Bishop Martin Mtumbuka in Darmstadt

Good ideas come a long way, when people decide to benefit from the knowledge of others. Since 2006 we have been in touch with the Chaminade Secondary School in Karonga/Malawi and when an opportunity arose to visit the school for the first time back in 2014 we took it and we weren’t disappointed. We were welcomed not as strangers but as friends who just never happened to have met before and their hospitality and kindness deeply impressed us. After our stay we decided that we want to help or rather support our friends by donating money in order to build new classrooms and housing for the teachers. The whole school contributed to that donation which is a testament to the commitment and service of our students who want to do something meaningful and something which has a purpose. That money also goes to students who cannot afford the school fees or into the education of girls, which has been neglected for a while.  All of this didn’t go unnoticed. Bishop Martin Mtumbuka appreciated our help and came to visit and thank us.

At the beginning of October he came for a 3rd visit and we celebrated a Holy Mass which was very special because it was bilingual and our band played and we sang together and listened to him talk about life’s journey. His sermon evolved around Edith Stein our school’s patron who died in Auschwitz and whose faith didn’t diminish at the concentration camp since it was deeply rooted. Bishop Mtumbuka gave us an advice that we took to heart. He said that we cannot let anyone poison our hearts because peace can only exist if we have peace in our hearts. That message seems so simple but looking at our world nowadays we know that people have to remind themselves that anger, ingnorance and selfishness won’t leave us anywhere but that we have to open our hearts and minds for the greater good: Peace. Love. And Freedom.

So, through partnerships you not only help and support each other but most importantly you learn from each other.

It was good to have you here, Bishop Mtumbuka. We’re hoping to welcome you again.