Love's Harvest 2010
Helping the rural poor of Malawi grow the food they need on their own land.
This morning, we headed to church at the Anglican Cathedral of St. Paul’s, Blantyre, accompanied by Leeanna Varga, Pastor Joseph and Yasinta. Kate had been invited by Dean Auster Kalilombe to preach at the 9 am Eucharist, held in Chichewa, Malawi’s national language. The service was lively and joyful, filled with exuberant songs led by the choir. Drums and electric organ blended in with the rich full voices, and we all danced and swayed in our seats. Kate preached what we’ve been practicing, sharing two experiences from our travels to engage the Bible readings about David and Goliath and the frantic father of a sick boy who cries out “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Like the Gospel Jesus taught, Permaculture is a new teaching for the villagers we meet, and requires a willingness to open our minds, flout convention, be flexible and creative. Permaculture depends on design, using a variety of plants, animals and other factors working together to strengthen one another and the environment. It requires a leap of faith. Kate’s translator was Mrs. Magodi, wife of the Diocesan Secretary, and many in church were nodding in agreement that like a garden, we as a church and we as a people are meant to be ONE, supporting one another in love through action. The morning ended with a delicious, abundant lunch prepared by the Dean’s wife, Juliet Kalilombe.
Then our group split up, with John Kania, Jane and Cindy going to do a bit of shopping at a street market before John and Jane accompanied John Msusa to a “Black Missionaries” concert. A kind of Rastafarian/Christian/Rock band, the Black Missionaries have a great rhythm with lyrics about gratitude to God for the gift of life. Jane and John described it as a bit of a return to the sixties, with crowds of people dancing, and a press of fans waiting to get in to the concert which would last all night.
Meanwhile, Kate and John visited two piggeries, one at the Parish of St. Paul’s and the other at Khombwe. The St. Paul’s piggery is a beautiful structure with six pigs but the project has had a bit of a set back, and the women are regrouping. Khombwe in Chileka Parish near the airport, under the direction of Fr. Barabas Salaka, is fantastic, with a total of 17 new piglets in a wonderful location. While we were there, the ladies of the village descended upon Yasinta to demand a Permaculture garden of the their own, having been to Thubulubu nearby and seen their project! They should us the plot they had begun cultivate, near the pigs for manure which Fr. Barnabas said he would donate, and a water pump.
We concluded the day at Thubulubu, where the women had been waiting since the morning to greet us. We were pleased with the extraordinary effort by the women who had made remarkable progress after only a couple of hours with Pastor Joseph. Khombwe and Thubulubu Mothers’ Unions will collaborate on teaching and supporting each other going forward.
