Photos by Sue Edison-Swift, ELCA World Hunger Appeal.
To add or view caption information or comments, click on the image.
To download the full-size image: (1) click on the image (2) at the bottom of the screen, click on "original" (3) after it fully loads, right click and "save picture as."
For questions, use the e-mail link below or e-mail hunger@elca.org
Learn more about the World Hunger Appeal of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America by visiting www.elca.org/hunger
Date(s): October 2008. Album by ELCA World Hunger. Photos by Sue Edison-Swift. 1 - 199 of 199 Total.
enlarge 40KB, 424x638 2 DSC 1073Edit James, a Sunday School teacher, sat between Chris and me and offered translation/interpretation.Edit "James is also a wonderful musician!" View Comments...
enlarge 51KB, 638x424 3 DSC 1066Edit Pastor Philip Knutson, ELCA Global Mission, Regional Program Assistant for Southern Africa, preached. Pr. Evance Mphalasa translated.Edit
enlarge 50KB, 424x638 4 DSC 1065Edit Pr. Phil used Matthew 14:13-21 (Feeding of the 5,000) as the Gospel text to preach on God's work, Our hands.Edit
enlarge 53KB, 638x424 5 DSC 1063Edit Pr. Phil invited the congregation to dedicate their hands to God's work.Edit
enlarge 50KB, 638x424 10 DSC 1052Edit Without mentioning names, Pr. Phil spoke of the people doing God's work with their hands...including careful driving...thanks, Ken!Edit
enlarge 38KB, 426x639 11 DSC 1050Edit After talking in groups of two or three about how you like to serve with your hands, Pr. Phil asked if anyone would like to share. This man talked about his work anti-hunger work.Edit
enlarge 76KB, 638x424 12 DSC 1044Edit Pr. Phil asked the congregations to discuss with each other how they live out "God's work. Our hands." Bishop Bvumbe's wife, Maria (right) discusses "God's work, Our Hands."Edit
enlarge 70KB, 638x424 13 DSC 1043Edit Pr. Phil asked the congregation to discuss with each other how they live out "God's work. Our hands."Edit
enlarge 38KB, 638x424 16 DSC 1033Edit Pr. Philip Knutson preaching at the Lutheran Church in Malawi's cathedral congregation.Edit
enlarge 33KB, 424x638 17 DSC 1032Edit Pr. Philip Knutson preaching at the Lutheran Church in Malawi's cathedral congregation.Edit
enlarge 40KB, 638x424 18 DSC 1025Edit Small world: Chris is loaned an English Bible to use during worship, which turns out to have been a gift from ELCA Outdoor Ministry staff.Edit
enlarge 32KB, 424x638 20 DSC 0996Edit What a delight to watch this baby during worship!Edit
enlarge 38KB, 638x424 21 DSC 0993Edit Sunday worship at the ELCM cathedral congregation--this is the hymnal.Edit
enlarge 44KB, 424x638 22 DSC 0986Edit Sunday worship at the ELCM cathedral congregation--the banner proclaims the theme of the church assembly held in September - Nothing can separate us from the love of God.Edit
enlarge 67KB, 638x424 23 DSC 0985Edit Theme of September, 2008 Church Assembly.Edit
enlarge 61KB, 424x638 24 DSC 0983Edit At the well outside the Madisi health clinicEdit
enlarge 53KB, 424x638 26 DSC 0976Edit VCT=Voluntary Counseling and TestingEdit
enlarge 42KB, 638x424 27 DSC 0975Edit Maxwell Chauwa is a medical assistant at the ELCM clinic at Madisi; he's been assisted the past six months by three volunteer nurses from Iceland.Edit
enlarge 48KB, 638x424 28 DSC 0974Edit This ELCM clinic provides malaria, VD, and pregnancy testing, physical examinations, and offer "Under (age) 5" clinic days once a month. They see five to 20 patients a day. They do VCT (AIDS testing and counseling) but do not offer ARVs as yet. They aren't able to test for TB.Edit
enlarge 45KB, 638x424 29 DSC 0973Edit ELCM medical clinicEdit
enlarge 64KB, 638x424 30 DSC 0971Edit ELCM medical clinicEdit
enlarge 50KB, 639x456 31 DSC 0969Edit Maxwell Chauwa, medical assistant, is an employee of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi at Madisi Clinic. There is a serious nursing (and doctor) shortage in the country. Three nurses from Iceland are volunteering six months of service at the clinic.Edit
enlarge 75KB, 638x424 32 DSC 0967Edit This bore-hole well is three meters deep.Edit
enlarge 69KB, 640x427 33 DSC 1019Edit Part of Bishop's Praise Team.Edit "The gift of song!" View Comments...
