Interview with a local leader
Shadreck Chirwa is a member of All Nations Cape Town serving in Malawi. He left his country to move to South Africa for work, but found Jesus and returned to bring the Gospel to Malawi in a new area. Read on to learn more about what he does there.
1. What led you to go to Malawi?
In 2014 I met the Sherwins in Masi and they started to disciple me. I felt convicted of my sins and felt God calling me. Jesus was really the Lord of my heart and I wanted to become his disciple. The next few years were a journey of learning about Him and taking steps to reach out to those around me in Masi. In 2017, I did the Forge training through All Nations Cape Town and became more aware of who I was in Christ. When I prayed for people back home in Malawi, I felt there is really a need for those people to hear the Good News. I wanted to share the things I had learned about God. Many people where I come from only know how to go to church and receive from God, but they don’t know how to minister to one another or reach out to those around them, especially those who are outcasts or not accepted by others. I want to impart to them that they can go and share the good news and tell people Jesus loves them. I want to walk a journey with those who want to know Jesus and make more disciples.
2. What has most encouraged you in your time in Nkota-Nkota?
Many things have encouraged me. In the 10 months I’ve been here I’ve visited many homes and in almost all of them I’ve been accepted and welcomed. In just the past two months, 23 Discovery Bible Study groups have begun. The movement is being established more easily and quickly than I could imagine. My first disciple I met here is named E. I shared just two commands of Jesus with him – repent and believe, and be baptized, and right away he started to follow Jesus and I was able to baptize him. God is really inspiriting me with people who want to follow him and with how many groups have formed to discover Him. I love getting to worship together with them and I feel they love me, and I love them. Its been a good experience living here.
3. What is God currently doing/teaching you in your life?
I think as I have been here God has been teaching me to be still and to trust in Him, and to be humble. The people I am reaching out to are the people of God. I need to be humble in order to have knowledge and wisdom on how to disciple them. Sometimes I feel I can do everything myself, but I’ve really heard God saying, “You can’t do these things alone. Find people you can work with and raise up other leaders. Make a team and reach out together.” I have messed up at times, but I know the Lord is in this and wants me to continue and trust in Him. It is challenging in this pioneering season because I feel alone or unsure of how to do this. I can feel afraid and discouraged, but when I take steps forward, I can see God moving and lifting me up.
4. What is God doing in the in the people around you to whom you are reaching out?
He’s being faithful to them. They feel inspired each time we meet together. When I come, they have been waiting for me and they have a hunger to pray and discover Jesus. They are really understanding who He is and they are obeying the commands of Jesus. At least half of the over 50 people in these groups have already expressed that they want to follow Jesus and be his disciples. They are willing to follow Him. One thing that inspires me is the love we have for one another. I’ve had one or two rejections from families I met with. One family said they cannot do this because they have a different religion. The rest have received me with such warm hearts, and we are brothers and sisters. God is building us together as a family and as a church.
5. What do you dream of seeing in Nkota-Nkota?
I dream to see multiplication and leaders raised up. I know there has been some but my heart desires to see a lot more groups being established. I know if God does not bring more leaders then there will not be multiplication. I am praying for 3-5 leaders who are well trained and well prepared to make disciples and lead DBSs. I feel ready to train them in all I know. I want to see us expand into other locations nearby that also need Jesus, especially in places where many are different religions and don’t know the Good News of Jesus. If we can raise up leaders and multiply groups, then I know we can reach more people with the Good News and move into the nearby villages.
6. How do you want to use business as part of mission?
When I prayed about a banana business, I felt the Lord would really use it to meet the vision and mission of the ministry in Nkota-Nkota. I can bring the leaders who God raises up. On our way to the field we can have time together to read scriptures and pray and inspire each other. It’s a time for discipleship. We can work together at the farm and become a family. We can use the resources we make to help other disciples start small scale businesses. The people we reach out to have many struggles. Poverty is high and food is scarce. People can go hungry once or twice a week. This business can really be a source of income for the ministry in Nkota-Nkota. If I can get it established and make a good income, I would love to make loans to disciples and DBS groups to start businesses.
