Under a shady tree, in a tent and in various members’ homes…
These have been the meeting places for the Brunstad Christian Church (BCC) fellowship in Lilongwe, Malawi since 2011. This steadfast fellowship made up of 12 adults, 34 youth and 11 children, is now looking forward to the building of a church centre in an environment that will be conducive to a thriving fellowship where spiritual growth can flourish.
Plans have already been drawn up for the centre which include a hall where church services, Sunday School, small conferences and indoor youth and children’s activities will be held. A kitchen, an administration office, ablution and storage facilities, among other useful amenities, will also form part of the centre. An outdoor area will be developed, providing a pleasant and safe environment for activities for the young people and children, as well as space where young and old can gather and enjoy fellowship together.
This BCC building project is the second such project in Malawi (see article – The “Building of a Church!”), which will involve Malawian graduates from the Christian Youth Development Program (CYDP), run in South Africa by BCCSA . On the CYDP young people learn a number of valuable skills through practical training in the building and construction industry, budgeting, procurement, bookkeeping, etc, and many other hard and soft skills are gained on this year long course. This project in Lilongwe also provides a good opportunity for members of the fellowship to do some volunteer work over the weekends and by working together they will benefit from the transfer of skills. This will also give members a sense of ownership and responsibility to maintain the centre after completion.
Eleazar Mkundika, the leader of the BCC fellowship in Lilongwe, expressed his thankfulness and excitement at the prospect of having their own church centre: “This place will be a paradise for Sunday School and children’s activities; youth services and Brunstad Youth Club (BUK) camps; our midweek and Sunday church services and month-end and periodic conferences.”
The centre will be equipped to enable access to BrunstadTV and all the edifying programs for youth, Sunday School programs for the children, conferences and events which are made available by BCC Media.
Exciting times ahead for the members of this fellowship!
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