Partners from Somers, NY, Complete a Successful Journey

By LINDA VOGL
with photos by KATRINA VOGL

Two of the many wonderful children Katrina met and phographed all over Malawi.

In June and July of 2007, four parishioners from St. Luke’s Church in Somers, New York, had their first opportunity to visit the “warm heart of Africa.”

Nancy Haensch and volunteers with supplies from St. Luke's.

Two mother and daughter teams, Linda and Katrina Vogl, and Nancy and Anna Haensh, hosted by a Malawian and friend of St. Luke’s, Anna Msowoya Keys, traveled all over Malawi.

Distribution of medicines to health workers.

In the Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi, we particularly wanted to meet some of the folks we had been sponsoring.

Children at Thyolo Orphan Care Center.

Since 2005, St. Luke’s has been supporting secondary school students and a seminarian at Leonard Kamunga Theological College in Zomba, as well as providing sums for small business start-ups, and amounts needed for the diocesan discretionary fund. 

We were able to visit with students at the Malosa Boarding School, a first-year seminarian at the Theological College, and a number of parishes, priests, deacons, wardens and parishioners in the greater Blantyre area with whom we talked, shared meals and prayed.  

A volunteer worker at a feeding center.

At Mvuu Camp.

Enroute with Diocesan Secretary (administrator) The Rev. Constantine Kaswaya and "dinner" traveling from Thyolo Center to Blantyre.

Crucifix at Chaplain Makweya Changa's parish church in Blantyre.

A secondary school student in front of Malosa School.

Our St. Luke’s group came away from our trip determined to continue to build our partnership with the good people of Malawi and to focus in particular on scholarships and small businesses as our particular way of being of service to our fellow Anglicans in Malawi at this time.