enlarge 87KB, 640x427 34 DSC 0964Edit Well outside of the ELCM medical clinicEdit
enlarge 85KB, 640x458 35 DSC 0963Edit I lingered outside the clinic to watch the women and children coming to the well to get water for the end of the day. There wasn't an interpreter, but we communicated just fine.Edit
enlarge 41KB, 638x424 46 DSC 0941Edit Peeking in on the peanut-butter processing demostration.Edit
enlarge 48KB, 638x424 47 DSC 0940Edit Peeking in on the peanut-butter processing demostration.Edit
enlarge 77KB, 640x426 48 DSC 0939Edit The Mkhute Congregation (ELCM) Women's Group makes peanut butter for family use and as an income-generating activity. Most of the 27 members are affected or infected by HIV/AIDS.
The group has one grinder at present. They harvest their own ground nuts (peanuts), shell and roast them, remove the skins, grind them, and add a little salt and sugar. They are pursuing safety and quality certification that will allow them to market the peanut butter in retail shops. They make five bottles at a time.Edit
enlarge 47KB, 638x424 49 DSC 0937Edit Without this grinder peanut-butter making is a much more labor-intensive process.Edit "The grinders were a gift to the ELCM from the NW Syno..." View Comments...
enlarge 79KB, 640x427 51 DSC 0934Edit Mkhute Congregation (ELCM) Women's GroupEdit "I can hear the echoes of the children laughter and ex..." View Comments...
enlarge 102KB, 638x424 52 DSC 0932Edit Kambuzi Village: the storytelling chorus; I love these women! Stella Nyagulu is on the far right.Edit "What a joy it is to see so many familiar faces of Mal..." View Comments...
enlarge 49KB, 640x427 54 DSC 0927Edit Kambuzi village "rest stop"Edit
enlarge 36KB, 638x424 55 DSC 0924Edit Will you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you? Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant, too. (ELW 659)Edit "Amen!" View Comments...
enlarge 50KB, 638x424 56 DSC 0923Edit After the speeches we were quietly ushered to a home "to rest." Ah. Lunch had been prepared for us, the visitors, and we were to eat it out of the sight of others. We began with handwashing, where one person pours water over another's hands. It felt special; sacred. Only later did we learn the signficance of what we experienced. Traditionally a woman would have done all the handwashing, making sure her head was not higher than any man present. Tradition broke down with our group, with men and women serving each other. I will remember this moment every Maunday Thursday, as I think of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples.Edit
enlarge 63KB, 638x424 69 DSC 0905Edit While you're waiting for the speeches to be over, create your own entertainment.Edit
enlarge 63KB, 638x424 70 DSC 0904Edit While you're waiting for the speeches to be over, create your own entertainment.Edit
enlarge 43KB, 424x638 71 DSC 0902Edit Kambuzi Village: Visiting local community leaderEdit
enlarge 72KB, 638x424 72 DSC 0901Edit Kambuzi Village: end of visit gatheringEdit
enlarge 73KB, 638x424 73 DSC 0900Edit Kambuzi Village: end of visit gatheringEdit
enlarge 90KB, 638x424 74 DSC 0899Edit Kambuzi Village: end of visit gatheringEdit
enlarge 56KB, 638x424 75 DSC 0898Edit Mphatso Thole, ELCM Companion Synod Coordinator and information officer.Edit
enlarge 54KB, 424x638 76 DSC 0897Edit Kambuzi Village: end of visit gatheringEdit
enlarge 76KB, 638x424 77 DSC 0896Edit These three women, all part of narrative chorus, are members on the community committee that makes project decisions.Edit
enlarge 59KB, 638x424 78 DSC 0895Edit Kambuzi Village: end of visit gatheringEdit
enlarge 55KB, 424x638 79 DSC 0893Edit Kambuzi Village: end of visit gatheringEdit
