Malawi is a predominantly Christian country with 87% of the population identifying as Christian and 12% as Muslim. The largest denomination is the Roman Catholic Church which has had a presence in Malawi for 150 years. The second largest is the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian. There are several smaller Presbyterian denominations as well as a smattering of Anglicans, Lutherans, Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, Methodists and evangelicals.

In traveling around the country we saw any number of small church buildings for all the different denominations. For the most part most of the Protestant churches looked somewhat seedy and poorly maintained but that may be just the fact that Malawi is such a poor country. In contrast, however, the Muslim churches were brightly painted and well kept. It was easy to pick out the Muslims walking the streets with their long robes and small hats. We were told that the two groups got along well and there was almost no conflict between the two. There is a lesson there and one more reason that Malawi is called ‘The Warm Heart of Africa’.

Lynn took us to one of the oldest Catholic churches where we sat and talked to Father Claude Boucher, an old priest who had been there over 50 years. He told of stories of the early days of his time in Malawi where the lions would come out of the forest at night and walk around the mission which was quite small at the time. Everyone slept on the balcony to be safe from the lions at night. The lions are now mostly gone with the deforestation which has ravaged the countryside. He was somewhat bitter as the church was forcing him to retire and were pushing him aside. He had been offered a place in a retirement home back in Europe but he wanted to stay in Malawi until he died. He has written one book about the Malawi people and is working on his memoirs. Lynn is quite close with him and tried to console him about his recent forced retirement.

The Catholic church building was quite large and well kept. They had dedicated a whole room with a great many pictures about Malawi history. We toured the room with a man who explained all about the numerous pictures but unfortunately with my bad hearing I missed a lot of it. I was impressed by the stylized depiction of the Crucifixion of Jesus which had definite African influence. In their gift shop was a nativity which was beautifully done and positively African in design. I desperately wanted to bring it home but I knew it would not survive the trip.