Saturday 6th April 2019
Last year was the
first since 2003 that I have not visited Monze. However the call of
Africa is too strong and I have arranged a short trip during May –
OK, I will spend virtually all of May in Monze.
Of course I am in
contact with my Zambian friends on a very regular basis. I doubt
whether a week has passed without a call or two.
Oh except for last
month when I spent 8 days on a silent retreat in North Wales. There
is a special freedom gained from turning off mobiles etc., having no
television, radio or newspapers and to top it all living in silence,
except for gentle music during meals. A little glimpse of Heaven!
Ignatian retreats
have been very valuable for me over the years. I hadn't previously
visited St. Buenos where the retreat took place and was a little
apprehensive. In fact it was a very rich and rewarding experience and
a much needed opportunity to spend some time with my God. I now feel
refreshed and ready to see how my friends are facing the challenges
of life in Zambia.
Once again the
weather in Southern Zambia has not produced a good crop. Rain started
in November/December on time, but instead of continuing until
March/April it stopped early in February before the maize was mature.
The result is that the harvest in this area will be very small and
there will be hunger again.
Two years is a
long time and there will be many changes – not least in the
children I know. Selina for instance is now a mother! I look forward
to catching up.
When in Zambia my
blogs often start one day and finish a day or two later.
It is now almost
two weeks since I started this blog. I think the real value of a blog
is to record life as it unfolds. This is probably why a blog about my
life in Zambia is difficult to write from the UK.
As I write I am
sitting in my daughter's house in Naunton – a beautiful village in
the Cotswolds – where we are dog-sitting. Fortunately she has a
large field at the back of the house where the dogs can get plenty of
exercise.
My packing is on
hold, but having ordered some items online and not been at home for
deliveries, I am having to find ways of collecting my goods. One
delivery was for three solar security lights.
Some years back I
visited the clinic at Chilimentando. This is a village which is
remote apart from a tarmac road which passes nearby. I spent a good
day meeting some of the people and hearing some of the challenges
they face. At the clinic one of the main issues was that women would
come at night in labour and forget to bring a candle! It struck me
that there must be something that could help. The next year I brought
out a solar security light. I didn't know whether it would work, but
I felt that it might help and it would be far brighter than a candle!
Some months later I asked Jennipher whether it worked and how long
the light stayed on – of course it is designed to be triggered by
movement, not to be left on continuously. Jennipher told me that the
light stayed on all night! What is more one of the women was so
grateful that she named her child after me!! So some poor lad in
Zambia is called Barrell!!
I now try to bring
out at least one solar light each year.
Although based in
Naunton we have been travelling back and forth quite often. More
important than collecting parcels is visiting my friend Maria. Maria
was diagnosed with a form of breast cancer about 6 years ago. After
declaring various treatments successful, 2 – 3 years ago the health
professionals agreed that her cancer was still around – had
progressed and was now terminal. Over the past year or two Maria has
spent time at Sue Ryder. The hospice has been very important in
helping control the symptoms and pain and has allowed her to spend
periods at the hospice where they have adjusted the medication etc.
For the past 3 or 4 months she has been able to live at home and a
few weeks ago she came with me and her son, Joseph, for a pleasant
meal at a local pub.
However, she was
admitted to Sue Ryder quite suddenly about 3 weeks ago. In recent
days she has become more or less bed bound and sleeps most of the
time, requiring more pain killing drugs and responding very little.
Dilys and myself have made a number of visits to sit with her and
keep her company during this important time.
The weather here
has been quite cold, but today has warmed noticeably and temperatures
up to 25°C
are expected in the UK this weekend. It has been reasonably dry so,
with appropriate, clothing I have been able to sit outside while the
dogs amuse themselves in the field.
The
politics of Brexit have been interrupted over the past few days and
replaced by the climate change protests. My friend Charles from Monze
sent me a text a few days ago in reference to Teresa May and Brexit –
no doubt we will catch up on everything when I get out to Zambia.
Climate
change is still not being treated seriously by politicians around the
world. The cyclone in Southern Africa is something that is happening
more often as our climate changes. If more than 700 people in the
western world were killed and millions affected would more notice be
taken? It is cruel that western greed so often results in disastrous
consequences for the poorest in the world. At the moment people in
Zambia are hungry because the rains have failed yet again. The irony
is that heavy rain has been falling in recent weeks – too late to
save the maize crop, though helpful to fill the reservoirs.
Best
wishes,
Chris
