The Bandas--Part II--George's Post

We knew we could not find the homes of the Branch members without help.   There are no detailed maps of the townships in our Branch area-Zingwangwa, Chilowbe, and Soche, to name the ones we know best.  With few exceptions, the roads, lanes and alley ways are not named.  And even if they were, the homes, often clustered in odd groupings, are not numbered.   As a consequence, at the first meeting with the Branch presidency, we asked President Chikapa (the Branch President) for the names of members who could take us to the homes of a few of the Branch members, knowing we had to start somewhere.   He suggested working with the Bandas, Brother Banda serving as the Branch’s Elders Quorum President, and Sister Banda as the Branch’s Relief Society President.

 

 

 

For this reason, Carole and I soon got to know the Bandas, more intimately than we did other members, whom we only saw weekly at Church meetings.  As I mentioned before, the Bandas live high on the slopes of Mount Soche, in a slight bowl on the mountain, where a number of other members live—Brothers Sangala and Petro, the Phiris, the Tellas, the Malungas, and the Themkas .   They have three children—Comfort (11), Conscious (9), and Cornice (or Corney) (3).  Our first member visit was to the Bandas’ home.  Banda is one of the most common Malawian surnames—like Smith or Brown or Johnson in the United States.  [Malawi is currently in the midst of a major political scandal—called “Cashgate”—where a number of high ranking government officials—including the former President Joyce Banda (no relation)—embezzled millions and millions of dollars.]   Although I have shared this photo before, I will use it again here to reintroduce the family:

 

 

 

Brother Banda is artistic and musical.   Often he is called upon to lead the congregation when singing hymns.  With expansive sweeps of his arms, he marks the beat of the music and urges us to sing along.  Not musically inclined, I generally don’t like to sing much, but even I find it hard to resist Brother Banda’s encouragement.   Brother Banda tries to eke out a living selling his wood curvings, hand-made and individually designed cards, and water colors, not an easy way to support a family, whether it be in the States or here in Malawi.   He comes by his talent naturally, his grandfather before him having also worked as an artist.   We understand Brother Banda’s family has been in the Blantyre for several generations, but before that the family was from a district in the northern part of Malawi, not far from Mzuzu, the major city in the north.   For the last three or four weeks, Brother Banda has been out of town, called north to work with his uncle on some kind of family business venture.   Since most men do piece work—miscellaneous work projects as opposed to steady employment—to make ends meet, it is not uncommon for men to pack up and go at the spurn of a moment, to the home village, to another town in Malawi, or even, on the rare occasion, to another African country, for a temporary job, usually one sourced by family members or close friends.  Brother Banda stays in touch with the family with occasional phone calls, but must do so sparingly because of cost.

 

 

Brother Banda introduced Carole and me to the Phiris, Brother Sangala, and Brother Petro, winding through the paths of upper Soche, and leading us to their homes.  These introductions launched us, giving us the confidence and orientation necessary to find those families later on our own.   Even now, after almost two months in Blantyre, we are more comfortable picking our way through the backlanes of Soche than any of the our townships in our Branch, owing to Brother Banda’s, and then later Brother Phiri’s, assistance.

 

Sister Banda, like her husband, is a stalwart in the Branch, leading the women’s organization (the Branch Relief Society), and making herself available, however inconvenient personally, to help out with virtually every service project the Branch sponsors.   Carole and I think of her as having a heart of gold, a true example of the type of “charity” the Apostle Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 13.   Sister Banda must make real sacrifices to take on projects during the day.  First of all, like other young Malawian women, she has to tote Corney with her wherever she goes, Corney being too small to walk very far on her own.    And because the Bandas live high up the slopes, she usually has a long walk to meet the other sisters for their compassionate visits to other Branch members.  It is at least a 40 minute walk each way from her home to the Zingwangwa meetinghouse, and back again.  The following photos capture how Malawian women attach their infants and young children to their backs for long walks. 

 

 

 

 

The wrap used for carrying the infants/children is called a “chitenge,”  one of the most commonly used items of women’s clothing.  Once the infants/children are hoisted up, the mothers will carry them on their backs for miles.   The first week we were in Blantyre Sister Banda assembled a group of women to make a compassionate visit to Sister Nkandawire, whose mother had just died.   Carole felt privileged to join with those sisters.   The visit to the Nkandawires consumed the entire morning, first gathering at the Church, then crossing town for the visit,  (the Nkandawires actually live outside the physical boundaries of the Branch, but want to continue attending our Branch).  Here are a couple of photos of the women who participated in the trip, showing how much support the women give one another, giving meaning to the simple proposition that, in times of trouble, the saints should be ready to mourn together, an living example of the unity in the Church.

