By Lee Forland
North of a small line of mountains within the Malawi lake district lies the small, dusty, Yao village of Namwera. Though the town is small, God’s work is big. In the heart of this mostly Muslim community stands the Namwera Yao Evangelical Church, an SIM church plant and a place where people are coming to know Jesus.
Here, new believers are finding hope and courage, standing firm in their faith despite persecution. Among them are Saidi*, Patuma*, and Amina*.
God has blessed the Yao people through the ministry of the Namwera Yao Evangelical Church.
Saidi’s story
At a very young age, Saidi moved to Mozambique to live with his grandfather, a Muslim community leader. Throughout his young life, Saidi believed in witchcraft and would cut himself as a regular practice to release the evil spirits from his body, believing this would protect him from witchcraft and magic. Saidi lived in fear, day and night, because even with the self-cutting, he was never really certain whether witchcraft and magic might come after him.
At 19, Saidi moved back to his hometown, the Yao village of Namwera. He was surprised by how much his sister had changed since he last saw her.
She used to be stubborn and combative, but now, she was calm and open to reason. He wondered what had brought about the change.
Image: Namwera Yao Church Children’s Sunday School
Saidi’s sister told him she had invited Jesus into her life. Now that Saidi was back in Namwera, she began sharing with him that Jesus is the way. At first, he didn’t listen to her because he had been influenced to remain Muslim by his family in Mozambique. However, over time, he began to feel that something was missing in his life, and that something was wrong. He began to wonder if he would go to heaven, struggling with these questions in his heart. Saidi wanted to find Jesus. He then decided to start coming to the Namwera Yao Evangelical Church, a SIM church plant, to learn more.
A year ago, the pastor led Saidi to accept Jesus as his Saviour. His sister was overjoyed with his decision to invite Christ into his life.
Now that Saidi knows Jesus, his life has changed, and he no longer believes in magic. The change came gradually as his new faith grew, but over time, his fear faded. He says that he now has hope, knowing that Jesus is with him.
Now that Saidi knows Jesus, his life has changed, and he no longer believes in magic.
When Saidi’s family realised that he had become a follower of Christ, they disowned both him and his sister, chasing them away from the family. As a result, Saidi has never been back to Mozambique since finding his new life in Christ and appreciates his new church family.
Patuma’s story
After coming to faith, Saidi married Patuma, a young woman who was also raised in a Muslim home. Despite this background, she felt she didn’t have a personal relationship with her god. Through Saidi’s witness, she came to understand that salvation comes through Jesus’s love and forgiveness, not by works. When Patuma’s mother told her brothers that she had become a Christian, they disowned her, saying she was dead to them and no longer part of the family. Despite this, Patuma is joyful in Christ.
Amina’s story
Amina, a young mother of two from a Muslim background, was deeply troubled late one evening when she heard a voice in a dream saying, “Jesus is the way.” Restless and curious, she asked her friend about Jesus the next day. Her friend invited her to the Namwera Yao Evangelical Church, where Amina learned that Jesus Christ is Lord, He forgives sins, and loves us all. That day, Amina invited Christ into her life as her personal Saviour.
Image: Namwera Yao church members praying
Please pray
- The believers who are being persecuted because of their faith in Jesus
- The Yao people, that they may continue to hear and respond to the good news of Jesus
- The completion of the new Namwera Yao Evangelical Church building
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