AP

On arriving …

There’s a haze of smokey air that lingers in the nostrils and there are insistent voices that seem to these gentle ears of mine to be shouts and shrieks, yet I learn that it’s just conversation. The roads are chaotic with manic drivers, fragile little children, wandering goats and the odd chook, fume-spewing overloaded trucks and motorbikes transporting 5 people at a time (with just 1 helmet between them – inevitably worn by the husband/driver). On each side of the road we see half-built homes, rubbish strewn around and hopeful enterprises such as “Heaven’s Hairdresser”, “Godly Coffins”, “God is good Café”. It’s all coming back to me now – nothing seems to change! This is my welcome back to Blantyre after a gap of 18 months.

The MBM TEAM members were generous in each packing a second suitcase – a further 23kg of gifts and equipment. Colin, Rose, Miriam together with Rev MacDonald Kadawati (former General Secretary of Blantyre Synod) and Mrs K met us at the airport after 32 hours in transit. The CCAP Hotel (Grace Bandawe) staff have been very good to us – they serve us with solid breakfasts and great evening meals. This MBM TEAM is amazingly adaptable and very good natured. 

On greetings and welcomes …

There’s a place for courtesy. At first you wonder: WHY? – with a curious thought as to: “Is this really necessary?” You must be met, not by a solo pickup driver at the airport, but it must be a contingent. And, as high a status contingent that can be mustered for the occasion. Then there are the welcomes at the accommodation centre, and first thing on the next morning a welcome ceremony by the Moderator of CCAP Blantyre Synod and his deputies. 

We stop and think – here’s the moderator (elected from hundreds of ministers), to lead and shepherd a denomination of 1.6 million members pausing at the beginning of his day to greet and welcome this happy band of 16 PCV members. He welcomes us more warmly than efficiency or schedules warrant.

I’ve grown in my understanding of African courtesies. In church circles where we are passionate about God’s gospel work, I see it all as a doorway to deeper engagement in mission, and, as visitors, our response shapes the tone for the rest of our interaction with our Malawian congregations.

Genuine participation in and reciprocation of this opens doors for deeper conversations, multiplying invitations and mutual collaboration in gospel witness. I see the welcome moments, the exchange of pleasantries, the acknowledgment of each other through gift-giving as a platform upon which we are then free to proceed and build a solid work for the sake of the gospel of Christ and the glory of God.

On orphan care …

At the Orbus Mission School we received the warmest of welcomes, a tour of the premises, and a full school assembly. This was our amazing induction into what has become the flagship of CCAP schools in southern Malawi. Years prep to 12, about 340 students – a work of God’s grace and sovereign love.

It was not always so. The story of how God ‘moved mountains’ to establish this haven bears repeating … and remembering … and telling again to our children and our children’s children. Come with me back twenty years: on the outskirts of Blantyre, picture a 15 acre property on a slope down to a small trickling creek, some rugged remains of a long-abandoned tobacco factory – unsightly and of little interest to anyone. It was derelict, with uneven ground and filled with rubbish. Yet God placed a distinct vision in Rev Colin Mbawa’s heart that this property was for the orphans of Malawi. The vision of Colin’s included building an orphan care centre, a school, a trades centre, a church.

Some Christian business-types from Australia put some funds together and we bought the property. So, about 20 years ago, we set about clearing the site of concrete rubble, and fighting off bees, wasps and mambos. Then with design help by a well-known Australian landscaper, we built building by building, development by development and gradually enrolled students until the school looks like it does today (special mention and thanks to men of the calibre of John Steendam, Vin Lopes, Rob Boyle, Craig Manners among others). 

Here’s the equation:

A God-given vision + hard work + funds from generous Aussies + Malawian dedicated teachers + enrolled students from broken homes = Orbus Mission School.

We were invited to Orbus to meet and greet and to encourage the children who are the recipients of this gift and benefit from the mission. The PresAID-funded teacher accommodation centre is at lock-up stage (4 teacher families to live on site) and the multi-purpose dining hall structure is about to rise-up from the ground.

There was a whole-school assembly just for us: Tom Vines spoke, Hui presented his ukuleles to the teacher-in-charge of music, and books and stationery were also gifted to the school. Tears flowed, friendships formed: the school was blessed and so were we.

Malawian hosts

Lunch with our Malawian hosts was the absolute delight of the day, even among many highlights. Colin and Shirley Mbawa spoilt us at their Michiru home with a banquet lunch – graced by the added blessing of their daughters Lois (with her two daughters) and Miriam (with her son) being present, and also Colin and Shirley’s long-time friends: Richard and Rose. It was a sweet time of Christian fellowship that’s hard to put into words – the pictures should help a little.