Sunday, December 3, 2023

Homeward Bound

I am sitting on a lounger at Kenneth Kaunda Airport looking out onto the runway.

I would probably be reading a crime thriller that I had saved particularly for the journey, but inexplicably I gave it away on Monday evening! So, with 8 hrs to kill, here I am!

On Saturday I went back to Pemba to meet with Solomon and the children. In fact it turns out that Maria is living 10 – 15 km from Pemba in a rural area. There is a school nearby. Teddy drove me and was surprised just how far we had to drive (though we could have cut some of the distance if we walked for a bit.)

We met with Emmanuel and Obadia and received some school reports. Not surprisingly Jennipher's death has disrupted all of their lives and they have been impacted by the trauma.


I went to mass at Our Lady of the Wayside on Sunday as usual. We had a visiting choir from Lusaka which made the church even more packed than usual. A kind couple moved to the edge of a bench to give me room to sit. I wouldn't have relished a 2 ½ hr service standing! At the offertory I was asked to join those with offerings. Each Sunday one or two groups bring their offerings at the procession dancing as they go. I think that because I was in the official St. Veronica's chitenge shirt I was entitiled to join – they were also a bit low on numbers! It was the first time that I have taken part in the offertory dance – despite going to the church for so many years.

The service was lively and reached a crescendo when a second offertory was made of gifts brought by the Lusaka group. Our Lady's choir danced down the aisle before making a guard of honour for those bearing gifts from Lusaka. Plenty of dancing and hollaring created a joyous scene.

After mass I was told that st. Veronica's Small Christian Community would be meeting at Truckers today! 10 members arrived in the afternoon for prayers and presented me with gifts to take home.

My last day is always a day to say goodbye. I had a steady stream of visitors including Obert who


brought me a box of mangoes. I decided that I would take 10 with me and give the remainder away. They are quite heavy and will travel to Cheltenham in my hand luggage. I had promised to bring some back for Cheyenne who says she loves mangoes – I still claim that she has never tasted a real mango. I hope they travel ok. I don't think they were fully ripe when plucked from the tree on Monday.

On Monday evening Mr and Mrs. Sianga had agreed to take me to Family Safari. I am not very keen for animals to be kept in captivity, but thought it would be interesting to see the place and so it turned out.


Their are a limited number of animals in the park. Two zebras share an area with some ostriches, emus and an antelope or two. They have a reasonable amount of space to roam. A more docile ostrich and emu seem to have the freedom of the park and mix with the guests. There is a pool where 4 or 5 crocodiles hang out. Apparently they are fed once a week because they take a long time to digest food. The guests are told that anything they throw into the crocodile enclosure they will be asked to retrieve themselves!

There are four lions in an enclosure. They don't seem to show any signs of stress and even respond to the guide's call. In fact their seems to be a good rapport between the guides and the animals. They say that the crocodiles come for food when the railings are banged – still they will receive a big reward! I was glad that the animals were not in cages and seemed to be well treated – would I prefer them to be in the wild – probably. Does Family Safari give them a better life? I don't know.


After seeing the animals we went to the poolside for our meal. There is a swimming pool with fountains as well as a hotel with accommodation. A very different view of Monze compared with the rest of town or Freedom Compound!

Yesterday was the start of my journey back home. On Monday I booked the 9.30 Shalom bus from Monze Bus Station. At about 8.30 I had a call to tell me that it would be leaving at 11 hrs and to be there prompt. I left Monze at 13hrs apparently on the 9.30 bus!

I arrived in Lusaka at 17hrs and at Longacres Lodge twenty minutes later. Probably because of my late arrival, things were not quite as usual. I wasn't shown my room and had to carry all my luggage. I wasn't provided with a towel and the linen cupboard was locked when I asked if one was available!

In practice none of this really mattered. I had a large container and a jug in the bathroom. This reminded me of our visit to Manila where we were asked if we knew how to take a bath!! We were surprised by the question until we were presented with a large tub of water and a ladle in a type of wet room. The principle at Longacres Lodge is similar! There are no plugs for the bath so you fill the large container and pour jugs of water from it over your head and body. As for the towel, I haven't bothered to dry myself after a shower other than to stop water dripping from my hair. I had a lovely cold “bath” and was dry within a few minutes – even though the temperature had dropped below 30 to 29℃.

