Church of Scotland’s Impactful Partnership with Malawi’s Thondwe Church

Longstanding Church Partnership Sparks Transformation in Malawi

The bond between Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church and Thondwe Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) has fostered significant advancements in Malawi over the past two decades. The partnership, rooted in five guiding principles, aims to tackle food poverty, bolster economic growth, improve healthcare, enhance education, and further the mission.

In 2016, this relationship expanded with the formation of the Thondwe Community Partnership, designed to promote mutual learning and development.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, journeyed to Malawi’s Shire Highlands in August 2024, visiting the Zomba district and Thondwe community.

Joined by his wife Christine, Church of Scotland congregational engagement officer Carol Finlay, and partnership leader Denis Robson, the visit underscored the reciprocal benefits of the twinning partnership, including the connection between St Ronan’s Primary School and a school in Thondwe.

Dr Paterson shared his reflections with the Innerleithen congregation, noting, “What impressed me the most was he [Denis Robinson] took no credit and he spoke about the contribution and support from the congregation and the community. He commented about the two-way process of a twinning – it’s not just about giving, it’s about receiving from Thondwe.”

A pivotal moment for Dr Paterson was observing how a £10 solar-powered light allowed students to study at night in classrooms often packed with up to 115 pupils and lacking electricity.

Inspired by this encounter, Dr Paterson initiated the Moderator’s Challenge to secure funding for solar-powered lights. Since its inception in December, the challenge has raised £22,019, also aiding PhD students at Zomba Theological University in their nighttime studies.

Moved by the “simple, but life-changing” impact, Dr Paterson thanked the villagers for the twinning experience, which deepened his spiritual insight. “I thank the good people of the village for bringing me down from the lofty heights of being Moderator, bringing me down from the mountain and recognising that God has a job for me to do,” he shared. “God was saying to me ‘you’ve seen how lives can be enriched and opportunities opened up – you are the Moderator, use your position to make a practical difference in education.’”

Dr Paterson also expressed gratitude when villagers presented him with a live chicken, which he later gifted to a neighboring village to promote goodwill. “Sharing is at the heart of the gospel,” he reflected.

During his visit, Dr Paterson blessed a new bridge that replaced one destroyed by Cyclone Freddy in 2023, reconnecting Thondwe to the school. “What you have enabled, what my challenge has raised, cannot really be regarded as a miracle but the difference it makes to God’s children, our neighbors in Malawi, is miraculous. May God bless you as you continue to grow and develop your twinning,” he told the congregation.

Rev Fraser Edwards, minister of Innerleithen, expressed joy over Dr Paterson’s joint worship efforts, stating, “It is a strong partnership between the two churches and the two village schools have a strong partnership too with life in Malawi being the subject of assemblies in Innerleithen.”

Highlighting the ongoing collaboration, he added, “I am in regular contact with Rev James Chigoli and we share hymns and prayers – our partnership is about learning from each other and we lend support where we can. It expands our faith because it reminds us that we are part of a church that is bigger than the Church of Scotland.”

Significant achievements last year included rebuilding bridges for safer school access, providing uniforms and desks, and developing a school garden and light library. Additionally, 150 girls received menstrual hygiene kits and health education, while 20 pairs of spectacles were distributed to teachers and church members.

The church garden yielded thirty 50kg bags of maize for vulnerable families, along with seeds and fertilizer for the coming season. The Scottish church also delivered Good News Bibles and funded the purchase of Chichewa Bibles from the Bible Society of Malawi.

Future plans involve launching a school feeding program, planting banana and mango trees, providing corrugated iron roofs, diversifying crops, and repairing the school borehole and rainwater drainage system.