Excursus on Malawi: Number 2 of 5

In similar vein to dioceses in the U.S. and parts of the U.K., the dioceses of Malawi (there are four for the whole country) are geographically quite vast. The Diocese of Northern Malawi, for example, stretches some two-hundred miles from north to south and spans approximately one-hundred miles from east to west. The critical difference, from our perspective at least, is the ease with which we in the West can travel between two places. It is supremely simple to go – say from Birmingham to Montgomery and back in the same afternoon. That’s about 180 miles round-trip. To do so in Malawi is impossible, period.

First of all, cars are a luxury item and not even a bishop can count on one being in working order all the time. It is not uncommon for a priest in Malawi to walk twenty miles to say Mass on any given Sunday. Secondly, the roads are in dreadful shape; the word ‘pothole’ doesn’t begin to denote reality. The paths are basically ½ dirt and ½ gravel with a mix of grass here and there. And finally, Malawi is in the midst of a petrol shortage, which, as if there weren’t enough hardships already, means that travel is further impeded.

But our visit was unique: Bishop Fanuel had arranged for a local businessman to provide a van and driver for our team during our visit. This also meant that Bishop Fanuel needed to travel, too. And we accompanied him on his work. Of course, Bishop Fanuel wanted us to see the great work that God is doing in his diocese.

So as we navigated potholes, cliffs sans guardrails, cows and chickens in the highway, and random police checkpoints, we began by visiting the diocesan demonstration garden, which teaches sustainable farming as part of a larger national effort to combat famine and ameliorate the often antiquated agricultural methods employed by most Malawians. As recently as 2003, Malawi was struck by famine; thousands of people literally starved to death. 90% of Malawians depend on their own farming capabilities to receive their daily nourishment. Thus the garden has been given a twofold task: implement sustainable harvesting into the daily lives of the citizenry and store up bumper crops to alleviate future famines. And the way this is done is by having priests and a few lay representatives from each parish periodically come to visit, work, and learn. The facility is complete with classrooms and modest sleeping quarters.

The demonstration garden is approximately fifteen hectares (about 28 acres), and is well designed and fully staffed through a continuing gift from our diocese, the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. Perched on a gentle sunward slope, the garden is hodgepodge of fruits and vegetables, namely, maize (corn), groundnuts, peas, beans, mangos, sweet potatoes, fingerling potatoes, cocoa, a few rubber trees, squash, tomatoes and tea. The soil is well-tilled, well-maintained, and, by all measures, a smashing success. They even have their own composting farm based on an ancient Chinese model. Most of us were looking for the tool shed; however, no such shed exists. All of this can and is done by hand! Who’d a thunk it: a garden can be planted, sustained, harvested, and distributed without a John Deere tractor with a/c and a cd player!

And the mango grove at the demonstration garden was fantastic. Fresh from the tree, an overflowing bowl of freshly picked mangos costs fifty cents! So, of course, I bought a basket and immediately peeled one and began devouring it. It was the finest mango I’ve ever had. Simple and delicious, a fresh-from-the-tree mango is a cure-all for so many ailments, especially when it’s hot and you’re homesick! In a later post, I’ll incorporate fresh mangos into a twist on traditional ceviche.

After another bumpy ride, one where our van bottomed out and we all got carsick, we arrived at Nhkata Bay where we boarded the fastest boat in all of Malawi for our trek to the true heart of Northern Malawi, Likoma Island, where the Cathedral Church of St. Peter forms the axis mundi for all of Christianized Malawi. The boat we used, which is owned by the diocese, comfortably and ‘legally’ seats eight, so we took sixteen to be safe. When the average person wishes to travel over to the island, it takes eight hours on a steam ship. Our trip, thanks to two trolling motors and being guests of the Bishop, took only 2.5 hours.

Likoma Island is the site where British missionaries chose to construct the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, which is an architectural miracle in every sense of the word (I hope you’ll visit our pictures on Snapfish http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/groups/malawi2011/cobrandOid=1000; password ‘malawi’). Begun in 1903 by Anglican missionaries, today the Cathedral Church of St. Peter is the spiritual center of the country. The building itself is a smaller variant of Winchester Cathedral in Britain; the altar stone has within it soil from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and the high altar of solid stone comes from a quarry near Canterbury, England. The very bricks themselves were carried on the backs of newly-converted men and women and floated across to Likoma at the end of the nineteenth century. Nothing in the Cathedral is native to Likoma; it all had to be brought in amidst blood, sweat and tears. The Cathedral at Likoma is a testament to their formidable faith, with Christ Himself being the true cornerstone.

Just across from the Cathedral is St. Peter’s Anglican Hospital, which serves children and the elderly. Of course, I thought the hospital was a house of horror – it was hot, dirty, smelly, and, above all, sad. However, upon further review, the hospital is the envy of all central Africa, where modern healthcare is not exactly the buzz word. The patients at St. Peter’s, however, receive the very finest care available. The Diocese of Northern Malawi takes seriously the charge to care for the sick and the elderly. The Bishop then invited us, as seminarians preparing for Holy Orders, to step up with him and pray over the patients. This was a wonderful opportunity to share in the sufferings of our brothers and sisters in Malawi through mutual prayer. We were told that most of the patients to whom we were ministering were in fact expected to die very soon. The Spirit was especially close to us in that hospital.

We completed our visit to Likoma by meeting with the Cathedral Chapter and representatives from the Likoma Mother’s Union, which is the U.S. and U.K. equivalent of all the parish guilds rolled into one. We then boarded our boat for the ride back to the mainland. This time, however, one of the inflation tubes used for supporting our boat was somehow punctured and the boat began to take on water. So all sixteen of us had to sit in a space that would usually hold three people! Needless to say, we got to know one another in very intimate ways.

Alas, we did re-arrive safely, but a little wet. We then were carted off to St. Mary’s Convent, where the sisters had prepared a dinner for us from their own farm. The fingerling potatoes continue to stand out in my mind as simple and fresh, which are two words that I think are very important in a kitchen and they perfectly encapsulate Malawian cuisine. Let me insert now my take on their version:

St. Mary’s Potatoes: A Side Dish for Four

Ingredients:
2 lbs. of fresh fingerling potatoes, peeled, cooked in chicken broth and drained.
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of white pepper
Pinch of fresh parsley
3 TBSP. of high-quality unsalted butter

To prepare: Place all ingredients in a bowl, toss, and serve. Add additional butter as required.

Afterwards, we went to their chapel for compline. The sisters sound like angels, and their love of God and His Church is infectious. We were all glad to lie down and fall fast asleep.

From my journal…

How have I seen God at work?

God is using our team to inspire the people of Northern Malawi; they feel God’s love through us. They aren’t so much looking for earth-shattering comments from us. Rather, they’re thrilled simply to see that we cared enough to come and visit. We are all one in Christ Jesus, and this trip is one way to actualise that reality.

What’s been challenging?

I’m starting to miss Malacy, Gus and Mary Camille. I wish for two things: I wish I could see them right now, and I wish that I were more patient and tenderhearted when I’m in their presence.

What has God shown me about myself?

Life, even mine, is a fragile gift. I’m not six feet tall nor am I bulletproof, no matter what I think.