Goodbye and Hello

The transfer of pastors in Blantyre Synod is an opportunity to witness the Body of Christ in action. That was certainly the case on Tuesday as Rev. Bona departed from the manse at Limbe and the new pastor, Rev. Kamponda, arrived. Rev. Bona was going to Mawiri congregation in Liwonde, about a two hour drive north of Limbe. Rev. Kamponda was coming from St. Michael’s, about 7 miles away in Blantyre. The exchange was scheduled that the Bonas would leave at about 9 a.m. and the Kampondas arrive at 2 p.m. In between time, the mvano (ladies of the church) would clean the house.



Truck loaded with katundu



By the time I arrived at the manse at 8:15 a.m. the Synod truck was half loaded, the emptying of the house of boxes and furniture almost complete, everything not yet loaded sitting on the porch for packing. It took a bit more time than expected to fit all the household items on the truck and accompanying vehicles and to securely cover them against the rains with a tarp. There were plenty of church members, especially the youth, there to assist. They climbed on the top of the load, passing ropes from one side to the other, being certain that everything was secure. About 10 a.m., we all gathered in the empty manse living room for final farewell speeches and a sending prayer. After hugs and private goodbyes, the family got into the vehicles that had been arranged. A car and two pickup trucks loaded with fragile items and with people, the Bona family and elders and youth to help unload, led the convoy, with the large truck with all the “katundu” (luggage, stuff) bringing up the rear. The first three vehicles pulled out of the parking lot but before the big truck could move, the elder who was directing traffic waved it to stop. A truck loaded with the new pastor’s katundu was arriving. After that truck pulled into the parking lot, the Bona’s truck was flagged to leave and join the convoy.

The ladies were in a bit of a panic. Since they were not expecting the new pastor’s things until 2 p.m., they felt they had plenty of time to sweep and scrub the manse and cook food in preparation for the new residents. As the truck moved into place to begin the unloading, the women’s coordinator gave instructions for the katundu to be placed on the porch while the house was cleaned. The ladies moved into action, sweeping, mopping, and scrubbing at lightning speed. By the time the truck returned with a second load, the house was clean and the women had moved all the katundu into the designated rooms to await unpacking. As the second load was being dispatched, the Kampondas arrived, escorted by elders, youth and mvano from St Michaels, just as the group from Limbe had gone with the Bonas to assist them. The session clerk and mvano from Limbe greeted the new pastor and family with singing and dancing. The St. Michael’s mvano joined in as they escorted everyone into the living room, now strewn with boxes and unplaced furniture, for welcoming speeches and a prayer for blessing on the house and the occupants. After saying farewell to the St. Michael’s delegation, the women disappeared to the kitchen at the mvano house just next to the manse to finish preparations of lunch for the new arrivals. They would feed the family and then help with the unpacking, staying until the family was settled. They would prepare dinner for them and then leave for their own homes.

As they were doing this in Limbe, the same thing was happening in Liwonde for the Bona family. The transfer had been complete and the Body of Christ was functioning well, caring for the pastors who would care for them for the next several years.