By Lee Forland
Shunned and persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ, a couple from south east Malawi chose to respond by doing something incredible.
Mayamiko and his wife Mercy were raised in a Muslim community and were rejected by their community when they accepted Jesus as their saviour.
But, even though they lost many friends and felt very alone, they knew they had to stand firm – so firm, that they decided to become pastors and share the love of Christ with the very people who were persecuting them.
With the help of sponsorship from SIM, they each began a two-year journey at the Evangelical Bible College of Malawi (EBCoM) to receive training that would make them more effective in their outreach ministry.
The culmination of those studies came in October, when they both graduated with a Certificate of Bible Studies (CBS) within the English speaking programme. Not only that, but Mercy received the “Best Academic Student of the Year” award for being first in her class.
After the graduation ceremony, Mercy said, “Today is an exciting day! I enjoyed the evangelism and discipleship courses at EBCoM the most, and I am now looking forward to returning to my community where I can help people understand just how much Christ loves them.”
Mayamiko and Mercy are now serving home communities as ministers in the evangelical church, from where they continue reaching out to their Muslim community.
They graduated alongside four more SIM-sponsored students from the Africa Evangelical Church (AEC), Samuel Thenford, Joseph Chanunkha, Patrick Tayali and Blessings Milisi.
Samuel, who had worked as a pastor before joining EBCoM, was the best academic student in the Chichewa programme.
These four will now serve a one-year internship in the AEC before becoming pastors of their own churches.
Please pray
- For Mayamiko and Mercy, that God will continue to protect them and bless their ministry as they reach out to the unreached in their community.
- For Samuel, Joseph, Patrick and Blessings, that God will shepherd them and guide them as they continue to develop as pastors during their one-year internships.
- That God will continue to raise up future EBCoM graduates, and that the graduates will continue to be a blessing to their communities.
You might also like
Meet Murray and Sheryl, SIM mission workers as they share their heart for ministry in Ecuador, the joy of discipling young people, and wisdom for the next ...
A new crisis centre in Central Asia offers hope and healing to women and children facing trauma, abuse, and poverty. Discover how faith and community are t...
When one of our Instagram followers, aged just 16, asked how to prepare for mission, Anna Abidan shared her advice — balancing prayer, God’s guidance a...
Sharing the gospel isn’t just for a few it’s a call for every believer. Learn how your skills, story and heart can be part of God’s mission locally a...
During Bangladesh’s Feast of Sacrifice, Ethiopian mission workers Tesfaye and Hanna seize the chance to share how Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice, seeing...
In Niger, farmers are restoring degraded land and improving food security through a method developed with Australian agronomist Tony Rinaudo. Known as Farm...
In Ethiopia, a Bible curriculum designed for semi-literate teachers is transforming how children learn about God. Developed by SIM mission worker Sharon Sa...
In South Sudan, SIM’s Doro Clinic is offering medical care, dignity, and the hope of the gospel. Through weekly outreach programmes, chaplains and health...
In Botswana, ten church leaders are studying theology online while continuing to serve their churches. With support from SIM and Union Bible Institute, the...
When God asked Sara to step into something far beyond her experience, she said yes. Children’s ministry and walking with widows through grief, Sara's tes...
Francis Kuntenga, a Malawian mission worker serving with SIM among the Yao people in Mozambique, chose celibacy after a heartbreak. Today, he sees his de...
In northern Kenya’s arid regions, SIM Kenya board chair David Gargule serves as a modern-day shepherd, guiding both people and mission with wisdom.