Preaching, Presentations & Pilirani

Sunday 2nd May

This was a big day (aren't they all?) as it was the first Sunday service I was at in Mbame and I was preaching there too. The church was busy and we got a nice welcome; a bit lower key than before, but that's because we're now part of the furniture here. Damien & Emily were welcomed and Emily presented the church with the banner be brought for them. We held it up for them to see and it was clear from their response that they liked it very much.

As always the choirs sang and danced, and I doubt I would ever tire of hearing that wonderful music in church. What a blessing! The children's choir sang too, and they were just so special. When Rev Joe introduced me he asked me to say a few words. I started by saying I was now almost a Malawian (which they liked) and then I gave the reason - 'I've eaten nsima every day since I got here! (which they found very funny) Nsima is a maize-based porridge that Malawians eat at every meal and are very proud of. It is not to every westerners taste, but I have made a point of choosing it every time I am in a Malawian's home for a meal.

Later in the service I preached on 1st John 4:7-21 about loving God and loving our neighbour. I told the congregation about my wonderful wife, about how I loved her, and how she was 'the most wonderful woman in the whole world.' I then introduced a subject not talked about in Malawian society, but which, I'm afraid to say, is not uncommon, which is the abuse of wives by their husbands. I didn't want to raise this issue, but the Lord laid it clearly on my heart, so I had to be obedient. I said we also had this problem in Scotland, but we now talked about it and found it totally unacceptable. I told the women that God loved them and valued them. I told the men that violence against women was completely incompatible with being a believer; 'whoever says he loves God, but doesn't love his brother (or wife) is a liar.'

After church we went to the nearly completed manse for lunch. Damien's colleague, from Strathclyde University was with us and he presented a cheque for 610 pounds, from his mother's church, Westerton Parish Church, which was to help finish the manse. His donation was greeted with great joy. After that we went back down the road. Emily had work to do and Damien, Graeme and I went to FR and had a coffee outside and admired the view down over the escarpment to Mozambique. Wonderful! Damien then left without paying the bill. I like Emily.

Later in the afternoon I was asleep in my room when Steven, the Session Clerk, appeared and told me to 'wake up!' because some men from 'your friend's church' are here. It turned out to be the Session Clerk and two elders from Kelvin's church! They had been trying to contact Mbame church all week to find out where I was, but with no luck, so they had just got into the car and driven to Mbame to see if they could locate me. When they got there they found Steven and he brought them down to FR. The purpose of their journey was to invite me to their church next Saturday, where we will have supper together and I will meet Kelvin's wife and his three children. I, of course, said I'd be delighted to come. What a great surprise!

Monday 3rd May

At breakfast today I was served by Pilirani, a beautiful, graceful, young Malawian woman who works at the Tea-House. She asked me if we had a good service the day before. I said I had enjoyed it. She told me her mum had been there and had said that she liked 'her' minister (Pilirani's) very much, who was staying at the Fisherman's Rest, who had given a 'lovely' sermon. I was very pleased to hear this as I wasn't sure how my sermon was going to be received.

Just as I was leaving the Woodland Cottage to go for breakfast Emily appeared, coming down the path towards where I am staying. She came to say she was working at home today (just up the road at a friend's house) and would I like to come up and use her net-book as they have a good internet connection there. The blog I sent yesterday is the result. It was a relief to me to post that blog and let folk back home know what I was up to. I like Emily.

Tuesday 4th May

Today I'm sitting in a very posh hotel in Blantyre writing this post for my blog. In typical Malawian style the day's plans have not, er, gone to plan! I was supposed to be meeting Rev Joe at the Synod offices in Blantyre. Sadly, a relative of his died last night, and in Malawi the funeral takes place the very next day, so he's away down south somewhere. However, we came up to Blantyre anyway, visited the Presbytery offices, and then had a look round St Michael's Cathedral, which is built upon the site of the first Blantyre Mission Station of the 19th Century. I was supposed to be staying over at Rev Joe's home tonight, but that's cancelled, and he is supposed to be taking me to visit a Tea Estate, about an hour and a half south of Mbame, tomorrow. I'll just need to wait and see.

So, as they say, watch this space .......