It can be comforting to
have a clear structure to one's life. Getting up for work, the next 8
or 9 hours accounted for, some supper and a justified time to relax
after the strain of a working day. My life for the past twenty years
has been rather different! Having an unstructured life means there
can be times of non-stop activity from dawn to midnight and then
sudden gaps when I wonder what to do next. Well the last few days
have seen more of the latter. It has been good to relax in the garden
and do a bit of reading. I have also had a chance to catch up with a
little housework – though there are still leaves scattered
throughout the garden. I did realise that the stick brooms are
excellent for sweeping leaves and wondered whether this is why every
day the local people sweep around their houses, rather than a
particular need.
Today for the first
time in a long while the sky is covered with cloud. I have been
struck over the past few days just what a deep blue the sky has been.
Electricity has hardly been off for a week or more, which makes me
wonder why it has been rationed for so long. Maybe we are just
fortunate! Or maybe by the time of the elections Lake Kariba will be
dry.
The election
campaigning continues, but there are worrying signs. Particularly
violence against supporters – particularly of the opposition.
Raymond rang me last night and said that someone had been murdered
yesterday in Monze – apparently an opposition cadre (organiser).
Friday 10th
June
I
rang Mrs. Sianga to check whether money transfers were back to normal
only to find that she was in hospital where they are treating her for
problems with her blood pressure. When David asked the other day I
told him I thought her health was OK - it seems I was a bit
premature. I hope that it will very soon settle down.
Obert
called in briefly in the early evening. I was expecting Jennipher and
family on Saturday so I went to the market to find some bread flour,
get some essential vegetables and check on the herbs, in order to
make some samosas. I got most of the vegetables prepared on the
Friday evening.
A
bit late in the day I realised that often weekends can be very busy
and maybe I could have ventured into the bush and made Friday a day
off!
I
have always enjoyed walking in the bush. Monze is relatively flat,
the water tower and mobile phone masts are landmarks for miles
around. Even I find it difficult to get completely lost. There is a
wonderful quiet if you manage to get a mile or two from a road and I
usually find someone greets me and sometimes joins me for part of the
walk. Next time I find myself with some free time I think I will
stride out away from town and see where it leads me.
Saturday 11th
June
I
decided to get up early and attend mass at the cathedral. There were
only two rows of benches in church. I remembered that there was a
thanksgiving mass later - though with visitors I wouldn't be
available
Jennipher
arrived around lunchtime. She said she would have arrived earlier but
the road (yes THE ROAD – The Great North Road) was blocked with
some sort of political rally. She only had Charity with her – to my
disappointment. I had hoped to see Selina and Soloman. Selina was
probably 3 or 4 years old when I first came to know her. I have
watched her grow up, she is now quite a young woman in the early
stages of secondary school. Soloman is a cousin of Jennipher and
moved from Zimbabwe to be with her in about 2005. He has been a huge
help looking after the garden and crops and also caring for the
children when Jennipher is out. He also fetches patients with the
bicycle ambulance. Just over a year ago he was seriously ill and it
looked like he might not survive. He strength has been returning
since. He is currently spending time near Livingstone finishing a
house that Sandra – Jennipher's daughter – started building.
Needless to say the three of us managed to polish off the samosas
between us.
Jennipher had left a copy of her group's constitution and
registration certificate with me to copy. Reading the constitution I
was impressed. I aked Jennipher who had written it – thinking she
must have had someone to do it professionally. She told me that she
wrote it with the secretary for the group. The 'preamble' talks about
the groups “determination to contribute to the efforts at
addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS” it recognises “the benefits of
a support group where people with the same problem learn how to cope
and defeat the problems” and it says that “aware that, though
millions are living with HIV in rural areas few are tested... we
joined ourselves into a support group to support and encourage each
other and raise awareness and openness about HIV”. The constitution
is clear and easy to read – it also contains the rules and
regulations etc.
We have been discussing the possibility of Jennipher's group applying
for a grant from ACWW which is particularly keen to support small
projects helping women. Jennipher often takes in clients who are sick
and, with some care and extra food often helps them back to health.
(Though deaths are too common). Some of these clients have TB and
other infectious illnesses which she doesn't want passed onto her
children. With them staying in her house, it is difficult to prevent
transmission. She would like to build a simple structure as an
infirmary for these clients.
One of Jennipher's main concerns is women dying of cervical cancer.
There are many diseases to which those who are HIV+ are more
susceptible and cervical cancer is one of them. In some areas of the
Country, where male circumcision is the tradition, it is not such an
issue, but in Southern Province it is very common. The nature of the
disease usually means no symptoms are observed until the disease has
progressed too far. There is screening available in Monze but many
people cannot manage to travel the distance. Jennipher would like to
collect women from some of the rural areas by bus and take them for
testing.
It was good to listen to Jennipher and her ideas about tackling some
of the difficulties she sees – particularly in the more rural parts
on Zambia. I sometimes think of rural Zambia being hundreds of miles
to the north, but Jennipher is talking about life within a few miles
of where she lives. If you leave the Great North Road and head into
the bush 10 or 15 miles, it can be a different world. The main
difference being there are no simple transport links. I was asked
yesterday about buses to the small rural towns – I don't think they
exist, and they certainly don't exist out to the villages. To make it
clear a village here is not like that in the UK! There is no mains
water or electricity – unless someone has a small solar panel for
lighting and charging their mobile phone! Houses are scattered –
maybe the neighbour is 200 metres distant. If people are very lucky
they have a bike, but will generally walk. There is very little
money exchanged, but people will have some land, a hoe and spade, and
probably a few chickens and a goat or two. Travelling to Monze or
other towns is not a regular occurrence and finding the money for
transport is a major issue.
