First Congregational Church of Gibraltar  -United Church of Christ

Tabita Farming Project

Tabita Project—Farm Fund

Shout !

 

 

Check out our Benefit Concert Musicians

Heaven Sown

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 Gibraltar, Michigan.  Make the check payable to the church and write Malawi on the note line.

 

Mailing address:

    First Congregational Church, U.C.C.

    29885 Bayview

    Gibraltar, Michigan 48173

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.

Rev. Smart Msinkhu

Other Links

 

UCC—National

 

God is Still Speaking Campaign

 

UCC—Michigan

 

UCC—Southeast MI

-Detroit Metropolitan Area

 

UCC -Southeast Michigan Mission Outreach

 

Metropolitan Christian Council Detroit-Windsor

 

Support for Malawi Ministry

 

Tabita Project - Malawi
January 2008 Update
 

In 2007, 12 Joy Boxes (504.5 lbs total) were shipped to Malawi in 2007.  Fewer Joy Boxes were sent this year than in 2006 because of the 83% increase in postal costs that took effect in May 2007. Included among the variety of items was an entire set of  Encyclopedia Britannica that was obtained from the Research Library of BASF Corp.

 
Funds were sent that purchased 100 Bibles and the seller gave 5 additional Bibles free.  Also, a new program was started to help some get started in supporting their families through sewing. Funds for 5 sewing machines were sent. Those who obtained the sewing machines are to pay back the cost of the machine plus 10% to the Sewing Fund as they can from their profits. This way new machines can be purchased as funds are returned similar to how the Farming Fund operates.

 
In 2008, the work continues. There is an Orphan's Field that has been started to grow food for over 40 orphans that Rev. Smart Msinkhu is caring for now. The village chief encouraged people to give of their time to prepare and plant the field. The field needs fertilizer at a cost of $5500. The $500 that was sent from the Flat Rock church will let them start buying some of the fertilizer needed.

 
We now have the Farming Program, the Sewing Program, a Relief Program, and an Educational Program. The Relief Program is supported by many of the items that are sent in the Joy Boxes for helping many needy families and the local hospital. The Educational Program helps support adult literacy classes and students going to school through the educational items sent inthe Joy Boxes, such as: books, flash cards, and school supplies.

 
The work of the Tabita Project has been a strong witness to the people in Malawi. Rev. Smart Msinkhu now has 30 growing congregations.

“Little Dresses” for

Africa’s Little Girls

 

Rachel O’Neill of Brownstown Twp has initiated a “Little Dresses” project to create dresses out of pillow cases for little girls in Ntcheu, Malawi. 

 

Ntcheu, Malawi is where Rev. Smart Msinkhu lives… we are hoping she gets to meet him on her trip!

 

Rachel has made several trips to Malawi, and is planning on returning in early 2008, and her goal is to take 1000 dresses with her! 

 

Marilyn Peacock and Donna Beauman are committing to assist her by making 100 dresses.  In just a few weeks they have collected over 40 pillow cases from various people, including garage sales.

 

They have completed 12 dresses.  Marilyn says you don’t have to be a seamstress to sew one of these dresses, and they could also use help pressing and bagging the dresses once they get them completed.

 

They are also still in need of pillow cases, bias tape, narrow elastic and gallon size zip-lock plastic bags.