From the Scottish Borders to the ‘heat coronary heart of Africa’

A minister travelled to Malawi to see first-hand the fruits of a cherished group partnership his congregation enjoys with Thondwe Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP)

Rev Fraser Edwards of Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church within the Scottish Borders described it as an “inspiring” journey to the nice and cozy coronary heart of Africa.

In his personal phrases, he supplies an perception into what’s a mutually helpful twinning partnership rooted in religion and friendship, which demonstrated to him that Christians, no matter the place they reside on the earth, are all one in Christ.

“In 2021, I used to be ordained and inducted because the minister of Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church.

Since then, I’ve been studying about our congregation’s 19-year-old partnership with Thondwe CCAP in Malawi and exchanging WhatsApp messages with the minister in Thondwe.

Former Moderator of the Basic Meeting, Very Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, had visited Thondwe in 2024 after which got here to our church to share about his go to earlier this 12 months.

This go to impressed the Moderator’s ‘Let your Little Gentle Shine’ problem to fund solar-powered lights that youngsters can borrow from their college and so excess of £52,000 has been raised.

I used to be delighted to have the long-awaited alternative to go to for myself and travelled to Thondwe in June as a part of a small group.

Everybody that we met prolonged such a heat welcome to us and appeared so happy that we had made the journey to go to.

Nothing was an excessive amount of hassle by way of taking care of us.

Luke 3:11 says: “Anybody who has two shirts ought to share with the one who has none, and anybody who has meals ought to do the identical.”

In Malawi. I might actually see this in motion and individuals who have comparatively little have been way more prepared to share than we could be within the UK.

The ministers I spoke to all shared that repeatedly the folks of their parish might flip as much as their door needing meals and would go away with regardless of the minister had, even when the minister and household would go hungry to do that.

I used to be impressed by religion that goes deep and actual belief in God.

Our first day was in the neighborhood and in all places I went there have been indicators of the partnership at work.

A banner made by Walkerburn craft membership within the parish hangs with pleasure of place in Thondwe, the ending stones of the brand new bridge linking elements of the group have ‘ITW Parish’ etched into the concrete.

The bookcases within the college library have small plaques with the names of ITW Church members who sponsored them.

In partnership with our native rotary membership, the lecture rooms have been getting geared up with desks and lifting learners off the ground.

The long-term advantages of the partnership are seen all through the group and there’s a shut relationship.

This isn’t nearly sending donations however working collectively for the good thing about the entire group and studying from one another.

Being there for Sunday was an actual pleasure.

Our partnership minster, Rev James Chigoli, takes care of 4 church buildings and Thondwe is only one of them.

Early on Sunday morning he took me to share in a marriage service in Mpita CCAP – I’ve by no means seen such pleasure, singing and dancing in church.

Following this service, we returned to Thondwe to share within the Pentecost service, and it was a privilege to be invited to evangelise.

It was a particular time to mirror on the totally different nations gathered at Pentecost and now for Scots and Malawians to hitch in worship collectively – all one in Christ Jesus.

One key pillar of our partnership is training and St Ronan’s Main College in Innerleithen has a powerful hyperlink with the first college in Thondwe.

Main training is free in Malawi however there are charges to pay for secondary college, so we’ve got additionally begun to help ladies via secondary college.

The primary cohort of 5 sponsored ladies accomplished secondary college this 12 months and we have been in a position to maintain a commencement ceremony for them.

To listen to these assured ladies’ share of their hopes of continuous into additional training as medical doctors, accountants and legal professionals was an actual encouragement.

We visited many different tasks that are in progress together with a brand new water borehole for the varsity and the church backyard the place meals is grown collectively to help the group in what is called the starvation months.

The fruits of a long-term partnership have been seen at each flip and the bonds of religion and friendship are a present to each side of the partnership.

Maybe different Church of Scotland church buildings can be considering partnership with a church in Malawi?

I do know there are different ministers in Zomba Presbytery who can be delighted to share studying with congregations right here.

One sensible request which got here from Zomba Presbytery was for donations of clerical put on to help their ministers.

If anybody studying has clerical shirts, collars or robes that they might be prepared to donate then please get in contact.

Donations may very well be posted to Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church after which we will organize for them to be shipped out to Malawi by The Bananabox Belief.

Please contact fedwards@churchofscotland.org.uk for extra particulars if you’ll be able to assist.

Our journey prices have been supported by a Religion Share Grant and we’re very grateful for this help.

Carol Finlay, who till lately was the Church’s congregational engagement officer, was additionally an amazing supply of recommendation earlier than I travelled.

Thondwe is a rural village with out electrical energy and so there are actual limits to digital communication.

Having the ability to present up in particular person, to shake fingers, to hope collectively and to be taught from one another about the way to comply with Jesus is such a basic a part of our partnership.”

