This week I had the opportunity to attend the installation services for two very different pastors. One of them is a man with over two decades of ministry experience. The other man is a recent graduate of the Lutheran Seminary of Lusaka, Zambia. But despite their differences, both are serving in very similar ministries in the Lutheran Church of Central Africa – Malawi Synod.
Fisi
Rev. Brester Msowoya is a veteran pastor of the LCCA. He has served in all three regions of Malawi: Central, South and North. He has served both big city churches and rural parishes. He is also the chairman of the LCCA Malawi Publications Committee. Rev. Msowoya is a Tumbuka from Northern Malawi, as is his wife. In fact, Pastor Msowoya had been serving in Mpherembe, his wife’s hometown when he received a call to serve the Malawian Lutherans living in the villages to the west of the capital city of Lilongwe. These congregations were originally started by WELS missionaries living in Lilongwe, who drove back and forth every week to serve them.
In the 1990’s these congregations were taken over by Malawian pastors, but there has not been a resident pastor living in Fisi for several years. There is a parsonage in the village of Fisi, but without electricity or indoor plumbing. WELS Christian Aid and Relief sponsored the drilling of a borehole which provides safe drinking water.
Rev. Msowoya was called to serve a parish union of congregations located in four different villages. Each Sunday he will visit a different church to preach, conduct baptisms and confirmations, and serve the Lord’s Supper. There are an additional 12 congregations in that region served by Malawian pastors coming from Lilongwe. You can read about a recent trip to one of those churches at https://welsfriendsofafrica.com/four-hours-in-church/
Over the next several months, Rev. Msowoya will have the opportunity to get to know his flock and the people of his community and to share the burden-lifting message of Christ’s unconditional forgiveness.
Msambo
On the other side of the ministry, Rev. David Kalima is just beginning his service to God’s church. Pastor Kalima has spent the last six years studying full-time at the Lutheran Bible Institute in Lilongwe, Malawi and at the Lutheran Seminary in Lusaka, Zambia. Both schools are located in the capital cities of their respective countries. Now Pastor Kalima and his wife must make the transition to living in a very different context.
The village of Msambo is one of the WELS Central Africa Medical Mission (CAMM) mobile clinic sites. Once a week, medical personnel travel from Lilongwe to four different villages to conduct basic health screenings, to provide basic medical care and to give medical advice for expecting mothers and those who have recently given birth. A congregation of Lutherans has been meeting at the clinic site in Msambo every Sunday to hear God’s word preached by a lay minister or a visiting pastor from the town of Salima.
Pastor Kalima’s arrival at Msambo coincides with a significant building project just completed by CAMM: a new clinic building that is twice the size of the old building, which is certain to increase the number of patients seeking medical services. Rev. Kalima has also been called to serve the congregations in the villages of Suzi and Tunga, where CAMM also operates clinics. The village of Suzi is about 18 miles away from Msambo, and Rev. Kalima will rely either on taxi service or his bicycle to get there once a month.
Over the next several months, Pastor Kalima will have the opportunity to get to know the people of his community. He will have the opportunity to offer spiritual healing to those burdened with physical ailments, and to preach and teach the Gospel of Christ to all.
Two men in very different places in life – but both are hearing God’s call, “Who will go for me?” and answering, “Here I am! Send me!” (Isa 6:8)
Missionary John Roebke lives in Malawi and serves as the Communications Director for One Africa Team
Please pray for those working in fields that are ripe for harvest. Share their story, engage with future news and receive updates. Learn more about our mission fields in Africa and how the Holy Spirit is working faith in people’s hearts at https://wels.net/serving-others/missions/africa
