Introduction
The Equipping Church Leaders East Africa (ECLEA) Malawi Conference for September 2025 was successfully conducted in three centres across Lilongwe and Dowa Districts. The aim was to equip pastors and church leaders with sound biblical teaching, strengthen their capacity for effective ministry, and inspire transformation in local churches and communities.
The conferences were characterized by a high level of participation, eagerness to learn, and powerful testimonies that affirmed the life-changing impact of ECLEA’s mission in Malawi.
Conference Venues and Dates VENUE
Dzaleka, Dowa District
Glad Tidings Church, Area 22, Lilongwe
Katondo, Area 38, Lilongwe
DATE
1st – 2nd September 2025
3rd – 4th September 2025
5th – 6th September 2025
ATTENDANCE
26 pastors and church leaders (mainly from the refugee community)
25 pastors and church leaders from various denominations
30 vibrant group of pastors and church leaders from local churches
Training Content
1) Dzaleka (Book of Jonah)
Focus: Lessons on obedience, repentance, and God’s mercy.
Key principle: “We all run from God when we disobey Him, but His pursuit is not to pay us back, but to bring us back.”
Participants reflected on how leaders can miss God’s blessings by disobedience and by setting limits on God’s will.
2) Lilongwe Area 22 & Katondo (Biblical Stewardship)
Focus: Stewardship, accountability, and responsible management of God’s resources.
The sessions were full of interaction, testimonies, and renewed commitments from leaders to practice faithful stewardship in their ministries and families.
Participation and Response
Attendance at all three centres was excellent, with participants showing full commitment throughout the two-day sessions in each venue.
Leaders demonstrated eagerness to learn, actively engaged with the teaching, and pledged to replicate the lessons within their congregations.
Key requests raised included:
• Provision of Bibles, especially for refugee pastors in Dzaleka.
• Translation of training materials into Chichewa to improve accessibility and understanding.
Impact and Testimonies
The conferences had a profound impact, as reflected in the testimonies of pastors and church leaders. They not only spoke about the teachings but also affirmed the unique role ECLEA is playing in transforming leadership and church life in Malawi.
Testimony 1 – Dzaleka Participants (Group Testimony):
Speaking on behalf of the refugee pastors and leaders, one participant shared:
“This teaching from the book of Jonah is helping us to see our own mistakes as leaders. We often run away from what we know God wants us to do, and sometimes we try to do things our own way. But we have learned that God pursues us, not to punish us, but to bring us back to Himself.” The group expressed that ECLEA is helping them to correct past leadership errors, embrace obedience, and strengthen their congregations. They added that without ECLEA’s guidance many would continue repeating mistakes. With gratitude, they appealed for Bibles to support their faith and teaching, saying that ECLEA is planting seeds of hope in their communities.
Testimony 2 – Area 22 (Teacher & Pastor’s Wife):
A teacher and pastor’s wife testified:
“The ECLEA Conference on stewardship has changed the way I see ministry and family life. I now understand how to manage resources with accountability and faithfulness. This training has given me confidence to support my husband in pastoral work with wisdom, and I am committed to passing these lessons to my church and community.” She affirmed that ECLEA is not just teaching theory but instilling responsibility, integrity, and faithfulness in leaders. She stressed that the programme is helping leaders in Malawi adopt a new mindset of accountability that will transform both churches and families.
Testimony 3 – Katondo (Pastor Chilongo):
Pastor Chilongo reflected with gratitude:
“Before ECLEA, I struggled to guide my congregation on financial responsibility and resource management. Now I have learned practical, biblical principles of stewardship that I can immediately apply in my church. These teachings are real, relevant, and useful for our people. I am committed to sharing them with other leaders so that more churches can benefit.”
He emphasized that ECLEA is different because it offers training that directly meets the needs of the church. He called the programme a blessing for Malawi, affirming that it must continue and grow.
Across all three centres, participants consistently testified that ECLEA is unique in combining deep biblical teaching with practical application. They strongly recommended that the programme remain in Malawi and expand to more centres, as its teachings are equipping leaders to live faithfully, lead responsibly, and transform their congregations and communities.
