PROVINCIAL CHAPTER:  DAY TWO (By Bro. Andrew Makocho)

We arrived here on Wednesday after escaping the cold weather of the environs of Blantyre. Here, the sun rises beautifully to the east and the starry waters are breath taking. Mitengo community ushered us into the morning prayer of this October Thursday marking the start of the second day of our session. The theme of the prayer service mimicked the chapter theme: Transformation and Growth in the Spirit of our Founders. The reading of this prayer service was taken from Hebrews 13: 7-22. We were reminded here that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever and that Holy spirit should guide us in making decisions with positive mindset; not driven with malice, jealousy or old grudges.  Articles 17 and 18 of FIC Constitutions were read to remind us that our transformation and growth, as the theme of the chapter suggests, should be imbued with the principal concern and the spirit of transferring our faith to others that our founders had. 

We then moved to the conference hall, located to the Eastern corner of this story building. Today, we finished what was left to be said of the finances. Accountability and honesty were stressed. A number of issues surfaced from the discussion on finances. It would seem that the Provincial bursar has had to bear with some brothers who do not sufficiently account for the imprest they receive. In some instances, those with bank accounts make withdrawals of money with erratic or minimal accounting. It was further stressed that allowances that brothers receive are ought to be properly invested. It was further stressed that all brothers working for entities other than those set up by brothers ought to sign a contract and moneys remitted to the Provincial Council account.

Provincial Chapter Delegates during the discussions of the day

A total of sixteen (16) proposals were presented to the Chapter. Among them was on the use of our property, modalities for the election of the Provincial Council with a different face, and abolition or sustenance of the Capital expenses for the maintenance of our communities, issues of hospitality at our lake cottage. One major issue was how to sustain the formation programme of the candidates in Ghana. It was discussed that Malawi shall further commit itself to the joint formation with Ghana.

Mass was rescheduled to 6.30 p.m after the marathon discussion. The reading was from St. Luke and it tallied with the theme of the discussion of the day. People were sent out and the came back to account what they had achieved. They went to transform and touch the lives of the people. It was stressed that there ought to be transparency and accountability in our life. Often at times, there is a bit of tendency of Annanias and Saffira in us. We want to gain at any single transactions, we refuse to be accountable for all. We tend to hide a bit of our talents and reserve them for ourselves. There is a lot of Ananias and Saffira in most of us where we want to hide the truth from our brothers. 

We ended the day with a sound recreation around the beach.

The facilitator, Fr. Jester Banda leading mass