Day's Diary

March 27, 2007 ~ Bessie

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Please let me introduce you to Bessie Massa. She is a second year student who stands out among the rest. This is not because she is only one of 5 females in the class, but because of her fire. She only stands about 5 feet tall, but those are five feet of passion and determination. Bessie does nothing half heartedly. Everything is with energy. She shakes hands with strength; she speaks with power; she sings with delight; she mops floors with energy; she prays with passion. I’ve encountered her in all these ways and delight to think about them.

The first week I was here, this tiny gal, who looks to be in her early 20’s sat in the first seat of the middle row of my Theology 2 class. I couldn’t miss her. She looked intently at me and seemed to hang on every word. After the second class, as I walked home, she came along side me and extended her hand in a Malawian greeting (always a handshake, and for the women, a slight curtsy). She has a strong handshake. She wanted to welcome me. She was quick to say that my accent was easy to understand. We stopped in front of my gate and talked on. She is older than she looks, in her late 30’s, the mother of 3 children, ages 13, 8 and 6. She had been a teacher and felt the call of God to teach his word. Her husband encouraged her to apply for the Theological College. He willingly takes care of the children so she can study. This year, when the second year students were not to bring their families, he assured her he could manage the family for another year. They live within the Zomba Presbytery, but she does not get home every weekend because of school responsibilities. She had questions about being a woman in ministry. She said that she had only ever met one other woman pastor and that was only once. That is what gave her the courage to think that she could be a pastor. She had never had one as a teacher, though and so she was curious. We talked for some time.

The next week, I listened with interest as she preached in chapel. Chapel is arranged so that Monday through Thursday students preach and on Friday the staff member who has been coordinator for the week preaches. One of the days is in English. That was Wednesday that week. Bessie was preaching that Wednesday. She had to step to the side of the pulpit because she was too short to be seen from behind it. That did not deter her. What she lacked in height she made up for in power. She preached with fire and determination. There was no hesitation in her preaching. Her message was clear and passionate. She may not have heard many women preach, but she knows how to preach, without consideration of gender, and with faithfulness to God’s word.

Last month when I was preparing the Day of Spiritual Reflection, she asked if she could sing with the Praise Team. She has a good voice, so of course I said yes. We had several practices before the actual day and I had great fun watching her sing. She puts her whole self into the singing. She led two of the praise songs and belted out the words. She set the pace for the dancing, too. During practice, she was not shy about taking on the director about his tempo, but she did it with laughter and a smile. He listened and changed the tempo. On the day, she sang with all her heart and led with delight. Just look at the picture to know that.

The next day the Scripture Union group was launched and the group asked if they could use my kitchen to prepare the lunch for everyone. I willingly agreed. As I was preparing to go to the meeting, Bessie and two students’ wives arrived at my house to take over the kitchen. Bessie was quick to assure me that they would be thorough in cleaning when they were finished, and they were. They prepared and served a traditional Malawian meal of chicken, rice, relishes and nsima to the 18 or so leaders of the group and special guests. I was not allowed in the kitchen; I was a guest in my own home. When everyone left, Bessie appeared in the living room with mop and pail, to scrub. I assured her that was not necessary and she assured me that it was. This is Malawi and she would do a thorough Malawian cleaning after a function. She mopped living room, dining room, kitchen and back porch,  while the others washed dishes before any of them sat down to eat themselves, and then only on the back porch – the rest of the house was clean.

Last week I was to go to Makande CCAP, in the lower Shire Valley to preach, about 3 hours drive from the college. A 3rd year students asked if she might go along, since it was her home church and a 2nd year student asked to go since he was from that area. Before I could answer, Bessie asked if she might go, too, just because. Then she laughed. I said yes to all three. Now, when I go to a church with students, I ask the elders to include the students in the service and they are usually very eager to do so. They certainly were at Makande. They asked Jen, the daughter of the congregation, to give the children’s message, Victor to read scripture and Bessie to offer the prayers of the people. All of this was in Chichewa. When it came time for the prayers of the people, Bessie stood and began to pray, and she prayed with passion – and some length. At one point, I looked up to see her gesturing to God as she prayed. I was reminded of my grandmother, who usually offered the blessing at Sunday dinner. One Sunday her prayer was unusually long. I looked up then, too and noticed that my parents were doing the same. Grandma was praying so intently that she had forgotten it was “only a blessing” and that we were all at the table waiting to eat. I had the same feeling with Bessie last Sunday. As she prayed, she lost sight of the congregation and saw only God, to whom she poured out her heart. Several of the elders commented after the service on the powerful prayer warrior I had brought to them. That’s Bessie.

She is one I will be eager to learn of in the future, to see where and how God will use her commitment and her fire. She is eager to be used of God and I have no doubt he has plans for her. He has gifted her.