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We thought you might like to see what our house is like:

 

bedroom

 

frontroom

 

frontroom looking out from setee

 

kitchen

 

the rest of the kitchen

 

toilet/shower room

We’re getting used to cold showers.  Actually it’s tepid rather than cold, but as the winter comes and the weather cools down, the water will be cold.  I’m not sure how we’ll cope with that!

More Creatures

More creatures for those of you who like them...

Teaching in the market

We are teaching English regularly.  At the moment we have 4 distinct classes:

Every weekday morning we are teaching 2 boys to read, every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon we teach a group of ladies from the church, and every Saturday we teach a couple at their home.  So far I haven’t been organised enough to take photos of these, but I will post them shortly.

Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon we go to the market and teach a group of ladies who sell fish.  This ranges from teaching one who a few weeks ago had NO English at all, to helping others ranging up to quite competent, to read.  It’s great fun.

 Teaching at the fish stall:

Water

On a rest day this week we went for a long walk

 

Found water

 

And rested in the shade.

 

The profile of the school is now complete and Amos and the pastor have presented copies to the Department of Education Board and the Provincial Education Secretary.  They have also had a meeting with the PWC Education Secretary, Mr Haadinke.

School in Crisis

We want to tell you about the school.

This is the whole school, having just sung the national anthem, before going into class.

As many of you know the school that is attached to the church where we are worshipping here in Choma (Pilgrim Wesleyan Church, Mochipapa Road) grew from very small beginnings in 2007, adding a grade each year.  There are now 7 grades (equivalent to a British primary school) and just over 300 children, and in 2014 the first batch of grade 7 children went up to grade 8 in other schools.  Of 30 grade 7 children, 28 passed and were able to go up to grade 8.  This is an excellent achievement.

However, the school is fully funded by the fees (which are necessarily low, most of the children coming from very vulnerable families), the church, and donations (mostly from overseas).  For the past 18 months or so, the process of applying to the government for the school to be “grant aided”, so that the government funds half of the cost of the school, has been going on.  This has been a succession of applications, meetings and set-backs, not helped by the recent change of government.  Each time government officials have been met, new requirements and strategies are put forward.  As part of this process we are now compiling a profile of the school, teachers, pupils, buildings etc.

Grade 7

Pre-grades

 

Unfortunately, in the mean-time, while the church and school wait for the process to be completed, for the church’s governing body to be more proactive, for the wheels of government to turn, the funding situation is such that the teachers have now not been paid for almost 3 months.

If any of you want to help with the immediate problem of paying the teachers, please contact the office at St Michael’s in Aberystwyth.  Pauline will be able to coordinate any donations.

Thank you

As well as the profile mentioned above, our involvement in the school so far has been to teach 2 grade 7 pupils to read.  These 2 are young men in their early 20s whose education was interrupted for various reasons and are now making a huge effort to continue.  It is a credit to them that they are willing to join a primary school and sit with children of 9 and 10 in order to learn, and to the school, who are willing to accommodate them.

This afternoon we will be helping to mend some benches, with the grade 7 pupils, for the baby class.

House Guests

These are some of the creatures who have visited us:

This moth thinks it's a leave

This is a dormouse of some kind, living in our roof space

An enormous stick insect

 

As well as these, we have also been visited by people:

Children on their way home from school, some for cups of tea and a chat and one to improve her English and learn to crochet.

An elderly lady who walks past every day on the way to and from her field.  She has stopped for a cup of tea and a lot of smiling while we try and improve our chitonga until we can hold a conversation.

A group of ladies for English lessons.

An HIV/AIDS support group for a place to meet, discuss, plan and laugh.  And eat Welsh cakes.

Home for 6 months

Our little corner of Zambia for the next 6 months

Well, we have arrived. A little late due to the bus from Birmingham to the airport being a lot late. But we are here. Our enforced 24hrs in Heathrow was in fact very relaxing and meant we actually spent time together rather than busy busy getting to Zambia.

It is paradise here, but at the same time is horrendously hard. Situations, problems and issues seem to be relentless as they impact on our friends around us. A young boy we know did well in his grade 7 school exams and now is going to secondary school. But he has to leave at 05.00 to get to school because it starts early and is a long way to travel. Even the weather can be idyllic and harsh almost simultaneously, beautiful blue skies but the sun is harsh to the skin and eyes.

With our involvement with people, the church and the school we can see tremendous good and grinding difficulties. We thank God for the good and ask him to give us wisdom to deal with the bad. And rejoice always.

It really knows how to rain here!