Hello all, I began writing this a few weeks ago…. Its a long post but the majority is photos!
I know that in some parts of the world its summer time, with long daylight hours! Here in Zambia, its coming into winter – we have dry cool days but still plenty of sunshine! It has been a long time since I updated my blog! In all honesty, I just did not have the motivation to update it. I have been struggling with quite a few things in a the past months and its only now on this lovely winter day, that I feel inclined to update you on my happenings!!
For those of you who know me, you will know that I love the bush, I love the wild animals, I love spending time in villages and finding out about how people live. So for the past year, I have been living and working in Lusaka, a large city – its a nice city, but I miss the rural life. I stay in a nice house surrounded by a wall and electric fence. I don’t really know my neighbours because we all live behind walls and fences! I say hello when I meet them but that is as far as it goes! I miss having nice places to walk – the only walks I can really do here are around the streets, unless I leave the city. I have been finding this quite difficult to cope with and so went through a rough couple of months.
I took time out and went to Cape Town for a week, had a lovely time of walking and sight seeing, and also survived a mega storm – unfortunately on my last day there it was raining heavily and I fell down a flight of steps outside the apartment where I was staying! I ended up in casualty! Thankfully no bones broken but lots of external and internal bruising! I was really sore for about a month – even yet my right arm is still swollen internally and gives me pain! So much for the restful holiday!
Anyway, it gave me time to think and reflect on much that has happened this past year. I have been frustrated many times but yet I still felt I was in the right place and that God was speaking to me through my frustrations.
The past few weeks have been better maybe because the Moderator from PCI, Rev Dr Noble McNeely and his wife Florence came to visit CCAP and they both encouraged me a lot.
Its 6 months since my last update! In early childhood a lot has been happening in terms of planning but it seems to me that there is not much progress on the ground yet. Gradually I will get there! During the last school term after much discussion with the Synod officials, I decided to focus on one school called Chilenje. I have been helping the teachers (even though they keep changing) and gradually we have a more play based learning programme. Parents were very sceptical at first but I am pleased to say that they are much more supportive now that they see their children are really enjoying school, and also learning a lot too!
So just to bring you up to date on the past month really. I had the privilege of hosting Rev Dr Noble McNeely and his wife Florence for 10 days in Zambia! On the day they arrived the YAV’s – Young Adult Volunteers from PCUSA were leaving. I will miss them. Susannah was working at our nursery school in Chilenje and the teachers and children will miss her very much! It was great to get to know them and I know that God has a lot in store for them as they decide what the next step is! Here they are, Kim, Olivia, Susannah and John!
It was a very busy trip with a lot of driving for me, and lots of new experiences for them! We spent the first morning in Lusaka and then drove to Chipata. We had a day and a half in South Luangwa game reserve before proceeding to Lundazi. Lundazi is where CCAP began in Zambia after it broke away from CCAP Synod of Livingstonia in Malawi (where I used to work). In 1984, CCAP Synod of Zambia was constituted as a Synod so it is a very young church in Zambia. If you want to read more look up the Synod website which is found at www.ccapzambia.org.
Noble and Florence were welcomed as we came into the town of Lundazi by a group of people from CCAP. They walked in front of our vehicle singing and carrying a banner until we reached the church. Then, there was a small welcome ceremony for the visitors!
On Sunday, Noble was invited to preach and the church was packed to overflowing! Of course, the highlight of the service was reading a letter out from Rev David McConaghy who was a minister in Lundazi from 1965 to 1971 and was serving with PCI. The church then wrote a letter back to Rev McConaghy! It was a special time as some people remembered both the McConaghy’s and their work.
In good Zambian tradition, both Noble and Florence were presented with Zambian outfits (which they had to put on in the service!).
We travelled about an hour out of Lundazi to visit Chasefu Theological College, which is really in the bush! No electricity or running water! I wonder how Theological students in the west would cope!
It is always good for me to meet Rev David Chiboboka who is the college principal. He was a lecturer at Zomba Theological College when I was there more than 10 years ago!
We visited a primary and secondary school in Lundazi and then Kachere community school on our way back to Chipata. We also visited a couple of health centres which are run by the church.
On the last day, we reached Lusaka mid afternoon and were invited to meet Seamus O’Grady, the Irish Ambassador to Zambia. I had met him on St Patricks day at the Irish Celebration here! We are accompanied by the General Secretary for CCAP Synod of Zambia, Rev S Kabaghe.
It was a busy time and I was glad that Noble and Florence were able to spend a day in South Luangwa (one of my favourite places)! We saw quite a few animals. Here are a few of my photos in black and white for a change! My favourite as always is the Leopard!
As were were coming home from Chipata, we fancied a snack (after all it is a 7-8 hour journey)! There were no takers!
As I said, I feel that things at work have been quite slow and yet I know there has been a lot of progress. I have been teaching the teachers, and working with them practically in Chilenje CCAP and have seen a lot of progress. During this school holiday (which ends on 11th September), I have already had a seminar with the ECD Committees of two schools – Chilenje and Kachere. Our committees have people from the church, parents and a teacher represented, to try and involve everyone in the running of the schools. I would like to try and help them to become model schools so that other teachers can learn from them. The week after next I will be having a full week of training with the teachers from both schools, and I hope that as the new term begins they will be full of energy and want to help the children.
As much as possible, we want these nursery schools to be sustainable and so are trying to use as many locally available materials as we can. You can see the child below threading with a piece of wood that fell of a tree at my home! I sawed it in pieces and sanded it!
This child is matching the colours of the cars to the pictures!
This is Bessy who features on the Sunday School project for 2017/18. She is really concentrating using her scissors!
Lining up to wash hands before snack time!
Below the child is attempting to write and making a good job of it too!
I made the parachute below and the alphabet letters with sandpaper, and the kids really enjoy both of them!
So, its been a few months of highs and lows, of bruises and healing, and of reflection! I have been here just over a year and I hope with the beginning of the third school term of this year that I will see much progress.
I am grateful for friends and visitors who have come!
Usually there is quite a lot of bird life around my house, but I have been surprised a couple of times now when something big lands on my tin roof and I go out and find this peahen! She is enormous and I am always worried that she will not be able to clear the electric fence!!
Next week from 29th August, 2017 is our annual Church meeting (similar to the General Assembly). This year it is in Chipata and so I will be travelling there to present my report on Early Childhood Development. I would value your prayers both for the meeting and for safe travels on the roads of Zambia.
I am encouraged by the support I receive from Zambia Synod – I am encouraged by the interest in Early Childhood, and by how people really want to do something to help the young children. I know that I am here for a reason and that God is guiding me every step of the way.
Thank you also for your prayers and support. I will try to update more often in the future!
With much love,
Diane x
23 August, 2017
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