A minister travelled to Malawi to see first-hand the fruits of a cherished group partnership his congregation enjoys with Thondwe Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP)

Rev Fraser Edwards of Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church within the Scottish Borders described it as an “inspiring” journey to the nice and cozy coronary heart of Africa.

In his personal phrases, he supplies an perception into what’s a mutually helpful twinning partnership rooted in religion and friendship, which demonstrated to him that Christians, no matter the place they reside on the earth, are all one in Christ.

“In 2021, I used to be ordained and inducted because the minister of Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church.

Since then, I’ve been studying about our congregation’s 19-year-old partnership with Thondwe CCAP in Malawi and exchanging WhatsApp messages with the minister in Thondwe.

Former Moderator of the Basic Meeting, Very Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, had visited Thondwe in 2024 after which got here to our church to share about his go to earlier this 12 months.

This go to impressed the Moderator’s ‘Let your Little Gentle Shine’ problem to fund solar-powered lights that youngsters can borrow from their college and so excess of £52,000 has been raised.

I used to be delighted to have the long-awaited alternative to go to for myself and travelled to Thondwe in June as a part of a small group.

Everybody that we met prolonged such a heat welcome to us and appeared so happy that we had made the journey to go to.

Nothing was an excessive amount of hassle by way of taking care of us.

Luke 3:11 says: “Anybody who has two shirts ought to share with the one who has none, and anybody who has meals ought to do the identical.”

In Malawi. I might actually see this in motion and individuals who have comparatively little have been way more prepared to share than we could be within the UK.

The ministers I spoke to all shared that repeatedly the folks of their parish might flip as much as their door needing meals and would go away with regardless of the minister had, even when the minister and household would go hungry to do that.

I used to be impressed by religion that goes deep and actual belief in God.

Our first day was in the neighborhood and in all places I went there have been indicators of the partnership at work.

A banner made by Walkerburn craft membership within the parish hangs with pleasure of place in Thondwe, the ending stones of the brand new bridge linking elements of the group have ‘ITW Parish’ etched into the concrete.

The bookcases within the college library have small plaques with the names of ITW Church members who sponsored them.

In partnership with our native rotary membership, the lecture rooms have been getting geared up with desks and lifting learners off the ground.

The long-term advantages of the partnership are seen all through the group and there’s a shut relationship.

This isn’t nearly sending donations however working collectively for the good thing about the entire group and studying from one another.

Being there for Sunday was an actual pleasure.

Our partnership minster, Rev James Chigoli, takes care of 4 church buildings and Thondwe is only one of them.

Early on Sunday morning he took me to share in a marriage service in Mpita CCAP – I’ve by no means seen such pleasure, singing and dancing in church.

Following this service, we returned to Thondwe to share within the Pentecost service, and it was a privilege to be invited to evangelise.

It was a particular time to mirror on the totally different nations gathered at Pentecost and now for Scots and Malawians to hitch in worship collectively – all one in Christ Jesus.

One key pillar of our partnership is training and St Ronan’s Main College in Innerleithen has a powerful hyperlink with the first college in Thondwe.

Main training is free in Malawi however there are charges to pay for secondary college, so we’ve got additionally begun to help ladies via secondary college.

The primary cohort of 5 sponsored ladies accomplished secondary college this 12 months and we have been in a position to maintain a commencement ceremony for them.

To listen to these assured ladies’ share of their hopes of continuous into additional training as medical doctors, accountants and legal professionals was an actual encouragement.

We visited many different tasks that are in progress together with a brand new water borehole for the varsity and the church backyard the place meals is grown collectively to help the group in what is called the starvation months.

The fruits of a long-term partnership have been seen at each flip and the bonds of religion and friendship are a present to each side of the partnership.

Maybe different Church of Scotland church buildings can be considering partnership with a church in Malawi?

I do know there are different ministers in Zomba Presbytery who can be delighted to share studying with congregations right here.

One sensible request which got here from Zomba Presbytery was for donations of clerical put on to help their ministers.

If anybody studying has clerical shirts, collars or robes that they might be prepared to donate then please get in contact.

Donations may very well be posted to Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church after which we will organize for them to be shipped out to Malawi by The Bananabox Belief.

Please contact fedwards@churchofscotland.org.uk for extra particulars if you’ll be able to assist.

Our journey prices have been supported by a Religion Share Grant and we’re very grateful for this help.

Carol Finlay, who till lately was the Church’s congregational engagement officer, was additionally an amazing supply of recommendation earlier than I travelled.

Thondwe is a rural village with out electrical energy and so there are actual limits to digital communication.

Having the ability to present up in particular person, to shake fingers, to hope collectively and to be taught from one another about the way to comply with Jesus is such a basic a part of our partnership.”

