24th April 2016
With Selina, Obadia and Jennipher
In
just over two weeks I will again be in Zambia catching up with
friends.
It
was pointed out to me recently that I tend to talk about my friends
as if everyone knows their history. This year I will try to give
brief introductions as I go along.
When
I posted my blog in November I was hopeful about the rains –
unfortunately there was very little rain until late January and the
rain is no longer falling. This will result in a very poor harvest –
following several bad years there will be a lot of hunger. Already
people are suffering and deaths from the elderly and children are
mounting.
Despite
these problems I am feeling more enthusiastic about my visit than I
did last year. Jennipher is doing reasonably well, despite facing
daily challenges of life and death. Jennipher's
story is a long one and some of it is documented in a magazine on the
HATW (Hands Around the World) website Jenniphers
Story . I first met Jennipher in 2004, she was not very well and
seemed rather lifeless and unhappy. Since that time I have got to
know Jennipher and her children – mainly babies left as orphans for
whom Jennipher has become mum. One of her children was born after his
mother gave birth in a bicycle ambulance – his mother died before
arriving at the clinic, Emmanuel who has now returned from
Livingstone where he was being looked after by Sandra – another of
Jennipher's children who became a nurse, but unfortunately died last
year. Currently Jennipher also lives with her cousin Soloman,and
other children Selina, Jennipher and Maggie. She also helps to
support a couple of children who return from boarding school during
the holidays and an elderly man who spends most of the day at her
house and is provided with meals.
Jennipher
was one of the first people in Zambia to disclose her status as HIV+
and is a wonderful advocate for others with the disease. She has
encouraged numerous people to get tested and to take the
anti-retroviral drugs that enable them to lead a relatively normal
life. She has set up 60 or more AIDS support groups and has become an
expert not only in understanding the disease and the treatment, but
also in accessing support in terms of food and other facilities.
Among other things this has allowed her to feed hundreds of people
when food is scarce and expensive and to provide a fresh water supply
to a whole community.
Jennipher trying out the bicycle ambulance in 2011
Earlier today Davidson rang to say hallo. News about Jim's death had
already reached him.
Davidson in Floods in 2010
Davidson has been involved with Kaliyangile – a Hands Around the World project in Chisamba, which I co-ordinate – about 50 miles north of Lusaka. He has grown vegetables and maize, reared thousands of chickens for their meat or eggs (I can't imagine how many eggs he has collected over the years – often well in excess of 200 a day!). He has looked after the cattle and pigs and even the bees! At the end of last year he decided to leave the project and work for himself, but it is good to continue to keep in touch. I am looking forward to meeting him again this year – no doubt we will share a pint or two and renew our rivalry on the pool table.
It would be possible to continue with updates for a long time, but I
will close here and continue in the days to come.
I will finish by asking for your prayers for my coming trip. It will
be difficult and I will need all the help I can get.
Best wishes,
Chris
