Rollin' on the (Zambezi) River

          I was up at 4:30 this morning and Dustin, Christopher, Jared (Christopher's friend), and I left at 5:30 for the Zambezi River.  We were on the river by about 9:00 a.m. and stayed on the river for three hours.

          Tonight's blog will simply be a preview of more pictures to come.  I'm tired!  We saw many hippopotamuses (hippopotami?) and crocodiles.  We also observed these magnificent elephants for about 25 minutes from a distance of about 10 yards. 

        I'll post more pictures and narrative tomorrow.

Sports Festival Day (continued)

          Here are some more pictures from yesterday's Sports Festival Day.

 

The winners of the women's netball match

 

 

The hard-fought men's soccer match ended in a 1-1 tie.

 

 

Dr. Zulu, rector of the college, presents the trophy to the winning Conquerors.

 

 

The Conquerors celebrate!

 

 

You eat a chicken leg the same way in Zambia!

 

 

This is Abraham Mwale, one of my students.

He was one of the main organizers of the Sports Festival Day.

He has a beautiful singing voice.

Abraham is obviously a leader in the community.

 

 

 

 

 

Sports Festival Day at JMTUC

        Today was Sports Festival Day at JMTUC.  This is an annual event for the whole school community, including spouses and children, which is held just before final exams.  It's a great way for the students to blow off steam and for the community to be strengthened.  There were all sorts of activities:  egg in the spoon race, sack races, volleyball matches, women's net ball (sort of a cross between soccer and basketball), chess, draughts (a popular game, something like checkers), Scrabble, a game like what we play at home and call Mancala, and many others.  The final event was a full 90 minute soccer game which ended in a 1-1 tie.

        The community was divided into two teams called the Conquerors and the Champions.  At the conclusion of chapel on Friday, Dr. Banda, the Dean of Studies (and a member of the Champions team) stood up, addressed the gathering, and quoted Romans 8:37, "In all these things we are more than conquerors!"

         The festivities started at 7:30 a.m. and ended with "lunch" at 4:00 p.m.  There was music playing the entire time.  People were laughing and dancing and enjoying themselves. 

          Other than being a cheering fan, I only participated in one activity:  the needle threading race.  Two  members from each of the two teams were given pieces of thread.  The object was to run about 100 meters, thread a needle, then run back to the starting place with the needle.  I thought it was a relay race, and one team member would run down, thread the needle, run back and tag the other team member, who would then run.  Well, when the whistle blew to start, the other three men started running and I stood there at the starting line.  The referee looked at me and asked, "Aren't you going to run?"  By that time the other men were almost to the needles.  By the time I got there, they were on their way back.  To add insult to injury, I couldn't even get the needle threaded!

            After an entire day of competition, the whole community gathered for the announcement of the winning team.  The same team names are used each year and the same trophy is passed back and forth each year.  The rector of the school, Dr. Zulu, announced that the winning margin was only one point and the winning team was the Conquerors.  That set off quite a celebration!

           I was asked to say a prayer of thanksgiving for the festival (it was an absolutely gorgeous day) and a blessing for the meal.

           Here are a bunch of pictures.  I'll comment on just a few.

 

Faculty spectators -- that's Dustin in the foreground.

 

 

The woman in the middle, Shingi, and the woman on the right, Dorah, are in my class.

 

 

A fun race -- walking 100 meters with a water bottle on your head!

 

 

The women seemed to do better than the men.

 

 

 

 

 

My new friend, Dr. Jurie van Wyk of South Africa, instructor in Presbyterian polity.

Jurie taught at JMTUC for nineteen years.  In his retirement, he runs something like a bed and breakfast for tourists in a small town in South Africa.

 

 

The kids getting ready for one of their races.

 

 

Dr.Lameck Banda, Dean of Studies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll have to finish posting pictures tomorrow night.

The internet connection keeps getting broken and it's getting frustrating.

We leave at 5:15 a.m. tomorrow for our Zambezi River boatride.

 

 

 

Do You Want Chips/Fries with that Monkey-Gland Burger?

         Wednesday I took Dustin out for a burger and chips (fries) at a place he recommended -- Mike's Kitchen at the Arcade Mall.

 

          When I got out of class this afternoon at 4:00 p.m., Jurie, Marty, and I went shopping at the Spar store at the Arcade Mall.  We decided to go to Mike's to get some supper.

           Marty had been there before, when he taught at JMTUC last summer.  He ordered the same thing Dustin had on Wednesday night -- the Monkey-Gland Burger!  I couldn't bring myself to order something with that name, so I got a regular hamburger.

           We asked the waitress why it was called the Monkey-Gland Burger.  She said it was the sauce that was put on the burger.  When we asked her what was in the sauce, she said we would have to ask the chef.  When she brought our food to us, she handed Marty a piece of paper with the recipe for the Monkey-Gland sauce:  chopped fried onions, green chutney, tomato sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.  She couldn't tell us how or why it got named Monkey-Gland Burger!

