Back in Seattle

I arrived in Seattle on February 8 after moving through 10 time zones and spending nearly 20 hours in transit. The best surprise of the trip was that my luggage was the first off the plane when we landed in Seattle.

I am bouncing back from jet lag and will begin some new projects next week. I have been working on a slide show as a way to share the experience with others.

Ash Wednesday Thoughts

We have three Masses today with the distribution of the ashes. Much like the US, this is an important celebration for Catholics and the morning Mass community tripled and I am told that the evening Mass will pack the Church. The laws of fast and abstinence are not stressed in Zambia, partly because meat is not that available and you do not ask people to fast who are already hungry.

People follow the US elections with interest. Most people are more familiar with the democrats than the republicans. Zambia politics are fascinating with multiple parties who form alliances to create an opposition. The current president's wife is considering running in the next election. The newspapers are filled with charges and counter-charges and it is quite lively. However, many of the politicans are not that close to their constituencies and serve personal interests. That charge could be leveled almost anywhere.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit my friend, Josephine's school. She has taken a school that was on the brink of closure and is bringing it back with discipline, vision and results. The school is a private school and is located next to the property for the new US embassy. We visited a number of classrooms and saw the boarding facilities (70% are boarders). It was impressive.

Departure Reflections

It is hard to believe that I am in my final week in Zambia. I will head back to Seattle on Thursday morning and be in Seattle on Friday evening. I was asked this morning, if the experience had met my expectations. I arrived wanting to have an experience of Zambia and of a new culture. I hoped to be able to learn from others and to use some of my gifts in service to others. I leave with a deep appreciation for what I have learned, how I have been touched and for the gift it is to be part of the Society of Jesus. In the next couple days, I will write some of my reflections on the experience as a way to draw the blog to a conclusion. The above picture is of the road in the front of the Church. On the right hand side is the campus of the legal institute and on the left hand side is one of offices of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

I leave with a powerful experience of the Church and of the work of the Jesuits in Africa. The faith is alive and it is growing. I sensed that the Church has a priviliged place in society, primarily because it has always been on the side of the poor and dispossed. In so many places, the Church is the loud voice for the poor. Christianity is relatively new in the African culture but it has helped create vibrant communities of people who serve one another, who take real interest in practicing their faith, and who encourage vocations.

I have been touched by the Jesuits and their work in Africa and I am impressed with the ways that the Society is more and more reflective of Africa. I had a chance to work with the young men considering vocations and seven of them will likely enter in July. The work begun by Jesuit missionaries over 100 years ago will continue with a new vitality. Men want to be of service to the Church and to Zambia and Malawi. The opportunity to live with committed men of great talent and diversity has been an honor. I am pleased that I leave with some good friendships.

I am hopeful that the future will have more opportunities for collaboration where we can learn from each other and help each other in our ministries. Africa is not well-known to the US church, or if it is, it is only known for its struggles and problems. But Africa has much to teach us about collaboration, involvement of the laity and the formation of community.

Jesuit Garden Flora

Miscellaneous Critters

Take your choice of the one that you would want to encounter. The dog belonged to the caretaker at Siavonga and was a beautiful, alert animal. The crocodile was not in Lake Kariba; however it could have been there. I have read of several crocodile attacks during my time in Zambia.

Chiwileda School

The name Chiwileda sounds like it could be from Zambia, but it is actually an acroynm for Children With Learning Disabilties. The parish provides moral and fiscal support for the school. There are about twenty children and they have a good ratio of teachers to students. The Bambina Sisters, an international Franciscan community, run the school and it is obvious how committed they are to the children. The learning disability child is marginalized in Zambia, and the school provides them a wonderful environment for growth, community and self-esteem.

Owl

I spotted the owl perched in one of the trees in our back garden. The owl was quite content to sit in the branches and to take in the world. The Zambians are not fond of the owls, primarily because they are nocturnal and are not easily seen.

One of the interesting things is how cultures view things in different ways. I mentioned that some Zambians eat things that Westerners find off-putting (caterpillars and fried termites) and they find the Western attraction to shellfish to be very strange (crabs, shrimps, crayfish and clams).

Kenya Violence

I am certain that I will watch the news with a greater eye on Africa. The violence continues to escalate in Kenya. A priest was killed yesterday by a machete weilding group of youths and he is one of the hundreds (rapidly becoming 1000's) who have been killed. The situation is very complex and the leadership of both parties appear to be unwilling to compromise.

I am also aware that there are volatile conditions in the DRC (Congo) and they get little notice in the papers. The Lord's Resistance Army continues it's violence in Uganda and in the Congo. And many are watching to see what will happen during the elections in Zimbabwe.

I realize as well that the we against them is not limited to Africa. We do the same in the US with all sorts of our "isms" and our divisions, and sadly the divisions are not confined to the right or the left. Unity is precious but it demands sacrifice, work and a letting go of power.

