Friday 11th
July
I
am very aware that an update to my blog is very much overdue.
Jennipher
left the UK last week with over 400 photos – most relating to her 3
½ week stay in the UK. I therefore have plenty of photos to share
with you.
There
are far too many photos and much too much to say to do justice in a
single post – so I will give a very brief account of her visit and
include a few photos now and over the next week or two I will add
some photos and expand on some of the events, experiences and
insights of this memorable visit.
I
as said last time, it was a joy to have Jennipher with us. We had a
packed schedule visiting places, meeting people and also trying to
find a little time to just relax enjoy each others company and let
her take in some of the English culture. Everyday was busy and for
Jennipher each brought new amazing revelations. For me it made me
focus even more on the differences between life here and in Zambia
and how wrong it is that, in this world of plenty, people routinely
go hungry and die as a result of poverty.
Jennipher
is not one of the more more privileged African people who we
generally see in England. Her background and current day to day life
is among the poorest. Without support from Dilys and myself, she
would regularly go hungry and her children would probably get no
education. The contrast with what she experienced in the UK was
unbelievable. She told people back home that she was eating like a
princess and claimed to have put on 10 Kg (almost 25% of her total
weight)
Of
course we spoiled her, trying to ensure that she had everything she
wanted while she was with us. The Lord played his part – the good
weather had been ordered and, as predicted, we had an unusually fine
period while she was with us.
At
the end of her stay we helped her fill her cases to within an ounce
or two of their maximum permitted weight and drove her to the
airport. I failed to check her in online from Heathrow – though the
exercise was completed and boarding passes were printed for Addis
Abbaba. At the airport I was a little concerned that Jennipher seemed
to be having long discussions at the check-in desk. I wondered what
was wrong. Eventually she emerged and told me that the guy on the
Ethiopian Airlines check in desk was a fellow Zambian and they were
having a good chat in Bemba (one of the local languages). Once again
I realised that I should have more faith – the Lord had everything
in hand. She was assured that everything would be fine. Her luggage
would be take all the way to Lusaka where she would collect it and
she would be fine wit her hand luggage.
On
the day before she left Jennipher was invited to listen to a local
choir that Sheila (the artist) attends. They sang a number of African
songs for her and Jennipher sang some for them – including one
which she said they would sing when she returned. On her return many
people would gather to greet her and they would sing this welcoming
song. It is based upon the idea that when Jesus returned to heaven
his father would have given him a special welcome and when anyone
goes on a special journey they too deserve to be welcomed in the same
way! It is wonderful to know that Jennipher was greeted back home
last week with this song.
Chris