enlarge 59KB, 638x424 80 DSC 0892Edit Building a home, brick by brick.Edit
enlarge 100KB, 638x424 81 DSC 0891Edit Kambuzi Village: two men build a house with hand-made bricks.Edit
enlarge 72KB, 426x640 82 DSC 0890Edit Kambuzi Village: their shallow well uses the "dip" method.Edit
enlarge 65KB, 638x424 83 DSC 0889Edit Kambuzi Village: their dipping bucket is patched with duct tape.Edit
enlarge 35KB, 424x638 87 DSC 0879Edit Kambuzi Village: Local community leader who oversees several villagesEdit
enlarge 68KB, 638x424 88 DSC 0878Edit These women and others provided a sung narrative throughout our visit. The first verse, we learned, was "get out of the car, we want to welcome you." I was thrilled to learn that another verse was "Mama Sue is here!" As we left I wondered if the last verse was "get back in the car, it's time to go!"Edit
enlarge 72KB, 640x457 89 DSC 0877Edit These women and others provided a sung narrative throughout our visit.Edit "Sue - - did you dance with the women?" "Of course!" View Comments...
enlarge 73KB, 638x424 93 DSC 0871Edit Kambuzi Village seed bank: soya, maize, and ground nuts (peanuts) are "banked": if you borrow seeds from the bank, you repay seeds to the bank. You can recycle/reuse the seeds three times; after that it's used as grain. The seeds came as a gift from another village, a gift that Kambuzi Village will pass on.Edit
enlarge 42KB, 638x424 94 DSC 0868Edit Kambuzi Village:Pigs are a new addition to Kambuzi Village, too.Edit
enlarge 51KB, 638x424 113 DSC 0831Edit Francis Ngopola, ELDS"ELDS accompanies communities through relief to rehabilitation to advocacy for rights." Areas of focus: (1) food security/nutrition; (2) water and sanitation; (3) HIV/AIDS prevention, control, impact mitigation, care; (4) human rights, gender, advocacy; (5) environmental protection & rehabilitation; (6) micro-finance, pooled incomes, village banks; (7) emergency/disasater preparedness, disaster risk reduction plans and emergency plans.Edit
enlarge 115KB, 424x638 115 DSC 0826Edit This is a traditional bed for tree seedlings.Edit
enlarge 105KB, 640x426 116 DSC 0825Edit Tree seedlings (enviromental rehabilitation)--part of the integrated and sustainable efforts implemented with the help of ELDS.Edit
enlarge 116KB, 424x638 117 DSC 0824Edit Tree seedlings (enviromental rehabilitation)--part of the integrated and sustainable efforts implemented with the help of ELDS.Edit
enlarge 54KB, 424x638 118 DSC 0823Edit Samuel/Chakwela village: Local community leader.Edit
enlarge 109KB, 638x424 122 DSC 0813Edit I've stayed back to interview Gladys and Vernas, with Stella's help as an interpreter. Then we hurry through the fields to catch up with the others.Edit
enlarge 75KB, 424x638 124 DSC 0811Edit There's no breakfast before school or before working on the land. The first meal of the day is midday, usually the corn-porridge with a topping...a sauce or a hot relish. After the heat of midday, it's back out the fields to hand-water and weed the crops.Edit
enlarge 108KB, 640x457 126 DSC 0809Edit Samuel/Chakwela village: this is the river that was the only source of water before the advent of the shallow/bore-hole well in 2005.Edit
enlarge 87KB, 639x425 127 DSC 0808Edit Bridge over river to the fieldsEdit
enlarge 71KB, 426x640 128 DSC 0807Edit Bridge over river to the fieldsEdit
enlarge 72KB, 640x425 129 DSC 0806Edit Samuel/Chakwela village: Since 2005, ELDS-Malawi has worked with this village in integrated and sustainable ways: a shallow, pump well; goats; a seed bank; pig rearing; winter cropping; tree planting; sweet potato seed multiplication; manure collection. The first goats, pigs, and seeds were a gift from another village further along in its development plan. This village, once among the poorest, is now able to pass along the gifts to another village in need.Edit
