Mutual Respect

Any who read my blog will know that I feel very comfortable here in Monze. I suppose as a “white man” I am out of place, but I never feel it. I occasionally realise that I very rarely see another white face in town. By returning a greeting and a smile or sharing a joke any distance is suddenly bridged and I am among friends.

The past couple of days taxi drivers have approached me to see if I want a lift, when I say I am happy to walk they say “but why? The reason I give and one I believe, is that by walking I meet people. In a car you can pass by and meet no one. In my case there are people I have got to know over the past twenty years – most I will not recognise, because I have an issue with picturing people and scenes. When people mention their name I will recall who they are and apologise. After one such encounter today I met Boniface. Boniface was a student at PIZZ School who now earns a living as a musician. He tells me that he needs his own studio to move forward. After a brief chat I told him to give me a buzz so we can catch up (no I am not about to provide him with a studio!) It must be 4 years or more since we last met.

I have spent a good amount of my time at PIZZ School talking to Mrs. Sianga and meeting the children. Today I met the pre-school and grade one children which completed my tour of all grades. I tell the students a little about England and my family, but I like them to ask the questions. They usually want to know the names of my children and grandchildren and how old I am. They are also interested in what we eat in England – though people who can survive without nshima seems unimaginable! In one class I was asked me to sing which caught me off guard. 'There was an old woman who swallowed a fly' seemed to hit the mark!

I had noticed some new lock up shops this year and one had three pools tables in it. During the week, on the way back from PIZZ School, I plucked up courage to poke my head inside. I asked if anyone could play and I was invited to sit down. The rule here is that the winner of a game stays at the table and anyone wanting to play deposits their coin and makes a challenge. When I have tried to explain that in England we play with our friends, not with strangers they cannot understand this strange culture. Even more how we can go to a bar and not mix with everyone else. If I try to say that there are neighbours who I have hardly met, I don't think they believe me!

Well my turn on the table soon came - and we were well matched. It was a tight game and I was just beaten. My opponent however, ignoring the accepted rules, wanted a replay! In the second game I proved the victor. What followed was a series of very close matches which I was fortunate to win. After an hour or so, in another close match, I was at last defeated and made my exit.

One of the joys of playing pool in Zambia is that, whatever the differences in culture, background, history and lifestyle, on the pool table we compete on equal terms – it is only the skill in playing the game that matters. All the guys I played had a similar skill level to me. They were all capable of beating me and I was capable of beating them. We respected each other and the skills shown. I enjoyed an hour or more playing in the lock up and they told me they also enjoyed our games. I promised to return for another session.

Yesterday Mr Sianga drove me, with Mrs Sianga and someone who is apparently Soloman's uncle, to Pemba, where Jennipher lived. I was hoping to locate Jennipher's children, but firstly wanted to meet Soloman. I first met Soloman in 2006 or 2007. He had come from Zimbabwe to stay with Jennipher and for 15 or 16 years he was tremendous help to her, growing crops, building houses and even looking after the children. I was bit surprised to find that apparently he had close family in Monze, having never seen or heard mention of them before.

We were shown to the house were the funeral took place - which was apparently where Jennipher lived! Soloman wasn't there, but met us in town where we also met a lady who I apparently saw in Jennipher's village on my last visit. After speaking to the lady this made sense, but not a lot else did!!

It cannot be stressed how difficult it is to understand people from an entirely different culture and living a very different life. To my great shame I don't understand Chitonga – the local language. Most people that I talk to can speak some English, some, like Mrs. Sianga, speak and understand English well, but it is not their first language. I wonder how many of us would be confident of conversing in French, Spanish or another language we learnt at school and be sure that we are understanding all the nuances of the conversation?

Yesterday I found myself very confused. I gathered that the children, or at least some of them, were staying with relatives at Jennipher's village. Fortunately I had Mrs Sianga to translate. After seeing Soloman and chatting briefly we agreed to return next Tuesday to meet the children with Soloman at his house. I am hoping that the second visit will put things in place and that I will be able to set up a means of keeping track of the children's progress.

It is only by spending a lot of time with people that get to know and understand them. After regular discussions over 20 years me and Mrs. Sianga are getting to know each other quite well. I know that for twenty years and more her passion has been to help the orphaned children. She has given her time energy and resources to develop a truly exceptional project and a school which produces academic results which far exceed those of the Government schools in the area and also most of the private schools. More than that she has given hopes to hundreds of the most vulnerable children in Monze. Everything Mrs. Sianga has done has been for the benefit of the children, her only gain is the knowledge that children have been able to make something of their lives, instead of suffering on the streets. Talking to the students it is clear that they are very happy to be at school, they are respectful, but don't lack the cheeky grin and impish giggle. They are very comfortable in the school, respect the staff, but have no fear in approaching them. The atmosphere and environment is one that you would hope to find in a very well run school.

I am amazed that so much has been achieved with limited resources. I hope and pray that working closely with Mrs. Sianga we will be able to ensure the vulnerable children of Monze will continue to find a place of safety where they can achieve their dreams and reach the skies. Many of the children hearing that I came to Zambia by plane want to become airline pilots!

