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Welcome to The Lighthouse Christian Centre Step into the light and experience the difference!
"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I in the midst of them." —Matthew 18:20
Jesus said, "I am the light of the world: whoever follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." —John 8:12 On Thursday 1st October, 2009, the Joy to the World story began a new chapter when The Lighthouse Christian Centre opened its doors after months of planning. In June, 2009, JTW took over a business unit in the town of Kasungu, Malawi and began the hard work of transforming this space into somewhere that will do justice to the Lord. It has been quite a journey, and what has been accomplished here is quite remarkable. Two months ago, we were faced with a shabby, dirty, unloved shell of a place — but no longer; it has been transformed into something very special. It hasn't been easy and there have been many, many challenges along the way, but the Lord has been good to us and here we are, open and doing business. It is a glorious feeling! The Lighthouse is a wonderful example of what can be achieved through team work; each member of the JTW team has brought their own individual, God-given skills and talents to the project. In addition, there has been an array of workers on site and their gifts (painting, carpentry, electrical, building, IT, etc.) have breathed new life into this place. The Lighthouse derives its name from our desire to bear witness to the light of Christ; our aim is and has always been to create a place where the light of God's love shines out to people. We want to be a focal point in Kasungu — a beacon that reaches out to our brothers and sisters and draws them into a place with an atmosphere that is both happy and caring. It is a place that offers friendship and companionship to all; it is our sincere hope that all who visit will feel welcome and at ease. At The Lighthouse, we aim to create a space that is full of life, energy and fun. In doing so, we will unashamedly proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, his death on the cross, his subsequent resurrection and the sure knowledge that the only way to obtain salvation is through this one man — our Lord and Savior. We pray that everyone who visits The Lighthouse will encounter the Lord and experience the grace and the majesty of His love. The Lighthouse is open to everyone - those who are weary travelers on life's journey as well as those who have already discovered the light of the Lord. So what services are actually available here? There are two sides to The Lighthouse. The first incorporates our IT services. We presently have four PCs and our customers are able to use these machines for Internet access, printing and general computer use. In fact, since opening, it has become clear to us that only a small number of people in Kasungu actually know how to use a computer. This fact has led us to review how we work. In addition to offering access to those people who already have IT skills, we have begun to offer computer training to those who don't. Once a week, we give people the opportunity to come into The Lighthouse and deliver a thirty-minute training session on the basics of using a computer. The second aspect of The Lighthouse is our library, which currently houses about 500 books. We are committed to providing people with educational, inspirational and biblically-based Christian resources. Our customers can become members if they wish to take titles away to read at home or they are welcome to come in and simply enjoy them at The Lighthouse. The collection is diverse in its content and includes books on the Christian faith, biblical studies, doctrine and theology, Christian life, biographies, testimonies, devotionals and children's books. At the heart of Joy to the World Ministries is the desire to work with the Lord to make His name great among the nations, and through this new Library Discipleship we hope to bring people into Christian maturity. It is our hope that their faith will be strengthened and that, in turn, they will be better equipped to do the work of the Lord. In addition, we strive to reach out to non Christians. As with our computers, we want The Lighthouse to be open to all, and everyone is welcome here. Our ministry is completely inclusive and we want to share our books with as many people as possible. Since opening on 1st October, 2009, we have steadily been building our customer base and our reputation in Kasungu. As The Lighthouse develops over the coming weeks and months, we have plans to extend the services we are able to offer here. We hope to offer photocopying and fax services. We would also love to be offer drinks and light snacks to our customers. As always, we are in the hands of the Lord and look forward to seeing how He will lead and direct us.
"For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light". —Ephesians 5:8
The Lighthouse is open to everyone &emdash; those who are weary travelers on life's journey as well as those who have already discovered the light of the Lord.
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