Opportunities for Malawians to demonstrate their leadership skills were severely limited during the colonial period. Even the Missions, like Livingstonia and Blantyre, that provided a high level of education often frustrated their graduates by requiring them to work under European supervision on an indefinite basis. This study shows how some early Malawian church leaders took advantage of an unexpected opportunity that arose during the First World War. European missionaries were not allowed to enter Tanzania, but African staff were permitted to cross the border to help the Tanzanian churches to regroup after the devastation caused by the war. For such remarkable figures as Yoram Mphande, George Nyasulu and Jones and Catherine Chikoga, this was a chance to show their mettle.