Acknowledgement
On behalf of ECLEA Malawi, I wish to humbly and sincerely express our deepest gratitude to all who made the September 2025 conferences a success. Jonathan Mann, shalom in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Shalom in Christ. On behalf of ECLEA Malawi, I thank you for your unwavering leadership and vision. The September 2025 conferences in Dzaleka (26 participants), Area 22 (25 participants), and Katondo (30 participants) were not ordinary gatherings but holy encounters, birthed through your faithfulness to God’s call. The testimonies that emerged—refugee pastors rekindled in hope, families reshaped through stewardship, and pastors equipped with practical, biblical tools—are the living legacy of your obedience.
Jonathan, your life is a reflection of Paul’s charge to labour until Christ is formed in His people. You have not simply directed an organization; you have fathered a movement, covering leaders with prayer, vision, and sacrifice. Malawi is blessed because you gave yourself fully to God’s mission, and we are witnesses that your labour is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). We honour you deeply, and we pray the Lord enlarges your territory, strengthens your hands, cause your cup to overflow and grants you joy as you see nations transformed through the seeds you have sown. Your labour is not in vain, and your reward in heaven is certain.
To our beloved ECLEA Supporters and Partners Worldwide: Grace and peace to you. Your prayers, giving, and encouragement made possible the September 2025 conferences in Dzaleka (26 participants), Area 22 (25 participants), and Katondo (30 participants). What you provided — books, food, transport, and logistics—were not mere resources, but seeds of transformation. Those seeds are already bearing fruit in churches, families, and communities across Malawi.
Every testimony carries your fingerprints: refugee pastors, once discouraged, strengthened by the Word; a pastor’s wife, once uncertain, now empowered to serve with confidence; and entire congregations learning accountability and stewardship. Your generosity has gone beyond provision—it has become worship before God, opening heavens over Malawi.
You are not just supporters of ECLEA; you are co-labourers in Africa’s harvest. We honour you, cherish you, and rejoice that your sacrifice is recorded in heaven and will echo in generations yet to come.
Dr. David Njeru Ezekiel, ECLEA Africa Director: We salute you for your integrity, diligence, and tireless commitment to the vision of equipping church leaders across Africa. The conferences in Dzaleka (26 participants), Area 22 (25 participants), and Katondo (30 participants) stand as living proof of your faithful stewardship. Your timely release of resources and unwavering trust in Malawi opened doors that the enemy could not shut. Yet more than administration, you gave us your heart. You covered us as a father, guided us with wisdom, and strengthened us with faith. A pastor in Katondo testified, “These teachings are real, relevant, and useful for our people.” That testimony is fruit from your covering and leadership.
Dr. David, you are more than a coordinator — you are a shepherd to shepherds, a builder of builders, and a servant leader whose legacy will echo across Africa. May the Lord Himself lift your arms like Moses, surround you with faithful Aarons and Hurs, and reward you richly both in this life and in eternity.
Local Church Hosts and Leaders – Our heartfelt thanks go to the churches in Dzaleka, Glad Tidings Church in Area 22, and Katondo Area 38 for opening their doors and faithfully supporting the logistics of hosting. Your hospitality and cooperation ensured that the conferences were conducted smoothly. Beyond the practical support, your warm welcome created an atmosphere where pastors and church leaders felt at home, free to learn, to share, and to be transformed by God’s Word. You did not simply provide venues; you offered yourselves as partners in the Gospel. Your example of generosity and unity stands as a powerful witness of Christ’s love in action, and we are convinced that the blessing you released over these meetings will return to your congregations in multiplied measure.
Pastors and Church Leaders Who Attended – To the 26 participants in Dzaleka, the 25 in Area 22, and all those from Katondo, your hunger for God’s word, your attentiveness, and your testimonies gave life to the entire programme. Your commitment to not only receive but also pass on the teachings to your congregations is what makes this work meaningful.
Intercessors and Well-Wishers – Many of you prayed silently in the background for the success of these conferences, and we testify that God answered. Your unseen labour in prayer upheld us, created an atmosphere for God’s Word to flourish, and released grace that touched leaders and congregations alike. Every act of intercession and generosity was a holy offering unto the Lord, and truly, “your labour in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). We stand humbled, grateful, and encouraged to continue this mission of transformation, knowing we are carried by your faithful prayers.
