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Malawi Mission Trip 2009






Mission Trip to Malawi, Africa

Sponsored by: WorldHope Corps, Inc.

Led by: Dr. Michael J. Christensen, Director of the Shalom Initiative , Drew University; and Stacy Radmore, veteran mission team member

Hosted by: Staff of CitiHope Malawi and Pastor of Mzuzu United Methodist Church

DATES: May 20- June 1, 2009 (12 days)

Cost: $3,200 per person (including international travel, accommodations, meals, and in-country transport)

Travel Plan: Depart JFK on Wednesday, May 20, for Johannesburg to arrive in Lilongwe, Malawi, on May 21; Return on Sunday, May 31, and arrive JFK on Monday, June 1. A two-day extention in Johannesburg also is available.

Destination: Malawi, a small land-locked, developing country of 12 million people bordering Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique, is particularly vulnerable to famine and disease, and suffers from extreme poverty and AIDS. The May Mission Trip team will carry out its mission in and around Mzuzu City in Northern Malawi where WorldHope Corps supports an orphan care program and village well projects in partnership with CitiHope.

Mission: To raise hope in vulnerable communities through cross-cultural relationships, “reverse mission” and the ministry of presence.

Reverse Mission: Our service team will focus its activities on being present in communities need and to vulnerable persons, who have their own gifts to share. By focusing our mission of help and hope on relational support and being with those who are economically poor, we hope to fulfill a ministry of presence (God’s presence through us) which may result in our own spiritual transformation. Henri Nouwen calls this “reverse mission.” In encountering the rich spirit of Christ in those whom we would serve, we ourselves are transformed in the process. A good way to prepare for the trip is to read Henri Nouwen’s book Gracias to deepen your understanding of “reverse mission.” Other reading material will be recommended to team members preparing for the trip.

Projects and Objectives: We will assist in emergency food distribution, visit selected mission sites, and participate in village well projects with the objective of mutual ministry and service. We will also explore with local experts social justice issues affecting Malawians, including the HIV/AIDS pandemic, extreme poverty, and local effects of economic globalization.

Specific Activities:
1. Visit at least one Orphan Care Center and Help feed 100+ Malawian orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children their daily meal, joining them in recreational and educational activities

2. Visit the Mzuzu United Methodist Church HopeHome caring for AIDS orphans and abandoned children with support from WorldHope Corps.

3. Visit with some of the youth recipients of Hope Scholarships and support for their secondary school education and vocational training

4. Deliver nutritional food products in hospitals, schools, churches, prisons, and social service agencies supported by CitiHope.

5. Visit prisoners in Mzuzu Central Prison, delivering food and hygiene supplies

6. Help dig a village well and dedicate other village wells recently installed by CitiHope and WorldHope Corp as part of our community development program.

7. Help local community members develop micro-financed small businesses

8. Help organize a new ‘shalom zone” within the Mzuzu Circuit of the United Methodist Church

9. Conduct art workshops for children and youth in different settings.

10. Worship with our Malawian brothers and sisters on Sunday in church

Local Ministry Partners: CitiHope International, Mzuzu United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Synod of Livingstonia, Malawi

Meals and Accommodations: In Malawi, we will stay together in a Guest House near the CitiHope Mission Center in Mzuzu. Most rooms are double rooms, simple and clean, with shared bathrooms. Single supplements are available if needed. We will stay in a hotel in Lilongwe the night before departure. Group meals and accommodations in transit and in Malawi are included in the price of the trip.

Budget includes: International travel from JFK, hotel in Lilongwe, guest house in Mzuzu, in-country transport, group meals, and local hospitality expense. The total expense for this 10 day trip to Africa is approximately $3,200 per person, assuming international flight cost does not exceed $2,000. In-country costs are calculated at $100/day x 10 for meals, accommodations, airport taxes and exit fees, and transportation within Malawi by minivan. Plus $200 local hospitality expense. Total amount is payable in advance to WorldHope Corps, Inc. as a tax-deductible donation.

Funding: Although no scholarships are available from WorldHope Corps, team members are encouraged to request mission funds from their local church or association which can be channeled through WorldHope Corps. A sample “appeal letter” is available by request that can be adapted and sent to family members and friends.

Availability: Limited to 10 mission-minded people who have previously donated to WorldHope Corps or CitiHope International, with priority given to official representatives of local churches and organizations that help sponsor projects in Malawi.

Who Should Participate? Service-minded people of good faith and good will who share a concern for orphans and widows in Africa and who want to do their part to help end extreme poverty and AIDS in the world in our lifetime. Those who cannot go on this particular trip but want to participate through financial support are invited to donate to WorldHope Corps www.WorldHopeCorps.org

Deposit Required: A $300 deposit with application is required before April 1, 2009, to reserve a space, with the total amount due before April 15, 2009.

Disclaimers: WorldHope Corps is prepared to facilitate the Malawi Mission Trip but no corporate or leadership liability for medical emergencies or logistical failures. CitiHope Malawi and Mzuzu United Methodist Church are prepared to receive and host visiting groups to Malawi, but accept no corporate liability for mission team organization, travel or activities. Individual travel insurance is required of all team members.

Next Step: Request an application/information form (available via email or from website) which must be completed and returned before April 1, 2009, with the $300 deposit payable to WorldHope Corps and sent directly to Dr. Michael Christensen at
11 Ardsleigh Dr. Madison, NJ 07940.

Team members will remain in touch by email and meet once (by phone or face to face) in April to discuss final trip preparations and assess team dynamics before departing for Africa on May 20.

For further information, contact Stacy Radmore at sradmore@hotmail.com or Dr. Christensen at mchriste@drew.edu.

To support the mission, donate at www.WorldHopeCorps.com

For Malawi Mission updates, see blog: http://michael-christensen.blogspot.com

Prayerfully count the cost and consider joining us.
It will change your life and make a difference in the world!

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