newsletter edition1 sept2014

8/11/2019 Newsletter Edition1 Sept2014

1/5

Edition1- September 2014

Lucky,Cynthiaand babyMargaret

Contribution from Cynthia"I am very thankful for the financial support for myChemotherapy treatment. Life has been sochallenging throughout treatment period but sorewarding. I am left speechless with what the LORDhas done to me through your support.Now I am almost stable, though waiting for report formy last check up as my senior doctor is out. Howeverthe other doctor told me I might need a dose of

Radiotherapy but to be confirmed by the seniordoctor. I am hoping to seeing normal life soon. Onceagain thank you and may GOD bless you all. May

John Blyth rest in peace."

Baby Margaret was born safely but with a good deal ofanxiety because of the chemotherapy which lasted mostof Cynthia's pregnancy. However, here she is on her first

birthday in August '14 and you can see what a bonny babyshe is!

1

The newsletter

This newsletter is a memorial

to John, who died inSeptember last year.

It is to thank all who donatedmoney to the John BlythMalawi Fund (JBMF) at hisfuneral and since, and to letyou know how the fundcontinues to change the livesof his 'sons and daughters' inMalawi.

We hope to send out a yearlyup-date of Malawi news, andwe hope the newsletterdistribution in Malawi will helpto develop a sense of 'family,'and mutual support amongstJohn's Malawian 'sons anddaughters.'

While receiving freechemotherapy here, Johnheard of Lucky and Cynthia'splight and told them clearlyand strongly to seek for andimmediately start life- savingtreatment. The huge expensefor that was met by yourdonations. Thankyou.

JOHN BLYTH FRIENDS TOGETHER

NEWSLETTER

BChrist centred, Binspired by hope, B renewed by mission

The New Vision.......

........is to provide financialsupport, on a loan basis, forunder-privileged youngMalawians, giving them theopportunity to become self-supporting via schooling,vocational training andbusiness initiatives, and for

the Fund, by September 2016,to become self-sustaining.


2/5

Edition1- September 2014

The road

gang"paid

with rice.

Introducing John in Malawi.

John (1946-2013) wrote his PhD in Aberdeen, the topicof his dissertation being on the performance of Sitkaspruce in NE Scotland and its relationship with site

factors, particularly soils.While in Aberdeen he became enthused by developmentneeds in Malawi and hence was appointed as a LandHusbandry Officer, first in the Shire Valley, then based inthe north in Bwiba, Karonga.It was to Bwiba John returned after his marriage toMargaret, where they lived a simple life for 5 years, butwith the luxury of running water and generatedelectricity. Here he gained professional experience and

had the fun in his spare time of designingand constructing a new road from

Karonga to Chitipa, with a dry-seasoncrossing of the Rukuru River. Thisgreatly improved local access. Theroad, (known as the John Blyth road tothis day!) is visible from google earthimagery.

Family walking the Karonga to Chitipa roadin

2009. Here we are on a hand built embankment.

2

How to donate and GiftAid

This Newsletter is not intended to askfor money: it is to thank and informreaders how their previous giving wasused to change lives.

However, it is clear that friends dowish to continue giving, and we thankthem again. They also wish to giveefficiently, and this explains how toadd GiftAid or GASDS.

If you receive a printed copy, use thewhite labelled envelope, fill in yourdetails, sign if you wish to GiftAid,otherwise we will benefit by GASDS.Then return it either toThe Treasurer,

Caddonfoot Parish ChurchC/o 9 Craigmyle Park, ClovenfordsGalashiels, TD1 3LAOr to

Mrs Margaret Blyth7 Peel GardensClovenfordsGalashiels TD 1 3LH

If you receive your Newsletter byemail, then print out the electroniccopy of the Caddonfoot GiftAid form,fill in, sign if you wish to GiftAid, andreturn to either of the above addresses.

Please make out cheques toCaddonfoot Parish Church and writeJOBLMF on the back.

easyfundraising explained

easyfundraising.org.uk is a way to raise money forcharities, schools, sports clubs, community groups, andother good causes just by shopping online. You dont payanything extra but money is raised for causesthroughout the UK by donations from theretailers. There are nearly 3000 retailers fromwhom you can buy using easyfundraising.You set-up an easyfundraising account

and search for the cause:Malawi Project.

