Peter Halliman
Missionary: Bro. Peter Halliman
MALAWI NEWS
October 4, 1997
Dear Pastor,I trust this will find you and the church well and prospering in the Lord's work there. I will try and brief you about the work here. I will have more of a detailed report about the first of this coming week. I am now on break from the seminar. We completed 13 weeks yesterday, the pastors now have a bit over 600 hours in class work. They took their semi-final exam yesterday which consisted of 250 questions, which were based upon the five doctrines of Grace. On the 20th of this month they will return to write their final exam. That will cover everything we have taught from day one to yesterday.
One of the pastors from Liwonde, his name is Simayesi Sokonyera he has wanted to open (have a dedication) his church building. From last year when I went to baptize the group there and organize them into a church, from that time he wanted to have a dedication service. So now he wants all the other pastors to come with Loretta and I. We are to depart Blantyre with the 4 pastors and 3 deacons from this side on Saturday arrive there around 8 a.m. have a service on Saturday, then overnight and have a service on Sunday. All the pastors and deacons will be speaking at this time. Following services on Sunday, we will return with all the brethren back to Blantyre where they will overnight, and on Monday start to write their final exam. It will take them about two days, so by Wednesday morning they will depart back to their homes.
We have not covered any prophecy as of yet, so I told them I wanted them to come back for another session, after much discussion yesterday, we came to an agreement which was for them to take their break until the first of the year, and then return on the fifth of January which is the first Monday to start class. I told them to be prepared to spend another four weeks in class then we would have another final exam for that particular session. I told them that if they did not score with at least 60% they would have to take the lessons over again. So far I feel prepared to say that I believe they will all complete with satisfactory scores. We have a good group pastor, I feel good about these men, at least with what they have shown me thus far. Only time will reveal if they will remain faithful and commit unto others as they themselves have been taught.
There is one deacon from Luchenza, the one who came to substitute pastor J. Mwanyambo he came for a few weeks, but a week ago Sunday when we went to Luchenza to have services that day, I split up the pastors, some I left there at Luchenze to preach, and the other half I took with me to Mulanje to have services there as well. On the way home when I picked up those who I had left at Luchenza he told me that he was staying back because his wife and child was sick, I said OK, but when I arrived here at the house, I asked some of the others if there had been another problem as to why he did not return with us. Some of them felt that, he had other problems. Anyhow I am planning a trip out to Luchenza during my time off to speak with the church and pastor Mwanyambo about trying to vote for another man to interim as pastor, until at such time the Lord either restores Bro. Mwanyambo to the proper health to take care of the church, or else the Lord raises up another man to become pastor. At the moment, the attendance is quite low, from what it was before. These people have a tendency to depart and scatter out if there is no leader, but then again, isn't that true everywhere. Bro. Mwanyambo is not well at all, he spends most of his time in or on the bed, he can't walk on his own, and for a long time has not been able to attend the services.
We have developed a rather good working relationship with the pastors thus far, and they all understand our position here. Well if I tell you all the news now, I won't have any left for the report next week. I will be going to Thylolo tomorrow, the day will seem short compared to our usual Sundays with the pastors. Two weeks ago was probably my longest service at one session. We were at Tomosi way out in the bush, and we started services at 9:00 a.m. and finished at 1: 30 p.m. then had our meal and then drove two hours to return home. Can you just see asking the American people to sit through that, you can't even hardly get them to sit much longer than 30 minutes.
Give my regards to all there,
By His Mercy,
Peter
July 25, 1997
There are nine churches that have been organized. Eight of them are as follows: 1. Chamasowa Landmark Baptist Church. The pastor is Alec Chimala. He is our youngest pastor, but has a lot of potential and is teachable. He is attending the Seminar. The church is located 1 hour southeast from Blantyre within the tea estates at Thyolo (pronounced CHEE OLOW).2. Luchenza Landmark Baptist church is located 1 1/2 hours drive southeast from Blantyre. The pastor is Joseph Miyambo. He is our oldest pastor at 80 years old. He also is attending the seminar.
3. Mulanje Landmark Baptist church, located 2 hours southeast from Blantyre, and is at the foot of Mulanje mountain. The pastor is Jackson Kopolo. He also occupies the position of a village headman. He is attending the seminar.
4. Landmark Baptist Church located at Tomasi in Thyolo district. The pastor is Three Quarter Mkwanpa (Three Quarter is truly his first name!!!). He is attending the seminar. This church is located 1 1/2 hours southwest near Chikwawa.
5. Landmark Baptist Church in Liwonde. The pastor is Saidi Phiri. This church is 2 hours north of Blantyre. He is not attending the seminar.
6. Landmark Baptist Church, pastor Fred White. This church is also located in Liwonde, 2 hours and 45 minutes from Blantyre. The church is located very remotely in the bush. This pastor is attending the seminar.
