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Journal Letter #324
31 March, 2005
Journal Letter #325 21 May, 2005
Linda and I had the privilege of being invited to speak at the annual West
Africa Missionary Retreat - WAMR - (affectionately called "Whammer" by the
attending missionaries). The gathering was begun a few years ago and it has
become a spiritual highlight for the missionaries who work in the difficult
cultural climate of West Africa. Each year a different West Africa mission
team hosts WAMR. This year the team in Dano, Burkina Faso contacted us in
February to see if would be able to come on such short notice. We received
approval from our sponsoring church Quaker Avenue Church of Christ in
Lubbock, Texas and were able to rearrange our schedule to go. The Burkina
Faso team consists of Andy and Melissa Johnson, Chad and Amy Carter, Aaron
and Andrea Burk (their son Daniel), and Archie and Mandy Chankin (their
daughter Emma).
21 May 2005
30 May 2005
Kakum National Park Canopy Walk Journal Letter #328
1 June 2005 At the top of the hill, there was a two story wooden building that resembled a playhouse or tree house built of age-old hardwood trees taken from the forest. There were stairs that led to a second story. On the top floor, an opening in the wall began the canopy walk. From the picture below, you can see the beginning of the rope bridges hanging between the large trees.
The longest rope bridge is about 180 feet in length with none of them less
than 80 feet. The highest point above ground is over 120 feet in some
sections. This allows the tourist a beautiful tree top walk looking down on
the Kakum rainforest below and an astonishing landscape view of the rolling
countryside dotted with the same kind of giant white trees we are suspended
between. In the picture above, Linda stops on one of the tree decks to view
birds. We were unable able to pause for long periods along on the walk due
to the drawing darkness and park closure. Linda would have enjoyed taking a
sack lunch and camping out on the canopy walk to watch birds. During our
brief visit, she saw many birds, but her favorites were: the African Pied
Hornbill, the Green Sunbird, and the Western Gray Plantain Eater. She heard
but never saw Turracos.
On each tree there was a round crow's nest structure that held about five
people. It was made of thick hardwood with cables strapped in all
directions. In some places, cables were strung down to the ground to help
give stability to the tree or counterbalance the weight of the bridge
attached to it. The viewing deck in each tree allowed for breaks in the
swinging motion of the rope bridges and an opportunity for taking pictures.
Not being the smallest of guys and not really fond of heights, I found
myself carefully inspecting the ropes and cables as I walked - wondering how
long it takes for nylon rope to rot and lose its strength. In the picture
above, I nervously pose for the camera trying to look relaxed while keeping
a firm grip on the side ropes in case I need to do a Tarzan swing to safety.
Journal Letter #329 2 June 2005
Perhaps you are like me. There are a few places in my travels where the historical significance of the place was so overwhelming that it conveyed almost a tangible sense of presence when walking through it. I remember feeling awed during our tour of the White House during my senior year of high school. I remember feeling a strong sense of history while walking through the house of William Shakespeare. However, Fort Elmina, on the Ghanaian coast of West Africa, probably gave me a stronger feeling of history than any other place - and it wasn't a good one. The Portuguese built Fort Elmina between 1482-1486. Instead of using local materials, the Portuguese brought small red bricks, via their trading ships, all the way from home to construct the massive fort. It was the first European fort on the Gold Coast (Ghana's former name) and its purpose seems to have been two-fold: (1) originally to protect the gold trade between the Portuguese and the Ashanti people; and later (2) to house slaves brought in from Benin and other areas north for shipping to America, the Caribbean, and Europe. The Portuguese empire faded after a hundred and fifty years and the Dutch took control of the fort in 1637. They used yellow bricks for expansion and renovation of the fort. Today, tourists can see steps made of yellow bricks leading to an entry made of red bricks. The variety quietly reminds visitors that more than one national power inhabited the fort and participated in the evil committed there. In 1872 the Dutch ceded the fort to the British Empire which held the Gold Coast until independence on March 6th, 1957 when the country took the name Ghana. Fort Elmina and Fort St. Jago also in Elmina were restored from 1956-1960 and designated as World Heritage Monuments by UNESCO shortly thereafter. Fort Elmina began as a trading post, became the most infamous slave prison/deportation place on the West Coast, used briefly as a police training compound, and currently serves as an historical museum for Ghana. Walking into the fort, I was struck by the massive walls, the moat (now dry), narrow bridge, and the numerous gun holes where soldiers could perch and shoot at any who would attack the fort. The structure was obviously built to withstand a land and sea assault of guns, cannons, and soldiers. I thought how obsolete the fort was today considering modern warfare. Today, rockets shot from a submarine or ship hundreds of miles away could demolish the fort and kill everyone inside without the opposing armies ever seeing each other face to face. I don't know if such technology is an "advancement" or not in warfare. We enter the fort on the ground floor and find ourselves in a large courtyard now completely cemented. At one end is the governor's house and the armory rooms.
