ZAMBIA
– my next mission trip and home of the Victoria Falls (known by the local
people as Musi-O-Tunya, the smoke that thunders).
Find
Chingola where I lived with my family for nine years and I’ll bring you back an
ngwee. It is a landlocked country in
Southern Africa.
I will fly to Lusaka, the capital city. Dr. Kenneth Kaunda was the president when I
was living there. I have asked a friend
of mine, Dr. Nevers Mumba, who was in my Sunday school class
when he was ten yrs. old, and now is the multiparty Democracy president to
arrange a meeting for me with Dr. Kaunda.
The official language is English, but the
local language is Nyanja and Bemba.
I
taught at the Sacred Heart Convent School, Nchanga Trust School and TCCA, Theological
College of Central Africa. We would sing
the national anthem, Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free, with
great enthusiasm. I especially loved the
chorus that was sung after the third verse:
Praise be to God, Praise be, praise be, praise be,
Bless our great nation, Zambia, Zambia, Zambia
Free men we stand Under the flag of our land.
Zambia, praise to Thee! All one, strong and free.
I was sitting at
my desk at home when Zambia this year won the first Africa Cup of Nations title
in soccer. I wish I could have been
there to celebrate with them. I only
lived with my family in Zambia nine years. It definitely changed my life.
I was very
involved with the children of Zambia and the children of the expatriates mostly
from Europe, Britain, Australia, Sweden, and India. We were there on a two year
contract but it turned out that we stayed nine years. It is difficult for the wives of the men as
they go to work all day and the wives have nothing to do. It takes time to get acquainted, but I was
active in the local church teaching, working with the youth, leading safaris,
director and producer of a weekly TV program and the list could go on and
on. I loved working with the local
children, the children from the many countries, and they went on the safaris,
were in the Sunday school and youth group at St. Mark’s, and joined me on the
live weekly TV programs.
I have met
several Zambians that are here going to college, and working in the local
church. What a blessing and fun to get
together with them as we know the same folks back in Zambia. It is a small world. This year my son called me and asked me to
come home right away. I reminded him and
he knew it that I was in a very important meeting, but he insisted I come home
right away so I did. Lo and behold a
Zambian gentleman was sitting at my kitchen table with a smile from ear to ear,
and it was Dr. Charles Musonda from Mufulira, Zambia that was in my youth group
in Chingola. He has opened a House of
Prayer here in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
This is a small
world and a great world, and I am so fortunate at my age to be in good health and
living with my husband of 48 years. Our
younger son, Jacob, is living with us and repairs computers. Our older son, Pepper, lives with his wife
and two daughters in the Seattle, WA area and just received a special 20 year
service award. Our daughter, Segred,
works and lives in Fairbanks, Alaska.
I cherish your
prayers, and thank you for helping me to go on my next mission trip to Zambia
this summer. My desire is to make Him
known to those who do not know Him, and to encourage the ones that know Him to
be a blessing to everyone.
Make Me a Blessing
Ira B. Wilson 1924
Chorus:
Make me a blessing, Make me a blessing-
Out of my life May Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray,
Make me a blessing to someone today.
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