Recommendations and Way Forward
• Expansion of ECLEA Training: Building on the momentum from the September 2025 conferences, we recommend expanding ECLEA training to three or four additional centres within Malawi. This will extend the reach of biblical teaching and equip a wider circle of pastors and church leaders. In addition, the establishment of at least one training centre in Mozambique will serve as a gateway for cross-border impact and regional growth.
• Translation of Materials into Chichewa: To increase accessibility and ensure deeper impact, it is crucial to translate ECLEA learning materials into Chichewa. This will allow pastors, especially those in rural areas, to engage fully with the content, apply it in their ministries, and pass it on effectively to their congregations.
• Continued Support with Resources: Ongoing provision of resources remains vital—particularly Bibles for pastors and leaders in refugee and rural communities. Many leaders who hunger for God’s Word lack personal Bibles, limiting their ability to teach and disciple others. Meeting this need will directly strengthen churches and sustain the fruit of ECLEA’s mission.
• Mentorship & Follow-Up of Trained Leaders: Establish a structured mentorship and follow-up programme for conference participants. This will ensure that the teachings are not only received but also lived out, replicated, and reinforced within their local churches and communities. Regular mentoring sessions will deepen accountability and strengthen impact.
• Strengthening Partnerships & Networking: Foster stronger collaboration among local churches, denominational leaders, and regional networks. By creating platforms where trained pastors can share experiences, testimonies, and best practices, ECLEA Malawi can build a sustainable movement of transformation that transcends individual churches and unites the Body of Christ in mission.
Conclusion
The September 2025 ECLEA Malawi Conferences were a resounding success. The depth of teaching, the heartfelt testimonies, and the renewed commitments revealed a growing hunger for God’s Word and a genuine movement of leadership transformation in Malawi. These gatherings were not just events—they were milestones in God’s unfolding story of renewal among His people. With your continued prayers and support, ECLEA’s mission will go further: expanding its reach into more centres, equipping more leaders with biblical truth, and strengthening churches so that families, communities, and entire nations are impacted to the glory of God. Truly, “your prayers, financial support, and encouragement are not in vain.” Lives are being changed, leaders are being equipped, and churches in Malawi are rising stronger than ever before.
Bishop Joseph Andrew Boma
National Coordinator, ECLEA Malawi
David Njeru
June 2025
This is a comprehensive report about my recent ECLEA Malawi return trip. The trip which I made from June 6 – 15 was very fulfilling.
Pre – Visit Review and Prayer Storm
Since ECLEA grand entry in the month of February 2025 through Bsp Munaziri Kakuzi Mugozi from Democratic Republic of Congo, I have maintained a constant touch with him. It is important also to be reminded that ECLEA began in Dzaleka Refugee Camp.
As a follow-up, I received wonderful testimonies concerning what they had done with the Biblical Stewardship Course done in February. Most had taught their churches, families and most importantly personal application. Taking care of the environment is another lesson that has been practiced in detail
Then this time in June, through Bsp Joseph Andrew Boma who is the president of the Glad Tidings Church in Malawi, I was able to expand and launch two more sites around the capital City of Lilongwe as highlighted herein.
Throughout the month of May from 7th – 30th, Bsp Boma assembled a dedicated team, initiated and activated a daily prayer and fasting chain that was specifically devoted to pray for ECLEA board, supporters and ECLEA work in Malawi through the Africa coordinator. We prayed together with the team on Friday afternoon at Glad Tidings Church which acted as a farrow ground breaking session to push back every resistance.
I believe this is one of the reasons why we had a financial breakthrough at the last minute which in turn helped us to have 4 conferences in Malawi with the minimal resources received. Honestly, I don’t know what we could have done but I had great faith. We had actually cancelled Dzaleka meetings but we thank God for coming through for us through ECLEA partners and we were able to do four meetings.
Conference No.1: 1 Timothy in Lilongwe Area 1 (Falls Baptist Church)
This is a new site where we had around 21 participants drawn from different churches, mostly founders of churches and ministries. The excitement and expectations were very high.
I took the first session in explaining what ECLEA is and all that it entails. The new ECLEA information booklet came in handy and the task was much simplified. Ernest Mwilitsa then took the second session and I came in for the 3rd session. In between we had an open session and we allowed participants to comment and ask questions in regard to the course presented. We proceeded later in the afternoon and concluded on a high note. We looked at the most important sections of each chapter with the main focus on highlighted sections. This makes the training quite easy. Thank you, Jonathan, for the simple layout of all manuals.
