Good News - December 2025

Elizabeth's Library
17 minutes ago
4 min read

Merry Christmas friends! As we prepare to celebrate the Savior’s birth, it is good to reflect on how that moment in time changed everything! ELI can also point to pivot points in our history where God has done miraculous things that have changed lives; a library built in a rural community and a plot of land that became a farm with orchards and livestock! We rejoice over literacy programs that have changed entire communities with book monitors and grandmothers finding a new calling and purpose. And with every Box of Blessings and with every Basic Needs gift, people are cared for and loved!

“I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” - Luke 2:10-11

Susu Community Library: Early Education Program

Before entering the Susu Community Library, the children wash their hands and remove their shoes. The library is a special place full of treasures to enjoy with care and respect.

Mr. Kenneth reports:

The children had an unforgettable learning experience as they enjoyed playing with the colorful toy fruits, identifying each one by name, color, shape, and size. Their excitement grew as their little hands picked up apples, watermelon, carrots and other fruits, laughing and sharing stories while exploring them together.

Teacher Natasha took special time to guide the learning step by step. She introduced the importance of food preparation by laying the toy fruits on a chop board, demonstrating how fruits are cut safely using a cutting board and a toy knife. Each child had a chance to practice cutting fruits on the chop board and developing coordination while learning how to slice gently and carefully. They were so proud to imitate real-life cooking moments they see at home.

Natasha also turned play into a meaningful mathematics lesson. Using the toy fruits, she demonstrated what a half and quarter portions look like. She explained, "When we cut one fruit into two equal parts, each part is half." She then showed them by separating the pieces and allowing the children to compare both sides to confirm they were equal. Later, she demonstrated a quarter by showing how one fruit can be divided into four equal parts. The children repeated aloud, this is half, this is quarter, reinforcing the concept with big smiles.

Another key lesson Natasha emphasized was equality and fairness. She taught the children how to share fruits equally among their friends. They practiced dividing the fruit pieces to ensure everyone received the same amount. They also learned phrases like equal share, this is more and this is less, which helps them understand fairness not only in play but in life.

Through this interactive learning, using toy fruits, cutting on the chop board, and sharing equally, the children gained both practical skills and mathematical understanding. The lesson was simple, joyful, and powerful, helping them connect play, classroom learning, and real-life application.

Mr. Kenneth reports:

Excitement of the Orange Harvest: A Testament of Long-Term Vision

The atmosphere at Sweet Susu Farm has been filled with pure joy and renewed motivation as workers witnessed the first major harvest of oranges from the orchard. What once began as a small seed of faith with a long-term agricultural dream, has now blossomed into a living testimony of patience, commitment, and strategic investment.

The orange harvest has stirred excitement not only because of the sweet fruit that now hangs heavy on the trees, but because of the deeper lesson it carries. This moment has given a new meaning to the saying, “plant today, harvest tomorrow.” Each tree planted with care has now become a dividend of hope, economic promise, and sustainable impact.

When the orange orchard project was introduced, many workers could not immediately grasp why so much time and energy was being invested in something that would take years to mature. Some expected instant results, quick profits, and seasonal rewards. But under the leadership of the farm’s coordinators, the vision to plant an orange orchard was never short-sighted, but deeply rooted in long-term value, just like the trees themselves.

As the seasons passed, something remarkable began to happen in the hearts of the team. The very workers who once questioned the long-term process are now the strongest advocates of the orchard project. The recent harvest became a turning point, an eye-opening moment of realization.

The workers have also realized another powerful truth: long-term projects build character, discipline, and financial stability. Unlike short-term crops that depend heavily on seasonal rains and market fluctuations, orange orchards stand firm through time, delivering harvests year after year, growing in value like a financial portfolio planted in fertile soil.

Today, the orange orchard stands as symbol of strategic planning, agricultural education, and enterprise growth at Sweet Susu Farm. This milestone has encouraged our workers to embrace future long-term projects with confidence, knowing that what they nurture today will sustain generations tomorrow.

Elizabeth’s Library has “planted” many seedlings, not just on the farm, but throughout our history. Literacy programs which began small, have literally changed lives and communities. Sowing into people’s lives takes time and patience, but what a harvest the Lord brings in His season! We are grateful for the Susu farm, we’ve learned that seeds sown today reap a harvest in ELI’s future.

A grateful thank you to all our supporters for your faithful prayers and gifts that have impacted so many lives in Malawi and Zambia.

Christmas is almost here, but there is still time to shop for meaningful gifts that will bless many lives. At this time of year, a designated donation to our Basic Needs Fund (Malawi) is especially welcome. If you shop our E Catalogue, you can print a gift card to use for a stocking stuffer.

Thank you and Merry Christmas from all of us at ELI!