Poverty is a multifaceted issue—physical, spiritual, communal, social, and emotional. In a recent workshop I attended on poverty, the facilitator highlighted eleven different facets of poverty. Thus, any initiative that attempts to make an impact in a country where poverty is a reality must address more than just the physical.
In the small village of Mwayiwathu in the Machinga district of Malawi, Pious and his sister, Sonkho, are doing something about this. They both joined the Namikango VSL group in the area and began benefiting immediately. In a recent share-out (the end of the nine-month loan cycle), each member of this group earned an incredible 100% interest on their investment! Several visitors and I had the blessing of being present on this day. The joy and celebration when everyone received their total due back is hard to express in words.
Each week when this VSL group meets, they study the Bible together before making any transactions. The group selected a widow in the community to receive a gift from the group’s success! Showing the love of Christ, addressing poverty, and empowerment—all in one. It’s clear that the group’s generosity is tied to their understanding of God’s love and their desire to live out what they study each week. But it doesn’t stop there! In addition to saving money and taking loans, this group was also trained in conservation agriculture. Pious, his wife, and Sonkho started a compost pile and made it a community effort. Some members provide manure, while others contribute compost material. With the cost of fertilizer now at almost a month’s wages—$50—this compost pile will not only save Pious financially but also bless the community. Once again, love in action—addressing poverty in more than one way!
It’s amazing to see this same pattern happening in many other groups throughout Malawi. Students who have been through the Discipleship Training Institute (DTI)— equipped as VSL leaders, conservation agriculture facilitators, and church leaders—are starting initiatives like the one Pious and Sonkho are part of. It is not an impossible hope that, person by person, family by family, and community by community, the cycle of poverty in Malawi can be broken as people come to a deeper knowledge of Jesus! With God, all things are possible!