The following are sample comments from the training:
* ECLEA is here to stay. I was going to another women’s conference but I chose to be here. This is a great blessing. Though not many male ministers approve and respect women ministry, I am leaving fully charged and encouraged to continue ministering with no fear.
* I was going to another meeting but found myself here “accidentally.” I thought I would stay for a few minutes then disappear but I was wrong. When the Africa Coordinator David Njeru started speaking about ECLEA, I got so much interested. The manual I got was something I really needed. Though I have gone to so many training sessions, this one is exceptional. That is why I stayed up to the end. Looking forward to the next training session.
* Seeing that Ernest was the national coordinator in Kenya and David was a teacher under him, now David is the Africa coordinator and Ernest is a teacher – more so they came together from Kenya is a great lesson in humility and loyalty. We have been challenged greatly.
* God prepared this for us. We are ready to take ECLEA to another level in other districts.
* Profound deep revelations never seen or heard before. The 15 qualifications of a leader is something to keep pondering about.
Conference No.2: 1 Timothy – Dzaleka Refugee Camp (Rescue Mission Church)
Dzaleka is a refugee camp that holds about 70,000 refugees especially from the Great Lakes Region. This is where we first launched ECLEA Malawi in February 2025 hosted by Bishop Munaziri Kakuzi. He is one of the refugees from Democratic Republic of Congo. He is a very respected man in this camp.
The 68 participants were eager to hear what we have this time the second time. Quite a number like 20 were attending for the first time. We also had two pastors from Mozambique, a neighboring country to Malawi who came to attend the conferences at Dzaleka. They said they need these teachings in their country as such deep teachings are lacking.
Some of the responses from this course are as captured below.
· This is an important lesson that shares leadership truths openly.
· We have a problem of not many ministers of God acknowledging and believing that women pastors are called and can lead effectively but we are now equipped to know that God calls both male and female as to him there is no gender but a vessel to be used. (N.B. This issue took a considerable amount of time in debate. The issue of clothing, especially ladies,took another chunk of time in debate. The issue of women coming to worship in church without their heads covered was a heated contentious issue. It was concluded that we should seek to beautify our hearts which in turn shows outwardly. So, none should condemn any but correct in love)
· I have learnt there is no office which is bigger than the other. God calls and empowers for service. He determines the kind of reward for each faithful minister.
· A title without function is useless.
· Prayer is a key ingredient to succeed in ministry. Most of the time we don’t pray for “all men” thus our prayers are not complete.
· The part of Paul telling Timothy to drink little wine for his health issues refuted claims that some drink quoting this text to justify their bad habits of drinking alcohol. The instruction was specific to Timothy. (This clarification led many to be freed from the previously held notion about alcohol)
Conference No.3: Biblical Marriage & Parenting – Dzaleka Refugee Camp (Rescue Mission Church)
This was one of the most interesting and important courses that we taught. Marriages were completely healed and a fresh spark of love ignited. Some marriages were on the rocks but due to ECLEA, there was a great revival if the responses and animated contributions were anything to go by.
Some key responses were as follows:
* One of the greatest ways to show love to your wife is to wash her feet or take a bath together. Some found it easy, others difficult.
* One of the major objectives of marriage is fellowship. When one marries someone who is not a friend, the fellowship becomes hard.
* There was a heated discussion of if Adam was deceived and the answer. On the other hand, the question “Why did Adam not defend his wife Eve from satan’s deception yet he was with her?” This question received all manner of responses ranging from wild hilarious to what could be considered as theologically correct.
* Since man is to be helped, he should be doing something meaningful. If not, the husband will be giving orders without responsibilities which is unhealthy to a marriage.
* One major killer of marriage is lack of communication. It was emphasized that communication should be key in marriage.
* Every sexual act is a renewal of marriage covenant. It should be done as often as possible.
* We don’t practice the five love languages. We need to start learning how to use them in our marriages.
The course ended on a very high note and the participants went home eager to practice what was learnt.
