TDI continue to engage Networks of churches and community leaders to work together in ending poverty and injustice so that the quality of life is raised in all its fullness in their communities in Chitipa district. Through its Transformative Leadership Development program, TDI is using the ABCD concept and Restore curriculum concept to train church leaders to identify and use available assets in addressing community needs rather than waiting for external support.
Registered achievements so far
- Between 2019 and 2020, TDI conducted the initial training of ABCD to 438 church leaders/pastors and 35 ABCD mentors who were to continue training others in their respective zones.
- By 2023, TDI had trained 257 zonal leaders and 771 local church leaders/pastors from 265 local churches on ABCD principles and practices.
- To date, 65 local churches have developed their church ministries using the ABCD concept and 56 local churches are using the ABCD concept to address community needs.
- In a related development, 396 church leaders were envisioned on the restore concept that focus on ending poverty and injustice through restoring the four broken relationships using SGM as a ministry model.
Project Successes
86-years Esther Mbotwa lives in Chipwera village in Misuku Lower. Esther has been living alone in a tiny grass thatched house in the middle of the village. The house used to leak during rainy season and was insecure and hazardous. To many of her village mates, this was a normal situation for an old woman who has nothing to offer to society apart from waiting for her death. When no other helper had been there, Jesus has been nearer through the local church. Esther’s fate change one day when she was visited by Revered Paul Soko of Kapoka CCAP who announced the great tidings that the church would be rehabilitating her house. Using the ABCD concept, Kapoka CCAP realized MK 423,000 from cultivating groundnuts. In partnership with the zonal network, the church used the cash to procure iron sheets, timber, binding wire and wire nails to roof the rehabilitated house for Esther. The project is still on – going and remaining with plastering of the wall, flooring and fixing of window glasses and doors. Esther’s hope and dignity has been restored and through the local church. The church will continue to look into other basic needs of Esther like food, water and clothing. TDI through Willow Creek will continue supporting efforts of local churches in fulfilling their mission and mandate.