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Published: July 21st 2008
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Well, it's been about 3 weeks since my last blog, and am now back home so everything from here on in has been loaded up on return and as I get to write it up.
I had one more field trip while in Chipata; a trip to see the chief of an area in which Caritas is helping. No photos, but was rather odd- we were the ones helping him (with money from our donors) but it was us kneeling, clapping at him and saying his praises.
A bit of an eye-opener on the way back. Am used to seeing young girls with young babies on their backs- families are large and may either include nephews and nieces when parents die and/or may be led by the oldest child when families are orphaned, and I had assumed that girls were looking after their youngest siblings. However, in some areas, these young girls are more than likely to be the babies' mothers- 10 year olds may frequently be taken out of school to be married (the boys may be 17 or 18 at their first marriage- further wives may be added later). The dowry goes to the bride's family and,
however little it may be, can be sufficient for the marriage to take place asap. These will be 'African' marriages, rather than through the Church, and the Catholic church is working to discourage such early marriages.
My very last week of work was quiet as most of my colleagues were off on an 'exposure visit' to Malawi to see what could be learned from ongoing programmes there (for Food Security purposes at least, the climate and terrain are fairly similar). My last day was therefore fairly anticlimatic; I bought 2 cakes with 'Zikomo Thank You' iced on (one for work and one for the Sisters). Work preferred to hold cutting theirs over to the following week (see below) and some of the Sisters were ill and some not back until late so there weren't many around that evening. Even so, those of us who were there, enjoyed the cake as we watched the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday celebrations from London. The Sisters knew some of the songs the Soweto Gospel Choir were singing and, just before Mandela came on, they raced the very English audience to hold hands and shout something like 'It's up to us' (i.e. taking over
the task of tackling AIDS and otherwise sorting out Africa). 😊
On Saturday morning Amanda came to pick me up, with Sister Malisella gamely waving me goodbye. I spent the next few days 'gallivanting', as the Sisters put it, tootling up and down Chipata and ploughing my way through Amanda's bookshelves. I obviously missed the convent as I also immediately came down with a rotten cold (but not worse). Have also attached a photo of Ibrahim, Amanda's security guard, who keeps awake at night so we can sleep safely. I promised him that his photo would be seen in London, and I am sure it will be!
Saturday afternoon we finally made it to visit Simonetta (see previous blog 'A Hill and a Lake') at her house looking out over the hills. There's quite a small community of expat families, several Italian, who have made Chipata their home. We sat drinking tea and eating homemade cake as numerous children tore round the house with 'play' swords- was knackering just watching them.
Wednesday lunchtime I went back up to the Sisters to say goodbye and to catch up on the latest in Mis 3 Hermanas, but again it
wasn't a proper goodbye as I heard everyone had been invited to my 'farewell meal' that evening to which I had also just reveived an invite.
My farewell meal was wonderful. Work had commandeered the large priests' house up at the Diocese, so along with my work colleagues there were a number of residents, many of whose faces I recognised from popping in at work. Beatrice and Treasar (previous photos!) had spent time with the priests' cooks to produce a fine Zambian meal, including alcohol, for about thirty people.
It being Zambia, there was a full programme announced by Mr Zulu starting with a prayer, and then welcoming remarks by Father Richard before we led everyone in to supper. After food there was dancing (with plenty of Bobojani by Petersen, my favourite Zambian artist and who is from this area!). Then the cake I had bought for work was processed in and we danced around it I was given presents by both the Sisters and work and then I cut the cake with Sister Malisella and Mr Banda. After cake distribution, speeches were announced, starting with me (different order than would have been in England), then Father Richard,
then the Treasurer General, who did astoundingly well given he'd only met me once to help with my visa issues. The evening ended with a prayer by the Vicar-General.
I finally left Chipata at 5.45am the next morning- very early for me (though not for Sister Astrida of course who was coming with us), but Fr Richard still came out to see us off.. We took a number of other people and 'stuff', including some pictures which we dropped off at the convent in Petauke.
So, bye-bye Chipata- the next part of my travel was to be very different in the capital city and the tourist area of Livingstone.
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