Our guide pointed to a balcony above the small courtyard for the women's cells and noted that the governor could come from his private quarters above and call all the women out. If he selected on for his own pleasure, that woman would be bathed, given food and sent upstairs. In the event one of the women became pregnant, the Portuguese would not send them away on the ships but keep them in town and give their family name to the newborn children. As I stood in the cells, I shuddered to think of the fear, loneliness, sickness, injustice, and death that haunted the rooms. Its presence seemed overpowering. I found myself not wanting to even touch the walls lest I contaminate myself in some way.
From the women's cells, our guide led us to the deportation rooms where the slaves were chained, branded, registered, and processed for shipping. The long hall was built of strong, thick walls, no windows except for a chimney-like hole in the roof, and smelled of mildew and grime. The passage led down to a small narrow iron gate called the "door of no return".
Originally, the door was much wider and used for transporting goods from the fort into the ships. When the fort became a prison for slaves, the door was made narrow to control their departure. The narrow door would allow only one person to pass at a time chained to the next, down some steps to the awaiting ship. The current metal bars for the door were installed by the British at some later time. Some ships carried as many as 500 slaves each. Records show up to 25% would die on a journey. Dead slaves were thrown into the sea. Back in the main courtyard, our guide led us into a jail cell next to the entry. One was built to house disobedient soldiers. The second one, smaller, darker, and nastier, was built to house disobedient slaves. A skull and cross bones were built into the wall above the cell's door. Our guide closed the door on each with us inside to give us a brief feeling of what it would be like to stay inside one. It was very uncomfortable. Moving up stairs we entered the soldiers' quarters, walked the top of the wall where cannon and soldiers had stood, and then moved into the governor's quarters. Large framed windows provided a nice breeze off the ocean making the atmosphere light and cool. What a difference it must have been to live above rather than in the cells. I wondered if the governor ever heard the cries and sounds of humanity at night. Was he ever moved by compassion? What reasoning would one use to justify his work so that he could sleep at night and go to church on Sunday? A gift shop is located in one of the upper rooms. A small restaurant and offices are housed in one of the expansions on the town side of the fort. A large sundial lies to the west of the fort and can be read easily from the walls. Today, the city of Elmina has a large metal bridge not far from the northern wall.
Traffic passes slowly. An open market bustles in town. To the east of the fort a small beach area provides a convenient place for boat builders to ply their craft. Everywhere I look, I see only black faces of people going about their life's activities - seemingly oblivious to the fort's presence. Yet I know these Ghanaians are aware of the fort's history. Gone are the Europeans who once lived here by force. Gone are the slave ships that sailed these waters. I wonder if the stain of sin has been removed. Our guide said at one point, the Portuguese built the fort. The Dutch took it over from them. The British took it from the Dutch, and gave it to the Ghanaian people during independence. We will keep it until Jesus returns. May it never again be used for slavery.
(Photos by Linda)
Journal Letter #330 6 June 2005
Being in Accra, Ghana for two Sundays provided us with an excellent opportunity to worship with our Ghanaian brothers and sisters. Andy Johnson mentioned his desire to find the Nsawam Church of Christ and meet with their preacher Sam Twumasi-Ankrah. That was a pleasant surprise to me since I had met Sam during a graduate course in Nairobi a few years back at which we had struck up a friendship. I was eager to renew it and to see the church's location. Andy said he had tried to find the church a couple of times before, but he had failed due to insufficient (well, wrong…) directions. Through some extraordinary measures, Andy was able to obtain Sam's telephone number and get better directions. So on our first Sunday in Accra, we headed out in an effort to find Nsawam Church of Christ at last. As it turns out, the church is located on the left side of a main road about 50 yards down a secondary street. The church's big blue sign could be seen from the main road, but only as you are driving past it. As we maneuvered our way back, I noticed lots of people walking to church. They were dressed very nicely and most carried a Bible. A taxi let out more worshippers. I figured most Christians used public transport to come to church this morning. The parking area for the church was already full and cars were parked on both sides of the narrow side street. Just from the bustle on the outside, I knew we were attending an active church. Andy parked his truck nearby, and we walked to the building.
On a small plot in a very busy part of town, the Nsawam Church of Christ has constructed a two-story concrete building with an auditorium and some offices on top and a downstairs area with classrooms, toilets, and even a guesthouse for visitors. A smaller single-story building to the left houses the youth ministry and additional classroom space.
We walked up a few steps and followed the L-shaped outside porch to the main entrance. Friendly faces smile and welcome us to worship. At the door, greeters (complete with plastic clip-on name tags!) help us find a place to sit. They lead us to the back of an already full room. Two Bible classes were in session, and the teachers were using white boards, reading their Bibles, and engaging their audiences with questions. In the case of the teacher we were facing, his lapel mike enabled us to hear (but not necessarily understand) his rapid English in a very thick Ghanaian accent.
