For many the first time they see the country of Malawi is from the air. Whether you fly Kenyan Airways, Ethiopian Airways, Malawian Airlines or South African Airways, the approach to Malawi from any direction is always stunning. Most flights into Lilongwe will pass over Lake Malawi and you get the opportunity to see the immense size of Africa’s third largest fresh water lake. From the south you fly into Blantyre along the Lower Shire escarpment. Each flight path gives a different perspective of this beautiful country.
As I would approach Lilongwe I was always struck by the number of villages that surrounded the airport. They initially look like places that are at a standstill, but you look closer you see they are full of life. Follow any of the dirt roads to and from those villages and you will see people walking, cyclists moving at pace and the seldom vehicle kicking up dust as it cruises at a grand speed of 50KPH! Every so often you would see village events taking place in the normal run of life; weddings, funerals, graduations all play significant parts in rural life.
Over the Easter weekend many in the furthest to reach villages will have celebrated with marches, even short ones, carrying crosses to their place of worship on Good Friday. And on Sunday morning they will echo the message of the angel at the tomb:
Mark 16:6
And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. (ESV)
Hymns will be sung, celebrations enjoyed and the ease of walking together to church and home again. Village life has its normality and routine, but Easter provides an opportunity, perhaps more than Christmas does, for those routines to be set aside for people to come together and declare Christ is risen – he is risen indeed.
As you reflect on Easter and look at it once again, may you know the goodness and comfort of the risen Saviour, who died for you. If you are interested in learning more about this, here are the two sermons I preached from Matthew 28 on Resurrection Day, Sunday 31 March 2024.
Monday Malawi Memories recaptures memories from over 20 years in Malawi. Photos won’t be in chronological order and can be found on the Lilongwe Letters blog, and my Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts. You can also find them using the hashtag #mondaymalawimemories.
Visit my Instagram page to see the collection of photos memories at www.lilongweletters.org.uk/instagram. You can listen to the sounds of Africa on my playlist. Listen and follow links to music streaming services at www.lilongweletters.org.uk/music.
