The unfolding legacy of a World Cup church

When the 2010 World Cup was held in South Africa, Operation Mobilisation saw an opportunity for outreach across Sub-Saharan Africa.

In the small village of Makwati in Zambia, a tent was set up to screen some of the matches and during the half-time interval, missionaries shared from the Bible and their own experiences of knowing God.

As the tournament continued, some local residents became Christians and started to see the tent as their place of worship.

When the canvas was finally taken down, they were sad to see it go and a shelter was built in its place.

Two years on and the shelter is now the Makwati Community Church, supported by OM worker Chris Welman.

Chris reports that the new building is used all the time and even draws crowds for morning prayers at 6am.

The church continues to develop, with three people recently taking part in a two-month discipleship course and a teacher training programme for a new community school in the village.

The growth of the new church has changed the life of one girl who was an abused orphan and had stopped going to school.

It was when she came to faith in the church that she realised how much hatred she felt towards her abuser. After some time at the church, she was able to forgive her abuser and is now attending the new community school.

“Somebody who had no hope now has it in abundance and you can see it in her face,” says Chris.