By Bellah Zulu, ACNS

Zambia Anglicans have been saddened by the death of a Zambian missionary to the United Kingdom, the Revd Canon Francis James Makambwe, who they say was an “ecumenist missionary committed to building bridges between people”.

Canon Makambew had struggled with kidney problems and had a kidney transplant two months before his death on October 10 aged 74. 

Humble beginnings

Canon Makambwe came from Pwata Village in Petauke District in the Eastern part of Zambia. He did his primary education at St Francis Primary School, Msoro, one of the earliest Anglican mission stations in Zambia, then called Northern Rhodesia.

The Bishop of Eastern Zambia, the Rt Revd William Mchombo called the late priest a “warm and charming person who was full of laughter, merriment and passion for the word of God”.

Bishop Mchombo recalled some of Canon Makambwe’s early times in Zambia. “I was privileged to serve under him as an ordinand when I was in the seminary, and he was loved by both young and old persons,” he said.

A good manager

“His managerial skills endeared him to the workers at Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation and his ecumenical approach was admired by many,” said Bishop Mchombo.

Canon Makambwe doubled as Director of Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation and as Priest in Charge of St Michael and All Angels, the current Cathedral of Northern Zambia in Kitwe town, where Bishop Mchombo was attached as seminary student.

The Dean of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka, the Revd Canon Charley Thomas, also shared fond memories of the deceased priest. “I remember Fr Makambwe from the 1980s when he was Deputy General Secretary of the Council of Churches in Zambia and later as Director at Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation [a multi-disciplinary centre for education]”.

Canon Makambwe is credited with several developments at the institution including the fence, famously called the "Great Wall of Mindolo", which was financed through a partnership he established with Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) 

“He was present at my ordination to the diaconate at the Cathedral of The Holy Nativity in Ndola in 1988,” revealed Fr Thomas. “He inspired me to study Missions and I eventually followed in his footsteps as the 5th Anglican Director at Mindolo.”

Pioneer missionary

After the end of his contract at Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation in the early 1990s, Canon Makambwe moved to England to become one of the first, if not the first, Zambian Missionary to England in the decade of evangelism.

He worked as a priest in London at St John's, Waterloo, and later at St Catherine, Lewisham, where he retired about four years ago. “History should remember him as an Anglican ecumenist missionary who built bridges between people,” said Fr Thomas.

After working for five years at St John's he was appointed Vicar of St Catherine’s Hatcham, where he worked for 14 years until his retirement in 2010. Together with his wife Zena, they focused on their retirement ministry in the UK Colleges of Bromley and Sheppards.

He is remembered for a tactic he constantly used to strike up conversation, which he called “dogology.” Instead of talking to people directly on the streets, he would target those that were walking their dogs and talk to their dogs in order to reach out to them.

Bringing development home

Canon Makambwe was involved in various developmental projects both in the education and health sectors in Zambia. In 2000 he brought a team called Christians Aware to Eastern Zambia, which has since started supporting St Francis Hospital in the diocese with its maintenance works, donations to various parishes and individuals and training support among other activities.

Later in 2009 he founded a charity called Fighting Poverty in Zambia (FPZ) to address practical local projects such as provision of clean water, and support for a Zambian youth football team.

He mooted the idea of starting a library in memory of his guardian and mentor, Fr Cyril Mudford, once based at Msoro Mission in Eastern Zambia. Since then, funds have been raised and what remains is the implementation of his vision.

He also mobilised dialysis machines for St Francis Hospital in the Zambian town of Katete. Though he personally struggled with kidney problems he still found it necessary to help others with similar ailments.

An inspiration for young clergy

The Revd Edward Zimba, Parish Priest of Mawanda Parish in Petauke District of Eastern Zambia called him “a Zambian ambassador” to the United Kingdom. “Through his interaction with our brothers and sisters in the UK, he brought closer and strengthened the relationship between the Church of England and the Anglican Church in Zambia,” said Fr Zimba.

“He is one person who lived by the scripture that says do unto others what you would love them do unto you, and has personally been an inspiration to my calling as a young clergyman in my early years of ministry,” he said.

Fr Zimba advised that while this is a time of mourning, it is also a time to reflect and remember a man of God who dedicated his entire life to serving humanity and creation in the Church both locally and abroad.

He was accorded a well-attended and moving funeral service on October 30 at Southwark Cathedral in London, and later put to rest at Grove Park Cemetery. On the same day, various thanksgiving services were also held in Eastern Zambia and in the Zambian city of Kitwe at St Michael's Cathedral to celebrate his life and contribution in Zambia, the African continent and the United Kingdom where he served his final active ministry before retiring.