Bikes for Zambia: An Update

          Marty and I ate dinner on Monday night at the home of Dr. Zulu and his wife.  Dr. Zulu is the rector of JMTUC.  He is a delightful man.  He is also an instructor at the school (in Old Testament), but his administrative responsibilities occupy much of his time.  Here is his picture from the school website (if you look back at the pictures from Sports Festival Day, you will see him presenting the trophy).

 

          Dr. Zulu shared with us a lot of information about how the students at JMTUC serve in churches while they are students, how graduates are called/placed in churches, and the many challenges they face as pastors in the rural areas of Africa.

          Dr. Zulu then thanked me profusely and repeatedly for the money WPC has sent the last two years to purchase bicycles for the graduates to use as pastors in the churches.  He emphasized what a dramatic difference the bicycles make for the pastors.  He told us how a pastor might get on his bike at 7:00 a.m. and ride until 6:00 p.m. until he reaches his destination.  They often have to travel to places where they could not go in a car.  He will then rest, preach or do whatever other task he needs to do at the church or in the village, spend the night, then ride his bike back home.

          Dr. Zulu then told me something I didn't know, which I thought would be very meaningful to the WPC members.  He told me that the bicycles are making an important difference in the lives of people in the villages.  The pastor is a community leader and, if he has a bicycle, is able to help many people in the village (e.g., providing a ride to the health clinic, taking a child to school, etc.).  I can't tell you how many times he thanked me for the generous support WPC has given JMTUC to purchase bicycles.

 

         I had an interesting afternoon today.  Nancy Collins, the PC(USA) regional liaison for world missions in East Africa, had asked me if I would be willing to participate in a conversation about church polity (government) with some new mission co-workers and with Dr. Chilenje.  That conversation took place this afternoon at Nancy's house.  Here is a picture of Nancy, Dr. Chilenje, and Rev. Kari Nicewander, who is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ but serving in a PC(USA) mission role. 

 

 

L-R:  Nancy Collins, Dr. Chilenje, Rev. Kari Nicewander

 

          Kari is serving as a Church Growth Specialist in partnership with the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian - Zambia, under the auspices of the PC(USA).  Kari's husband, Joel DeJong, is serving as a media specialist with the CCAP.  (I attended their induction service at the Matero neighborhood church on June 16).

          



          The purpose of today's conversation was to share information about the forms of church government in the PCUSA, the UCC, and the CCAP.  Specifically, we were trying to help Kari and Joel and Dr. Chilenje come to an understanding about Joel's role in the church here in Zambia.  The Zambian church custom is to ordain the pastor's spouse (usually a woman) as an elder in the congregation when the pastor arrives at the church (for a number of reasons).  The UCC doesn't have elders.  Joel has been an active member of the UCC congregations Kari has served as pastor, but has not been ordained as an officer.

           What it boiled down to was this:  the Zambians were afraid that by not ordaining Joel as an elder, they might send him the message that they didn't welcome him or include him in the church's business.  Kari and Joel had agreed that Joel was open to being ordained as an elder in the local church, if that was the custom and what was expected, but he was fine not being ordained as an elder and would not feel excluded.  Both sides came to a good understanding of each other and I think a good decision will be made.  It was quite interesting to talk for two hours about church government (and to serve as something of a consultant) as mission partners worked hard to understand and support one another.

           Dustin came over to our house in the late afternoon and asked if Marty and I would like to go with him and Clayton to pick up the pizzas for tonight's supper.  He said it would take about 30 minutes, and it would give us the chance to see another part of Lusaka.  Well, once we accounted for the horrendous traffic, the fact that Pizza Inn had not even begun to cook the six pizzas that Sherri had called in earlier (and had been assured would be ready in 45 minutes), and the great number of people at the pizza restaurant, we got back to campus more than an hour after we left!  Kari and Joel and their two boys, Frankie and Johnny, also came over for supper.

          We drove through a part of Lusaka called Kalingalinga.  Dustin said it was a very popular place for people to live.  There were so many people on the streets -- a real hustling, bustling place!  Dustin also drove us by a part of Lusaka where some friends of theirs live, a couple who are both M.D.'s  The man also has a Masters of Divinity.  He works for the CDC through the State Department and manages a budget of approximately $180 million.  They are Presbyterians and very interested in and committed to world missions.  The Ellingtons have gotten to be friends with them.  Dustin said they had also met the U.S. ambassador to Zambia.  He said the embassy itself is like a fortress.

          An interesting note:  Christopher showed me a picture on their refrigerator of him and President George W. Bush.  W is very popular here and in other parts of Africa because of his initiative and programs to treat and combat HIV/AIDS.  Apparently, the former president visits somewhat frequently.  In fact, he and Laura Bush and Michelle Obama are in Livingstone, Zambia today (at least I think it was today -- some time this week).

          Here's something funny I forgot to write on Sunday and yesterday.  As we were coming home from our river trip, we passed a long row of shops by the side of the road.  The shop sign that caught my attention said "Try Us Funeral Services."  I thought that was really funny.  Here are some possible tag lines for that business:  "We've never had any complaints from our customers."  "If you're not satisfied, call us in 30 days."  "Once you've tried us, you'll never go anywhere else."

           We were laughing about that sign as we went to get pizzas tonight.  Clayton said he had seen a sign for the "God Only Knows" store (I don't know what the store sold, but God only knows!).  Dustin said he had seen a sign for "Covered in the Blood of Jesus the Savior Investment Services."  Many of the buses have religious sayings on their back windows.

          This is such an interesting place to visit.

          Tomorrow is my last day of introducing new material in Greek class.  Thursday morning will be for review before their exam on Thursday afternoon.  After class today, Abraham, the class representative, said the class would like to have coffee with me and Marty after their final exam in Marty's class on Friday.  That will be nice.  I will surely miss these students.

          Please pray for the Ellingtons.  The movers come tomorrow morning to pack up their house in preparation for their move to Louisville, KY for a year.  They have lots to take care of before they leave next Tuesday.  In the meantime, they have been incredible hosts to me and Marty.