Settling back in Monze

Friday 15^th November

Yes it is still Friday and I have 55 minutes before my laptop runs out of power!

The Curia is the offices of the Bishop. A rather impressive complex – perhaps a bit too grand for Monze where many people live in mud brick houses. There is a three bedroomed bungalow at the back of the grounds and that is where I stay. It is comfortable with a large lounge/dining room and all the necessary facilities. It's not 5 star luxury but it has water and even hot water! There is a cooker where 3 out of 4 hot plates work – though getting anything settings other than on or off is a challenge. The oven works as evidenced by the thick clouds of smoke coming out of it earlier. I have a fridge-freezer – new this visit – and the kettle I bought in May was waiting for me when I arrived. Apparently the Guest House is designed for 7 people! There is no evidence of any other guests - in fact only on a couple of nights have I shared the house other than with Ben who was a HATW volunteer who came out with me a few years ago.

I must now pause a while. The electricity is back on!! This morning it came on at 11hrs and lasted till almost 15 hrs. It is now just after 21 30! I need to have a serious tea drinking session to bring my caffeine levels back up!!

When the power goes on everything goes on charge because you can't be sure how long it will last and when it will return. You only realise how comforting electricity can be when you lose it!

So here I manage very well. Water is a major problem here in this area. Wells and small reservoirs have dried up. The Kariba dam hasn't sufficient water to drive the turbines – hence the electricity shortages. The curia, however, has it's own borehole, so, as long as there is enough electricity to pump water into the tanks, we are ok – and you can guarantee that every minute that the electricity is flowing the pump is working!

Those most affected have little direct concern about electricity rationing – they have no power supply to their home, so it has little effect! For them it is water and food that present the problems. In Monze Diven tells me that most taps no longer produce water He is fortunate. For some reason his tap still gives a good supply he tells me that he has people knocking on his door at 5 am and a queue of people wanting water from his tap. They pay him 50 ngwee for 20 litres (about 3p) which is less than he pays the water authority – but he is making friends!!

Perhaps for those new to my blog I should introduce Diven. I met him in 2003 outside the hospital offices with a plaster on his ankle. He told me he had some work as a debt collector and a client objected to his visit and smashed a rock onto his leg. Since that time Diven has had many adventures!! He now has a shop and house on the west side of Monze. He has a wife Delia and two children – Paul and Lwendu. Delia has been ill for two or three years and the doctors cannot identify the cause. She has difficulty walking. I would love to be able to help if it was possible – what joy if one day she could run again. Unfortunately finding the medical expertise necessary is unlikely. A shop owned by people from outside Zambia has opened a few plots from Diven. What was tough previously now seems impossible. Apparently Zambians will always favour a foreign owned shop than one owned by Zambians. I have noticed that locally made drinks etc. are inevitably refused in favour of Coca Cola products – though perhaps that is the same worldwide – unfortunately.

Mealie meal (cornflour) is the staple diet in Zambia, because the crops failed in this part of Zambia the price has rocketed and has now doubled. In the rural areas (villages) the situation is much worse with water supplies dried up and no crops to eat. Farmers try to sell what animals they have to raise money for food – which needs to be fetched from a distant town. A couple of years ago I visited a “village” about 50km from Monze – their nearest town!

Chris

Transit to Another World

Friday 15^th November

The Journey

I have barely been in Monze for 24hrs, yet it seems like forever!

I live in two very different worlds and it is difficult to make sense of the reality. One moment I am in England with temperatures not far from freezing, where maybe we have a short power cut once in ten years, where water always flows from the tap, where goods are delivered to your door by van and where you hardly meet a neighbour. Then the next moment the temperature is in the mid 30 s, where power comes on for a few hours a day, where – unless you are very lucky – clean water is some distance away – and that might be too far, goods are often moved around on wheelbarrows, and everyone is a neighbour and they say hallo. There are many other differences between the two worlds which my brain cannot reconcile. So I jump out of one world and land in the other as you might when coming out of a dream and resuming life where you left it the night before.

