# 69, February 27, 2026 Stove

Everyone working today, the trades people are busy working on the repairs and improvements around the school. Today was the students’ wash day and lots of clothing was spread to dry on the bushes and the grass. 

John and John were connecting with the glaziers, carpenters, welders and electrician. The workers removed, what we think was the oldest artifact in the convent. It is an ancient wood stove installed by the White Sisters of Africa, who built the convent in the late 40s. Sr Ruth and Matilda were happy to see it go and enjoy the extra space. In the second kitchen ICC has purchased three new burners to make the electric stove in the second kitchen fully operative. The slashers cut back the tall grass and weeds surrounding the hen house running yard for the 200 meat birds ICC has purchased for the school.

Charlotte taught in Grade 6 and Winnie worked in the kitchen making mashed, roasted and potato pancakes, the latter being the favourite. 

Betty Jane was working in her music room with eager students. Colleen, Winnie and Charlotte participated in the games. The students are now at a level where they can teach others and play without much support. Sr Deodata joined us today as we played Crazy 8s, Dominoes, Snakes and Ladders, Spoons and we aren’t sure who was more enthusiastic and competitive, Sister or the students. 

Sr Matilda was busy all morning making African Polony or chickanda. It is a traditional Zambian delicacy made from boiled, pounded, and cooked terrestrial orchid tubers, often mixed with peanuts and spices. Known as "African polony" due to its dense, sausage-like texture, it is a popular, nutritious, plant-based protein snack.

Lots of paint and other supplies

The panes of glass John and Goodson brought from Kasama.

New mattresses

Sr Deodata is a card shark.

Grade 10 boys very serious about Crazy 8s

Sr DeoData enjoying a rousing game of Uno.

Mr Millar joining in with the fun.

Sr Matilda making African Poloney. It consists
 mainly of groundnuts (peanuts), seasoned with Chicanda, 
soda and salt. She cooks it on the charcoal burner and then
 roasts it in the oven or over charcoal brazier.

 

Chicanda bulbs

Mushrooms similar to our chantrelles, sourced locally.

Margaret, Earnest, Charity and Samson. 

Wash day at St Odilia's.

The most marvellous man we have ever met.
His NAME is Marvellous!!
One of the grade 12 students is called Wonderful.
 Love the names.

Emanuel, Prince, Soboma, and Leonard learning scrabble.

The Zambian Pied Crow looks like it is wearing a vest.

Stove removal, before and after

# 68, February 26, 2026, John's Trip to Kasama

This morning John MacInnis, Sr Auxillia, Sr. Barbara, Goodson and a driver left at 5:20 AM for Kasama. They were picking up window panes, mattresses and various other articles. 

They have hired a glazier, carpenter, plumber, welder, mason and a painter to do repairs and some jobs at the St Odilia school.

Winnie was in her Home Economics class and she gathered all the ingredients needed for a chocolate cake. He class is always popular and she had a full house, boys and girls. It turned out very well and was devoured in no time.

John Gillies continued his inventory of areas which need attention in the school buildings and grounds. Colleen and Charlotte worked on games with Grade 9 students. Today dominoes were the first lesson, followed by some dice games, snakes and ladders and UNO. These games are excellent for reenforcing math skills and understanding of math concepts. Colleen also worked with teachers, Mr. Miller and Ms. Memory on active learning strategies in the classroom.

Later in the afternoon three year nine students, Saboma, Prince and Leonard, asked for help learning Backgammon. After 3 or 4 YouTube instructional videos they were on their way. These young people are a joy to work with. They have such great interest in the activities and are always eager to help others. They will all be excellent mentors. 

At 8:30 PM John MacInnis, Goodson, two students and a driver arrived back from Kasama. Sr Auxillia caught a ride back with the parish priest. The bus was bursting at the seams, loaded with 30 mattresses, a load of window panes, paint, spare tire, five people and other articles. It was a long but very productive day.

John's arrival back in Mporokoso

The bus was packed tight.

Sonoma, Prince and Leonard learning to play Backgammon

Snakes and Ladders with Ms Memory

Snakes and Ladders

Winnie's cooking class.

Dominoes

Glazier cutting the glass panes for the windows.

# 67 February 25, 2026 Soccer

This morning Josephat our driver picked us up at 7:00. It isn’t too long a walk but the roads have a lot of muddy slippery spots. Our usual breakfast fare includes wonderfully ripe avocados, eggs, porridge, bacon, tomatoes and fruit. After this we all went off to our work assignments. Winnie made pizza and had a very full classroom of many more boys than girls, eagerly waiting for it to come out of the oven. Before she was able to put it in the oven the predictable happened, the power went out. She had to take the pizza to the convent to cook. It cooked well there and Winnie took it back to the students who were patiently awaiting a slice. The sisters also want one for them, so she will be making another.  Betty Jane went to her music classes and was met by her crowd of enthusiastic students. They are brilliant and catch on so quickly, some are already talented singers, Blessings, a blind student is a perfect example, she sings like a song bird. John and John met with the trades people to discuss the tasks that need to be addressed. They also had a meeting with Sr Auxillia, the school principal, where they set priorities on what work she wanted done at the school.

