Malawi Ministry

 The story of Immanuel Church of Crosby

And the Malawi Orphan Care Project (MOCP)

In 2010, after Immanuel changed its denominational affiliation to Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) and North American Lutheran Church (NALC) it held a congregational learning event with the book “The Hole in Our Gospel” by author Richard Stearn, the USA President of World Vision at that time.

From the study, the congregation was convicted and called by God into new mission projects – locally and globally.  Locally, God called us to participate with the New Pathways homeless ministry in the Brainerd Lakes area, the Crosby Food Shelf, the Soup Kitchen ministry in Brainerd, to name a few.  Globally, we were yet looking for a global mission partner.

Michael and Susan Bushard were sent as delegates from Immanuel to a NALC mission conference in Ethiopia, Africa with the hope of connecting with some kind of global mission project to bring back to Immanuel. 

While at the conference God “arranged” for them to meet Pastor Andy Jones from First English Lutheran Church (NALC) in Mansfield, Ohio, whose church was part of MOCP and were looking for other churches to get involved.  The connection with MOCP was made!

Key members of MOCP at that time were Pastor Andy and Joy Jones, and Ken and Penny Ekegren – all from First Englich Lutheran Church in Mansfield.  MOCP is the North American Branch of Kenyenyeva Orphan Care Mission (KOCM) in Malawi led by Malawi volunteers.

At first, the main goals of MOCP were simply to feed the children of the project daily, send as many children as possible to high school, send several girls to boarding school, and drill a well for clean water at the project site. 

Note: MOCP is not an orphanage, but an orphan care project.  MOCP/KOCM encourages orphans to remain with members of their family system if possible.  Children come to the project from neighboring homes and villages to be served and to enjoy community life as children.

At that time, MOCP was also involved with a chicken business (eggs for protein and for sale), a bracelet business, and a taxi service to raise funds for the feeding and school tuition programs.

Since our initial involvement with MOCP, Immanuel has sent a number of people on several mission trips to Malawi, and have played a significant role in the following projects:

• The feeding program
• Tuition for high school students
• Tuition for college students
• Tuition for boarding school students (girls)
• Drilling a well
• Building an outdoor and sheltered kitchen and locked storage area
• Planting a cross to mark the project
• Purchasing land for a farm
• Purchasing a tractor for farm use
• Purchasing a truck for farm use
• Building of a skills center for girls
• Building a new community shelter and gathering space
• Days for Girls (feminine hygiene kits for girls)
• Rocket stoves
• Solar lighting/electricity

At the present time, a number of other churches in the USA and Canada are now involved in the project and there are other churches interested. The project has grown and is growing!  Thanks be to God!

In addition to the feeding, school tuition, farm, skill center, current projects include a renewed chicken business, and a Rescue Center for women and girls who are involved in unhealthy and/or dangerous arranged marriages.