Day's Diary

January 10, 2007 ~ Opening a Church

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Sunday brought yet another adventure in the life of church. It was a church opening. About 7:30 a.m. Silas called to say that we were leaving for the church about 8 a.m. and we would be taking my truck, so off I went to his house, thinking I was picking him up, along with Margaret and Rev. Nasayaya. It had begun raining about 7 a.m., so the roads were very muddy and the people who were walking (great numbers of them) were more concerned about staying dry than watching for cars - always a challenge when driving here. When I got to Silas', he had the Landrover out, but it would not start. His plan was for us to take both vehicles, since so many people needed rides. He had hopes of pushing the Landrover and catching it in gear. Each time he tried to start it, it emitted puffs of white exhaust, but wouldn't turn over. He and Rev. Nasayay set about to push start it, and after several attempts in the driving rain, they succeeded. Silas drove off, certain it would continue to run, and pick up a few folks on the way. Rev. Chiphangwe and his wife were to come to Silas' to ride with me, but they didn't come. Silas stopped back at the house to get a rope, just in case he needed a tow and then sent Margaret and me to find the Chiphangwes and he went to get the Presbytery moderator. We went looking at their home, but they were gone, and then we got a call that they were at the moderator's, but Silas had no room, so we went to pick them up at the tarmac juncture to the Sadzi church, which was about 4 miles south of where we were. When we arrived, there was another car there and we were to follow them. We loaded and followed. That is where the adventure began.

We drove about 5 miles toward Blantyre and then turned off onto a dirt road. The rain had let up but the road was Malawian red mud and glutted with water-filled holes and with ruts. We went about 2 miles and then turned off onto a one lane dirt road, bordered by maize plants. This went for another mile and a half or so and then we turned onto a mud path. This was a 2-tire truck path with grass or mud between the tracks. There were ruts and lots of indication of sliding of those who had gone before us. We traveled this for about 3 miles, twisting and turning around maize fields and washes and rocks, until finally a church building appeared. The elders and many of the children had gathered to welcome us. Two of the elders directed parking - the vehicle we were following and us - until we were positioned as they thought best.

After greetings, we were ushered into the vestry to wait for the rest to come. About 9:50, the Presbytery clerk began to assign the roles for the service. Silas was sitting next to me and translating for me as well as acting as Protocol Officer for the event and suggesting various things to the clerk. I heard my name mentioned but couldn't understand what was being asked about me, until Silas explained that the clerk had suggested that I preach and Silas said not, that their moderator should do that and I could bring greetings. Praise God for Silas! There were two former General Secretaries, a former Synod moderator, the GA moderator and the Presbytery moderator there, among others. I didn't need to preach. Once all was settled and the seating order arranged, we proceeded to open the Luwatala CCAP Church.

The clergy processed out of the vestry, outside to the front of the church, where we were met by the congregation. There was an opening prayer and statement of purpose and then we began a hymn and a procession around the outside of the church building, singing and trying to sidestep puddles and mud slides as we went. Once back at the front door, the moderator knocked and asked for entrance 3 separate times and then the village chief, who was the only one inside, opened the door, a ribbon was cut and the procession continued into the church, singing the same hymn as many times as needed to get everyone seated. Then the worship service began with prayer and dedication of the church. Choirs sang (five in all), the session clerk greeted various individuals, one of the church members gave a history of the congregation (beginning in 1915 as a prayer house of Zomba CCAP, that has had three different building, this last one being roofed by Rev. Dr. Joe Hopkins of Westminster College, and now finally large enough to be a church), more welcomes and then my turn to bring greeting from Pittsburgh. (I was the only muzungu - white - in the building and the honored guest.) Silas translated for me. Then there was a skit by two youth and finally to the sermon. About this time it started to rain again and I tried to listen to Silas' translation and not think of the road we had to drive back. After the sermon came the offering and the giving of gifts to the new church, speeched by various officials, including the village chief, and them gifts to the honored guests. This is when my heart nearly stopped. The first gift was to the Presbytery Moderator - a live chicken, which he accepted and handed to his wife. Then the GA Moderator and new church pastor - a live chicken, to the former moderator - a live chicken. I saw a pattern here and tried not to panic, since I am afraid of birds in the hand of ANY kind, chickens included. Then the clerk, who was doing the presentations, said that they were not certain if Americans liked chickens, so they had a plaque for me with the church's name on it, all done in seeds of various sizes and colors. Praise God - no chicken! The ending of the service was rather uneventful, and amazingly, all the chickens were quiet.

After the benediction, the clergy processed out to the vestry for a closing prayer and lunch. It was 1:30 by this time. It was a great presentation of standard Malawian fare, enough for the entire congregation. Occasionally during the service, smoke from the fire, which was just outside the chancel area, would come wafting in past the pastors, so we were enticed by the meal all throughout the service. The clergy and wives and elders ate in the vestry and everyone else outside, until the rain started again and the adults moved into the sanctuary and the children (more than 90 of them) under trees. As the rain continued, I thought of the road out and tried not to worry. About 2:15, Silas indicated it was time to go and, since he and I had brought the Presbytery reps, everyone got up to leave.

This is where the fun began again. Silas had parked in front of my truck, but on a slope so he could jump-start the Landrover, if necessary, which it was. I couldn't move until he did. In the meantime, two elders and several mvano (women's guild members) from Zomba realized that the back of the truck was empty, except for Dr. Chiphangwe's chicken, which had been unceremoniously placed there. They asked if they could ride, even as they were climbing in. I determined to limit the number, much to the dismay of the ten or so who were turned away. So with five passengers in the cab of the truck and eight mvano, an elder and one chicken in the back, we headed off down the mud path in the rain. I've driven on icy roads in the US and this path was an even match for any icy road. Add to the slipping and sliding, great numbers of worshippers now walking, with umbrellas, down the same path, trying to miss the same puddles, ruts and mud slides and you a sense of the challenge of the drive. By the time we made it from the path to the land and back to the dirt road, I was ready to sing the doxology. What a ride! Once on the tarmac, the trip seemed uneventful, in spite of the mvano, the elder and the chicken in the back. After depositing all travelers (chicken included), Margaret and I headed for her house and a cup of tea with all the grandchildren, who were for waiting her. The rain didn't matter any longer. The church was opened and we were on our way home.