“A WALK OF FAITH”
He arises at 2:30 am, makes his daily preparations, and then heads down the path leading to the main road from his village. Even though he is an old man, an older Christian in the village where he preaches, he still longs to learn more from the word of God. So he arises early, starts down the long dusty path that leads to the road to the edge of the city. He will walk for five hours, each way, three days each week just to attend the Kaviwale Teachers Bible Training Center at the edge of Mzuzu in Northern Malawi.
It truly is a walk of faith, as faith comes by hearing the word of God and he still seeks to learn in order to share with others in his rural village. His name is Woolen Manda and he has made this faith walk three times each week for the past year in order to study at the Bible school. Five hours of walking each way, three times each week; thirty hours of walking just to sit and listen to the teaching of the word of God.
Of late he has been joined by another younger Christian man, Benjamin Nkhata; and together they leave in the dark of the African night to make their walk of faith. Often times they will start their long five hour journey home late in the day returning once again to their villages in the dark of night. Mile after mile; day by day, they walk and talk of what they have learned and will be able to share with their fellow Christians in their villages.
But I also saw the joy on their f
aces as we awarded them their certificates of completion for the past year of their studies. The next year of studies will begin in just a few weeks time and I asked Brother Banda; “Are you going to continue your studies and your long walk to the Bible School this next year?” With broken English he responded: “Of course; I must learn in order to share it with others.” His dedication to the word of God and to the people of Malawi in a remote village where he serves the small church truly will benifit from this man's desire to learn.
Just an old African man’s walk of faith, but what a testimony to all of us of his desire to have greater faith in order to share it with others. Ten hours of walking to learn for just a few hours each day; three times each week he makes this journey of faith. The disciples would say to Jesus; “Lord, increase our faith.” Luke 17:5 My prayer is that each of us would have this kind of determination to grow in our own faith.
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