We got on the road by 10:00 and not far into the journey we heard some dragging behind the bus. The tail pipe had fallen and was scraping on the road, most likely brought on by the condition of the roads. Duct tape was left behind at school so we used a suitcase strap to tie it up and continued on our way. We visited the original mother house of the Sisters of the Child Jesus in Chilubula where we presented them with restored pictures of the founders. We also stopped at Kaputo the novitiate of the Sisters of the Child Jesus and met young beginning sisters.
We arrived in Kasama about 2:00 for a quick lunch at the mother-house of the Sisters of the Child Jesus. We arrived back in Kawambwa at 8:30.
The school/convent bus always is well utilised, picking up and dropping off passengers, and delivering and picking up packages with rarely and empty seat.
The roads have to be seen to be believed. The highway has many large fuel tankers and transport trucks which share the road with passenger vehicles, over loaded bicycles and motor cycles; buses, dogs, indecisive chickens, wandering goats, people sitting on, or at the edge of the road, and multitudes of people walking on the road. In this mix, are the craters in the road that the vehicles zigzag from one side of the road to the other to miss. Passengers are jostled from sided to side and bounced around. It was so intense that the rosary hanging from the front mirror flew off its spot. Then when it gets dark and raining it is a nightmare. When we arrived back in Kawambwa tonight it was with gratitude we didn’t hurt anyone. Our two drivers Louis and Josephat have nerves of steel and maneuver this with confidence.
We arrived back to an enthusiastic welcome from the sisters and supper and another beautiful cake by Sister Marjory.
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| Bus loaded and on the Way to Kawambwa. About 7 hours. |
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| Colleen's students mentors! Awesome kids. |
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| John MI cutting Sr Marjory's welcome back cake. |
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| And you thought your job was rough...breaking rocks |
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| Blind and albino Girls singing a farewell song they composed. |
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| Poor sight comes with Albinism |
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| Fixing the dragging tail pipe, a casualty of bad roads. |
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| Church in Chilubula |
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| Young nuns in training |
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| Hill of beans |
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| Fire wood |
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| Sisters love the pictures restored courtesy of Bob Martin. |
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| Branches on the road mean a broken down vehicle. |
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| Loaded to the max |
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| Zigzag driving |
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| Goat on the loose |
This morning we were able to sleep in a bit, since breakfast was moved to 8:00 due to our late arrival last night.
Because of women’s day, it was a school holiday so we couldn’t go to class. We spent the day planning and reviewing the work which has been done to the school.
Betty Jane did a First Aid course with students, teachers and house parents. It was enjoyed by all.
The chickens arrived on Friday night but today was the first chance we got to see them. They have an excellent home and are warm with a brazier going to keep them cozy. 200+ little meat bird chicks, or as they are called here broilers. They expect them to be full size in 6 weeks.
This evening we had a mass said for us, by Fr Kelvin and then we had supper with Br Fenwick, Fr Kelvin and Bishop Emeritus Aaron Andrew. The sisters gave some delightful parting gifts and lots of wonderful words were spoken. People of Inverness County and Canada, you are loved by the people of Mporokoso. Tomorrow is our final day n Mporokoso.
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| John Gillies with Bishop Aaron Andrew. |
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| Sr Ruth our popcorn maker. |
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| John with Sr Martha the convent matriarch, sitting in her newly renovated bedroom. She now has a washroom in her bedroom. It was donated by two ICC supporters |
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| Betty Jane presenting at the First Aid course. |
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| Margaret and Charity the Mporokoso cooks. |
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| 200 Baby chicks. |
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| A new volley ball brings lots of joy...even without the net. Hard to find in Mporokoso. |
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| Charlotte Rankin and Winnie Rankin with the Rankin girls' sponsored girls, Charity and Sharon |
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| Going away party for ICC at Mporokoso. Sr Martha, Sr Barbara, Sr Ruth, Sr Matilda and sitting Bishop Aaron Andrew. |
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| Bishop Aaron Andrew leading a dance around the table. |
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| The whole gang |
We checked out of our hotel and went straight to mass 7:00 mass which was in English and we could easily understand it. Masses may be all on the same template, but there are always differences. Here it was the offertory, instead of the usual water and wine, parishioners brought up food items for the priest (since he has no salary), there was mealie meal, water, oil, drinks, and two protesting live chickens.