7. Landmark Baptist church of Malasi (Malasi is the name of the village). The pastor is Simayesi Sokonyera. The church is also located in Liwonde, about 20 minutes from pastor White's church. He is attending the seminar.
8. The is another church organized in Liwonde. Pastor Saidi organized this church. I do not know the pastor's name, and he is not attending the seminar.
There are three mission points with which we are currently working. One at Lunchenza and two at Mulanje.
We have completed 300 hours (six weeks) in the seminar, and have six more weeks to go. There is a lot of potential with these pastors. They all seem dedicated and they all understand that we do not have a physical ministry here. We are purchasing Bibles and Song Books by the case to sell at 1/2 price to the churches. All the pastors agree and think this is a good idea. After the seminar is completed there will be seven pastors up for ordination. I believe after the seminar the pastors will have a solid foundation upon Baptist fundamental doctrines and will have something to build upon. All the churches we are working with, except Pastor Saidi and his church, want us to stay and continue in the work with them.
I continue to preach and teach. Each time that I leave Blantyre area I have to get permission from the Officer in Charge at the Blantyre Police station. However, this has enabled me to witness to several Police officers and/or hand out tracts. One Police officer has went with us to church. He is from the north, and has asked if we could go there to start a work. It is a long way (about 10 - 12 hours drive). This officer has shown interest in wanting to learn more about our doctrines and church. I have just completed 2 weeks of construction on a church building in Thyolo where Alec Chimala is pastor. We have one more week before class starts again so Loretta and I would like to go to the lake and rest a bit.
Conditions within Malawi:
1. We are told that the lake is at its lowest point in 60 years.
2. Security continues to be a problem and gets worse by the day. The robberies are not limited to night anymore and now they come with AK47's.
3. The road system has deteriorated so bad that the vehicle needs almost constant maintenance and repair. The radiator has been repaired 3 times and the bonnet (hood) is cracked in 3 places, and the body panels need some repair where we have been ran into or scraped, etc.
4. The government is a bit shaky. A vote of no confidence has been in effect for sometime from the opposing political party.
5. The financial situation is getting worse. Inflation is prevalent, and the value of the kwacha just dropped.
Loretta says:
The perspective of life in Malawi from an American woman's viewpoint may sound negative, but don't all perspectives change once negativity becomes prevalent in one's life? Malawi was once a country of high moral standards and respect for others. Democracy has now changed all that. Malawi is ever-changing and growing. All countries will go through growing pains, just like children do, when they have newly "found" democracy. The growing pains are those of destruction, not of building up. Those people that have lived here for many years have said, "this is not the Malawi we knew and loved.....it is a foreign land made up of third world resources while trying to become a first world competitor." Children are now being taught it's OK to do anything and everything they want to with no repercussions. I know this goes on in America, but at least we know what the rules are. Here the rules change from day to day.
As for my experience here, I can honestly say it is one I will never forget. Full of good memories and a huge spiritual growth. One that I can only thank the Great Creator for. He planted my feet on the ground every day, and gave me the Grace I needed while Peter was in prison and His Word tells us He will never leave us or forsake us....on that we can rely!
Signed
Peter & Loretta
6/27/97
Pastor and Church members,
Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savoir, Jesus Christ. Today we went before the court to plea whether guilty or not guilty. When the charge was read to me it had been reduced from murder to manslaughter and of course I plead not guilty.
It was said that the trials for murder were going to start on approximately 14th July. My date has not yet been set but from all appearances it could be August or September. The judge did indicate to the prosecuting attorney that our case should be handled in a TIMELY fashion and that our human rights are involved which constitutes a fair and speedy trial. The prosecution was also informed that they personally should try to allocate a specific time from the court registrar for our case. The prosecution indicated also to the court that they are ready to prosecute at any time. They said they have 6 witnesses to call and the approximate time from beginning to end of the trial is two days.
We need from the church or anyone a contact for ballistics. Our attorney said we will possibly need to fly someone into Malawi for their expertise and that we should be in contact with them now if possible. Malawi will have no one to contact unless it would be a police officer and in that case they could not be trusted to give the correct information about buck shot from our shot gun. Our attorney recommended that if we could find someone from South Africa the court would look more favorably upon that as to one from the States. We are really at a loss to find someone from South Africa as we don't know anyone except for the doctor that we saw there. Having someone from the States is not ruled out but just someone from South Africa would be better. We are going to try and find out from others around if they know of anyone but we would like for you to try all your contacts there.
Our spirits are up but this is a very scary thing to go through in the
flesh so please continue to pray for us.