 

 

 

 

Two weeks ago I scheduled a mid-week visit with Sister MaKawa, an active member of the Branch who comes to Church with her four year old daughter, Gertrude.  She and her family live high above Chilobwe market, among the last two or three homes before the government land.   Not knowing where they lived, we asked Sister Banda if the MaKawas were close to the Bandas and, if so, if she could show us the way a day or two before our appointment.   Her response was “no problem, they are quite close.”   I doubt Carole and I will ever again believe Sister Banda, her natural willingness to help trumping any sense of self preservation.   The Saturday before our scheduled visit we trekked for nearly 45 minutes, in the baking mid-day heat, along a winding path high up the hillside, from the Bandas to the MaKawas, the last 200 years to the home a rock scramble.   The whole time Corney is perched on her mother’s back, Sister Banda striding along, without water or rest breaks, waiting on occasion for Carole and me to keep pace. 

 

Sister Banda met Brother Banda when they both attended a secondary boarding school, miles from their homes.   They were each selected for the school because of their sterling school performance.  Sister Banda’s family comes from Likoma, the largest of the two inhabited islands in Lake Malawi (the country’s best known natural attraction).  Her island is actually within the territorial waters of Mozambique, just miles of its coast, but the residents speak Chichewa and are Malawians.  Sister Banda has not visited home, since she married 14 years ago, not an uncommon byproduct of the challenges of growing up and living in Malawi, where considerations of cost dictate much of what one does.

 

Working now with the Primary at the Branch, Carole has Comfort and Conscious in Primary during the Sunday schedule.   They are exceptionally quick and well-informed.  She can count on them to have answers to the questions about the Bible and Book of Mormon, which she has for the Primary children.  Comfort is like his father when it comes to music.   Without help, during sharing time in Primary, he can lead the children in singing, using the same dramatic arm gestures to beat time, and starting the songs with “one, two three, sing.”   The other day Sister Branda told us that Comfort has been at the top of his class for the last several years, no doubt a tribute both to his innate smarts but also to his parent’s encouragement.   Conscious is also a good student, but not quite the standout that his brother is.   It will be interesting to watch the boys progress over the coming years.   Like many who join the Church (the Bandas have been members for only three years), families usually experience radical changes in their individual circumstances within a generation or two.   I am confident the boys will have bright futures, both in terms of their leadership potential in the Church, but also in their standing in the community.  They will learn much for taking on leadership roles in the Branch, giving talks in Church, participating in Primary and Young Men, and eventually serving on missions. 

 

 

 

Usually we see the boys playing around the Bandas’ home, when we drop by the house, in the late afternoons.  The other day the boys had fashioned self-made Indian-like headdresses, chicken feathers attached to a band of some material.  Unfortunately, I did not have a camera at hand.  It showed how inventive boys and girls can be, even at a young age, making due with what they have at hand, and finding ways to create an imaginary world for child-like play.  I should have asked the boys about their play, both are pretty fluent in English (though Chichewa will be spoken at home), wondering if they really were playing “Cowboys and Indians,” something they would know little about.  The Bandas do not have a TV or DVD player in their home, and I would be surprised if many of their immediate neighbors did either.  The following photo was taken during a recent baptismal service in the backyard of the Zingwangwa Branch, capturing a group of primary children looking on.  You shouldn’t have too much difficulty spotting the Banda brothers, they have a distinctive look (top and center):

 

 

At three, Corney is the baby of the family.   We have shared photos of her before; here she is playing with her brother Conscious close to their home:

 

 

 

Life is fragile in Malawi, especially for the young.  Two weeks ago, while Brother Banda was out of town, Corney had a sudden fever, which they could not get down.  With a neighbor’s help,  somehow Sister Banda got Corney to the hospital in the middle of the night.  In Soche this is easier said than done, bearing in mind that there are no street lights, no taxis, few cars, terrible roads.  Carole and I felt bad we were not there to help, after getting so much help from Sister Banda and her family over the last several weeks.  What would have been easy for us (a quick ride in the truck) was a real trial for the Bandas.  Fortunately, with some medications and care, they were able to bring the fever down, and in a few days, Corney was back to normal, running about and causing mischief.   Had Corney contracted malaria, the story might well have had a different ending, a crushing fear that every Malawian mother carries in her heart. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