A minister travelled to Malawi to see first-hand the fruits of a cherished group partnership his congregation enjoys with Thondwe Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP)

Rev Fraser Edwards of Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church within the Scottish Borders described it as an “inspiring” journey to the nice and cozy coronary heart of Africa.

In his personal phrases, he supplies an perception into what’s a mutually helpful twinning partnership rooted in religion and friendship, which demonstrated to him that Christians, no matter the place they reside on the earth, are all one in Christ.

“In 2021, I used to be ordained and inducted because the minister of Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church.

Since then, I’ve been studying about our congregation’s 19-year-old partnership with Thondwe CCAP in Malawi and exchanging WhatsApp messages with the minister in Thondwe.

Former Moderator of the Basic Meeting, Very Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, had visited Thondwe in 2024 after which got here to our church to share about his go to earlier this 12 months.

This go to impressed the Moderator’s ‘Let your Little Gentle Shine’ problem to fund solar-powered lights that youngsters can borrow from their college and so excess of £52,000 has been raised.

I used to be delighted to have the long-awaited alternative to go to for myself and travelled to Thondwe in June as a part of a small group.

Everybody that we met prolonged such a heat welcome to us and appeared so happy that we had made the journey to go to.

Nothing was an excessive amount of hassle by way of taking care of us.

Luke 3:11 says: “Anybody who has two shirts ought to share with the one who has none, and anybody who has meals ought to do the identical.”

In Malawi. I might actually see this in motion and individuals who have comparatively little have been way more prepared to share than we could be within the UK.

The ministers I spoke to all shared that repeatedly the folks of their parish might flip as much as their door needing meals and would go away with regardless of the minister had, even when the minister and household would go hungry to do that.

I used to be impressed by religion that goes deep and actual belief in God.

Our first day was in the neighborhood and in all places I went there have been indicators of the partnership at work.

A banner made by Walkerburn craft membership within the parish hangs with pleasure of place in Thondwe, the ending stones of the brand new bridge linking elements of the group have ‘ITW Parish’ etched into the concrete.

The bookcases within the college library have small plaques with the names of ITW Church members who sponsored them.

In partnership with our native rotary membership, the lecture rooms have been getting geared up with desks and lifting learners off the ground.

The long-term advantages of the partnership are seen all through the group and there’s a shut relationship.

This isn’t nearly sending donations however working collectively for the good thing about the entire group and studying from one another.

Being there for Sunday was an actual pleasure.

Our partnership minster, Rev James Chigoli, takes care of 4 church buildings and Thondwe is only one of them.

Early on Sunday morning he took me to share in a marriage service in Mpita CCAP – I’ve by no means seen such pleasure, singing and dancing in church.

Following this service, we returned to Thondwe to share within the Pentecost service, and it was a privilege to be invited to evangelise.

It was a particular time to mirror on the totally different nations gathered at Pentecost and now for Scots and Malawians to hitch in worship collectively – all one in Christ Jesus.

One key pillar of our partnership is training and St Ronan’s Main College in Innerleithen has a powerful hyperlink with the first college in Thondwe.

Main training is free in Malawi however there are charges to pay for secondary college, so we’ve got additionally begun to help ladies via secondary college.

The primary cohort of 5 sponsored ladies accomplished secondary college this 12 months and we have been in a position to maintain a commencement ceremony for them.

To listen to these assured ladies’ share of their hopes of continuous into additional training as medical doctors, accountants and legal professionals was an actual encouragement.

We visited many different tasks that are in progress together with a brand new water borehole for the varsity and the church backyard the place meals is grown collectively to help the group in what is called the starvation months.

The fruits of a long-term partnership have been seen at each flip and the bonds of religion and friendship are a present to each side of the partnership.

Maybe different Church of Scotland church buildings can be considering partnership with a church in Malawi?

I do know there are different ministers in Zomba Presbytery who can be delighted to share studying with congregations right here.

One sensible request which got here from Zomba Presbytery was for donations of clerical put on to help their ministers.

If anybody studying has clerical shirts, collars or robes that they might be prepared to donate then please get in contact.

Donations may very well be posted to Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church after which we will organize for them to be shipped out to Malawi by The Bananabox Belief.

Please contact fedwards@churchofscotland.org.uk for extra particulars if you’ll be able to assist.

Our journey prices have been supported by a Religion Share Grant and we’re very grateful for this help.

Carol Finlay, who till lately was the Church’s congregational engagement officer, was additionally an amazing supply of recommendation earlier than I travelled.

Thondwe is a rural village with out electrical energy and so there are actual limits to digital communication.

Having the ability to present up in particular person, to shake fingers, to hope collectively and to be taught from one another about the way to comply with Jesus is such a basic a part of our partnership.”

