Cuthbert works for Eagles Relief and Development, the Tearfund partner which was started by the Living Waters church in nearby Blantyre. In the five years that Cuthbert has worked for them he has planted forests, given out seeds, delivered food. But all of this has been built on a solid foundation:
‘The first thing we did when we came here,’ says Cuthbert, ‘was build relationships. We deliberately spent time developing relationship. We didn’t have huge resources but we had friends and we enjoyed seeing people hungry for Christ. I get satisfaction from seeing myself doing what God wants me to do and from seeing simple achievements and lives changing.’
Water-holes, schools, childcare, young people’s rights defended and corruption tackled… Cuthbert has been able to watch Fombe grow over the years. While they were once dependent on others to help, now the village is motivated and ready for the future. And all this from some small, small steps as Christ’s followers took time to build relationships, gave their energy to help and dared to share a dream about how much better life could be.