SDA global leader jets in Today
Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) General Conference president Pastor Ted Wilson jets in today (Friday) through Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe for a three day pastoral visit.
The 69 year-year-old, who is in the company of his wife and other global and regional leaders of the church, is expected to land at noon. He will be flying in from South Africa where he was gracing a global leadership seminar for the church.
Local organising committee chairperson Dalitso Kabambe confirmed in an interview on Thursday that preparations were at an advanced stage ahead of Wilson’s visit.
“I can say all is set for his first pastoral visit to Malawi. The entire church cannot wait for his historic visit whose climax will be having him as the guest speaker when we all converge at the Bingu National Stadium in the capital on Saturday. We just thank God for making what was initially planned by mortal men become a reality,” he said.
Once landed, according to the itinerary on Wilson’s visit that the church has released, the global leader will inspect a parade mounted by the Adventist Youth in his honour from where he will proceed to Lilongwe Civic Offices to sing in the visitors.
He will then lead his delegation in a tree planting exercise at the Malawi Union Offices in Area 49 before he holds an audience with President Peter Mutharika at Kamuzu Palace later in the afternoon.
Wilson will wind up his Friday by participating in Friday vespers which the church has organised, to be held at the Bingu International Conference Centre.
Meanwhile, the church has clarified on misconceptions on Wilson’s pastoral visit to Malawi.
In an exclusive interview on Thursday, Malawi Union Conference president Pastor Frackson Kuyama quashed rumours that have been making rounds on social media of late speculating the visit as a fire-fighting response.
Kuyama’s remarks come in the wake of fraud accusations and counteraccusation at the church’s South Malawi Conference where it is alleged some top officials, including pastors, have been suspended on the same.
“To be fair, those rumours are baseless. In fact, such pastoral visits are planned way ahead of time. I can actually add on to say that his next tour [after Southern Africa] will take him to Papua New Guinea. Therefore, it cannot be true to say the visit is in reaction to some crisis here.
You may also be interested to know that the church knew of Pastor Wilson’s visit over 14 months ago; long back before the purported leadership crisis at the said SMC. We are a church that follows order in its operations. We have a way to amicably resolve any differences that may arise from time to time. For now, I can confidently say I have nothing to report in that regards,” he said.
Before his departure on Monday, Pastor Wilson will have visited Blantyre Adventist Hospital on Sunday after which he will have a feel of the fresh waters of Lake Malawi in Salima’s Livingstonia Beach Hotel.
REPORTED BY: FATSANI GUNYA - CMC COMMUNICATIONS
