New Chapels for Two Remote Villages in Malawi

Malawi, a landlocked state in southern Africa, is among the poorest countries in the world. The parish of Benga lies in the east of the country, not far from Lake Malawi, in a region of great poverty. Though established only in 2013, the parish has witnessed 6,000 baptisms in the space of just 10 years. Nonetheless, only 20 percent of the population is Catholic. The majority of the people there are either Protestant or Muslim. 

The parish covers a large geographical area, with many scattered outlying settlements or villages, as is often the case in Africa. Consequently, the Catholic faithful often live so far from the parish center that the distance is too far for them to walk. And so, in many villages, they have built small chapels where people can gather to pray. These are often simple mud chapels, built by the people themselves. As a result, they are not very durable, but at least they are places where people can meet to pray.  

There are two villages in the parish of Benga that needed new chapels. In Kachule, where in 1960, there were just 12 Catholic families, there are 55 today. The original chapel, like many traditional African huts, was a grass thatched structure. In 2010, they repaired the chapel with clay tiles, but the heavy rainfall caused cracks to develop in the walls, and the building threatened to collapse. Besides, it was already far too small, given the growing number of Catholic families. And in the village of Njiza, the Catholic faithful had likewise tried to repair their small and crumbling chapel themselves. But the building lacked proper foundations and has since collapsed. So here, too, there were 20 Catholic families in need of a permanent chapel.  

The Archbishop of Lilongwe urgently appealed to us for help, saying that the people in this neglected region would draw new strength and hope by praying together in a chapel of their own.  

His plea did not go unheeded. Thanks to the generous help of our benefactors, we were able to give $18,000 – and now, in both villages, they have managed to build new and permanent chapels, blessed by their bishop. There is great rejoicing among the faithful, and so we now pass on their heartfelt thanks to all of you whose generosity has made this work possible!  

135-01-19