Focus on Mission: Malawi

Malawians live amid stunning natural beauty, but severe poverty threatens the health of many. Photo by Dr. Sue Makin


See photos of the church at work in Malawi.

Focus on Mission is a changing feature that introduces the health work of some of PC(USA)'s global partners: their history, their accomplishments and their needs.

Malawi, a small land-locked country located in central east Africa, was recently classified the poorest nation on earth. But Malawi has a strong and historic network of health missions that founded five hospitals, fostered extensive community health programs and now works to address the cause and effect links of poverty and illness. Health and community development activities are facilitated through PC(USA)'s partner, the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP), whose membership now exceeds that of PC(USA.)

Women's and children's health issues, malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and clean water are  focal points of CCAP's health and development work.  PC(USA) missionary physicians and nurses have worked in Malawi for decades, currently Jodi McGill, RN,  and Dr. Martha Sommers in the northern Synod of Livingstonia,  pediatrician Dr. Barbara Nagy in the central Nkhoma Synod and Dr. Sue Makin, an OB/GYN, in Blantyre Synod in southern Malawi. Jim McGill coordinates shallow well projects in northern Malawi, bringing clean water to remote villages. New Mission Co-workers the Rev. Paul Heller and Darlene Heller, RN, are serving at the Ministry of Hope Crisis Care Nursery in Mzuzu.

Support work in Malawi
Presbyterians in the United States support the work of our partners in Malawi through the Malawi Mission Network, congregation and presbytery partnerships, Presbyterian Women Thank Offering grants and support of the NetWorkers Malaria Prevention Program. The International Health Ministries annual grant program provides funding for a variety of CCAP health and development projects.

Extra Commitment Opportunity accounts channel gifts from U.S. Presbyterians to specific projects in Malawi, including:

862147: Synod of Livingstonia Community Health Training


862726: Mulanje Mission Hospital


862733: Ekwendeni Mission Hospital


048013: NetWorkers Malaria Prevention Program

862706: AIDS Crisis Overseas

051674: AIDS Orphans and Vulnerable Children

051771: Ministry of Hope

051772: Nkhoma Hospital

862149: Embangweni Hospital