Conference No.4: Biblical Marriage & Parenting – Lilongwe Area 34 Katondo (Apostalic Pentecostal Church)
We started by asking the participants what their expectations and the main response was to build and enrich their marriages. To my observation, this expectation was well met.
Throughout the conference, the delegates numbering 34 were very attentive hanging on and absorbing every word.
The issue of some spouses getting instructions on how to run their families was a bad example of not leaving and clinging.
Few questions were asked that seemed problematic such as – should a wife submit to a drunk husband? In case there is a dispute should a spouse stand with the children or one another? What should one do to satisfy your spouse sexually? Some men are very insecure; they don’t want their wives to interact and be seen with other women. How can you assist?
The following were captured testimonials among many. The area of sexuality seemed to be quite stimulating.
* I never prepare my wife for sex. Today I have learnt something new and I will be better at romancing my wife. Though aged, I will be able to enjoy my sex life.
* It was problematic for me counseling couples on this area of sex. Now I am better equipped with knowledge and a reference manual.
* Since I learnt that not only my husband should initiate sex, I tried and it was very good. Thank you for the teachings.
* We have been married for 38 years and it is only my wife who takes me out since she is the one working for now. I will very soon take her out to cement my bond of love for her.
* These love languages are strange to us, a participant remarked. (I did a rather unusual experiment which worked wonders. As I was training, I asked those who had their spouses present to stand, face one another and tell him/her something lovely. Some were hesitant but it turned out well. I encouraged all to ask their spouses when home which love language works best for them then keep practicing them).
This course proved to be very impactful and everyone left looking forward to the next training. There was a participant who dropped in to see what was happening. She had not planned to stay throughout but the teachings acted like glue. She sat throughout the duration of the conference.
I was also privileged to speak to two Glad Tidings churches in their Sunday Services where the word was received with gratitude. I also spoke to a group of about 200 youth in a youth conference in Dedza about 2 hours drive from Lilongwe.
Structuring & Raising Leaders In Malawi.
In Dzaleka most of the teaching was done by Ernest, Bsp Munaziri and Bsp Boma. This I planned intentionally so that I observe how they do it as they saw me do. After each session and later after the conference I guided them accordingly. So far I can confidently say that Malawi is coming up so strongly. The two identified ECLEA leaders cum volunteer pastor-teachers are well able to steer ECLEA Malawi.
Next Conference Strategy.
We agreed that for now we maintain three sites namely Dzaleka, Lilongwe Area 1 & Katondo. The dates and courses are as follows in the month of September.
1. Mon 15 & Tue - 16: 9:00am - 4:00pm (Dzaleka Refugee Camp) - The Book of Jonah
2. Wed 17 & Thur 18: 9:00am - 4:00pm (Lilongwe, Area 1) - Biblical Marriage & Parenting.
3. Fri 19 & Sat 20: 9:00am - 4:00pm (Lilongwe, Katondo - Biblical Stewardship.
Bsp Andrew Boma the proposed ECLEA Malawi national coordinator together with Dzaleka region coordinator Bsp Kakuzi will pair up to teach in all the conferences. I will be helping them to come up with a workable schedule. I also tasked them to identify one person from each region to be observing what happens and to start training to be a volunteer pastor-teacher in the next conference.
Either November this year or February next year, Jonathan and I need to go back for a Training of Trainers training. It is also important for Jonathan to see for himself the expansion work so far achieved. Jonathan, please guide me on this.
Appreciation
As the Africa Coordinator, may I express my heartfelt gratitude to ECLEA and the generous support from partners. You have touched so many African pastors and leaders here in Malawi who could not have benefitted if it were not for your consistent support.
Most appreciated and keep this work in constant prayer.
Regards,
David Njeru
ECLEA Africa Coordinator – Expansion Program
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FEBRUARY 2025
The following is the very first ECLEA Malawi full report after my arrival in Nairobi on Tuesday 11 February. I believe you got the other two – predeparture in Nairobi and one from the ground about to depart from Malawi. It is somehow long though detailed for a perfect word picture.
