wfn.org | Adventist "Spiritual & Material Investment" in Malawi

[APD_Info_Schweiz@compuserve.com]

August 20, 2000
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
http://www.stanet.ch/APD

Ambassador Praises Adventist Church's "Spiritual and 
Material" Investment in Malawi

Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.A.      Calling the 
relationship between Malawi and the Seventh-day 
Adventist Church "unique and strong," Ambassador 
Tony Kandiero, Malawi's ambassador to the United 
States, thanked the Adventist Church for its 
contribution of education, health and humanitarian 
aid to his country. Ambassador Kandiero's remarks 
came during a visit to the Adventist Church world 
headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, on 
August 8, where he met with church leaders.

"Without the church's investment in our country, 
both materially and spiritually, many of our people 
would have died from lack of medicine," said 
Ambassador Kandiero. "Thank you, on behalf of my 
country."  He called the programs of the Adventist 
Development and Relief Agency International "a 
concrete example of the kind of operation that 
exists to benefit our country."

Responding to the Ambassador's comments, Pastor Jan 
Paulsen, president of the Adventist Church 
worldwide, said that health care, education 
initiatives and development aid are integral to the 
Church's work in Malawi and around the world.  
"These are not values that are dragged reluctantly 
along behind us," said Paulsen.  "They are at the 
front and center of our mission, important pillars 
in everything we do.  We are very deliberate--keenly 
interested--in enhancing the quality of life of
the people we serve.  This, we believe, is an act of 
obedience to God."

Malawi, located in eastern Africa, shares borders 
with Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique. The country 
gained independence from Great Britain in 1964 and 
now operates as a parliamentary democracy.  "With 
great pride, I can say that, in spite of poverty, 
our country enjoys political stability," said 
Ambassador Kandiero. 

Calling the social and economic challenges facing 
Malawi "enormous," the Ambassador acknowledged that 
the urgent needs of his country's more than 10 
million residents cannot be met by the government of 
Malawi alone.	He referred to specific challenges 
facing Malawi, including the country's international 
debts, high rates of HIV/AIDS, lack of technological 
and social infrastructure, and the need for a more 
inclusive education system.  According to 1999 U.S. 
government statistics, average life expectancy in 
Malawi is 36.3 years, and only around 55 percent of 
the population over the age of 15 can read and 
write.

"Against this background, we value the kind of 
relationship we have had with the Adventist Church--
a relationship that has allowed us to move forward 
together for the benefit of the people," said 
Ambassador Kandiero.

Unlike other African nations such as Nigeria or 
Rwanda, Malawi is noted for its lack of religiously 
motivated violence and the generally harmonious 
relations between its Protestant, Roman Catholic, 
Muslim and indigenous religious populations.

"In a very profound way, Malawi is a God-fearing 
country; this is at the forefront of our political 
thinking," said Ambassador Kandiero. "But we believe 
very firmly that this is 'God-fearing' in the sense 
that each of our citizens personally understand the 
concept of God." 

Malawi has a commitment to the ideal of individual 
human rights, said Ambassador Kandiero, and this is 
evidenced both in their constitutional provision for 
religious freedom, and in the day-to-day operation 
of the government which is based on the "rule of law 
and good government practices." 

The Adventist Church has been active in Malawi since 
1924, and there are currently about half a million 
Malawian Adventist Christians, including more than 
160,000 baptized adult Adventist church members, 
worshiping in 550 churches and companies.  The 
Adventist Church in Malawi also operates four 
schools, more than 20 hospitals, clinics and 
dispensaries, and one publishing house. (238/2000)