The Fisherman's Net Malawi Journal
In the little country of Malawi, located in South-East Africa and bounded in on all sides by steep mountains, the khasu is a very important part of life. It is an implement that looks something like a hoe, but in actuality is more like a pickaxe. It has been used for centuries to break the hard cement-like African soil until it becomes tillable ground in which maize can be planted. The maize when harvested is ground into "ufa" or cornmeal from which is made "nsima" a porridge-like food which is the very basis of the Malawian's daily meal. So his very existence is dependent upon the khasu.
It is difficult for people of other countries to understand such dependence without actually living with these people and sharing their life. It is easier to think about factories and offices and large machinery in a country where a crop failure may be only a third page newspaper article. After all, if the supermarket happens to be out of stock in one kind of produce, it is but a small change in menu plans to simply buy some other produce.
As a missionary I have spent many an hour in the public market buying maize for people at the mission station. Much time is spent in seeking to help people in their various needs. Many a trip of over fifty miles, much of it on rough mountain roads, has been made with an ill person in the back seat of the car who is wavering between life and death, to take him to another hospital that has sufficient facilities to save his life. All this is done because Jesus has set the example in His own life of love and concern for the needs of others. He has made it clear that He wants to continue to show this love and concern today by working in and through the lives of Christian people. Every time a person is helped, the parable of the Good Samaritan is retold. Every time a hungry person is fed, a thirsty person is given a drink of water, a naked person clothed, a stranger given shelter, a sick person medicated, a prisoner visited, in the name of Jesus Christ, it is just as truly done by and to Christ Himself (Matthew 25:35-40). There is no denying that Jesus had such compassion for the people. His healing of the sick showed His compassion. His feeding of many thousands proved His concern. But this was not all He had to offer. His concern far surpassed these things. To those who followed Him after He had given them food to satisfy their hunger, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth: you are looking for me because you ate the bread and had all you wanted, not because you saw my works of power. Do not work for food that spoils; instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life." "I am the Bread of Life," Jesus told them, "He who comes to me will never be hungry: he who believes in me will never be thirsty." (John 6:26-27, 35. TEV).
There can be no doubt that Jesus lived the greatest life ever lived. He taught the greatest truths that ever were taught. But He came to do more than live a perfect life. He came to do more than teach great truths. The Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus Christ came for a supreme purpose: "But God has shown us how nuch he loves us: it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us!" (Romans 5:8 TEV)
In a foreign country many a person has suffered from what is often called "compassion fatigue." It is caused by seeing more need than one is capable of helping. Some people react by working themselves until they are sick and can do no more at all. Others react by ignoring the needs as if they didn't even exist. Jesus knew the existence of "compassion fatigue" when he said "the poor people you will always have with you." He fed thousands, but many thousands still went hungry; He healed scores, but many others remained ill. He even raised people from the dead but death even came to Him! Even with all His holy compassion, He did not solve every physical need. But He did not fail! He accomplished what He came to do for all mankind: He died on the cross so that all who believe in Him may have eternal life.
A missionary knows that he can never help everyone in the country he serves. He knows that although a very real part of his work is in aiding the hungry, the sick, the physically needy, this is not the greatest aid he can render. The only lasting help is to turn people to Christ as their Lord and Savior. They can be fed but hunger will again come; they can be clothed but clothing wears thin; they can be healed but other diseases and even death are always at the door. Praise God that those who partake of Christ, the Bread of Life, shall never again hunger for all eternity! Matthew 4:4 reminds us that the message here in Malawi as well as any other country is that "Man shall not live by a khasu alone," but by every Word of God, which includes the saving nessage of Christ, the Bread of Life.
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