As we settle down on our wooden pew with a ‘comfortable’ back (which also serves as a book rack for the people behind us), I began to notice the room. The cement terrazzo floor is decorative yet very functional for high traffic areas. The walls are cement plastered with a cream oil-base paint from the floor to seven feet up the wall. The remaining three feet of wall was painted in a beige water base paint. The ceiling in this 30’ by 80’ auditorium was wood paneled and stained in a dark mahogany finish. Each panel was outlined with a thin black line giving it a dark yet rich feeling. The ceiling was 10’ high on the sides but pitched to 12.5’ in the middle. To this ceiling were attached 18 three foot fluorescent tubes and 18 ceiling fans (at various settings – regretfully the one directly above us was one of two that did not work at all…). Along the sidewalls, flower arrangements were fastened to the columns between the windows. Six additional arrangements surrounded the podium at the front of the building. Large side windows that let in light and what breeze there was were built of louvered glass and wire mesh. The opened glass panes let air in, and the wire mesh keeps thieves out. Wooden pews of 10-12 feet in length were placed in 19 rows (two pews to a row) with a center aisle about 5’ wide. An additional 5 rows of plastic chairs helped fill out the very back of the room, plus one plastic chair placed in the aisle at the end of each row to help with overflow crowds. Three sets of large wooden double-doors give the room a rich, finely crafted feeling. Two large speakers were hung, one on each side of the auditorium, to amplify the preacher's voice. A clock was placed in the apex of the front wall to mark the punctual beginning and measured movement of the service. The most humorous observation came in the form of two printed sheets of paper taped to the walls throughout the auditorium. The first was a picture of a cell phone with a circle and strike through it. The second was a notice with the following words: Be serious. Please when you appear before the presence of God, switch off your mobile phone – it was certainly my first time to attend a worship service in Africa where cell phones were a real issue. The raised podium and communion table were covered with white lace, and a dark red and orange curtain hung behind them. Additional plastic chairs lined both sides of the front area to give more seating.
The Bible studies finished early and the regular worship service started at 9:56 AM. Greetings were followed by songs and a prayer. Communion and giving were completed before Sam Twumasi, who has completed a master's degree from Abilene Christian University, began his lesson. He gave a Bible-based, well-organized, challenging, and culturally appropriate message. It reflected a mature Christian leader who is lovingly trying to feed his flock. All the songs for the service on the second Sunday came from the green-backed "Songs of the Church". The Ghanaian Christians sang through rousing editions of "To God Be the Glory", "Lord We Come Before Thee Now", "All Hail the Power of Jesus Name", and seven other traditional favorites. Initially the English songs seemed out of place in Accra, Ghana. The order of worship, the announcements (including the notes about the births of bouncing baby boys), and church programs all reflected a heavy American influence. From some missiological viewpoints, the Nsawam Church of Christ's English service shows too much foreign influence and should not be prospering. But the truth is, it is growing, and it shows lots of spiritual vitality. Missiology aside, former missionaries have made a significant contribution, and the current Ghanaian church leaders appear to have successfully taken up the mantle of responsibility and are moving forward. Nsawam Church of Christ holds three simultaneous worship services (one in a local language, and others in English and sign language). Their combined attendance is 1200-1300 Christians. Their contribution averages between $800-900 dollars each Sunday. That is roughly a hundred times more than an average village church gives on Sundays in East Africa (and about 800 times more than Dagara churches tend to give in Burkina Faso…).
Yes, American money probably helped purchase the land and build the building and may even support some of the staff or programs. But from my perspective, the church work is head and shoulders above many of the urban churches I have attended, and it could shame many American churches with its extensive weekly ministries.
Andy and Melissa noted the announcement for a gathering of all senior saints of 45 years and above. Andy, with raised eyebrows, said it was a stark reminder of Ghanaian life expectancy and their view of old age.
Linda observed many people lingering after the service to visit. One fellow was taking a picture of a couple. Another group of deaf Christians were in animated conversation interrupted by laughter and smiles. I watched one brother back his very nice Prado vehicle out of a tight parking space with the help of someone waving behind him.
Sam's tour of the facilities after worship allowed us to see the older and larger auditorium across the road where the local language service was conducted. We met some of the elders, and then completed the tour in Sam's own spacious office. We met Theresa, Sam's wife, who presented Andy and me with men's shirts she had made. They were well stitched, fit well, and made of a beautiful local cloth. She apologized for not having dresses for Linda and Melissa because women in the church had bought all her dresses earlier. Her sewing ministry and her generosity impressed us.
