FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:
FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:
FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:
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2002). The two groups continued separately. Achewa PIM was established and grew<br />
basically in the eastern part ofLi1ongwe. Longwe notes that:<br />
Between 1938 and 1945 Achewa PIM experienced remarkable growth in terms of numbers<br />
of individual members....It was as a result of the preaching of such men as Kafulatira,<br />
Kamkalamba and Ndalama. Though they did not go outside their home ground,<br />
they walked for kilometres through villages teaching about redemption and challenging<br />
fellow people to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour oftheir lives.<br />
(Longwe 2000:52)<br />
It was mainly with such a vibrant indigenous church, APIM, that the Southern Baptist<br />
Mission in Malawi initiated their work in Lilongwe in the early 1960's, although,<br />
eventually the two bodies continued separately, as discussed fully by Longwe (2000).<br />
3.5 SOUTHERN BAPTIST MISSION IN MALAWI (BMIM)<br />
The Southern Baptists in America, through the Baptist Mission to Central Africa<br />
(BMCA) sent representatives to survey for possible work in Malawi in 1954 and 1956<br />
(BMIM 1995: 1). As a result of the impressive report on the opportunities for witness,<br />
Baker, quoted by Longwe, reports that:<br />
In July 1959 two SBC missionary couples, Leroy and Jean Albright, and William and<br />
Blanche Wester left Zimbabwe under the Baptist Mission ofCentral Africa (BMCA) to<br />
start new work in Malawi. They both took up residence in Blantyre. In 1960 the<br />
Albrights moved to Lilongwe while the Westers remained in the City. In September of<br />
the same year, they were joined by another couple straight from America, Gene and<br />
Beverly Kingsley. The Kingsleys joined the Westers in Blantyre.<br />
(Longwe 2000:65)<br />
The missionaries, in Li10ngwe and B1antyre and later in Zomba, adopted the Bible study<br />
or Sunday School approach as a tool for evangelism and spiritual growth. 19 While the<br />
missionary men took the men's classes, the missionary wives took the women's classes<br />
(Int. B. Wester and B. Kingsley, 13/10/2001). In due course, the BMIM established<br />
relationships with several individual nationals and a couple ofindigenous churches such<br />
as Zion church at Ndalama,2o (about 45 km away from Blantyre), and Achewa PIM in<br />
Lilongwe.<br />
31
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