Climate Change and Much More

What can the average person in poor Malawi do to address climate change? That was one of the questions that was a part of the discussion with some of the international partners of Blantyre Synod Health and Development Commission (BSHDC) last Friday as Malawians, Americans, Canadians, and Scots wrestled with challenges facing the church today. This was a different approach from the past, where information about the organization has been given and reports heard. Friday, we were all invited to engage in brainstorming and sharing from our different cultural perspectives and experiences about pressing issues that challenge ministry among the poorest of the poor.

Climate change is not an abstract, social issue. It is about cutting trees to cook and to make wood crafts to sell. It is about planting the same crop (corn) in the same fields year after year and depleting the nutrients of the soil, when that is Malawi’s staple food. It is about irrigation methods that don’t destroy the rivers and streams of the country. It is about catching rain water in a drought prone country. All of these were things debated, with recommendations for working with the local churches to address these issues and many more.

The International Round Table was not about asking for more money for more projects, but about sharing ideas and strategies for facing some of the most difficult problems of the people among whom we minister. Yes, there was discussion of money and programs that need funds to support them, but it was much more. This was about sharing in a tangible way the shift in BSHDC from projects to programs, programs to address five key areas of challenge among the people of Malawi – gender, livelihood, health/HIV, orphans and vulnerable children, and governance. This was about being partners in working to think in fresh ways about topics that are life and death issues for many here in Malawi. This is about engaging one another in a dialogue.

The event was refreshing and interactive and well received. It really practiced partnership. As one who has attended a number of international round tables, this was a thought-provoking approach. I came away encouraged about the direction of BSHDC and the programs they are working on within the Synod. I work in the Synod, but don’t always get to hear in detail about what some of the other departments are doing. I was blessed to represent Pittsburgh Presbytery and to be a part of the PC(USA) delegation.

An Open House

God has blessed me with a wonderful, large house here in Malawi. I have been given the house to live in by the Synod so that I am able to entertain visitors, Malawian and international. The yard is expansive and colorful, with various blossoming trees and shrubs, so that every month, something is in bloom. I enjoy sharing the house and the grounds with those who come. In the past week, I have had plenty of opportunity to share, to be a welcoming, open house.

Monday a week ago, two of our pastors were going to Kenya for a short course in training in leadership skills. They were to leave at 8:30, which meant they needed to be at the airport by 7:30. Since one of them was coming from Zomba, she asked if she and her family might spend the night at my house, to be on time to leave. She, her husband and two of her children came Sunday afternoon so they could escort her for the Monday morning departure. I got up at 6 a.m. on Monday to prepare breakfast before we left for the airport. As I was opening the curtains in the living room, I heard a horn at my gate and saw the watchman run to let in a truck carrying the other pastor and her family. They were ready for the departure, an hour early. They didn’t want to be late. The airport is small and doesn’t open until 7:15, so they were going to be too early. I invited them in and suggested that we all have breakfast first and then head off. I prepare oatmeal and tea for 12. We ate buffet style. The fellowship was great and the laughter plentiful. We left in time for them to be the first to check in at the airport, eager first time flyers.

They were really helping me to prepare for this past week. A group of 14 from Waynesburg College in southwestern Pennsylvania have come to do work projects here in Malawi. Their group leader is a friend of mine, a pastor’s wife from Pittsburgh Presbytery. As we were emailing back and forth about the details of the trip, she was concerned to keep the cost down, since they are all college students. They were looking for places where they could do their own cooking. We found them in most areas, but Blantyre is a challenge in this regard. In a moment of inspiration or weakness, (depending on your point of view), I suggested they could use my kitchen, since they were staying just across the road from my house. So Wednesday and Thursday of last week, and Monday and Tuesday of next week, they are cooking here. We have pulled chairs from all the rooms of the house and have seating for everyone. Their leader has divided them into teams for cooking and cleaning, so I don’t have to do anything but provide the place. They have proven good at both cooking and cleaning. It is really fun to have them all here.

