Roots and Green Shoots (Prayer Letter December 2022)

While the weather here does not remind us of Christmas, our social media feeds are full of frosty pictures. It’s hot season and the rains are beginning to break through in epic, thunderous downpours. While it’s reassuring to see the rains before Christmas, we join Malawians in praying for good rains – not the faltered rains that mean crops don’t establish, nor the torrents that wash crops away. Cyclone season is around the corner with predictions of a number making land in the coming months.

With the rains comes the beginning of tree planting season. As I drove the long road from Mzuzu to Lilongwe with a friend recently, I was told how the road used to weave through thick forest but much of that has been cleared to make way for farming and commercial forestry. What trees remain are chipped away for firewood and charcoal with which to cook. Government is clamping down on the practice, but there’s a huge gap to fill to ensure people have the means to prepare food for their household.

Without the trees soil conditions deteriorate and yields reduce, so further land is cleared to eke out a living. On a global scale, the earth’s ability to capture carbon gases is further stunted, and the harmful weather patterns that destroy crops become more common. A vicious cycle, and a highly complex one. We’re excited to be poised to scale up tree planting throughout the CCAP structures with plans in place to establish semi-commercial nurseries within each Synod. Some trees will be sold so that others can be given for free or at a reduced cost to schools and community groups. The community tree planting will support efforts to protect soils, produce fruit to improve nutrition and supply sustainable sources of timber. Such amazing potential to work together as the church and address many strands of this complex issue.

Developing and managing projects like this means a lot of work behind the scenes. In the General Assembly, and in the Synods and their departments, there need to be processes and policies that enable us to do our work effectively. All too often these documents are developed in response to the needs of external funders, and not our own institutions. On a recent visit to Zomba Theological University we began the work of culling, condensing, and clarifying the more than 30 policy documents that the institution has. Our ambition is to develop documents that are relevant and useful day-to-day which support quality work, rather than diverting time and attention. Similar efforts are happening throughout the CCAP institutions and my hope is that the General Assembly can develop quality resources that can be used throughout the church.

We’re working hard on our financial systems too and donations received are allowing us to purchase a laptop for the finance officer, Ruth. Currently she uses an aged desktop but we have very poor power supply so this will make a difference. In addition to support from a retired finance professional within the church, just today we had Alan Laverock in the office to assist with strengthening our financial processes and reporting. An accountant and a fellow Scot, Alan has strong connections with Malawi over many years. He’s a trustee of Banana Box Trust, a Dundee-based charity that facilitates shipping of goods between Scotland and Malawi on behalf of the many charitable partnerships that exist. As a family, we were delighted to receive our own boxes which we deposited in Dundee in the summer, including baby clothes. They arrived just in time for a quick-growing Caitlin and will make their way to other families in due course.

We’re looking forward to time together as a family over Christmas and New Year. Eilidh and Morven have enjoyed a busy term at school including their International Day celebration and sports day. Morven, perhaps the slowest of eaters, did her best at the banana eating race but her teammates found out what we know all too well – she cannot be rushed when eating! Eilidh’s school trip was a trip to a nearby nature reserve to see elephants, hippos and crocodiles. Caitlin is now rolling over and so gone are the days of expecting to find her where we left her.

Jacqueline has continued to work with the Family Training Centre during a busy period as it prepares to open next year and so has had donor visits, board meetings and additional admin to deal with. They have just erected a commercial greenhouse to grow tomatoes and vegetables for sale in support of ongoing operating costs. It seems a lot of this year has been spent laying the groundworks for things to come. With some green shoots in sight, it gives us much to be excited for in the year ahead. But, even after a season of toil, nothing is certain and we cannot draw strength from the works of our own hands.

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”

Psalm 1:3

We grow and we prosper as we are rooted in Him. And, as my commentary reminded me, as a tree bears fruit not for itself but for others, so also, when the faithful person prospers, he brings benefit to others.

We give thanks for your prayerful friendship through another year. We pray that 2023 will be a year of fruitfulness for you too. We hope you have a joyful Christmas and blessed New Year.

Together in His service,

Gary, Jacqueline, Eilidh, Morven and Caitlin x

P.S. We have a new postal address: Gary Brough, Private Box 988, Mzuzu, Malawi