ITINERARY - As earlier communicated, I flew using Ethiopian Airlines on early Tuesday 4 February via Addis Ababa in Ethiopia arriving in Lilongwe the capital city of Malawi same day in the afternoon after a 3 hour layover in Addis. The return flight took a similar route from Lilongwe on Monday 10 February arriving in Nairobi the following morning which was Tuesday 11 February. Nairobi to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia is 719 miles (2 15 minutes flight) & Addis to Lilongwe 1615 miles (4 hours flight) one way. It is double the same for the round trip. At the time of flight booking, this was the only available plane nearest our training set dates. At the Kamuzu International Airport I was received by my host Bsp Kakuzi franked by Pastor Malike Kahete Ibrahim and Pastor Mwamba Remy Mtambala.
ACCOMODATION – Was at Manac Conference – a decent facility, which is 4.97 miles or 8 kilometers away from the ECLEA training venue. Each day, I used to cover 9.9 miles to and fro. The mode of transport was both taxi and a motor cycle to fit the budget. If I opted for a taxi only, it would have been extremely expensive and unaffordable.
LIGHT MOMENT – Malawi is one hour behind East African Time. After my first night, I went for breakfast the following morning which was to be served at 7:30am Malawian Time. My phone had not automatically changed but it was still showing East African time. So, I made my way to the dinning hall only to be politely informed by the chef that I was one hour early! That is when I restarted my phone to pick the new time lines. Fortunately, my phone does a duo screen display of home and away. time What a relief!
FEW FACTS ABOUT MALAWI - According to https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/malawi/overview, Malawi is located in Southern Africa. It is landlocked, sharing its borders with Mozambique, Zambia, and Tanzania. The country's estimated population is 20.93 million (2023) with an annual growth rate of 2.5%. Malawi remains one of the poorest countries in the world despite making significant economic and structural reforms to sustain economic growth. The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, which employs over 80% of the population, and it is vulnerable to external shocks, particularly climatic shocks. In January 2021, the government launched the Malawi 2063 Vision that aims to transform Malawi into a wealthy, self-reliant, industrialized upper-middle-income country, through a focus on agriculture commercialization, industrialization, and urbanization. The first 10-year implementation plan anchors the World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework (CPF) (FY21- FY25)
PRESIDENCY - Currently, Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera (born 5 April 1955) is a Malawian politician and theologian who has served as President of Malawi since June 2020. He has served as the leader of the Malawi Congress Party since 2013. He was president of the Malawi Assemblies of God from 1989 to 2013.
LANGUAGES - The national language of Malawi is Chichewa, also known as Chewa or Nyanja. It is a Bantu language that is spoken by about half of Malawi's population. Other languages spoken in Malawi are English as an official language and Chibrazi which is an urban vernacular that is a mix of different languages. The total land area is 118,480 km squared.
NATIONAL FLAG - The flag of Malawi has three stripes and a white sun with 45 rays. Their flag is red, black and green.The flag was adopted in 1964 when Nyasaland gained independence from Britain and became Malawi. The stripes represent the African people, the blood of martyrs, and Malawi's natural beauty.
CURRENCY – One US $ was exchanging at 1,773 Malawian Kwacha last week.
ECLEA – MALAWI
This very first time ECLEA in Malawi was made possible by the invitation of Bishop Moise Kakuzi Mugozi Munaziri of Rescue Word Church International and the approval of Jonathan Menn. Bishop Kakuzi is originally from Bukavu in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) but he has been living in Malawi since 2016 with his family as a refugee. He oversees seven churches in Malawi. He is also a Bible school teacher with Grace Bible School with about 50 students. It was not possible to meet the students as the time was very limited and they were also part of the ECLEA training. Rev David Njeru who is from Kenya is the current regional coordinator of ECLEA Nairobi region. He was tasked to do an exploration trip on behalf of Jonathan as we seek to spread the growth of ECLEA in other countries of Africa apart from East African countries.
DZALEKA REFUGEE CAMP
It is situated 27.2 miles North East of the capital city Lillongwe. This is where the very first ECLEA Malawi All Africa Conference was held from Thursday February 7 – Saturday 9 February 2025. The venue was outside the refugee camp where Bsp Kakuzi runs a church.
The refugees in Dzaleka are allowed to live outside the concentration camp where United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in conjunction with the government of Malawi has given pieces of land to the refugees to build their own residential house as well as run businesses.
The number of refugees living in Dzaleka is approximately 66,000-70,000 (sixty-six to seventy thousand) drawn from different African countries with a round 150 churches serving the entire community which is are not enough.
