Bethany’s work: Empowering women & children

In Malawi, 47% of girls are married before the age of 18. Though child marriage is technically outlawed, hundreds of girls still suffer from early marriage and sexual abuse. Additionally, poverty & food scarcity affect thousands and their ability to receive an adequate education.

‍Bethany’s work, though very part time, is focused on empowering Malawian women in their particular callings & supporting the education of every person she meets

  • When the Saints is the only residential rehabilitation and therapy center for girls who have been sexually abused in Malawi.

    Bethany Partners with the Malawian counselors who care for these girls through:

    • Developing training curriculum alongside a Malawian counselor

    • Twice-monthly visits to counsel the counselors, and train staff & new hires

    • Two annual retreats, offering care and training for the counselors

  • Bethany runs our small but vibrant community library on our property. She welcomes all ages, encouraging literacy and critical thinking skills through reading aloud, teaching chess, and enjoying puzzles and games with visitors.

    She’s also maintained the local private school library across the road from our home and has another library project lined for 2027 in a nearby village.

  • Bethany loves coaching & cheering on other women in their particular giftings. Recently, a dear Malawian friend started restaurant and also got certified as a childbirth doula. Another Malawian friend has grown in her trauma counseling skills & now partners with Bethany at When the Saints.

Supporting Counselors

If you drive two hours north of Nkhoma, you’ll come across When the Saints Ministry: the only residential rehabilitation and therapy center for girls who have been sexually abused in Malawi. They receive police referrals for girls aged 3-16, and often operates with a long waiting list for their 80+ beds. Girls who come to WtS receive counseling, educational support, and life skills during their six month stay.

Since 2019, Bethany has been supporting counselors at the ministry through a variety of ways (see below). The need is great and the case loads continue to grow. When Bethany began, there were 2 counselors caring for 25 girls. Currently, the counseling department has 11 counselors!

Bethany’s work at When the Saints

Writing Curriculum

Since 2019, Bethany has partnered with a Malawian counselor to develop trauma-informed training resources, including:

  • a 9-chapter Training Booklet & Student Journal for new counselors

  • a 3-chapter consumable booklet for teachers supporting traumatized students

  • an interactive course for house mothers

Monthly Visits

Bethany makes twice-monthly visits to the safe house and has recently acquired a new partner: Maya!

Together, they counsel the counselors, train staff, & help integrate new hires.

These monthly visits support sustainability of the overall ministry at the safe house. Case loads are reviewed and both individual & group counseling are offered to the counselors.

Yearly Retreats

Bethany plans and conducts two annual retreats for the counseling staff. This is a time and place to offer deeper care and training for the counselors.

As the capacity at the safe home grows, so does the counseling department. These retreats are vital for building team unity and giving the counselors a place to decompress from their stressful jobs.

Community Library Outreach

  • Robbins Community Library

    ONGOING

    Bethany runs our community library based out of our home. This is a place where reading and games are enjoyed by children & adults alike.

    Bethany has offered tutoring to some regulars and has enjoyed finding the perfect book for any aged reacer.

  • Sharing Resources

    ONGOING

    We’ve been able to share puzzles, art supplies, early readers, games, and math & science manipulatives. We love sharing our library resources with:

    • Seminary families who are called to rural villages

    • English reading practice for seminary students’ wives

    • Other nearby ministries serving vulnerable populations

  • School Library Maintenance

    ONGOING

    Bethany has recently taken on the maintenance of a private school library in our village. With many teachers coming and going, the school library suffers most.

    She created an easy to use system where teachers & students can find anything they’re looking for.

  • New Library Project

    COMING SOON

    Bethany has been asked to turn this storage room into a library for a large primary school in a neighboring village.

    As well, a primary school inside the Dzeleka Refugee camp is also asking for assistance in filling a library space. If you ever want to sponsor a library project, please reach out!

Mentor + Empower

Malawians will always be better fit to serve other Malawians. Bethany loves empowering other women to serve their communities!

Leveraging our Resources

These two dear friends are natural leaders.

One has launched a restaurant, completed childbirth doula training, and dreams of supporting women in labor at the mission hospital while helping bring clean water to underserved communities.

The other is an avid reader who spends her days serving in a deeply impoverished community. In a single day, she may counsel abuse survivors, sit beside the dying, and encourage teen mothers with simple acts of care and dignity.

Bethany supports these women with resources, encouragement, and hands-on help. Malawians are uniquely equipped to serve their own communities, and it is a joy to come alongside the meaningful work they are already doing.