But that is not enough company. My daughter-in-law is about to deliver their second child and since they live in a remote area, they accepted my invitation to come here and have the baby in a city hospital. This was to be the first week in June, so there would be no conflict of schedules, but at her last appointment the doctor recommended that Alinafe stay in the city, since the baby seems to be just about ready to present himself. So Alinafe, Charles and my granddaughter Cathy are here as well. (Charles is coming and going.) They fit in nicely and have become a part of the group. Cathy has had a great time entertaining everyone as only a 3 year old can. The more, the merrier.

Thursday afternoon several of the artisans who make Malawian crafts, presented themselves in my yard, having learned that there were international visitors who might be in the market for authentic Malawian goods. I gave them room in the yard to set up their wares and the group visited, like an open-air market, but with quality and volume control. The students actually had a good time browsing and negotiating. They significantly boosted the local economy. They were please with their purchases and the artisans were please with their sales. At dinner that evening, we had “show and tell” of the treasures to go back to the States. I am grateful to have a place that can accommodate all this activity. God has given me a truly open house.

A Foundation for Orphans

Orphan care is one of the most pressing issues in Malawi. This is especially true in the villages. It becomes the village’s responsibility to care for their orphans. They cannot wait for well-wishers from outside the country to rescue the orphans. The villagers need to care for their own first. Many times this means family members taking in several children. Sometimes it means child-headed households, watched over by members of the community. As the numbers of orphans increase, the communities are working to find the best possibilities for their nurture and care.

Chiuta Presbytery is one of our most remote presbyteries and one of the most economically challenged areas of the country. The HIV/Aids infection rate is about 25%, much higher than the 16% national average. The number of children orphaned by this disease is much higher than the national average as well. These orphans are the concern of the small Makogola Church near Lake Chiuta. When their pastor, Rev. Nyang’ama, conducted an elders’ retreat, they did some long range dreaming and planning. The elders dreamed of an orphan care center in their community to minister to these children and youth. They envisioned a day care center for young orphans, a vocational training center for the older ones and recreational facilities for all the youth as part of an after school program. When they returned from the retreat, they began to work on making their dream a reality. After a time of prayer, they approached the village chief about land for the project and he gave them more than 7 acres near the church property. They took plans that one of the teachers in the congregation had from a school that had 4 classrooms and they assessed the materials they would need to build such a structure on the land the chief gave them. They began gathering what they could, including old bricks from a building that was no longer in use. The pastor consulted with a contractor friend to modify the plans for their location. They gathered workers from the congregation who are willing to do the building. What they lacked was money for cement and reinforcement rods for the foundation. The pastor, my son Thomas, came to me to see if I had any ideas for them regarding the money. I had contact with a church that regularly sends money for ministry here, so I asked the church if this seemed like a project they could work with. They eagerly gave their consent. So I passed along to the Makogola church committee $1,000 from the church in the States. They were elated. This would get them started with the materials they needed to begin. They have church and community fundraisers planned to supplement the money. They are taking responsibility for this project, just as they are for the orphans. I am certain there will be more help forthcoming from the church in the States, as well.

Sunday I was invited to the church to represent the church in the States for a cornerstone laying on the foundation of the building. It was a great event. The village chief who gave the land was there. The elders and building committee had arranged for choirs to enliven the celebration. Thomas and I arrived about 2 p.m., after having conducted worship at one of his other churches. The church was waiting for us and warmly greeted us. We went immediately to the building site. I was impressed by the size of the foundation. This is a big project for a small church, but they have the faith that they will be successful. The building chair told me he can already see the children playing and learning in the space. The first phase of the plan is a pre-school program in the mornings and a literacy program in the afternoons. As we walked around the foundation and he talked about it, I could almost see the children myself. When we came to the corner for the laying of the brick, I took one from the assembled pile and carefully lay it in place, amid the cheers of the congregation gathered to witness the event. We then joined the village chief for speeches and prayers. It was a wonderful time to celebrate the vision of a small church that is willing to tackle a big challenge and care for the orphans of their community. I was pleased to be a small part of it

 

Thomas, the village chief and me