humbled

Humbled. This is the only word I can think of as I process our time in Mngwere.

Levy and I traveled to Mngwere to meet Pastor Roy Nazumbe, a pastor and teacher.

Pastor challenged me. Do I REALLY believe God can change culture. He does. The more I got to know him, the more I saw in myself where I have stopped believing without realizing it.

Mngwere is a village 10km from the town of Dedza. It is not a big town, but it has a district hospital. There is a College of Forestry down the road, a secondary school where the current president of Malawi attended, a saw mill... There are resources around the village, but they have not penetrated into the village.

When we met with the District Commissioner, he laughed when we told him where we were interested in working. No one goes there, he said. People have tried to establish help, but have not been successful... due to culture.

Culture. How is culture keeping so many children from going to school, even though it is free? How is culture preventing help from coming to the many orphans and widows in the area?

The Little by little the truth came out about "the dance." Levy asked on day one if the cultural dance is practice in Mngwere. Pastor said that this dance is why he is there. He would like to be a part of changing how damaging it is to the life of the village.

"Gule Wamkulu" translates into "big traditional dance." When men, even boys as young as 7 put the mask on, you are not to call them by name. He is to be known only as the animal that he is representing. You are not to question him on his whereabouts. I think that it will take more than a few visits to the village for me to really understand the impact of this dance on the culture.

Pastor said that he has already seen change, though it is slow. Levy talked about community schools. If we do not help these children go to school, the cycle of despair will continue. Pastor agreed with his whole heart, adding that he has seen another community be transformed when they opened a community school.

Pastor Roy Nazumbe is an agent of change. He sees what needs to happen and he is committed, regardless low long it takes and how hard it is on him. Even though he has lived in the village for most of his adult life, because he was not born there, he is considered an outsider. He has gathered 10 churches together to reach out to the orphans, widows and elderly in their community. His role on this committee is not chairman, but coordinator. A humble man. I was humbled and highly honored to stay in his home.

Please pray for Pastor Roy Nazumbe and his village Mngwere. The Lord is doing something significant in that place. Levy and I went because the Lord said- go here now. The Lord heard the cry of his children in Mngwere and He responded. How humbled I am to be a part.