February 2014
The seasonal rains started late but they have been bucketing down with vengeance ever since. As I write, I can hear pounding on the roof and a steady gush of water past our house. The surrounds are lush; our tomatoes are thriving but it makes it hard to get things dry and everything feels damp. Before the rains arrived the water situation on campus became precarious as the M.E.F. reservoir virtually dried up for the first time in 8 years. Through careful management the M.E.F. workers kept the water flowing until fresh supplies began to run in. Our household water became a deep brown colour as it flowed sluggishly from the tap.
In the few months since we returned to college much has happened. The facilities are sparkling thanks to the hard working new cleaners. Since Rev. Sikazwe has been promoted to become synod communications officer, I have been reappointed to the task of supervising the library. The Sikazwes, who were good neighbours to us, have now moved to join Dennis in Lusaka and we miss them. My colleague, Rev. Sinyama, and his family are now our immediate neighbours.
As part of its evolution into a university, the college has big plans for the library and computing. I am overseeing it. I’m delighted that we have been able to employ a professional librarian one day a week, while we are in the process of recruiting a full time one, and the library has been greatly uplifted as a result. Various other initiatives are gaining momentum as new management and resource allocation takes hold.
Since the second week in January, Wendy was invited to teach the academic English programme. Academic English is vital because it teaches the skills that are foundational to the rest of their studies. I have noticed how the students have become more quickly interactive and questioning than they usually are by this point in their studies. She is enjoying the challenge very much, and is pleased to be involved with the students and staff.
It is exciting to see the size of the student body, which is over sixty students in all. Lessons are progressing smoothly but the students have reached the point in semester when the heavy study load and tiredness is affecting them. The twenty two first year students are struggling to maintain their equilibrium as they try to complete their assignments and continue their reading and field work amid the vagaries of Kitwe’s electricity supply. Several of our higher level students are facing difficulties of a financial kind as their personal reserves are finished and their sponsorship bases have dried up. Some wellwishers find it hard to maintain their initial eagerness and generosity throughout the three or more years of a minister’s training.
Another change for us has been the departure of three of the children for boarding school. The house is strangely quiet. Julu was looking lean and muscular after just four weeks of physically active school life. He has thrown himself into life at Chengelo with enthusiasm and is enjoying it mightily. To date he has been getting excellent results but has found the heavy schedule demanding. The other morning he fell asleep during a pre9:00 am study session and nearly missed his next class! He has registered to undertake the Duke of Edinburgh Gold award. He would Tbe doing most of the weekly activities that this entails so he decided to add a few more and get recognition for his achievements.
Tsunami and Taliesin are coping fairly well at school.
We admire Taliesin who was not keen on the idea of going to school but has manfully applied himself to it. Come early Monday morning, he begins to show his reluctance but during the week he usually sounds quite cheerful when we phone them up. Within the first few weeks some of Tsunami’s talents were identified and utilised. She was given six basic piano students to teach and was enlisted to write two skits for the first school family service. The skits were one of the highlights of the service.
They are getting plenty of exercise with cross country, swimming etc.. Like Julu’s school, Amano has a gruelling schedule. By the weekend they are pretty tired. Taliesin has been enjoying the sciences, maths and scripture lessons. Talitha likes many of her subjects except maths (formal), music and social studies. Taliesin had to catch up with his classmates in French who started their studies last year; he’s coping well.
Earlier this month we made a two day trip to Lusaka to collect our employment visas and see a specialist about Kathleen’s medication. She had a whale of a time on her birthday on Saturday 22/2. She was so excited to see Julu home. We ordered a DVD of the musical Oliver! and she was disappointed it hadn’t arrived on time. It has arrived now and she is delighted.
She had great fun making a story photo booklet with Wendy, narrating an adventure of her dollies; Taliesin made another for her birthday. She is benefiting from the extra input of being the only child in the home classroom. Caroline’s first orphan, who has just completed secondary school, has also been playing with her. We will explore this idea further to see if Mutinta can be developed as an educational assistant for Kathleen.
At our community church in the Anglican chapel, we were sorry to say farewell to the Mensas from Ghana after a precious couple of years appreciating their presence and spirit while they directed MEF. The church takes a part amongst the eager supporters of our friend Caroline’s work with orphans. To the family’s credit, all 19 of the orphans passed their school grades for 2013. Thanks to support, all their fees were covered for last year. Julu and I visited them in January to meet them all and take some photographs. They hope to soon purchase a plot of land, to begin building a house in order to provide sufficient space to cover the requirements of registration.
Members from the Albino Foundation have been requested to send representatives to many different official events which is great to raise awareness, to educate and to be accepted as a visible part of community. Literature sent from the West Australian Cancer Council has helped to increase self care and some of the members have been to skin clinics for check ups. At the end of last year, board representatives went to the AGM of the umbrella organisation in Lusaka to exchange news and ideas. The newly elected local board are planning to visit new communities with starter packs of sunglasses, long sleeve shirts, hats and sunscreen. An added benefit of the organisation is that the members become a kind of family support. Some albinos have wonderful, supportive families. Others face ridicule and rejection all their lives.