Secondary School in Kamanzi

I got a brief and impromptu tour of the only secondary school in Kamanzi, just a short walk from the main church. It is was built within the last decade and currently has 180 learners from grades 9-12 (or Forms 1 through 4). From what I could understand, there are 12 teachers to cover the 9 subjects for the four grades. Considering the classes have between 35-50 students, it's still a ton of work to prep and mark for the 4 courses being taught.

I was particularly impressed with a grade 11 learner who was helping out some classmates during a break. He was completing the square to solve a quadratic equation. There were maps and information tables covering walls and black boards in all 4 classrooms.

40 female learners board at the school too so they don't have to travel home every night. In fact they only return home during term breaks.

Textbooks are a real issue. Each course has only 1 or 2 textbooks to share between the teacher and the few dozen students. You can imagine the condition of theses textbooks too.

Ken and I got to explain a bit about wheat to a senior geography class as they study the great plains of Canada and the main crops. They had never even seen a picture of a head of wheat. It was fun explaining the size of a harvester to them. And check it out - they even have chinook (the snow melter wind) on their great winds map.

Last Day in Kamanzi - Notes from Wendy

Today was our last day in the village in Kamanzi. The leave taking involved a great deal of protocol.  Many gifts - roosters, sweet potatoes, beans, sugar cane and four fresh eggs from the chief.  Zaak and Ken were given colourful T-shirts; Heather and I were presented with beautiful chitenje cloth; and the Committee presented each of us with a china teacup and saucer!  Speeches, of course, and many thank you's and prayer.  They have all been so generous of spirit, friendship, time and patience for the mzungu who botch their language and customs! 

So, one more day of meetings and the long journey home and we will be plunked back down into our Calgary lives.  We have been joking about how that's going to feel after being waited on hand and foot and greeted with singing and dancing most every day!  We have also been serious in our discussions of what we've experienced; what we want to do going forward; and what we want to include in the projects Ubuntu will support.  There is still great need but how do we adjust our North American perspective to fit an African/Malawian perspective?  I could run off in all directions thinking of things that I think would be just the thing they need but discover that their wish for today is something I think of as simple and common place.

Must cut this short - sleep is beckoning.  Our friends here say, "mwiende bwino", have a good journey, even if you're only going to the corner store!

Looking forward to seeing everyone soon.  God with us,  Wendy

Our Impact - Notes from Ken

We have been travelling back and forth to Kamanzi almost every day since we arrived in Malawi.   Our primary driver has been Weston whose 'real' job is as Accountant for Nkoma Relief and Development.  He deserves special recognition for the significant extra work he has put in which also includes acting as our translator for most of the functions and correcting and enhancing the little Chichewa we have picked up.  This means he has been driving at least 3 hours every day and sometimes twice that amount of time if there is an unexpected trip as when Jane had a bout of Malaria.  She tried to continue working after some medication and came out to the village(s) for a workshop but could not continue so Weston had another 3 hour drive to take Jane back to Llongwe to the hospital then return to take us home.   Below is a picture of Weston in his office in Nkoma.  Like many Canadians, he lives in Llongwe and commutes to Nkoma to work which is about 1 hour away.  Nkoma is a more mountainous area with trees that give the area a feel like Banff.  A large part of our purpose was relationships and it has been a tremendous joy to meet the support staff like Weston who are so dedicated and caring.  Thanks Weston. 

Everyone is happy that we have come, but we definitely have an impact.  We are treated like royalty and a large part of that is having a number of meals with the villagers which means a lot of cooking by the ladies in preparation.  We have not been able to stick to schedules very well (which is not always our fault) so often we have kept the people waiting sometimes for a half day or more but the villagers are so very patient and kind.   

Finally, I had the opportunity to ride in the back of the pickup that we have spent most of the time travelling in.  It is not because we were getting tired of the close and constant interaction and contact between the 4 members of New Hope, although I am questioning why I got relegated to the back.  I am thankful for the opportunity, fellow team members, to meditate on the magnificent African landscape and reflect on the meditations Heather has has been leading on the need for Solitude to achieve personal growth.  Often we pick up some villagers on the way so the back is packed with people.  The women seem to manage to get the best position which is just behind the cab so gradually I get squeezed to the very back where I was hanging on for life as we bounced over the rutted roads.  One of the men lost his sandal as the truck took an unexpected bounce and one of the village children retrieved it and ran down the truck to return it.  We also bounced one of the ladies right off the back but we generally are moving so slow because of road conditions that no one was hurt.  Thankfully I was in the cab the one time we saw a Mamba (snake) on the road as we were travelling after dark.

A Sleepover in Kamanzi

When New Hopers hosted Jane, Christina, and Bornface in our homes in Calgary, we were invited to spend some nights in their homes when we returned to Malawi. Three committee members made good on their offer on Saturday night.

Christina hosted Heather and Wendy in her home. The language barrier proved challenging, but they sang and danced until dark (they started at dusk).

Ken stayed at Benson's home and was the last to be dropped off. We had gotten a late getaway from Lilongwe that afternoon and unfortunately arrived in the village quite late. Ken was greeted with flashlights and settled in after a meal and some visitors. Benson and several of his friends speak English moderately well, so they were able to enjoy some conversation.