enlarge 52KB, 424x638 130 DSC 0803Edit Stella asked me, "Don't we need to catch up to the others (who had gone ahead while we stayed back with the women)?" I said, "No, this is the most important place for me to be." When Stella translated this, all the women beamed, including me.Edit
enlarge 53KB, 426x639 132 DSC 0800Edit Samuel/Chakwela village:Vernas Gamatta: "Life has really improved for us. We have good water. Everyone has their own goats now."Edit
enlarge 63KB, 638x424 133 DSC 0799Edit Gladys (left) will be passing on this latest goat kid to her neighbor and good friend, Vernas. The community determined the 30 households most in need at the start of the project. They are the primary beneficiaries of the goats, pigs, and seeds. The other 30 households are secondary beneficiaries; for example, they have access to the well water and the goat and pig bores. I asked, "Isn't there jealousy?" Gladys quickly replied, "There's no jealousy, only unity."Edit
enlarge 93KB, 426x639 134 DSC 0794Edit Samuel/Chakwela village: Gladys with her new goat kid--just one day old.Edit
enlarge 103KB, 640x457 135 DSC 0793Edit Samuel/Chakwela village: Gladys with her new goat kid--just one day old, and the kid's mama.Edit
enlarge 87KB, 424x638 136 DSC 0789Edit Gladys will be passing on this latest goat kid to her neighbor and good friend, Vernas.Edit
enlarge 92KB, 640x427 137 DSC 0788Edit Mama and babyEdit
enlarge 78KB, 426x640 138 DSC 0815Edit The women demonstrate the treddle pumps water from a shallow well through a hose that helps get the water to the crops.Edit
enlarge 84KB, 638x424 139 DSC 0783Edit This is a goat kraal, or "goatery." Being up high helps protect the goats from predatory animals and makes it easy to collect their manure.Edit
enlarge 46KB, 640x455 140 DSC 0781Edit Samuel/Chakwela Village: These pigs are relatively new to the village; they were piglets, passed on as a gift from another village. The whole community is raising these first pigs. Once they are old enough to reproduce, they'll be given first to the most vulnerable in the community. When the piggery is established, the Samuel/Chakwela village will pass on the gift of piglets to another village.Edit
enlarge 54KB, 640x427 141 DSC 0777Edit Samuel/Chakwela Village: Don't you think I have a handsome profile?Edit
enlarge 110KB, 427x640 143 DSC 0784Edit Samuel/Chakwela village: In 2005, the village started with 11 female goats and one male. This is a complete gene pool, plus one, in case something happens to one of the females.Edit
enlarge 60KB, 427x640 149 DSC 0766Edit Samuel/Chakwela Village: a manual pump is used to get the water up from the bore-hole well. The villages do not have electricity. Note the cross-like shadow--God's work, Our hands meets "Let justice roll down like waters."Edit
enlarge 48KB, 424x638 150 DSC 0765Edit The local community leader: "We used to be one of the poorest (villages), not anymore."Edit
enlarge 52KB, 427x640 152 DSC 0761Edit Sue with Albeta Chilombo, who made a deposit at the Kasungu Community SACCO, supported in part by gifts to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal through implementing partner, ELDS. Why does Albeta save here? "For security purposes," she said. "Houses with grass roofs are susceptible to fire; money kept in the house would be burnt, too."Edit
