My first 7.30am class today!!! Sat in on the Project Management class for the two deaconesses who are training here just now. Found it really fascinating to see how they understood and approached this. They clearly have a wealth of knowledge relating to things they have already been involved with at their home congregations. I was struck about how very practical some of the projects were – real skills being taught and encouraged in an attempt to give people options and a way to begin to lift themselves out of poverty. Practical theology in abundance!!
Supermarket next and after feeling that spending about £40 on food and household basics on Tuesday when I arrived was ok, I did this trip with a heavier heart. Over the last couple of days I’ve been chatting lots to Jenny about the work she is doing with her women’s groups. Some of the women have perhaps six or seven dependent children (sometimes more) and they have to survive on five or six dollars per week. I find that really difficult to square with my bill for ‘essentials’. This time was more just about getting a better feel for what was available, but even so, as I walked around the supermarket I could not help but think of the women who would never see what was on its shelves, let alone purchase anything from there.
The supermarket run is something Jenny does weekly, and Wendy and Adrian (the Chaplain at Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation) usually take the opportunity to hitch a lift into town to do their shopping too. I had the pleasure of joining Wendy in the back of the open top pick-up!!! Jenny had been transporting chickens the day before and had given the back a quick brush out, so now it was our turn in the back. Th back of a pick-up truck is surprisingly ok, and I got a great view for taking some pics!! But again, me clambering in and out the back of a pick-up must have been a pretty amusing sight.
And so to my next travel experience – getting the bus into town to meet my supervising minister. And what an experience!! Small minibus reusing to move until all sardines are aboard then breakneck speed along what I’m sure I was told is the only stretch of dual carriageway in Zambia!!!! The lack of tarmac along vast sections of it might give lie to this though. But didn’t the driver do well to avoid the dirt sections, the pedestrians, and the massive lorries?
After arriving – shuggled about but not shaken!! – I composed myself for my 2.30pm meeting with Rev Chipasha Musaba. By the time he arrived (Zambian time!) I’d arrived promptly, had a tour round the church building, chatted with one of the elders and enjoyed a cup of tea. Rev Musaba was very happy that I will be doing my placement with St Margaret’s. Things felt really positive as we chatted about what I will be doing and it was really encouraging that he kept referring to us ‘working together’. I’ve got a good feeling about this placement even though I gulped when he spoke about congregation and Sunday services. Three services every Sunday morning…with nearly two thousand people attending!!! I can’t even begin to imagine what it will be like preaching to such a huge number of people. Oh, Lord……..
And another thing…wonder if there’s the same set up for the obligatory handshaking at the door…….Think I’ll pack a play piece!!!
Rounded off the evening with a games night at the Lunds home complete with tea, homemade lemonade, raisin buns, and popcorn. I won the ‘make a drawing out of a few squiggles’ competition, and we enjoyed a game of ‘Quiddler’ before I headed home to bed in preparation for taking part in the 10K sponsored walk to raise funds for new toilets and kitchen at St Margaret’s. No point being here if I’m not going to get stuck in……
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