The Words of the Williamson Family
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The Words of the Williamson Family |
The
president of Zambia visits our school. President Kaunda is second
from the left; Robert Williamson is center. To his right are Steve
Buono, the school's advisor Mr. Singh, and headmistress Mrs. Singh.
In October 1984, Zambia celebrated the 20th anniversary of its independence from Britain and also the 60th birthday of His Excellency Kenneth David Kaunda, the president of the Republic of Zambia.
The festivities in our locality included sports, cultural events, a parade, and also a visit by the president to the Chilente Independence School, which wk. acquired in August of 1984.
The school occupies one of the historic landmarks of the independence movement in Zambia. It was in this building that over 26 years ago the nationalist movement began. The ruling party then steered the nation through the complexities of establishing a one-party state.
The State House [the presidential residence] informed one of our teachers one Friday afternoon that the president would visit our school the following morning. Late that night the teacher arrived at our church headquarters and gave us the news. There was not much we could do at that late hour except to visit Mrs. Singh, the employed headmistress, a home church member, to tell her the president was coming the following morning.
Early Saturday morning, Thetima, our school administrator, Steve Buono, who has recently started to teach English, and I arrived at the school to find it semi-deserted. There was but one person present -- Mrs. Phiri, our chief administrator. Mrs. Phiri is not sure when she was born, but we estimate her to be approaching 60. She has been associated with the school for nine years and has worked with its two previous owners. She took part in the independence movement over 26 years ago, but this day she was in a state of panic.
News came that the president would arrive at 9:00 a.m., which is usual for a presidential visit, but the scheduled time kept changing until it became 11 a.m.
Security went through their checks and examined the buildings, even opening up the present we had for the president -- a very beautiful fountain pen which Rev. Kwak had left with us on a previous visit, to give to an appropriate diplomat.
By this time, as it is whenever the president visits a place, the crowd had swelled to over 300, mostly children. The local party dance troupe was in full sway with traditional dances and dust flying everywhere -- even the vintage Mrs. Phiri joined in.
The
Chilente Independence School
Finally we heard the presidential drums booming from a distance. In olden times, whenever the chief visited the mighty drums would herald his coming. This tradition has been maintained, with the drum corps in full dress regalia, which varies from function to function. The drums have a special tone which penetrates the air quite forcibly and leaves a strong vibration in the stomach!
The presidential entourage finally entered the school gates and we all lined up -- the local party officials, ourselves, and 20 members of our hastily assembled school choir. The president and his wife Betty shook hands with each one of us. This was the first time I met the president in person, but Rev. Kwak and some members had previously met with him at the State House in January 1983, when Rev. Kwak gave a presentation on our church projects in Zambia.
The president seemed a little surprised to discover that we had now branched out into formal education and taken over the school. He also studied the big banner prepared by our "Japanese Friends of Africa" -- four Japanese CARP members who were visiting us and who also made a donation to the school and other projects of the church as well as some run by the government. The banner congratulated His Excellency on his 60th birthday.
Mrs. Singh read a poem, one of our sisters presented the gift, and Thetima gave some welcoming remarks.
President Kaunda did not speak directly, but the Honorable Humphrey Mulemba, secretary general of the party, spoke and thanked us for the warm reception. He gave us some extra encouragement, saying that education was the best gift parents could give to their children.
The presidential entourage then walked from the school to the house in which President Kaunda lived over 26 years ago.
One unfortunate incident did happen -- one of the security officers took the guest book, which the president was meant to sign, just before he arrived. When we asked the officer to give the book back, he said it was for the museum -- that is, the police museum! They still haven't returned it.
The school building has been or will soon be proclaimed a historic landmark, so we hope the government will find a suitable alternative building for us. The Chilente Independence School now has just under a hundred students, which we hope to expand to over 300, its full capacity. Fees are charged for all students, but the fees are very reasonable -- about $45.00 per three-month term. There are three terms in the year, with a month break between them. The school is situated in one of the poorer areas of Lusaka and offers secondary education in the morning and primary education in the afternoon. We hope to eventually have our own school in every town in Zambia.