Inspired Individuals

Theresa began her ministry with nothing other than the ability to walk and a small jar of oil for praying and anointing. She would walk to communities on the outskirts of Lilongwe and began to minister to those who were critically ill. Her priority was always to work through the local church and the traditional authorities. Theresa herself is a chief which has given her the ability and authority to speak to and be accepted by chiefs. After three years churches began partnering with her and providing support. Everyone who meets Theresa is challenged and inspired by her and what God has laid on her heart. She is a formidable woman and suffers no nonsense. She makes some wonderful statements that are worth repeating. “The Church should be a threat to injustice”. “The Church is a sleeping giant, we need to awaken her so that these issues can be addressed.”

In order to lift people out poverty one needs to address a plethora of issues. The task is often too much for any one organisation or church. The result is often a piecemeal approach to development. The problem is compounded by the fact that in order to effect community wide transformation, one needs to engage all the authority structures and stakeholders in the process – both those in the church and those in the broader community.

The key to the solution is to work with pastors and their wives as well as with chiefs and their spouses to lay the core biblical framework and principles for living out the gospel and loving God and neighbor. This solution may seem obvious, but finding a way to achieve it is quite something else, and herein lies the value of what Theresa has achieved. She pioneered an approach that has brought over 1000 churches of different denominations as well as traditional leaders together in 260 villages to: 1. Build the capacity of the local community. This includes: • Early Childhood Development; Income Generating Activities; Micro-finance; Child Protection & Advocacy; Food Security; Rape Crisis Counselling; Vocational Skills Training; HBC & Volunteer Training; Feeding & Nutrition Programme; Youth Clubs & Activities; Medical Issues (hygiene, primary health care, HIV & AIDS); Adult Literacy; and Women Empowerment. 2. Facilitate capital investment in the local community. This includes: • Community Childcare Centre; Boreholes within 2.5 kms of all households; Double Pit Latrines for CCC’s; Intermediate CCC’s for villages further from the Group Village; Irrigation schemes (pedal pumps); Transport issues (ox & cart, bicycles); Eco-Sanitation toilets. In the words of the nominator: “When pastors and chiefs work together in a village, it is amazing how things change. It also makes any intervention more sustainable and rooted in the community.”