How it works

1. Start at easyfundraising

Let's say you want to buysomething from John Lewis. Insteadof going to johnlewis.com, you go towww.easyfundraising.org.uk first.

2. Make a purchase

You click from the easyfundraising website through to

John Lewis to make your purchase. The price is exactlythe same as if you'd visited John Lewis directly andyouwill have benefitted the Malawi Project cause!

So far

we have benefitted by

126.54 through

easy

fundraising!


3/5

Introducing John in Malawi, continued...

John's first child, Jonathan Chimwemwe, was born in Mzuzu and his daughter, AlisonWezi, shortly after the family returned to the UK for John to start his academic work in theDepartment of Forestry and Natural Resources in Edinburgh University. He taught forestmanagement, mensuration and developed new teaching in agroforestry. His studentsgreatly appreciated him as their Director of Studies, which he approached in a pastoralmanner.The family returned to Malawi when Jonathan was 10 years old for him to see where hewas born and he wore his Chaminade Eagle football team t-shirt for the occasion. Johnwas dismayed to see how much the tree cover was reduced and his dismay increased on

his next visit with a TearFund team in 2007.

With study leave, John visited Ethiopia where hewas involved with eucalyptus trials, includingcoppicing effects. He found when eucalyptus

trees are cut down in their prime and a slow firelit over the stump, then within days, newvigorous growth surged back- 5-6 stems toreplace the one cut down! If the foundation isgood then the future is assured - good newsindeed for those who relied on wood fuel for theircooking needs. The family accompanied John toAddis Ababa, enjoying high altitude living,schooling, 2 Christmases, 2 Easters and 13months of sunshine each year to fit in with theCoptic calendar.

Approaching retirement John was able to returnto Malawi, first with the Scotland MalawiPartnership, then self-funded. He taught forestryand mensuration courses at Mzuzu University,and planned to return for 6 months for 5 years -a plan cut short by his last illness.

But the family, as adults in 2009, had againjoined John in Malawi and enjoyed a journey inthe ship Ilala up Lake Malawi, a walk along the

John Blyth Karonga to Chitipa road, and learning4 wheel driving on Girode up the Rift Valleyescarpment's 22 bends to Livingstonia.

Family trip

to Malawi

in 2009,

round the

base of a

baobab

tree.

4

A life renewed bymission.

John's ashes were committed to thesoil in Glentress Forest at a familyservice in part of the trial area hehad managed for 30 years in a jointventure between the ForestryCommission and EdinburghUniversity. Management of trees isa slow business which requirespatience and meticulous recording.It aimed to develop ProfessorAnderson's vision of transforming

the uniform and even-aged forestinto its present, attractive andproductive state of irregular, mixedspecies forest. It is one of thelongest running forest trials in theworld. Glentress is well used forrecreation as well as landscapeprotection, water management andof course, for timber harvesting. Itis now valued as a model forsimilar development of uplandforests in Scotland.

As the family and friends gatheredon the sad occasion, with the mistsof the elevated spot swirling aroundus and at times revealing views ofhills and the River Tweed, we sawthe renewal of the forest throughnatural regeneration and thought ofJohn as an 'oak of righteousness, aplanting of the Lord' ( Isaiah 61) and ofall the acorns he had produced inhis life, both in the Borders of

Scotland and in Malawi.The Vision of the JBMF is that allthese acornsthemselves grow into'Oaks of righteousness.'


4/5

4

Contribution from Lucky Nyirenda.

Lucky is in contact with all the beneficiaries, and sends the

following report.

John asked Raphaelto resource and fit a solar panel for Alice

Ngosi, which supplied her with light in the evening and a power

source for a mobile phone. He also fitted a panel and light bulb

for Lusungu, a bright student who was then able to study at night,work his fields during the morning, attend school in the

afternoon, and supply the village with power to recharge their

phones! Lusungu and Raphael became friends and shared their

garden produce during scarce times.

The Fund paid for a lorry driving licence for Raphael which

provides work at times....when there is petrol/ diesel available.

Life is always precarious for Raphael and Patricia, but they are

able to take care of their extended family.

