PAF COMMUNITY CENTER

Chisunzi, Lilongwe, Malawi
Prepared by EMI South Africa
begun December 2021

Current Progress (updated March 2024)

PAF desires to use their site for the purpose of training young people to be independent and capable of a sustained livelihood through educating them in practical skills such as carpentry, masonry, and intellectual skills such as business and entrepreneurial skills. They want this to happen alongside their primary goal of raising these young people to be godly men and women who are mature in Christ. To this end the site will host facilites aimed at both their practical training as well as focusing on and encouraging spiritual mentorship and discipleship. These include:

1. administration area

2. library and computer lab

3. chapel

4. housing for staff

5. accommodation for the students being mentored

6. accommodation for both long- and short-term missionaries

7. cafeteria and kitchen

8. classrooms

9. workshops

10. sports fields and other recreational facilities

11. agriculture

Keeping in mind both God and PAF’s hearts for those participating in the ministry and looking at the above requirements, the EMI team has designed a master plan concept to help guide the development of the site.

"12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body — whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many."

- 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 NIV

"The body of Christ is one even as each plays his and her part. For this reason, it is an incredible joy for us to partner with various ministries and individuals as they seek to further the Kingdom and see people restored to right relationship with God. It has been a privilege to partner with the Pace Academy Foundation and to be a part of what God is doing through them in the hearts and lives of the people of Malawi.

This project has taken us on an rich journey which started even before going to site as we, the entire EMI South Africa office, started the design process not with rulers and excel spreadsheets, but with prayer. Wanting to align our hearts with God’s, we sought his guidance and insight on the project and listened to what he had to say, writing or drawing whatever we felt God saying to us regarding this project. Much of this became clearer through the many conversations had with the ministry leaders as the project developed and are reflected in the final design.

We are amazed at how God works in and through people and , although not everything may happen as we desire, we rejoice in God’s sovereignty and goodness, knowing that he guides all our steps."

- EMI

"Through the design process and times seeking God it became clear that the Gospel and concept of the well-watered garden are central to the community who will be benefiting from the site. The master plan and architecture respond to these two primary themes in the ordering and planning of spaces while the civil design brings life giving services such as water, light and power. We are excited to see how the vision that PAF has for the site manifests itself in the lives of the people as they are empowered in faith and in life.

The journey so far has been God-inspired, friend-filled, and visiondriven. Here forth, the journey continues. Where God will lead it is part of the adventure and we trust that he has the plan already figured out."