VISIT OF THE HON. ALEX FERGUSSON MSP (SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT) AND HON. REV. PROF. DAVID MPHANDE MP ( NATIONAL ASSEMBLY) TO KAWIYA CONGREGATION, THIPURA CHURCH, BANDAWE SUNDAY 17 MARCH 2013

SPEECH BY SESSION CLERK ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LIVINGSTONIA MISSION – CAPE MACLEAR, BANDAWE, LIVINGSTONIA

When the Livingstonia Mission first came to Malawi in 1875 they settled at Cape Maclear mainly because they had the steamship called Llala with them and needed to stay beside the Lake. Within a short time, however, two problems arose. First the climate was unhealthy and several missionaries (both black and white) died; secondly, the population was very dispersed around the station. The Mission Committee in therefore encouraged Dr Robert Laws to begin looking for an alternative place as the headquarters of the Mission.

In December 1887, Bandawe in Chimbano Village about four miles from Chief Malengamzoma Village was set up as an experimental station to test whether it was suitable before the Mission moved there. The first missionary to work at Bandawe was Mr James Stewart (civil engineer) a cousin of Dr James Stewart of who had first suggested the establishment of the Livingstonia Mission. He was helped by some of the senior pupils from Cape Maclear including Fred Zarakuti.

After exploring various possibilities, and funding nowhere more suitable, the mission moved its headquarters to Bandawe in 1881 and a lot of the missionaries from Cape Maclear, including Dr Robert Laws, moved to Bandawe. It was here that the first convert, Albert Namalambe, was baptized later in 1881.

Establishment of new Bandawe at Thipura In 1893 Rev Alexander Gillon MacAlpine had arrived as a missionary at Bandawe and once Dr Laws moved to the new headquarters of the mission at Livingstonia in 1894 MacAlpine became the main missionary at Bandawe; becoming an expert on Tonga language and culture. The Tonga people around Bandawe sometimes remember Macalpine for the phrase “kachimbuzu nkha dendi mbwenu” meaning the little fish known as “chimbuzu” is good for relish.

Although the headquarters of the Livingstonia moved, important church functions were still carried out at Bandawe. Mr Yakobe Msusa Muwamba, the first African elder of the Livingstonia was ordained at Bandawe in 1895 and the first three African ministers: Jonathan Chirwa, Hezikiya Mavuvu Twea and Yesaya Zerenje Mwasi were also ordained at Bandawe in 1914.

In the 1920s, Thipura where we are now was chosen as a new site for Bandawe Mission Station. In 1922 Rev MacAlpine and other missionaries who remained at Bandawe moved to Thipura. Among them were Dr Turner Gordon and later Jack Martin who built the first Manse now known as Martin House. The new station became known as New Bandawe to distinguish it from the original mission station

1 which is referred to as old Bandawe and this was the birth of Kawiya Congregation which is now called Thipura Congregation as from the year 2011.

The station comprised of a hospital, carpentry shop, the boarding school for boys and girls and a temporary church building and a leper colony. Up to the 1960s the institutions at New Bandawe Station attracted students and personnel from all mission areas of the Livingstonia. People in Utonga remember with affection the services of Stephen Mwenefunbo from Karonga, Gerge Phiri from Enukweni, T W Tweya from Ekwendeni, Mponda Lungu from Emcwisweni, Larence Tembo and Lyson Gondwe from Njuyu and many others.

In 1928, Mamie Martin wife of Rev Jack Martin died of maternal complications. Her body is buried in a small cemetery between this new church and the old one, here at Thipura. Following the death of his wife, Rev Martin raised funds in Scotland to build a church here in memory of his wife who was nicknamed “Nyankhutowa yo wangwanja Atonga” meaning the beautiful one who lived Atonga. It is a splendid building with a seating capacity of about three hundred. This church replaced the first temporary church which was later used by the primary school.

Several times attempts were made to extend the Mamie Martin Memorial Church to cater for the growing population in the congregation. Like their counterparts at old Bandawe, local people around New Bandawe refused to tamper with the old church. They take it as a symbol which reminds them of Scottish missionaries and their work in Utonga. Today the Mamie Martin Memorial Church is being converted to a station library.

The split of Kawiya Congregation Since the population of Kawiya was growing very fast and with its poor geographical position as a result the Kirk Session sat and suggested to the Synod of Livingstonia if Kawiya could be split into two congregations. The Synod approved that the congregation be split into two congregations namely Kawiya and Chintheche, this was done in 1997.

Request for Kawiya to be called Thipura In 2010 Kawiya congregation suggested to the Synod of Livingstonia if Kawiya would be called Thipura congregation in honour of the place where Bandawe Mission Station is situated. The Synod accepted the proposal of Kawiya to be called Thipura Congregation in 2011. As of now the congregation has 1042 Christians who come from Thipura, Chivumu, Chinhame, Chalaundi, Mgodi, Chanawanka and Kawiya Estate prayer houses.

Construction of the new church at Thipura New Bandawe Mission Station In the year 2000 Kawiya Kirk Session under the leadership of Rev Hamilton Gamphani Gondwe resolved to build a new church. A number of fund raising activities were organised, including a mock wedding of Rev Mr and Mrs Gondwe. Church members began to mould bricks for the church building project. Like Henry Henderson of Blantyre who had no technical qualification in construction work but initiated and supervised the construction of the beautiful St Michael and All Angels Church, the work on the new church here was supervised by

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Rev Gondwe using local builders and carpenters. A bigger part of erecting the church wall and flooring was done by Mr Jeremiya T Kanyinji. The roof was fixed by Mr John Luhana. Mr Moffat Chimbaza fitted in the pews. Several other local people3 did some work on the building. Dedication ceremony was done in May 2008. The State President late Professor Bingu wa Mutharika was in attendance.

Results of missionaries’ work  Many carpenters and builders were trained.  Cleanliness was introduced.  Migrant labour began.  Political leaders like T.D.T. Banda, Manoah Chirwa, Orton Chirwa, Celement Kadalie, Isaac Katongo, Ernest Alexander Muwamba and many others.  Church leaders like Rev Zerenje Mwasi, Rev Bright Mhone, Rev Wesley Manda, Rev M Mezuwa Banda, Rev H M Nkhoma, Rev Professor D K Mphande and many others.  Today we have Bandawe Girls’ Secondary School, School for Hearing Impairment, Bandawe Primary School and a Clinic.

Rev M B Chirwa Alick J Phiri MODERATOR SESSION CLERK

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