Charlotte and Colleen met with the student mentors, 14 very bright Grade 9 students. They at first reviewed the previous games played yesterday and three new ones, Memory, Pyramid Solitaire and the best game so far, Spoons. It turned out to be very boisterous and exciting with teachers and students competing and exclaiming loudly as they won or lost. Real math in action and a prime example of active learning. When the students finished Colleen did a lesson for teachers on the Progression of learning to read and write. The Zambian Education has brought out a new curriculum with an emphasis on active learning. Charlotte went on to teach a Grade six class of 43 students, English grammar. Lunch included the rooster and hen; we heard protesting loudly in the morning and some very tasty doughnuts. 

After lunch we gathered in a room with the students and distributed the gifts donated by Canadian supporters. It was a joyous time, they received sunscreen, hats, tooth brushes, pencils and sun glasses. The last piece was the team uniforms sent by Dalbrae Academy. The boys’ soccer team enthusiastically accepted their team singlets, shorts and soccer balls. We followed them to the sports field to watch a game. 

The team hard at work, Sr Auxillia,
John MacInnis, John Gillies, Goodson.

Sr Martha getting the tubers for African poloney

Pyramid card game

Memory card game

Spoon card game, (no spoons so we substituted.)

Mwanya Getting her doughnut

Sylvia getting her doughnut

Happy girls

Fish for dinner

Chicken for dinner, before and after

New hats 

New hats, sunscreen, and sunglasses for albino students

Totally blind students with new canes, hats and sunglasses

Boys soccer/football team with new Dragon's uniforms.

Amazing talent, BJ's students

Testing out new jeserys

Happy players, wish we could have brought the shoes.

Great team spirit

You made their day, Dalbrae. Thank you

 

# 66 February 24, Aaron Andrew

This morning we bade farewell to the Chalice staff. They are on the way to Kawambwa with Sr Marjorie and Sr Agnes. After breakfast we went to our posts. Job descriptions were adjusted and we all went to work. John and John did a count of windows that need glass replacement and fixes to the mechanism which close the windows. Last visit here we didn’t repair window so the numbers of replacement panes are high-113. Often it is the window locks and opening mechanism which is faulty and the windows break when they swing in the wind.

John MacInnis used his electrical skills to install light fixtures and John Gillies is the scribe and keeps track of repairs needed and repairs completed.  They met with Sr Auxillia and 9 priorities concerning infrastructure were set.

Colleen worked with 14 junior high student mentors and two teachers, Mr. Miller and Ms. Memory. A very keen group, who caught on very fast. They had so much fun playing, Crazy Eights, Old Maid, War and Go Fish. They will in turn teach their teachers and other students. 

Charlotte was working with Rebecca a teacher who is blind and Charlotte a gave a braille lesson. We marvel at the abilities of teachers who are severely visually impaired or blind. They are very effective teachers and their classrooms are well managed. 

Betty Jane went right back to the music room until 2:45. He worked with Blessings on the violin and then some boys who she played guitar with last trip came for more lessons. guitar 17 boys and girls came for lessons, they were soon playing Kumbaya. 

Today it poured from noon till 3:30, a raincoat and umbrella are essentials here. At 3:00 we sloshed through the puddles to visit Bishop Aaron Andrew, Fr Leonard, Br Fenwick and Fr. Kelvin at their home. Bishop Aaron Andrew is 92 and still makes crosses to give away as gifts. He is still very sharp and is a great story teller. 

We went on to the student’s mass and enjoyed the beautiful harmonies of their hymns. After mass we had some down time before supper. Some of us watched Sr. Matilda make the most wonderful doughnuts. They are very, very good. The industrious sisters sell popcorn and doughnuts to the students who have some pocket money. We hope to get her recipe tomorrow. After supper we distributed many of the gifts provided by the wonderful people of Inverness County and beyond. Happy sisters!!!

After supper we brought out the bags of items donated by people in Inverness County and other areas and the sisters gratefully received them. There were lots of squeals of delight, reminding us of the barrels of clothing we used to get from Boston in the 50s and 60s. 

Visit with Bishop Aaron Andrew, Fr Leonard,
 Fr Kelvin, Br Fenwick

Sr Matilda with her new mixer

Playing cards and practicing math

Cards were a hit.

Election in August, the campaigning is in full swing

BJ in front of our Lodge cabin in Mporokoso.

Winnie with three children sponsored
by Winnie and her sisters

Sr Matilda is an expert doughnut maker. She sells
to the students who have pocket money.
Two kwacha per doughnut.

Winnie, Sr. Matilda and students

Sr Deo Data making homemade sunscreen
 for the albino children.

Sr Ruth making popcorn to sell to the day students

Sr Martha on the job praying for everyone.

Bishop Emeritus Aaron Andrew is a remarkable man.
At 92 sharp as a 29 year old.

Church, lovely singing. Wish I could post
videos but internet signal too weak.

Cool sisters loving their warm hats.

Sorting the Canadian gifts.  Josephaphat
our new driver to the right.