P&L Hope Ministry - Malawi-Twin

Chrispine Nthezemu Kamanga

Chrispine and his family have been sponsored by one of our parish families since 2003. He recently graduated with distinction from Stellenbosch University in Cape Town, South Africa, with a degree in practical theology. The University have offered him a PHD course and he will continue to study for this in Malawi.

He has set up this new Ministry in gratitude for all the help he and his family have received from our Malawi-Twin project and has dedicated the name of the ministry to his sponsors. He is currently in the process of building a five bedroom house in which he will accommodate, counsel and give additional tuition, to up to 15 young men and women of secondary school age, who are in need of financial support, counselling and career guidance. Using his monthly salary, he also pays their school fees.

He is employed by St John of God Hospitallers where he works as a Pastoral Care Coordinator. In this position, he provides counselling to mental patients, staff members and their families. He further provides counselling services to the poorest of people in Malawi. In this situation he has access to help and advice from other professionals such as doctors, nurses, social workers and other therapists to aid him in this project.

Chrispine will receive help from our container project with items for this new home together with clothing, sanitary items and indoor games for the boys and girls.

The house in the stages of building:

The following is Chrispine’s response to a few questions we asked of him followed by an extract from his initial concept paper for the ministry submitted for registration.

Click Initial concept paper to open in a new page.

Thanks very much for the email. I am glad that at this initial stage you have provided the much needed support and hope (as the ministry is also called). I feel the support. Thanks for introducing the ministry to Maria, I will cc in all my correspondence regarding the ministry.

You have raised a few questions in your email which I want to attend to:

1. The house: the House that is under construction has four bedrooms, a lounge, an office, and a kitchen. My plan is that some of the boys and girls will be resident while others will be operating from their homes. However, during their vacation times, they will all be resident in the house for mentorship, peer learning and bond strengthening among members of Peter and Lily Hope Ministry

2. Accommodation: In the current setup, I will not abandon my current accommodation. I will put up a single bed in the office which I can use if there is a need for my presence at night. By the way, the house for the ministry is just a mile away from where I am currently residing.

Gloria Gondwe
Form 1 at Target secondary school.

3. Female Supervisor: Due to the presence of the girls, I have already planned of recruiting a female co-worker. Looking at the nature of the ministry, this female worker will be a psycho-social counsellor who can also double as a nurse/social worker (we have trained some people having such qualification at St. John of God College of Health sciences. It will be easy to identify one). Later on in the year depending on the availability of the funds, I may have to recruit a male person who can also assist with book keeping. By the way, to register the ministry, I have been advised to appoint 6 people as Trustees, project the positions of officers in the ministry, and identify a lawyer. I am addressing these issues one by one.

Chimwemwe Mwera (16) Form four at Royal Private secondary School

4. Funding: When I conceptualised this king of ministry in your honour, Peter and Lily (now late), I have hoped to fund all the activities from the monthly salary I would be receiving. Lack of money has not acted as a hindrance, but I saw that my passion for the ministry was burning. After praying over it, I told myself that God will provide. I never knew that you would come in with the support you have rendered so far, connecting me to Brian, Maria and the Malawi Twin in general.

Currently, the major expenditure will be in the construction (which is a must for such type of a ministry) and registration. I understand that later on we will have the recurrent need of food and utility bills. I am happy to report to you that I managed to buy the land (48M X 27M) for the project and as I sent to you those photos, the house now is at the roofing level. Water has been installed on the site and I have already applied for electricity (Hydro-electrical power) Due to erratic power supply the country experiences, I will consider installing solar power in due course. I got the quotation for roofing from the carpenter comprising of Iron sheets, planks, roofing nails and wires amounting to around MK2, 968, 000.00. I am projecting that I will roof the house by end of May 2019. Am glad for the offer that Brian will be able to provide as many stuff as possible which will go a long way in furnishing the house. I am sure that by the time the container arrives, the house will be habitable.

Thanks in advance to Maria for ensuring that the girls will get the hygienic equipment. I am speechless. I never expected this kind gesture. I believe that it is God who is miraculously working and making sure that the ministry thrives. It is my hope that Lily is seeing what we are doing and with the loving heart she had for Malawi, her name and spirit will continue to live in this house and among these girls and boys as it still lives in me. Peter, once again thank you for the offer to help with finances towards the payment of the services for the female supervisor.

By the way, I have enrolled two more girls in the ministry. As such, I can proudly say that I now have 2 boys and 3 girls in Peter and Lily Hope Ministry. I am thinking that the female supervisor can start her work in April. I will keep you updated with the progress of the ministry and keep you informed with any new information. I trust in the Lord and I believe Lily is praying for this project. I am as well amused with how positive the project is turning out. I am so excited and happy for the help am getting. I talked to mum about this project and she was very excited. She says she will come to Mzuzu to see for herself what is happening and to talk to the boys and girls. She sends her greetings to you. I will invite her when the schools are on holidays. At that time, she could easily meet all the participants as a group.

All the best Peter. All the best Maria. God bless you abundantly

Chris!

Timothy Nyirenda (16)
Form 2 at Katoto secondary school
Lennex Muwowo (21)
Form 2 at Mchengautuwa secondary school

An update from Chrispine 9th April 2019

Good evening Peter,

Hope you are well. I am well too.

I had another busy day today for my project. I recruited seven more students to the P&L hope ministry from two schools.

I heard shocking and heart breaking stories from the students in my assessments. The stories confirmed the greater need for the ministry. I am happy that real lives will be touched and helped in the process. One student told me that he has a sister at the same school but lost both their parents this year. The latest to die last week was their mother. Meanwhile he has four siblings who are looking up to him for care in every aspect. He was shedding tears as he was sharing his story. The other girl told me that at times, she has to leave her classes and attend to a parent -teachers Association meeting at a primary school where her siblings are learning as she is looking for them because they are double orphaned as well. I have recruited all the three with such a background to their life.

The schools are closing for Easter break this week on Friday. They will open for another term in May. I have planned to have the first group session with all the boys and girls next week from Monday to Friday. These will be day sessions only conducted at my work place as the house is not yet completed.

So far I have identified the female supervisor as per our earlier discussion. She is both a counsellor and a social worker. She did her social work at Catholic University im Malawi and the counselling course was done at our St. John of God college. I will be with her the whole of next week. Find attached the pictures of the new recruits and the other group photo is the Headteacher addressing the students today. I am so happy with the way things are taking shape in Peter and Lily Hope ministry. I now have 11 people in the ministry, five girls and six boys. Have a blessed evening and God continue showering you with His everlasting blessings.

Bye for now

I now have 11 people in the ministry, five girls and six boys