Discover Our Story
Namikango began with a request for PARTNERSHIP—a Malawian church leader seeking leadership training. In response, Roland and Wanda Hayes, followed by B. and Ruth Shelburne, moved to Malawi in 1961 to begin this journey. What started as a simple partnership has since grown into a thriving ministry, with over 80 Malawian staff members and a network of more than 2,000 churches today!
Why We Do What We Do
The History Of
The work of the Namikango Mission in Malawi, Africa, spans both the physical and spiritual needs of the community. The mission not only provides Bible schools and church leadership training, but also provides education in farming effectively and managing personal finances, operates a growing health center, a primary school, as well as a competitive football (soccer) team that draws people from around the community to the Namikango campus. The Discipleship Training Institute is the pinnacle of the mission work to date. The DTI program provides in-depth training in all of the areas of the mission over an intense 2-year program. After graduating, these students return to their home villages and begin training people in their home communities and developing the spiritual and physical growth of the local villages.
The Namikango Mission was established in 1961. The Ninth Street Church of Christ in Ballinger, Texas, agreed to sponsor the mission work and selected Roland and Wanda Hayes as well as G.B. Shelburne, III, and his wife Ruth to serve as missionaries to Malawi. After arriving in Malawi in 1961, the mission purchased a 90-acre estate near Thondwe in southern Malawi, and a Bible school was established.
The Namikango Mission began to grow, and more Bible school centers were opened in the area villages, the mission began to operate a primary school to help meet the educational needs of the community, and the maternity clinic opened in 1974. Over the years, the mission work has continued to grow and expand to serve the Malawi community and beyond.
Today, Namikango Mission is associated with over 1,000 local congregations across Malawi and into Mozambique. One of the strengths of the mission team is in creating unity among churches across the country. Namikango Mission also cooperates with several other Churches of Christ Bible schools, as well as with colleges, medical facilities, and organizations of other denominational backgrounds. An outpatient clinic and an HIV prevention and education center have been added to the health center, and the primary school has grown with the addition of more classroom space and teachers. The Village Savings and Loan micro-finance program was added to provide financial education and a way for families to start businesses and provide for the needs of the community. An agricultural education program was added to provide education on conservation management and improving crop production in a primarily agriculture-driven society. The Discipleship Training Institute program was established to train leaders to be leaders in their home villages. The ministry and services provided by the Namikango Mission team continue to grow and expand across the entire country of Malawi and beyond.