Baboons

The wildlife spottings have been limited; however, on our way back from Siavonga we did pass a family of baboons along the highway. Zambia does not have gorillas and while there is a chimp orphanage in the north, all the chimps have come in from the Congo.

Odds and Ends

We have had some nights without power and that has created some difficult situations. The national power company is having grid problems, but the outages have damaged motors and left the entire country in the dark. A complication is that the outages are occurring during the Africa Cup games, which keep people glued to their television screens. Zambia won their first game against Sudan so they move forward.

The Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar sent us an information piece for Heikima College, the English speaking Jesuit theologate in Nairobi. Yesterday, the rioting and violence came very close to the college. Pray for a peaceful solution to the violence and political impasse.

Zambia is in the midst of a National Constitutional Convention. The Zambia Episcopal Conference is not participating because they feel that the representation was too limited. In today's newspaper one member of the convention said that the Catholic Bishops were trying to destroy the country and to create war. Fortunately, the Post newspaper, gave a very strong editorial in defense of the Bishops and the history of the Church.

Lake Kariba and Siavonga

Lake Kariba and Siavonga

Lake Kariba and Siavonga

Joe Keaney, SJ and I took a three day trip to Lake Kariba and stayed at a friend's lakeside home in Siavonga. Lake Kariba was formed when the Zambesi river was damned to provide electrical power for south central Africa. Siavonga is about three hours from Lusaka over very good roads (now, they had severe flooding earlier). It was fascinating to pass through changing landscapes until we arrived at the lakeside.

The home was very comfortable and nice and we had a great verandah for watching the lake and the birds of the area. Joe is a birder and so I am far more aware of the great variety of birds in Zambia. Zambia has nearly 700 species of birds and Joe has spotted over half.

The time was not filled with great activity, but with very good conversations. We enjoyed a couple of good dinners and it was fun to have the opportunity to cook. Each late afternoon we took a stroll into Siavonga and watched people and wandered in the market. The people of this area are Tonga speakers and Joe was able to greet people and to surprise the children that he could speak their tongue.

Above this post are a number of pictures from the time in Siavonag.

Ministries

Last Sunday Josephine Lungu and I conducted a communication workshop for the 10:00 choir at St. Ignatius. The choir is one of the gifts of the parish, but the members have been struggling with some issues. The pastor asked that we give a workshop to help the choir identify and address the issues. We met at Luwisha House at the JCTR (Jesuit Center for Theological Reflection) con-ference room for six hours of hard and intense work. I think that we were able to help them identify the issues and to see where they need to do additional work. It was a good experience, and I was able to tell them that Joy Sherman and the SU choirs had them in mind. The Zambian choir just produced a CD and I will bring it home to share with others. We had 30 of the 40 attend the workshop and I believe that they are committed to working together in this important ministry.

This coming Sunday, Josephine and I will do our final workshop. We will repeat some aspects of the spiritual leadership workshop for younger members of the Christian Life Communities. I think that they are wise to encourage young people to take leadership positions in the Church.

Tonight we have a community gathering to discuss ministry in Malawi. The Jesuits want to expand their presence in the country and are considering the various options. Peter Bwanali, the Provincial is from Malawi, as is the Rector of the Arrupe College in Zimbabwe. I will be a note-taker.

Adolfo Nicolas, SJ

On Saturday, January 19, the delegates of the 35th General Congregation selected the 19th successor to St. Ignatius Loyola to lead the Society. Father Adolfo Nicolas, a Spanish Jesuit of the Japanese Province, is our new General Superior. The picture shows Father General with the Zambia/Malawi delegates, Peter Bwanali, Provincial, and Charles Chilinda, director of Loyola Productions, the elected delegate. Peter and Charles live at St. Ignatius and it has been a real gift to come to know them. Being out of Province at a time like this is a wonderful gift, for it helps one experience the universality of the Society of Jesus. The men in Zambia share the excitement of the men in Seattle and the Northwest. We become more aware that we are all of one Society.

The new General brings qualities reminiscent of Father Arrupe. A missionary to Japan and to southeast Asia. He has experience in leadership as the moderator of the Southeast Asia and Oceania Jesuit Conference. We are getting reports from people who know him and he sounds like a remarkable man. The missionary background was no surprise, but his age was a surprise as he is 71 years of age. He has great vitality and energy, speaks five languages and has worked with a great variety of cultures and religions.

Zambia Observations

The rains continue to fall and they are now creating real concern. In the southern region there is significant flooding and the President has declared a disaster area. Of course, the people who suffer the most in these situations are the poor for they have few resources. Likewise, the infrastructures of the roads and bridges have not been maintained and so they create havoc as well. In Lusaka, the greatest problems are located in the compounds where the latrines overflow and the pathways turn to mud.

