Early in his ministry, The Rev. Dan Alinafe Mazimbo recognized that in many cultural contexts, especially in rural parts of Malawi, people believe that children are wealth. These children are often used for labor in the fields, and in some countries, children are forced into early marriages so that their families can receive a dowry. This gets more complicated as women are often denied opportunities for higher education. They’re also left completely unaware of reproductive health, and the result triggers both a high fertility rate and a high mortality rate.
Out of deep concern for the well-being of everyone in the community to which he ministers, Dan designed a course, in collaboration with local experts, to train young women in the ways of reproductive health and how it impacts population growth. The goal is to help further a more just and equitable society for everyone.
Dan began this work because he believes in the power of Christ’s transformation. He writes, “a reconstructed life is a vulnerable life because you are entrusted with your treasurers. In this life that can be transformed by God, one can no longer prevent one’s senses from perceiving the painful reality of people surrounding us and cannot shirk one’s responsibility to do all it can to alleviate suffering and hardship.” He attributes this to loving the world in the same manner in which Christ loved the world.
The event spanned over five days and engaged 50 women in programming and discussions on topics such as population growth, cervical cancer, self-awareness, gender-based violence, and family planning. For such an extensive training, Dan collaborated with experts from the Ministry of Health, doctors from prominent hospitals, women entrepreneurs, local nurses, and a family planning specialist. The goal was to give women a broader perspective on options and choices they can make in life to be able to empower themselves and their communities.
The five day training found great success in the realm of information sharing. Many who attended did not know about the impact of rapid population growth on their society. Others had very little exposure to methods of self-empowerment and boundary setting. Still others knew relatively little about sexual health and family planning options.
While issues arose concerning the participants’ education levels and the need to undo many cultural barriers, the program was able to maintain a good level of cultural sensitivity, while at the same time expecting the participants to be engaged in all of the sessions. Everyone agreed by the end of the training that empowering women on health and social issues not only has a positive effect on them, but also on their families and their communities.
In his efforts, Dan recognized that evangelism is most effective when it addresses the practical needs of the community. Integrating faith and education helps support the whole person, which in turn supports the whole community. From the earliest of times, the church has always played a pivotal role in the health and well being of communities. In Dan’s own words, “by continuing to push the margins of the church’s reach into the community, the church can become a beacon of hope and transformation in the community by combining faith with practical support.”