Andy Johnson, Sam Twumasi-Ankrah, and Shawn Tyler
Sam offered lunch to us, but we had other tasks to accomplish, so we excused ourselves and let Sam get back to the line of people wanting to talk to him. Before we left, we traded email addresses and made promises to keep in touch.
In our ever-growing global community where communication and travel are so easy, I should not be surprised to meet Sam and Theresa again, perhaps in East Africa or America. I should not think American songs are out of place in Ghana. I should not be surprised to find an ACU graduate leading an urban church in West Africa. And I should sit up and listen when my African brothers want to say something about the churches in America (because they have been there). While a huge disparity still exists between American and African churches in economics, world influence, and education, I see in Sam and Theresa very capable partners in our worldwide mission to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. We should seek innovative ways in building these future partnerships for the good of the global church.
Journal Letter #331 26 August 2005
It has been a while since I sent out a letter. 2005 has been busier than most years including several trips to new countries. There have also been a few difficult things come to us such as a large robbery in our house in June, the implication of that theft to someone close to us, and the loss of two other personnel. The result has been a period of hardship and grieving, a huge change in our routine, and a forced reevaluation of many aspects of our life and work.
Another difficult change begins tomorrow as we leave for Kenya. Both Noah and Natalie will begin schooling at Rift Valley Academy in Kijabe, Kenya next Monday. While I know that most Americans are not familiar with or perhaps even supportive of boarding schools, it is more common for European families, practiced by Britain’s royal family, and sometimes a difficult choice for missionaries wishing to remain on the field a little longer. There are lots of factors to consider and every family’s circumstances are different so that no one choice is right for everyone. We took the first step this way several years ago when Noah continually begged us to send him to RVA. It was a scary decision, but we have been so pleased with the results. Noah has blossomed in the Christian school environment where he has dorm parents, morning chapel, Bible courses, directed activities under strict guidelines, and a school full of children just like him – third culture kids.
Noah began his boarding school experience in the seventh grade. Natalie will begin hers at the beginning of her eighth grade. We were leaning toward keeping Natalie at home for a longer period of time because of our own community school and the large number of friends Natalie has in Mbale. However, she has been asking to go to RVA as well, and we thought it would be best to have Noah and Natalie overlap a year. This would give them a year of special memories that they could cherish for the rest of their lives. It would give Noah a chance to look after Natalie and help her get adjusted to RVA rules and ways. While it is difficult for us as parents, we can see many benefits for their being in school at the same time. There must be a big “Thank You” and acknowledgement of Quaker Ave’s fund raising to make Natalie’s schooling even possible.
This whole subject brings us to our prayer requests. We would seek God’s protection and blessing upon our children as they learn to live away from us, become more disciplined in studies and personal habits, and begin to put into practice all the spiritual lessons we have tried to instill in them during their younger days. Of course we may need your prayers more than the children. We are not sure if we are ready to experience an empty nest. We know they will come back for holidays (a month at a time every fourth month with a long weekend in there at six weeks). However, it is the beginning of a new stage in our lives. It is a time for reflection and reevaluation of home, work and personal habits. Please pray for God’s direction in our lives.
After we drop off Noah and Natalie at RVA, we will not be returning to Mbale quickly. On September 2nd, Linda and I will fly from Nairobi, Kenya to Blantyre, Malawi. I am scheduled to teach a week long leadership course on Church History at Namikango Mission in Thondwe, Malawi. I will follow that by teaching the same course again somewhere in Mozambique the very next week. So for two weeks, I will be teaching. The first week will allow us to enjoy the atmosphere of Namikango and walk the same gardens as Lendel and Peggy Wilks, Jim and Kathy Albright, B. and Ruth Shelburne, and more currently by Mark and Era Thiesen. The second week may put us in more spartan living conditions, but perhaps more spiritually thirsty conditions. May the Lord bless all those planning to attend the Bible courses. We would ask for safety in flights for us and our luggage. We would seek health, security, a strong voice, and spiritual refreshment. May it be a time of rest and renewal.
While we are away, we ask for prayers of protection over our house and possessions. We seek God’s blessing on the work that continues in Mbale, Uganda, and Kitale, Kenya, and even Nimule, Sudan.
We are scheduled to fly back to Nairobi, Kenya on September 19th and then drive to Mbale, Uganda on September 20th, - Noah’s 18th birthday. We hope to find email access while in Malawi, but if not, please keep us in your prayers until we can return and write you again – perhaps with some digital pictures of our travels.
Shawn
Journal Letter #332 13 October, 2005
Personal Notes – In letter #331, I spoke about several personal items for which many of you responded with words of encouragement and comfort. Thank you. Let me give some updates before I move on to other observations about our travels and living in Africa in general.
The Robbery – At this writing, the police continue to push their investigation and assign court dates for the purpose of presenting more information. I wonder if the two captured men who stole from us will ever be convicted and placed in jail. We continue to monitor this process hoping to have a legal conclusion to the matter. Emotionally and spiritually we are recovering well from it. However, Linda does miss the house help John provided – especially in times of visitors.
