During a recent visit to Worship at the Cross, a tailored church service for those with disabilities, I was drawn in by the confident and measured chords of the hymn. The pianist was Matthew, a wonderful example of a Jesus Cares participant sharing their God-given talents in order for the gospel to be a light to others.
In the heart of the Salima district in Central Malawi, a small congregation called Kachere has become a testament to the profound impact of Kingdom Workers and our compassionate volunteers. It is a story of resilience, faith, and the power of community.
It happened during lunch. This May our Disability Care ministry in Malawi was hosting a speech and language training led by visiting volunteers Kara and Rebecca. Suddenly, three children started coughing. That might not seem like a big deal at first, but, “If you don’t have a base of medical knowledge, you may not know that coughing means a child could be choking on food,” explained Kara. “It could be going down into their lungs.”
“Hello Kim-Sensei! I’ve been waiting to meet you!”
These were the first words nine-year-old Arashi said to me in person. After waiting two years to move to Japan, these words and getting to meet Arashi were truly a blessing.
By the time Tabia was born, the damage to her brother Kennedy’s body was permanent. At just three years old, he contracted polio and lost the use of his legs. Polio vaccines weren’t widely available in Malawi where Kennedy and Tabia were born in the 1960’s. This left children like Kennedy susceptible to the devastating neurological effects of the virus, and the social prejudices that existed against people with disabilities.
