By Bill Hoffman; St. John’s Episcopal Church, Somerville, NJ As we head into our fourth day (and our toughest climb) the team is now a high performing garden of  heliotropes (wiktionary.org/wiki/heliotrope) drawing people to the light. We look after one … Continue reading Climbing for Kids – Trek Malawi Days 2 & 3

By Bill Hoffman; St. John’s Episcopal Church, Somerville, NJ “When our mission is love, and compassion, and grace. It’s not a test of endurance or a marathon race.” —Sting, So to Speak (from The Last Ship) Our first day on … Continue reading Reflections from the Road – Trek Malawi Day One!

As part of sharing ourselves and strengthening our bonds, three of our team offered afternoon workshops to the camp leaders, staff and ministry leaders of RiseMalawi.  Sio Wedderburn gave a presentation to the staff on trauma-informed care, Nancy Cauffman (ably … Continue reading Leadership and Learning at RiseMalawi

I remember when Chikonde (Chiko) Mbewe, RiseMalawi’s Youth Coordinator, was a fellow at UrbanPromise Ministries and made his presentation to the UrbanPromise International board for seed funding for a project he had in mind to promote sustainability when he returned … Continue reading Stepping Towards Sustainability at RiseMalawi

You don’t need to spend long in Tinashe Saka’s presence to understand why she is VERY affectionately known as the “Mother Teresa of RiseMalawi”. As our van pulled up to her new home in the middle of the RiseMalawi campus, … Continue reading RiseMalawi and Mother Teresa

RiseMalawi was founded in 2008 by Zamumtima (Za) Chijere and Tinashe Saka, alumni of the UrbanPromise International (UPI) fellows program with a passion for vulnerable children and vision for transforming lives in rural Malawi.  Za currently serves as Executive Director … Continue reading RiseMalawi – Building With a Passion

Just about every year for over 10 years now, UrbanPromise International (UPI) in cooperation with the African Bible College here in Lilongwe has sponsored a cohort of African fellows to come to the United States. Under the caring and compassionate … Continue reading African Fellows Alumni Reunion

How quickly strong connections can form which make it so hard to leave! Were we truly only there for 3 or 4 hours? Somehow even beyond the tours, the assembly and the planned activities, there was time to talk, to … Continue reading Special Friends, Special Memories of YouthCare Ministries

Well, actually, it wasn’t supposed to be…today was a public holiday (Malawian Independence Day observance). But when Gomez and his dedicated principal, vice-principal and teaching staff heard we planned to visit today, they gave the students last Friday off instead … Continue reading School’s in Session at YouthCare Ministries!

,,,and no visit to the site is complete for Bruce Main, UrbanPromise International’s Founder, without visiting it! It’s a mango tree he planted there as a tiny seedling three years ago. One day soon when he and Pam come for … Continue reading A Tree Grows at YouthCare Ministries…