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Support for Malawi Ministry
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The Farming Fund
 The farm fund was started as a joint project between Rev. Smart Msinkhu, a pastor of the United Methodist Church in Ntchewu, Malawi and the First Congregational Churches of Gibraltar, Michigan and Flat Rock, Michigan.
This project supplies funds for poverty-stricken farmers in the region of Ntchewu, Malawi for buying seeds, fertilizer, and other needed supplies for growing food.
The farmers are to take from their crops enough to eat for the next year, save seeds for the next year, set aside funds for fertilizer, and then if possible, pay back the funds used from the Tabita Project Farm Fund for use by other farmers.
Our donations help these families provide food for themselves. It is a Christian ministry that is speaking to the people in Ntchewu. They see that being Christian means serving each other and treating each other as brothers and sisters. They see that Christian brothers and sisters are really a global family.
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Our Donations
Our donations help the people of Ntchewu, Malawi who are striving to become self-sufficient. This is done by helping the farmers grow food crops by helping to purchase farming supplies after years of drought, assisting with improving access to educational materials through items sent in Joy Boxes, and assisting families abilities t support themselves through the sewing supplies sent in Joy Boxes. Our donations help improve health care by providing health supplies from the Joy Boxes to the nearest hospital where even first aid supplies are rare.
The Tabita Project is a positive witness to the people in Malawi. However, the needs are great so a benefit concert was organized last Fall. The donations collected at the Farm Aid Concert for Ntchewu, Malawi was be sent to purchase seeds and fertilizer for these farmers. With word spreading, other villages have an interest in receiving help from the Farming Fund.
Donations for the Farm Fund can be sent to the First Congregational Church, U.C.C. in Flat Rock, Michigan. Make the check payable to the church and write Malawi on the note line.
Mailing address:
First Congregational Church, U.C.C.
P.O.Box 157
Flat Rock, Michigan 48134
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Rev. Smart Msinkhu
Reverend Smart Msinkhu entered our lives and hearts in the summer of 2004, when he came for a month long visit with Rev. Lewis Carlson who was serving as interim pastor at our church.
Rev. Smart told of his 19 congregations spread around Ntchewu, Malawi. How he managed to visit each one regularly, in addition to completing his theological studies at the university. His big smile and eagerness to share a hug with everyone touched our hearts.
He has shared stories of the burdens of his people and their hope for a better future. He believes that education is a key to their better future and started a school where there was no school. Currently, 400 or more students live and learn at this school that is now recognized as an official government subsidized school. He has told of the severe draught that was causing hunger and starvation of his people until late 2005. He works directly with the farmers in improving farming techniques as well as working on finding resources to purchase needed farming supplies, like seeds and fertilizer.
Since returning to Malawi, Rev. Smart has kept in regular contact with many of our members through the internet while starting new churches in Malawi. He is our direct contact in Malawi for the Tabita Project.
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