The Bible Society in Malawi started its operations in the 1960s with Rev E Nyamurowa, a Zimbabwean, as its head. Over the years, Nyamurowa knew that he would one day retire and return to Zimbabwe, and he felt within himself that he should pass the mantle to a Malawian.
He strongly felt that Rev Chienda could be a proper replacement and he went ahead to convince him to take over his post. All the necessary arrangements having been made with the board of the society, Rev Chienda moved to Blantyre in August, 1979, to become the Executive General Secretary of the Society. Some of his senior staff were Mr Chingwanda and Mr Peter Mkolesia.
Following Rev Chienda's appointment, Rev Nyamurowa went back to Zimbabwe but sadly died the following year. Soon after his funeral, Mrs Nyamurowa and her daughter, Rabecca, flew back to Blantyre to spend time with their acquintances and to show them pictures taken during the funeral of the departed man of God.
In Blantyre Rev Chienda continued to be a jovial man, especially at home or in social settings. Jeff Thindwa remembers him as somebody who used to laugh a lot. Sometimes he would almost run out his breath as a result of having laughed so much.
One day a number of people gathered at Rev Chienda's house in Namiwama, Bantyre. Among them was Jeff Thindwa, then working for World Vision International (Malawi Office). Rev Chienda got up to distribute some mandasi (flitters). Realising that he was probably the youngest member in the team, Jeff offered to do the distribution, but Rev Chienda refused, saying he(Jeff) was a visitor just like the others. When his turn came, Jeff picked one flitter, and the Revered leaned forward to him and whispered into his ears, "Mukaan'tengeratu tiwiri kaya, chifukwa sizidziwika kuti zitsalako (My advice is that you pick two, because there may never be a second chance)." And sure enough, after the plate had gone round, there was no second chance.
Despite his jovial spirit - or rather, complimentary to it - Rev Chienda continuned to be a very serious worshipper and a provider of spiritual guidance. Noticing his zeal for God's work, the Blantyre Synod took him on board and gave him a congregation to pastor. He became moderator of Mtenjera CCAP Church at Lunzu, Blantyre.
What I find intriguing about Reverend Chienda is how he seems to have been able to charm, at the height of MCP power, the Ngwazi himself and the lesser potentates as the indomitable Muwalo Nqumayo. He was a jovial man who could relate to everybody and yet serious and strict when the situation demanded. He was a situational leader. Distributing mandas and joking one day. Seriously engaging the Ngwazi himself on another.
ReplyDeleteKandi Padambo