Hello all,
Such a lot seems to have happened in such a short time! On 24th October I set off on a road trip to Muyombe in Eastern Province with Rev Dr V Chilenje, Rev J Zimba, Nancy Collins, and Dr Karl Klontz. The reason for the trip was that the Synod were installing solar panels on two schools. I went so that I could see some more of Zambia and also to find out if there were any ECD centres in this rural location! It was quite a trip! The journey to Muyombe took 18 hours – we left Lusaka at 6 hours and arrived in Muyombe at midnight! We travelled 1080kms but the last 165 kms was the worst! It was dark, the road was terrible – we had to make a few turns, but eventually we arrived in Muyombe, exhausted! The surprising thing was that the minister there had arranged for us to stay in a lodge with running water and powered by solar lights! This was something we were not expecting in such a rural community! I was actually just across the border from Chitipa district in Northern Malawi!
After a good nights sleep, we set off to the first school in the morning – Vilulu CCAP Primary School. It is in a beautiful location but it was very hot. The guys set to work and by 5pm they had the solar panels installed! Of course, they were assisted by some of the school children and teachers. I had fun with some of the children, and especially one little boy who wanted to talk with me all the time!
The next day we set off to Khuyu CCAP Primary school which again was set in a beautiful location! Such a surprise for all of us when we found a nursery school in operation at the school. I had a wonderful morning with the teacher and the children! The teacher had a diploma in Early Childhood Development and it showed, although the children were in a very small space with the usual desks and chairs, and there was a lot of rote learning! However, we did do some games outside which was good! I am hoping that when I work in the Presbytery the school is under, that I will have a chance to spend some time with this teacher. Of course he is a volunteer as the school does not have money to pay him and he is not on the official Government pay roll. However, the head teacher felt that ECD was vital for young children before they reach grade one, and so he was determined so begin even with a volunteer (and the teacher is from the village so he knows all the children too). It was in a rural village so there were a lot of pigs and chickens running around. As I was in the class, I looked across the village to find a very small boy chasing a pig at full pelt – I was wishing I had a video camera at hand, it was hilarious! I doubt if he ever caught the pig!
While I was with the nursery school, the solar panels were being put on a teachers house, and by 16 hours it was completely finished!
This gave us ample time to stock up on water, have supper and get to bed early as we were leaving at 3am the following morning to get to Lundazi!
We set off as planned at 3am, and we were glad we did – the road was horrendous once more! It took us through Vwaza marsh in Northern Malawi (not far from where i used to live). Vwaza is known for its tsetse fly (which cause sleeping sickness). I am allergic to tsetse fly so I was a bit nervous as we entered the game reserve and very soon all the flies began to swarm round the car. All windows were closed and yet they still managed to get in and of course I was bitten (as were three others). When we stopped at the gate, the guy wanted the driver to go and sign his log book, but we refused because there were so many flies and eventually he passed the book through the small space in the window! I was thankful to get out of the reserve – I think we had four hours being pestered by tsetse fly!
We reached Lundazi and booked into our lodge for the next few days. Originally we had planned to be four days in Muyombe but due to a family funeral one of our party had to go to the funeral in Lundazi. While in Lundazi, I was able to spend time with the Education Secretary, Rev N Mkwayi, to discuss the nursery schools which attached to some of the primary schools in the Synod.
The main reason for us passing through Lundazi was to attend the induction of two Mission Co-workers from the Presbyterian Church in USA (PCUSA). They arrived a few months before me and Charles is an agricultural specialist, while Melissa will be working with the Health Department of the Synod. It was good to see them again (I had met them a couple of times previously in Lusaka). The interesting thing from the PCI perspective is that they worship in the David McConaghy CCAP church in Lundazi. Rev David McConaghy was a PCI missionary from 1963-1971 in Malawi and Zambia, and the congregation in Lundazi is named after him! Mind you there are some amazing spellings of the word McConaghy, and some amazing pronunciations too! It is amazing to think that some 50 years later, I am working with the same synod, and they are very proud of their Irish heritage!!
On Sunday 30th October, we had the induction of the Johnson’s and I was the photographer and videographer! Not that I have much experience with a video camera and the sun was so bright, it was a case of point and shoot and hope that the camera is on, because I couldn’t see the red button! It was a colourful service, held outside and there were many people there as you can see from the pictures! Lundazi is a lovely place, I was expecting somewhere smaller and more rural, so it was quite a surprise.
I also had a chance to visit Chasefu theological College where Rev David Chiboboka is the principal! Rev Chiboboka worked with me in Zomba as a lecturer, so we were reminiscing about old times!! The Theological College is very rural with only a few students, but I was shown around and had a good chat with some of the students from Zimbabwe, Malawi and of course from Zambia! Not sure how students from the west would manage here, no radio, no tv, no internet…….at least ample time for study!!
Monday morning, a week after leaving Lusaka, we headed back to the city and reached there late afternoon. It was an interesting trip and gave me some food for thought as I work with the church here in Zambia!
I had been planning meeting with ministers in the Presbyteries to sensitise them in ECD (a similar seminar to the one I used to do in Malawi), and the first one was held on 5th November in Lusaka with two Presbyteries, Midlands and Midlands East. Minsters and session clerks from each congregation were invited, as well as ministers serving in other capacities in Lusaka – the Youth Pastor and the General Secretary.
I have also been visiting one of the schools near to my home where a PCUSA volunteer is based. Chilenje is a small urban congregation and they have a small nursery school – of course the teachers were doing rote learning, but gradually after spending a few afternoons with them, they are beginning to realise that children could perhaps learn in a different way! They have been collecting and using some locally available materials (rubbish) which is great. I am encouraged by the level of education of these two volunteer teachers, even though they have had no formal ECD training but are so willing and eager to learn.
So that is really how the past month went by! I am planning to do another Presbytery sensitization in Livingstone (beside Victoria Falls) on 10th December. Don’t expect amazing pictures from the falls because they are basically dry due to the drought!! I am going to visit all the schools in Lusaka this week, with the aim of finding out how many teachers we have and to see if I can meet them for training during the Christmas holidays! So work has really begun!
I am also trying to assist in sunday school in my local congregation! It is a challenge and children are not put into groupings but old and young are all together!
Its also been nice to get to know someone else from Northern Ireland – Melissa is working in a primary school on the other side of town, but sometimes she comes to church with me. This was last week when she was being introduced to the congregation!
On the home front, I am waiting for mosquito nets to be put on my windows (to keep out mosquitos, other bugs and even snakes), and also burglar bars have been made and will be put on soon. Today we had heavy rain and unfortunately it was also raining inside my bathroom, so I need to get the landlord to repair the roof! It has been really hot of late, so after the rains today, the temperature has come down a little bit which is nice! Electricity continues to be off 8 hours each day, and water is sporadic although it was on most of the day today, which probably means none tomorrow!!
Of course living in the city has its advantages too as there are many more things to do than I ever did in Malawi! I have been to the movies, I can eat out as often as I like if I want to, and last weekend I even went to the Zambia Arts and Design show! Living in Lusaka is expensive though so I do have to count my pennies (or kwacha)!
Thats all for now. I am glad you are reading my blog and do feel free to leave a comments!
Blessings,
Diane
26 November, 2016
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