The uncle of Winnie Nkhata, the parish administrator, died this past week. He was the sole provider for an extended family who lived in his six-room dwelling in the compounds. Winnie said that the house had been built over time, however the rooms had very little light or ventilation. The uncle worked as a security guard and had a monthly salary of $50 to support over eight people. When Winnie arrived at the home, they had nothing other than salt. No charcoal, no candles and no food. Sadly, this is the working poor who have so little.

Rural Chukuni Images

The pictures highlight that Chukuni mission is in a rural area of the Southern Province. The Zambians are close to the land and I was told that the Tonga people have always been good farmers. Father Moreau, SJ, the founding missionary taught the Tonga to use their cattle for plowing and domestic work. The upper picture shows various land plots farmed on the Mission. The middle picture is of a woman using an ox cart. The lower picture is some thatched dwellings on the way back to the main road. The farming people in Zambia are like farmers world-wide, watching the weather and often finding it too wet or too dry, or too hot or too cold. Some fields were thriving while others need a spell of dryness. On the return trip to Lusaka we saw many people (primarily women) weeding their fields. The sweet potatoes and the pumpkins were planted and seemed to be thriving.

Chikuni Mission Programs

The Jesuits are not the only religious working on the Chikuni Mission. There are three communities of religious women at the Mission and they run the hospital, work in the parish, run the Girl's school and reach at Charles Lawanga. CRS assisted the hospital to add a new building that will be used for HIV/AIDS work. The sign caught my attention as it noted that in the rural areas the hospitals also serve as the mortuaries.

Other works on the Mission include the parish and a Tonga cultural center and museum. The Mission also has a fine mechanic shop directed by an Irish Jesuit brother for the repair of Mission equipment.

Radio Chikuni is the creation of a very talented Polish Jesuit, Lesniara Andrzej. The radio station serves the Chukini area of the Southern province. The station is on air for about twenty hours per day. In addition to music, news and evangelization they also provide a school curriculum to students who are too remote to come to class. Students have a mentor and a crank operated radio for their lessons. The station supports itself by producing music CD's and tapes. They also sponsor an annual music festival featuring local area music that draws a crowd of 10,000.

This is the parish center for Home Base Care for HIV/AIDS. I was very impressed with the work of the center. They serve over 800 clients in the area in about 25 out stations. The sign in Tonga lists the services. In addition the the health issues of prevention, awareness and care, the center is also supporting programs to help the people be self-sufficient in food and resources.The center engages a large number of volunteers who are sent forth annually by the Bishop.

Charles Lawanga Teacher's College

The two pictures are from the campus of Charles Lawanga Teacher's College which is also a part of the Chikuni Mission. The coeducation teacher's college currently serves about 300 students in a two-year curriculum. The first year is on campus and the second year involves students teaching in the field. A Jesuit serves as the Vice Principal and will assume the Principal's role in the coming year. The school is a residential campus so there are hostels for men and women students, a dining hall, college hall, chapel (lower picture), classrooms and offices (upper picture) playing fields and faculty/staff housing. This is all part of the Chikuni Mission. There are currently four Jesuits working at the college. Education is a high priority within the Chikuni mission. I estimate that there are over 2000 students educated on the mission: Charles Lawanga Teacher's College, Canisius High School, Chikuni Girl's Schools, Chikuni Basic School and Charles Lawanga Basic School.

Bert Otten's Appropriate Technology

Part of the joy of visiting Chikuni was the chance to see Bert Otten, SJ and to see some of his work. I had the good fortune to live with Bert at Seattle University before he resigned his position and came to Zambia. Bert taught electrical engineering at SU and is very interested in appropriate technology.

• The upper picture is of Monica N'Sofu, the director of the Chikuni parish Home-based Aids Care. She is holding a delicacy a large woodland mushroom that she will dry in a solar dryer that Bert helped design.
• Bert has a number of other projects in the works or in the prototype stage. He has a truck that runs on sunflower oil fuel and they are testing was that jatropha can be grown to provide the fuel which would avoid using a food source for fuel. I saw his reading lights for villages that do not have electricity. The simple light operates on batteries, led lights and features toilet paper rolls wrapped in mylar (from the inside of chip bags) as the reflectors. Bert is hoping to get a woman's group to take on the manufacturing of these devices.
• The lower picture is of a solar powered water pump. Bert works with the Diocese of Monze to establish these sources of water for communities. A bore hole is drilled for the water and the water is pumped to the surface and stored in water towers. The solar energy provides the electricity to run the pump. The pump pictured with Bert and Jim was at Charles Lawanga Basic School. The pump will provide water for some gardens a poultry farm and a school with 800 students.

