Bindula
Bindula CCAP Congregation, which is part of Thyolo Highlands Presbytery under the Blantyre Synod of the Central African Presbyterian Church in Malawi, has been in existence for over fifty years. Thyolo District is one of two Tea growing districts in Southern Malawi. These Tea Estates were established in the early 1900 by Scottish Missionaries who favored this area especially for its cool and temperate weather resembling that of their own homeland Scotland.
Bindula CCAP Congregation; ranked as the second most progressive in Thyolo Presbytery; comprise five Prayer Houses (Bindula, Research, Nthale and Nansozi), spread over a radius of 20 kilometers in the Northern Political Constituency of Thyolo District. The Congregation previously had more Prayer Houses; however, most have graduated into full Congregations; signifying the increase in Christian patronage in the area.
Bindula CCAP Congregation membership; nearly 2,000, consists of Smallholder Subsistence Farmers, growing, mostly, Malawi’s staple food crop, maize, and others such as beans, pigeon peas, sweet potatoes and cassava. In addition to providing labour to the large Teas Estates in the area; most Church Members have; in the recent past, gone into small scale commercial enterprises such as Vegetable Growing, Dairy Farming and Retail Trading.
The Economic activities witnessed in the area in recent years have resulted in some improvement in people’s income such that dwelling houses and churches that were hitherto thatch roofed now boast of Iron Sheets. Bindula CCAP Congregation has in turn seen an increased patronage. This increase in Christian numbers has also seen Prayer Houses that had 30 people attending service on Sunday being pulled down and being replaced by ones able to accommodate three to five hundred people during Sunday Service. Churches that had only one service on Sunday mornings; now boast of two or three full services each Sunday.
Bindula CCAP Church is located about a kilometer from Bvumbwe Trading Centre which is on the main road (M1) from Blantyre to Mulanje in Thyolo District in the Southern Region of Malawi.
Christians of all ages attend church service thus 3-10 years attend Sunday Schools, 11-14 years Catechumen class. 15-40-year old are involved in youth and elderly activities like Choirs including Women Guild Choir.
Christians aged 45-90 years are among those that patronize all Sunday Services while church Deacons and Elders are chosen from age groups starting from 21-75 years.
The Bindula CCAP church building is surrounded by people of all walks of life; a Milk Bulking Group Centre, Maize Mill, Shops, Macadamia Plantation and Processing unit owned by a reputable Tea Company in the country.
There is also a Produce Market in the locality which is patronized by people from surroundings districts of Mulanje, Chiradzulu, Chikwawa, Blantrye and Zomba.
Other institutions of relevance, in the vicinity of our Church include Bvumbwe Health Centre, Bvumbwe Agricultural Research Station, Bvumbwe Police Station, various Schools and Churches of other denominations.
Bindula CCAP Church acts as a Presbytery Zone Headquarters which, comprises 5 (Five) Congregations covering a radius of 20 kilometers. This zone has approximately 5, 000 communal Christians.