I needed more liquid so I went to the bar. I found they had no Mosis (a Zambian beer not a small insect). I enjoy the local brew and was disappointed – this was far more serious than the lack of a towel!


I got up at about 5.30 for the next leg of my journey.

I have so far had two flights. The first going south to Harare, Zimbabwe – Robert Magabe International before coming here to Jomo Kenyatta Airport Nairobi. With Kenneth Kaunda International in Lusaka the airports celebrate three important figures in the fight for independence. I will fly from here to Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris.

The sun has recently set and night will come very quickly. Nairobi is very close to the equator and I think it is about 8,000 feet high.



With love and prayers,



Chris














Wednesday, November 8, 2023

A New Lawyer


 As I wander around Monze I continue to meet friends. Some are people I met when I came on the first trip in 2003 when we worked on the ICU at Monze Mission Hospital. Others are people who I worked with or came to know during the few years when I was developing computer systems at the hospital.

Others I met through Our Lady of the Wayside which has become my parish in Monze. In 2005 I met Besst, a young man at the church who was a student at a local secondary school. Over the years we have kept in touch and yesterday he invited me to attend a ceremony at the Supreme Court of Zambia in Lusaka, where he was called to the Bar. It was a great pleasure to be present on this great day – the culmination of many years of hard work.


I realise that I am very privileged to be in a position where I can meet people with ambitions and observe their progress – often from children to adults with families of their own. It is a delight to watch them develop and progress. Of course not all reach the heights that Best has achieved, but just to see people happy and healthy is a joy.

Best is an example of what is possible with hard work, determination and dedication and hopefully he will inspire others to follow his example and excel in whatever they choose to do.

Best wishes,



Chris





Saturday, November 4, 2023

The 14 Million Square Mile Triangle



I am attempting to resolve issues in Zambia, England and Japan at the moment!

As always people come to me in Monze needing all types of support. Jennipher is a huge loss felt by me and so many people here in Zambia. Last year in October she brought some of her groups to meet me at Truckers. In the past I have visited groups in Pemba and nearby – most came to Jennipher's house and I was introduced to them there. Some I met where they were based – generally near Pemba, though one or two were closer to Monze. However, until last year Jennipher had not brought groups to visit me where I stay in Monze.

I don't generally encourage people I don't know to come to my accommodation. It becomes difficult for me and, if I was to hand money to strangers, I would probably have queues at the door! However, maybe Jennipher knew that it was important to create a link while she could.

The groups have been very respectful and have not put undue pressure on me. I have met some group members and explained that I have no spare funds this year. I have tried to listen to what they are doing and how things are developing – or not! So often for one reason or another little projects fail to produce the results expected. The temptation to borrow to fund these projects often just leads to debt. A small project to buy village chickens last year had problems because most of the chickens died of a disease. Maybe in future it will meet with more success. I am prepared to help a little where I can. even if the projects fail, I think that trying can raise the spirits.

The past week has been exam time for PIZZ school. I hope that despite the considerable disruption caused by changes and uncertainty in the past year the results will again be good.

Over the past few days the number of birds in the garden seems to have grown. There are a couple of “Splendid Glossy Starlings” that are very frequent visitors. These are beautiful birds which are almost totally flourescent blue. In flight, catching the bright sunlight, they truly are a wonderful sight.

Diven's son Paul spent some time with me yesterday. He was with a friend and they enjoyed looking through binoculars, taking photos, using the remote control to change the colour of my lights, viewing sights on google maps including a quick tour of Cheltenham and looking at a few photos. They are very quick to master new gadgets and I survived without any damage being caused.

I have been trying to come to grips with bits of the legal system in Japan – the outcome is that Mawiini is going to visit a Gyosei Shoshi on Monday who should be able to notarise her documents!

This morning I roused my brother-in-law in Cheltenham because my wife, who was outside his house had failed!

It is amazing that, with the technology of today, being at another side of the world need not be an issue!

This week I have had fresh mangoes from trees in the garden – the first of many, I hope. I have enjoyed guineafowl eggs and enjoyed picking up a fresh loaf from the bakery and being enveloped in the smell of freshly baked bread.


I am hoping that next week I will be moving forward at pace. Time is flying there is not much more than a fortnight left before my return to the Uk.


Chris



Sunday, October 29, 2023

Independence Day


I continue to meet friends I have come to know over the years. Among others Alec, Raymond, Diven, Teddy, Brian and Malomweete have come around to see me at my house, sometimes joining me for supper. Many other people I have greeted around town and at church.

