Even the trees seem to be distressed

 

Zambia is very dependent on farming and in particular it's maize crop.

For Zambians food is nshima which is maize flour boiled in water – though to be honest the process is a lot more complex and requires constant attention to provide the correct result.

When the maize crop fails everyone is impacted. This year the crop has failed in the southern part of Zambia spectacularly.

Water is of course vital to life, but in Zambia it is also by far the main source of electricity. Hydro-electric power is generated from the dams and in particular the huge Kariba Dam. Sometimes after the dry season – in October or November – the water levels are low and electricity needs to be rationed. This year rationing was introduced in March! There are suggestions that before the end of the year there will be no mains electricity for Zambia.

These issues have a knock-on effect . The crop failure means that farmers have no money to spend in the shops, so the small local traders have no business and they too have no money to spend with the marketeers – and most of the people in Monze seem to be marketeers.

The lack of power makes it difficult for all sorts of businesses to operate. Grinding mills which should be operating 24 hours a day cannot grind enough maize, adding to the shortages. The prices of maize meal has soared, resulting in a lot of hunger. The water supply also relies on electricity. In some areas of Monze the mains water supply is very little if at all and often people have to get up in the middle of the night when the pressure might be enough to collect a small supply.

Even the trees in the garden here look to me to be distressed.

The situation can only get worse until decent rains return to Southern Zambia.

The weather here has been relatively cold, with maximum temperatures generally around 20ºC. We have had a couple of cloudy days, but generally the sun has made up for the air temperature.

I am trying to see how we can address some of the challenges at PIZZ School. I met a couple of students last week who had passed their grade 12 exams and have been offered places for further training – one as a nurse and the other in agriculture. The computer science teacher is frustrated that the lack of power means that most of his practical work cannot be done. He would like a solar system installed to allow the students to learn. Soon they will be preparing for exams.

Transformation Through Education is a new charity which is funding the school, but it will take time to ramp up the fundraising to meet all these needs. It is very disappointing that money already raised for the school is not being passed on. You can find out more about the charity at www.transformationthrougheducation.org.uk

I attended mass on Sunday which was back inside the church now sparkling with it's false roof and a fresh coat of paint. it was good hear the singing reverberating throughout the building and there was a celebration to welcome the improvements.

Chris Barrell

The impact of the Drought

I am once again in Monze.

Unusually this year I am not alone. John, someone who contacted me after reading details about my visits on the church noticeboard, has joined me to experience life in Sub-Saharan Africa.

I had intended to come out a bit later this year, but circumstances dictated that I make use of this slot in June/July. The visit will last a little less than 6 weeks and I will return to England on July 15^th.

On our flight from Heathrow there was a man who was being forcefully deported. From what I gathered he was being taken to the Congo where he said that he knew nobody. Not surprisingly he was not happy at the prospect and made it clearly known. It was obviously distressing for this man, who was being physically restrained. It was also upsetting for the passengers on the plane who witnessed the scene. I was surprised that the plane took off despite the man's protestations. One of the officers said that he would calm down once we took off. In fact, after we left the ground the man was silent – I was not certain what brought about this change. He seemed to be sleeping when I passed by him on the flight.

Everything went smoothly until we arrived at Lusaka airport. Immigration was swift – and the immigration forms, which we hadn't filled in, turned out not to be needed! I didn't expect this new form of bureaucracy to last long, but didn't imagine that it would be dropped before we got through passport control. I seem to remember one of the forms from twenty years ago when I first came to Zambia. Maybe someone had found an old stock and thought that it was a shame to waste them!

We headed for the baggage reclaim and John and myself each collected one of our bags. We had both brought two bags. We watched to see our remaining bags appear. After a while the bags on the carousel all looked rather familiar - they circled again and again. One of the staff said that there was no point waiting any longer because no more bags would be coming off the aeroplane.

This was the first time in all my visits that I had problems with my luggage at Lusaka. We headed to report the lost bags. Now it so happened that I had seen my missing bag get loaded onto the plane at Nairobi. I told the man at the desk and suggested that if wasn't in the baggage hall it must still be on the plane, which would soon be leaving for Harare.

Eventually a member of staff went to check and found some bags had been taken from the carousel and our bags were among them. So the panic was over.

Next job was to get some Zambian Kwacha from the ATM. I usually collect money at the airport, although I carry sufficient from previous trips to get me to Monze. However, on this occasion I had only a small supply of the local currency with me. The first ATM was dead! The second and third were not dispensing money!! There wasn't a fourth!!!

