6th July 2024
Today marks 60 years since Malawi became an independent nation. I did hear a few celebrations going on around us last night as I was awake, trying to read, trying not to sleep. The power went out in the middle of the night but for some reason that’s when the our minds began to run and the internet signal was strong. This moving I think most of Malawi is awake and going about their business as usual. I’m sure there will be further official and unofficial celebrations throughout the day here, but for God’s people we will be taking the time to remember the Sabbath day.
The weekly Sabbath is a reminder of the fact that our Creator set an example for us as He rested on that first seventh day. Later this same Creator rested on the Sabbath as He walked the earth. Reading through Scripture we come to understand that God the Father and His ever-existing Son (also called the Word) created everything that has been created together. “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16).
We follow their example of resting from the usual work that people do throughout the week. We also follow the example of Jesus who gathered with His brethren each Sabbath to hear and to read the word of God aloud. Today, although a different sort of celebration for the country of Malawi, is no exception for us here. We will gather with brethren from Lilongwe and Nkhwazi on this day to pray together, to sing together, to have a holy convocation, to worship our God, and to remember when our God first established this day for all of mankind.
This morning Cephas reminded me that we haven’t seen their place during daylight hours since we’ve been here. Of course there were the early daylight hours before leaving but that was only enough time to notice that the sun had in fact risen and the grass is still green. I think Lena should at least see the place since it’s been a few years and the pomegranate trees have grown in that time. We’ll have to try and come back to the house before sunset.
Since arriving, on Wednesday evening, we’ve traveled by car far distances every day. And even if they weren’t that far the distances often seem far because of traffic, road construction and diversion, and dusty unpaved roads through villages. Thursday we spent traveling to see Mrs. Esther Chilopora in Ntcheu and then the Nyalubwe family in Chikumba Village. We left Nkhwazi at around 6am and returned well into the night. On Thursday I did all of the driving as we met some brethren in Lilongwe and moved around there, stopping to see Mrs. Chipilingu, Mrs. Njewa, and Mr. Chitsime. I had the pleasure of driving Haiton’s pickup for the first time. It had been a while since I have driven a manual shift vehicle, especially one that is mostly used for farming and visiting brethren in villages so it has some unique quirks to it.
Lena and I drove back to Nkhwazi that evening (last night) and didn’t get out of the Lilongwe traffic until just before sunset. I didn’t miss driving that highway after dark. One new experience I had was seeing my life flash before my eyes as we barely missed running directly into a man pulling an ox cart on the opposite side of the road as I attempted to overtake a small motorcycle. You can hear Lena’s version of the account on her YouTube channel here.
I was the last to get ready for Sabbath services after breakfast this morning. I have no excuse other than I didn’t manage my time well enough. Also I think I’m a bit tired today after not sleeping well most nights. Perhaps by the time we are in Blantyre we’ll both be better adjusted to the time. Tired or not, I’m expected to show up in a suit and give a sermon from the word of God. Thankfully, although I was running late, the church grounds are nearby. Plus there were still some brethren from Lilongwe traveling by minibus who hadn’t arrived yet.
As always it was great to see our brethren again, including some who I hadn’t seen on several of my recent trips. A few outside we met for the first time today. In total I estimate there might have been about 60 people together between the Nkhwazi and Lilongwe congregations. Plenty of young adults and children were there along with other brethren of various ages including Mrs. Elizabeth Chipilingu. Mrs. Chipilingu was one of the brethren we visited earlier in the week. As she says, she’s in her 93rd year. She and Mrs. Chilopora are the same age and have both been part of God’s Church for a very long time. Both have survived some health crises in recent years but their minds are very sharp.
The Sabbath as a whole was quite a delight. There was a welcome song before the service sung by the ladies choir. During the sermonette time we had a scripture reading and several pieces of special music. I gave the sermon which was simultaneously translated by Howard Elia (just like old times). After services I had the pleasure of baptizing George Chapamba, the second oldest Chapamba in the family here. His father was in the water with us helping. The three elders laid hands on him together after the baptism. It was a proud and humbling moment for all of us.
After the baptism we had a delicious meal of typical Malawian food including some stewed meat, nsima, rice, potatoes, coleslaw, and garlic hot sauce. It all paired well with cocopina soda. After the meal the ladies were given some clothes that some brethren in NYC had donated. We had enough time for a brief Q&A session and then we said our goodbyes for a good long while as some brethren were waiting for the minibus to come pick them up. Unfortunately their driver had called a friend of his to come but the friend seemed to be unreliable. The brethren who were left had to walk to the tarmac and catch a different bus. Thankfully there are minibuses driving by fairly often even well after sunset.
Tonight we will say our goodbyes to the Chapamba family and then try and get some sleep. We have to be packed and out the door sometime around 4am so we can get to the airport around 6am, clear security, and board our flight to Blantyre which is scheduled to leave at 8:10am. In past trips I’ve either ridden with the pastors to Blantyre or caught a bus. This time, since we have such a limited schedule, I wanted to maximize our time in each place. The flight to Blantyre is only about 40 minutes which is much shorter than a 5 or 6 hour ride in a vehicle.
If you’re keeping up with our schedule, we’re spending about 3 days in each place (Lilongwe/Nkhwazi, Blantyre, Zimbabwe) before heading to South Africa for the conference. This was the best way I could come up with to be in all the places between summer camps in the US. Even then, Lena will be back in time for the second camp (in Oregon) but I arrive too late to make it there. Eventually we’ll both be home at the same time and hopefully will have a chance to catch up on sleep.
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– Lewis VanAusdle
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