Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Mary at Sakeji

Mary and Tim are finally united again as Mary has arrived at Sakeji.  She arrived on Saturday on a flight from Chitokoloki.  Since she had to pay for the flight out of her savings, she invited Aly to come along for the ride.  Aly got a chance to look around the school, stay for the lunch meal, help Dad at the swimming pool then head back to the hospital at 3 pm.  Tim was busy before Mary got there as he killed the snake pictured.  It was only a small puff adder but he felt heroic.  The kids were out playing in the river, that some men just killed a 8 foot python in.  What a time to leave your camera at home.  Aly saw the snake so there is proof.
It is great to have Mary at Sakeji.  She is shadowing the nurse (Pam) for the next two weeks to see what her duties are.  She has a clinic each morning and does supervision and teaching in the school as well.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Sakeji

Here are some pictures of Sakeji School Mission. The office building has the Sat Dish out front.  The pool is on the campus, with the river water running in and out ( you just have to check for snakes before you swim). There is a picture of scene from the back door of our house here and the play structure.
The other two pictures are of a local school that recieved some school materials from Ontario.  We went out on Saturday after noon and installed blackboards in 4 classroom.  One picture is of the blackboards going up and then a picture of the local men who helped.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Sakeji School Life

Greetings from Sakeji Mission Boarding School in Northwest Province Zambia.

I have been teaching at the school for almost three weeks and seem to be getting back in the groove.  The students here come from all over southern Africa but mostly from Zambia.  There are 71 students in the school ranging from grades one to eight. Most are african kids but about 10% are missionary kids from North America.

I am enjoying teaching Science, Computer Studies, Physical Education and Religious Education.  Breakfast is at 7 am, classes start at 8 am with a tea break at 10, lunch in the dining at 12noon.  Classes continue in the afternoon til 3pm, then there are a variety of activities from, arts/crafts, swimming, Rally (Awana type program), sports, games, and also prep (after school homework time).  Supper is at 5 :30pm.  The younger students head back to the dorm at 6 :30 for baths, story, and bedtime by 730pm.  The older students follow the same plan but are in bed by 8 or 830pm.  They get to bed early as wakeup is at 6am.  Kids are kids but for the most part they are well behaved, polite and mannerly.  Quite a change from some Canadian public schools.

I will try to take a few pictures of the school campus and kids and post them.  The school is out in the bush, with the closest town Ikeleng about 10km away.  There is a post office there but not much else. The area is sub-tropical with grassland but jungle like conditions in the valleys and ravines. The Sakeji river (which runs thru the school property) flows into the Zambezi River close to it's  source.  Where the two rivers come together they are about the same size.  The Zambesi however grows to a mighty river that flow over Victoria Falls and finally reaches the Indian Ocean.

We will be at Sakeji til mid June and hope to head back to Canada for the summer. Thanks for reading.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Sakeji Picts

Labour day meal.

At Sakeji

It is Sunday here at Sakeji Mission School and I am settled in. Mary is still back at Chitokoloki, as Aly has just arrived there for a month or so.  Mary will show Aly the ropes and then hopefully come north to join me here.  We all hope to head home together June 9th.
Sakeji is quite different from Chit as the area is sub-tropical.  I went for a walk just northwest of the school and it is like what I think a jungle should look like.  It is damp, large trees, vines hanging small streams running, and dark even in the middle of the day.  The rains are still coming here as it has rained each day and night so far.  I am told however that the dry season will come soon.  There are no problems with crocs here but snakes are another question.
The Sakeji pictures are of the jungle path, the garden and the classroom building at the school.  There is a picture of a lady cooking « nshima » as the school put on a meal for the worker on labour day (May 1st) and the men waiting to eat.
The school starts on May 5th and I hope to be prepared by that time.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Chit April pictures

The pictures are of the following:  Alex (the number 2 guy) from the maintenance garage and his family.  Mary's group of running mates.  Tim with his chainsaw ready to cut the "mbochi" tree.  Water running out of the tree once cut thru to the core.