Visit to Canisius High School, Chikuni

I just returned from a two-day visit to Chikuni which could be consisidered the home of the Jesuit ministry in Zambia. The above pictures are of Canisius High School.

• The upper picture is of Jim McGloin, SJ, Ron Hidaka, SJ and myself. Jim is the socius to the Provincial, a former Provincial and now the Acting Provincial during the General Congregation. Jim, a Butte native, started at Gonzaga with me in 1962. Ron is originally from Tacoma, also served as Provincial and is acting Rector at Canisius and bursar of the school.

• The middle picture shows some of the playing fields with the young men cutting grass as part of their duties for keeping the school in the excellent shape. There are 700 men students at the school in grades 7-12. About a two-thirds of the students are boarders so they have hostels, a large kitchen, dining room, and playing fields for the students. The school has strong academics and they currently have eight Jesuits in the classroom.

• The lower picture is of the newly renovated buildings. Ron Hidaka, SJ is responsible for this renovation and the school is very attractive. The Jesuits mentioned that many are very surprised to see the quality after driving off the main road over dirt roads to arrive at the Chickuni mission.

Rain, Blessing or Curse!

The rains have been relentless during this year’s rainy season. Floods in Zambia have displaced thousands of people, drowned livestock and put large numbers of children at risk from life-threatening diseases. About 1.5 million Zambians may have to flee their homes because of flooding. In the Monze district (Canisius Secondary School and Charles Luwanga College are located in the district (125 miles south of Lusaka), 500 houses collapsed and other people were trapped on an island due to rising waters.
Fields are waterlogged and crops have been damaged, raising fears of a return to the food shortages that plagued the region as little as three years ago. Zambia's government is distributing tents and food to people in its southern region, while the Red Cross is providing chlorine to purify drinking water and avert outbreaks of deadly diseases such as cholera, which causes severe dehydration.

Miscellany from Lusaka

This is a picture of the African pied crow. Crows similiar to this one break the dawn with their harsh "ar-ar-ar-ar" or "karh-karh-karh". I actually think that they use both of these sounds. They are quiet until the dawn starts to break and then you hear them. They are actually quiet beautiful and they do mate for life, which gives you the added advantage of having two of them nearby. They like the peak of the church roof as their day-time roost so we have them throughout the day. Another positive is that they do not start until dawn, and we do not have the sound of sirens throughout the night as in Seattle.

All of the Jesuit communities appear to have working cats. The cats do a good job in keeping the property free from rats and other rodents. The St. Ignatius cat population just increased by four. The cats are somewhat skitish around us, but they have an uncany way of arriving at the door when fish is cooked.

Today I picked some red mangos from the house garden. We have both red and yellow mangos. The flavor is great and far surpasses the green fruit that makes it to Seattle stores. The magos are quite small but delicious.

Jesuit Candidates

The picture features eight men who are applying for the Jesuit novitiate. Three of the men are from Malawi and have completed college and the other five are from Zambia. I had the privilege of giving these men a three-day retreat in preparation for their interviews for the Society.

Part of the retreat included presentations on St. Ignatius, Father Arrupe and Bishop Paul Lungu, SJ, who was one of the first Zambians ordained as a Jesuit and certainly the first consecrated as a Bishop. Paul served as the novice director before being asked to become a bishop. One of his novices, Emmanuel Mumba, SJ, gave the presentation. Paul was an amazing man and was killed in a traffic accident. He was known to NW Jesuits as he did his tertianship in Spokane. Emmanuel told stories and made him come alive, and I am certain that his life was an inspiration to the men.

The candidates remain at the novitiate for the following week and engage in novitiate life with the novices. They will have a few more presentations and will be interviewed by four Jesuits and the acting Provincial. I was impressed and I am quite certain that a number of these men will enter. The novitiate is a common novitiate with the Zimbabwe province, so a similar process will take place in Zimbabwe.

Spiritual Leadership

I have included pictures from the Spiritual Leadership workshop that I am giving with Josephine Lunga for the Ignatian Spirituality Center. We are using the framework of Chris Lowney's book, Heroic Leadership that describes the four characteristics associated with Jesuit leadership over the centuries: self-awareness, ingenuity, courage and love. We have over 30 participants and they are divided between Jesuits (8 second year novices), religious and lay men and women.

Last night we had a community sending prayer for Peter Bwanali, SJ and Charles Chalinda, SJ, who are the delegates from Zambia/Malawi for the General Congregation. Peter and Charles are members of the St. Ignatius community. The 35th General Congregation opens in Rome on Monday with the tasks of accepting the resignation of Father Kolvenbach and electing a new General for the Society. The Congregation will also develop documents that will help guide the Society in the coming years. The Oregon Province delegates are John Whitney, SJ and Pat Lee, SJ. Please keep the Congregation in your prayers. The Congregation is expected to be in session until the first of March.