Just as I get used to a
pattern it changes!! The result of low water levels in Lake Kariba
has resulted in the lack of power for a few hours each morning here
in Monze. Until the past few days!! For some reason we had no power
cuts for three days and then a cut at 10.30 pm last night – power
was back again this morning. To a large extent a regular pattern of
cuts is better than fewer unpredictable cuts. The fear is that the
cuts will return – with a vengeance and will be unpredictable. I
will wait to see if the pattern returns or whether a new one will
emerge!
The weather pattern
recently has been very settled. Clear blue skies to start the day,
then a few light clouds to add interest to the sky, but hardly ever
to shield the sun. I have taken to having lunch outside, as it is
brighter and more cheerful. There are a few common butterflies that
inhabit my garden, the large butterfly that posed is a regular
visitor, along with a small one with blue markings - the most common
is a white butterfly – isn't it always! There is also another
small, almost uniform, yellow butterfly and this morning a pretty
lemon coloured butterfly with a black border and black veins posed
for me. I don't know if there are Zambian butterfly books - it would
be good to identify some of these beautiful insects?
Saturday 4th
June
Christopher
popped around this morning and we chatted over a coffee. He told me
that he hadn't been paid this month. He has nine children to support
– he is 73 years old and these are his grandchildren. He should
have been at church, but he was trying to get some food instead. He
was looking for some relish, by which he was talking about a few
vegetables – maybe some rape, or even a little kapenta (small dried
fish) if he was lucky. He hoped to get paid on Monday, but there were
still a couple of days to survive. He told me that sometimes Mrs.
Sianga will give him a little piecework so he can earn something. He
also told me that he was friends with Diven and worked with him for a
short while at the mortuary. At this time of year, before the harvest
is sold there is no business at the guest house – he told me no
rooms are occupied and the bar has only one or two people in a night.
The next few weeks will see things improve. Apparently Christmas is a
good period at the guest house.
During
the day my data bundle ran out. In the past, 2 GB has lasted a month.
So far I have used 4 GB in less than a month and my use has been
sparing in comparison with previous years. I think the assumption in
the internet world is that the volume of data transfer is no longer
an issue – everything seems to have pictures and videos attached!
For me the internet is important so I will grin and bear it, with
perhaps a little more care.
I
found the project that makes Monze honey! I no longer need sugar on
my cornflakes!!
There
is always plenty for me to do in the background. Unfortunately money
is needed to keep projects going and this is very true for Mrs.
Sianga's project. I sit in the middle. On one side I am told by the
teachers at the school that they cannot survive on the little money
they receive from Hands around the World – very much less than they
would receive in a government school. There are also endless bills to
pay. On the other side I am told back home in England, that we cannot
keep providing so much money to a single project in Africa. Squaring
the circle is not easy.
At
the moment we provide about £20,000 each year for wages and other
routine costs – some funded through child sponsorship. We also have
a separate fund where we need to raise £6,000 a year for school
meals. Of course this isn't enough!! My answer is that we need to
raise more money. We are currently expecting to educate a child
(including giving a daily meal) for £70 a year!! Despite their
hardships, the dedication of the teachers and other staff is making a
huge difference to the lives of these children. In reality £100 or
£120 per child (or double that) would still provide amazing value
for any donor.
I
will be pushing a fundraising opportunity on 16th/17th
June through Global Giving and hope to top up the funds a little.
My
concern is particularly for the children leaving PIZZ School. The
school fees at secondary schools are a lot higher than the costs at
PIZZ, but if the children are to have a chance to fulfil their
potential they need to complete their education. This year Hands
Around the World will need to find about £16,000 to cover the costs
of students at secondary school and university. Next year I hope it
will be more, because we should have more successful students at
grade 9! I am starting to sell good but unwanted items on behalf of
Hands Around the World to support a fund for secondary and tertiary
education. I will plug this more on my return to the UK.
I
am not a natural fundraiser, but when I see what a difference we can
make here in Monze I will do everything I can to ensure that we don't
let down these children.
Sunday 5th
June
Life
at Our Lady of the Wayside has gone back to normal, after the
excitement of the past few weeks. For once I was around at the right
time for the start of mass. It was good to have a straightforward
service – the singing and dancing was good and as always the joy
was evident and abundant.
I
received rough instructions about the location of this afternoon's
'Section prayers'. “Not far from the Moonga's house – near
Queen's”. With that I made my way home for a lunch break.
I
headed off with a view to arriving at a little after 14 hrs – I had
no fear of being late!! As I approached the area, a lady with a CWL
(Catholic Women's League) chitenge spotted me and directed me to our
host for the afternoon. It has been very rare that even with far
fewer directions I have failed to locate our group which meets in the
middle of the local compounds. There are no street names or house
numbers here – certainly none that are displayed! However people
know each other and know what is happening and there is always a
friendly person to help out a lost looking white man!
I
was sat down (a privilege reserved for the men) and a few comments
were made – especially about my lack of Chitonga – including my
own expression of shame that I know the fewest of words after so many
years. The chairman saved me when he arrived. He wasn't sure which
reading we should be reflecting upon, because he hadn't yet received
the timetable. Each week we look at the gospel reading for the
following week. I find this very useful – especially since I
understand little during the service. It enables me to reflect on the
gospel during its reading and during the sermon. I decided to send a
text to Dilys and she was able to help out with the relevant
reference. It was good to include her in our prayers.
I
usually bring a small version of the New Testament (Epistles and
Gospels), but this year I forgot. So I listened to the gospel in
Chitonga. A reading came to mind and when I eventually was shown an
English translation I found that in fact it was the reading I had
thought of. The gospel relates Jesus visiting the house of a Pharisee
– people renowned for being good people, keeping all the rules and
doing the right thing. A women known to be a 'sinner' came to him and
wiped his feet with her hair and tears. We are told that others
thought Jesus was unaware of the women's reputation and if he knew he
would shun her. Unfortunately so often our organised religions are
unwelcoming to those who seem to lead a different lifestyle, or move
in the wrong circles. Jesus always seems to make a point of engaging
with such individuals, being more interested in an act of kindness
than a set of often petty rules. I often find myself mixing rogues
and villains – it is good to know that I'm in good company!
The
prayer session ended with some high finance! A scheme has been
introduced where members of the community could borrow money to do a
little enterprise. They were expected to return the money the next
month with 25% interest! This becomes a revolving fund to generate
money for the community and apparently it is working. I was
fascinated by the scheme and was surprised to hear that in some way I
was responsible!
Chris
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