This is an emailed we just received from the Ward's who are serving in South Africa. They are working with the church records etc. and trying to teach and train throughout the SE area.
Sister Bullock
I'm sorry the picture of these three young men did not copy. They are young and slender African men, dressed in very white shirts and nice ties. It always amazes me when I see how clean and well dressed the members are, considering the circumstances in which they live. This was sent by Sister Jameson; she and Elder Jameson serve in Lubumbashi, DRC.
We were in Likasi this week and had one of the most inspiring things happen that we have ever seen personally. These are three men whom we hope never to forget. When we begin to think we have challenges, we will think of these three Congolese Saints. We don't even know their names, but their faith and courage are beyond our imagination.
These three men live in a village in the bush North of Kolwezi called Kinkondja. Having seen how it is in the villages, we would never have guessed that they lived there. Somehow, we're not sure exactly how, they learned about the church and were baptized. There are now 15 members, 6 priests, 20 investigators, all of whom usually attend church on Sunday. There are, however, 30 tithe payers. They bring the tithing from the village every 6 months when they come to District Conference. This helps us better understand the sacred nature of tithing.
They do not have the full programs of the church. As far as we know, they hold Sunday School and study only from the scriptures. They have not even been given permission to administer the sacrament. But they are faithful Saints. For District Conference some of them come to Kolwezi twice a year. This time it was only these three. It's the rainy season and it rains almost every day, making travel hard. In the dry season 10-20 people will come. Sometimes they come for a week or so in order to go to a regular church meeting to take the sacrament. It is such a show of strength and faith that they continue to meet and, even more so, that they come to District Conference. We have known too many in our life who think that Stake Conference is a vacation weekend in the church. The reason we find their coming so inspiring is that the village they live in is 520 km from Kolwezi. That's roughly 300 miles and they WALK all the way. Either there are no transports that go that far or they can't afford to pay for them. So, they WALK 300 miles to attend District Conference. It took them 2 weeks this time. That's 20 miles a day. They will stay for a week or so and then WALK another 300 miles home. On the way home they will carry boxes on their heads containing copies of the Book of Mormon that they requested. I wondered to myself--If I got up one Sunday in Tempe and my car wasn't working, would I walk to the church a few blocks away from home? Or would I just stay home because it was too far or too hot? And if it was raining all day as I walked, would I choose to go?
Before I knew who they were on Saturday, I actually noticed them. They were sitting on the front row in the chapel at the Sat. adult session and they seemed to be listening intently and taking notes. Then we were told about them. Again on Sun. I saw them on the front row and never missing a word. They had walked 300 miles to hear the gospel messages and to feel the spirit of a group of Saints. I wished so much that I had something profound to say to them and prayed for the ability to give the message I had prepared. I wanted to at least be able to be understood. I had spent many hours of work on my talk and five hours of hard traveling to get to Kolwezi, but it seemed like a pathetic offering compared to their offering made to the Lord by being there.
After the meeting Brent met with them for a few minutes. They asked if we were going to come to see their group. It almost broke our hearts. I'm not sure that a car could even get to their village and even in a car, traveling for another 300 miles down those dirt roads seems beyond our ability. But I will never forget those three great men, very small and humble in the eyes of the world, but amazing giants among men to me. I hope their demonstration of faith and devotion will be heard by many and inspire us to be more committed and willing to sacrifice. I hope to see them again and I think that I will at the next District conference in Kolwezi six months from now.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Monday, March 8th
Sorry everyone, I forgot to post this one last week...
Kim
Monday, March-08-10
Last Saturday, but one (that means 2 Saturdays ago), Feb. 27th, was Panashe’s 12th birthday. We went to see him because we have been saving a basketball for him that Reeve gave us. He was so excited when he opened the box and saw it!! We saw his mom, Zvikomberero, as well. She was excited to tell us that she has a ‘real’ job for a bus company. If we understand correctly, she writes tickets. We were really excited for her too as jobs are not easy to come by here.
