August 2004
So You Want To Be A Mission Volunteer?
In August 2003, we volunteered for this assignment with the Nkhoma
Synod CCAP, Malawi, Africa, and by February, 2004, we were on
the field. Let me share a typical Sunday.
Sunday, August 1, we set our alarm to wake us at 6:00 a.m. because
we were scheduled to lead the church’s delegation to the
induction (installation) ceremony of the Reverend A.J.M. Mnthambala.
Making sure we had a bottle of purified water and toilet tissue
(items not provided by host), we rushed to the church to meet
the bus that was scheduled to leave at 8:00 a.m. We discovered
twice as many people waiting than had been estimated. We ordered
another bus and we left at 9:15 to attend a worship service scheduled
to start at 10:00 a.m. African time. Our destination was 100 kilometers
away, we arrived at 11:00 and the worship began at 11:30 a.m.
Worship was held outside under the trees, in the tradition of
the CCAP, with participants sitting on the ground. The eight visiting
choirs with their gyrations, songs, dances, and tremendous harmony
created a choir festival atmosphere. Imagine the excitement of
eight choirs trying to out-sing and dance each other?
After two hours of worship, then came the induction service.
The nine churches led by their pastor, elders, and choir, bearing
gifts, sang and danced down a path to the inductees. If you were
not impressed with their singing and dancing, you certainly would
have been impressed with their gifts. They presented colorful
pieces of cloth, bars of Lifebuoy soap, rice, sugar, cabbage,
groundnuts (peanuts), maize (corn), and money. We led the Lingadzi
(the largest) delegation that presented more of the items listed,
but also a double bed mattress.
From 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., we worshipped and celebrated. Then
we had a dining experience that we shall never forget. We feasted
the Malawian way with traditional Malawian dishes of nsima,
chicken, beef, goat (with gravy), rice, and cabbage served family
style, in metal bowls, on floor mats. Our preparation included
a grace, pouring water on each other’s hand, with no soap
or towel. One eats with bare fingers by breaking off a piece of
nsima, rolling it into a ball and dipping the ball into
the common bowls of meats or cabbage. Having not eating with our
finger since we were kids, I begged our host for separate spoons
and bowls. He brought two large serving spoons. I understand that
Earline lost hers because some guest thought it was better to
dip with a spoon than with their fingers. Earline was forced to
eat on a floor mat with the women in a separate room. As I was
putting food in my bowl from the common bowl the man next to me
informed me that I was doing it all wrong. He took his fingers,
picked up some nsima and put it in my bowl. From that
point, I chose to eat only rice and cabbage. Everybody loved a
particular meat dish. So, I put some in my bowl and then asked
what it was. Yes, you guessed it, it was goat innards (guts) stuffed
with something. I could not even taste it. Needless to say we
were very hungry when we arrived home after 6:00 p.m.
Therefore, if you if you are thinking about becoming a mission
volunteer, be prepared to put in 12-hour days, worship for 4 to
5 hours, learn to sing, dance, and eat strange foods from common
bowls with your fingers. Can you handle it? Sure, you can. Please
call the Mission Service Recruitment Office at (888) 728-7228
and talk to Wendy at extension 2530, and your life will never
be the same again.
Otis and Earline
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