Mbeya

TO PROVIDE THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION AND PRACTICAL MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES FOR RURAL MINISTERS IN MALAWI

OPERATION AND STAFFING OF ZOLA ZOLA COMMUNITY CENTER IN MALAWI: MBEYA OVERSAW THE OPERATION AND STAFFING OF ZOLA ZOLA COMMUNITY CENTER. IN 2022 WE BEGAN A NEW INITIATIVE TO REACH GANG MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE THEM WITH PRACTICAL BUSINESS TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITIES. TWO MAJOR GANGS WITH MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED MEMBERS WERE SERVED IN 2022. ALSO NEW IN 2022 WAS THE FORMATION OF A ZOLA ZOLA DRAMA CLUB TO PROVIDE A POSITIVE AFTER SCHOOL EXPERIENCE FOR COMMUNITY YOUTHS. ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS AT THE CENTER INCLUDE: LIBRARY SERVICES; TUTORING; CHRISTIAN OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS; AND COUNSELING SERVICES FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE TOWNSHIP. THE CENTER PROVIDES TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR YOUTHS TO ACCESS A WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING RETREATS. NAVIGATORS MALAWI (A REGISTERED MALAWIAN RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION) IS A PARTNER ORGANIZATION THAT ASSISTS WITH THE CENTER. YEAR 2022 IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE COMBINED PROGRAMS WAS IN THE THOUSANDS.

VILLAGE & URBAN OUTREACH PRACTICALS AND SEMINARS FOR PASTORS AND IN THE NORTHERN REGION (MZIMBA, RUMPHI, KARONGA, CHITIPA DISTRICTS) OF MALAWI . IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BETHEL BIBLE COLLEGE MALAWI, MBEYA PROVIDED FUNDING FOR PRACTICAL OUTREACHES. PROGRAMS INCLUDED OUTREACHES, TEACHING, TRAINING, YOUTH PROGRAMS, CHILDREN'S MINISTRIES, AND CHURCH SERVICES. 2022 SAW A FOCUS ON THEKERO VILLAGE IN RUMPHI DISTRICT WHICH BECAME THE LOCATION FOR OUR NEW RETREAT CENTER.

OPERATION AND STAFFING OF BETHEL BIBLE COLLEGE (BBC) IN MZUZU, MALAWI. MBEYA CONTINUES SUPPORT OF BETHEL BIBLE COLLEGE IN MZUZU, MALAWI BY PROVIDING FUNDS FOR STUDENT SPONSORSHIPS, TEACHER STIPENDS, AND SPECIAL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARS OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY. IN 2022 WE GRADUATED OUR THIRD COHORT OF FULL-TIME PASTORS IN THE CERTIFICATE OF MINISTRY PROGRAM, AND ENROLLED A NEW COHORT IN THE DIPLOMA OF MINISTRY PROGRAM. STUDENTS AT THE BIBLE COLLEGE SERVED AS VOLUNTEERS AT THE ZOLA ZOLA COMMUNITY CENTER TO HELP REACH YOUTHS IN THE TOWNSHIP, INCLUDING OFFERING SPECIAL ONE-DAY SEMINARS ON A VARIETY OF PRACTICAL AND THEOLOGICAL TOPICS. THE BIBLE COLLEGE PROVIDES HOSTELS, MEALS, LIBRARY SERVICES, CLASSROOM EDUCATION, THEOLOGICAL RESOURCES, AND MINISTRY PRACTICALS FOR STUDENTS. OCCUPANCY AND TENANCY COMPENSATION IS REMITTED TO MALAWI ASSEMBLIES OF GOD (A REGISTERED MALAWIAN RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION) FOR USE OF THE CAMPUS.

ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THEKERO LAKESHORE RETREAT CENTER. IN 2022, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NORTHERN REGION YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TRUST OF MALAWI, MBEYA ACQUIRED AND BEGAN DEVELOPMENT OF THE THEKERO RETREAT CENTER, A FOUR-ACRE LAKESHORE PIECE OF LAND THAT IS BEING DEVELOPED FOR BIBLE COLLEGE STUDENT RETREATS, HOSTING OF VISITING VOLUNTEER TEAMS, AND OUTREACH CAMPS FOR THE YOUTHS OF THE ZOLA ZOLA COMMUNITY CENTER. THE RETREAT CENTER IS CURRENTLY PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT FOR MORE THAN THREE DOZEN VILLAGERS THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE LAND. FURTHERMORE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, MBEYA IS PROVIDING FUNDING FOR SCHOOL FEES FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN OF THEKERO VILLAGE. IN 2022 THE SCOPE OF SERVICE WAS LIMITED TO RESIDENTS OF THE VILLAGE, THEOLOGY STUDENTS OF THE BIBLE COLLEGE, AND SELECT YOUTHS FROM THE ZOLA ZOLA TOWNSHIP WHO WERE GIVEN PART-TIME WORK OPPORTUNITIES. IN THE FUTURE, THE SCOPE OF THE RETREAT CENTER WILL REACH HUNDREDS OF YOUTHS FROM THE ZOLA ZOLA TOWNSHIP AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORING NORTHERN REGION DISTRICTS THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF THE BIBLE COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO WILL SERVE AT THE RETREAT CENTER FOR THEIR PRACTICALS.