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Kachingwe, Petros

1897-1969
Church of Central Africa Presbyterian
Malawi

Ordained in 1929, Petros Kachingwe was among the first Malawians to become a minister in the Nkhoma Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP), which arose from the work of the Dutch Reformed Church Mission. [1] He was born in 1897, the first-born son in the family of Kamkuzi Kachingwe. [2] Later the family was completed by the arrival of his two sisters Jese and Mwangeyi and his brother Msandukenji. [3] His parents settled at Muleme Village near the Lizulu Headquarters of Paramount Chief Maseko. He went to school at the nearby Mlanda Mission Primary School, run by the Dutch Reformed Church Mission, where he obtained a Standard Six certificate – a significant achievement at that time. [4] He finished his primary education in 1916 and the same year he married Malesi Kacheta, with whom he had nine children, all daughters. Together with his wife and two sisters, he established himself at Livinza where by 1919 his place became known as Petros Village, a name it retains to this day. [5]

It was also in 1919 that Kachingwe enrolled at Nkhoma Teachers Training College to train as a teacher-evangelist. [6] After completing his studies, he was posted to Khola Mission School at Livulezi Mission, where he stayed for a year and a half before being transferred to Mafusa Mission School which was under Mphunzi Mission. [7] While he was there, he was selected to go to Nkhoma Theological College where he embarked on training for the ministry in 1928. [8] Together with Amon Ndiwo Phiri and Ashani Malenga Phiri he formed the second cohort of African ordinands under the Dutch Reformed Church Mission and the three were ordained in 1929.

His first posting was to Mphunzi Mission where he worked under missionary supervision for fifteen years. [9] This long period of apprenticeship was humbly accepted by Kachingwe, though it cannot have been easy to endure the racist attitudes that were prevailing at this time. The Very Reverend Dr Kiliyon Mgawi, the first African General Secretary of Nkhoma Synod, explains that the white missionaries who were running the Mission during Kachingwe’s time were heavily influenced by the apartheid system prevailing in their native South Africa. As a result, they had little respect for Africans. They held their own separate church services and at any service attended by both Europeans and Africans they were required to sit apart from one another. Even ordained African ministers, like Kachingwe, were not allowed to wear shoes and when they met a European, they were required to remove their hats. [10] It was under such conditions that Kachingwe served during the first fifteen years of his ministry.

In 1944 he was transferred to Chikoma, which had been designated as an “Abusa Station”, i.e. a station to be run by an African minister. He still had to report to a European missionary, but he had a greater level of responsibility. Chikoma covered a vast area, where today there is an entire Presbytery with the seven congregations of Chikoma, Livinza, Mchenkula, Chimimbe, Anjazi, Mwalawambale and Chimwangalu. [11] During his time, Kachingwe was the only minister covering this huge area where there were few roads and travel had to be undertaken on foot.

Using his teacher–evangelist skills he evangelized Livinza and Petros Village, which was his own home area. He opened a new mission school called Kamphemba in 1948. In 1954 he opened a new sub–station at Livinza, the fruit of his evangelistic work, and it was given the status of a full congregation in 1958. For the final year of his active ministry he served both Chikoma and Livinza congregations, the latter being the fruit of his hard work and devotion. Between 1954 and 1958 he organised the people of Livinza sub–station to build a big church, which is still in good condition and being used today. It is the third largest church building in Chikoma Presbytery. [12] The achievement of building this notable church demonstrated the quality of Kachingwe’s ministry. Not only was he a fine preacher but he had excellent skills in organising and mobilising the people. [13] Having served as a minister for thirty years, Kachingwe retired in 1959. He died in 1969, at the age of 72, after a short illness and was buried close to Livinza Church as a mark of honor.

Augustine Kalulu

Notes:

  1. Christoff Martin Pauw, “Mission and Church in Malawi: The Story of Nkhoma Synod of the Church of Central African Presbyterian,” PhD, University of Stellenbosch, 1980, 261–263.
  2. Very Rev Dr Kiliyoni Mgawi, first Malawian General Secretary, CCAP Nkhoma Synod, interview by author, September 18, 2022, Nkhoma.
  3. Mrs Nundwe and Mrs Msodoka, interview by author, July 7, 2022, Likuni Trading Centre.
  4. Rev M.E. Kantepa, Chikoma Presbytery Clerk, Nkhoma Synod, interview by author, August 5, 2022, Chikoma.
  5. Mrs Melina Foster Namalunga, interview by author, September 14, 2022, Livinza CCAP.
  6. Mrs Elles Kachingwe, interview by author, June 6, 2022, Likuni Township.
  7. Mrs Nundwe, interview by author, May 6, 2022, Likuni Township.
  8. Christoff Martin Pauw, “Mission and Church in Malawi: The Story of Nkhoma Synod of the Church of Central African Presbyterian,” PhD, University of Stellenbosch, 1980, 261–263.
  9. Ibid.
  10. Very Rev Dr Kiliyoni Mgawi, first Malawian General Secretary, CCAP Nkhoma Synod, interview by author, September 18, 2022, Nkhoma.
  11. Rev M.E. Kantepa, Chikoma Presbytery Clerk, Nkhoma Synod, interview by author, August 5, 2022, Chikoma.
  12. Andireya Simawo, interview by author, July 9, 2022, Kanjuchi Mchenga F.P School, Dedza.
  13. Very Rev Dr Kiliyoni Mgawi, first Malawian General Secretary, CCAP Nkhoma Synod, interview by author, September 18, 2022, Nkhoma.

Bibliography

Kachingwe, Mrs Elles. Interview by author, June 6, 2022, Likuni Township.

Kantepa, Rev M.E. Interview by author, August 5, 2022, Chikoma.

Mgawi, Very Rev Dr Kiliyoni. Interview by author, September 18, 2022, Nkhoma.

Namanlunga, Mrs Melina Foster. Interview by author, September 14, 2022, Livinza CCAP.

Nundwe, Mrs and Mrs Msodoka. Interview by author, July 7, 2022, Likuni Trading Centre.

Pauw, Christoff Martin. “Mission and Church in Malawi: The Story of Nkhoma Synod of the Church of Central African Presbyterian.” PhD, University of Stellenbosch, 1980.

Simawo, Andireya. Interview by author, July 9, 2022, Kanjuchi Mchenga F.P School, Dedza.

This article, submitted in November 2022, was researched and written by Augustine Kalulu, minister of Katate congregation in the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Nkhoma 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.