I managed to preach in three of those churches (two during the week in the evening and one on Sunday) during my stay in Malawi. Fisrt was Bethel Pentecostal Church international led by Pastor Diev Donne Bikunda Gerere which was away from the refugee camp on a Friday evening. Then on Saturday I preached at Community Evangelical Pentecostal Church inside the refugee residential quarters led by Pastor Ahadi. Finally, on Sunday I preached at Rescue Word Church International led by Bishop Kakuzi His church is located out of the residential quarters of the refugees. In all the churches I had a similar theme of What Jesus Said He Was from his statement “I AM.”
This opening is perhaps the most significant for ECLEA in terms of delegate composition, concentration, impact and scope as the pastors come from different countries. Most of them are seeking to be immigrants in other countries of the world especially Europe. If this happens after several ECLEA trainings, then they will be powerful ambassadors in those respective countries.
Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa District is 16.77 miles away from the Kamuzu International Airport and 25.47 miles from Capital City Lilongwe. It is home for thousands of refugees especially from the Great Lakes Region (Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Malawi)
BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP
Before the real teaching began, I took substantial amount of time highlighting the vision of ECLEA, mandate, current scope and intended expansion. I also carefully explained ECLEA’s mode of operation. It was extremely important to start on the right footing. The landing of ECLEA in Malawi was like God sent manna from heaven. The training which started on Thursday 6 February and ended on Saturday 8 February was extremely powerful with delegates affirming that they had never had such intense training before.
Each day the delegates started by having tea and snacks except the third day. During the first day, starting time was not taken seriously perhaps because of previous mindsets but the second and the third day we started on time due to stewardship of time teaching. Thanks to the immediate feedback and response.
The following were key response areas as shared by the delegates:
* Clear understanding of being a good steward. A faithful manager of everything God gives us.
* Stewardship of immediate environment
a) As I was teaching, I gave an illustration of how one can misuse a plastic water bottle. After drinking the water, throw it outside into a ditch and during rainy season, it blocks the drainage. As a result, the church floods. So, do we blame the devil? This opened their eyes wider and it was a major discussion over a significant period of time.
b) A delegate was warned repeatedly by his neighbors to lower the noise level of his sound system at home. He ignored. They complained and reported him to the local authority again. Before the matter was settled, they broke into his house, crashed the indoor noise instrument and also stole some households. The pastor in question learnt the hard way. He really appreciated these teachings.
c) Another area that generated much attention was regulating church instruments to take care of both those inside and those near the church. It was noted that many churches make noisy noise instead of joyful noise as commanded in scripture.
Noted with equal measure was loud night vigils with powerful instruments which ought to be lowered.
* Stewardship of body, relationships and time was equally embraced with many falling prey of not keeping time on a personal level and on corporate scenes especially time for starting church services on time and finishing on time. It was agreed that leaders should set the pace by coming on time as announced and starting on time rather than punishing those who came early by subjecting them to long waits for those coming late.
* It was an open secret that many eat seed together with bread instead of eating bread and preserving the seed. Most if not all have no culture of saving or investing. They eat everything waiting for another round of support at the end of the month by UNHCR, which releases approximately $ 10 dollars per person. per month. After going through the budgeting lesson, there was much release from the delegates. I hope there was immediate action plan for individuals and churches alike.
ATTENDANCE
The initial number which had confirmed attendance according to our host was 50 which the entire budget was pegged on. However, we had a good problem. On the first day, we had 84. The second day 78 and the last day 92. This means, we had 104 overflow which were not budgeted for over above the 150 for three days (50 x 3 days). Total attendance for the 3 days were 254! This posed a serious organizational challenge to both Bsp Kakuzi and I. At some point, there were loud complains. I took charge to assure them that the situation is under control especially on copies of the training manual because of the overflow, they missed.
