Edinburgh New Town Church > work in the world > Malawi

Malawi

The New Town Church has strong links with Malawi, and with Mulanje Mission Hospital (MMH) in particular.

• Several members of the congregation have lived and worked in Malawi
• A recent Medical Director of Mulanje Mission Hospital, Dr Ruth Shakespeare, was commissioned at a service in our church
• The Hospital Administrator of MMH, Pearson Soka, was supported to complete an MBA degree.

A group of 8 from the congregation spent 2 weeks in Malawi in September 2013, to find ways of strengthening the relationship with MMH, and to help celebrate the 200th anniversary of David Livingstone. The group was made up of the minister of our church, three music professionals, a lawyer, a retired nurse, a charity worker and a university teacher.

Music was an important tool in building relationships – as it is in general Malawi life. Week 1 was spent seeing the work of the Mission – hospital, mother and baby clinics, the schools, the prison, the porridge factory and the church. In week 2 we visited Liwonde National Park, Lake Malawi and Zomba. The visit was supported by a grant from the David Livingstone 200 Fund.

The group has spoken, shown photos, written, and sung about the trip on various occasions. Stuart Murray Mitchell’s new piece inspired by music recorded in Malawi was given its first performance in Napier University in 2013.

Funding has been given to Mulanje Mission Hospital to install further solar power (in men and women’s wards) and provide some basic health care in the prison. The church will now be funding a 2-year Masters in Nursing Administration for one of the Mulanje Mission Hospital staff.

Annual fundraising lunches maintain our commitment and we have had a number of visits from the Medical Director.

Stuart Murray Mitchell as David Livingstone in the play to mark the anniversary