The Kids – At this writing, Noah and Natalie have spent six weeks at Rift Valley Academy (RVA) in Kijabe, Kenya. Noah is completing his senior year and doing well. He is the starting goalie for the varsity soccer team, so he is enjoying that very much. Natalie has adjusted to the social aspects of RVA, but she needs to work on her discipline of getting homework in on time. I think her first semester will be one of adjusting to a new school, new routine, new responsibilities, and new rules. She has started off a little rocky which causes us some concern, but we are praying that she will be able to make some a changes and navigate the school and its system much more effectively in the next semester. Both of them could use your prayers. Noah is concerned about leaving Kenya, his home, and moving to the States next year for schooling.
What Empty Nest? – After dropping off Noah and Natalie in Kenya, Linda and I flew to Malawi and Mozambique for three weeks. I taught a week long course at Thondwe, Malawi on church history and then repeated the same course in Milanje, Mozambique the following week. We flew back into Kenya and visited Noah and Natalie before driving home. We were home for less than a week by ourselves before visitors came. George and Diana Franklin of SEE Ministries arrived on September 26 to begin a series of 16 eyeglasses clinics in Uganda and Kenya. On September 28th, Chris Shelburne returned to Mbale along with four young men and women from Seattle, Washington.
This group of four including (from left to right) Kelly Staley, Carrie Bailey, Alita Thombleson, and Greg Pugh, are here to work with three Christian Relief Projects in Kenya. They came to Mbale to take a three week course under The Aids Support Organization (TASO) that deals in counseling for AIDS patients and orphans. We are also helping them with cultural info and guidance on getting started. TASO works mainly on the medical side of this social problem, and they hope that we can help in Uganda with the fallout at home when parents die from AIDS – a ministry Chris and Stephan Shelburne are here to do. The Seattle group will move to Kenya once the training is completed and set up home in Kitale close to the children’s home. They will also visit regularly the 36 sponsored kids at Kapkirwok on Mount Elgon and the 100+ kids being helped in Kisumu, Kenya. Among all these visitors, Noah, Natalie, and two friends from school came to spend a mid-term extended weekend with us (this past weekend). We had people sleeping on every bed in the house plus in the living room. In a sense we have not had an empty house to bounce around in.
Future Journal Letters – I have written several letters concerning our time in Malawi and Mozambique. I intend to begin sending those after this letter goes out. They may come in quick succession and with a few pictures. Be on the alert! I will also write about George and Diana Franklin and this year’s eyeglasses clinics. There have been some neat developments for SEE Ministries that I want to share. That report will also come in journal letter form. Then also we visited Kitale last week with SEE Ministries and the Seattle Group. I need to mention some good and some sad things about that as well. There is much to write, so let me get started.
Housekeeping – One thing I have failed to do in these journal letters is report in any extended way the work that has begun in Nimule, Sudan. I have written 36 Sudan reports over the past 24 months that many of you may not be aware of. Most of them are posted on our website in case you want to read them. If any of you would like to receive the Sudan reports as they go out by email, let me know and I will add you to the list. I know that many of you get lots of emails, and we don’t need to crowd your inbox with things you are not interested in. So, we didn’t want to burden you unnecessarily. However, there are some exciting things going on in Sudan that you might want to be aware of.
Linda’s Trip – Linda is planning on flying to the States on the same flight as George and Diana Franklin (October 24th). She will visit her mom, Mildred Watkins, in Richland Hills, Texas plus my parents in Watauga, Texas. Fortunately our parents live only 8 miles apart, so there is less need for travel. Linda plans on returning to Uganda November 14th. I will find out what a truly empty house is like once they are gone and the Seattle group moves to Kitale during the first part of November.
Prayer Requests – Linda and I are finding ourselves overwhelmed with more opportunities to serve than we can take care of. We seek guidance on how to prioritize our options, let go of things we would like to do but can’t, and maximize our energies and presence in East Africa by advancing the most important tasks that lie before us. We seek health, energy, and passion for the work. We seek a firm grounding in God and his word. We desire to increase our prayer and fasting time. We want to be quick to hear God’s prompting and faithful enough to obey. We thirst for a closer walk with Jesus, and want to learn how to do that more and more.
Journal Letter #333 2 September, 2005
This past week has been a historical one for our family.