           

            This isn't the Monkey-Gland Burger, but here's a picture from the menu at Mike's:

 

          When I got back to the house after class, Marty greeted me at the door by saying, "Welcome to the land of no power and no water!"  The power usually shuts off around 6:30 or 7:00 p.m.  Today it went off at 4:00 p.m.  The water came back on fairly soon, but the power was still off when we got back from Mike's Kitchen.  I lit two candles and put them on my desk in my room.  Then I used the computer to check e-mails.  It struck me as kind of odd and funny -- to be using a computer by candlelight!

 

          Jurie finished teaching his class today (he started a week earlier than Marty and I).  He flies home to South Africa on Sunday.  It has been a great experience getting to know him and to visit with him.  He talked a lot at supper about the problems in South Africa and how confused (his word) his country is right now.  I asked him what might happen in South Africa when Nelson Mandela dies.  He told us there might be a mourning period as long as ten days and a state funeral.  He also said that there are doomsday people who are predicting the worst when Mandela dies, but Jurie doesn't seem to put much stock in their predictions.

 

          



2 Timothy 2:15

              At the conclusion of chapel this morning, in the course of the announcements, Dr. Retief made a presentation about a book project that was begun in 2006 by the West Lake Hills Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas.  That congregation (in addition to providing scholarships for five students) contributes money each year to assist in the purchase of fourteen books for each student.  These fourteen books are the core of a minister's theological library.  Each box of books costs approximately $400.  Sixteen students were presented their books this morning.  It just so happens that the books arrived at the same time five women from the West Lake Hills Presbyterian Church arrived, so they were able to be part of the presentation.  Here are some pictures of the students receiving their books.

 

          This book project is not restricted to the West Lake Hills Presbyterian Church.  Dr. Retief announced that a congregation in the Netherlands had contributed approximately 5000 euros (about $6000) and that a small congregation in Nagadoches, Texas had contributed $500.

          There are many opportunities for support and service here at JMTUC that will make a tremendous difference in the lives of the students, in their ministries, in the churches in Zambia, and in the country as a whole.

          In case you're wondering, 2 Timothy 2:15 says, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth."

Move Over, Andrew Zimmern!

            Marty and I just returned from eating supper with Dr. Soko and his wife.  They live right across the road from our house.  Here is their picture.

 

          They are a delightful couple.  Dr. Soko has been on the faculty at JMTUC for a couple of years.  He teaches what might be called Practical Theology:  Christian Education, preaching, worship, church administration, financial management, Christian ethics.

 

           We were welcomed to a table full of food:  salad, boiled potatoes, rice, chicken, beef, Zambian collard greens (that what they looked and tasted like), macaroni, nshemi (the national dish that is very much like grits) and (drumroll please) -- fried caterpillars!  Dr. Soko said a little voice (that would be Dustin) told him that I would like to eat some insects.  I won't say they tasted like chicken, because they didn't.  They were crunchy and had a distinct fried flavor.  I thought they were good. (Marty didn't eat any of them.)

 

          After supper, we spent another hour talking in the living room (during which time the power came back on).  Dr. Soko asked us many questions about the church in the United States and what it is like to be a pastor in the church in the PCUSA.  I, in turn, asked him many questions about the placement/call system for the graduates of JMTUC.  Dr. Soko is a member of the Reformed Church of Zambia (referred to around here as RCZed).  He explained the placement/call system in his denomination -- it's sort of a combination of the Methodist placement and Presbyterian call system.  A pastor can stay as long as he/she wants if the relationship with the congregation is good.  A pastor can also request a transfer from the synod.  If another church extends a call to a pastor, he/she is free to accept or not.  However, if the synod reassigns a pastor, he/she must accept the new assignment.

 

          It was another interesting evening.  We left around 9:00 p.m.  Marty has to teach for three hours in the morning.  My Friday class meets in the afternoon from 2-4 p.m.  We commented to Dr. Soko that we all had to get up early for chapel in the morning. I asked him if he knew who was preaching.  He grinned and said yes.  I asked, "Who?"  He said, "I am."  I'm sure it will be a good sermon.

Happy Anniversary!

          I'm feeling homesick today.  Thirty-two years ago today Nancy and I got married at the Acme Presbyterian Church in her hometown of Riegelwood, North Carolina (Columbus County).

 

 

          This is the first anniversary we've been apart.  Our tradition is to eat an anniversary seafood dinner at Elijah's by the river in Wilmington.  Instead, I think I may be eating African insects and nshemi (the traditional Zambian corn dish) at Dr. Soko's house tonight!  Oh well, Nancy and I have plans to celebrate when I get home.

 

          The sun came out and has warmed things up quite a bit today.  It feels much better and the students and I appreciate the warmth.  Our house feels much better.  Here are a couple of pictures of the students enjoying their much welcomed break during class.

 

 

 

          Greek class is now almost 2/3 completed.  We are spending much time in class translating Greek sentences into English.  Each day I introduce a new topic, then we translate sentences that use what was covered in the lesson, in addition to previous topics.  This is the best way for them to put into practice what I am teaching them.  Here is a sentence we worked on today:

 

 

 

       Translation:  "Men, brothers, sons of the race of Abraham, and those among you who fear the Lord, the word of this salvation has been sent forth to us."

 

       I wrote the following on the board today and talked to the students about the origin of my name, "Philip," in the Greek and about what the word "hippopotamus" means.

 

 

 

            The students thought this was very interesting.  They laughed when I told them I like horses, but I don't know that I love them!