Building Friendships, Part 2 - Carole's Post

When we make our visits to members of the Zingwangwa branch, George and I feel like we are the real beneficiaries.  We try and learn about their families and when they joined the church.  What was their conversion story?  Frequently they have a family member, not of the immediate family, living with them or they have a child living somewhere else so we try and connect the dots.  And many times they want to bear testimony to us of their love of the Saviour  or the scriptures or how the church has changed their lives.  Sometimes they have not been to church in quite awhile and some we see every Sunday.

We feel like we need to leave them something too.  So we share with them some thoughts from
I Corinthians 12.   George gives an introduction explaining that the apostle Paul had been on a mission to Corinth for 18 months, similar to what we are doing in Malawi.  After he left, he wrote the congregation two letters called I Corinthians and II Corinthians.  If we were to write two letters to the Saints after we left, they would be called I Malawians and II Malawians!  Paul writes the members that God has given them spiritual gifts.  He gives some examples of those  spiritual gifts, explaining that there is diversity in those gifts and who receives them, but that all come through the Holy Ghost.  Then he continues to write  about how all members should be united; that though they are all different, they are to be "one body".  He compares each to a member of the physical body but says all members of the body need each other to make "one body".

Continuing with the theme of unity, he tells the members that

1. they should care for one another
2. they should all suffer when one suffers
3. they should all rejoice when one member is honored.

The message is simple.  EVERYONE IS NEEDED in the branch.  With diversity comes strength and with unity comes strength.  We hope they feel of our love and concern and are strengthened in their testimonies.

We made an appointment to visit with Memory Munthali (20), who has just been called to be the Young Women's president.  How thrilled we were to discover that she lived with her father, a member of 10 years.  We had not met Brother Munthali before because he is now blind and unable to attend church.  But, oh, what a sweet spirit he has and what a marvelous story!  His wife died ten years ago, leaving him with five daughters.  He has even been to the Johannesburg temple.  We will be back to visit them often.

Memory is preparing to go on a mission.

President Chikapa presides over the Zingwangwa branch and works very hard to make sure all is functioning.  He walks 1 1/2 hours each way to work and back five days a week an what little spare time he has goes toward building them a new home.  Little Nimrod is their son and Time (12) is his nephew.  He and Sister Chikapa, who is from Uganda, both served missions in Kenya.  Sister Chikapa is in the district young women's presidency and also plays the keyboard for our branch.

Brother Chimaliro is a house painter (notice the color on the wall of his home) and is the second counselor in the branch presidency.  When we saw the shirt he was wearing, we explained what the Boy Scouts were and identified some of the badges and emblems on his shirt.  He likes these shirts so much that he has three of them.  When we explained the 50-miler emblem, I could tell that he thought 50 miles was no big deal.  After all, this is Malawi where everyone walks!

We were happy to make the acquaintance of Paul Msosa and visit with him one evening in his home. Paul joined the church about three years ago.  The missionaries came to visit his sister and she wasn't home so they taught him instead!  When we left his house, it was so dark that he said he would walk us to our car several "blocks" away.  I had a flashlight and walked very gingerly among the rocks and holes.  Everyone around us was walking faster and some were barefoot.  I asked him how they did it in the dark and he said they were just used to it.

Brother Kunje is the guard at the church five days a week so we see him often since we stop by for meetings or to connect with people.  When we went out to visit with the whole family, we went to an unfamiliar part of town so Brother Kunje met us at the Baluti market and walked us the rest of the way there.  His wife Blandina does not speak any English nor do Victor (9), Elizabeth (7), or baby Emmanuel (20 months) but we had a good time.  Blandina had made for us "cake-cake" which was made from maize meal and a fruit from a tree in their front yard.  They called the fruit a peach but it was green and shaped more like an apple.  I was fascinated that she could make a cake in a pan on their little stove on the ground.  She also served us hot water with a sugar bowl for us to sweeten it.  They called it Word of Wisdom tea. We sat on child-size chairs up to a child-size table (the only furniture) while the wife and children sat on a mat and watched us eat which is obviously very difficult for us.

