By Bernie Pennings and Hanna Luong

Every time I visit Malawi I’m struck by the friendliness of the culture, by the fact that everybody greets you with a smile. This time was no different, although it might have been a little more evident in Lizulu this trip, due to the fact that plans for a big celebration were underway. The year 2010 marks the tenth anniversary of the official inception of Lizulu Orphan Care and it would not pass without fanfare. 

The ceremonies were scheduled to commence at 10 a.m., but true to African culture, although there was a lot of commotion there was no sign that the program would begin. Various ladies groups, school children, and churches were scattered about, practicing their songs, skits and cultural dances. As hundreds of locals from the community began arriving, John Sprowsen (a fellow “guest of honor”) and I were asked to wait in a room with the Lizulu board members until the ceremonies began. 

When the Commissioner for the Dedza area was on his way the festivities opened with prayer. After this, a number of songs were sung by churches, women’s guilds and youth choirs. A pastor gave a meditation, and dignitaries gave speeches. Many skits were also put on, which were characterized by the recurring theme of the evangelistic aspect of orphan care. Life as an orphan before coming to Lizulu was dramatically contrasted with life as an orphan under the Lizulu program. Their talent as dramatists, seemingly inherent to African culture, was obvious to me – the storyline was clear, although the language it was performed in was Chichewa, of which I have only a modest grasp.
Everton Kamangire, chairman and founder of Lizulu Orphan Care, gave a speech on the history of the orphan care program. Although he spoke in Chichewa, I know the story well. The Lizulu Orphan Care Project was officially established in 2000. They had three centres and about 100 registered orphans. Everton himself would say that things were a little chaotic in those days. Under the mentorship of Timothy & Dorothy Monsma, Everton did what he could for the orphans, but a lack of steady funds limited his ability to make plans for stabilizing and expanding the program. In 2003, Word & Deed became the primary supporting organization of Lizulu. I was impressed immediately by Everton’s philosophy that “you can only do as much as your resources allow.” It was this attitude that has led to a stable orphan care program, and as it matured we were more than happy to increase funding as it was needed, especially because we were confident they were making good use of these funds.
Today, the Lizulu Orphan Care Project has become a part of our Malawi Orphan Basic Sponsorship Program. There are 500 registered orphans, all of whom are sponsored by Word & Deed supporters, and four centers. In the early years, orphans were visiting the centers for nutritious meals and biblical instruction only once a week. Now, they’re coming to the center three or four times a week. They are noticeably healthier and cleaner. Since that first visit in 2003, I’ve also noticed a considerable change in their behavior. Regular instruction and discipline has led to obedient children and orderly classrooms. 
The Lizulu Orphan Care centers are a light to the surrounding community. The presence of hundreds of locals and dignitaries at the celebration is evidence of the fact that the community has become very fond of the project. This sense of goodwill can only increase as some of the early participants in the program are now graduating, moving out into the communities themselves, and starting to give back to the program. Hearing testimonies from three graduates of the program was wonderful affirmation of the transformative power of a program that combines both Word and deed. The graduates we heard from have gone on to secure stable jobs: one is now a police officer, one a banker, and the third owns and operates a grocery store. Each one is now supporting the project, financially and otherwise. 
It’s a humbling thing to address hundreds of smiling faces at an occasion such as this, because I know that I’m being thanked on behalf of hundreds of generous supporters in North America, without whom we could not fund Lizulu Orphan Care. As I urged them to pray for us and as I promised them our prayers, I also reminded them that God’s hand of blessing is easily traced through the past ten years. Truly, it’s He who deserved all the thanks, all the praise and all the glory for the many lives that have been transformed by this orphan care project. Ten years is a long time, and there is much to be thankful for.

Bernie Pennings is Project Director for Word & Deed Canada. Hanna Luong is Administrative Assistant for Word & Deed Canada.

Hundreds from the local community arrived to join in the celebrations.