Inverness County Cares in Zambia

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

# 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.

Monday, February 23, 2026

# 65. Monday Feb 23, Band

Today the Chalice team, Randy Spalding, Shekoli Kennedy and Evans joined us to tour the school and meet the staff and some of the children. As we walked to the meeting place after lunch, we heard the music of a big band. The student’s marching brass band was waiting to escort us to the central meeting place. We were blown away by their welcome.

We all gathered in the central square for song, dances and speeches of welcome by students, and staff. It was welcome we will never forget. The emphasis of all the ceremony was gratitude for all they have been given by Chalice and Inverness County Cares. Your donations and sponsorship of students, have raised the standard of living at the school greatly. The most recent improvements have been the ceiling tiles to make the classrooms cooler, new bunk beds to increase capacity and new desks and benches and of course the new Toyota Hilux. It is hard to realize how what we think are small improvements, make such a difference. The school is such a better place due to the generosity of Inverness County and the rest of Canada.

After this spectacular welcome we went to the teacher’s lounge to meet the staff and meet the teachers we will be working with. John and John will focus on infrastructure and maintenance, Winnie will work with the Home Economics department and Charlotte will work in the Year 6 classroom. Betty Jane immediately jumped into her music role and new equipment was unpacked and music lessons began. Colleen will teach games to a team of student mentors in the morning and do teacher training in the afternoon.

Chalice and Inverness County Cares (ICC) met for a very productive meeting in the afternoon. We enjoy working with Ran

dy, Shekoli and Evans to help the schools achieve their goals. The Chalice team emphasized the importance of the ICC contributions to the welfare of the students and remarked that the schools are both considered excellent learning institutions because of Canadian help.

Breakfast at St Odilia in Mporokoso

Sr Matilda making the awesome doughnuts

The school brass band, video difficult to up load, maybe later

Winnie Rankin, Colleen MacLeod, Randy Spalding,
Charlotte Rankin, Betty Jane Cameron, Shekoli Kennedy,
Evans, John Gillies , John MacInnis

Huge avocados

St Odilia Classroom

Betty Jane, Winnie, Randy Spalding, John Gillies,
Charlotte, Colleen, John MacInnis, Shekoli Kennedy, Evans

Sunday, February 22, 2026

# 64 February 22, 2026 Two Cakes and a Chicken

This morning Louis picked us up at 6:40 for 7:00 mass. Fr Leonard was the celebrant and he delivered a lengthy, spirited homily based on the temptation by the devil in the Garden of Eden and how Eve picked the apple and had her husband eat it. Mass was over at 9:15.

Breakfast was excellent, especially the large perfectly ripe avocadoes. We were given a tour of the school buildings and grounds to show us the improvements made possible by supporters of Inverness County Cares. We saw the ceiling tiles installed in all the classrooms. These tiles provide a barrier between the fiery temperatures created by the sun beating down on the metal roofs and the interior of the classrooms. We also provided the classrooms with 100 new single occupant desks. These changes are much appreciated improvements.

We also saw the bunk beds and understood how they increased the capacity of the dorms rooms times two. The dormitories were renovated to make better use of the space and to accommodate the bunk beds. Two bunk beds per room with a spot for storage for each student. Several beds were empty but Sr Auxillia explained that they save space for unexpected students with albinism or blindness, who arrive at all times during the school year.

The sisters related a sad story that illustrates the reality of danger that the albino students face. Last year an albino child was kidnapped (not from school) and before the parents were able to rescue him, the kidnappers had attempted to sever his arm. He was taken to hospital but sadly they had damaged his arm so badly it had to be amputated. The child is now a student at St Odilia.

Dinner was a celebration of an ICC member’s birthday. We learned the birthday customs of Zambia. There was first the birthday song, a very spirited and longer version of a Canadian Happy Birthday accompanied with enthusiastic ululations (a Zambian traditional celebratory vocalization, a bit like yodeling). Then there was the birthday chicken… a whole chicken baked with some delicious tomato sauce. The birthday person then cuts up the whole chicken to share. She gets the choice piece, the gizzard; and a share of the meat. The rest of the chicken is shared with friends. Then to top it all, a lovely Zambian cake with lit candles was brought out.

Soon after, Shikoli Kennedy and Evans from the Kenya Chalice office and Randy Spalding from Chalice Halifax arrived. We were happy to see them and put a face to the people we have been working with through Chalice for some time.

The afternoon ended with a noisy thunder storm with heavy rain which created some flooding.

At supper we had hand held meat pies (pasties), fish, chicken and shepherds pie, cassava, coleslaw and an another cake. The sisters are excellent cooks.

After supper John Gillies presented the sisters with three framed pictures. The photos were restored and colourized photos of the founders of their order, the Sisters of the Child Jesus. The sisters were thrilled to get them and ululated and sang their happiness. They really are such a fun order of sisters.