Sunday the 28th, we went to the Epworth Branch – it was just made an official branch the week before. Before it was just a ‘meeting’ for 2 hrs. (sacrament meeting and Sunday school). So the week we went was their first time for the 3 hr. block. They have the cutest, young Relief Society president, who is quite nervous. Just before Relief society started she leaned over and ask me if I could teach the lesson. I ask if she had a book but she did not. She wanted me to teach about pray. When I started she suggested that I should tell them what Relief Society is. I didn’t clue in at first that most of them, if not all, really had no clue as they are mostly new members. So I explained R.S. and also visiting teaching. As I was explaining it the president was making a list of all the ladies and assigning them a companion and a couple of others to go visit. At the end she got up and read off the assignment and told them they had to visit each other during the week and she would be asking for a report the next Sunday. She was so cute! I took some pictures but that is when my camera decided to quit working.
Jim was at priesthood meeting and he was also ask to teach a lesson. This branch meets in 1 room of a school so when they split off for primary, priesthood, R.S. etc. they took a few chairs and set up under a tree. The spirit was there and that is what counts. In priesthood meeting Jim (Elder Bullock) ordained Panashe a deacon and also Gift (who was baptized a few months ago) to the office of a priest. For some reason that had not been done at the time. He was glad to do that though as we had taught them and been involved with them for quite some time. They are some of our special people here.
This past Saturday we went to Gweru to help with their district training. Pres. Paradazi is a good man and tries so hard to keep his district running smoothly. We are really impressed with him. He is worried that things aren’t as good as they should be but we told him that his concerns are really no different than anywhere else in the church. We taught about being worthy and preparing to go to the temple. I think it all went really well. I spoke first and then Jim. We ended by showing a 10 min. DVD clip called “Between Heaven and Earth”. At the end of that you could have heard a pin drop and the spirit was really strong. They all would like a copy for their branches so we said we would try and do that for them. Afterwards one sister told me that she has a date set to go to the temple and she is just praying that nothing will happen to her before she can go do that. She does not want to die without those temple ordinances. These people want to get there so badly and they are really working hard to make it happen.
We stayed overnight in Gweru at really quite a nice new lodge. They told us that there were two places to eat supper, one Western food and one Chinese food. We opted for the Chinese and walked over to where we thought it was. When we got there and ask we found we were in the wrong place. A fellow said he was the “food and beverage’ man and was headed that way and would give us a ride. We squeezed into his truck and it was further than we had thought and wished we had driven our vehicle over but figured we could walk back okay with our flashlight. After eating (it was an ok meal) we were walking away and the fellow came running to catch up and said he was giving us a ride back to our room. He had borrowed a different truck so we would be more comfortable. We were glad for the ride as I was a little nervous to walk back in the dark and it would have taken us 10 minutes or more. We tipped him a dollar!
Sunday we left and headed to KweKwe for church as it is on our way home. We left after Sacrament meeting and drove for about an hour when suddenly I realized we had left our computer at the lodge in Gweru. YIKES! We called the missionaries there and ask them to go see if they had it and it was there safe and sound!! Whew!!!!! We decided we had to turn around and go back and get it so our 3 ½ hr. trip home ended up being about 6 ½ hr. instead .
Today was Zone conference and we had Elder and Sister Merrill, the mission doctor here. They gave some excellent counsel and we will all get a handout of it soon. They are from California but originally he is from Alberta – in fact his ancestors are from Mountain View and Hillspring. He is related through the Wests somehow and says that we are related – I didn’t really understand how but he did refer to “Uncle Billie”Payne!!! The Merrills are in their 70’s and this is their 5th mission (medical). They spent 3 in Western Africa, one in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands and now here. They have sold their house and have only a few boxes of possessions. She said by the time they cannot serve missions they will be ready for a senior’s home or to be living with one of their kids. They said that there was 2 months between the last missions. I thought you had to wait 6 months between but apparently that has been changed now.