We intended to visit with Brother and Sister Ntenda last week so we set up a meeting spot at the Covenant Church with Brother Ntenda so he could take us to their house.  Unfortunately he thought we said Calvary Church and we kept trading calls to connect, all to no avail.  George and I realized we were a little overly confident about finding places ourselves but we got to know the new neighborhood of Manga in the process.  The Ntendas live high up, like many members, and have a wonderful view of Blantyre.  They just joined the church in October and had previously been Muslim.  What a strong testimony Brother Ntenda has and is really passionate about the scriptures.  He really wanted a copy of a picture of Christ for his home and for his welding business so we have made copies for him.  Sister Ntenda has just been called to be a Primary teacher which makes me especially happy!

The first Sunday we attended the Zingwangwa Branch, I went to the gospel doctrine class taught by Brother Nyama.   You can tell he puts a great deal of time into preparing his lessons and he clearly has a gift for teaching (a good example of a spiritual gift).    However, I will never forget him because he asked me to teach the class the following Sunday so there was no time for me to slowly get used to my missionary calling!  We loved visiting him in his comfortable home where we learned he is a bricklayer/contractor.  He is also raising a son and two daughters.

This is just a very small part of the Tsegula family.  Brother and Sister Tsegula have eleven children!  (and 38 grandchildren and ? great-granchildren).   They live on a large parcel of land where most of their children and families live in separate houses on the property and where they can grow enough food to feed everybody all year.   Here they are standing with grandsons Gift and Christopher and their youngest son Innocent.  I teased Innocent that his nephews are older than he is!  Their son Alexander, not pictured, is the branch mission leader so we have a meeting with him every Saturday and they are standing below a missionary certificate of their son Gladwell.  The first time we stopped by, Sister Tsegula was working in the maize fields and we made an appointment for the following day.  They then greeted us in Church attire.  Brother Tsegula, who is both knowledgeable about the church and wise, has had a fascinating career in agriculture, politics, and the civil service.  I'm sure we will visit often this wonderful family. 

You can see some of the great diversity that we have in the Zingwangwa Branch and the strength that comes with that diversity.  It's a joy to attend church and to hear the talks and the lessons and the music and be lifted by these wonderful saints.

Visit with the Munthalis--George's Post

In Malawi it is rare to find men and women living into their 50s.   Living conditions are too hard, and the perils to health too ever present.  Malaria is one of the most pervasive killers, especially among those under five.   The very young  are also vulnerable to cooking accidents.   Over 12% of the adult population is HIV positive.   Public water sources are often polluted, so many in the population carry around various forms of bacterial infection.  Serious illnesses are frequently undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, and even when properly understood, proper medical care, and access to the needed drugs and medications, are limited.  Hence, few live into their 60s, and often those who do are crippled with various ailments-- poor eye sight, limited mobility, constant pain.

 

Carole and I have quickly learned it is hard to estimate the age of the Malawians. Children are small in stature, when compared to children in the United States, probably due to poor diets.   Most of the little girls and boys are slight in build and short for their age.  Obesity is not a problem in Malawi, no sugar pops for breakfast, no chips and pop after school, no fast food chains on every corner.  I usually guess children to be younger than they actually are.    On the other hand, adults age prematurely.  Early pregnancies, coupled with the hardships of daily living—carrying water, caring for children, struggling to find food from day to day, inadequate health care—take a relentless toil on the health of the young women.   Life is not much easier for the young men.  And, in any event, when adults reach their 40s, if they are fortunate enough to live that long, they look much older to our eyes.

 

 

The Zingwangwa Branch has several older members: Brother Sangala, a tailor by trade, who is 50; Brother Magombo, the oldest member, who is 77 according to the Church records; and Brother Mwale, at 69, who is the first counselor in the District Presidency and has a large household for which he remains financially responsible.

 

Brother Sangala, the branch’s Sunday School president, lives alone, high up Mount Soche, in a one-room cottage.  He is gracious, has an kindly countenance, and is very faithful.  It is hard to think of someone more humble and self-effacing.  Here is a photo of him standing in his one-room home:

 

 

Below is a photo of President Mwale and his wife, surrounding a number of grandchildren, who live with them.  It is common for grandparents to take care of grandchildren and other younger  members in the extended family, especially if they have a home and source of income.  So many adults die at young ages, often leaving behind spouses and children totally destitute or in tight financial straits.  Children are sent to live with those having the means to care for them.   There are no annuities, life insurance policies or social security to serve as a social safety net for orphans and widows.  Extended families are the first, and usually only, line of defense.  The system actually seems to work quite well—we have never heard a complaint spoken about the hardships of taking in a child or elderly adult.

