We started off at 12 noon for the 120 km stretch to Nthalire north west of Chitipa. Nthalire is about 140 km north west of Rumphi accessed through a road that passes through Nyika National Park. So it is very much between Chitipa and Rumphi both of which lie in the national boundary with Zambia. Loaded with two boxes of Bibles (totaling 48); we strapped everything including our bags on the Yamaha Motorbike. Nicholas Mbughi made sure that everything was properly tied so that we could survive any fall-offs of the items.

There was no vehicle that was going in our direction for the entire three and half hours but we met five vehicles going in our opposite direction. This Chitipa-Nthalire is rough and therefore not ideal for any salon vehicle. Four by Four motor vehicles are the appropriate ones. While I initially planned to drive, two friends at Chitipa Boma advised me against that and instead said I use a motorbike.

Finally Nthalire was in sight after we passed through well-known centres of Chendo, Chisenga and Wenya. We arrived in full dust colors of the 120 km stretch passing through mostly a forest along which there are sparse populations.

My cousin Catherine kindly welcomed me with a warm bath before we could exchange any greetings. I must have looked in sorry state of dust. Her old daughter Chifundo (19) made me relaxed as we talked about the area and her academic studies.

Later that evening, she disclosed to her mother (Catherine) that in fact, I was not new to her. She said she had seen me at Chitipa Secondary School two years earlier when I spoke at the youth conference which she attended. She was in fact one of the recipients of the Bibles I had taken there. I was elated to know that here was someone who had already benefitted from the Bible distribution. While in that conference, I did not know she was there too as we had never met before. 

  

On Sunday morning, I decided to join the Presbyterians in a special church service-special in that it was to be followed by a fundraising activity to raise money for the Livingstonia Synod. 

When I asked my cousin what the money was for, she had no idea really apart from recalling that the church leaders had told the congregants that the money to be raised was to help clear off debts incurred the Synod. Upon hearing that, I told her that I normally do not make any financial commitments to such fundraising events whose goal is simply to raise and pay off debts incurred by the Synod headquarters over 800 km away! She seemed to take my line!

Nthalire Community Radio, in former MTL House

The members reluctantly pulled off from their seats and walked upfront. I think they were not sure what was to follow them since the church minister had only asked them to come forward-a thing that rarely happens in some churches in Malawi. Well, the brave did. He then told the congregation that each of the 22 was going to get a copy of the Bible. There was joy. Of course he also told them that I would need a picture of the group that would have received the Bibles.

Crosbel, Shadrick, Washington and Jenala

Because of my other commitment with Nthalire Community Radio from 1pm that Sunday, I sneaked out a few minutes after 12. I wanted to interact with my radio friends and possibly train them in one or two areas. The radio station is the first in Chitipa district so it generates a lot of pride around there much as it does not have much content except for playing music and sharing greetings.

Most of Chitipa district has MBC (state broadcaster) signal with Tuntufye FM and ZBS Radios filling in some portions. Otherwise crossboarder radio stations entertain, educate and inspire the so-called International Malawians. Not long after we started interacting at the station, electricity went off thereby putting the station off air as no stand-by generator exists. The power failures-I got to learn-were too common such that the four-member volunteer team of this radio station said that they are used to such blackouts. This means they are only on air when there is electricity.

One of them, Shadrick said the women in the villages get to know if the electricity-run maize mills are working if the Nthalire Community Radio Station is on. This means that they leave their radio sets on (on their phones) and once power is back, they are alerted by the station being on air. I encouraged them by saying that the fact that the community knows the power problems, they should not worry as this is an issue beyond their control. Indeed during my three days there, power was actually off for 65 percent of the time.

Monday midday came. When everything was done, and it was time for me to leave back for Chitipa, I learnt from Nicholas that in fact he was not going to arrive in time to pick me back to Chitipa. He had returned to Chitipa on his motorbike and committed to get back to Nthalire on Monday morning to pick me. He was held at Chisenga Police Road block for using a motorbike whose insurance had expired. This day, traffic police from Chitipa Boma had come to Chisenga (about 45 km) to this Chisenga area to track vehicles that were ferrying people and stuff to a flea market that day.

In my quick thinking, I decided to hire another motorbike to take me from Nthalire to Chisenga where I could find Nicholas hoping that then I could help settle the spot fine and proceed to Chitipa. So within a few minutes, the motor bike was available and after saying farewell to my cousin, nephews and nieces, I was off on my way. It took us 90 minutes to get to Chisenga. The ride this time was much better for me as I had the road status already known to me.

By the time I arrived at Chisenga Police Road Block, around 4pm, a traffic police officer known by the name Manda had apparently left for Chitipa with the motorbike keys! Nicholas told them he had no money to pay on the spot but that he was willing to pay while at Chitipa Boma. He had used an official motorbike.

When I called Manda to negotiate that I pay on that spot, he argued that he could not have waited as the fine should have been paid on the spot but I asked him if by expecting us to pay at Chitipa boma (45 km away), it was still be a spot fine. He failed to answer my questions and I mentioned it to him that what he did was very unfair and not within the traffic regulations. In fact he made me mad.

Finally after 4 hours of waiting for any lift to Chitipa, we got one on a 2-tonner pick-up that was coming from transferring someone to another health centre within Chitipa District.  Nicholas and I found space right on top of the stuff being transferred. All we needed was to get to Chitipa Boma that evening. After an hour and half of a ride back, we arrived at Chitipa, dirty and dusty but safe.

I was glad to have visited Nthalire the home of a number of prominent Malawians including Chipimpha Mughogho who had founded Phwezi Secondary Schools (and instrumental in politics through AFORD), Legson Kayira (from neighboring Wenya) who wrote the book I will try, and Rodwell Munyenyembe who was speaker of Malawi's National Assembly and died on duty n 2005.

On the following Tuesday, I drove 58 km to Misuku Hills to escort my parents where they were to see parents of their son-in-law. There is a tradition in Chitipa which demands that parents of the couple should visit each other at least within the first five years of marriage. My parents felt it was time to also visit their counterparts. 

Misuku is very hilly with portions of the road so steep that government had to put cement concrete ensure safe passage on those slippery places. It is in the Makeye Village, Misuku that I found a team of people in need of Bibles too. The beauty is that generally there is high English literacy in the Misuku Hills so even the seemingly old persons do read and understand English. They beamed with joy at receiving the Bibles and promised to read with those who were not able to access one.

Makeye Village, Misuku, Chitipa

I had last passed through Nthalire about twenty-years ago but I had never been to Misuku Hills. Riding a bike to Nthalire and driving to Misuku gave me a unique experience and appreciation of the transportation problems in the district. Both places are beautiful, agriculture-based and are rich in languages. Being in the boarder areas with Zambia and Tanzania, Chitipa is fun to know the cross-boarder relationships. This visit made my glimpse of Chitipa complete. 

 

For both of these recent trips, my heart was at ease because I was confident of God’s presence, protection, anointing and energy to meet the challenges. These four days were a real adventure and added spiritual value to my holiday. I think I came back safely to tell this story.