Romain Mayuku K., cicm
Missionary in Malawi
After a few months of learning the Chitumbuka language, our next step as interns is to stay with a host family for a month. Following that, we will spend two months at a diocesan parish. This experience aims to help us integrate culturally and, more importantly, provide a comprehensive perspective of our missionary field. The following lines and images present some realities of our mission, though this representation is brief and incomplete. It is incomplete because two viewpoints represent two different realities, and my understanding is limited by my own cultural, spiritual, social, anthropological, and cognitive boundaries.
Before our departure, our Internship Director, Fr. Ritan, encouraged us to embody the CICM virtues while staying with our host families. These virtues include simplicity, moderation, sobriety, humility, and a strong work ethic.
He emphasized, "may your presence in these families be both evangelizing and unforgettable. Be open to learning about the culture that welcomes you. Share your knowledge by preparing dishes from your home country and organizing family prayer times. Don't expect the family members to do everything for you. Visit neighboring families and learn about the habits and customs of your mission country."
These words served as a guiding principle for us, resonating deeply in our hearts with every day we spent with family.
Our time with family allowed us to appreciate the essence of the people in our midst: a welcoming, gentle community proud of their culture—a people of peace, hard work, generosity, prayerfulness, respect, and, above all, humor. Each time we visited a family; we were greeted with the words "Tampokelerani" (we welcome you). The next word we would hear was "Karibu" which means "welcome" in Swahili. This term is commonly used in Malawi to invite guests to join the family for a meal.
Respect is paramount in these interactions. Individuals kneel or bow to greet an elder, a chief (fumu), or a servant of God. When addressing a man, the woman kneels or bows. Directly speaking to a leader is discouraged; one must go through an authorized intermediary to communicate with them. This rule also applies to visitors, who must ask questions through the person they are accompanying, even regarding the leader's health. Being among these people means experiencing the purity of African values.
Malawi's economy largely relies on agriculture, meaning many people work tirelessly to earn a living. During our stay with a local family, we learned that individuals often leave home to cultivate their fields as early as 4 a.m. to avoid the harsh midday sun. Despite their determination to improve their lives, they face two significant challenges.
First, the climate is not conducive to agriculture. The sandy and stony soil requires considerable effort to cultivate crops effectively. The second, more pressing issue is the state of the roads. During the rainy season, travel becomes extremely difficult, so even if they harvest goods such as rice, corn, tobacco, and peanuts, they often struggle to sell them. Sometimes, they must travel as far as Tanzania or Zambia to find a market.
In times of famine, both the government and the diocese make efforts to provide for the population's basic needs, but these efforts are often insufficient.
To strengthen our connection with families, we established a daily family prayer time at 8:30 p.m. This includes singing an invocation to the Holy Spirit, reading the Word of God, and praying for the family, the youth, and the parents. Each member is encouraged to participate by leading one of the prayers. We conclude with the Angelus. Additionally, to connect with all the Christian families in this pastoral area, I organized visits in collaboration with the leaders of Basic Living Communities (Uzengezgani).
We started by mobilizing the faithful to respond actively to this organization. The meetings were impactful and included an opening song, a brief introduction, singing to the Holy Spirit, and reading the Word of God three times. Participants shared insights from the scripture, followed by a short meditation.
We also discussed various family needs to raise awareness about the socio-cultural, religious, political, economic, and anthropological changes occurring in our world, particularly in Africa and, more specifically, in Malawi.
This was an opportunity to rethink pastoral care in a changing Africa. We encouraged families to organize themselves for greater autonomy and solidarity. After the pastoral exhortation, the gatherings included offerings, mutual exchanges, a song of thanksgiving, and a closing prayer.
Families expressed their joy at having CICM missionaries in their parish. They are proud of this presence and grateful for the quality work in the parish of Saint Apollonia, Nyungwe. At the end of our stay, some faithful, including my host mother, had tears in their eyes. They were reluctant to see us leave. But our mission has to continue moving on.