A minister travelled to Malawi to see first-hand the fruits of a cherished group partnership his congregation enjoys with Thondwe Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP)

Rev Fraser Edwards of Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church within the Scottish Borders described it as an “inspiring” journey to the nice and cozy coronary heart of Africa.

In his personal phrases, he supplies an perception into what’s a mutually helpful twinning partnership rooted in religion and friendship, which demonstrated to him that Christians, no matter the place they reside on the earth, are all one in Christ.

“In 2021, I used to be ordained and inducted because the minister of Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church.

Since then, I’ve been studying about our congregation’s 19-year-old partnership with Thondwe CCAP in Malawi and exchanging WhatsApp messages with the minister in Thondwe.

Former Moderator of the Basic Meeting, Very Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, had visited Thondwe in 2024 after which got here to our church to share about his go to earlier this 12 months.

This go to impressed the Moderator’s ‘Let your Little Gentle Shine’ problem to fund solar-powered lights that youngsters can borrow from their college and so excess of £52,000 has been raised.

I used to be delighted to have the long-awaited alternative to go to for myself and travelled to Thondwe in June as a part of a small group.

Everybody that we met prolonged such a heat welcome to us and appeared so happy that we had made the journey to go to.

Nothing was an excessive amount of hassle by way of taking care of us.

Luke 3:11 says: “Anybody who has two shirts ought to share with the one who has none, and anybody who has meals ought to do the identical.”

In Malawi. I might actually see this in motion and individuals who have comparatively little have been way more prepared to share than we could be within the UK.

The ministers I spoke to all shared that repeatedly the folks of their parish might flip as much as their door needing meals and would go away with regardless of the minister had, even when the minister and household would go hungry to do that.

I used to be impressed by religion that goes deep and actual belief in God.

Our first day was in the neighborhood and in all places I went there have been indicators of the partnership at work.

A banner made by Walkerburn craft membership within the parish hangs with pleasure of place in Thondwe, the ending stones of the brand new bridge linking elements of the group have ‘ITW Parish’ etched into the concrete.

The bookcases within the college library have small plaques with the names of ITW Church members who sponsored them.

In partnership with our native rotary membership, the lecture rooms have been getting geared up with desks and lifting learners off the ground.

The long-term advantages of the partnership are seen all through the group and there’s a shut relationship.

This isn’t nearly sending donations however working collectively for the good thing about the entire group and studying from one another.

Being there for Sunday was an actual pleasure.

Our partnership minster, Rev James Chigoli, takes care of 4 church buildings and Thondwe is only one of them.

Early on Sunday morning he took me to share in a marriage service in Mpita CCAP – I’ve by no means seen such pleasure, singing and dancing in church.

Following this service, we returned to Thondwe to share within the Pentecost service, and it was a privilege to be invited to evangelise.

It was a particular time to mirror on the totally different nations gathered at Pentecost and now for Scots and Malawians to hitch in worship collectively – all one in Christ Jesus.

One key pillar of our partnership is training and St Ronan’s Main College in Innerleithen has a powerful hyperlink with the first college in Thondwe.

Main training is free in Malawi however there are charges to pay for secondary college, so we’ve got additionally begun to help ladies via secondary college.

The primary cohort of 5 sponsored ladies accomplished secondary college this 12 months and we have been in a position to maintain a commencement ceremony for them.

To listen to these assured ladies’ share of their hopes of continuous into additional training as medical doctors, accountants and legal professionals was an actual encouragement.

We visited many different tasks that are in progress together with a brand new water borehole for the varsity and the church backyard the place meals is grown collectively to help the group in what is called the starvation months.

The fruits of a long-term partnership have been seen at each flip and the bonds of religion and friendship are a present to each side of the partnership.

Maybe different Church of Scotland church buildings can be considering partnership with a church in Malawi?

I do know there are different ministers in Zomba Presbytery who can be delighted to share studying with congregations right here.

One sensible request which got here from Zomba Presbytery was for donations of clerical put on to help their ministers.

If anybody studying has clerical shirts, collars or robes that they might be prepared to donate then please get in contact.

Donations may very well be posted to Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church after which we will organize for them to be shipped out to Malawi by The Bananabox Belief.

Please contact fedwards@churchofscotland.org.uk for extra particulars if you’ll be able to assist.

Our journey prices have been supported by a Religion Share Grant and we’re very grateful for this help.

Carol Finlay, who till lately was the Church’s congregational engagement officer, was additionally an amazing supply of recommendation earlier than I travelled.

Thondwe is a rural village with out electrical energy and so there are actual limits to digital communication.

Having the ability to present up in particular person, to shake fingers, to hope collectively and to be taught from one another about the way to comply with Jesus is such a basic a part of our partnership.”