We arrived in Blantyre on Friday afternoon around 13.30 having had a night layover in Mozambique. Bro Saidi met us in town and we followed him to Victoria Hotel where we would be putting up. The conference Hall at this hotel was to be the Banquet venue in Blantyre.

After checking in we proceeded to the Banquet Hall to take a look at the room. The Hotel staff were folding the arrangements of a just ended event and were beginning to prepare the place for the First YF Banquet to be held in Malawi. Needless to say, excitement was in the air.

That night we checked out the sound system which was really good. We played the background music and a portion of the tape just to see how it would sound. It sounded awesome.

We connected Bro Saidi's Laptop to the VGA ports so we could run the planned Message text and the audio using "Continue Text" for the youth to follow along with. However something was not exactly right with the settings, the prophet's voice could not be picked up and projected over the speakers. It was late when we finally got through these paces and retired for the night, happy and under anticipation for a visitation from the Lord.

The next morning came on, and the final preparations were in full swing. We were working with hotel staff to set up the tables, cloths, flowers… and also doing final checks on the sound. Everything had to be in perfect order for this special group of God's children.

Before the official starting time, the early birds had begun to show up. We quickly got in our places and waited for the open-door signal. Finally the banquet doors where open and in waves, the Youth of Malawi surged in to the joys that the Lord had prepared for them that night. They got a glass of juice, checked in, and walked into the inviting Hall where soothing music was playing in the background. To start off, a number of them sat quietly, probably wondering what surprises this rare night held for them, but you could see their faces were nearly bursting with expectation. Brother G began his patrol around the tables reminding them that this was not yet "Quiet Time," but Quiet Time was appropriately the following day at church. This was a time the Lord had provided for the young people to fellowship. It quickly became a "two fellows in one ship affair" from then on. The young people started moving around meeting one another, taking pictures and having a good time in the Lord.

At the appointed time, Bro Saidi welcomed the attendees and told them how their friend, Brother Joseph Branham had provided a banquet for them. He said, "That's a sign of a true friend, because The Lord Jesus has also promised us a Banquet and He is a true friend." He went on to tell why. It was to remind them that it is important to build a strong foundation for the morrow, because they are the fathers, mothers, pastors, deacons of tomorrow, and it starts now. He then introduced Brother G who came on to greet the Malawians in sizable crumbs of their native language he had picked up. He went on to express his joy of being in Malawi and reminded them that they were going to spend Eternity together as young people, so they were to have a foretaste of it that night.

After a prayer, the food lines started going and the Banquet Hall was alive with conversations, smiles, chuckles, camera flashes, the din of cutlery and an increasing ebb of warm fellowship and growing expectation.

By the time the last bowl of dessert was cleared away, the stage was set for a jubilee. It kicked off with an uproarious ‘Higher Higher’ then an action packed ‘Hallelu Hallelujah, praising the Lord’ and capped off by the song we’ll all sing by that old cabin when we cross over, “Amazing Grace.” Then we were blessed with two good specials.

Afterward Bro Gordon introduced the Tape and reminded the young people of Brother Branham’s quote in 65-0725m that “there is no more higher order to reveal the Word, than prophets.” Only believe appropriately welcomed the message, A Prisoner 63-0717 by God’s servant and Prophet Brother William Marrion Branham.

It was an attentive group that listened to the message and followed the text on overhead projectors that night. You could feel and see everybody was following as the prophet spoke of Moses, Paul, Joseph and more who became prisoners for Christ. Although the world had it's flattery to offer to each of these, yet for a greater prize they gave it all up to be bound in fetters of Divine Love to Our Lord.

A serene atmosphere held us all in awe. Tears rolled down and minds sincerely pondered on the Word while the prophet spoke his last words and led us into prayer. At the end of the sermon, the chairs emptied as each one sought for their room around The Fountain of Life to drink their fill.

Valueless words of heartfelt prayer ascended to Papa God as His lambs turned themselves in to be bound in those Chains of Love and be willing Prisoners For Christ. A scoured out feeling could best describe the condition of the soul after such a prayer. We sang a final favorite song about God’s Great Love in the native Malawi Language, Chewa, which made it almost impossible to quit. Since we are on this side of Eternity, we had to end it some way. We had two more specials before we were ready to dismiss. There was a healthy and grateful round of applause when it was announced that each one was to leave with a memento of a YF T-shirt and a Tapeboy/girl lapel pin. We had a group photo inside and everyone made sure they collected their T-shirt and pin before they left the Hall. As usually always goes on where-ever in the world this kind of a gathering takes place… that's when the unofficial fellowship started!

God Bless You