Walking
to the High street with Jennipher I was greeted by a woman who
realised I didn't recognise her. There are some people I have told to
accost me because otherwise, despite knowing them well, I will walk
past them. Some years back a nurse from the hospital who wrote to me
when I was in the UK told me I had walked past her in Monze. She was
a bit upset, but it was another year, and only after my written
instructions, before we met again. Anyway, fortunately Mrs Maplanga
knew my problems and reminded me who she was.
Mrs. Mapulanga was Bentoe's wife. Bentoe was a good friend who worked
with me at the hospital from 2004 to 2006. He died in a horrific car
accident. I met his wife a few times subsequently and on one occasion
went on a retreat with her and some other staff from the hospital. We
had a chance to talk about the accident and difficulties that
remained with coming to terms with it. I have tried to get a chance
for at least a brief chat when in Monze – I am glad she forgives my
inability to recognise faces. At one time she ran the ICU which was
the excuse for my first visit to Monze. She now works with Dr.
Michael Breen in the gynaecological department.
Deana and her friends Trish and Jo popped around for a coffee, but it
was a little late to head for the dam.
Sunday
12th June
I picked up a paper before church. The elections dominate. There is a
suggestion that the ruling party (Patriotic Front) are not playing
fair. The Chiefs around the country have suddenly been awarded a pay
rise. It could be coincidence, but happening just before an election
seems to be interesting timing. The Chiefs still have considerable
power and influence over the people here in Zambia!!
Mass was the usual mix of prayer, singing, dancing and drumming. I
was informed that there would be no 'section prayers' today. I wasn't
too disappointed! I am happy to meet with St. Veronica's Small
Christian Community but after a two hour service in Chitonga – a
further two hours in the afternoon, where I understand little, can
become a bit of an ordeal. I attend because it is important to spend
time with a community of which I want to be a part. It is my problem
that I haven't yet learnt the language.
I returned along the railway line, but walked quickly when I heard
that Deana was waiting to go the dam.
After a cup of tea and some sandwiches we headed for the lake. There
were a few people coming and going with ox carts filling their drums
with water from the lake. The bird life however was very scant. A
small flock of cattle egret were about and the African jacana popped
up from the reeds now and again. Eventually a wide-billed stork made
an appearance. I assumed that some patches of white around the edge
of the lake were bits of plastic or similar. In fact they turned out
to be water lilies – again I have never seen these on the lake
before.
However it was restful and gave us a chance to catch up. Deana has
developed a community school in Monze. This is now a government
school with over 800 students (100 to a classroom). In Chisikele –
a rural area 3 or 4 miles outside Monze – she has helped develop
the irrigation system. I was pleased to hear they have a borehole now
– the well dried up last year. The project is well run and enables
the local community to generate some profits. Unfortunately the lack
of rain has hit their groundnut crop this year.
The two volunteers Trish and Jo are running a short course at the
Holy Family to introduce the parents of children with disabilities to
paper furniture which can be designed specifically for children's
deformities, or to cope with issues of balance. The course will just
cover the basics and perhaps allow them to make a small stool. They
hope to follow it up next year with another course. It is also hoped
that it might provide an income generating opportunity. They have
also brought examples of toys and puzzles made from paper.
I have been working through the piece of steak over the past couple
of weeks. The freezer has worked well despite the power outages and
the meat has kept fresh. After the first piece needed to be put back
in the pan to turn from medium rare to well done, I have taken to
cutting it into strips and having a stir fry. I like medium rare
steaks, but feel that it is best to cook everything thoroughly here.
With plenty of ginger, some paprika and the last chilli to flavour my
stir fry and a good mix of vegetables I enjoyed my meal. The meat has
been very lean, I will get another piece of meat for the remainder of
my stay and hope it will be as good – my experience in the past has
been good.
I am preparing to make a big effort to try and raise funds for PIZZ
School on Wednesday. It is a chance to get extra money for the
project. Global Giving will give us an extra 40% and UK taxpayers can
give a further 25% through Gift Aid.
Keeping funds coming in so we can make the children's dreams a
reality is a huge challenge. I met Janes on the way back from the dam
– again I didn't recognise her at first – she is now at a local
secondary school, but she is still supported through the project. She
dreams of becoming a doctor.
Most of the children at the school live a very difficult life - for
many the simple meal of rice provided at school is their main meal –
for some it is their only meal. To complete their education and get a
grade 12 certificate is really an impossible dream, yet already some
have achieved this through PIZZ School. This encourages other
children and their guardians to believe in the dream. I am aware that
I am encouraging them to think their dream could become reality. I
don't want to let them down, but I need a lot of help. I am therefore
asking my friends and family to dig deep on Wednesday and play a part
in this wonderful project, I hope I will live to see Dr. Janes.
Please help me!
If you use this link between 14.00 BST Wednesday 15th June
and 5.00 BST Thursday 16th June Global Giving will add 40%
to your donation. Global
Giving Bonus Day
With love and prayers,
Chris
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