Bishop E. Nhiwatiwa, confirming that Malawi United Methodist Church is now a Provisional Conference.

Reverend Claus Schmiegel, new missionary from Germany, serving Holy Communion at the beginning of the Conference.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN PICTURES

Registration! People are busy registering for the conference

Identification cards that are being given to people at the conference

Books containing reports at the conference    

The venue for the conference this year

ASODZI, SUPPORTING THE NEEDY

ASODZI, SUPPORTING THE NEEDY

By John Nyadaufe

Galilea United Methodist Church Men (Asodzi) donate assorted items to the four needy families in the church on Sunday, April 1, 2012 as part of ministry to the deserving.

April 1, was the men’s day to conduct the worship service at Galilea local church in Blantyre which ended with contentment to some members who received maize, clothes and a bible from the organisation which was organised as a present to end their week of prayer and fasting. At the church service, it was Palm Sunday cerebrating the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

Speaking as the secretary of the Men’s Organisation, Stanley Ntchafu said they are pleased to support church members who are vulnerable and lack food in their families due to some challenges faced.

“We planned to end our programme by sharing the little we gathered with fellow church members as part of our ministry and doing God’s words as a true fast according to Isaiah 58:7,” explained Ntchafu.

In response after receiving the gifts, Fifteen Jambo appreciated the Men Organisation for supporting them during this very trying moments and Jambo himself was unable to provide the needs of his family due to illness.

“I was admitted at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital for three weeks and praise God my family is being supported by the church which is a true indication of fulfilling God’s command of loving one another in hard times,” Jambo said.

The Men Organisation was established in 2010 after the Men’s Convention in Lilongwe with support from Methodist Men Organisation from Zimbabwe with a vision to bring more souls to Christ through different ministries of the church.  Reports show that Galilea Men Organisation is one of the active organisations in the Malawi Missionary Conference.

MUMC IN MASSIVE SUPPORT TO DISASTER VICTIMS

By Joseph Kaipa MUMC Communicator

The Malawi United Methodist Church (MUMC) has embarked on relief programs to flood and drought victims to 1209 families in the rural areas of Nsanje,  Zomba and Blantyre.

On February 18 the church distributed 328 bags of maize to flood victims of Tradition Authority Mlolo in Nsanje.

Speaking at the donation, the church’s Health Coordinator, Mercy  Nyirongo  said the aid funded by partners of the United Methodist from Church of Resurrection in  Kansas City of United States symbolize their concern as church   on how people are suffering due to the disasters.

“As a faith community we are touched to see that our friends are in trouble then we wish to share with them the little we have in order to maintain their health,” said  Nyirongo.

Commenting on the issue, Nsanje District Natural Disaster Risk Management Officer, Humphrey Magalasi paid a vote of thanks to the church and emphasized that it is the second church to support flood victims in the districts after Salvation Army.

Some of the beneficiaries receiving maize bags

Following the program in Nsanje, the UMC went to the Eastern Region of Malawi in Zomba District to donate 581 bags of maize to drought victims on February 24 under the sponsorship of COR. This took place at Chikomwe primary school in Mayaka village.

In the opening remarks at the occasion, Traditional Authority Kwerewo appreciated the church for the donation and assured that it will help to minimize malnutrition diseases which were reaching at the rampant stage due to lack of food in the district.

He also commented that the Church has shown its love to people by distributing such help to the community where the majority is Muslims.

“We have learnt to love one another from the church by avoiding discrimination on religion,” said the chief whose accent sounds to be a Muslim.

Melvin Mponda, one of the recipients of the donation in Blantyre said the aid has saved her family from hunger in her family because she fails to grow crops since she is disabled.     

In the related developments, the church distributed 300 bags of maize in areas of Traditional Authority Kunthembwe, Chigaru and Kuntaja on March 29, in Blantyre District to the elderly, orphans and the disabled.  

Elders cerebrating after receiving maize at Kunthembwe village

This is where the maize did not grow well due to severe drought attacked in November and December last year.

Traditional Authority Kunthembwe popularly known as gogo Chalo said the church is a pillar of love, unity and peace in the country and this shows that God’s miracles are there for them to testify on the food aid given to his area.

He appreciated the church and its partners for considering his community in the relief program which has come in time when many families are living without food.   

The Malawi United Methodist Church has been involved in different development activities in the country especially in health project by establishing under five clinics in Nancholi and Madisi as one of its priorities to improve health on its mission of Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

MUMC, COR in Brawny Partnership

By John Nyadaufe

The Malawi United Methodist Church (MUMC) has engaged in uplifting the nutrition programme and church building projects under sponsorship from the Church of Resurrection (COR), in Kansas, USA. The developments come after a visit by a team of five Volunteers in Mission (VIM) from COR (led by Director of Partnership, Reverend Cayce Stapp) to the Malawi Missionary Conference in January.

The projects, which include the construction of a church in the Madisi Circuit and the Nutrition Programme of the Church’s Heath Ministry that feeds malnourished children under five-years-old and HIV positive people, were decided on during the leaders meeting held in Blantyre; alongside focus on methodologies to improve communication and reinforce this partnership.

Praise singing!

In order for them to have meaningful discussions, MUMC Leadership and the COR VIM team held a retreat meeting on 20^th to 23^rd January at Fishermen’s Rest Lodge in Blantyre. Twenty-four members participated, including the heads of different departments in the Malawi UM Conference. There was time to share ideas on how MUMC and COR could improve their partnership in reaching the four foci areas namely: Poverty Alleviation, Congregation Development, Health Improvement and Leadership Development.

