Rev. Fr. Andrew Madalitso Banda

We have a new priest Rev. Fr. Andrew Madalitso Banda ordained at St. Danstan in Mzimba. He has been commissioned to a new mission Parish where he will see the spawning of the Church grown at Jenda and Embangweni.

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Chiyembekezo Banda

We give thanks to God for the gift of a New Priest in the Diocese of Northern Malawi. Fr. Emmanuel Banda ordained on 24/04/2016 at our Parish Church of St. George Nkhata Bay.

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Pilirani Banda

Rev. Deacon Lightwell Mazaza Banda

Rev. Deacon Aidan Binga

Venerable Peterson Binga

Rev. Fr. Jolly Noah Chadzuka

Ven. Canon James Chifisi

Rev. Deacon Martin Pancras Chilipakhasu

Rev. Fr. George D. J. Chilongozi

Rev. Fr. Charles Kennedy Chilowa

24/10/15: We give thanks to God for the gift of this priest into His Church. We had a wonderful ordination service of Fr. Charles Chilowa. Fr. Chilowa will be serving the faithful of St. Martin.

Rev. Fr. Anthony Frank Chimphanda

Rev. Deacon Samuel Chimulu

Venerable Arthur Chitowe

Rev. Canon Brighton Chitowe

Rev. Fr. Julius Chunga

Rev. Canon Charles Arnold Damba

Rev. Fr. Edward Frank Jutah

28/09/13: We give thanks to God today for the wedding of our Priest Fr. Edward Juta.

Rev. Fr. Limbani Jerome L. Juttah

Rev. Fr. Auster Kamanga

Rev. Deacon Chacks Kamanga

Rev. Deacon Levson C. Kamanga

Rev. Fr. Hannex Kamenyah

Fr. Kamenyah recently (2015) graduated with a “degree” in Evangelism and was inducted as a member of the Church Army.

By the will of God I was born on February 7th,1976, at a hospital called Queen Elizabeth in the business city of Blantyre, Malawi. When I was about five years old and my sister three, my parents separated. From there life was difficult for us children due to many stepmothers. Some treated us harshly.

These circumstances forced me to the street for our daily needs. As a street child I was facing many challenges; we were given hard work, work that was beyond our age. Sometimes those older children would force us to do improper things in the street like stealing, et cetera; when we refused they would punish us badly. My stepmother used to send me to town to look for small sweet potatoes left by the business people.

When I was about 13 years old, God led me to the village to stay with my aunt and cousins. I left my father without saying goodbye because I thought he would keep me in his town. At the village relatives welcomed me, bought me clothes and encouraged me to attend school and church. My father allowed me to stay in the village.

In 1989, when I was about 13 yrs. old, I was not responding in class 1 so my teachers decided to transfer me to class 3. I was doing well in Mathematics with my street business experience. But I repeated the class because I was unable to read/write in my local language and in English. The setback made me work extra hard so that I was able to write in my language and with small words in English. From that time, I progressed normally with my education.

My sister had come to the village before me and was raised by my late grandmother who died in 1999. At the village we lacked parents’ love and care but lived happily with relatives.

In 1989, I was baptized and started  confirmation class in 1993. I received confirmation in 1995 by Bishop Jackson formerly from Florida, USA and who was the first bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Northern Malawi.

I saw Christ coming closer to me day by day. He started shaping my life to His Glory. Through visions and experiences, I started feeling that God wanted to use me. As I grew in faith I saw God calling me to the priesthood. I started assisting our priest during Sunday services as a “server”. Our priest, the late Canon Sauli, used to advise and encourage me on different matters that concern human life. When Fr. Sauli died, two priests were assigned to our St. Michael’s parish. I continued serving the LORD with them during Sunday services and with funerals.

When I finished my high school in 2000, I worked with one of construction companies. For two prior years, I served my community as a volunteer teacher teaching class 3 children in one of the junior primary schools.

Late 2002, I was called by God to his ministry. I did not believe it because by then I was a young man of 26 yrs. old. It was a challenged calling since our society was not used to youthful pastors. I resisted on many occasions but God kept on calling me in a vision. I made excuses to myself like Moses to say that I stammer when speaking, or like Jeremiah to say that I am just a youth.

Finally, on January 6, 2003, I found myself starting theological training at Zomba Theological College in Mzuzu City where I studied Theology until October, 2005.