On Saturday of last week, our family jumped the Kenya/Uganda border and drove to Kitale, Kenya. We stayed at the Kitale Club, where we still maintain a membership, and visited the children’s home. The trip was full of memories of when we used to live there. The children’s home brought back thoughts of construction and beginning the orphan’s work. But things did not stop there. We drove on Sunday down to Nairobi where we were going to start a new chapter in our family’s history. On Monday we took both Noah and Natalie to Rift Valley Academy to begin 12th and 8th grades respectively. Noah has been going to school there since the 7th grade, but it was the first time that Natalie packed trunks to begin school there. It was also the first time for Linda and I that we would not have any children in our house – a kind of semi empty-nester feeling. We are not ready for that yet, but having both children in a boarding school is preparing our entire family for that future reality in the here and now.
We dropped Noah off first at his dorm. He unloaded with all the confidence of a young man who had done this before and was eager to see his friends. Natalie found her assigned room and Linda helped her unpack. It reminded me of some kind of ritual where mom and daughter worked together in establishing a safe haven before they could part. We visited with her dorm parents, prayed with Natalie, and then with tears in our eyes, got into the truck and drove back to Nairobi.
Then today, Friday September 2nd, found us driving to the airport at 5:00 AM in the morning. We were scheduled to fly to Malawi at 8:00 AM where I am to teach a one week Bible course on church “history” at the Namikango mission and then drive east two hours to Mozambique and teach the same course again the next week. It was not lost on either Linda or me that September 2nd was the very day we landed at Nairobi airport 24 years ago. We were in the same building on the same day of the year, but this time we were flying out of Kenya and traveling to Malawi. For Linda it was a return trip that had 21 years between visits. She last visited Namikango in 1984 when the Wilks and Albrights were there. My last visit to Malawi was in 1999 to conduct several church seminars with Ian Shelburne and James Luchivya. Again, it was an historical moment for both of us to return to Malawi.
Then how do we explain the feelings of coming out of the airport in Blantyre, Malawi and not meeting B. and Ruth Shelburne, or Peggy and Lendel Wilks, or Jim and Kathy Albright for all have moved on from this mission work. We greet newer faces. Ann and Era Thiesen were waiting for us once we cleared customs and immigration. They have plans to get our luggage to the mission station while we take care of a few shopping needs in Blantyre before heading home. John and Ann Thiesen came to northern Malawi in 1969 and worked there for most of the years until 1991 when John’s heart condition forced them to relocate to the States. They returned for a couple more years in the 90’s but discovered they could not physically continue doing mission work in Malawi. They moved to Buffalo, Missouri but just happen to be visiting Namikango for two months when we arrived. Their son Mark Thiesen spent four years doing mission work in Ukraine where he met and eventually married Era. They returned to the States for a few years raising money to come to Malawi. They arrived at Namikango in 2003 as replacements for Lendel and Peggy Wilks who retired earlier this year after more than 36 years of mission work in Malawi. Wow!
The new tin roof covers the duplex that once housed the Wilks (left) and Albright (right) families. The metal tower to the far right is Mark's ham radio antenna.
So we find ourselves walking around the homes of former missionaries we know and love and admire. People who continue to do God’s work in new places, but somehow everything around us shouts out their previous presence and actions. I walked through the garden area this afternoon half expecting to see Kathy Albright out moving a water hose to water the flowers. The mission office doesn’t seem the same without Lendel sitting behind the desk. I pass the verandah area where I remember sitting 21 years ago eating lunch with the Wilks and Albrights. I hear the gate shut between the mission house and the guesthouse and I look to see if Jim is coming through with a cup of coffee in hand. Instead it is a new worker. I walked past a tree this afternoon and remember Ian Shelburne (one of my coworkers) telling me he and David, his brother, used to throw knives at the trunk to see if they could get them to stick. The tree remains but the two small boys who played in the yard have grown up and moved far away.
From the driveway as you enter the mission compound.
Is this what it means to grow older? To walk the same path, but to do it with your mind half in the present and half in the past? To talk to someone standing before you but at the same time remember other conversations with those not present who stood in the same place? To be excited about the coming course I will teach, yet yearn for past visits? To sit in a room all by yourself yet not be alone because all the memories of previous years keep you company? To make new history, and at the same time relive older history? This brings to mind the sweetness of reunions. Do you think the young developed family reunions? I doubt it. I think the older members of the family, driven by loving memories of brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles, plan reunions to taste in the present something they have already savored from the past. For the older saints among us, surely one of the greatest joys of being in heaven with the Lord will be the sweet reunions with loved ones who have already passed from this life. Perhaps this is why some of our oldest family members struggle with their memories. It seems they build up so many of them that those memories crowd out the present and the future. Their thoughts are filled only with the sweetness of the past.
One of the mission offices is on the far left and far right of this picture.
I have heard it said that it is not our talents, but our choices that truly express our character. That may be true, but I can’t help but think that our personal history and all its memories informs our choices and thus, in part, helps to shape our character. Surely most of us learn from our past. Our history becomes a useful tool in guiding us into the future. Some call it a school of hard knocks.
