On the 25 August we set off to the Annual Women’s Christian Fellowship Western Presbytery Conference. It was held this year at Sefula Mission using the dormitory, dining and conference facilities provided by the UCZ Secondary School there. As well us Keith Ida and Mubita, we travelled with Dorothy Kataknekwa, Mwandi Consistory Choir Director and two other choir members from Mabumbu Congregation, Prisca Sinamu and Georgina Mutuluti.
We picked them up at the Celtel Tower on the outskirts of Mwandi and headed for Sesheke for fuel and to drop off some milk formula for little Liseli at the Social Welfare Department. On leaving we learned by text that the Reverend Mandi and wife had just been blessed with the gift of a little daughter, Taonga (Thanks)
We made good progress along the M10, the Livingstone-Mongu Road, also called the Nakatindi Road. The tar runs out at Katima Mulilo, but the Chinese who are rehabilitating the road have built a well-graded temporary road all the way to Sioma; it is harder going through Nangweshi and across the Matabele Plain to Kalongola using the untouched old road. Saying that we reached the pontoon ferry 2 hours earlier than our previous trip to Presbytery in November.
The recently acquired Church of Scotland vehicle has made travelling such distances on such surfaces much easier too. The pontoon costs K56 000 (GBP7) for the one-way crossing of the Zambezi. The causeway to Senanga on the other side is still in need of some repair. An hour later we reached Sefula, the whole journey of 375km taking just under 7 hours.
There we greeted old friends and we registered, then left to find accommodation in Mongu, as we were tasked with bringing ice and daily provisions. A bus had been hired by Sesheke congregation and around a dozen Mwandi Consistory members had travelled on it. Livingstone had used an overlander truck, they passed us having lunch en route.
Friday and Saturday dealt with Topics based on the theme of Seeking a Transformed Church. The speakers were Ministers from within the Presbytery.
It was moving and humbling to be welcomed ‘home’ by the Provincial Secretary and District Commissioner as descendants of William Waddell who was the artisan Missionary who accompanied Coillard.
Since it was a woman’s conference Keith met up with Rev Mubita, the former Moderator of the Church of Barotseland before it joined the UCZ. The book ‘The Spread of the Gospel in Barotseland” by the former Paris Mission Missionaries which is a chronological history from 1885-1965 has been warmly welcomed as a valuable contribution to sources for early Church History in present-day Zambia. The Western Presbytery Bishop has tasked a Committee with doing a similar job from the genesis of the UCZ till the present day.
The next day 15km a drive was taken down the K1.3Trillion Mongu to Kalabo Road, still under repair, to the former Royal Capital at Lealui, once a thriving and busy settlement but looking rather drab and run-down. The Royal Palace is now little used, the King (Litunga) lives most of the time at Limulunga. This was a flying visit to Lwatile, a small island in the wet season, where the Paris Missionaries built a Church a clinic and school to serve this area. William Waddell built the church here, though now it is decaying and crumbling but the roof timbers are still in good condition.On Sunday morning a huge congregation gathered outside the Dining Hall under the shade of a grove of stately trees for the ‘Blousing Service’. The Women’s Christian Fellowship are a uniformed group of women who play an important role in the life of the Church, helping to foster unity and oneness. They encourage and help those in difficulties as well as witnessing. They are also an important wing in the social and welfare work of the Church.
After receiving the invitation to join at last year’s Presbytery Meeting, Ida has undergone training and was bloused with 110 other women from all over Bulozi (Western Province). She was helped into the blouse by the Rev Akafekwa’s wife and Mrs Mubita tied her headsquare The Bishop Louis Mubita Sipalo gave the charge and welcomed the new members. The benediction was given the Former Moderator the Rev Mubita.
After a photo session and farewells we set off for home, meeting 3 cavalcades of campaigning politicians between Senanga and the ferry.
