Today was the first day of school. We could hear the long awaited voices of the children. Many had arrived over the weekend and still more are on the way. The country mandates that all schools practice inclusion. That means the children who are visually impaired, blind or dealing with albinism are not isolated from sighted students. Of the 306 students at St Odilia, 98 students are blind or have albinism. They are integrated fully into the sighted population.
First on the agenda this morning was meeting the DEBs (District Education Board) representatives. They were most pleased with the help Chalice and Inverness County Cares does for the school at St Odilia.
We met with the school staff who introduced themselves and we all gave a short introduction of ourselves. Following this we met with the teachers who we are scheduled to work with, beginning tomorrow.
Sr Auxilia is the headmistress of the school and the subdirector of this Chalice site at Mporokoso met with us in her office beforehand.
Winnie, Charlotte, Betty Jane and Colleen went to meet with the teachers they were assigned to work with. John and John went to do an inventory of the infrastructure work they could accomplish during the time were will be here.
After lunch we had a welcome meeting with a lot of the children especially the visually impaired. The had prepared a series of Zambian dances and songs for our entertainment. Sr Auxilia and Mr. Miller gave welcoming remarks and a blind student, Blessings asked to speak to us. She said, “Even if I can’t see them, I want to thank our visitors from Canada”. She proceeded to give a well-articulated, very moving, thank you to us. It was straight from the heart. We introduced ourselves to the students and explained how we are representatives all of the Inverness County Cares members and our many supporters.
In the late afternoon we had a mass said by Bishop Emeritus Arron Andrew Chisha (90 years old). Afterwards he entertained us with his hazardous adventures as a traveling priest in the deep countryside of Zambia.
After an excellent supper, (featuring the best baked potato slices ever by St Matilda), we brought out the gifts we were given by our supporters to share with the sisters. It was like Christmas morning!
These ladies are very good sports.
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| Betty Jane, John MacInnis, Fancy (a graduate of St Odilia), now a teacher) and Charlotte. |
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| The school staff, teachers. |
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| Sr Matilda makes very good meat pies just like Sr Marjory |
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| Charlotte enjoying avocado for breakfast. They are the best! |
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| Dramson (the contractor who built the wall fence) and the new school building being built now., John G, Sister Matilda, John MacInnis, Sister Auxilia headmistress. |
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| We met with representatives of DEBs |
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| Many people carry their parcels on their head. She was selling avocados. |
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| Our most Senior Sister Martha doing the ironing. She always has a smile. |
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| Standing are the former blind or visually impaired students of St Odilia who are now teachers at St Odilia. |
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| Water pump on school grounds |
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| Sarah, Charity, Sharon, Mercy |
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| Two former students who now are teachers. Goodson, John MacInnis and Fancy. |
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| Sister Martha and her good friend. |
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| The well where the sisters get their drinking water. Sadly they have to boil it to make it drinkable. |
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| There little friends always seen together. |
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| Doing a traditional Zambian dance |
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| Betty Jane talking to blind or visually impaired students. |
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| This is Blessings, a totally blind student who volunteered to give us a special thank you. |
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| group photo with many of the blind and visually impaired students. |
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| ICC members with Blessings the child who gave us her own special thank you. |
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| With Bishop Chisa |
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| Very excited sisters as they discover the treasures sent from Canada.. |
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| The Nova Scotia and Blue Jays hats go well with their habits. |
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| A fun group of Sisters who are so grateful and thankful for the items sent to them by ICC supporters.💕 |
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