The Easter Sunrise service in Macha is much different than we have previously experienced.
At about 5:00 some of the ladies from the BIC Church start walking down the streets of Macha singing "resurrection songs" in Tonga. They are all covered in "white sheets" to simulate the women going to the "burial tomb of Jesus". As they walk along singing, others join them and all take the long walk toward the BIC Church. Before reaching the Church, the group stops and spends the remaining time before "sunrise" singing and reading Scripture aloud.
After the short service is over, everyone walks back down the long road into the "rising Son".
The reason the web-page is behind on updates is because we have had only intermitent internet service for the past few weeks.
We plan to bring the updates current over the next number of days. Sorry!!!
During the break between 1st and 2nd terms, we had some welcome visitors from the "south". Actually they originate from the "north", but are teaching at TDS in Botswana, which is south of Zambia.
Grace, Rosie and Lydiah (all from Kenya) came to visit us in Macha. Their arrival was a very welcome event. Mid Sakala and Ronda rode into Choma with Mid's husband, Ben, riding in Sakala's truck. After doing some shopping, they waited for the bus from Botswana bringing the three ladies. After a quick transfer from the "big bus" to the "Macha Express", they all bounced their way, for 2+ hours, to Macha on the "Choma-Macha Expressway" (all 70 km. of it).
After a night of rest, a tour of MICS was in order, followed by a bun and Coke at the VCC cafe. We all also had the "Macha Tour" in the back of Sakala's truck, including the ABFA airstrip, the area being cleared by hand for Flying Mission's hanger and refueling, and the area where the new school is under construction. Grace tried her hand at breaking rocks for making the concrete for the foundation and everyone studied the plans of that the "host house" will look like.
We were sorry to see them leave, but they did go to Victoria Falls on their way back to Botswana.
P.S. Their trip from Kasane was made more exciting when the bus left them behind at a "Hoof & Mouth Control Barrier".
On the Saturday before Easter, we attended the Wedding/Reception of the daughter of the lady that cooks for us. Zambian weddings are different than weddings in Botswana, as we are learning. Instead of what we would anticipate as a church wedding followed by a "meal reception", the wedding this time must have taken place at the Magistrate's office or some official location. The proceedure was for the Bride and Groom to enter the hall separately, being led by the wedding party. During the entry and while seated at the wedding table, the Bride looks at the floor and does not smile. She is to act "sad" (not smiling) because of leaving her own family and and not look at anyone in attendance because "eye contact" might indicate that she was flirting with someone.
After the Bride and Groom were seated, the "wedding party" again entered, dancing into the hall, while guests remained seated facing a center aisle, down which all had entered. Each country and tribe has their own special customs. This wedding was an inter-tribal wedding with the Bride being a "Tonga" and the Groom being a "Bemba". This was cause for gentle "barbs" about each tribe being voiced by the "master of ceremonies".
Mid-afternoon Sunday, the container shipped from the Netherlands arrived in Macha. This was a much anticipated event as it was supposed to arrive on Monday 3 April, but because of paperwork mixups it ended up going to Lusaka and back rather than directly to Macha on the route north. But it did arrive!!
The truck carrying the container went to vanStam's house first and it was determined that no one including the driver had a key to open the locks on the doors. Hardened shaft locks are hard to cut with just a hacksaw. Fortunately, Lee (Canadian volunteer) had a grinder with a carbide blade that worked "GREAT".
The truck and its following headed out to ABFA for the "grand opening". Once at the airport, the container needed to be turned around and reloaded on the truck, so that it could be properly placed on its slab. This container will become the office building for the airport.
Positioning of the "big box" took some maneuvering but it was finally settled on the slab.
Prior to the actual opening of the doors, the group gathered for prayer to thank the Lord for the people that did all the donating, collecting and packing of the container in Holland and also for those that would unload it here. Guidance in handling of the dispersal of the contents was requested.
Once the doors were swung open, it was amaizing how every nook and cranny had been carefully filled with "goodies". You can see from the picture that the computer supplies, which are needed immediately, were the first things accessible.
After having been surprised by the students at MICS with a cake, balloons and cards followed by the MICS picnic, Ronda thought she was going to the VCC Cafe for an evening meal. However, instead, some friends had gathered at our Canadian friends house for another surprise party.
Ruth had prepared a delicious meal and cake for the group. Ronda's cake had a large fresh flower on top of the frosting as added decoration. Ruth is a great one for always carrying a scissors with her and cutting all sorts of wild flowers and weeds to make beautiful decorations.
For desert we had the cake and watermelon.
Friday 7 April was the last day of the term for MICS students. They had been working hard to receive points for following directions and doing their work and as a reward they all went on a picnic.
Everyone came to the Macha B&B from school after having surprised Ronda with a birthday cake and cards.
The picnic supplies were loaded in our wheelbarrow and off we headed to a "secret picnic spot". This spot is where there are a few trees and grass at the "exit ramp from the freeway" to the BIC Church and Mission Basic School. You can see the "freeway" just behind where the children were having a relay race.
Once at the picnic spot, sheets were spread on the grass and the activities began. There were relay races with the children carrying spoons with the correct number of beans to be placed in cups. Because the previous week had been "Blue Week", the scavenger hunt was for items that were blue and previously hidden. Finally, everyone sat down for a "feast" of hot dogs, corn curls and the blue cupcakes they had made earlier in the week, along with a piece of the BD cake they had given to Ronda at the surprise party.
On Monday the 3rd of April, the students of MICS visited the Macha Vision Community Center Library. They were told about the library and how it was to be used and the librarian read them a story. Then a library card was issued to the school as a whole and each child was allowed to check out a book of their choice. After each student checked out their library book, they went next door to the tables at the VCC Cafe to look at the books each had gotten.
Today is Ronda's birthday.
Be sure to send her an email (or call her) to wish her a
VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
We Love you Mom/Ronda!
We got some "GREAT NEWS" today. Our work permits for allowing us to stay in Macha have been approved and are ready to be picked up at immigration in Lusaka. The application for the work permits were submitted on a "Professional Basis" not a "Missionary Basis". They were submitted through the assistance of Macha Mission Hospital and CHAZ (Christian Health Association of Zambia).
The way in which Zambia issues work permits is different than in Botswana. Each person here must be approved for a permit; not as a spouse of an approved ex-pat. The concern was that Gil is not a certified teacher and the work would be with a school. But God opened the doors for both of us to be approved quite quickly. Sometimes it takes many months of waiting. PTL another confirmation that this is where God wants us.
Included in the things purchased from the family returning to the USA was a breadmaking machine. Ronda used the machine for the first time on Tuesday to try things out and a half loaf was baked.
Now the shocking news !!!!
Today Ronda was not feeling up to par, so, Gil decided to use the machine to make some bread. He added and measured all of the ingredients, including cracking and adding an egg (without shell bits). The machine was started but after a period of time the power went off in Macha. So, the dough was taken out, placed in a pan and the wait began. After several hours the power came back on. Now the dough is back in the machine and we shall see what happens. Wonders will never cease !!!
So.... Come to the Macha B&B and we can break bread together!!
Our house, ie: Macha B&B, has had some welcome additions made thanks to our new friends from Canada. Lee and Ruth are in Macha volunteering for three month for the second year in a row. Lee is heading up the maintenance department for the Mission Hospital and Ruth is assisting both at the Hospital and the Vision Cafe.
Earlier, Ruth helped Ronda decorate the house and install the curtains and valances that were purchased from the family in Lusaka.
Lee also helped with the decorating by mounting pictures and wall hangings at the house. Today, he provided the expertise for the installation of both the washer and dryer that also had been purchased from the family heading back to the States.
