The 65th Birthday Party

 Where does one begin with a wonderful trip to see family and friends? I guess with the reason for the trip, my 65^th birthday. I decided months ago that I wanted to do something special for this “landmark” event and determined that spending it with family and friends was the best way, so I booked a trip to Malawi as my vacation/birthday journey. My sons were thrilled and immediately came up with all sorts of plans for my time with them. My only request was that we all spend my birthday together. My dear friend Sam Ncozana said he would make those arrangements. He booked the CCAP cottage on the Zomba plateau for us all. That meant 17 people in the three bedroom cottage. This included Silas and Margaret (Sam’s parents and my close friends) Sam’s family of 6, Charles’ of 4, Thomas’ of 4 and me. Silas and Margaret determined to have dinner with us but to spend the night in their own Zomba accommodations. This was family at its fullest, a delight to my heart.

Sam's new dining area

We had hoped to gather for lunch, have the day and then dinner and the night. Things never go just as planned, but that is Africa. Thomas had a funeral he had to attend, so that meant that we had to delay, since Sam’s family and I were driving from Lilongwe to collect Thomas’ family at Liwonde and then go on to get Charles’ at Malosa then proceed to Zomba, an orderly movement south. We needed to delay at Liwonde, so we took the opportunity to make the trip a leisurely drive, stopping a few times and then having lunch at Sam and Lonnie’s newest project, a safari camp at Liwonde. It is under construction, so we roughed it a bit, picnicking on a stone platform that will soon be a dining area for the camp. Who could object to lunching under an ancient tree with an orphaned young elephant grazing just a 100 meters away? This in itself is a birthday gift.

Margaret and me chatting

Once we gathered all the family and did our shopping in Zomba, greeted by a number of vendors who remembered me, we headed up the mountain. Silas, Margaret and Sam and Lonnie’s girls were waiting there for us and the celebration began. The guys fired up the grill for the meat and the gals headed to the kitchen for the rest of the meal. Margaret and I were banded from both places, so we played with the grandchildren – hers and mine – and we caught up on each others’ lives. There was chatter and laughter throughout the house and on the lawn overlooking Zomba city below. By the time dinner was ready, it was dark and cooling off, so we lit a fire in the living room fireplace and gathered for prayer and food. The food was abundant and delicious, as was the laughter. Cake, singing and gifts followed. The boys’ families had a dress made for me that fit perfectly. Sam and Lonnie gave me a Dedza pottery round house with a grass roof to remind me of life in Malawi. Then I had gifts for all of them, too. It was fun to reverse the giving tradition.

The dress from the boys' families

By the time all this was done, and prayers offered, it was time for bed. The logistics of sleeping took some time to sort out but everyone had a bed, with Sam and Lonnie’s kids opting to sleep in the living room, near the fire. This is something they look forward to at the cottage.

As I drifted off to sleep, I thought what a blessed woman I am. At 65 I am still doing a job that I love and I have good health but the greatest blessing was being with the ones I love, to have sons and daughters-in-law who are like daughters, and grandchildren and good friends to share life with. What a great gift!

Consecration

The Presbyterian Church of Rwanda (EPR) has just undergone a major restructuring of the organization of the church. This was approved at the General Synod meeting in April and has been ratified by all the new Presbyteries. So on Sunday, the presidents and vice presidents of the presbyteries were consecrated at a festive worship service that featured seven choirs, a brass band and a line of drummers.

The restructuring was carefully planned to decentralize the administration of the church. This involved reducing the 17 regions, all answerable to the general offices in Kigali, to seven presbyteries that would set their own plans for growth and management of resources, with assistance for the general office in Kigali. This makes the presbyteries much larger and gives them more resources to manage. New presidents were elected along with new vice presidents. In the last three months, each of the new presbyteries have met and adopted constitutions and elected administrative councils. Sunday was the culmination of the reorganization as the new officials were set apart for special service to God and to the church. This came at the end of four days of spiritual retreat and an evangelistic rally for the entire church.

New officials being sworn in

Because of duties at PIASS and filling in for colleagues of EPR who were needed at the retreat, I just went for Sunday’s worship service. A car load of us from PIASS left at 6:30 a.m. to join the EPR pastors and faithful at Rubengera, near Lake Kivu. The pastors met in a building to robe and process up the hill to the retreat center. A field area next to the retreat center had been set up for the gathering, with tents for seating and shade and a stage for the choirs. The center area was prepared like the chancel, with a communion table, a pulpit and a space with pillows for kneeling. As the pastors processed in, the band played a rousing hymn. After a number of choirs and the preaching, the new officers were called forward with their spouses to answer constitutional questions and then to be prayed for. It was a moving moment, to be a part of this historic event in this 107 year old church that is, as we might say in the States, “reformed and ever reforming.” This reforming is designed, not by European founding churches, but by the Rwandan church to meet the needs of the Rwandan culture, to reshape the church to make it more responsive to the needs of the local congregations.

Drum line that lead praise

A personal joy was that two for the new presidents are colleagues from PIASS with whom I have become very close. I delight in seeing their gifts used in such a significant way (not that teaching is not significant). Another two of the presidents are woman I have come to greatly admire for their gifts of leadership. A much smaller delight was the drum line that served to lead the applause and encouragement from the crowd of nearly 5,000 who had gathered for the celebration. It was a distinctively Rwandan touch, with the big drums sounding forth thanksgiving and appreciation.

The new presidents then ushered in the candidates from their presbytery for ordination. EPR now has 9 new pastors. Ordination is always a blessing and was particularly moving as it was the first official act of the new presidents. Again, there were choirs and drums and the band to help us celebrate. The service was a mere 5 hours of singing and praising and consecrating to God’s service. As the carload of PIASS folks left Rubangera, we sang “We are Marching the Light of God,” using 5 different languages, represented by folks in the car. It seems to fit the spirit of the day.