By His Mercy,
Peter and Loretta
6/25/97Dear Pastor,
We received a telephone call from the lawyer this morning about 9 a.m. and he informed us that he had been contacted by the High Court that my plea hearing was scheduled for tomorrow at 9 a.m. After class today, Loretta and I went in to speak with the lawyer personally about the matter, our phones appear to be tapped again. So if we speak any on the telephone we will not divulge any information pertinent to the case. Our discussion with the lawyer regarding certain matters went as per the following.1) Tomorrow is only a plea hearing and we have been told by the public prosecutor that he will drop the charge of murder to manslaughter if I will plead guilty to manslaughter. If I plead "not guilty" he will keep the charge of murder. The lawyer said to plead "NOT GUILTY' to either which is what I would have done anyhow. So tomorrow we will just appear hear the charges read and then I will have to make my plea.
2.) The Lawyer also said he may know more tomorrow about when the trial may be, but at this stage there is still no indication when it may happen.
3.) We tried to get some kind of a answer regarding a time factor as to when the lawyer might think the trial may happen, or how long we would have to wait before the lawyer moved for a dismissal of trial. He still feel strongly that nothing will happen before August or September. He said if nothing happens before the end of the year we could look at asking the court to re-construct the conditions on my bail. Like instead of reporting each Monday and Friday, only report when I intend to leave Blantyre area. To be honest about the matter we had hoped that it would be over before then, but we know its all in God's hands and in his time table. 4.) We were also told that with the passing of time should the witnesses disappear so to speak, than when and if the State decided to proceed with the case, if they failed to bring in the witnesses then the case would be dismissed. One of those witnesses has already departed, the guard we had to let him go because of stealing. We had discussed this with the lawyer before letting him go, and he said it would not pose a problem. This guard had changed his story at least 3 times so was not a reliable source.
5.) I believe I or Loretta told you, if so, disregard this info. The U.S. Embassy is replacing their Ambassador and the Councilor, the first left today, the Councillor will be replaced in Sept. I believe. Anyhow we had discussed some things with the Embassy and asked them what they would or would not be prepared to do in the event I was charged with Murder and convicted. The lawyer has said if the Embassy moved in and used their muscle they could ask for and probably would be granted a 24 or 48 hour deportation. However the Embassy said they would not try and debate any legal proceedings. This means if I was found guilty of murder and they wanted to send me to prison for 4 months or 4 years the Embassy would not interfere. What Bernnie Link told Loretta was if our Lawyer contacted the Embassy and told them exactly what he felt they could and could not do then they might be prepared to step in. So our lawyer is going to contact the U.S. Embassy.
Other news: This past Month there have been two houses within a stones throw from our house, that have been robbed. One was Monday night, and again tonight the robbers came back at about 7 p.m. We now have a two-way radio and on Monday night, we heard the robbers throwing stones trying to break down the door so we called Neighbor-hood watch and they came with the armed Mobil police-men. This was about 1:30 a.m. so the rest of the night Loretta and I didn't get much sleep. Almost every day you read of another robbery, in the papers. But now they are not only getting more bold, but are coming in larger groups and with guns now. There are several day time robberies that have occurred within Blantyre. Brother I can tell you this, Malawi is not the country you visited, not by a long shot.
Well I must close for now, I will post you on any news regarding the case. By His Grace Peter.
March 6, 1997
Dear Brethren,
We appreciate the outpouring of concern, sympathy, support and prayers for the situation with Peter and Loretta Halliman in Malawi. We would encourage you (individually and as churches) to write, fax, e-mail or telephone your local, state and federal representatives requesting them to lend their support in obtaining an expedient end to this tragic matter. The facts of the case are as follows: Peter and Loretta Halliman were sent to Malawi under the authority of the Landmark Missionary Baptist Church of Roseville, California. Peter has been arrested and charged with murder as the result of another intrusion onto their property. Because of the many previous attacks, Peter had applied to the Malawi government for, and was granted, a permit to have a shotgun for protection. Unfortunately, at about 4:00 am on Friday, February 21, in an attempt to stop an ax-wielding intruder, Brother Halliman unintentionally shot and killed the intruder. Peter is being held in the Chichiri Prison, located between Blantyre and Limbe, and as of this date neither he nor his lawyer has appeared before a magistrate to be formally charged. Personal information needed in contacting government representatives:
Peter A. Halliman and Wife, Loretta I. Halliman are United States Citizens.Other representatives to contact are:The Hallimans address is:
P.O. Box 60150
NDIRANDE, BLANTYRE 6 MALAWI,
CENTRAL AFRICAThe US Embassy in Malawi:Again, Landmark Missionary Baptist Church thanks you for all of your prayers and support.
Ambassador Peter R. Chaveas
Lilongwe (E)
P.O. Box 30016
Lilingwe 3
Malawi, Central Africa
Telephone: 011-265-783-166 or 342Malawi Ambassador to the US:
Robert B. Mbaya
2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: (202) 797-1007In Jesus Name,
Pastor
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