A highlight that we were anticipating on this extended journey and had been planning for months was the opportunity to cross paths with fellow Fort Collins friends from First Presbyterian, Lynn and Carol Norstadt in Malawi. The Norstadts work for BEE World (Biblical Education by Extension), a ministry that our church has supported for many years. However, this was our first chance to participate in their work firsthand. BEE World is a kind of mobile seminary, providing training to pastors in parts of the world where quality seminary level education is unavailable and/or unaffordable. These trained pastors are then sent out to teach what they have learned to a second generation of pastors so the impact is multiplied. Before the week began, we met up with Lynn and Carol for dinner in Blantyre where we caught up on lots of life news and then learned more about the class we would join during our stay.

The 19 pastors currently in the learning cohort have been meeting since 2018 and gather several times a year, interrupted by the COVID pandemic, until they complete the coursework of week long classes in another couple of years. We joined for part one of a three course survey of the Old Testament. On Monday morning, as the students began making their way into their lodge’s meeting room, their classroom for the week, Isaac, the leader for the group (pictured with Corey below in matching red shirts!) broke out in song. Over the next few minutes, the chorus grew louder with increasing energy, harmonic layers and broad smiles as the final students crossed the threshold into the room. Prayer soon followed and included gratitude and praise, concern for family remaining at home, vitality in their local churches, for their country - still feeling the impact of tropical cyclone Freddy - and for their instructors, the Norstadts. And then, it was time to dive into the work ahead for the week.

Honestly, it is a challenge to fully describe our experience over the next couple of days without sounding hyperbolic. It was simply amazing! The pastors’ dedication, camaraderie, humor, and willingness to let themselves be stretched by their learning was inspiring. Amongst themselves they represent different denominations and traditions, urban and rural, small and large congregations, and yet they extend considerable grace and space to one another as they discuss biblical interpretation and theology. Churches in the US could take note!

We were fortunate to spend time with individual pastors during breaks and meals so that we could hear more of their stories, their calling, their challenges and the joys they experience in ministry. Many of them struggle to earn enough salary to support their families and this year will be even more difficult as so many of their church members were impacted by the cyclone. Despite these obstacles, they continue to commit to their own education, wanting to improve their capacity for ministry, and affirm together their calling to this work.

The depth and pace of the learning is intense. In one week they were scheduled to cover a third of the Old Testament. It is worth noting here that the success of the training is in no small part due to the incredible dedication, boundless energy and broad knowledge that Lynn and Carol bring to this work. They are like energizer bunnies that are able to keep students engaged in creative lessons and challenging debates, introducing new pedagogy, inviting students to take responsibility for leading sessions, and doing it all with a gentle, warm spirit that has clearly created deep and trusting relationships with all of the pastors.

For our part, Miriam and I were also warmly welcomed by the entire cohort. Miriam, already a treasured name here, was also addressed as m’busa which translates as ‘mama pastor.’ On our second day, Lynn and Carol invited us to teach one of the lessons so we jumped in for the early years of Moses, from his birth to the first plagues in Exodus 1-7. It was fun to have the opportunity to interact in this way and the Norstadts were especially appreciative of Miriam’s leadership as they are working to model more women leaders in ministry for the church.