Village #4: Makambalala

The Youth Choir processes into the sanctuary, singing and dancing and kicking up the dust from the hard packed dirt floor. Hanging from the rafters are strings tied with colorful strips of fabric to decorate the space. Dappled light shines through the windows, a lacey checkerboard pattern in the brick wall created by omitting alternate bricks.

The singing is loud and joyful, the energy is high. We're at Makambalala.



To accompany the singing, there might be two drums, made with skins stretched across a hollow log. This girl slaps a homemade shaker. It's a stick, two long nails, and pop bottle caps that spin on the nails. The sound is something like a cross between a tambourine, maracas and jingle bells.

Every visit includes a time for prayer, and prayer is memorable at Makambalala. In recent years, this congregation has adopted the practice of a fervent, spirit led community prayer. The pastor or worship leader will introduce the prayer, and then the congregation members start murmuring their own petitions. Gradually, the prayers crescendo to fill the room with sound, words and chants and shouting and weeping, a sound that raises the hair on the back of your neck. The power of this prayer is hard to describe.

And then, gradually, the petitions subside to murmuring again, and the pastor concludes by leading the Lord's prayer.

For what are the people of Makambalala praying? For health, for rain, for good crops, for God's guidance, for the generosity of their guests, for the strength of our partnership together.

Over the years, Makambalala has been building this chapel. The people made bricks from mud, dried them in the sun and then baked them to strengthen them. Volunteers built the walls. They used funds from Shepherd of the Valley to purchase iron for the roof and timbers for the rafters.

This year, the goal is to complete this chapel by adding a layer of stucco plaster to the walls, inside and out; by constructing a concrete floor, and finishing doors and windows. The hope is that when Pastor Diane visits next September, together we will be able to dedicate this chapel.

What a celebration that will be!

After singing and dancing awhile, sharing greetings between congregations, and time spent in prayer, the people of Makambalala provide us with their hospitality. Ground nuts, roasted mutton or goat meat, and bottles of Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Mirinda Grape. We share with the children and we are grateful for the partnership that brings us together.