US Church donates to Malawi flood victims

Westhighland Missionary Baptist Church of Alabama in the United States of America last Thursday and Friday donated assorted relief items worth over K1.5 million to families affected by flash floods in Mzuzu City and Karonga.

Rev Forrest Moore, accompanied by Deacon Joseph Andrew Bunton, flew to Malawi to make the donations on behalf of the church.

Moore said he learned about the disaster through Malawi’s online media, particularly Nyasa Times.

“We were concerned and decided to come and see the situation for ourselves and determine what kind of assistance we can give,” said Moore, who established a branch of the church at Mlowe in Rumphi in 2003.

After visiting Masasa and Salisbury Lines in Mzuzu, the two missionaries donated assorted items that included bags of flour, blankets, buckets, plates, and roofing plastic sheets to 62 most needy families at Mbawemi and Kawuwa camps.

Before making the donations, the missionaries met with Mzuzu City Council chief executive officer and Karonga District Commissioner and other officials.

During their interaction, Moore urged the authorities to come up with programmes that would prevent loss of life and property in future such as construction of wide concrete drainage systems, dykes and relocating people from flood-prone areas.

Karonga District Commissioner Rosemary Moyo said there were already long-term plans to construct dykes and relocate people from swampy areas to upper land, but the council was yet to source funds for the same.

Moore said his church was ready to assist in the projects and asked both councils to write proposals to the Church. n