Farming God’s Way Malawi Zimbabwe 2004

Malawi Zimbabwe- Report July 2004

 

This mission into Malawi was by invitation from the Vineyard church in Port Elizabeth. They have an excellent work going on in Malawi & have a very strong gathering at their conferences.

 

The vineyard team consisted of 37 participants from Fountain Vineyard, Oudtshoorn & Cape Town. Most of them traveled through by road on an epic 8 day journey with Dave Patteson blowing his Caravelle engine. Road travel can be cheaper but also much more expensive as the Land Rover towing the Caravelle & a trailer ended up seizing its engine as well.

The conference was very efficiently run & everyone did their part in lecturing in the different life skills & ministry aspects, with even the youngest in their teens running courses. Dave & Colleen were very hospitable to me & went out of there way to ensure that I was well taken care of. He really dreams the dream of releasing people into their God given potential & has been going into Malawi for ages with his whole family.

 

The delegates were predominantly Malawian & there were also 5 Mozambiquan churches represented. They all bunked down in and around the church building. There were 427 conference delegates registered.

 

Farming God’s way was very well received indeed with all the delegates present. It was amazing to see as the Word unfolded how the Lord began to give me favour with them. I had 3 hours of training with them on day 1 & another 3 ¾ hours with them the following day. When I put the garden in it was wonderful to have their hearts already won & 45 minutes of questions later they went away with it firmly entrenched in their hearts.

 

In Blantyre at Alan Clarkes home I met with a Canadian Missionary who has worked in Malawi most of his life & he was very taken with FGW. He has access into 6000 churches in Malawi alone. Another American missionary wants to use it in the 35 churches he has relationship with.

 

Good news is that the report from Tsapa is that farmers who tried the winter planting under FGW have had great success & he was going down to the valley to take photo’s to send to us.

 

Mount Mulanje was an awesome experience praying & fasting on the Mountain. God really was so obviously present in many ways & the experience was a highlight for the whole mission for me. I find myself in worship often reflecting on those intimate moments & right I the stronghold of the high place in Malawi God met with me.

 

I arrived in Harare was collected by Brian Oldreive, & walked straight into  ministry to St Johns High school SCA of about 150 boys – God was faithful once again & God really enabled me to touch hearts with the boys.

Spent the afternoon doing assessments of the trials at Westgate & discussing Farming intricacies.

 

We left early Friday morning for Bulawayo & met up with a team from Johannesnurg. The local pastor has been placed there full time this year & is overseeing 14 churches in the Bulawayo area. He & his wife were in the worship team when I was leading it in Muldersdrift nearly 10 years ago. It was great to be there for his commissioning, where many of his friends in different flows – men of good standing – came to honour the time – in the lowly setting of the Scout hall. The Johannesburg team, have been working consistently into Bulawayo for about 6 years now & have incredible favour with the people.

 

Brian Oldreive & shared the farming Gods way principles & put in a well watered garden outside the scout hall. The whole congregation really enjoyed it & although the program was conveyed as ‘pregnant’ by the MC we were nevertheless able to complete critical aspects of FGW. I am sure follow up will be needed & Brian was very well received which makes for frequent impartation opportunity for him.

 

Brian Oldreive is facing significant challenges of his own, whilst at the same time he is experience God’s providence & favour in the agricultural sector, as they have now been contractually bound to train several NGO’s extension officers (70) & obviously get paid in foreign currency. These include FAO, DIFID, Tearfund, EU etc.

 

Yours sincerely & in His service,

 

Grant Dryden