Loaves & Fishes Newsletter

Feature Article, Winter 2008-2009

The Malawi Partnership in Olympia Presbytery
By Melody Young

It’s a curious thing…to be significantly connected to a group of people half-way around the globe, to know that they are important to us and we are important to them. Partners in mission. That’s what has taken place in Olympia Presbytery in the last two years.

One of our churches, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Chehalis, sent twelve members on a mission trip to Africa in 1998. That trip inspired the congregation to adopt Malawi as their primary foreign mission, for both provision of resources and personal involvement. Henry and Jenny Kirk, professionals in higher education and two who went on that first trip, have subsequently spent most of their time and energy working with the church in Malawi to establish the first Christian university in the country–the University of Livingstonia.

Now comprised of five constituent colleges (Theology, Commerce, Nursing, Technical and Education), the University serves over 600 people pursuing their higher education goals. The College of Education was established in 2003 as the first bachelor degree program to train “principled teachers” for the secondary school system throughout the country. Two classes have now graduated. These exceptional students aspire to have a major impact for positive change in their country, and are being well-received into employment.

In the summer of 2006 four pastors from Olympia Presbytery, including the General Presbyter Lynn Longfield, made an exploratory visit to Malawi to see firsthand what opportunities there might be for further partnership with the Synod of Livingstonia. That visit resulted in negotiation of a formal mission partnership between the presbytery and the Synod of Livingstonia. The agreement was hammered out through lively discussion in three presbytery meetings before the partnership was adopted with enthusiasm, effective January 1, 2007.

The primary purpose is “to nurture Christian relationships and to help develop the University of Livingstonia…for the purpose of strengthening both churches in life, mission, and worship of God in Christ.” A Malawi Partnership Task Force was established and is headed by Rev. Melody Young who visited Malawi in 2006 and returned to teach at the College of Education in 2007. The Task Force establishes priority projects for the presbytery, monitors contributions, and encourages volunteers to serve in Malawi in various capacities. To date more than two dozen mission volunteers from the presbytery have spent time there. This year’s priorities include: student scholarships for the University of Livingstonia, internet access for the Livingstonia community, a clergy exchange program, and the shipment of much-needed supplies to the people of Malawi.

All of us are excited about the Ministerial Ambassador Program effort which will begin with a six-month visit by Rev. Matiya Nkhoma (the recently retired General Secretary of the Synod of Livingstonia) and his wife Mariya. They will be guests of the presbytery from January through June of 2009, hosted by various churches, and have many speaking and preaching opportunities throughout the presbytery. In addition, their presence in community organizations, schools, and state government will introduce more people to Malawi and its people. What a marvelous chance to strengthen our partnership and make Malawi a personal reality in the minds and hearts of the Northwest!

If you would like to learn more about our Malawi Partnership, please contact Olympia Presbytery at 253.588.5204 or Rev. Melody Young, Moderator of the Malawi Partnership Task Force, at 360.870.1420.

About the Church in Malawi:
Malawi is a small country, about the size of Pennsylvania, in sub-Saharan Africa, nestled between Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. Considered to be one of the most impoverished nations in the world, with a population of more than fifteen million people, it is predominantly Christian, including a sizable presence of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian. More than one half of the population is Presbyterian, the legacy of Scottish missionaries who followed in the wake of David Livingstone in the late 19th century. In fact, there are now more Presbyterians in Malawi than there are in PC(USA)! T

he CCAP Synod of Livingstonia is the northernmost of three Presbyterian synods in the country. It encompasses 21 presbyteries and has over 700,000 members. The Synod also sponsors the University of Livingstonia and its five constituent colleges, a Teacher Training College, 520 primary schools, 5 large boarding secondary schools to help advance young women, three major hospitals, 140 formal congregations, hundreds of prayer houses, and many development projects.