A letter from Debbie Chase in Malawi
April 13, 2009
Malawi news update
Dear Friends,
Warm greetings from Malawi!
A class on church and society at the University of Livingstonia's College of Theology.
During Holy Week, as we commemorate the patience, compassion, and sacrificial love of our Lord on our behalf, I am compelled to reevaluate my life. Does my life reflect the same compassion, patience, and love for others? A challenge, indeed! I’ve often said, “Patience, when I have it, comes not by choice but through necessity.”
In Malawi, the poverty is deep and the population is growing. There are long queues wherever you go. Here, relationships take priority over tasks, and tasks often seem to be neglected. Leadership rests on the shoulders of a few people, skilled workers are at a premium, and quality resources can hardly be found. In Malawi, patience can indeed come in handy. It helps one not to lose heart nor hope, not to miss the blessings of this gracious people and their beautiful land. Mother Theresa said, “patience achieves everything.” Indeed, it is “through faith and patience that we inherit the promises of God” (Hebrews 6:12).
Faith and patience were a must at the College of Theology as we delayed opening this year due to financial concerns and a change in leadership. Though frustrated, we waited. We persevered. We encouraged one another. Little by little, resources flowed in from local congregations and faithful partners like you. The mantle of principal was passed from the Rev. Dr. D.S. Mwakanandi to the Rev. Dr. O.P. Mazunda. We welcomed to our faculty a young, vibrant, full-time Malawian lecturer, the Rev. C.W.Y. Mapala, who just completed a Master of Theology degree at the University of Edinburgh.
Having patiently waited at home through this delay, our students finally arrived, and on February 10 the college began the new academic year with much rejoicing. Students are working hard and performing well. Since we’re in the middle of changing our academic calendar, we began the semester with only third- and fourth-year bachelor degree students, which include our first two female students, who live nearby and daily commute to the college. Twenty first-year students will join us at the end of July.
When this house is finished it will be a dormitory for women students at the College of Theology.
Our house for female students is nearly complete. There have been many delays but last week the project began to move forward again.
We have patiently awaited accreditation. After nearly six years of rigorous applications, evaluations, and a review process that included curricula and policy development, Malawi finally granted conditional accreditation to the University of Livingstonia Colleges of Theology and Education. We are grateful to all of you for your support and encouragement during these years of waiting.
Interpretation assignment in the States
There is much more I would like to share with you, and I will be available to do so in person while I am in the United States on interpretation assignment from January through June 2010. I would be greatly honored to receive an invitation from your church or organization to tell you more about God’s work in Malawi. There are many ways to fit mission interpretation into the program of your church or organization. For example:
- Potluck dinner, prayer breakfast, or luncheon mission presentation. This would include a PowerPoint presentation and other visuals. Any day of the week would be fine.
- Sunday school class, confirmation class, youth group, or Presbyterian Women. I can do a PowerPoint presentation that is adapted to your group and your requests and possibly a simulation game that youth often enjoy.
- Preaching during worship (and/or a children’s message) with focus on Malawi.
- Minute for Mission on Malawi during worship. I hope this would be in addition to one of the other options, such as a potluck or meeting with a Sunday school or youth group.
- Presbytery meeting, congregational meeting, session or committee meeting, or other church or civic gatherings at which I could do my PowerPoint presentation on Malawi and have other visuals on display.
If you’re interested, please contact me at via email to schedule a time. Or contact Julie Burton, the director of congregational resources for Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery. Julie graciously and efficiently assists with scheduling and is able to answer many questions that might be more easily expressed and answered by telephone. Her contact information is: (800) 533-1324; email; Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery, 700 S. Boston, Suite 200, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119-1629.
From my home base in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I will be free to travel throughout Oklahoma and other areas of the United States to share about Malawi from January 11 through June 13, 2010. The host church, group, or organization is responsible for my travel expenses, lodging, and meals. Auto mileage reimbursement is at the government standard reimbursable rate. If the distance is more than 200 miles, it is often cheaper to rent a car with unlimited mileage and be reimbursed for rental and fuel or fly and be reimbursed for a round-trip airline ticket. If I am visiting several churches/groups in your area, the cost of travel can be shared. I am salaried for this interpretation assignment, so there is no need for an honorarium. I look forward to being with you to renew old friendships and establish new, to share the blessings of Malawi and the blessings of being with you.
May the patience of our Lord’s passion and the joy and hope and of the resurrection be yours!
Grace and Peace,
Rev. Deborah A. Chase
The 2008 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 23
