Chingota, Lloyd Benhard Benson

Lloyd Benhard Benson Chingota was an outstanding lay leader in the Zomba City Presbytery of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Blantyre Synod. He was born on April 8, 1937 [1] at Saili village T/A Mwambo, Zomba. [2] His parents were Benhard and Nellie (née Katema) who had a family of nine children, three girls and six boys: Hilda, Lesle, Steven, Lloyd, Roseby, Fred, Felix, Knight, and Rennie [3]. The family was of Lomwe ethnicity, though they spoke the Chichewa language. Lloyd began his education at Zomba CCAP primary school where he graduated with a Standard 6 certificate [4]. In 1974 he married Patricia, who was a granddaughter of Rev. Harry Mtuwa, one of the first ministers of the CCAP Blantyre Synod, with a long ministry in Zomba. The couple had five children together, three boys and two girls. [5]

Chingota was employed in 1973 as a civil servant and was transferred to a position in Lilongwe in 1975, when the capital city of Malawi was moved from Zomba to Lilongwe. He suffered from a chronic headache which led him to take early retirement from government service in 1982. Upon his return to Zomba, he was employed by a private company in Ndindeya as a motel manager.

Chingota was baptized in 1964 by Rev. Katsulukuta. During his working life he found little time to participate in church life, but his wife was very active in their local congregation. In 1984 when she was asked to become a deacon, she asked the church leaders to invite her husband to take the position instead. By now he had been retired for two years and reluctantly accepted the position of deacon. His wife believed that this would be a way to get her husband fully involved in the life of the church and she was proved right. [6]

After serving as a deacon for one year, he was ordained as an elder in 1985. [7] Later the same year he was appointed evangelism chairperson at his local congregation, Naisi CCAP. At the time he joined Naisi, the church was a prayer house (out-station) of Zomba CCAP. In 1986 under his leadership, the church was elevated to become an independent congregation under its own Kirk Session. Chingota was appointed as the very first session clerk. [8] He was also active in civic affairs and in 1989 was elected to be a ward councilor. [9] After fifteen years of service as Session Clerk he stepped down to allow for the emergence of other leaders. Such was his stature by now, however, that he was invited to take on other leadership positions. He used his early retirement as an opportunity to serve the church in a great variety of ways.

After his service as session clerk, he was appointed chair of the audit and finance department in the church. He combined this role with that of fundraising chairperson and also became custodian of the church books. Beyond the local congregation, from 2001 he was also entrusted with major responsibilities in the Zomba City Presbytery: music committee chairperson, evangelism chairperson and treasurer. In the latter role he was responsible to oversee the finances of 43 congregations and to provide training in book-keeping. In 2021, Chingota was among the first cohort to be enrolled in the Men’s Ministry at Naisi CCAP, part of an initiative to establish a men’s fellowship in Blantyre Synod congregations. [10]

By this time, he had begun to lose his eyesight, as diabetes took its toll. His life became more restricted and his church attendance more occasional, though he always made a point of being present on Communion Sundays. [11] His health continued to decline until he died on August 11, 2024, at the age of 87. His influence continues to be felt in the Zomba area. He demonstrated that retirement from paid employment, even in difficult circumstances, can mark the beginning of significant Christian service.

Lucy Phanga Panji

Notes:

1. Mary Chiwanda, phone interview by author, September 21, 2024.
2. Steven Chingota, interview by author, September 20, 2024, Zomba.
3. Felix Lack Chingota, phone interview by author, September 19, 2024.
4. Mary Chiwanda, phone interview by author, September 21, 2024.
5. Mary Chiwanda, phone interview by author, September 21, 2024.
6. Patricia Chingota, interview by author, September 20, 2024, Zomba.
7. Patricia Chingota, interview by author, September 20, 2024, Zomba.
8. Mary Chiwanda, phone interview by author, September 21, 2024.
9. Patricia Chingota, interview by author, September 20, 2024, Zomba.
10. Mary Chiwanda, phone interview by author, September 21, 2024.
11. Patricia Chingota, interview by author, September 20, 2024, Zomba.

Bibliography

Chingota, Felix Lack. Phone interview by author. September 19, 2024.

Chingota, Steven, Interview by author. September 20, 2024, Zomba.

Chingota, Patricia. Interview by author. September 20, 2024, Zomba.

Chiwanda, Mary. Phone interview by author. September 21, 2024.

This article, submitted in December 2024, was researched and written by Lucy Phanga Panji, minister of Mulunguzi congregation in the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Blantyre Synod, under the supervision of Professor Kenneth R. Ross as one of the requirements of the Church History course on the MTh in Contextual Theology at Zomba Theological University.