Presbyterian Record

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Jayne Self — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:01:28 +0000

I looked around, waiting for Paige to explain why we were here.

Hymns to Feed the Imagination

Andrew Donaldson — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:42:25 +0000

I wonder if we suffer, not from a lack of faith, but from a poverty of imagination. Or do we accept what is dysfunctional because of our fierce loyalty to the church? Here are some more hymns to balance and shape us anew.

May 22: Farewells

Connie Purvis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:22:58 +0000

"Farewell, farewell, but not forever!" the Malawians sang as the Canadians began, one by one, to vanish into Chileka airport security.

May 21: In Search of Elephants

Connie Purvis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:21:07 +0000

“What do you most want to see?” asked our guide, Raphael, who looked all the world like a gun-toting Peter Pan. “Elephants!” came the communal cry.

May 20: Livelihoods

Connie Purvis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:20:12 +0000

Inside one of the classrooms of Ng’onga Primary School, about a dozen villagers meet each Monday. All of them are HIV positive, and live in an area that has been particularly hard-hit by the pandemic.

May 18: A Day at Tidzalerana Club

Connie Purvis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:18:54 +0000

Alex, 19, is unable to speak or walk, and he lacks motor skills. At Tidzalerana Club, a meeting for people living with disabilities, he lay with his head in his grandmother's lap.

May 17: Meeting Poverty

Connie Purvis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:17:56 +0000

Some had spent the weekend in beautiful houses behind high walls and well watched gates, with attentive maids and personal drivers. The homestay experience had been a glimpse into the world of Blantyre’s upper class. But today it jarred with another part of the same world.

May 14: Temporary Goodbyes

Connie Purvis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:14:45 +0000

The morning meant departure from the beauty of Likhubula House and the ever-present vision of Mount Mulanje. It was time to return to the city, and to face a new cultural challenge.

May 13: Mountain Climbing

Connie Purvis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:13:31 +0000

The climb began at 6 a.m. on May 12. It took over six hours to reach the CCAP cottage on one of Mount Mulanje's most popular plateaus.

May 11: Discovering Discomfort

Connie Purvis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:11:56 +0000

“This was the one thing on the itinerary that I felt uncomfortable doing because it’s something I’d never do back home,” admitted Sarah Smith as she sat with the other youth on a concrete floor at Mulanje Mission Hospital. “It was like I was being a tourist of sickness, almost, but I don’t feel like it did any harm so I’m not sure.”

May 10: Seeking Contentment

Connie Purvis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:10:03 +0000

It was a sentiment commonly expressed by participants on short term mission trips. “The people here seem so happy, even though they have so little.”

May 9: Offerings

Connie Purvis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:09:18 +0000

The dancing began at the offering. As the leader called each group up by their region--including Canada—people filed down their aisle to leave their gifts to God.

May 8: Laughter of Orphans

Connie Purvis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:08:45 +0000

Today was one of songs and laughter. About two dozen children walked to Likhubula House, some coming as many as six kilometres, to attend a weekly Saturday school.

May 7: Tea and Water

Connie Purvis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:07:59 +0000

The Lujeri Tea Estate sprawls across the foothills near Mount Mulanje. It was established in 1926 and today is Malawi’s second-largest tea estate.

May 6: Opening Eyes and Wallets

Connie Purvis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:06:50 +0000

It was a task destined to take up part of any trip: souvenir shopping. After changing dollars into kwacha, the local currency, the group headed into downtown Blantyre to find a little something for everyone back home.

May 5: The Journey Begins

Connie Purvis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:05:39 +0000

It began with an awkward meeting. The Canadians gathered their bags (at least those bags that had made the three-plane journey from Canada to Malawi) and emerged from the airport, blinking in the sudden light.

God Laughed, I Hope

keithrandall — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:01:57 +0000

As this series winds toward its conclusion, I find myself reflecting on the dozen-or-so years I’ve enjoyed in our church. It’s not surprising that the moments that linger are moments of laughter.

Well Done

web admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:00:57 +0000

Congratulations on being named the best denominational magazine on the continent, for the year, by the esteemed Associated Church Press. The article in the June issue describes the qualities and features, including artwork that made our magazine the top rated one. The Record was considered the best out of more than a hundred publications.

2010 Christmas Cover Art Contest

web admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:00:55 +0000

Entry Deadline: November 1st, 2010

Share your gifts with the rest of the church this Christmas: Help us illustrate the December issue of the Presbyterian Record. Who knows — maybe your drawing will appear on the cover! As space allows, we feature as many drawings as possible somewhere in the magazine. This contest is open to all ages.

My name!

web admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:00:54 +0000

It is upsetting when you spell my name incorrectly.

Editor Replies:
Rev. Flindall, you are right to be upset. Our apologies for the error.