My journey to Monze was quite uneventful. I travelled on my coach with an extra carrier bag weighing 3Kg to ensure that my case – restricted to 20Kg on National Express – would have the full 23 Kg for Kenya Airways. With only one case I wasn't going to be short changed! I must have been keen to get to the train connecting to terminal 4 because in my eagerness I managed to be half way through the gate before it fully closed thus wedging my trolley underneath! With the help of some attendants we pulled and pushed, but got nowhere – however before having to dismantle the equipment, another attendant opened the gates from the other side.

I had a plan to prevent the experience of security clearance that I hadon my last visit. The idea was to empty all my pockets into my jacket before getting to security, leaving just my belt to be taken off. Fortunately someone noticed the belt – or even that plan would have failed!! At Nairobi I remembered my belt, but forgot I still had my phone in my pocket. Fortunately it was a simple process to return through the screen and try again.

My plane from Heathrow left at 17.25, we had supper at about 20hrs/21hrs (8pm/9pm), we were woken for breakfast at about 24hrs and landed at just after 2 am (known as 5am in Nairobi!!) Sunrise was about 3 am GMT. As you can imagine trying to cope with anything after this is tricky – a security check where, this time, shoes need to be taken off along with other slight variations in procedure from Heathrow becomes another nightmare. That's my excuse anyway!

So all is going to plan. We leave the gate at Nairobi airport on time, only to find ourselves back there 5 minutes later. The guy next to me said he thought one of the engines cut out! The pilot told us it was a problem with an air conditioning unit (perhaps he didn't want to worry us!). He called for an engineer who came after about 15 minutes. He left quite quickly with a folder and spent the next quarter of an hour turning pages and writing notes. We were told by the pilot that everything had been recorded and we would be on our way. A steward then went up the plane looking concerned and a further few minutes lapsed while people, including the engineer went up and down the plane. Eventually the pilot said all was well. Forms had been filled and the toilet was now also functioning!!

Feeling totally reassured we took off!!

We arrived at Lusaka at just after 10hrs – an hour after schedule, but without further incident. I caught a taxi – you can no longer negotiate rates at Lusaka airport 400 ZMW (approx £25) is the current fare. The driver told me I would be at the bus station by 11.30 well in time for the 12.30 bus. In the event we arrived at 11.45 for the 13hrs bus which left at 14hrs!!

I don't know if it is me or the effect of 24 hrs travelling, but the journey from Lusaka to Monze always seems to take longer each year. A few years back the roads were atrocious for the first half of the journey to Kafue. They spent a year or so creating a new highway, during which things got worse, now this road is good. However there are several sets of speed bumps which cannot be taken at above 5 mph – some lorries perhaps slower. To pay for the road, a toll system has been introduced - where you stop to pay and I;m sure that an extra police checkpoint – where you also invariably need to stop - has also been set up. The result is that this stretch of road is probably slower than any other time in it's history!! The road from Kafue to Mazabuka has got pretty bad of late. So “road improvements” are taking place. The diversion is on the mud at the side of the road – a bit of heavy rain a couple of days ago hasn't helped! However we moved very quickly from Mazabuka to Monze on the “unimproved” road. Despite my misgivings we made the journey of 100 miles in under 4 hours!

At Nairobi airport it was good to see the pied crows abundant here in Monze and some swifts now gone some months from UK soil. The flamboyant trees are certainly living up to their name and there are some fine specimens in Lusaka.

By the time I had reached Monze I had already spoken to Jennipher, Bright rang me and I had arrange a taxi from my friend Obert.

I picked up chicken and chips from the bus station – Tooters Roadhouse – knowing that I was unlikely to find power when I arrived at the Curia. Obert dropped me home at about 18.15 with almost 15 mins of daylight remaining!

Chris

My Second Visit 2019

Sunday 10^th November

On Wednesday I will be travelling once more back to Zambia. Raymond tells me that the mangos are ready – I mentioned in my last blog that I was looking forward to fresh mangoes. Apparently either spelling is acceptable!! In any event I can't wait to taste real mangos again.