I was ordained a deacon on October 30th, 2006 at our St. Mark’s parish in Mzuzu where I was then assigned. I enjoyed serving as deacon with Ven. J.K. Chifisi who had vast experience in different fields. This gave me a chance to learn more about people and issues that affect them. His wife also showed my wife the duties of the parish pastor.  This urban parish diocese exposed me to and prepared me for different people from different communities in our diocese.

As a servant of God I believe my calling is for pastoral issues. From 2006 I worked hard visiting my Christians door to door, listening to them, sharing with them their love and happiness, sharing their sorrow and encouraging them. Many of the Christians I was visiting at St. Mark`s parish were struggling with poverty, malaria, HIV/Aids, hunger, unfaithfulness in marriages, lack of employment, lack of school fees, lack of healthy water, poor housing, malnutrition, etc.

I was also to minister to the weak, aged and the sick. Every Monday we had a program from 11:00 am at St. John`s Roman Catholic hospital where we were praying for the sick and giving them  encouragement.

Every Wednesday we were rotating, gathering in a fellowship in Christians houses for prayers, sharing the Word of God encouraging one another, praying for one another and the world. We saw the hand of God in these fellowships because God visited us in a wonderful way. Muslims joined our fellowship. These fellowships also gave us Christians a spirit that we belong to each other as brothers and sisters in the Body of Jesus Christ. Christians through these fellowships were able to help one another in their daily needs. These gatherings of Christians in wards (houses) are still continuing in the parish of St. Mark. I believe if we as Christians gather in fellowships we can build a very strong community here on this earth that will also prepare our journey to eternal life in heaven. The Body of Christ is not divided, we are united, we are all parts of His Body.

By God`s grace I was ordained a priest on 15th October, 2007 at my serving parish of St. Mark`s, Mzuzu. I faithfully continued my work serving the people of God the way the spirit directed me.

By the end of 2007 we baptized over 100 Christians, 105 candidates were confirmed, 35 families came for marriage blessings; these are the families that have stayed many years but were not blessed at the church. The door to door exercise helped me to discover them. After counseling they were able to be blessed in the church. Most of them are living happily in their marriages now.

We also started two churches within the city, one of them is the sub parish of St. Mark`s with a full time priest. Our major challenge was the vastness of the parish, the whole city then had only two of us priests serving over 5000 Christians. We were extremely busy as many Christians at the same time needed pastoral care especially with the increase of HIV/AIDS.

I am married to a lovely wife who is  committed to God, to the church, to the family and friends. Her full name is Akuzike Sylvia. Akuzike is a name in our language that means give glory to God. We married in 2002 and we have been living happily for eleven years now. My wife is so caring, she always makes sure that we are happy; when I am worried, she comes to me and helps with jokes and advice. Also I like her hard working spirit. Apart from a small fish business that she does, she always makes sure that our house is clean. She cooks delicious food for us. She also helps the Mother`s Union in a number of ways, counseling as one example.

God has currently blessed us with three children, one being adopted. Our first child a boy is now nine years old; his name is Blessings Martin. Blessings will start primary five this September. Blessings is respectful to us his parents, his teachers, and the elders. He serves in the church as a server at the altar with Fr. Alfred Kanyoli at St. Michael`s Makulawe Parish. When he is off from school he is very much committed, studying his subjects. He is a special son to me always listening to me and I now miss him since I am away for studies. We celebrate his birthday on April 23rd. He was born 2003.

Our second born child was a daughter and the LORD called her to heaven when she was almost six month old. Fr. Tabola took her photos with my son, Blessings  to the Church of St. Barnabas The Apostle in Texas. She died of Malaria. She was a lovely daughter, her mom loved her very much; we are missing her lovely face but we believe we shall meet her in heaven in the last day. She died just six days upon arriving at the new parish of St. Mary`s Parish on 8th November, 2007. We buried her on the 15th of November, 2007. Her name is Theodore Mercy. May her soul rest in eternal peace+. Mercy was born on May 26th, 2007.

Our third born child is a daughter born on the 15th May, 2009. Our third child`s name is Lauryn Faith, more active than Blessings, asking a lot of questions, making us laugh with her questions. She is three years old. She is at nursery school. Lauryn and Blessings help their mother cleaning the  house.