Alinafeis an orphan, living with her Uncle, who suggested theway to pay for her schooling was to become a prostitute. When

Lucky, through the SCOM (Student Christian Organisation of

Malawi) drew John's attention to her needs, schooling and

another place to stay was arranged, and Alinafe honoured this

trust and did extremely well in her studies. Lastyear she

requested further support for vocational training in Hotel and

Management, and is finishing that course soon. We hope she

finds satisfying employment and becomes self-supporting very

soon.

Aliceand John were exactly the same age, and met often aroundAlice's hospitable table enjoying her cooking and fellowship.

They met again when Alice visited Edinburgh with the Women's

League. Alice has a vision to build and run a Christian Day Care

Centre to allow carers (parent/grandparent/older sibling) to work

and earn a living. And John and family had fun resourcing used

fish tanks, pipes and gutters and sending them by container to

Mzuzu, then whilst on holiday, erecting a rain-water collecting

system which greatly reduced expense.

This is a brief account from very long, excited stories from 3

women in Chibavi: they were supported in their idea of a group

sausage-making business. They were known to John through the

church. They needed a deep-freeze and a small amount of money

to buy the raw ingredients to start off, and now have many

customers, can send the children to school, feed the families and

cover medical expenses. They make excellent sausages!

Macdonald Simbichose to learn plumbing and graduated

with the highest marks ever in Northern Malawi. He and

Beatrice plan a plumber's supply shop, a plumbing service

and aspire to buy a sewage pump to clear long drop toiletsand develop the contents for compost.

Life's task for allChristians surely is

to

Be ChristToday

Contact address:

Margaret Blyth7 Peel Gardens

Clovenfords

Galashiels

TD1 3LH

[email protected]

Personal column

Prisca's new business:Prisca is an energetic, innovative and clever girlfor whom John acted as 'father' at her wedding to

Alinafe. They now have a little boy, and Alinafealso supports his 7 orphan siblings throughschool.Prisca was financed through vocational Hotel

Management training, but life still runs on thebreadline for them and she has discussed withLucky the possibility of running her ownrestaurant in the market.

They have decided this would indeed be a goodidea, and she sends news of her progress...

...."The council has allocated me to City centre (Area 13market) where there is a market that people are justdeveloping and there are restaurants in operation. Theplace that I have been given is a bare ground, where I will

have to start everything myself -like building aninfrastructure for my restaurant."

The project has 'grown arms and legs' and Priscahas been forced to change her business plan butmust work with the money already sent.

We will have continuing news of this newenterprise in the next edition.

Margaret is delighted to announcethe safe arrival of John and herfirst grandchild,

Molly Jane Blyth,born on 16thAugust 2014 to Jonathan andCatherine.

Next issue:enjoy reading John's stories of

his time in Malawi,

'Escapades which mumnever fully heard about.'
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


5/5

Church of Scotland - Caddonfoot Parish Church(Caddonfoot Parish Church of Scotland - Registered Scottish Charity SC016990)

Gift Aid Declaration - The Church of Scotland

Name of congregation: Caddonfoot Parish Church

Donor's Title (Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms/etc.): ................................................................................................

Donor's Full Name (in CAPITALS): ................................................................................................

Donor's Address (in CAPITALS): .............................................................................................

................................................................................................

................................................................................................

................................................................................................

................................................................................................

Donor's Postcode: ................................................................................................

I want the Congregation to treat all donations I make from the date of this declaration until I notify youotherwise as Gift Aid donations. The congregation may also treat donations in the four years prior tothis tax year (6 April to 5 April) as Gift Aid donations.

I confirm that I have paid or will pay an annual amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax that isat least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities which I support will reclaim on my gifts. Iunderstand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify.

Signature of Donor: .............................................................................................

Date of signing:

.............................................................................................

Completed forms should be returned to (and any future amendments or cancellations advised to) the Treasurer,Caddonfoot Parish Church.

Notes:

1. You can cancel this Gift Aid Declaration at any time by notifying the Congregation.

2. You must pay an annual amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax that is at least equal to the amount of tax thatall the charities which you support will reclaim on your gifts.

3. If in the future your circumstances change and you no longer pay an annual amount of Income Tax and/or Capital

Gains Tax that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities which you support will reclaim on your gifts, youmust cancel your declaration (see note 1)

4. If you pay tax at the higher rate, you can claim further tax relief in your Self-Assessment tax return.

5. If you change your name, address or postcode, please notify the Congregation.

newsletter edition1 sept2014

Documents