 

 

Brother Magombo, at 77, is the oldest member of the Branch.  As you might imagine, he has an amazing robust constitution, no one lives that long in Malawi without it.  He is surprisingly spry and alert.  He comes to all the Church meetings  and helps out however he can.  Here is a picture of him collecting hymnals after a Church service:

 

 

I would like to introduce you to another of our senior members--Brother Shauta Munthali—whom we visited last week.  The primary purpose of our visit to the Munthali household was to visit with Memory, a young woman just 20 in the Branch.  Here is a photo of Memory and her father, sitting in the front room of the Munthalis’ home.

 

 

 

Memory was just called to serve as the President of the Young Women’s Organization in the Branch, even though she herself is just a few years removed from Young Women.  She has asked Carole to instruct her on her duties as a new leader.   Memory is also preparing to serve a full-time mission, working to secure a passport, one of the critical time sensitive prerequisites for serving as a missionary. She hopes to be in the mission field sometime next year.   [In our mission, the Zambia Lusaka Mission, roughly half of the missionaries are from the United States and half from other African countries—Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, to name a few. Consequently, most companionships pair one African with one white or western missionary.  Having gotten to know several of the missionary pairs well, both sisters and elders, Carole and I have been impressed with how well they appear to get along.]  Even though our branch is small, currently it has five of its young folks out serving on missions, all assigned to work in African countries.   At our last District meeting, held in the Blantyre Chapel, we learned of two Africans, from the other branches in Blantyre, who have recently been called to go to England on missions, one to serve in London, and the other in Birmingham, prompting lots of jokes about cold weather.  The Malawians can’t stand the cold, bundling up with knit caps and sweaters at the slightest dip in temperature.

 

 

Carole had firmed up the appointment with Memory the prior Sunday.  Not knowing where the Munthalis lived, the plan was to meet in the front of the Mwales’ home—a family we have visited the week before. Memory told us that she lived close to the Mwales and that would be a convenient meeting spot.  We had seen Brother Munthali’s name on the Branch list, but had never seen him in Church, nor heard the Branch members talk about him or his family. 

When we arrive at the appointed meeting place, Memory is not there.   After waiting for 10 or 15 minutes, Carole calls Memory (fortunately, we have her cell number with us).   Somehow the plans for meeting have gotten scrambled, Memory thinking the appointment is for the next day.   After rescheduling for another time, Carole and I start down the hill, the truck being parked a couple hundred yards away.   The unpaved roads in that township are awful, so we usually leave the truck parked, off to the side of the dirt roads in what we think of as safe areas in the flats, and hike in, and usually up, to our appointments.  [We find that easier on the truck and our nerves.] Yet before we manage to get back to the truck, Memory, slightly out of breathe, magically appears.   How exactly she manages to find us we don’t know—though, of course, we always stick out and are, in this case, not too far from the scheduled rendezvouz spot.

 

 

This is a photo of Carole, Memory and Brother Munthali:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The Munthali home sits back from the lane, with a broad open front yard, an uncommon feature in the community, most homes closely crowding the road.   The outside of the home is plastered with concrete—setting it apart from neighboring homes with their unadorned brick facades.  The home is far more specious than expected from first appearance—the living and dining areas are separated, behind which is a connecting hall, bedrooms and an indoor bathroom.  A small backroom opens out to a covered back porch and a barren backyard.  It is certainly one of the nicer homes in the immediate community.  

The front of the house also has a narrow covered porch.  It is here we met Brother Munthali.  He is lying down, knees ups, in what appears to be a tangled clump of clothes, propped up against the side wall.   Several boys are on the porch, playing some kind of game, and seemingly keeping him company.   He is spectral in appearance, all legs and arms, angular, giving him a length quite at odds with his slight frame.   I lend him a hand to allow him to stand upright.  He has no weight, but sinewy strength in his frail arms.    He greets us warmly and invites us into his home, saying over and over, we are most welcome.   At first, I am not sure if he knows who we are and why we have come.

