AP

On tea and macadamia

Thyolo Highlands invited us to their patch – territory that’s both rugged and beautiful. Tea is best grown in areas with well-drained, acidic soil, consistent rainfall, warm and humid climates, and preferably on gentle slopes or mountainous terrain. 

“Gentle slopes or mountainous terrain” – that’s a perfect description of Thyolo Highlands. It was both a pleasure and privilege to serve the people scattered in hidden villages in an area of Malawi forgotten by most and squeezed out from their traditional lands by influential tea plantation companies. 

Tea is a lifeline for Malawi, providing for 3% of the world’s consumption. There are 50,000 acres of tea growing in and around this district, as pictured above. This, along with the vast macadamia plantations at Thyolo, makes this district one of the bread baskets of the country and ‘employs’ up to 100,000 workers.

Of course, everything here has to be understood in its African context: an unskilled labourer might expect to earn between 80,000 – 100,000 kwacha per month (read: $70 – $85). Then consider that a 25kg bag of maize might cost up to ~40,000 kwacha.

This area is also replete with crops of groundnuts, beans, pigeon peas, cassava, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. The trees hang rich with mangoes, bananas and paw paws.

How far would you walk to pick up a book?

Saturday’s drive was a serious test of both our patience and the reliability of our borrowed vehicle from Colin Mbawa. We drove and drove and drove along tracks as pictured above until after 2¼ hrs I didn’t think we could go further. Even with a Malawian pastor in the car, we got lost twice before finally reaching a very rudimentary prayer house.

Each of our team was assigned different congregations in all directions throughout the Thyolo Highlands. The story was the same for each of the four teams – warm welcomes, radiant faces, inspired hearts, glad and grateful people.

What would motivate you to walk 20km to pick up a book? As we drove to our second (afternoon) congregation, our Malawian pastor told us of his members who were walking up to 20km to reach the church at which they were designated to receive a Bible. The sole reason for their 4hr walk was the expectation of receiving the gift of a book. 

Let’s put this in perspective: no one in these villages owns a book. They can barely find enough food for one cooked meal per day. These Bibles cost 30,000 kwacha – nearly half a month’s wage (and that’s assuming they have employment, which most don’t). Then add one further factor: this is God’s Word – the most precious book in the world, the book through which God blesses and feeds and enlivens the soul. I think I’d walk 20kms for that. The pastor reminded us to wrap up our meeting by 4pm so that they could reach home by dusk.

By the numbers – this weekend

–        2,500 Bibles distributed, each with a bookmark

–        800 carry bags for women (very popular)

–        1,800 Hymnbooks provided for 12 congregations (one of which was roofless)

–        5 sermons preached

–        12 Bible study seminars

–        6 Bible story big picture seminars

–        100s km driven into the Malawian bush

Sunday worship like you’ve never experienced

 John’s team had a long day of mission work. Leaving the lodge at 8.00am, driving along rough bush tracks to find a distant prayer house. When we say ‘prayer house’ we mean a smaller congregation than the main congregation of the parish to which it and several other congregations are connected and served by the one pastor. 

To be specific: we were assigned to the Mulimo congregation of the Matumbo Parish of the Presbytery of Thyolo Highlands of the Synod of Blantyre – that’s easy enough to remember, isn’t it?

If you’re interested in Presbyterian church structure, let me work backwards:

– the Synod of Blantyre has about 31 Presbyteries;

– the Presbytery of Thyolo Highland has about 15 Parishes;

– the Parish of Matumbo (served by the one pastor) has 4 main congregations and 8 prayer houses;

– the Prayer House of Mulimo CCAP has at least 400 members and a congregation on the day we visited of about 150.

When we arrived at 9.00am, we were welcomed in song by the Sunday school children (above) – yet no worshippers. The worship service began at 9.30 and finished at 1.30. It’s curious how it works in that we started with about 30 people, and people drifted in an hour later … two hours later … until the prayer house filled. 

Even though it lasted for nearly 4 hours it didn’t seem that long. And every part of the service is meaningful. They still give time for preaching and the congregation is very attentive to God’s Word. A basic rice and nsima ‘lunch’ was served in the vestry and then home to the lodge by 3.30pm. It was satisfying – mission accomplished …. people blessed with their own copy of God’s Word. 

We have also been blessed by the amazingly beautiful scenery of hundreds of acres of tea plantations among rugged hills and rivers, and all before the majestic Mt Mulanje in the background.

John P Wilson

Blantyre, MALAWI