Tuesday was Independence Day and Ireen rang me. Unfortunately there was a problem and I was unable to hear her. When I visited her shop later in the week she presented me with another shirt – one she intended to give me to celebrate independence day.

Last Sunday Teddy drove me to Pemba where I met with Soloman and the children. Obadia has his lovely smile back and Emmanuel was also in good form. Maria is staying with an aunt and came to meet me, but before I leave I will visit her at the knew home.



The weather continues to be hot – often reaching 36 ℃ or 37℃ , at midday the sun is directly overhead.

Best is preparing to be called to the bar in a little more than a week. He asked me to join him for the celebration – fortunately I packed my suit in case! It will be a great privilege to see him finally become a fully qualified lawyer after all these years. I first met Best as a secondary school student in 2005!

 

With love and prayers,


Chris



Saturday, October 21, 2023

What a Privilege



I am very fortunate. I have had the opportunity to spend the past 20 years visiting Monze and making friends. I feel very comfortable walking around the streets and through the markets. Everything is familiar. Cattle in the High Street is far from an unknown feature! At this time of year the cows seem to be allowed to wander in search of food. Today they found some nice green grass at Truckers!

The odd shower of rain has fallen in recent weeks. Here and there a few blades of grass have appeared. Usually this happens at the edge of the dust path. If more rain falls this grass gradually encrouches and if it continues it eventually becomes hard to realise that there wasn't a grass path all along!


Stalls are beginning to sell mangoes, but as I said to a boy eating one the other day “ if it doesn't cover your face with yellow juice it isn't a mango!” - he knew what I meant! The mangoes are not yet ripe – they are white inside and hard. I will wait awhile and get my face properly covered!

The sun is high at this time of year – at midday it is almost directly overhead. A little light rain has cooled the air this evening. Lisa switched on the hot water the other day which was a bit of a surprise. The cold water tap for the shower doesn't produce much more than a drip! The hot water is too hot, so showering is now quite an art! I told Lisa that I was happy to just have cold water, but apparently the switch for the geyser also controls the security lights! The solution seems to be get everything I can from the cold tap and then enjoy a couple of minutes before the hot water comes through, then almost turn the hot water off and finish with the dribble from the cold tap to cool me back down! Here you learn to adapt to the facilities!

I have a steady stream of visitors. Unfortuntely Jennipher showed some of her clients where I live and some call around. It is never a good idea to have people calling around, hoping for money. Unless they are people I know well I try to avoid giving cash. This can be very difficult, because I know that most are in real need. I have an added problem this year, because my funds are being used to support my major project and there is little or nothing spare. So even good friends in need are having to go without.


Euphrasia came earlier. She used to work at PIZZ school many years back, but became sick. She is much better now and she makes woollen mats for sale. She always gives me one as a present. I have a collec tion of mats around the house at home. I have bought a few to bring back for stalls in the past, but there doesn't seem to be a market in the UK.

Nelson is about to sit his final exams at the university of Zambia where he is taking a degree in social work. He is hoping to find sponsorship to do a masters degree in the UK or possibly Canada. So far he has done very well, getting excellent marks. He works when he can to try to cover the university fees. He came from Lusaka for the weekend to see his mum and say hallo to me.

I have had the delight and privilege to see a number of young people develop and get qualifications enabling them to move forward in life. With a bit of encouragement and a little support here and there, I hope that I have been able to make a positive difference. Not many people have been given the opportunities I have and I am very grateful.


I left a couple of pieces of chitenge material for Ireen yesterday to make into new shirts for me. She has made me at least one shirt everytime I have visited since 2004 – that's a lot of shirts!!.

The way that babies and young children are carried in Zambia seems eminently sensible and suits both mother and child. A length of chitenge material is wrapped around the child and tied around the mother's waist providing a secure fastening for the child keeping the bay in close contact with the mother (grandmother or sister) Our slings and carriers are no match. The baby can easily be moved from back to front for feeding and it is obvious that the babies are very content to be carried in this way.

Tomorrow I will visit Soloman in Pemba - about 30 Km from Monze and hope to catch up with Emmanuel, Obadia and Maria – children that Jennipher had adopted.

