A New Beginning

When Cyclone Ana reached Malawi on January 24th, 2022, the Shire and Mwanza Rivers rapidly flooded their banks. The rising waters destroyed homes and crops and everything in their path – including the entire village of Kanseche. Three people from the village lost their lives.

Luke John lived with his family in Kanseche Village. He is 35 years old and has been married to Lillian Foster for 15 years. They have 4 children, Rachel 13, Alinafe 9, Mercy 7, and John who is 3.

Luke, Lillian, and Mercy – in front of his Aunt’s home - their temporary residence

Luke says they had a good life. Together with his 2 brothers, Chifundo and Jeffrey, he ran a family owned business. They raised cattle and goats to butcher and sell in their shop at the local market. Luke generated enough income from the butcher shop to replenish his livestock, buy maize and vegetable seed for their garden, send their children to school and to cover all their household necessities.

In the early morning hours on January 25th, Luke woke to the Mwanza River rushing through his home. The water level was rising so quickly that their only thought was the safety of their family. After waking their children, they rushed out of their home, and found themselves completely engulfed by the overflowing river. They could see no means of escape - the only option to flee the rising water was to climb into the surrounding trees. After lifting each child onto the branches of a large tree, Luke and Lillian climbed up after them - and precariously sheltered there for the next 24 hours.

Former Kanseche village site from across the Mwanza River – and the trees they climbed to escape the rising water

The water started to recede overnight. The next day, rescuers came with canoes to carry the stranded families across the river to safety. They eventually made their way to higher ground. Luke and his family, along with the others, spent the next week living in the open, sleeping on the ground, with only the trees to protect them from the elements. Disaster response personnel were overwhelmed, but eventually help arrived – providing tents for temporary shelter and building latrines. The Kanseche camp was formed.

Luke is very thankful to World Renew and Eagles for the food that they have provided. They lost everything in the flood – their livestock, their crops, their savings, and all of their personal belongings. They feel blessed to receive the food assistance, as it addressed their most urgent needs.

Luke and his family have relatives nearby, so they have since left the camp and moved into his Aunt’s house a short distance away. He and his family share the home with his uncle, two brothers, and their families.

Luke, Lillian, Mercy and some of their extended family

He was given some maize seed from other extended family members and has planted them in a small plot near his home. He is looking forward to the harvest in October/November – but it will produce a lot less than normal. The flooding rivers left large sand deposits behind, impacting soil fertility, and the winter crop harvest is expected to yield only about 50% of normal.

Maize planted among the sand deposits left by the receding waters – harsh growing conditions

Over the last number of years, the Malawi government has been encouraging villagers in flood prone areas to resettle to higher ground. Although it will be difficult to leave their ancestral lands, the residents of Kanseche camp, as a whole, have decided they must relocate to a safer area. They understand that with climate change, tropical storms and their devastating effects will continue to occur - and likely in increasing frequency. They agreed it was just too dangerous to return.

The village leaders met with the people, and together they agreed to make a formal request for village resettlement. Working with the Chickwawa District Council, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs, and the Ministry of Lands, they have now identified a potential location. Luke is uncertain how long the process will take. It may be a long journey, but Luke and his family - and all the people of Kanseche village - are eager to start re-building.

With this in mind, Luke has great hope for the future. He intends to buy livestock again, and reopen his butcher shop. He explains that it is challenging to find work right now. Most of the crops that were growing when the cyclone hit were destroyed, and those that weren’t destroyed have already been harvested. He tells us he will keep searching for work because he is committed to the well-being of his family. He says his first priority is that his children have sufficient food, and can remain in school. Their children’s education is of utmost importance to both Luke and Lillian.

Luke affirms that his faith in God has not wavered. He believes God saved his family for a reason and he trusts that God will help him return to his occupation and bless his family.

Luke’s enduring love for his family, his optimism for the future, and his sincere belief that God’s faithfulness is constant, comes through clearly in his amazingly positive personality. And in his wonderful, infectious smile!