 

But quickly, it becomes appear he is alert and understands we are the new senior mission couple, working in the Zingwangwa Branch, visiting the members’ homes.   I had expected our visit to focus on Memory, but it does not play out that way.  Carole talks to Memory and I to Brother Munthali.   He and I, we learn, are from the “same sheets,” he being 62 and I 66.  We have both had long lives and are close to the end.  He and his wife, now 10 years deceased, are the parents of five daughters, something he touches upon wistfully.  No mention is made of sons, but the way in which  he talks of his daughters, nothing more than a slight inflection in tone—like the deft striking of a piano chord--seems to reflect a wordless yearning for a son.  Memory is the fourth daughter and takes care of him, fixing meals, keeping the house clean, shopping.   Several other daughters are in Blantyre, but at least one of them lives in LiLongwe, Malawi’s capital, a five hour drive to the north.

 

 

 I am surprised to learn he spent two years in the mid-1970s, in Belfast, Ireland, going to school and improving his English.   He studied computer sciences.   While going abroad to school is common in the States, it is exceptionally uncommon here.  It would have been even more so 40 years ago.  No one can afford travelling or studying outside the country.   Most have never been outside of Malawi.  Buying a passport is beyond the means of the average individual.   To have struck out, when he did, leaving behind village, and family, and home, would have required great courage and gumption, making him as a true pioneer.  Knowledge of geography is limited among Malawians.  Most in Malawi would not have a clue where Ireland appears on a map.  [Yesterday one middle-aged sister in the Branch, a new member, could not locate Africa on the world map, pointing instead to North America.]   The world is still a small place in Malawi.  The options for travelling are narrowly defined, and are circumscribed in terms of shuttling between one’s village and Blantyre or making brief trips to LiLongwe, Zomba, or Mzuzu.   Few have been to Mozambique, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe or South Africa.  Europe, Asia or the United State are out of reach, only visited by the rich and government officials. 

 

 

Brother Munthali has bad legs and finds it difficult to get around.  And several years ago he largely lost his sight, leaving him to suffer with one eye milky and the other not much better.  These events have conspired to render him essentially house bound.   His world is contracting, as it does for many older seniors.  But he, like many elderly adults, has a rich personal history, with years of activity and accomplishment, a history now largely unknown to any but his closest family members.  I doubt many in the Branch know much about him at all.   After returning from Ireland, he thrived financially, buying a car and financing the purchase of two homes, evidences of worldly success not common found in the Zingwangwa area.   He supported his large family and, even today, with the rents collected on his second home, he supplies the monies needed to support Memory and other family members.

 

 

Sometime after his wife’s death, he went to the temple in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Getting to the temple is a primary goal of many members.  It is expensive to go, so many have to wait years before they can save the funds needed for the trip.   It takes over 20 hours by bus to make the trip to Johannesburg.   As a consequence, temple trips, when made, are scheduled as multi-day events, recognizing that, for many, it may be the first and only time they have the opportunity of attending the temple.  The level of sacrifice demonstrated by the local members, in going to the temple, paying tithing, and even trekking to Church on the Sabbath, is inspiring.   For them, these acts of obedience are not casually done.   They require discipline, planning and sometimes years of months of savings.    They do not complain or bemoan their lot in life.   They are not bitter or angry.  They do not feel God has forgotten them or been unfair.  Instead, they see themselves as having been blessed and recognize the hand of God in their affairs.  Their spiritual lives are rich and alive.   They embrace the gospel readily and find its simple truths to give them hope and to infuse their lives with meaning.  

 

Brother Munthali’s life abundantly demonstrates this.  With his health afflictions, limited mobility, and isolation, he could have been despondent.   He could have complained about the lack of visitors, this poor eyesight, being alone, or pain in his legs.  But instead he was so appreciative of our dropping by to meet him and Memory.  He was the consummate host, welcoming and gracious, lifting us up and making us feel special.  He epitomizes what we now think of as the quintessential Malawi greeting “you are most welcome.”

 

Towards the end of our first visit, I asked Brother Munthali if he would like to receive a priesthood blessing, guessing it may have been years since such a blessing had been given to him.  He responded enthusiastically. Priesthood blessings are given to the faithful—that through their faithfulness, as well as through the faithfulness of those in attendance when the blessing is pronounced, the sick or afflicted may be comforted, or healed, or, even in some cases, promised a release from the continuing pains and suffering of this mortal life.  The one giving the blessing is expected to listen carefully to the promptings of the Holy Ghost when pronouncing the blessing upon the sick.  The priesthood bearer is to be the conduit through which the Lord speaks.  As a consequence, the giving of blessings is not a casual matter in the Church.  Pronouncing a blessing is considered a sacred matter and, when done properly, can be a great blessing, not only to the afflicted, but also to the afflicted’s family and to those in attendance. 

