
Also, because of her job Samson is left alone most the times when his sister is at school. Samson is a young boy who does not know how to cook so he stays hungry most of the times. When he shows up at the Chifundo program he is always very weak and hungry . It is all of these circumstances that qualified Samson for the Chifundo program.
The Program
The program itself is going well, with the participation of kids out side the Chifundo program now increasing. The attendance can go up to 30 to 40 not including the children who are already in the core orphan program. So when we join the groups, we are working with 60 children.
We visit the children’s homes to check on them and recently visited the home of Samson. We had a good time with his mother; who explained some challenges she is facing, since the divorce. She told me that she cannot even attend church on Sundays because of her job. If she could find the money, she would like to start her own business. This would at least give her a higher income to better support her family, give her more time to spend with her children and be involved in a church community. I encouraged her with the word of God and prayed for her for God’s intervention in every circumstance in her family.
Challenges
We are facing some challenges right now. Because of so many children attending outside of the core Chifundo program we are now forced to start meeting on the ground, out side of the small, unfinished house. Also, the children’s guardians and mothers are always seeking financial assistance from me which so difficult for to me address, yet I know they are desperate. Please keep praying for God’s grace to help us.
