In April of 2003, Pastor Jebaratnam assembled a team to explore establishing a partnership in sub-Saharan Africa. This Africa Committee determined that such an initiative should be:

1. Evangelistic: the project should have the ability to get out the gospel message

2. Personal, hands-on dimension (two-way relationship between Grace Chapel and the project): the project should not just be something where we throw money into a big pot, but something that allows Grace Chapel people to go serve, if possible. Also, we would like there to be one or more African individuals, fully involved in the project, who can be brought to Grace Chapel for a visit such as during Global Awareness week.

3. Intermediary with experience: a Christian point-of-contact in a particular African country, probably a missionary organization, probably in conjunction with an African church

4. AIDS-related: the project should address the AIDS crisis, especially in regard to prevention and lifestyle choices.

5. Multiplicative effect: the project should include training other Africans to get them involved and develop indigenous leaders.

It was felt that Christians and the church would rightly be considered irrelevant if, while trying to minister to the people of sub-Saharan Africa, they were to ignore the AIDS epidemic. After meeting with several potential international partners, the Africa committee proposed that Grace Chapel team with World Relief in the English speaking country of Malawi. The initiative was brought before the Board of Elders, who have enthusiastically endorsed it as a way to achieve their commitment to forge a new Kingdom-building project with a global partner.

In 2005 Grace Chapel sent a team to Malawi to assess how we might best be involved in several areas.  Drawing on that assessment trip World Relief Malawi and Grace Chapel jointly planned a trip in 2006 consisting of:

1. Pastor's Conference: each of the 45 partner churches in the Mzimba district sent their pastor and one senior elder for 3 days of intense training conducted by Pastor David Jebaratnam, Grace Chapel's missions pastor. We also conducted an eyeglass clinic in conjunction with the conference.

2. Youth Conference: 170 youth from the partner churches attended 3 days of intense training about "Servant Leadership" led by the GC team.  The training included several sessions about HIV/AIDS and the need to change certain cultural practices, presented by WRM staff.

3. Bible Studies: each partner church has a Ministry Team of 10 lay people.  Our team led Bible studies, through a translator, at multiple sites, each bringing together two Ministry Teams.

4. Further assessment of how a medical mission could be done by the 2007 summer trip. The key components were that the medical care be done through the local churches in each area and be conducted at satellite clinics of the Embangweni Hospital.

Grace Chapel provided Bibles for each of the pastors and Ministry Team members and one bicycle per church for use by the Ministry Team in caring for people in their communities.