Raphael who is also nine years old is my adopted son. Raphael`s father was my very close friend, a room mate and class mate at Zomba Theological College. We were sent by the Anglican Diocese of Northern Malawi to study theology with the intention for both of us to become priests in the diocese in 2003. My friend Laston Mtonga had an illness that took his life. The diocese did its part to save the life of my friend by taking him to the most expensive hospital in the country but God loved him most. So Laston died in his first year at the Theological College when Raphael was one year old.

One day when I visited his mother in my pastoral duties in one of our parishes called St. Paul`s, I found the family in a very great poverty, They had no food, poor clothes, drinking unclean water and living in a very bad shelter that was collapsed at one end. I was filled with pity when I saw how she was struggling with the boy. I found the boy very sick. When I asked his mother, Charity, about the boy she told me that the boy had been suffering for a long period of time (on and off). When I asked her if I could take him to the hospital she agreed. When he recovered I asked her if I might raise him; she gladly gave me permission. I am happily living with him; he will be entering class four this coming September. In most cases he is in position three in class. Unlike Blessings who is struggling with Mathematics, Raphael is struggling with English. Thanks be to God Raphael is no longer struggling with issues of health. I am not sure of his exact birth date but Raphael was born in January, 2003. Raphael and my other son, Blessing, like to play football (soccer).

Rev. Deacon Jakob John Kamwanja

Rev. Deacon Kondwani Allan Kandeya

Rev. Fr. Alfred Msekazawo Kanyoli

Rev. Fr. Edward Kapalamula

Rev. Fr. Alex Kamoza Longwe

On October 23, 2016 we received another gift of a Priest. The Rev. Fr. Alex Kamoza Longwe was ordained this morning at St. Luke's Msuli as a Priest in a service that began at 9:00 am and finished at around 1:45 pm.

Rev. Fr. Andrew Samuel Manda

Rev. Fr. Golden Joseph Marama

On May 26, 2012 we received a gift from God. This is a gift of a Priest. Deacon Golden Joseph Marama was ordained to Priesthood.

Rev. Fr. Clement Allan Matewere

Fr. Matewere is an Inspector serving as a Police Chaplain for the Northern Region based in Mzuzu.

Rev. Fr. Bigsky Mayendayenda

Rev. Deacon Moses Chester Mhango

Rev. Fr. Isaiah Christopher Mnkhwamba

Rev. Canon Leslie Mtekateka

Fr. Mtekateka addressing his parishioners.

Rev. Fr. Paul Edward Mulindanji Mulima

Rev. Fr. Chimwemwe Holder Munthali

Rev. Fr. Augustine Providence Mwafulirwa

24/10/15: We give thanks to God for the gift of this priest into His Church. We had a wonderful ordination service of Fr. August Mwafulirwa. Fr. Mwafulirwa will be serving the faithful of St. Jacob Usisya

Rev. Fr. James R. Mwale

Ven. Fr. Chifundo Namitepa

We had a wonderful installation of the Archdeacon of Karonga Ven. Chifundo Emmanuel Namitepa We thank God for his faithfulness.

Ven. Canon Hannock Ng'oma

Jan 5, 2019 We regret to announce the death of our brother in Christ Venerable Canon Hannok Ng’oma. He is survived by his wife, Janet, children 15-year old Grace, 12-year-old Judith, 9-year-old Elijah, and fourth child born in February 2019.

Rev. Fr. Connex Zisuna Musa Nyirenda

Rev. Fr. Elemiya Dyton Phiri

People of God receive your New Priest for St. John's the Baptist Parish, Chizumulu Island. He is Rev. Fr. Elemiya Dyton Mkomanthenga Phiri. A man from the hills of Kanjuchi to service on the Island of Chizumulu.

Rev. Fr. Paulos Chifunda Phiri

Rev. Deacon Samuel Harris Phiri

Rev. Fr. Aswel Checkman Tembo

Rev. Deacon Thomas Thombozi

Rev. Fr. John Edward Wellano

Rev. Fr. Jones Dastan Zowani

Fr. Zowani serves as an Assistant Priest at St. Peter's Cathedral and is the Chaplain for the local hospital.

By: Rev. Fr. Jones Dustan Zowani a priest and Hospital Chaplain, Anglican Diocese of Northern Malawi. (Email: jdzowani@gmail.com or jdzowani@hotmail.co.uk)

This paper describes my life story relating my relationship with family members, other experiences I have grown up in, Education, my work history, spirituality and my faith journey.