Life in Zambia is very complicated – perhaps life itself is very complicated!! The rain is threatening to arrive at about the same time as my visit – some places will probably have had rain today. The situation around Monze is desperate. Everyone tells me that there is a lot of hunger and people are struggling to survive. Yet the mangos are heavenly, the rain will cool the air and bring hope - and through it all there will be smiles and laughter!

At church today I mentioned to a parishioner the difficulties faced by the people in Monze and it seemed too much for them to bear. Yet that isn't the whole story. Through it all there will be signs of hope, there will be real joy and many life giving moments. I hope that I will be able to record in this blog some of the positive aspects of life in Zambia even during this very difficult time for most of the people.

I did ask some of my Zambian friends whether they thought I should come out at this time and everyone said they wanted to see me. I hope that my presence will be positive for the people and for me. Ever since I returned from Zambia at the end of May I have felt drawn back before the end of the year. It seems to be the right thing to do, but I am aware that I need to be guided throughout my visit by a greater power if I am to do the right thing.

Faith is a strange and difficult thing. My relationship with God waxes and wanes – at times we are very close and at other times we hardly recognise each other. He does his best to say hallo and remind me he (or is it she?) is still around. I often recognise my God in the games he plays. When British Airways ran direct flights to Lusaka they had a standard baggage allowance of one 20Kg bag if you travelled economy. Except for me - I was always given as many bags as I needed!! On one occasion I was asked to take 20Kg of tools with me – when I signed into my booking it showed 2 x 20Kg as my allowance. I had made no request. The following year I was surprised to find that I had been given an allowance of 3x20Kg bags – again totally gratuitously. I didn't understand why I would need three bags – I filled two and took an extra collapsible bag with me. When returning I was asked to bring a large number of baskets back and needed all three bags. (I did also return via Barcelona, but that is another story.). I worried that the following year I would be landed with four bags – fortunately I was back to one or two!! This year I have only been allocated one 23Kg bag despite the standard for Kenya Airways always being 2x23Kg in the past! Maybe I will discover a reason by the time I return!!

I think most people are aware of moments when a greater force is at work, for some these moments are momentous. For me they are often little shared jokes or moments of joy which remind me that I am not alone. However, when I am with the people in Monze and with the sick and disabled I am sure that my God is very close.

My visits to Monze are about friends. People ask me what I will do or what I need to take out. I honestly say that I am going out to drink tea and coffee with my friends and talk. I have been privileged to get to know so many people that I can call friends. Jennipher, Diven, Luke and Teddy; Best, Obert, Brian and Raymond; Bright, Fr. Kenan, Sr. Juunza and Mrs. Sianga – and so many more. My friendships have enabled me to make a little difference here and there – a few children educated, a few babies supported until they can eat solids, a clean water supply and a clinic or two with a solar light rather than candles. With the support of other people and organisations PIZZ School and Our Lady of the Wayside have been able to develop. I am very fortunate to be able to have made what I believe to be a positive difference – but this has only been possible because of the friendships I have developed. Invariably the hard work is done by my friends – my input has been small and very easy in comparison.

Please pray for me while I am visiting Monze, I will need all the support I can get. I am sure that the experience will be difficult but also very life giving and enriching.

With my love and prayers,

Chris

Hunger in Monze

Friday 11^th October

During this years visit I was aware that hunger would would become an increasing issue as the year progressed.

The people in Monze are struggling and all my friends give me the same message. There are a lot of people having problems finding enough food. The problem is made worse because water is hard to obtain and electricity is being rationed.

Jennipher has bought maize and mealie meal for her groups – using charities and government schemes.

At Our Lady of the Wayside church there have been changes. Fr. Wilson has been appointed Parish Priest and Fr. Clement has transferred to Mary Queen of Peace, Chirundu which is very close to the border with Zimbabwe.

Both Fr. Wilson and Fr. Clement have written to me asking for help for the people of Our Lady of the Wayside, because many are already suffering from hunger. An appeal at St. Gregory's church has raised about £2,000 in a couple of weeks - this will make a difference. Water is still available at the church and queues of people come from nearby to collect it.