Earlier we had engaged a taxi driver. When we told him our predicament, he suggested that he drove us to a shopping mall on the way to the bus station and we could pick up cash there. So I put my card in the ATM at the mall and once again was refused any money. The next 3 or 4 machines were either not functioning or just not providing cash. They accepted my card “Hallo Mr Barrell” - but kwacha I could get none!

Fortunately John had a few pounds sterling and I had a few dollars. The situation was eventually resolved after queuing for twenty minutes at the bank where we changed our notes into kwacha.The taxi driver also agreed to accept the fare in dollars.

The Lord has a way of messing me about! Usually when I think that I am in control and particularly when I am showing others how clever I am. I often need cutting down to size! Still these interventions usually come in threes. I warned John that the challenges might not have ended. We now had to go straight to the Intercity Bus Station.

By this time the taxi driver was getting anxious. We had delayed him by at least half an hour and he had another client to collect from the airport. I had told him that we needed to catch the Shalom bus because I don't trust any other company to go to a schedule and carry us safely. So when we arrived at the bus station I expected him to take us to the Shalom booking desk. However he told us that the bus station was too congested and he proposed to leave us, with all our luggage, outside! A guy had come up to the taxi and told us that Shalom were not running any more coaches that day, but he offered to take our bags. Because the taxi driver assured us that this guy and his mates were trustworthy, and there didn't seem to be another option, I paid him and we chased after the guys who had set off with our bags. First we went to the Shalom office where it was confirmed that no further coaches would run this day. We were told that another company had a coach about to leave for Monze and they were reliable.

As we reached the next booking office we were surrounded by guys trying to relieve the “porters” of our bags. One guy grabbed me and tried to wrestle my backpack from me. Fortunately the attackers were seen off and our luggage was still intact. We were soon on the bus, our luggage was stowed away and we were on the move, albeit slowly!

In the past after the Lord has messed me about for the third time, I have experienced some lovely gifts – perhaps the most memorable being an unexpected holiday in Barcelona! But that's another story! Watch this space!

It was a raw introduction to Zambia for John. I found it unpleasant, but once on the bus I could easily move on – at least when I was clear that we were heading in the right direction!

Despite all of this “excitement” we arrived in Monze at about 16.30 - which is the time I had expected. Getting t monze at any time while it is still light is good in my eyes.

During these past three days in Monze I have been sorting myself out and trying to do some contingency planning for when power and water fails. There is a schedule which allows for cuts to the electricity supply of 12 hours each day! Sometimes we are lucky and we have power for much of the waking day. When the electricity has been off most of the day and returns at 23hrs (11pm) only to go off again at 5am for a further 12hrs, it is a bit more tricky!!

Julie, my landlady, has been very good, as usual, and has provided extras such as water containers and a vacuum flask. I certainly consider myself very privileged when I realise the hardship that so many around me are suffering at this time. Mrs Sianga informs me that many more children are now coming to PIZZ School hungry. You can find the latest update on the school at www.transformationthrougheducation.org.uk

I have spent sometime in the garden and have seen almost no birds other than pied crows – which are abundant – maybe one reason why other birds are not around. About six weeks ago I ordered a new bird book – Birds of Zambia. It arrived on Thursday!! Yes, in the UK. Another little joke no doubt!!

By now I have met a few of my friends. I spent some time with Mr and Mrs Sianga on Friday catching up with the challenges they face, including transporting a drum of water each morning for the pre-school and grade one children each morning. These children learn at the original school which relies on mains water which rarely flows these days. The main school is supplied from a borehole. This uses a solar pump to lift the water to tanks which feed the toilet blocks and standpipes. It is from here that the drums are filled.

One good bit of news is that some money that the school has been waiting for has just arrived. There are always huge challenges running PIZZ school when funds are not really sufficient. Any delays in the transfer of money can cause real difficulties, especially at times like these when costs are so high and many families cannot afford the basic necessities. However, I am confident that, working in close partnership, PIZZ and Transformation Through Education will develop even more opportunities to the children and restore hope to the community.

As I expected, my friends are discovering my presence back in Monze and I am pleased to see them again. Raymond found me on Thursday and Diven joined me for supper last night – both have had exploits since we last met!! They were able to bring me up to date. On Friday, I bumped into Captain in town. He had his car boot open. It was filled with fresh maize cobs, so I asked him where he got them. He told me that he was now a farmer – though he also continues to do building. By working on both he can continue to earn a living. (Captain was in charge of moulding the concrete blocks for the hospital ICU when I first came here in 2003.)

I showed John around the market today, Saturday, and I met a few friends in the process! It will take a while for John to adjust to the very different environment here in Monze and the very different way that Zambians see the world.

Take care,

Chris