Malawi 2015

I think it was Teresa of Avila that said, “it is heaven all the way to heaven and it is hell all the way to hell.” 

And it was the last Pope that said that he can’t understand why people still think that heaven and hell are actual places. He said that these are states of consciousness. 

My recent trip to Malawi was another heart opening and mind bending time. People in the shackles of poverty and clinging to the hope of a better life that ‘modern colonialism’ has to offer. 

Despite the poverty there are those few who have found a ‘source’ outside that of the economic system that gives life and an awareness of their ‘sacredness’ in the great chain of Being. They have discovered the love and grace of a God that is so much bigger than anyone or any institution has created. It is heaven all the way to heaven. 

There is so much need everywhere you look. I was overwhelmed at times; however I had a sense of peace about ‘using whatever I had in my hands (and heart) for this person in front of me at this time’.

While I was in Malawi, I had some interesting discussions about the difference between stewardship and ownership. When we get confused and begin to take ‘ownership’ of things, we tend to want to protect and preserve it for our own good. Our world becomes smaller and we tend to hold onto things tightly (this produces a lot of stress due to the fear of losing what we have). Letting go and living ‘loosely’ frees us to live in a much bigger world and experience the abundance of life and love. 

I did not really know what to expect going to Malawi. I had long wanted to see the farm at Chigumula (PDFA, our registered charity, has rented this for 4 years now and the floods hit it hard) and I wanted to see all the people I knew there. I questioned my own motives and decided to sit with the question, ‘why am I going?’. Once there, I settled into being touched and touching the lives of the people ‘here and now’. Someone once said of being a GP, that we are guests in the lives of our patients where they invite us into the dark and tender places. I have always treasured this; however I felt this to be true with the people I came into contact with in Malawi, from the people at the farm in Chigumula (Foster and his family), to John (the coffee businessman), to the group of 50 that I shared knowledge about HIV and medicinal plants, to Madalitso (“Blessings”) the caretaker of the place we stayed at in Zomba. Seeing with different eyes into the soul of each person broke me open … Open to see an ‘enchanted world’ of sacred souls.

I return to England, once again having received more than I gave, being touched at my core more than I touched, knowing that God (who is more than any idea I have of him) is drawing people constantly to a growing and unfolding awareness of his love and grace … Heaven all the way to Heaven. 

Our training day at the farm (Dave showing the effects of using Aloe Vera in HIV)

Frank, an old friend, who is planting simple churches.

Foster (our farm manager), Chikondi (their granddaughter) and Emily (Foster’s very special wife).

The Moringa and Aloe plantation near Mangochi (Boston and Lamech, the caretakers).

William’s Falls at Zomba

Joy, Madalitso’s daughter