Mayfields have arrived for Home evening so........ we will give them a small version of our temple presentation.
Tuesday morning: We played squash this morning and got a good workout even if I never win a game playing against Ishmael and Melvin. I am lucky to even get a few points. We got home and had no power, but that is normal for Tuesday. We used the generator and had our shower. We have a couple of meetings today – one at a clinic and one with ZESA (electrical company).
Kim
Monday, March-08-10
Last Saturday, but one (that means 2 Saturdays ago), Feb. 27th, was Panashe’s 12th birthday. We went to see him because we have been saving a basketball for him that Reeve gave us. He was so excited when he opened the box and saw it!! We saw his mom, Zvikomberero, as well. She was excited to tell us that she has a ‘real’ job for a bus company. If we understand correctly, she writes tickets. We were really excited for her too as jobs are not easy to come by here.
Sunday the 28th, we went to the Epworth Branch – it was just made an official branch the week before. Before it was just a ‘meeting’ for 2 hrs. (sacrament meeting and Sunday school). So the week we went was their first time for the 3 hr. block. They have the cutest, young Relief Society president, who is quite nervous. Just before Relief society started she leaned over and ask me if I could teach the lesson. I ask if she had a book but she did not. She wanted me to teach about pray. When I started she suggested that I should tell them what Relief Society is. I didn’t clue in at first that most of them, if not all, really had no clue as they are mostly new members. So I explained R.S. and also visiting teaching. As I was explaining it the president was making a list of all the ladies and assigning them a companion and a couple of others to go visit. At the end she got up and read off the assignment and told them they had to visit each other during the week and she would be asking for a report the next Sunday. She was so cute! I took some pictures but that is when my camera decided to quit working.
Jim was at priesthood meeting and he was also ask to teach a lesson. This branch meets in 1 room of a school so when they split off for primary, priesthood, R.S. etc. they took a few chairs and set up under a tree. The spirit was there and that is what counts. In priesthood meeting Jim (Elder Bullock) ordained Panashe a deacon and also Gift (who was baptized a few months ago) to the office of a priest. For some reason that had not been done at the time. He was glad to do that though as we had taught them and been involved with them for quite some time. They are some of our special people here.
This past Saturday we went to Gweru to help with their district training. Pres. Paradazi is a good man and tries so hard to keep his district running smoothly. We are really impressed with him. He is worried that things aren’t as good as they should be but we told him that his concerns are really no different than anywhere else in the church. We taught about being worthy and preparing to go to the temple. I think it all went really well. I spoke first and then Jim. We ended by showing a 10 min. DVD clip called “Between Heaven and Earth”. At the end of that you could have heard a pin drop and the spirit was really strong. They all would like a copy for their branches so we said we would try and do that for them. Afterwards one sister told me that she has a date set to go to the temple and she is just praying that nothing will happen to her before she can go do that. She does not want to die without those temple ordinances. These people want to get there so badly and they are really working hard to make it happen.
We stayed overnight in Gweru at really quite a nice new lodge. They told us that there were two places to eat supper, one Western food and one Chinese food. We opted for the Chinese and walked over to where we thought it was. When we got there and ask we found we were in the wrong place. A fellow said he was the “food and beverage’ man and was headed that way and would give us a ride. We squeezed into his truck and it was further than we had thought and wished we had driven our vehicle over but figured we could walk back okay with our flashlight. After eating (it was an ok meal) we were walking away and the fellow came running to catch up and said he was giving us a ride back to our room. He had borrowed a different truck so we would be more comfortable. We were glad for the ride as I was a little nervous to walk back in the dark and it would have taken us 10 minutes or more. We tipped him a dollar!
Sunday we left and headed to KweKwe for church as it is on our way home. We left after Sacrament meeting and drove for about an hour when suddenly I realized we had left our computer at the lodge in Gweru. YIKES! We called the missionaries there and ask them to go see if they had it and it was there safe and sound!! Whew!!!!! We decided we had to turn around and go back and get it so our 3 ½ hr. trip home ended up being about 6 ½ hr. instead .
