The History of the N.O.A.H. project

The N.O.A.H. project began as a fact-finding trip to Malawi in July of 2002. Malawi is a small country in central Africa located between Zambia and Mozambique. It is primarily a Christian nation, a former British colony, and one of the poorest countries on earth. Three members from Emmanuel Baptist Church in Monroe, N.C., went as guest members of a team from New Song Christian Fellowship, also of Monroe, NC. The original mission statement of the trip was to provide food and medical assistance and to investigate the possibility of helping the local church to build an orphanage and school. During the mission, a local chief agreed to provide land for the project, and a building foundation was started by the team. In addition, 185 lb. of medications, 11,000 lb. of maize(corn), five bicycles and dozens of hand-made quilts were provided by the team and distributed among the Malawian people and the local church pastors.

The team members from Emmanuel began raising funds for the orphanage project when they returned and construction was continued through a partnership with the local African pastors and volunteers who oversaw completion of the first building. By November 2002, more than $36,000 had been raised and another team returned to continue the construction, install two wells and provide additional humanitarian aid. This team of three included two of the first Emmanuel missionaries and another from Unionville Baptist Church of Monroe, a church that provided nearly two thirds of the funds raised. Another 12,500 lb. of maize, 2,000 lbs. of seed and 10,000 lbs. of fertilizer were distributed. Three more buildings were nearly completed, two wells were installed and the organizing board of Malawian trustees for the long-term project was formed. There are currently two local evangelical pastors on the Malawian board of trustees. Construction of the necessary buildings and clearing of the 4.5 acres continued over the next several months under the supervision of the Malawian trustees. The Endless Life Church of Malawi began meeting at the site in November of 2002 and has grown from less than one hundred to nearly four hundred members including the construction and opening of two additional branch churches in nearby villages.

In early 2003, the team members and trustees began forming an independent non-profit organization to administrate the project here in the United States and internationally. Nlira-Wanga Orphan Aid Homes, a.k.a. theN.O.A.H. project, was registered as a non-profit, charitable organization with the state of North Carolina in July of 2003. The name Nlira-Wanga means “I am crying for my own” in Chichewa, the native language of Malawi.

In August of 2003, the director of N.O.A.H., who was present for each of the previous missions, returned to Malawi and secured a permanent, free and clear deed to the 4.5 acres of land in the name of Nlira-Wanga Orphan Aid Homes. A 1997 Toyota 4x4 double cab pick-up was purchased for the project and also titled to Nlira-Wanga Orphan Aid Homes. The third mission was later joined in Malawi by an optometrist from the Swift Creek Eye Center in Midlothian, Va. The doctor, who also owns the center, contributed her valuable time as well as a very large donation. Approximately 500 people were examined and fitted with prescription glasses during the ten days she was in the field.