Chiwale Church Meeting
Saturday, 21 June, 2003

The Chiwale congregation is located about 65 kilometers from Blantyre in the Chabvala Misengu village on the west bank of the Shire River in the Chikwawa District, about 12 kilometers north of the Chikwawa District Boma (seat of district government). This congregation was started by Brother M. Getinala early in 2002. The congregation is not large, but several brethren from nearby congregations were in attendance to encourage the work. As you can see, we had a nice respectable crowd. In the left front row of adults, on the outside is Stephen Kasenda who translated for me. To Stephen’s left is Brother Getinala. And, to the left of Brother Getinala in the white shirt is Chief Chabvala Misengu. Chabvala Misengu village is on the edge of the Majete game preserve. When Marlene and I moved to Malawi in 1991, there were over 200 elephants reported living in this game preserve. I understand that none have been seen since 1998. It is reported by the villagers that poachers came from Mozambique, which is very near the preserve, and killed all of them, took the ivory and left.

--Jim Franklin, P.O. Box 573, Blantyre, Malawi