Presbyterian Christians have tended to be wary of any cult of the saints, though this has not stopped them from naming many churches St Andrew’s or St Columba’s. Here in Malawi Presbyterians are true to form but they almost make an exception for Harry Kambwiri Matecheta – the first Malawian to be ordained as a Presbyterian minister, in 1911.
He founded a mission at Bemvu, the parish where I now serve as an Associate. On Sunday we had a joyous celebration of his life and contribution. This was driven by the women of the parish who have composed a new song in his honour and are preparing to launch a DVD.
Bemvu is a revealing place in terms of the story of African Christianity since it never had a resident European missionary. Instead it had Matecheta who was sent there by Blantyre Mission in the 1890s and remained until his death in 1962.
He is a prime example of Andrew Walls’ proposal that, “Modern African Christianity is not only the result of missionary movements among Africans, but it has principally been sustained by Africans, and is to a surprising extent the result of African initiatives.” In a colonial era, it was easy for European missionaries to imagine that they were centre stage but it seems that, in fact, it was mainly through Africans that the faith took hold and spread.
The women of Bemvu would be very polite about the European missionaries but they are not singing about them. This is reserved for Matecheta, who stands for many others as well. Perhaps the Presbyterians have their saints after all – at least in Africa.
Thinking Mission Blog 