With love and prayers,


Chris






Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Reflections on Monze 2023

I have spent more time reading and sitting in the garden than I am used to. This is probably not a bad thing, though, in the world we live in, apparent inactivity seems to be frowned upon. I often think that people are too busy rushing around to have time to think! I don't know how you can make good decisions unless sometimes,you have the time to ponder. Well I have had plenty of time!!

In the 20 years that I have been coming to Monze many things have changed. There were no mobile phones in Monze in 2003! There were no ATMs in Monze in 2003. Now we have entered the Internet era and I can connect from Truckers to anywhere in the world. I can send emails, talk via various means – including using video through Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp or Facetime. There are now supermarkets throughout the town, new restaurants, including PIZZA Express, even some new tarred roads around town.

However, the ladies selling tomatoes and onions still line the streets – many carrying their wares on their heads and the lads still transport goods around the town using their wheelbarrows. Stiil finding change for K50 (about £2) can be a major undertaking.


There is no evidence that the poverty has gone. There are still many mud brick houses with corrigated roofs held down with rocks and breeze blocks. In some ways things seem to have become worse, despite apparent increases in funding, it seems that the only way to get medicines these days is to take your prescription to a pharmacy and pay the market price. I understood that simple medicines used to be provided by the hospital.


The Jacaranda trees are becoming a bit bare having shed most of their petals like a carpet of blue confetti on the ground. The Flamboyant trees however are living up to their name with their bright orange/red blooms. I passed a tree in the garden and the fruit looked vaguely familiar! I hope that the mangoes are ripe before I leave for the UK!


Chris


Sunday, October 15, 2023

Meeting Friends


I took a taxi for the shortest of rides – it takes less than 5 minutes to walk to Truckers, but I couldn't face dragging the bags even that distance after my journey from the UK. I was greeted on arrival by Lisa and another maid who both gave me a hug.

Arriving at 14.30 meant that I had a chance to sort myself out a little in the afternoon. There are a few essentials that need to be bought – tea bags, cornflakes and milk being at the top of the list.

I am about 50 yards from the main road. As soon as I reached the road I was greeted - “Hallo Chris, when did you come!”

I usually buy a bottle of water in Lusaka before catching a bus. I hadn't a chance this time, so with the temperature in the mid thirties it was essential that I grabbed a drink. Food Royal is very close so that was my first port of call. A tropical Cabana and two samosas would bring me back to life.

There are some small grocery shops very close – there is also Choppies which is a big supermarket I usually avoid. I also noticed that the market seems to also have arrived on the side of the road. I prefer to give the ladies selling vegetables along the road my custom whenever possible. In fact I managed to pick up most of my grocery needs for the next week without travelling more than a few hundred yards.

It was then back to my accommodation for some serious tea drinking!! I let a few people know of my arrival – including of course my wife Dilys.

I arranged to meet Diven later for a meal – again at Food Royal – cooking could wait till tomorrow. I was about to leave when Diven arrived – an hour late!

Thursday gave me the chance to pop along to the market and pick up some spices and meet a marketeer from the church. Brian came over from his stall by the “robots” to say hallo and I weighed myself on my friend's scales outside the old cathedral.

Since I arrived Best has shown me the preparations he needs to make for being called to the Bar. I will be in Zambia at the time and he asked if I would attend – fortunately I packed a suit in case. It has been a long journey with many twists and turns since I met him as a secondary student in 2005.


Teddy came around and told me how his retirement is going – though he doesn't seem to have fully extracted himself from the hospital. I gave him his birthday present – a Fedora hat in the stle of Indiana Jones!!

I have spent some time observing the birds in the garden – lesser blue eared starlings are common and spectacular – especially in flight. I have already finished my first thriller! You have a lot more time without the TV!!

Today I went to Our Lady of the Wayside for mass. It was lovely to hear the singing. The beautiful harmonies – often unaccompanied, and the volume from the whole congregation is a joy. I took the chance to bring a bible from Truckers and marked the readings before mass. I thought I was going to be anonymous - even though there was no other white face in the church! However, right at the end of mass the priest apologised for nearly forgetting to welcome me.

I met a few more friends after mass. Obert's father told me that Obert's wife gave birth to a baby boy this morning!!

I had not intended to go to st Veronica's Small Christian Community meeting today because with temperatures in the thirties – it hit 37 yesterday! - I don't want to do too much – at least until I am better acclimatised. In the event there was no meeting today.

I have had a lazy day doing a little family history research on the computer, chatting to Dilys and spending time in the garden.



Chris