 

When we returned to the Munthalis, several days later, for the blessing, we were joined by Elder Mkochi, a returned missionary from Zimbabwe, who is the executive secretary in the Zingwangwa Branch.  Elder Mkochi, age 27, is engaged to be married; his intended is Sister Toko, who is one of the two primary teachers.   I wanted Elder Mkochi to accompany me for several reasons.  I thought Brother Munthali might prefer having the blessing in Chichewa, his native language, not knowing how comfortable he would be with English.  But more importantly, since our role is to act as “shadow” leaders, the African leaders to assume and take the primary responsibilities, I thought Brother Mkochi should act as the spokesperson in giving the blessing.  Here is a picture of Brother Mkochi:

 

 

 

 

 Once we were gathered in the Munthalis’ living room, I took a few minutes previewing the steps of the ordinance that was about to take place, explaining that a priesthood blessing involves two parts: an anointing with consecrated oil of the head of the sick or afflicted; followed by a “sealing” of the anointing, coupled with a priesthood blessing, given by the spokesperson as he feels inspired to speak.   I anointed and Brother Mkochi sealed.  Brother Mkochi gave a wonderful blessing and I trust Brother Munthali was comforted, not only by the words spoken but as also by the warm spirit felt by the small group who were there to support Brother Munthali.

 

At this time I will not review in detail what we think happens, both to the person being blessed, as well as to the person giving the blessing, when priesthood blessings are administered.   I would, however, like to leave one thought about priesthood blessings.    This I do by analogizing to our personal prayers, when we seek blessings or protection or comfort of the Lord, either for the benefit of ourselves or others.   We think we know what is good for us or for others, but that is frequently not the case.   We, like children, often ask for the wrong things.  We ask for relief from trials, for success in our earthly endeavors, for material possessions, often when each of these prayers is not what we need.  Indeed, from the Lord’s perspective, the trials we have may be for our eternal benefit, learning patience and obedience through our struggles to overcome them; getting a new job or the next promotion, earning more money, may give rise to pride and distract us from pursuing diligently what are really the most important things in life; and getting more of what the world offers clutters our lives.  The life of the Malawians makes that abundantly clear.  They have little, but they are rich in the things of the spirit. 

 

It is the Lord who knows what is best for us, and we need to trust in Him.  Paul recognizes our lack of vision, saying “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.  And we know that all things work together for them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8: 26-28.   The Prophet Joseph Smith receives similar counsel, when suffering in Liberty Jail in the winter of 1839.  Joseph laments, as he pleads with the Lord to avenge him and the saints, and to relieve him and them of their burdens.  “O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?  How long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens the wrongs of thy people and of thy servants, and thine ear be penetrated with their cries?  Yea O Lord, how long shall they suffer these wrongs and unlawful oppressions, before thine heart shall be softened toward them, and thy bowels be moved with compassion toward them?...Remember thy suffering saints, O our God: and thy servants will rejoice in thy name forever.”  D & C 121: 1-3; 6.  

 

 

The Lord’s reply to Joseph’s complaint is short and direct.  It does not bring the relief Josephs wants or asks for.   “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;  And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.”  D & C 121: 7-8.  Instead, the Lord offer His peace, not the peace of the world; the Lord asks for patience, for long-suffering, for courage in the face of trials.  “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”  John 14: 27.  This is what we can rely upon when asking for the Lord’s blessings—whether these requests for blessing come through personal prayers or as a result of priesthood blessings.   We can count upon the Lord to speak peace to our hearts.  To give us strength to face adversity.  To give us the assurance that we are in the Lord’s care and that He is mindful of us, whatever our circumstances, whether they be painful or challenging, seemingly hopeless or bleak.  I hope Brother Munthali felt that spirit of peace, as Brother Mkochi pronounced his words of blessing, that he knows of the Lord’s love for him, and knows that he is engraven in the palms of the Lord. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

..these are a few of our favorite things. - Carole's Post

On Saturday we met with the missionary correlation committee in the Zingwangwa branch and we spent part of the time talking about a social we would sponsor in the upcoming weeks.  George and I thought it would be fun to have a movie night complete with popcorn.  We were hoping for something light and I suggested "The Sound of Music".  Since the members there had never heard of it, George tried to explain.  "It takes place in Austria,  uh, ... lots of singing,  uh, ...World War II".  It quickly became apparent by the puzzled look on their faces that there was no frame of reference and we dropped that idea!

