Good News - August 2026
It’s a busy season for ELI! The farm is producing, children are learning and playing (on their new playground), families needs are being met through ELI’s Basic Needs program and the libraries are bursting with patrons and students! We give thanks to God for all that is happening and know you will rejoice too as you read the amazing stories of friends in Zambia and Malawi.
Susu Community Library
Mr. Kenneth reports:
Mobile Library Program
After a very long break, the Susu Community Library welcomed 17 teachers from nine local schools for a conference to discuss the increasing demand for books for their students. Sufficient library space and staff time to supervise their respective programs remains a challenge for the schools. The teachers are delighted to have these great educational resources and books available, and great care was taken to choose the best books for their students. Each school is limited to 100 new books; the teachers are hopeful for the day when they will have 300 new books per month.
Early Education Program
Every Wednesday and Saturday, Mr. Kenneth and Ms. Natasha prepare for 30 - 50 eager young students. This last month, several college students on school break had returned home to Susu. They enjoyed spending time at the Susu Library doing research before they need to return to their academic programs. Kenneth and Natasha asked if they would like to help the children with different activities. It was a wonderful opportunity for the village children to have more interactions with different "teachers," and the college students were grateful for hands on teaching experience.
The children also greatly enjoy the after-school snack of peanut butter sandwiches and juice. Peanut butter sandwiches were a new food item for them, but seem to be a great hit with everyone, including the new "teachers."The children also greatly enjoy the after-school snack of peanut butter sandwiches and juice. Peanut butter sandwiches were a new food item for them, but seem to be a great hit with everyone, including the new "teachers."
Susu Community Library Playground
As soon as the library activities are over and the snack is finished, the children enjoy time in the newly finished playground. Government schools were on vacation this last month and the word is out about the marvelous playground at Susu. Somehow, children from neighboring villages found their way to the playground and Mr. Kenneth reports that one afternoon they counted 80 children!
Susu Farm
A visit to the orange grove is the highlight of the day.
Mobile Library Outreach
Mr. Jacob reports:
August was a very busy month for the EL Malawi team. We travelled to the communities we serve to encourage our busy Book Monitors. We also visited several families to bring new books to the children, who enjoy these resources so much. We were encouraged as we found a grandmother whose commitment to the reading program is anchoring an entire village's love of reading, and a young boy who reads to everyone in his family and in the neighborhoods. There were also chess games being played everywhere!
Dima Village | Grandmother Alefa
Despite her advanced age, Grandmother Alefa carefully and faithfully cares for the books and resources entrusted to her. For many children in Dima Village these resources are their very first opportunity to use crayons or play a game or read storybooks and Bibles.
Grandmother Alefa hosts a structured reading and games session twice a week, but her generosity does not stop there. Every day she opens her home, so that any child that wants to read or borrow a book can do so. She has reported that the number of children coming to her home continues to grow - especially with the public schools on vacation. Grandmother Alefa reported, "This last month, I served almost 200 children a week!”
Little Shepherd's appetite for reading continues to grow; he’s been busy reading to his family members and visiting friends. He asked the EL team to “please bring more books next visit” and we plan to do so. Shepherd is becoming our youngest village Book Monitor.
Jesus Film Outreach
The story of the Jesus Film Outreach program to rural villages is being heard throughout Malawi. A Malawi pastor serving in the far away village of Mphombe has been following the story featured in the ELI Good News and FB posts. He finally connected with Mr. Jacob and asked for a meeting in Lilongwe to discuss the possibility of the film being shown in his village.
Jacob learned that Bishop Josophat was the lead pastor (staff of eight pastors) at Israel Church of God and he believed that this film would be an important outreach tool to draw people to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, where hearts and lives would be transformed. His hope was that people would turn away from harmful beliefs and practices. The EL Malawi team discussed the logistics to travel to this distant village and then prayed for guidance. They believed this request was a door opened by God's leading and made the necessary preparations.
Using the model of previous outreach visits, the team brought snacks to share as this small blessing created a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Again, community members remarked that nothing like this had ever happened to them before. They were blessed. The village leader was also present and delighted that this event was happening in her village.
Though it was a cold and windy night, 350 people stayed watching the film from start to finish, listening attentively to every word.
Before returning to Lilongwe, several local language Bibles were distributed to the pastoral leadership. Eight pastors had been sharing one Bible between them, so Bible study and teaching preparation was a huge challenge. Several members of the community also requested a Bible; all the Bibles the team brought were distributed. More local language Bibles and Children's Bibles will be presented to these faithful servants as they become available.