Our visit to Namikango will be historical. It is a meeting of the present and the past. It will be another marker for us to the future. What will be the result of our time here? Will we ever return to Namikango? That is all history still to be written.
Journal Letter #334 3 September, 2005
Malawi lies almost due south of our home in Mbale, Uganda, but finds itself
in the next time zone to the west. That means it is one hour later than
what we are used to. Because it is so far east, the sun comes up at the
same time as where we live, but it is one hour earlier. So it is not
uncommon to find light outside by 5:15 AM and people moving about. Our day began with a 5:00
AM wakeup (because of the time change), but because the birds weren’t even
singing yet and it was still dark outside, we decided to keep snoozing. At
7:00 AM Era Thiesen knocked on our door wanting to know if we would like to
drive to Zomba Mountain and eat lunch at a small, privately-owned tourist
place called Zomba Forest Lodge. We quickly agreed to the proposal and
settled on a leaving time around 11:30 AM. Namikango Mission stretches
along the main road between Blantyre and Zomba. The small town, less than
half a mile away, is called Thondwe and gives the mission its mailing
address. Over the years, the small village has grown toward the mission
compound with a store now just across the street. Blantyre lies about 30
miles toward the southwest and Zomba is only 10 miles to the northeast.
Zomba Mountain can be seen from the front yard of the mission houses (Zomba
can be seen in the picture below behind Linda) as it rises up several
thousand feet above the surrounding landscape. On top of the mountain there
is a wooded park and a small dam providing water for the town below. On a
dusty, rocky road half way up this mountain stands the Zomba Forest Lodge
with a grand view of town below and the land and hills stretching off to the
southwest.
Zomba can barely be seen behind Linda in this picture.
Era called ahead of time to order lunch choices of either small chicken and
mushroom pies or lasagna. We ordered the lasagna that more closely
resembled moussaka filled with eggplant because there was only a hint of
pasta lining the glass dish in which it was served. The family table style
of eating also included two large bowls of salad with avocado, lettuce,
pears, tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. All of the ingredients from the
salad came from the garden and picked fresh for our meal, except of course
for the pears. Eric Thiesen, an energetic four year old, had his own
special plate of French fries cut lengthwise on the potato and of sufficient
size to equal any three or four from McDonalds. Water, tea, or cold sodas
were offered as drink choices. Though we dined in the quaint dining room of
the small brick cottage – turned guest lodge, we still enjoyed the sense of
nature since the door remained open. The weather was overcast with just
enough of a cool breeze to enjoy a long sleeve shirt.
The front lawn of the Zomba Forest Lodge.
The garden area in front of the house contained a few wicker chairs and a
small table for outside leisure. The area was lined with bricks and a
flowerbed that sprouted beautiful orange and blue lilies, pink begonias,
Barberton daisies, bamboo, dark red bougainvillea, and an odd assortment of
bushes and trees. A wooden bench among the flowers and bushes invited
visitors to tour the garden area. The mountain sat behind the house to the
left and the valley view was to the front and right of the house. The old
cottage with a green tin roof was rustically decorated with beautiful bird
pictures on white walls, tiled floors, thick blankets and pillows of earth
tones in each guest room, and more modern bathrooms than I expected.
Mark and Era Thiesen, Anne Thiesen visit with Lodge owner.
On
the outside the brick had been painted white except for the porch area that
remained in its original red color. Large wooden chairs adorned the porch
inviting visitors to sit and rest while looking at the spectacular view.
Two Malawian men saw to the cooking and cleaning and made sure we had
everything we needed. Our South African male host of about 40 years was
talkative, knowledgeable about the local birds and wildlife, eager to help,
but discreet enough to let us eat without him. When I spoke to him about
adding solar panels for lighting (since there is no electricity there), he
patiently pointed out that the rustic life is one of the attractions to his
foreign visitors. They like the lantern evenings without TV’s blaring,
phones ringing, and the brilliance of the stars overwhelming the garden
during the night. Why mess up a perfectly good visit with nature by having
solar panels that make possible all the things his guests were trying to
avoid? It was a good point to make and helped underscore the quaint beauty
that we were enjoying for a few hours.
Eric Thiesen and Shawn enjoying the flowers.
Not long after lunch, we had to return to the mission station. We could have stayed all day watching birds, listening to the wind blow through the tall tress, and watching the sun play peek-a-boo through the clouds with the hills and valley below.
Linda and Eric enjoying the tall bamboo just to the left of the house.
The drive back down the mountain seemed faster than going up. We took a
detour through Zomba to buy some strawberries and mince meat for supper.
Then we headed back down the tarmac road to Thondwe passing a war memorial
on the outskirts of Zomba town for those who died in World War I. As the evening developed,
we busied ourselves with some computer work, reading, and taking a few
pictures of the mission compound. The main house is having a new tin roof
put on, so both houses have their main living areas exposed to the
elements. The decision had been made because they wanted to make repairs
before the coming rainy season next month. It is another reminder of the
changes that have come to Namikango.