enlarge 46KB, 425x639 153 DSC 0757Edit Albeta Chilombo happened to be making a deposit when we visited the Kasungu Community SACCO (Savings and Credit Cooperative). One of the first members in 2005, Albeta makes a deposit once a week. She is a farmer & beekeeper and she sells honey and bakery. She made 40,000 Malawi Kwacha last year ($1 USD = 141 Kwacha, so about $284) growing and selling tobacco, her biggest source of income. This is the youngest of the four ELDS-sponsored SACCOs, only taking deposits. Albeta is investing in shares (1 share = 500 K). Members can not withdraw from their shares, but next year they can start taking out loans with their shares as collateral. Albeta hopes to get a family loan next year to improve her house and increase her income-generation.Edit
enlarge 70KB, 427x640 154 DSC 0754Edit As Albeta banks, Charles explains the SACCO. There are 417 members; you become a member when you deposit your first 500K share (about $3.55 USD). SACCO: Savings and Credit Cooperatives are village banks built on offering micro-credit loans. The SACCOs are managed and supervised by the communities. The DOWA SACCO was established in 2005. "Before we had village banks," said Charles, "money needed to be buried in a corner of the house."Edit
enlarge 65KB, 639x456 155 DSC 0753Edit Albeta Chilombo makes a deposit in her SACCO account.Edit
enlarge 69KB, 424x638 156 DSC 0752Edit Newsprint on the wall offers complete transparency.Edit
enlarge 50KB, 638x424 157 DSC 0750Edit The SACCO's bookkeeper is employed by the community. Only a nominal amount of money is kept in the safe in the office; share deposits are transferred to the nearest bank.Edit
enlarge 39KB, 424x638 158 DSC 0748Edit Apparently the SACCO was "officially" opened two years after it was "unofficially" opened.Edit
enlarge 54KB, 640x426 161 DSC 0738Edit SACCO=Savings and Credit Cooperative. ELDS has set up four SACCOs in Malawi, to serve as village banks and centers for micro-credit loans.Edit
enlarge 59KB, 638x424 164 DSC 0735Edit We met outside for the day's briefing. ELDS-DOWA WEST is working in 127 villages, with 1,977 households (567 of these are households headed by women). DOWA's foci include: (1) food security; (2) environmental protection (esp. planting and conserving trees); (3) water and sanitation; (4) AIDS care and support; (5) Savings and Credit village banks. "We empower local structures to work on their own," said Charles.Edit
enlarge 56KB, 638x424 165 DSC 0733Edit We are briefed on the day ahead.Edit
enlarge 74KB, 424x638 167 DSC 0731Edit Charles Msowoya briefs us on our day: First we'll walk next door and visit a Savings and Credit village bank; we'll then drive to the Samuel and Chakwela villages, followed by a visit to the Kambuzi village. We'll then visit the (ELCM)Mkhute congregation women's group's peanut butter processing project. Finally we'll visit an ELCM medical clinic at Madisi.Edit
enlarge 76KB, 640x427 169 DSC 0726Edit We'll visit village #1 and #17 first, then #21.Edit
enlarge 57KB, 640x426 170 DSC 0762Edit Albeta's banking is done and we are ready to continue with the day's activities.Edit
enlarge 70KB, 638x424 171 DSC 0725Edit Charles Msowoya is Project Coordinator for the ELDS/ELCM DOWA WEST ministries. This picture peaks in to his office as he prepares to brief us on the day.Edit
enlarge 58KB, 638x424 172 DSC 0724Edit Our day of field visits began at the the ELDS regional office, Lipiri Trading CentreEdit
enlarge 57KB, 638x424 173 DSC 0722Edit Our day of field visits in Malawi began at the the ELDS regional office, Lipiri Trading Centre (mailing address is Madisi).Edit
enlarge 68KB, 424x638 177 DSC 0718Edit Eye glasses donated by the Lions Club are ready for distribution.Edit "Central Lutheran Church in Chippewa Falls, WI sent th..." View Comments...
