On November 26, 2014, I left for Malawi to start working as a fieldworker. Prior to that, I worked for 21 years in education, with 10 years in primary education and 11 years in special education. However, I always had the desire to work with vulnerable (orphan) children in Africa.

In 2012, I went to Malawi for the first time to volunteer for the Timotheos Foundation. It was during this time that I clearly felt a calling, and I decided to apply for the position of fieldworker. In April 2014, I was officially appointed, and after a period of preparations, including a language and culture course, I left for Malawi.

Bible Teaching and Evangelism

Until 2021, I was responsible for overseeing two child care centers. After that, the responsibility for these centers was handed over to two Malawian CCC officers, each overseeing three centers. 

Since May 2021, I have been responsible for Bible teaching and evangelism across all our projects. This involves working with pastors and pastoral workers on:

• Bible teaching at the child care centers;

• Bible teaching at the schools;

• Bible teaching at the orphanages;

• Bible teaching at Sunday School;

• Bible studies with staff;

• Evangelism around the child care centers.

The longer I work in Malawi, the more convinced I am of the importance of Bible teaching. I am often shocked by the limited Bible knowledge among adults. When I ask them how they can be saved, the answer I often receive is that you must live a good life and obey God's commandments.

Many of our children do not have a Bible at home. Their caregivers are often illiterate. They only hear the Bible when it is read or taught at our centers or in church. I am reminded of how privileged we are in the Netherlands if we grew up in a Christian home where it is customary to regularly read and pray together from the Bible every day. Further, we have Christian schools where children are told Bible stories daily and where Bible knowledge is continually tested.

We read in Psalm 78, verses 4-7:
We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

The last verse beautifully summarizes why we must tell children about the Bible from a young age. With persistent prayer, we ask the Lord to bless this work and for His Word to bear fruit.

I often hear from the teachers that they are learning a great deal themselves now that they must prepare a Bible story every day. Now they must read their Bible daily. For many adults, the Bible only opens on Sundays when they go to church—if they even have a Bible.

Prayer

I hope this work will also have a place in your prayers. We are entirely dependent on the Lord's blessing in all things. If He blesses His Word to the hearts of the children and adults, it will have power. Then the work will bear fruit.