Journal Letter #335 4 September 2005
John and Ann Thiesen An unexpected blessing for our trip to Namikango in Malawi is the presence of John and Ann Thiesen. Ann met us on the plane trip from Lilongwe to Blantyre during our first visit to Malawi in 1984. She was flying down to see the Wilks at that time, so for Linda Namikango and Ann Thiesen go together. Now 21 years later, we arrived in Blantyre to discover that Ann was waiting for us at the airport along with Era Thiesen her daughter-in-law. So, let me dedicate this letter to all the Thiesens.
John Thiesen was born in Kansas in 1934 but raised in California. Ann Swanigan Thiesen was born in 1941 in Missouri to farming parents who worked a small spread in Leadmine, Missouri. In 1956, John’s parents moved to Missouri to try their hand at farming and it just so happened they bought the farm neighboring the Swanigans. With John being 22 and Ann 15 it was pretty much love at first sight. Ann commented that John spent a great deal of time over at her house. John’s family eventually moved back to California and John entered the armed services. He ended up being stationed just 60 miles from Ann in Missouri. They dated for less than two years before marrying in 1957. In 1958, shortly after the birth of their firstborn Henry, John and Ann became Christians. They started attending a Church of Christ not far away. John had dreamed of a writing career, but after becoming a Christian he felt called to preach. With encouragement from his own preacher, John and Ann moved to Higginsville, Missouri and began church work. Over the course of the next ten years, the Thiesens worked in Higginsville, St. Joseph, and Clinton, Missouri. Their ministry experience expanded and prepared them for the next big step in their service to God.
In 1968, John read an ad in a brotherhood paper written by Jim Judd announcing the need for missionaries in northern Malawi to work among the Tumbuku. When John heard of their thirst for the gospel, he was convinced they needed to go. So in 1969, John and Ann boarded a plane with their children and flew to Blantyre, Malawi to begin mission work. They arrived January 16, 1969 and were met by Peggy Wilks, Louise Gillam, and some other ladies who formed their welcoming committee. Ann remembers going to a nearby supermarket and how the women raved about how nice it was. She remembers being horrified at how few things and how small it was compared to American supermarkets. Others remember Ann coming off the plane wearing a wig and a dress with the hemline about 3 inches above the knee (the style in those days). A huge sign met her at the airport announcing that all dresses should cover the knees – a dress code imposed by the ruling president. According to Ann, someone commented they didn’t think Ann would last long on the mission field of Malawi.
After an initial adjustment period, John and Ann moved to Lubagha mission far in the north some 17 miles off the main Livingstonia road. They moved into the bush. Their closest white friends were more than 50 miles away. They had no electricity, phone, water, cooking gas, or store with sufficient goods. They often had to travel long distances to find basic necessities. Ann remembers driving hours south to visit Namikango mission every few months simply to buy goods in Blantyre and visit other Americans. During the years they became close friends with B. and Ruth Shelburne, Lendel and Peggy Wilks, Jack and Evelyn Hutton, Jim and Kathy Albright, and of course all the kids. John remembers watching Ian and David Shelburne feed spiders and watch birds, and he remains impressed about how intelligent they were even as little kids.
John and Ann Thiesen lived and worked in northern Malawi from 1969 to 1991 when John suffered a heart attack and had to return to the States for medical care. They returned in 2001 and 2002 for another brief attempt to continue their mission work in Mzuzu, but found it physically impossible to keep up the work. They finally retired from mission work and moved to Buffalo, Missouri not far from Ann’s home area. They live there and enjoy occasional trips to see their children and grandchildren. They came to Malawi in August for a two-month stay with Mark and Era Thiesen our hosts at Namikango. Ann feels like I do as she stays in the Wilks’ old house. She says she doesn’t feel right - like she is intruding on Peggy’s things and home. They also feel a continued presence of past missionaries on the compound.
After visiting with them over the course of a couple of weeks, it becomes clear that John and Ann have developed a tremendous love for the Malawian people. John speaks the Tumbuku language fluently and understands the cultural subtleties that made him a very effective missionary. They live in America but their hearts may still be in Malawi. It was a privilege for us to get a chance to meet them, hear some wonderful stories about the past, and see reflected in their faces and hearts a godly missionary couple.
Mark and Era Thiesen Linda and I first met Mark and Era Thiesen for only a few minutes at the Anna Street Church of Christ in Amarillo in 2003. Before that, we knew of them by reputation only. All of us were in a hurry so we did not get to talk much. It was with great satisfaction we arrived in Namikango a few days ago and have been able to spend more time with them.
For those of you who are sponsoring the Thiesens, let me say you have made a very good choice. Mark grew up in Malawi and has cultivated, durin |