enlarge 43KB, 640x427 178 DSC 0714Edit Stella Nyasulu, ELCM churchwide staff, has a full portfolio; she's the officer for HIV/AIDS, gender and human rights, and primary and secondary schools. Diaconate and social ministryEdit
enlarge 73KB, 639x456 179 DSC 0711Edit Sue, Pr. Phil, and Christopher with the ELCM staff we met with. Notes: ELCM sponsors 9 primary schools and 1 secondary school; there are school feeding programs to augment nutrition. Capacity building is a primary focus. In Malawi there's an average of one teacher per 100--150 students; one pastor for 15 to 20 preaching points.; and one doctor per 50,000 people.Edit "Mphatso Thole, the Companion Synod Coordinator is bet..." View Comments...
enlarge 58KB, 639x456 180 DSC 0706Edit ELCM staff: [please add names & titles] Left to right - Pr. Feston Phiri (Training Coordinator), Agnes Ndalama (Assistant Women's Coordinator), Stella Nyasulu (HIV&AIDS, Gender & Human Rights, Primary and Secondary School)s and Diaconate, Pr. Evance Mphalasa (Youth Coordinator)Edit
enlarge 56KB, 638x424 181 DSC 0700Edit It's a small world: Pr. Evance Mphalasa(left) and Christopher Carpenter both were Lutheran Outdoor Ministries staff at Camp Chautauqua in upstate New York.Edit
enlarge 73KB, 638x424 182 DSC 0699Edit The preschool at the cathedral church.Edit
enlarge 83KB, 638x424 184 DSC 0697Edit "Because of the ELCA's undesignated giving, we can breathe. Most donors want to give to specific projects. We've been able to leverage the capacity built by ELCA undesignated gifts with other donors."Edit
enlarge 124KB, 638x424 188 DSC 0693Edit The Cathedral on the ELCM campus, Lilongwe, Malawi.Edit
enlarge 47KB, 427x640 189 DSC 0692PrPhilEdit The Rev. Philip Knutson (ELCA Global Mission: Regional Program Assistant - Southern Africa)Edit
enlarge 57KB, 640x426 190 DSC 0692Edit Pr. Feston Phiri, director for education and training and the Rev. Philip Knutson hold copies of the new "Living Together in Christ" Christian education curriculum developed by LUCSA (Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa). Pr. Phil served as lead writer/editor for the project.Edit "The name is Feston. He and his family are friends of ..." View Comments...
enlarge 60KB, 424x638 191 DSC 0690Edit Bishop Bvumbwe was out of the country when we visited.Edit
enlarge 62KB, 638x424 192 DSC 0684Edit Christopher and Sue with some of the ELDS staff, Lilongwe, MalawiEdit "Hi Sue,
Thought I'd send this comment from the pictu..." View Comments...
enlarge 58KB, 638x424 193 DSC 0679Edit Lilongwe, Malawi: Some of the ELDS staff we visited.Edit
enlarge 62KB, 638x424 194 DSC 0676Edit Off the bulletin boards at the ELCM churchwide office.Edit
enlarge 108KB, 638x424 195 DSC 0675Edit The garden on the ELDS/ELCM campusEdit
enlarge 75KB, 638x424 196 DSC 0674Edit The office of the Evangelical Lutheran Development Service (ELDS) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi.Edit
enlarge 54KB, 638x424 197 DSC 0672Edit The offices of the Evangelical Lutheran Development Service of the ELCM. The ELDS is an associate program of the Lutheran World Federation and is the implementing partner for ELCA World Hunger Appeal funding for efforts in Malawi.Edit
enlarge 44KB, 638x424 198 DSC 0671Edit Action by Churches Together (ACT) International is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies. ACT members are drawn from the World Council of Churches and Lutheran World Federation.Edit
enlarge 37KB, 424x638 199 DSC 0670Edit The bed net in my hotel room. Housekeeping staff sprayed the room every night with "Doom" to kill mosquitos.Edit