On behalf of all the pastoral staff, Bishop Josophat thanked God for the precious gifts of Bibles and for EL Malawi bringing the Jesus video to his village. He said, "Thank you for having a listening ear to my request. Please return soon - the door is always open to you."
EL Malawi notes that this outreach program has the opportunity to reach many villages and they are grateful for your support of this amazing program.
Local Language Bible Distribution
Mr. Jacob reports:
EL team member Grace and I shopped at the bookstore in downtown Lilongwe. It seems like a simple errand, but as we purchased each Bible, we could picture the face of the individual waiting, and we saw God at work answering their prayers and the longings of that heart.
With grateful hearts we thank the ELI friends, who purchased 15 Chichewa language Bibles, that are now in the hands of pastors, village leaders, mothers and neighbors across our communities. We wish you could hear each recipient's story of longing, praying, waiting and finally their joy as they held this precious gift.
Ruth
When we met Ruth, she was reading a Bible so worn from years of use that some pages had fallen away and were lost. Not lost from neglect but worn out from the love of reading Scripture. She had shared that Bible with so many that now it could barely hold together.
We were excited to visit Ruth and present her with a brand-new Bible. She could not believe what she was seeing and holding in her hands.
"I could not dream that one day I would have a new Bible." Ruth's torn Bible has been retired and now she (and her neighbors) have every page to read again.
Pastor Yolamu of Nkhonthi Village
Pastor Yolamu is no stranger to EL Malawi. On our last visit, we were able to gift him and his congregation with their very first Children's Bible. It was a very exciting development for their little church and we hope to bring him more Children's Bibles.
He was not home when we came with a gift of a Chichewa language Bible, but his wife received the unexpected gift and called him. He immediately began praising and thanking God for this miracle.
Shepherd’s sister Emily was presented with a Children's Bible fitted with a carry handle - this brought her great joy as she showed off her Bible while walking around the community.
Basic Needs Program
The EL team sends grateful thanks for your support of our Basic Needs Program. We like to call it our Reach Out and Touch outreach, because we want to share the blessings you have provided to some of the most vulnerable families in Dima and Mphonde Villages.
The "hungry season" continues and the needs are great, so the team met with the village leaders to identity the households facing the greatest hardship. The response of the Dima Village Head Chief was sobering, "In truth, many people in our village are suffering, but I will take you to those in the most desperate need." What we saw in the homes with our own eyes and confirmed, this was not an exaggeration.
Grandmother Esther
The first home we visited belonged to Grandmother Esther, a 70-year-old widow, who is the sole caregiver for four grandchildren. She does her best to support the family with piece work, usually toiling in other people's fields. On days when her hard work does not provide sufficient funds to provide food, she depends on the kindness of her neighbors.When our team sat with her, Esther told us that she had been reading her Bible that morning and the passage from the Gospel of John chapter 14, which says, "Do not let your heart be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me.” She went back inside her home, and brought out her Bible and read the verse to us, as though she needed to say it and hear it again.
Then she said, "We have absolutely nothing to eat today and then you appeared unannounced with this food. It is like God walking into our house with His answer to our prayers."
We learned that Esther's Bible was only the New Testament, and we promised her a new Bible as soon as possible.
We brought provisions to several other families including Salomy, a widow caring for five children and Shepherd’s grandmother Emily. We were also able to distribute smaller amounts of food items to the neighboring families of these struggling grandmothers; the people who quietly helped Esther, Emily and Salomy from the little they had. Their compassion to give to those with less, when they also have so little is so humbling to those of us who have so much; a great lesson for us all.
In every home we visited, the response was the same, hands raised in thanksgiving and praise to God, with words of appreciation for the work of Elizabeth's Library. Again, EL Malawi is so grateful for your support of this program, and we pray for you - giving thanks for your hearts of compassion for those in such great need.
It is always a joy to share the faces and stories of the people you bless with your prayers and financial gifts. So many lives are being impacted because of your generosity.
We ask that you prayerfully consider continuing your support of our Jesus film outreach program, the gifting of local language Bibles and more Children's Bibles for all ages. There are still many more hearts waiting, as they borrow and share a single Bible with friends.
Designated gifts for any of ELI’s projects or programs are very appreciated. As the hungry season continues in Malawi, a generous gift to our Basic Needs program would be especially welcome, and Mrs. Mafe and Mrs. Emily (Shepherd's grandmother) both need a poultry project. Thank you.
Thank you for partnering with ELI to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed.
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