The Africa Trip — Echo Team Nonprofit

The Africa Blog

Going to Africa is a big undertaking. The opportunity came when a local ministry “Reaching Out to Kids” asked me (Mateo) to teach at a Christian seminary in Malawi for a couple of weeks. Since Echo has focused its efforts primarily on Latin America, I was a little hesitant to go to yet another location, but after much prayer, I felt like it was a good opportunity to reach people in another place. I told God that if He wanted me to bring Echo to Africa, He would make it happen and provide the finances. Without any fundraising, God provided over and above the cost of the trip! So, I packed my bags and went to Africa. God always makes it possible for His will to be done.

Seminary Students

After a 35 hour trip, I arrived in Lilongwe, Malawi with a team consisting of three teachers and three pastors. We hit the ground running teaching 30 seminary students from YouTurn Ministries about children’s ministry. After lectures, the students put what they learned into practice and went hut-to-hut preaching the gospel in villages outside of town. We were blown away at the responses of the people we were sharing with because they never truly grasped Africa’s deep need to hear the gospel.

Hut-To-Hut Ministry

When we arrived in a village or a small cluster of huts, the local people expressed immense excitement at having visitors. Hurriedly getting chairs and stumps and setting them on the road, they would ask us to sit as their honored guests. Calling people to gather around to hear the “uthenga wabwino” (Chichewa for “good news”), we would begin explaining that we had traveled very far to tell them that God loved them and proceed to share the gospel from beginning to end.

They were so excited and ready to receive Jesus as the Savior of their lives! It was shocking to have such enthusiastic responses and it quickly became a priority for us to ensure they understood that simply praying words in order to honor us wasn’t what we wanted, but that giving their lives to God was a lifelong commitment. Even after explaining that they couldn’t ever worship anyone or anything else other than Jesus Christ they still were ready and eager to accept Him! Hundreds were saved and have started their new relationship with Jesus. We connected these people with local Christians and some of our Christian translators are still following up with them.

Schools

After a wonderful week of ministry with the teaching team, they returned to the States and I stayed in Malawi for another two weeks. Staying in the home of one of the local pastors, I led workshops, Bible studies, and preached in his church. For two days he took me to teach in six public and private schools with my friend and translator Alex. Presenting an hour-long program with songs and a Bible lesson, I often taught in dirt soccer fields with anywhere from 600-800 children listening attentively since I had no microphone or speakers. Glory to God for the understanding these kids have of the gospel and the many professions of faith that were made!

Reaching Rural Villages

An elderly church planter named Moses invited me to small villages in rural Malawi for two days. Moses and I walked to remote villages in which no one had ever heard about Jesus and after long one-on-one conversations explaining the gospel, many were saved! As we would start to leave to continue to go to the next village, they would stop us and ask when we would come back. They begged us to open a church so they could learn more about the God who created and loved them. Moses explained that he would ask one of the new pastors to come and start a house church there. It is a beautiful thing to see the lives of these new Christians being changed and their hunger to learn more about it.

Orphanage

I decided to stay at the orphanage I visited during my first mission trip to Africa and it was surreal to see how much the children had grown! While the kids were in school I went with one of the local church elders to do hut-to-hut ministry and the people were very receptive. It was a perfect opportunity to connect the people with a local Christian church.

I also hosted a week-long VBS at the orphanage with about 70 kids and everyday we played games, memorized verses, learned Bible stories, and had skits where the kids were the actors. With the older kids, I met with them as a group where they learned how to evangelize and they immediately put it into practice by going hut-to-hut with me. One of the teenagers shared at one hut in which a man was saved and his life was changed! We were excited to see him at church the next Sunday. To see them share their faith in their communities was powerful and their boldness was inspiring.

Pray For Malawi

Nearly 4,000 people were reached on this trip! Please pray for the work that was done and is continuing to be done in Malawi through the people that were reached - the seminary students, newly saved, the children at the orphanage, and church leaders have all learned and witnessed the powerful effect the gospel has on their local communities.