My 16 years visiting Monze gives me a glimpse of the reality of life in Zambia. However I have never had to experience hunger myself and the more time I spend in the Country the more I realise that my understanding is very far from complete. However when I come home it becomes difficult for people to have any understanding of the severe challenges people face and the urgency of the need. Perhaps the fact that I have many friends in Monze makes it more difficult to believe that they can be in danger of dying from hunger.

The Zambian Government are keen to say that they are in control and have not declared an emergency – which would attract additional support. In reality the Government is not supplying enough support to deal with the hunger crisis and people will be dying.

I am currently trying to decide whether to visit Monze in the next few weeks. My visit earlier in the year was not long enough and I want to know how people are coping. The mangoes will also be ripe very soon!!

Please pray for the people of Monze.

Chris

Homeward Bound

Thursday 1^st August 2019

I arrived back from Kabwata Village at lunchtime.

I had arranged to meet Persis the manager of the Hands Around Project in Chisamba – about 50 miles north of Lusaka. We had lunch together and discussed progress with the project and caught up on news.

With help from Persis, I found an Internet cafe and eventually checked in to my homeward flights.

At about 10.30 pm my taxi arrived and took me to the airport. My bags on the return journey were much more manageable. The recent acquisitions probably took the two cases to over 10 Kg each, but left them below 20 Kg and my backpack weighed as much as its contents!! Without laptops etc. life was much easier!

My trip back was straightforward and I arrived on time at Heathrow. I was surprised when the baggage turntable stopped before my goods arrived! I went to the enquiries desk and they assured me that they knew where my cases were – in Amsterdam!! I thanked the lady and headed to the coach station – with almost no luggage!! I had allowed plenty of slack when I booked the coach and had arrived just before the earlier bus was due to leave. The driver was happy to let me on board – so I arrived home nearly two hours earlier than expected! My cases arrived the following day which was fine with me and saved me carrying them!

Chris

Bye Bye Monze - Hallo Lusaka

Saturday 20^th July 2019

How time flies!

In fact my last post was sent from the UK! At the Curia, Access to the internet is successful about 50% of the time – the day before my departure was one of the 50% of days when I had no access. The speed wasn't bad once I connected. Here we expect fast internet (although perhaps not superfast everywhere) all the time.

I called on Ireen to collect my shirts on Monday afternoon, however they weren't quite ready!! She told me she would call at my house at 19 hrs and deliver them! On Tuesday morning she said they were ready for collection, if I called by on the way to the bus.

Obert arrived at 8.30 am as agreed and we called at Ireen's shop. She suggested we took a seat while she just finished sewing the linings!! I had to get yet more cash from the ATM and arranged to meet Diven at Roadhouse where I would pick up the big bus (coach). At least Diven was already there – or so he said!! When I returned to Ireen and Obert my shirts were nearly ready! After a few more minutes she asked me if it was ok, if I put the buttons on myself! Oh! and was I also ok with making the button holes!! I will eventually get my shirts finished, though as of today I am still waiting!!

I said goodbye to Ireen and Obert took me to Tooters Roadhouse. The big bus we had seen pass us a few minutes earlier was ready to leave, so I quickly bought tickets, then looked for Diven! I rang him and he said he was in a taxi and was almost there!! I could wait no longer and entered the bus with Diven closing in – but not quite fast enough!! I then realised that I last saw my luggage in the boot of Obert's car!! However, I wasn't too concerned because in practice things like sorting out luggage usually works in Zambia.

The morning had been a good example of life in Zambia. Time is something that is expected to stretch and where you are at any point in time is also quite flexible. Then every so often people and events obey very strict timescales. The difficulty is understanding when now means sometime in the future and when it means now or even sometime in the past!!

I didn't expected to leave Monze before 10 or 11hrs, but left at 9 hrs and was at my hotel in Lusaka before 14hrs. This meant that I could relax and wind down for the rest of the day.

Later in the day I was surprised to see monkeys in the car park of the hotel!! Apparently they came from State House (the President's residence) which was nearby! I sometimes come across a monkey or two, but I didn't expect to see them in the centre of Lusaka!