Take care! With love and prayers,

Chris.

More Friends

Saturday 27^th June

I tried to contact the man from Zamtel yesterday morning, but as I received no reply I didn't bother to walk the couple of kilometres to check whether blank SIMs had arrived.

Mrs Sianga rang to say she had made an appointment to see some toilets. We took a taxi and picked up Mr Mweemba on the way to what turned out to be the Modern College of Education and Technology – a private teacher training college.

The first thing that hit me was a building with Ablutions written large on the side. We found the manager and he first described the system and then showed us around the toilet block which had flushing toilets and, on the girls side, also a shower.

I am not sure whether this is the most appropriate solution for PIZZ School, though the government seem to be pressing for such toilets. The manager then showed us a room of arts and crafts were some of the students work was displayed – including charts illustrating the alphabet, board dusters and a range of musical instruments. I was offered a drum – a bit too large to contemplate bringing back on the plane – but gratefully accepted a smaller drum.

I returned to PIZZ school where I met Boniface. Boniface was a student at PIZZ School. He didn't go on to do great things academically, but the school gave him the confidence to set out as a musician and he is now sort after to perform at various shows in the area. He appears every bit the musician! He has a great outgoing personality and is obviously a very confident man. He showed me, on his phone, a video that a friend of his had made of him singing one of his songs and I thought it was very good. (The friend seems to specialise in this sort of work). I suggested that maybe we could put a copy on YouTube and he liked the idea. I will try to sort it so that you can view it. Boniface has said that he will get this friend to make a video of the schoolchildren. I understand he has written, or is writing, a song about the school and how it helps people like him. I am hoping that this will help us promote the school. I also hope we can get some publicity for Boniface, who obviously has a talent.

I had offered some computer training – I had thought that it was for teachers doing training within the school. It appears that it has been offered to teachers, some of whom have no previous computing experience. I continued, but had to adapt my approach somewhat!

Deana and Martin were heading for Livingstone today. I had decided that it was time to wander down to the dam to relax a little. On the way I made a short detour to find a cap. I didn't go as far as the lady who promised the Zambia cap, but bought a plain green one. The guy claimed he could get someone to embroider Zambia on it! Maybe that is what the lady had in mind. If I see her and she has my cap I will of course buy that one too! For the time being I will make do with my plain green cap.

On the way to the dam I met a couple of old friends. Mr Lungu I had already seen in Tooters, but the other young man I couldn't place. It is always embarrassing when someone clearly knows me and I cannot recall who they are. Brian is Queen's son! It was probably 2005 or 2006. I was trying to find where St. Veronica's Small Christian Community were meeting and Brian acted as my guide. At that time he had stopped going to school because he couldn't afford the school fees. Some children from Our Lady of the Wayside were being supported, but not Brian. I met him a couple of times that year but I was sorry not to be able to help. He told me today that he is struggling. He has gone to Lusaka looking for work but they want to see certificates that he doesn't have. In Monze there is very little industry and even getting little bits of piecework is difficult. He does what most do – a little buying and selling. He wants to meet to talk more - so we exchanged phone numbers. I will listen to his story, but told him that I didn't want him to raise his hopes, as it was unlikely that I could help. He would like to return to school to finish his education.

On the way to the dam I met Diven briefly. He was going to listen to a preacher who was holding a 'crusade'. He told me there is a bit of a battle between the Seventh Day Adventists and the other Christians who have their services on a Sunday. It is a shame that which day we celebrate the Eucharist can be so divisive. I think we should all respect each other and the religion they practice. What really matters is how we live our lives, not our interpretation of a few words in the bible. I worry about 'crusades' especially when the preachers claim healing powers and very vulnerable people are encouraged to donate very generously!

At the dam I soon began to recognise some of the birds commonly seen there. Cattle Egrets are almost always present. I saw a couple of smaller birds out of the corner of my eye - the behaviour was so characteristic that I knew they were pied kingfishers. I later had a good view of one of these birds perched nearby. They hover above the lake before diving to catch their prey. African Jacana's were plentiful. The distinctive head pattern and trailing legs give them away as they pop out of the reeds briefly before submerging again beneath them. A gun shot rang out and the birds took to the skies, including a flock of African Openbilled Storks. I don't know the purpose of the gunshot there was no obvious target. A Great White Egret eventually returned to the lakeside.

After a few sandwiches Diven and Deliah arrived. My brother in law Roger had taken an interest in some of the tales about Diven, so I suggested that I introduce them to each other, using Skype. It was a successful session where they were able to see and talk to each other and connect in a way not possible at such a distance by other means. Diven suggested that Roger comes to Monze to paint his house. (I must confess encouraging him with this!) I am sure that Roger would enjoy such an experience – maybe one day it will come to pass.

I showed my guests some pictures taken last year when Jennipher was in England.

After tea I spoke to Dilys via Skype and she reminded me of a concert at the church in support of the Parish Projects – including the link with Our Lady of the Wayside, here in Monze. During their interval, I have just talked to some of my friends organising and attending the concertl – though only using the phone.

I never get a chance to get bored here in Zambia,

Best wises,

Chris