Malindi Parish background:
For several decades the Diocese of Birmingham has been linked to the Church in Malawi, with visits being exchanged and spiritual support being offered, as well as financial aid which is distributed centrally through the Church to people and communities in need.
In order to make the relationships more immediate and personal, parishes in the Birmingham Diocese have been encouraged to link up with parishes in Malawi and on July 17th this year such a link was formally established between our five village parishes and the parish of Malindi, a former mission station on the southern shore of Lake Malawi. Gifts and greetings were exchanged between the Revd. Alex Mann and the then Malindi parish priest, Father Hopeson Jailosi, who also sent a letter introducing himself to the Church family here in England.
The present church building in Malindi, St. Martin’s, dates back to 1911 and the parish includes five sub churches which although they lack funds, always have good attendances. Congregations are large and the worship vibrant. The churches are also involved in the setting up and provision of schools, both primary and secondary, a hospital and workshops.
In March 2005 Austrey and Warton PCC decided to establish a parish link with Malindi parish on the southern shore of Lake Malawi. A parish link has many advantages over sending money to a needy area or supporting a missionary in that it requires personal contact and therefore builds up relationships with the people in the parish.
Latest News
Things have been rather quiet on the Malawi front, with no direct communication from Malindi for over a year. We gather that Fr Thom Mpinga has left the parish and we were told that a new priest, Fr Estone Pembamoyo, (who is known to Revd Alex Mann and came to visit here in Austrey and Warton) had been appointed but we do not know whether he has yet taken up his post. We have also heard, indirectly, that the Diocese of Upper Shire, of which Malindi is a part, has been in a state of turmoil for the past year, with major disagreements over the election of a new Bishop. Hopefully things will now begin to settle down with the appointment of Fr Brighton Malasa, who was the priest in Polesworth’s link parish of Mpondas and whom some of us had the pleasure of meeting in the autumn of 2007. Meanwhile, we continue to remember Malindi in our prayers and to send the occasional email and letter along with copies of The Dove magazine.
On a more optimistic note, however, we have real hopes that we will soon have some first-hand information about the situation in Malindi, possibly within the next month or so. We have been fortunate to make the acquaintance of Brian and Margaret Ingram from Atherstone, who themselves support a village in Malawi. We have met and talked with them and learned much about the Malawian way of doing things. They are currently in Malawi for an extended stay, overseeing projects in their village, and have kindly offered to visit Malindi on our behalf, probably some time during July. They have with them a letter of introduction from our vicar Stephen Banks, giving them the authority to make enquiries about what is happening in the parish. Among other things, we hope they will be able to confirm whether Fr Thom’s successor, Fr Estone Pembamoyo, has taken over in Malindi. We have also asked them to find out the names of other church officials with whom we might make contact, along with their contact details, and, if time permits, to visit the schools and hospital. We look forward eagerly to their report and will bring you up to date in our next edition.
Alison Meredith
Bethesda Leprosy Hospital
Three times a year, during the months of April, August and December, the churches of the Parish of All Souls send a tenth of their offerings to the Bethesda Leprosy Hospital in India. The gift is always gratefully received, often at a time when the hospital has no financial reserves and those running it literally do not know where the next penny is coming from, and acknowledged with heartfelt thanks.
The hospital has been in existence for 85 years, founded on Christian principles and offering spiritual nurture as well as medical care. Well over 10,000 outpatients visited the centre during 2008. Despite advances in the prevention and treatment of leprosy, there are still those in need of medication and corrective surgery: last year 25 leprosy patients with hand and foot deformities were operated on. In recent years the hospital has become a centre for treating today’s ‘outcasts’, those suffering from HIV and AIDS. 50 HIV positive patients and their families have received monthly rations, 21 babies were born to HIV mothers in the hospital, and February 2009 should see the completion of the George Muller Home for HIV children.
We pray that their work will continue to be blessed during 2009.
Mtengeza Primary School
The All Souls Malawi Committee are currently looking to raise funds for the repair of Mtengeza Primary School in our link parish of Malindi.
So far over £1700 has been raised towards a target of £3000. To help you can take part in a paper quiz which will cost £1 with a £10 prize for the winners. Contact the web editor for copies of the quiz. ark2by2@ntlworld.com
The School building is shown below.
Birmingham City Mission
We continue to support the invaluable work done by the Birmingham City Mission among the homeless, the elderly, families struggling with poverty and debt, impressionable and vulnerable young people in the city. We give direct financial support through a tithe of church offerings, some church members work as volunteers and approximately every 2 months BCM collects certain items of unwanted furniture and clothing as well as donations of basic foodstuffs (with a long shelf life).
If you have any items you wish to donate, please contact either BCM on 0121 643 4324 or Gwyneth Shilleto on 01827 330569 so we can arrange to collect from your home. Please note there are no storage facilities for goods to be left before BCM arrive. Thank you for your co-operation.