Last week, The Guardian published an article detailing the soaring inflation occurring in Malawi and the fuel shortages damaging the Malawian economy. Of course, we didn’t need The Guardian to tell us about these difficulties, because we hear about them firsthand from our team and see them reflected in our financial numbers.
For the foreseeable future at least, ministry in Malawi will be more expensive than we ever imagined. But at the same time, we have a clear vision of how God is leading Gospel Life into the next four years as our family prepares to return to Malawi in January.
Gospel Life has always been founded upon the principle of faith, and we are more thankful than ever before for the truth Hudson Taylor taught the missionaries who would follow his example: “Depend on it. God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.”
We often hear that famous quote end there, but it is helpful to take the time to hear the rest of Taylor’s words from time to time:
He is too wise a God to frustrate His purposes for lack of funds, and He can just as easily supply them ahead of time as afterwards, and He much prefers doing so.
Shepherds Academy wraps up Term 1
This Friday will mark the end of the first term of the school year at Shepherds Academy. Since this was the first term I’ve been absent from Malawi, it was a major test of the program and the team we have put together. We are so thankful to hear that the term has gone well and there is a good spirit among the students.
Students have been studying Theology 1 and Exegesis of Ephesians with Isaac Dzimbiri, and Isaac’s brother, Joseph, has come in as a substitute teacher to teach Cults and Heresies. Twenty-two students have stuck it out to the end of the term. This weekend they will go home to their families for the holidays and farming, but they will return in mid-January to start their next season of study.
So far for the 2022-23 school year, we have 10 students who are fully sponsored. That means, we still have 12 students who need sponsorship this year. When you give either $40/month or $480/year, we will send you a profile of your sponsored student so you can pray for him by name. Give online or by mail.
Ways to show personal care
It’s hard to believe that we only have two and half months left in our furlough. Whenever we visit churches, we are often asked if there are any personal ways a church could express their care for our family. It is often difficult to answer that question on the spot, but as we prepare to return to Malawi, there are three different ways you or your church could bless our family:
- We will be shipping several totes of books, homeschool supplies, Bibles, and other supplies both for ourselves and the mission by sea. We estimate the total cost of shipping at $2,000. If you’d like to give toward this expense, just donate to the Hutchens Fund online and write “shipping” in the note area.
- Books are essential tools for teachers, but they remain unavailable in Malawi. I have put together an Amazon wish list of books I need this year. If you’d like to purchase books from that list, email me for the link. Any purchased books will be shipped directly to us so we can ship them to Malawi.
- Finally, Stacy has put together an Amazon wish list of supplies for our home and family. This list contains things that we wouldn’t normally buy for ourselves. Once again, you can email me for that link. Any purchased items will be shipped directly to us so we can get them to Malawi.
Upcoming Visits
- November 13 | Lighthouse Baptist Fellowship, Medina, Ohio
- November 13 | Calvary Baptist Church, Ashland, Ohio (5:00 PM)
- November 20 | South Fork Baptist Church, Hodgenville, Kentucky
- November 27 | First Baptist Church, Litchfield, Illinois
- December 4 | Bat Cave Baptist Church, Hendersonville, North Carolina
- December 11 | Payneville Baptist Church, Payneville, Kentucky
- December 18 | Calvary Baptist Church, Washington, Indiana
- January 1 | Westside Baptist Church, Murray, Kentucky
- January 8 | Waldo Baptist Church, Brookport, Illinois
- January 15 | Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, Magnolia, Kentucky
