OUR STORY AND OUR FUTURE

HASTINGS AND SUZEN'S STORY
Hastings and Suzen Zidana, Malawians themselves and founding Trustees of Shine Relief Trust (Malawi) have been directly involved with the youth of Malawi in Zomba District.

"Our first experiences with the Malawian Youth Organisation come from our local church when were given the responsibility of directing the Youth Ministry.

It was from this group that we became so touched with the plight of the Youth of Malawi. We realized that, not only do our youth lack spiritual guidance but economic problems were much of the prohibiting factor towards any progress in their day to day livelihood.

While working with the youth, apart from spiritual guidance, we have supported some of the youth materially and economically. We managed to send some of the youth to attend high school education, while some were given a chance to do vocational training.

The impact of HIV/AIDS in Malawi has left many children as orphans, and many single parents. This gives a challenge to any youth worker in Malawi as to the number of the youths needing support.

We have been supporting the youth using our wage bill. However Malawi is just a developing country and a wage bill is not enough to support the high numbers of the needy children and widows as in the case of Malawi.

Malawi is in need of people who can stand up and give help to these suffering youth. There is need to tackle the problem of orphans, by giving them shelter and food. This will help to serve the nation and make the world a better place to live.

Shine Relief Trust is one of the tools which will be used in our effort to support the orphans and widows of Malawi."

PHIL AND DEBBIE'S STORY

ln 2007 Phil and Debbie Irvin became friends with Suzen and Hastings Zidana whilst Hastings and Suzen lived for 3 years in Hull, UK. Both families attend the Hull Vineyard Church and had a lot in common as well as their faith. Both couples have a love of people and have compassion for the poor, especially children and young people. Phil and Debbie became Christians in 1993.

"From day one really we have had a deep compassion for the poor and in particular young people. This desire to see the poor fed and young people cared for led us to give up our careers in 1996 to help pioneer a youth project called Label of Love. 3 years later God called us to be involved in a more pastoral role and Phil spent 5 years as assistant Pastor at Hull Vineyard church were he was involved in youth work and schools work with Debbie. Phil was also involved in Prison work and work with the homeless throughout this time so we have experienced a certain amount of suffering but nothing like on the scale of the people in Malawi.

God has given us great understanding of his heart for the poor and a desire, with God’s help, to bring about change.

We have had a real sense of God’s calling on our lives to work with the poor in Malawi. Nine years before meeting Suzen and Hastings we began sponsoring a child in Malawi and started to learn of the suffering. God calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things. We believe this is so with us.

1 John 3 :16 is a key verse for us."It is through this we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"

CHRIS AND JANIE'S STORY

Chris and Janie Whitelock have been members of the Hull Vineyard since 2001. Chris was brought up in Malawi to the age of 21 and therefore has a thorough knowledge of the country and its people and culture. Both Chris & Janie have been actively involved in mission work, with Chris' first job being with Interserve, an international missions agency. Latterly, they have helped establish work amongst orphans in Ukraine.

"We have got to know Suzen and Hastings and their family over the past 2 years and as a result have been drawn to the work and vision they have for Malawi. With my (Chris) background of living in Malawi it was a natural step for me to get involved with and support this vision. Janie & I hope to be able to bring some experience of cross-cultural ministry into this wonderful work so that we can build something that is sustainable over the long term.  It is a privilege to be working with Suzen and Hastings and Phil and Debbie who have such strong and clear vision and energy for what God is calling them to do."