FROM FAITH TO HARVEST

In Malawi, villages dot the breathtaking landscape, where the sun-drenched beaches of Lake Malawi meet green hills and mountains. The lake’s freshwater teems with a countless variety of vibrantly colored fish. Behind the country’s beauty and the friendliness of its people, however, lies a dark, difficult side.

Malawi ranks among the ten poorest countries in the world. Over 80% of Malawians are farmers who produce for their own needs. Due to rapid population growth, people are struggling to make ends meet on ever-shrinking plots of land. Furthermore, during the colonial era and afterward, land was taken from the local population for commercial farms, national parks, and forest reserves. For many families, recurring periods of famine are the norm. Child malnutrition is high. Climate change, caused by both global and local factors, further complicates the ability to grow enough food. The more hidden cause of poor harvests, however, is depleted soil and the near-total loss of tree and forest cover.

Only a few Christian farmers integrate their faith with agriculture. Their farms are no different from those of others. The farmland is eroded and infertile, the hills are deforested, the villages are polluted, and there is a lack of trees. These environmental problems are visible signs of a mindset that has not been transformed by Christ.

Twenty-eight years ago, we came to Malawi with the mission of establishing a Bible training program. Church leaders were preaching and teaching without any formal training. During a severe famine in 2002, we realized how little connection there was between faith and daily life. After all, the local church has the mission of making disciples in such a way that their faith becomes visible in their lives.

That is why we decided to read God’s Word with the farmers. Our approach deliberately begins with the question of identity and our relationship with God. We reflect on two central questions: First, “Who is Christ?” As we read the Bible together, we discover that he is the Creator, Lord, and Redeemer of all that exists, of all that I am, and of all that I have. He gave his life on the cross to heal our relationship with God, with others, with ourselves, and with creation (Col 1:15–20).

The second question is: “Who am I?” We discuss Genesis 1:26–28. I am God’s creature, created to be in relationship with him. In his image. Therefore, I have dignity; I am unique in his creation. He has entrusted me with the power to rule as a steward. As his image-bearer, God has given me gifts—intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual—to fulfill this task. Through Christ, I am his child. And just as God sent Christ, He sends me to bring healing to all four relationships (2 Cor. 5:17–20).

These biblical truths are powerful. They transform attitudes. Hope grows that change is possible. At one of our workshops, a participant wrote a song titled “Who Am I?” By the end of the week, everyone sang it with great joy.

This shift in perspective isn’t just theoretical—it becomes visible in practice. Faith and agriculture come together. Holistic disciples are growing. “I now realize that God cares about me as a farmer. About the way I farm. Yes, I’m doing something valuable.” New practices are being adopted. The soil is being improved, forests are regrowing, and harvests are getting better. This takes time and patience.

Elize is a farmer who has made simple changes. Instead of relying on chemical fertilizers, which are often too expensive for most farmers, she uses manure and has reduced tillage. Elize proudly shows us her record harvest. Other farmers were promised chemical fertilizers as part of a government subsidy program, so they opted out of the sustainable farming methods we taught. However, the fertilizer was never delivered, and now they face another famine.

A group of widows successfully grew corn thanks to the compost they learned to make from a farmer we trained. Surprised, they realize: “Grow corn without chemical fertilizer? It works!”

This makes it clear: When people discover their identity in Christ, their whole life changes. Not just their faith, but also the way they work and how they view creation. And being part of this process is simply a joy!