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.

Modern Day Circuit Riding

By  John Nyadaufe

Malawi UMC Publications Coordinator

Rev. Teddy Crum, his wife Sylvia and daughter Lily are again riding the Circuits of the Malawi United Methodist Church. On Sunday, 20^th November, 2011 they made a visit to the Nsanje Circuit where they accomplished several ministerial assignments. 98 people were baptised including 76 members at Bangula UMC and 22 members at Tengani UMC.

A highlight of this busy day was the baptism of a local chief. He committed his life to Christ as his Lord and Saviour even though he had reached a very old age before making this decision. The visit to the Nsanje Circuit is the Crum’s seventh Circuit visitation in the Malawi Missionary Conference since they arrived in the country in June 2011.

Hesten Mbuzi, the pastor-in-charge for Nsanje Circuit, did not mince words regarding how the missionaries’ visit to his Circuit was an inspiration and a source of encouragement to the Circuit which has had many un-baptised members still in need of teachings in order to grow spiritually in the Lord.

Commenting on the same note, the Circuit Lay Leader, Mpota Sandram, was quick to say that the missionaries’ visit gave hope and encouragement to the members. He hoped that their presence would bring other developmental changes to the Nsanje Circuit in terms of ministry programs such as water and sanitation and other health related ministries of the Church. “The local church at Zwaki had already moulded bricks for the construction of a church building for worship and help would be needed for other building materials and roofing resources to be made available,” explained Sandram. Adding to this, the Lay Leader said that Nsanje Circuit is facing a food crisis. It is located in a drought prone area. He believes that irrigation programs would ensure food security for some of the areas in the community.

The health coordinator of the Malawi Missionary Conference, Mrs. Mercy Nyirongo, makes regular visits to the Nsanje Circuit as part of her work developing the health ministry in local communities throughout the Nsanje Circuit. She is already working with members of local churches in the Nsanje Circuit to help them improve the community’s health.

When called on to respond, Reverend Teddy Crum explained to the church members that his work in the Missionary Conference is to help members receive the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion. He is also working to advance the education of the local pastors so that Circuit members can better learn from them about faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The larger connection within the United Methodist Church can occasionally offer assistance within areas of development and crisis prevention, and the Nsanje Circuit has received significant assistance from the Church to help cope with their challenges. Crum explained later that the issues of irrigation and food insecurity are crucial in the Nsanje area, and require a concerted effort by the Malawi government in order to address these concerns in a sustainable manner.

Rev. Crum listened carefully to the challenges faced by the members in the Circuit and assured the members that their concerns would be shared with the Conference Leadership so that the Leadership can consider additional programs that could empower members to gain sustainability.

He encouraged Nsanje Circuit members to think creatively amongst themselves so that local support could achieve God’s ministry in these very difficult times. Local challenges are often overcome with local solutions. Crum noted that the Missionary Conference does not have the financial resources to conduct these sorts of development projects. He pointed out that the reason why so few visits are made to this and other circuits is that funds are not available for transportation. However, he said that God often makes a way where there appears to be no clear path.

And so the Circuit riding continues. As the Crums visit more circuits around the Conference they get a better understanding of what God is doing in the Malawi United Methodist Church. The Crums hope to walk alongside the people of the MUMC to help enhance effective ministry and transform lives. They frequently point out that they are not the ones with the solutions, but are here to work with the local leadership of the Malawi UMC to develop effective ministries.

MAPHUNZIRO A ABUSA A MALAWI U.M.C

Wolemba Joseph Kaipa

Malawi UMC Communicator

Maphuziro abusa omwe anachitikira ku ofesi yaikulu mu mzinda wa Blantyre  kuyambira pa 12mpaka pa 16 september 2011  athandiza kusula ophuzirawa kukhala akadaulo pa ntchito imene Mulungu anawapatsa.

Maphunzirowo  amene anakozedwa ndi   cholinga  chosula abusa ochuluka m’Malawi muno athandizira kuti mpingo wa United Methodist upite chitsogolo ndi utumiki wake. M’modzi wa ophunzira pa maphunzirowo,  Obed Ngulube kuchokera ku seketi ya Livingstonia wati wapindula kwambiri ndi maphunzirowa . Iye anati akakhunthulira nthumba la chidziwitsoli kwa athu ochuluka mu seketi yake pokhala chitsanzo pa zomwe aphunzira  potero anthu adzakhala omvetsetsa ndi okozeka kulandira zosowa zawo za moyo wauzimu.