I am Rev. Fr. Jones Dunstan Zowani the first born son of late Mr. George Zowani and Emily Zowani both from Likoma Island TA Mkumpha. My father was the first born son of Dustan Zowani and Florence Zowani, my mother is the first born daughter of Mr. Jones W. Ndazamo and Mary Kapalamula. As for me I was born on 13^th September, 1980. In our family we were five boys and three girls but one girl died early, then we are seven as of now and we are in a healthy relationship. The second born is a businessman providing computer services in Likoma, third born is a teacher at Ndirande hill Secondary school in Blantyre here in Malawi, the fourth one is at Embangweni Teachers Training College but married, the fifth is in form one and the other two are in primary school.

About my education I have learned in different primary schools because my father was a teacher and schools which I have gone through are; St Maria Gorreti, Chisangawe primary school, and Lisale Primary School all are in Nkhata bay. I sat for primary leaving certificate examinations at Lisale in 1996. I passed primary leaving exams and I was selected to Mzuzu Government Secondary in 1997, then I finished my secondary education in 2000 after passing my exams. In 2002 I went to Multi-Career Business College where I did a marketing course and I have a certificate in Marketing. In December2005 I was selected to study Theology at Leonard Kamungu Theological College in Zomba, and I started learning in January 2006 then graduated in 2008. As of now, I am doing Clinical Pastoral Education at Interdenominational pastoral Care Centre in the capital city of Lilongwe. I would like to further my Theological studies and Clinical Pastoral studies, God willing.

MY SPIRITUAL AND FAITH JOURNEY

My spiritual and faith journey started in 2001 and being a priest and a chaplain as of now, I want to let you know that I have walked through a long journey to the point of knowing Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior. When I was young one to sixteen years, I did not know much about Jesus Christ as my savior because the places where my father was working were rural areas and our church was not there then this caused me not to attend church services for some years, but as a family we were having praying sessions at home. Fortunately my father was transferred to a certain mission school where we had an opportunity to attend church services. While at this mission school my mother, sister and brothers received Jesus Christ as their savior and it was the time I started listening more to the word of God, then I knew Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior. After staying for sometime at this mission school I joined the choir of the church (St John’s Anglican Church in Nkhata bay). The name of the mission school was Chilambwe Primary School and during that time I was in secondary school. At secondary school I did not usually go to church services because of peer pressure. I liked dancing during variety shows, disco, playing Volley ball and Chess. In 2000 I graduated from secondary school and in 2001 I joined my father as a volunteer teacher at Chilambwe Mission Primary School and while there my spiritual life was strengthened. After teaching at primary school for seven months I listened to the call of the Lord that I should work in his vine yard as a priest. This caused me to apply for priesthood but I was not selected because I was not confirmed the time I was applying but a catechumen waiting to be confirmed. In the same year I was confirmed at Leonard Kamungu Anglican Church at Chizi in Nkhata Bay by Bishop Christopher john Boyle, I went to study marketing at Multi Career Business College in Mzuzu. then after finishing my Marketing course I started working as a librarian assistant at Humbu Business College in Mzuzu and in 2004 while there I listened to the call of the Lord again that I should work in his vine yard as a priest I started helping the priest in charge of Holy Trinity Anglican church in evangelical issues like preaching, visiting the sick and backsliders. This caused me to apply for priesthood again in 2005 but I was not included on the shortlist because my application letter reached the office very late and the Training Chaplain advised me that I should apply in the next year. After hearing the news, Fr. B Mkoweka encouraged me that if I have been called by God to be a priest no one can block the way and I will go. He stressed that I should continue praying for the calling to be fulfilled. I put myself in prayers for God’s favor and when the interviews of my ten friends who were selected to be interviewed came to an end, the news reached me that the diocesan panel has not identified one for priesthood training then I realized that God had a purpose for my life. Then I was called this time to be interviewed and we were three of us and out of this group I was the only person who was recommended for training and this was great news to me.

In 2006 I started my theological training at Leonard Kamungu Theological College and my faith and spiritual life developed through Bible studies, class discussions, interaction with lecturers and student for my personal growth. In 2008 I graduated and started ministering as a minister in Anglican Communion. In the same year I was ordained as a deacon at St Peters Cathedral on 19^th October and appointed to minister as a deacon at All Saints Kabuwa Anglican Parish in Mzimba under the supervision of Fr Auster Kamanga. After one year I was ordained as a priest on 25^th November, 2009, and then appointed to be the parish priest after the transfer of Fr. Auster Kamanga to Holy Trinity Anglican. I ministered at Kabuwa Anglican from 2008 to 2011. Now I am at St Peter’s Cathedral as an assistant priest to the Dean of the cathedral. I am the hospital chaplain in the Anglican Diocese of Northern Malawi and currently doing Clinical Pastoral Education in the third unit.

