# 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

# 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.

Cooking nshima for lunch

Time for a trim

Zambian birthday chicken

Zambian birthday chicken and birthday gizzard.

Our lodge 

Sylvia and Mwanya, two very special friends
who were there to meet our bus.

Charlotte and her special friend little Charlotte and Mary

Sylvia and Mwanya and friend

Little Charlotte was Charlotte's shadow during our walk.

BFFs forever.

The students are busy doing wash.

Little Charlotte wouldn't leave her side.

Outdoor kitchen

The students hanging out on Sunday

Beans for supper

Supper with the sisters

John G presented the sisters pictures of their founders.

#63 February 22, 2026. Trip to Mporokoso

We left Kawambwa at 6:30 in the morning on the bus with driver Louis,  Sister Agnes and Sister Marjorie. The bus was loaded down just enough room for us. It’s a long drive and we can’t take the shortest direct road because of the rainy season. Some more direct routes are impassable due to the heavy rain so we have to take the long way around. Even these roads although fine in some areas they have long stretches of no pavement and areas with large deep potholes. Louis our driver is a master maneuverer and is busy dodging, people, potholes and suicidal chickens and goats.

We passed through a lot of mostly uninhabited land on a savannah plateau. There are a few villages but more spaced out that near Kawambwa. The homes from Mansa to Kawambwa are mostly thatch roofs and mud brick. In this area there is probably an equal mix of thatch and metal roof homes.

We stopped in at the Little Flower Maternity and Pediatric Hospital run by the Sisters of the Child Jesus. We met Sister Margaret Mary, who was near tears when we presented her with the large bag of medical supplies. The new hospital is just opening and they have to work with the people to help them understand it is better to have a baby with medical professional on hand rather than at their home without trained personnel. 

We went down to the Tetekela School where we met John; John and Cathy Gillis’s sponsored child. We also met Robert and Memory who are sponsored by supporters in Judique. They all received some gifts from their sponsor. 

We were happy to see Goodson our old friend and Richard, a new Chalice member when we arrived at the Generalate, Mother House of the Sisters of the Child Jesus). There we met with superior general Elizabeth. She had arranged for us to have a meeting with the Kasama Rotary club president Leroy Nsfou and after a wonderful lunch, we met with him. It was a most encouraging meeting. He would like to work with us in cooperation with St Mary’s VI (Visually Impaired) School and The St Odilia Special VI School and Canadian Rotary clubs. We’d like to improve the eye care access at both the schools. This is step one in in a long process of coordination of organizations to provide help for the children.

We presented the sisters with six framed photographs. Two were Sister Bernadette Stewart the other was Teresa Ngosa and a two of their founding father Bishop Stephen LaRue.

After the meeting we climbed on a now a very full bus and left for Mporokoso about a 2 to 3 Hour Drive. 

The roads are wicked, it seems the heavy rains have eroded large portions of the asphalt and created wash outs especially near the rivers. The rainy season torrential rains every day creates havoc with the roads. We arrived about 7 PM just after dark, to a very joyous welcome with many familiar faces. 

Roads aren't so good

Little Flower Material Clinic

Sr Margaret Mary is thrilled to get the Hesperian books.

Betty Jane with Little Flower Maternity Clinic staff

John Gillies with child he and Cathy sponsor

John MacInnis with Robert a sponsored child

John MacInnis with Memory a sponsored
child and her mother

John Gillies with his sponsor child and his mom

Memory (sponsored), Betty Jane,
Robert, (sponsored) John MacInnis, Mom

Presenting Sister Elizabeth the superior General
of the sisters of the Child Jesus with  photos restored
and coloured by photographer Bob Martin of Port Hood.

The kitten picked Winnie as her favourite

Lunch at the Sisters of the Child Jesus Motherhouse

Meeting with Kasama Rotary president Leroy Nsfou

ICC with sisters at Mother House Generalate 

Hard at work on the loaded down  bus on way to Mporokoso

# 62 February 20, 2026. last day

This morning began with a presentation to the sisters of the Child Jesus who administer the Kacema Nusama (Good Shepherd Orphanage). They were given framed pictures of their founder Bishop Stephen Larue, Sister Theresa Nagosa the first Zambian sister in the order and Sr Bernadette Stuart the first Zambian superior general. They were restored by Port photographer Bob Martin who made an amazing job from some very old grainy pictures. The sisters were thrilled to receive them and they will hang in the orphanage.

Today was another work day with lots of activity. John and John finished their inventory of jobs that were identified as a priority. The pit dug earlier, to serve as a septic tank had its block work was finished. Charlotte worked in Mr.  Chisembe’s class and taught them card games to reinforce math concepts.  Betty Jane was back in the music room. She glowed as Kennedy, totally blind, and a student for two weeks played the tune Kumbaya on the keyboard. Another two-week student Ester played the drums. Both students were beaming with pride. The power of music!!!

The students were participating in a debate held in the multipurpose room. Students from nearby schools participated. There was a lot of spirited debate by some excellent speakers.  

Colleen’s student mentors have now turned in to student teachers. They now take the initiative to teach others and are getting to be very skilled players of cards, dice, dominoes and snakes and ladders. Today was challenge day as we tried out the chess game. An overview was given but decided to leave it to a more experienced players in the school staff. The braille Scrabble board was brought out for its initial game. We had a combo of braille and sighted Scrabble. It was Goodson (sighted student) and blind teacher Mr. Vincent. The game went on for about an hour with excellent moves on both sides.

Many students gave short talks on how they appreciate the materials brought from Canada. The materials donated are being utilized to the fullest and bringing great joy. 

ICC members had a visit from old friends, Gift Kabonde a nurse, who came in by bus to see us and Geoffrey Kabwe our driver from previous trips. It was so wonderful to see them both and catch up on news. 

Saturday, we have a very full day. We travel to Mporokoso a 7-hour journey in the school bus. Sr Marjory and Sr Agnes will travel with us and we have several stops along the way. 

Some little cuties in their new clothes.

Presentation to Sisters who run the orphanage.

Emanuel the plumber with two carpenters and the brick layers.

Shadrix and Goodson getting ready to make
 a memory game for the visually impaired.

Waiting their turn at the debate.

Computer teacher Dorothy

Blind children enjoying new braille learning supports.

The maize is ripe.

Snakes and Ladders

The chess attempt

Goodson and Mr Vincent learning Scrabble.

ICC members with Geoffrey

Charlotte, Winnie, Colleen, John MI, John G,
our little Sister Marjory and Betty Jane.

Loving those new dresses

Alice Chonga and Gift Kabonde.