However, I have now had the music stuck in my brain for a couple of days.  Some of you have asked about our living situation so I thought I would share some photos along with some of "Our Favorite Things".

This is our apartment complex and that is our truck in the parking lot.  Our complex does not have a name but it does have a

security gate and guard.  This is Lasma and either he or John opens the gate several times a day for us to come and go.  There are high walls topped by electried wire around the complex.

Obviously, this is on the truck.

We are in number five.   We have to reach through the iron gate to unlock the padlock, not always easy when your hands are full of things.  You can see that it rained earlier today.

This week they are going to attach a screen to the gate to try and keep out the hundreds of mosquitos that collect (just waiting for us to open the apartment door so they can fly in).

Once you get through the iron gate, you are at our front door, complete with mosquito netting.

One more door to unlock, while you are tangled up in the net, and voila, you are in!

WELCOME to our home! (or "you are very much welcome to my home" in Malawian English!)

We were so happy to buy a few things to make it homey.  The basket is filled with tomatoes and avocados, of which there are plenty.  The table ornament is a  boabab tree made of dried reeds and grass.  Through the windows you can see the clotheslines for the apartment, but no laundry today!

And this really makes it our home.

We usually sit in the living room, me on one side of the coffee table and George on the other, when we work on our computers.  And this is what is at our feet.

Computers, i-pad, phones, camera, along with adapters and one converter.

This is one of our favorite things - a great water filter system so we can drink the tap water in the kitchen if we turn on the little black tab on the faucet.  

This might be our MOST favorite thing; it's a hot pot!  The tap water takes a very long time to get hot

and it takes a very, very, long long time to heat water on the stove.  So, just fill this hot pot with water, turn it on, wait 90 seconds and it's boiling and it automatically turns itself off.  I use it for cooking and we use it every night for dish water.  It is from South Africa, as is the toaster, so they have different electrical outlet plugs than Malawi.

This is a favorite thing when the water is shut off, which happens way too often and can last for days. It is filled with filtered water so we can do a few things in the kitchen.  

Ditto for the bathrooms!  The bucket is filled with water just waiting to be used in an emergency.

And while we are on the subject of bathrooms, I just had to throw in this photo of a perfectly normal looking bathtub.  However, the drain is higher than the middle of the tub.  I'm not sure if that is normal  or just a defect but I didn't want to complain again.  I had the plumbers come out soon after we arrived because we didn't have hot water in either of our tubs.  It took them quite a while to realize that the "H" and "C" were just reversed on both tubs and we had hot water if we would just turn on the "cold" water faucet.  I felt a little sheepish too.  

And as for the shower, which is separate...we have to clean the shower head out every so often because there are pebbles and dirt still in the lines from the construction and water gets reduced to a trickle.  Still, trickly water is better than no water!

Here is our laundry room...

There is another large container of water (you get the idea).  I use the big tub rather than the concrete sink, but mostly we take our laundry over to the home of Elder and Sister Reynolds once a week and do it in their washing machine.  However, they are out of water more often than we are!  The church was going to buy us a washer and dryer but then they discovered that there are no hook-ups in these laundry rooms.

This is quite a common sight in our apartment.  I don't want our clothes to dry in the laundry room where they will end up smelling like wet cement.

This might not be one of my favorite things, but I never go a day without it!  We take our malaria prophylaxis and do everything we can to keep that pesky little mosquito at bay.  

Here are three of my favorite things:  my bed, my scriptures, and the mosquito net!  Every night when I climb in and let that net drop around me, I feel like I am safe and I can relax.  Unfortunately, when George and I have to get up in the night (more often than we would like), we have to wake up enough to get ourself extricated from the net.  With this one, you have to lift it from the bottom.

And this probably wins the prize for MOST favorite because it is fun and practical!

  The ZAPPER

When it gets dark outside and the buzz, buzz begins in the apartment, we each want to take turn with this.  I just wish I could take a photo when zapper meets mosquito!  There's a flash of light, a zapping sound, and then "I GOT IT!  Sometimes we just swing it around for the fun of it and invariably we get several zaps.  Dead mosquitos on the floor every night - what fun!

(Note the flashlight and bug spray on the bookshelf, squash in the sink and the photographer's arm in the mirror).