MY HAPPY MOMENTS

The time I was selected to do theological studies at Leonard Kamungu Theological College was my happy moment and the time Bishop Fanuel E.C. Magangani appointed me to be the hospital chaplain. I saw God helping us as we were organizing for the Golden jubilee for the Bishop emeritus Jackson Biggers and I was happy seeing things happening the way we planned though they were some little problems as you know in a group of people. The other happy moment was the time I got married to my beautiful wife Veronica and now we are blessed with a son and his name is Confidence. His name reminds us that we have total trust in God.

PAINFUL EXPERIENCE

The painful experience which I have faced in my life is the death of my father and my sister. The death of my father was a painful situation because my father died soon after my ordination as a deacon on 19^th October, 2008 and my father died on 24^th November and laid to rest on 25^th November, 2008. My father was suffering from cancer in his gullet. This was a big blow to our family because he was the bread winner for the family and my mother is not working but she was doing small businesses. My father’s illness affected me and the family very much for we were living after being informed by the healthy workers that my father will not survive then he was referred to palliative care. But before he got sick he was drinking too much and this caused our family to lack other needs as the family. Our mother showed love to our father and the family, she did not plan to leave my father but she tried her best in doing small businesses to help the family in other areas. The drinking behavior of my father affected our family positively and negatively. Positively this caused all boys to refrain from beer drinking for we knew the problems of drinking. Negatively this caused our father to suffer from cancer and the family lacked other needs as the family. As of now I know how it is to live with some one you love and is on palliative care waiting for death and this experience is helping me now as a chaplain to help the patients who are on palliative care or in hospital and their families.

When a person is in this situation loses hope and need to be encouraged spiritually to die peacefully and the relatives to have peace of mind which comes from God to cope up with the situation. Before my father died one of his brothers came to our house where we were staying that is in Chintheche and took my father home (Likoma Island) and it is where he died. But the most painful thing that touches my heart is that, while in Likoma brothers to my father agreed to take my father to the witchdoctor for they did not agree that my father will die with cancer which was caused by excessive beer drinking, but they thought that he has been bewitched. My mother and we as children had nothing to say because the brothers to my father took control of the situation. When my father was being taken to the home village it was the time I started off to All Saints Kabuwa to serve as a deacon. After staying at Kabuwa for some weeks I received the message that my Father is not improving and I was affected and I decided to go and see my father in Likoma, then after staying with my father for a week he send me to collect other materials at Chintheche and bring back my sister and brothers. I started off to Chintheche in Nkhata Bay and when coming back to Likoma I received the sad news that my father is no more, then I felt very sad and shocked, then I did not tell my sisters and a brother till we reached the Island, then I told them before reaching our village that our father has died, they started crying and caused me to shed more tears. But all in all I put everything in the hands of the Lord for guidance. The death of my sister too was tragedy in 2006 for she got sick only for a week and she died while in Tanzania where she was staying with her husband. After hearing the news I was very shocked and my mother fainted. My sister left a daughter and we are planning to get her from the family of her husband because he did not pay anything to our family. The first Clinical Pastoral Education program helped me very much in coping with the grief I had and I realized that it is better to put my life and family in order before I die and I know that in all situations God is in control.

WORK HISTORY

I have worked as an assistant librarian at a Humbu University in Mzuzu. After ordination as a minister I was a deacon at the remotest parish of our diocese that is All Saints Kabuwa parish in Mzimba and I was appointed to be the parish priest after the transfer of Fr Auster Kamanga. After staying for three years and some months at this area I have been transferred to this St Peters Cathedral parish in Likoma Island as an assistant priest to the dean and while here I have been appointed to be the hospital chaplain for the diocese of northern Malawi.

In conclusion I would like to let you know that I am a man who likes watching football, playing chess, reading the bible and other books, visiting the sick, preaching, swimming, playing volleyball, chatting with the family and making friends. My favorite dish is nsima with roasted fish and vegetables, rice with chicken and I thank God for giving me an opportunity to serve in his vineyard. God bless you all.