In the last letter received from Sister Anne Zekveld in addition to describing the work done at the Mbuma Hospital she tells of visits to two out-lying districts where the people are too far away from Mbuma to attend the services there.
I quote from Anne’s letter: “Our monthly visits to Mjena continue where there are a good number of people who regularly attend the services there. When my sister was here we went to visit three of these families. I was much encouraged by what I saw especially in one home where the whole family was together. There was a very pleasant homely atmosphere and we were duly served with a tasty meal of rice and goat meat and home-made buns for dessert. The whole family joined in and one of the children asked the blessing before we started. As a rule children do not eat in the same place as the adults and men and women do not eat together except in Christian homes and I was glad to see this family group. After the meal, one of the children brought out the Bible and psalm books. One could see that this family was accustomed to having worship together and the children joined whole-heartedly in the singing. I am sure the mother, Ma Khanye, takes the lead, but the father is not antagonistic and does attend our monthly meetings quite regularly. It would appear as though the Lord is working among some of our people at Mjena. He works by His Word and Spirit to His own honour glory.
We also have started with monthly gatherings at the Dlawa school, another area far removed from preaching stations and where some people were requesting services. We have been there on three occasions now and it is nice to see the many children who come. This week there was about forty in attendance, with only two men, twelve women and the rest children. Mr Gagisa takes these services. He is the retired schoolteacher who is helping us with our language study. His sight has deteriorated so much that he cannot even read large print any more. So Simon or Thembelani, two young Christian men who work at the hospital go along to read for him. The meetings are quite informal, starting with the singing of different psalms to get them used to the tunes and words and to allow for late-comers. Sometimes Gagisa or Thembelani will explain the words or ask the people questions about a psalm. It is a good way to get to know the people and of finding out how much they are understanding. Then we have an opening prayer and a short Bible reading and a short meditation on the truth and then singing. Then they are given an opportunity to recite their verses which the children very much enjoy.
The Dlawa people are quite different from the Mjena people in that there are quite a number of illiterate people among the adults. Many depend on their children to read. This encourages the reading of the Bible aloud so that all the family can have the benefit of hearing it.
Next month, all being well, we hope to have some news of Ingwenya and Kenya. JN
Situation in Malawi and Kenya
For the interest of our Church people, the Foreign Missions Committee at a recent meeting decided that part of a letter written by the Convener to the Mbuma Zending Committee in Holland should be printed in the Magazine. Our Dutch friends had requested information on the situation in Malawi and Kenya. On the information being conveyed to them, they, recognising our need of further financial help in order to get the hospital fully operational, responded in their usual generous way. They made a special donation of Fl45,000 and we are deeply grateful to them.
As far as MALAWI is concerned, it was decided by the Synod that we should dispense with the services of the three men who had been responsible for catechising and holding services. That was done because, sadly, we no longer had any confidence in them. You will remember that it was Ds. Veldman who found and engaged them in the first place, and that it was he, also, who placed them on a payroll. This was done without any consultation with our Committee but we agreed, at the time, and in the circumstances, to fall in with the arrangement made. We have, as you know, not hitherto been able to settle an ordained missionary in Malawi and we feel now that, until such time as the Lord will provide one, we should just maintain a presence in the country. Accordingly we have decided to retain possession of the mission house in Blantyre which at present is being looked after by a caretaker and a watchman. As we did not wish the men who took the services for us — Phiri, Mwase and Tembo — to suffer hardship as a result of sudden termination of employment, the Committee, and Synod, agreed that we would continue to pay their salaries for a year and that we would leave them to occupy the houses and churches which had been built. That seemed to us the most charitable and Christian way of dealing with a very difficult situation. A year’s salary amounts to approximately £720, and the buildings were not costly, so that it is important to bear in mind that we are not dealing here with vast sums of money. There is a young man called Nedson Banda, at present a student at a Malawian Bible College, who could possibly be useful to us in the future. At present we are helping in the payment of his fees. Meantime we shall require to send out sufficient money to Malawi to cover the costs outlined.
In KENYA the hospital is now operational and already has been instrumental in saving many lives. There are 40 beds but an average of 70 to 90 patients. Our staff are working extremely hard and have little time off. As you will know, Dr Christine MacDonald has had to return home due to ill health and both she and her husband have now tendered their resignations to the Foreign Missions Committee. The Clerk of our Committee is due to go out to Kenya shortly for a period of six weeks and as he is a doctor with years of experience of working in Africa he will be able to help at the hospital.
We are very hopeful that the work will continue and extend in Kenya. When we last met, the Committee engaged the services of Mr Ian MacLean who belongs to our Farr congregation. He will, the Lord willing, go out to Kenya towards the end of this year* and will take over as Administrator/Treasurer in place of Mr Donald MacDonald. Mr MacLean is a young man in whom we have the utmost confidence. His wife is a trained midwife and her presence at Sengera will also greatly help. A Dr E de Jong, who lives at Stiens, in the Netherlands, has offered his services to the Committee and, if he is found to be suitable, will be ready to go to Kenya in July 1996. Above all, we have now the prospect of a young ordained minister of the Gospel from Scotland being settled in Kenya by the Summer of next year, the Lord willing.
* Mr and Mrs Ian MacLean and family will actually be going out to Kenya in January, 1996. (D.V.)
You will recall that I wrote to you in May drawing attention to the particular needs of the Kenya mission. We have had to spend a lot of money recently. The security fence is now complete and the generator is ready to be bolted to its foundation. We also had problems with the water supply and that involved the hiring of a surveyor. Now, having found water, and having dug a well, we have to install a submersible pump to transport it to the storage tank. Extra accommodation will be required to house the minister and doctor who will be arriving next year, the Lord willing, and until such time as the hospital becomes fully viable the shortfall in running costs will have to be met from mission funds.