We went to the convent of the Mpulungu Sisters of the Child Jesus and after a fine breakfast, bade our gracious hostesses good-bye and we were on our way back to Mporokoso, an approximately 7-hour journey. Before we left, we stopped at the fish market and picked up a lot of fish. Fresh fish is a rarity in landlocked Zambia and our visit to Lake Tanganyika was an opportunity to buy fresh fish for family and friends and other convents. The bus was like a usual Zambian bus, loaded down with many people, packaged to be delivered, groceries, fish and fruit.
The trip home was punctuated with many interesting events. We stopped at roadside markets several times to buy fruit and vegetables. The markets are very crowded with all walks of life and we stood out as foreigners, but with the sisters we felt as safe as if we had body guards. At one stop John and Sr Matilda got off the bus to buy mangoes. They came back with a huge sack of mangoes; they could barely carry. Sr Matilda’s bargaining skills are legendary.
We saw a large mass of people on the road ahead of us and taking up the whole road many people deep. It was a large Women’s Day parade with a marching band and banners. We stopped and they went past us, parting like a school of fish. We had windows open and we shook many hands as we passed.
Half way we stopped in Kasama, had a convent bathroom break and went to the Hungry Lion where John and John bought the whole bus load of ladies and some men fried chicken and a chocolate bar for Women’s Day. A very tasty and thoughtful gesture.
Zambians drive on the left side just as in England. The traffic between Mpulungu and Kasama is about 85% large oil/gas trucks with few passenger vehicles. The road is very rutted and when it looks like they are coming head-on for us on our side of the road, they are just shifting side to side to avoid the huge holes in the road. Our drivers Josephat and Louis are pros, dodging the multitude of huge ruts, people, goats, chickens, dogs and oil tankers. There are no coffee shops and they drive with just a break now and then. We drove from Kasama to Mporokoso in mostly darkness and rain. The truck traffic was much less and small vehicle traffic scarce. Only a few people were roadside in the pouring rain and darkness, with those dressed in dark colours very hard to spot.
We slept very well that night!
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| John Gillies and Goodson at the Hungry Lion, with treats for the ladies. Thanks John and John |
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| Hotel in Mplungu |
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| Offertory chicken |
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| ICC group with our friends in Mpulingu, Sr Matilda, Betty J, Sr Auxillia, Charlotte, Sr Deodada, John G, Josephat, Winnie, Richard, Colleen. Front John MI, Sr Mable, Sr Irene, Sr Petronella, Goodson. |
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| John finding out about how the bamboo fish baskets are made. |
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| Sunday foot traffic. Visiting and church. |
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| Charlotte getting dried beans in the market |
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| Many beans colours |
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| Enterprising boys filling in holes and asking for money. |
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| Looks like head-on but just dodging pot holes, drive on the best side. |
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| Many holes in the road. |
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| Parage for women's day. |
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| Hungry Lion lunch. Thanks guys. |
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| Roadside mangos. |
This morning we were ready to go at 5:10 AM for the trip to Mpulungu, on the banks of Lake Tanganyika. Josephat drove the bus and Richard the Chalice representative came along. Sr Aulxillia, Sr Deodata, Sr Matilda came with us and we picked up Sr Margaret Mary in Kasama.
The road had places where we are sure the holes were 2 feet deep. Josephat artfully dodged most of the potholes and maneuvered around people and animals on the road. The traffic was light, mostly big trucks moving materials between the towns and cities. We had a bathroom break at the convent in Kasama and then continued on to Mpulungu. Just before arriving there, we stopped for sugar cane. The canes are very big and heavy.
We were welcomed very warmly at the Stella Maris Convent of the Sisters of the Child Jesus in Mpulungu. We took a trip around town and down to the fish market at the beach. Someone negotiated for short rides in the fishing boats. And almost all of us took a ride in Lake Tanganyika where some of us nearly went in got a swim. Our boats were low in the water but no rescues were needed.
After a fine supper, the sisters came out singing their welcome with a large three layer cake. Yum!
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| On the bus going to Mpulungu, St Matilda in front, with Sr Hilary next seat, Charlotte behind, Winnie's head, Sr Deodata and Sr Auxillia and John MacInnis.and Richard. |
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| These young fellows were filling in the pot holes for donations. |
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| Traffic was mainly big trucks |
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| Roadside shops |
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| Wash day and a good swim combined. |
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| Stopping to buy sugar cane. |
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| Our location a the bottom of Lake Tanganyika |
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| John MI, Betty Jane, Charlotte, Winnie, Colleen, Sr Matilda, John Gillies. |
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| Checking out the fish sellers on Lake Tanganyika |
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| Almost tipped |
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| Safe back at shore |
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| Spent some time in this shop |
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| Sunset on lake Tanganyika |
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| The best cake made by St Petronella. |