Today was Zone conference and we had Elder and Sister Merrill, the mission doctor here. They gave some excellent counsel and we will all get a handout of it soon. They are from California but originally he is from Alberta – in fact his ancestors are from Mountain View and Hillspring. He is related through the Wests somehow and says that we are related – I didn’t really understand how but he did refer to “Uncle Billie”Payne!!! The Merrills are in their 70’s and this is their 5th mission (medical). They spent 3 in Western Africa, one in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands and now here. They have sold their house and have only a few boxes of possessions. She said by the time they cannot serve missions they will be ready for a senior’s home or to be living with one of their kids. They said that there was 2 months between the last missions. I thought you had to wait 6 months between but apparently that has been changed now.
Mayfields have arrived for Home evening so........ we will give them a small version of our temple presentation.
Tuesday morning: We played squash this morning and got a good workout even if I never win a game playing against Ishmael and Melvin. I am lucky to even get a few points. We got home and had no power, but that is normal for Tuesday. We used the generator and had our shower. We have a couple of meetings today – one at a clinic and one with ZESA (electrical company).
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Pictures from our trip to Muzarabani
Our camera isn't working that great these days, so the Mayfield's lent us their camera. I like the picture of the 3 little kids holding hands and there is one picture of a boy that is skinny (you can see his ribs) standing beside one with an extended stomach (lack of food). This is an area where we have seen some real poverty and hungry people. Their crops are ruined this year because the rains came too late.
The truck looks worse in real life than on the pictures.
The truck looks worse in real life than on the pictures.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Our adventure
Hi everyone, We went to Muzarabani this morning and were planning to stay overnight there, however, we decided to come back to Harare. It has been raining there for 2 weeks straight and things were rather wet and muddy. Just before we got to Muzarabani, Seka took us off the main road to check out the place that we were suppose to stay overnight. We got part way up that road only to find that a bridge was half washed out. We went back and a little further down the road was the 2nd choice for our overnight stay. We left the main road again and went past a place that didn't look too inviting. Seka said to drive a little further. We went down a bit of a hill and there was a white lady camping out in sort of a campground area.
We stopped and talked to her and she told us not to go any further and she said that she hoped we had a 'four wheel drive' so we could get back out of where we were. Well -- we don't have a four wheel drive!!!!!!
She was about my age. They are from South Africa and her husband has a contract to build a road nearby there and he was gone somewhere to buy diesel to bring back for the machinery. Anyway, she suggested that we try and back out rather than turn around. We tried but......
Jim went forward into a small stream where he could get some grip from the rocks and made a run for it ..... several times. There was mud spraying up the sides of the truck.
The lady suggested that he wouldn't get out unless we pushed so between me, Seka and the lady pushing we slowly managed to get out of there. We got up the incline and were able to turn around and drove out ok after that. I managed to stay mostly out of the line of flying mud but got splattered a bit on my shoes and legs.
We decided after that we didn't want to stay and go out into the rurals looking at borehole sites when things were that muddy and wet. Not a good idea!!! Besides, we didn't know that we can't buy diesel there for our truck and didn't have enough to go tour the borehole sites AND get back to Harare. So - we have arranged to go back on March 30 and 31st and try again if it is dry. We will take some jerry cans of diesel with us next time too.
We took some clothing up and gave it to Pastor Mhike to distribute (a lot of loose stuff that we had that needed to be cleaned up). Also took a bit of soap and also some clothes for Seka's mother and some stuff called "nutrition for children" that Reeve and the girls brought in their container. It is a rice/lentil mix with some seasoning. People up in that area are hungry due to the fact that their maize crop is a write-off since the rain came too late. We didn't see his mother as she was out working in the field somewhere but he did see his sister. We tried to put the things into her hut quickly before neighbors started gathering and would see what we had. It worked, I think. We just didn't have enough to give to others.
