The art of Sundays

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Rather than share a cold, and wanting to be in good shape for a busy week ahead, I've staying indoors  today to rest (I was told!) and kept up with events via WhatsApp. For the avoidance of suspense, I am feeling much better now!

Home of Hope stands on Mission ground. When Rev and Mrs Chipeta heard the call to look after needy children and vulnerable orphans rather than retire, their first thought was to adapt their home which stands on farmland about 5km away. Rev Chipeta's church encouraged them otherwise, offering a large tract of land tucked in below hills 10km north of Mchinji Boma (town). Thus Home of Hope began here as a Mission of CCAP - the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian. It's the perfect place: out-of-the-way enough, connected enough, blessed by year-round water from the hills above, looking out across the communities it serves on the broad plain below.

So for Gillian, Jo and Ruth it was a short walk to the CCAP just before 9am, only a little way beyond the main gates, accompanied by Lucy and some of the girls. (Thank you, Chisomo, for the pictures and videos during the morning.) 

Typically I get asked to speak as a guest at services, having been in ministry in the past. Today the lot fell to Phil! He'll tell you about it:

"Rev Chipeta & Mrs Chipeta invited me to accompany them to church in a small car - a very short drive, but bless them they are in their late 90s and 80 respectively! On the way we passed the new church building being constructed. It's massive, and will be able to host gatherings of a thousand from all across the local area. Since we were here last year, the windows are in - including glass. Rev Chipeta hopes when we travel in 2025 (encouragement for us to return!) we'll be welcomed into the new church in operation. He prayed for Alex to get well soon. We arrived to the amazing musical sounds of the choir singing praises.

"Church in this kind of rural community meets many needs, under the direction of the ministers and deacons, and I was encouraged to see the financial giving of the whole community, including even the children. The enthusiasm of the praise of many different choir groups - what a joy. What a Lord and Saviour.

"Back to the Guest House for lunch, and a rest! And I have Alex's promise he'll be well enough next Sunday for front-of-house participations!"

Phil

I'll insert here something from yesterday that got missed in the write-up. Jo has a particular genius for engaging with the older girls, and a huge heart for the real heroes of Home of  Hope - the "mothers". These women care for small groups of children while they are little, living together with them in self-contained homes here in the village that is Home of Hope - caring for them, washing, dressing, feeding, loving them daily. While meetings were going on, Jo met with a group including a number of recently graduated university students (pause there - it's one of Home of Hope's crowing achievements, and we'll come back to it another day), to sort through donated jewelry brought with us as gifts for the mothers. "We want the House Mothers to realise just how much we appreciate them. The love, care and hard work they so selflessly give to the six or so children they each live with - it's priceless." explains Jo. "These women are themselves vulnerable, and the Home of Hope is a place of safety for them too."

.

The girls were delighted to be encouraged to choose a necklace and bracelet for themselves!

Back to today. Jo and Gillian are a Team, here and back home in Bedford, as firm friends. They spent the afternoon in the Main Hall, for Art Time! 

"It was too cold for the children outside - just 20°C - so we had to retreat indoors. The young ones can't get enough of colouring-in! Dot-to-dot was a big hit with some of the older girls, along with a bit of impromptu maths revision (somehow). We also had Lerato's help, one of the graduates, working with a group of older children on more advanced art skills.  A lively, lovely afternoon." 

There are those who speak categorically against "children's homes", and not without serious cause. Who could disagree that a world with no need for them would be a better one?  Yet here we are. As we look into each set of eyes, each entire person set in an as-yet little frame, we remember a saying of Rev Chipeta. "You never know who they are going to be." Home of Hope believes the future of Malawi is here. Here are doctors. Here are nurses. Here are Malawi's police and soldiers, its engineers and entrepreneurs. We're playing catch-ball with comedians, architects, tailors, bricklayers, with priests, politicians, mechanics and metal-workers, scientists, bankers - add your favourite callings. Let no-one look at any of these little ones and fail to see a whole world, present and in the making.

Call down blessings of every kind on each and every one, and on all those here devoted to their comprehensive thriving. 

Clear sky tonight. After dinner a few of us got sprayed-up - the insects seem to take more of an interest in us at night - and stepped outside to enjoy a spangly canvas, above a quiet village. 

Alex, Gillian, Jo, Phil, Ruth

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