Quaich gift helps strengthen Borders ties with Malawi

Stow and Heriot church welcomed Ernest Kadzuwa last weekend.
Ernest comes from Stow and Heriots partner church in Luwatala, Malawi, and is visiting the Borders as part of a trip organised by Melrose and Peebles presbytery. The photograph shows Ernest being presented with a quaich by minster Victoria Linford and presbytery elder Dorothy Small on behalf of Stow and Heriot church, which has been linked with Luwatala for 15 years. — Stow and Heriot church welcomed Ernest Kadzuwa last weekend. Ernest comes from Stow and Heriots partner church in Luwatala, Malawi, and is visiting the Borders as part of a trip organised by Melrose and Peebles presbytery. The photograph shows Ernest being presented with a quaich by minster Victoria Linford and presbytery elder Dorothy Small on behalf of Stow and Heriot church, which has been linked with Luwatala for 15 years.

Ernest comes from Stow and Heriot’s partner church in Luwatala, Malawi, and is visiting the Borders as part of a trip organised by Melrose and Peebles presbytery. One of the purposes of the visit is to strengthen links between the Borders presbytery and that of Zomba in the African country.

After staying a few days at Stow, Ernest joined the other five members of the visiting party, aged 20-26, to enjoy two days at Lindisfarne and will be spending time at the Church of Scotland’s National Youth Assembly, visiting St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, and the high schools in Peebles, Penicuik and Earlston, engaging with senior pupils interested in learning about life in southern Africa.

The photograph shows Ernest being presented with a quaich by minister Victoria Linford and presbytery elder Dorothy Small on behalf of Stow and Heriot church, which has been linked with Luwatala for 15 years.

The six-strong group arrived in Scotland last Friday to be hosted by local families within the presbytery area, which stretches from Earlston to West Linton.

One of the group will be spending a day behind bars when she visits Dumfries prison after a day with the homeless in Edinburgh. Another, a young midwife whose studies have been financed by the presbytery here, will pay a visit to Borders General Hospital to see the maternity unit.

One of the highlights is likely to be a reception hosted by Scottish Borders Council in the civic offices on Thursday, August 23.

But before that a barbecue at Earlston church today (Thursday) will give the visitors the opportunity to experience alfresco eating Scottish style.

A farewell service and social is planned for Sunday, August 26, in Innerleithen Church when it is hoped that part of the video diary of the visit will be ready to be viewed.