This was achieved as the Organisational Developer, missionary Inke Johannsen, facilitated the programme and allowed the two parties to ask each other questions about methodologies to ensure that through the partnership, the Malawi UMC will become a self-reliant conference in its ministries.

Speaking at the beginning of the meeting, Malawi Conference Superintendent Rev. Daniel Mhone appreciated the United Methodists from Church Of Resurrection for supporting the church in different projects and equipping leaders with resources so that they can perform their duties effectively.

  “This is a great miracle as you plant for the development of United Methodist Church in Malawi,” said Reverend Mhone.

The Superintendent added that the gathering was aimed at uplifting the name of Christ and reminded members the vision of the church is to see the Malawi Missionary Conference become an Annual Conference and raise the status of people from poverty to prosperity in both physical and spiritual lives; which he said could only happen when the partnership persists.

Reverend Stapp said he is impressed with the activities taking place in the conference and assured the participants that COR will help in the partnership so that Malawi UMC can rely on its own in the future.

Participants at the retreat

“I hope that together we can journey through the departments to sustain into Kudziimira patokha initiative in Malawi,” observed Stapp.

Finally, Stapp confirmed that COR is looking forward to supporting Malawi UMC in educative programs such as scholarships for children, students and teachers as well as trainings in church leadership, women and economic empowerment.

Pastor Profile -- Heston Mbuzi

By John Nyadaufe, Publications Coordinator

It may sound like a lie, but pay attention for a moment; it is reality.  Sometimes people leave fine seats at good work places to serve God as pastor or other church leader. This is a clear explanation on the term obeying God’s calling: an individual who stops work that he or she does for profit in order to do the mission of God.

That is the life that Hesten Seda Mbuzi strives to achieve. He worked for the government of Malawi as a police officer, in various positions, for 21 years. But then, he made a choice to serve the Lord as pastor in-charge in the United Methodist church.

Mbuzi: In camouflage when he was a Police Officer. 

Now retired from carrying a firearm, he feels good leading the congregation of United Methodists in Nsanje with a Bible and a hymn book in his hands as tools for his effective ministry.

Family and Education Background

Fifty-six years ago, Mbuzi was born into a family of 9 children; 6 males and 3 females. He hails from Chingondo Village, Traditional Authority N’gabu in Chikhwawa District in the Lower Shire. According to Mbuzi, after his first wife died in 1989, he married another and said he has 6 children, including 4 from his first wife.

Mbuzi did primary school education at Phanda Primary School in his home district from Class 1 to 6. He then continued and completed the primary level at Kamwendo Primary School in Chiradzuru where he was selected to Chiradzuru Secondary School. This was made possible because at the time he was living in Chiradzuru with his brother who was working as a cook at a European residence.    

 Although the idea was to stay with someone who could pay for his school fees, the plan collapsed after writing the Junior Certificate of Education examination. He dropped out of school due to financial problems. He started working as the bus conductor for United Bus Company and did this job from 1972 to 1974. During this time, he worshiped in the Evangelical Church of Malawi (ECOM) formerly known as Nyasa Mission and later moved to Evangelical Lutheran Church of Malawi (ELCM), where he was an active lay person.

“I did not hold any position in either church but I enjoyed worshiping the Lord,” disclosed Mbuzi.

After working with the United Bus Company for three years, Hesten Mbuzi applied for a job in the Malawi Police Service. His request was granted and he was called for training at Kanjedza Police Training School in Blantyre. He then started working as the Administration Secretary, responsible for all the secretarial activities of police. This was the time he realised the presence of God’ call on his life.

Joining the United Methodist Church

But when did he join the UMC? His answer to this question was simple, he joined on 12 March 2009. Mbuzi explains how God called him into the church.

Mbuzi, right, assisting with baptisms in the Nsanje Circuit

“When I worked in the Malawi Police Service for 21 years, there was once a time when we were told to choose if we needed to continue working or resign. My friends decided to continue working but I found this to be my chance to go back home so that I could do other things, though I was strong enough to continue working. Maybe it was God’s call to serve Him,” narrated the man with intermittent grey hair in his head.

“My arrival at home fulfilled God’s will because I joined the church and attended different Pastoral Training Seminars. I was then approved to lead the congregation of Nsanje Circuit,” added the man of God. According to Mbuzi, the circuit currently has twenty-five local churches with a total membership of 1, 275.

He then proceeded to encourage other pastors to work for the Lord. He also said that others who feel like they are called by God to serve as pastors should go forth in this call to realise their wish for the name of Christ to be glorified.

“I always enjoy and feel God’s presence through these people,” concluded Mbuzi.

Nsanje Circuit Lay leader, Mpota Sandram, commented that pastor Mbuzi is a humble person who knows how to treat his people in a good manner and help them to grow spiritually.

“We support our pastor because he cares about the church and leads us to know love among each other as the main aspect of being a Christian,” observed Sandram.

The Malawi United Methodist Church has twenty-two circuits led by committed pastors from districts across the country. It has 19,500 members, including children. Most of the churches are located in rural areas, such as Nsanje, where transportation from one local church to another is a major challenge. This challenge affects Hesten Mbuzi as he tries to visit all the local churches regularly. However, Mbuzi is a fine example for all of the United Methodists in Malawi. God’s work may not be easy. In fact, the challenges may be great. But pastor Mbuzi shows that we can find great joy and fulfilment in life when we answer God’s call for each one of us.   

  

UM Health Ministry -- 1st Blog Post

Our United Methodist Health program has a blog, too! Read about the great work we're doing with pre-school feeding programs all over Malawi. You can see Mercy Nyirongo's first blog post here.