We consulted quickly and since ECLEA treasurer Jacob had erroneously sent excess $ 400 dollars to Bsp Kakuzi (after conversion to Kwacha and withdrawal charges it remained $ 300), we agreed this was a blessing in disguise. So Bsp Kakuzi used the funds to manage the feeding and by the time I was leaving, he had ordered the printing of extra books for some of those who missed and can understand either English or Kiswahili. The printing is not as clean as in Kenya though we managed with what was produced locally. Even so, the amount was not adequate but we could not have asked for more funding from the ground. Jacob the ECLEA treasurer had written an email to me prior to my arrival in Malawi which I responded to, about how the excess funds would have been used in the near future. However, there is now this new turn of events which we need a word from him on the same. Throughout the three-day training, we had intentional two or three sessions daily for interaction, questions, feedbacks and reflections. It was absolutely clear that the delegates were very thirsty by the insightful questions posed both in context and out of context.
ROOT, FRUIT FORMATION AND SPREADING STRATEGY IN MALAWI
Since this is the very first seed of ECLEA in Malawi mainly concentrating in the Dowa District specifically Dzaleka Refugee Camp, it can remain as one of the key training centers in Malawi. However, this seed needs to be spread across Malawi even though it has started on very unfamiliar fertile ground. Apart from the refugees from other countries who have embraced and bought the vision of ECLEA, we need natives who can easily spread the fire within their borders. For this reason, I reached out to Bsp Andrew Boma (although we did not meet this time) who has a church in Lilongwe, the capital City of Malawi. He is known to me personally. I sent to him a soft copy of Biblical Stewardship to see the kind of content ECLEA has. If this route materializes then we will spread quickly in Malawi. It will also be a prudent idea in case the refugee camp is closed for ECLEA to remain in Malawi. Moreover, we may not know exactly who among them is seeking, has applied or waiting to fly to another country especially in Europe as an asylum seeker.
In this regard and with assistance from Bsp Kakuzi, I formed an interim committee (about 15 in number) from those who regularly attended for the three days to help manage ECLEA in Malawi with Bsp Kakuzi as the coordinator. Another key qualification of those appointed was ability to teach, capacity to mobilize pastors and church leaders, excellent organizational skills and willingness to serve God whole heartedly through ECLEA. We then looked at possible sites where ECLEA conferences could be done and the following were put forward Salima, Blantyre, Lilongwe, Kasunu, Karonga and Dowa (Dzaleka Refugee Catchment Area). These six regions have two or three people. Their main task for now is to start thinking how to reach those areas and who can be contacted for a conference in the near future. They will also play a very active role in planning for the next conference.
IMMEDIATE NEED.
There is an immediate need to translate ECLEA materials into Chichewa, the language spoken by most Malawians as many can not speak either English or Kiswahili. We actually had to make use of Basimise Mukongamo who was the interpreter for the entire training. Some of the delegates present will not have any of our books either in English or Kiswahili because of the language barrier.
WAY FORWARD
A follow up next training featuring 1 Timothy was scheduled for Monday 9 – Wednesday 11 June 2025 for pastors and church leaders exclusively for ECLEA. I will be training with Bsp Kakuzi as the appointed regional reps observe. Then Thursday 12 through 14 a general conference for all believers with other speakers apart from me. I will also take some time to do a Training of Trainers. I left the logistics to Bsp Kakuzi and his team. A similar arrangement was put in place for our 3rd conference in Malawi scheduled for Monday 6 – Wednesday 11 October 2025. This time, the appointed regions representatives will train together led by Bsp Kakuzi with me playing a minimal teaching but a major supervisory role. I have borrowed this model from 2 Timothy 2: 2 which states – And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. By God’s grace if we accomplish this, Malawi will be in a position to conduct her own local from January 2026. I propose a similar model though not copy and paste to other African countries.
CONQUERING THE REST OF AFRICA STRATEGY
While on my flight from Nairobi to Addis Ababa, I sat next to a gentleman known as Martin Kinyua who comes from my native rural area in Kenya. We quickly struck a chord and talked all the way to Addis for layover. I proceeded to Malawi and he continued to Angola. He bought my book YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE and he promised to link me up with a pastor for ECLEA Angola prospects. I take that as God factor moment.
CONCLUSION
Let us keep this new baby prayed up. Indeed, the harvest is plenty but the laborers are few. One of their major needs is bibles and food.
APPRECIATION
I appreciate Jonathan and thanks to ECLEA supporters for sending me to Malawi. ECLEA is making significant positive changes in the lives of those pastors who would not have in ordinary circumstances gone to Bible school for such deep teachings brought at their doorsteps.
Rev. David Njeru
Pioneer – ECLEA Malawi
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