I (Zaak) was hosted by my friend Bornface (pronounced Boniface), the chair of the committee. Anticipating that Jeff was going to be on the team, he had remodelled his home by adding a guest room, complete with new window, door, and best of all a bed with a mattress (everyone else in the family sleeps on a mat on the floor). Of course Jeff did not visit Malawi this year, so I was able to enjoy his careful and very large generosity.

Upon arrival, I was presented with the use of an LED flashlight, showed my room where I deposited my things, the ecosan latrine, and the bathing area. I was given use of flip flops and handed washing gear so I could bath before supper.

I was joined at the supper table by the whole family: Bornface, his wife Salina, daughters Sinai and Besita, sons Brenard, Lordwell and Marco. The table was lit by two battery powered LED lights apart from which we would have been eating in complete darkness. Everyone carried dishes of nsima, rice, chicken, greens and just for me - a loaf of bread and a little tub of butter to the table. Sinai said grace in impeccable English and we enjoyed a supper together which will forever be etched in my mind as one of the kindest and beautiful gestures I have experienced.

Traditionally, Malawians do not eat with their guests, at least not the women and children. Bornface really liked how we all ate together in Calgary, and so he decided to risk breaking tradition when he hosted me. I also learned that his three sons have learned to cook - another parting with the old ways.

The children went to their lodging (boys and a coupled male cousins in one room in a separate building) and Sinai and Besita in the other. Salina, who has an infectious smile, and Bornface chatted with me until about 10 pm - I'm guessing that is quite late. I retired beneath a carefully prepared mosquito net where I added a few thoughts to the sermon I preached the next morning. 

With the exception of a bit of dog barking/howling, I slept very well until dawn (5:30). I think I beat Bornface up, but not by much. Besita was already cooking breakfast and Sinai was washing up the pile of dishes from the night before. Bathing water was again prepared for me (a big tub of very warm water) and so I obligingly bathed again.

Strong tea and more bread and butter were served at around 6:30. Loda, another committee member, joined us and we visited some. Bornface then took me on a tour of his village which is populated by his parents, his many brothers and sisters and their families. Everyone was up and about and working. This is some of what I saw.

(Bornface and his parents)

We got back to his home and another meal was waiting for us to eat at 8 am: tasty rice and chicken. I was whisked away too soon by our driver along with Bornface and Salina and we went to church.

I am so humbled by their example of hospitality.

A Brief Tour of Nkhoma

New Hope Church has been working with World Renew who has been working with Nkhoma Relief and Development (NRD) who has been working in the communities of Kamanzi. NRD is a development branch of one of the Synods of the Presbyterian Church in Malawi (CCAP), the headquarters of which are in, you guessed it, Nkhoma, Malawi.

Since some of the NRD workers had to pick up a few things in back at their office, we joined them to see where all the magic happens on Saturday. One of our drivers has been Weston, the new NRD treasurer. Jane, who New Hope met a year and a half ago works out of the office and her boss, John, was there too.

The offices are just down the road from where the CCAP has a beautiful church, a seminary (where Jane's late husband taught), and basically synod headquarters.

 (Jane's brother authored this children's book "The Young Antelope's Party)

Perhaps the most surprising part of our trip to Nkhoma was the presence of mountains - they are some and they are quite beautiful. And green.

Jane gave us the tour of the local market where we all bought swathes of cloth and where Ken and Zaak at doughnuts.

(see the goats tied to the back of this bike, man they were loud!)

Jane then treated us to some refreshments at her home just across the street from the NRD offices and the market.

Two Days of CCMP

Our group interfaces with the villages of Kamanzi largely through the Nkhoma Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Malawi / Zambia / Mozambique (CCAP). One of the great initiatives that is taking root is a program called the Church and Community Mobilization Process (CCMP). This program helps communities identify areas where transformation needs to happen and then walks them through a very clear process with measurable goals and plans. What is beautiful about this process is how it focuses the church on its purpose as being the Body of Christ within the community through clear biblical study.

As a part of our trip, we facilitated and provided food for a 2 day Bible study in Kamanzi with about 250 participants in all. Remarkably, all of the village chiefs attended and stayed for the 4 hour workshop/studies (even on Thursday when we got started 2 hours late). Two church elders, Lucas and Charles, from another community came to lead the studies. Our small team heard the remarkable testimonies of how these Bible studies have already begun to mobilize their local church and community.

The study on Thursday came from Genesis 2-3 where the participants broke off into groups of about 10 and answered questions about how the Fall is expressed in their community and how their churches and community are responding towards making right what is wrong. 

On Friday the scripture they studied was Isaiah 65:17-25 where they learned of the vision of the new earth and discussed what their community and churches could do to move in that direction. The priority they set was to care for their orphans (many of whom are the results of parents dying of AIDS).

This process will likely continue over many months and should help the church realize its purpose within the community, that is a source of renewal and resurrection.

On Wednesday of next week we will be joining with one of the small villages to do some Rapid Participatory Rural Appraisal to identify areas where we can focus sustainable development.