M’mawu ake m’busa Steve Mbewe  yemwe adali mgulu lophunzitsa abusawa, anati ali wokondwa  kwambiri ndi m’mene maphunzirowa anayendera. Iye anati ophunzira  amamvetsera bwino, kufunsa pamene sanamvetsetse komanso kuwerenga mwakathithi kukonzekera mayeso amene analemba pamapeto a maphunzirowo. Mbewe anatinso pali chiyembekezo kuti abusawa akayamba kuphunzitsa ana awo ndi ena mu mpingo kuti adzakhale mzika zodalirika mu m’mpingo wa United Methodist kuno ku malawi.

Mkulu wa mpingowu ku Malawi m’busa Daniel Mhone anathirirapo ndemanga kuti maphunzirowo akhala opambana chifukwa cha kudzipereka komanso kudalira pemphero kwa ophunzirawo pamodzi ndi komiti yomwe inakonza. Iye anati ngankhale panali mayesero osiyanasiyana monga matenda ndi ena omwe mdyerekezi anayesetsa kuvumbwitsa mmasikuwa, Mulungu anamenya nkhondo pochiritsa ndi kukhalitsa bata ziwanda zonse zofuna kusokoneza mpaka maphunziro anatha m’nthawi yake. Mhone anapitiriza kuti maphunzirowa athandizanso kuti abusa omwe angosankhidwa kumene ndi Bishop kupita m’maseketi akhale ndi poyambira pa utumiki wawo.                           

 Pomaliza Mhone anauza abusa onse kuti kuikidwa  kapena kupatsidwa seketi yotumikira sizikusonyeza kuti payikidwa malire kwa abusa kukatumikira seketi ina.Iwo anati abusa akhoza kuyenderana  m’maseketi  ngati alumikizana mokwanira  komanso kudziwitsa ofesi yawo ndipo anaonjezera kuti kuyenderana kwa abusa m’maseketi kumalimbikisa ubale pa ntchito ya utumiki mu mpingo.

 M’busa Teddy Crum yemwe ndi  m’mishonale kuno ku Malawi komanso amaphunzitsa abusawo,  anathirira ndemanga kuti mpingo wa United Methodist  umankhazikika kwambiri pa  kuphunzitsa atsogolereri kuti adziwiretu chochita m’mene akukayamba ntchito yawo. Iwo anapereka chitsanzo cha abusa omwe angosankhidwa kumene ndi Bishop kuti panopa akudziwa m’mene angagwilire ntchito yawo. Crum anapitiriza kuti maphunzirowa athandiza abusawa kumanga maziko autumiki komanso kukhala ozidalira ndipo anatinso anthu ayenera kusiyanitsa kumbali ya utumiki. Anaonjezera kuti pali utumiki wina ongosakhidwa ndi anthu pamene wina umankhala maitanidwe kuchokera kwa Mulungu. Pophera mphongo pa mfundoyi iye anati ena amangosakhidwa chifukwa choti amapezeka mu zochitika  monga:makwaya,kulalika ndi kutsogolera chipembedzo koma akasankhidwa kuti akatumikire  m’dera lina sachita zimene aphunzira ndi zimene mzimu afuna. Pamene iwo amene ali osankhidwa amachita zimene aphunzira mogwirizana ndi zimene mzimu ukufuna. Posonyeza kuikapo mtima pa utumiki womwe Mulungu anamuninkha mtumikiyu wayendera maseketi asanu ndi awiri omwe maina ake ndi Kamwendo, Mulanje, Mpenya, Madisi, Bethel, Mzuzu ndi Nsanje ndipo anati ali wokondwa poona kuti abusa ochuluka akugwiritsa ntchito zimene anaphunzirazo. Iye anati izi zithadiza kuti zinthu zisithe m’maseketi ochuluka m’malawi muno ndipo anatsindika kuti apitiriza kuyendera maseketi omwe atsara mogwirizana ndi abusa akuluakulu a mpingo m’malawi muno kuti aone m’mene ntchito ya ambuye  ikuyendera.