A few years back I found Kabwata Cultural Village and decided to make another visit this year. I found my way with a little direction – I suppose it was a 40 minute walk from the hotel. This 'village' is actually a large group of huts where local artists sell their goods. If you want something handmade locally by craftsmen, this is a good place to visit. Unfortunately the marketing doesn't seem to be very good and customers are few. Nothing is priced, so be prepared to barter!!

Previously I had resisted buying at the first hut, but on this occasion I decided there was something I wanted and succumbed! However, I was still determined to get to the final huts, because they get even less custom than the others. I made another visit to an ATM on the way to ensure I had plenty of money to buy goods and still have enough for taxi fares, meals etc. However, I hadn't reached the final huts before I started spending my taxi fare!! I did reach the end, but had severely gone over budget. On the way out I continued to be accosted by people who hadn't received my custom! Gradually the money for meals etc. also vanished, until I only had a few small notes left. Before I left Kabwata Village every coin in my pocket had also gone and attempts were made to barter for my phone and sandals!! I did draw a line at this!!

So I left the village with a backpack full of goods – oh and also a locally made bag which was also full - I was persuaded to buy the bag to allow me to continue buying other objects!! I was now relying on finding an ATM which would give me more money to enable me to eat and get to the airport!! I had literally no cash at all and was in trouble if the ATM failed!

I will take a break now and try to complete the story of the trip soon.

Chris

Preparing for departure

Monday 27^th May

Tomorrow morning I will leave Monze and – internet willing – this will be my last post from Zambia this year.

I will travel to Lusaka and stay overnight in a hotel. My flight isn't until 02.10 on Thursday morning and it would be possible to travel to Lusaka on Wednesday. Bus times here are not predictable! You need to allow at least 3 hours just to cope with buses arriving late or coming across hold-ups. From Monze you can only book on the day, so you might have to add another hour or two if the first bus is full. Lets just say it is safer and less stressful to travel the day before!!

However, even if transport could be relied upon I would still choose to spend a day in Lusaka before returning to the UK. As I am sure I have mentioned in previous years, it is a huge culture shock returning to the UK. It is not so much the different environment, it is that people who have not been here and spent time with the people will not understand the situation I try to describe - we live in such different worlds and it's so complicated!! Someone with a smartphone might not know where the next meal is coming from or be able to afford school shoes! Poverty and hunger isn't something that is easy to spot!!

I need a day to prepare me for returning to a world in which I don't fully belong, because we speak different languages. I only touch the surface of the reality of life here. I never go hungry and usually have most of the facilities we in the UK consider essential. In Lusaka I will wander through some of the better areas and see how wonderful life is for some in Zambia. It provides a bit of a bridge and a time to reflect on the past three weeks or so.

Greetings and farewells are very important in Zambia. We were welcoming a new sister to Our Lady of the Wayside – an Indian nun who has already spent some time in the Country. As well as a formal welcome the service was enhanced here and there! At the offertory procession there was a chicken trying to escape from a basket and ladies dancing up the aisle with various goods on their heads – including one lady with a full crate of Coca Cola. I was given a rousing farewell from St. Veronica's and they insist on sending me back with a present for my wife, which will represent a significant cost for them – more than the 20 kwacha (£1.30) they couldn't find between them last week! However in Zambia it would be wrong not to mark such occasions properly.

Yesterday after my day of “prayer” at church and with St. Veronica's Small Christian Community I had a final session of pool to finish my visit properly. Fr. Clement and a young man from the church were my challengers for the evening. It turned out triumphant for me and I finished the evening undefeated! A feat I remember at another final session in 2006 which took place the day after the EU Referendum vote. I'll admit I needed something on which to focus my anger – there was no way I was going to be defeated that night!! Last night I hadn't such anger, but was a bit distracted because my back has been giving me pain for the past few days.

I arrived back home just after midnight!

I will let you know about any adventures on the journey back home and some more reflections on my visit when I return to the UK and find another laptop!

Best wishes,

Chris

P.S. Internet  did not permit!! Hence I am posting this from home!