Seka says he is going to give us an acre of land there so we can build ourselves a hut and move in!!!!! It is a beautiful area but.................. lot of buts......
We did give the kids candy (sweeties) and Jim juggled his tennis balls for them and tried to teach them how to do it. They like that. The kids were also making a high jump standard out of twigs. I took a few pictures and will have to send them tomorrow. I didn't get any pictures of us trying to get out of the mud though. My camera is doing weird things suddenly and I don't know how to fix it. I borrowed Mayfield's camera today. I think we may have to email Reeve and ask if she can buy us a camera in Australia or SA on their way back from the golf tour. They will be back about the middle of March.
Anyway - it is getting late so I better run. Love to all, Elder & Sister Bullock
We stopped and talked to her and she told us not to go any further and she said that she hoped we had a 'four wheel drive' so we could get back out of where we were. Well -- we don't have a four wheel drive!!!!!!
She was about my age. They are from South Africa and her husband has a contract to build a road nearby there and he was gone somewhere to buy diesel to bring back for the machinery. Anyway, she suggested that we try and back out rather than turn around. We tried but......
Jim went forward into a small stream where he could get some grip from the rocks and made a run for it ..... several times. There was mud spraying up the sides of the truck.
The lady suggested that he wouldn't get out unless we pushed so between me, Seka and the lady pushing we slowly managed to get out of there. We got up the incline and were able to turn around and drove out ok after that. I managed to stay mostly out of the line of flying mud but got splattered a bit on my shoes and legs.
We decided after that we didn't want to stay and go out into the rurals looking at borehole sites when things were that muddy and wet. Not a good idea!!! Besides, we didn't know that we can't buy diesel there for our truck and didn't have enough to go tour the borehole sites AND get back to Harare. So - we have arranged to go back on March 30 and 31st and try again if it is dry. We will take some jerry cans of diesel with us next time too.
We took some clothing up and gave it to Pastor Mhike to distribute (a lot of loose stuff that we had that needed to be cleaned up). Also took a bit of soap and also some clothes for Seka's mother and some stuff called "nutrition for children" that Reeve and the girls brought in their container. It is a rice/lentil mix with some seasoning. People up in that area are hungry due to the fact that their maize crop is a write-off since the rain came too late. We didn't see his mother as she was out working in the field somewhere but he did see his sister. We tried to put the things into her hut quickly before neighbors started gathering and would see what we had. It worked, I think. We just didn't have enough to give to others.
Seka says he is going to give us an acre of land there so we can build ourselves a hut and move in!!!!! It is a beautiful area but.................. lot of buts......
We did give the kids candy (sweeties) and Jim juggled his tennis balls for them and tried to teach them how to do it. They like that. The kids were also making a high jump standard out of twigs. I took a few pictures and will have to send them tomorrow. I didn't get any pictures of us trying to get out of the mud though. My camera is doing weird things suddenly and I don't know how to fix it. I borrowed Mayfield's camera today. I think we may have to email Reeve and ask if she can buy us a camera in Australia or SA on their way back from the golf tour. They will be back about the middle of March.
Anyway - it is getting late so I better run. Love to all, Elder & Sister Bullock
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Tongwa landslide update
Just thought I would forward this to you. This is about a village in the remote northern area of Zambia. This fellow, Alan Rise, has been emailing us in hopes that we will use some area initiative money to ship a container that he is filling to the village. He apparently built the school and clinic there for the village. Now that his has happened I don't know what he will want to do. Our superior in SA says we can help with the shipping if we want but he doesn't really think it is something we need to do. We were feeling that way too as it would take 1/3 of our initiative budget ($15,000) to ship the container. This emergency will likely change his plans somewhat -- OR I suppose he could want to get the container there even more so.
Nancy
-----------------
This is the report I just received from the local missionary in Tongwa about the disaster.The pictures are from the and around the clinic area. I am still waiting for the pictures of the school.
Report From Lewis Musonda on situation in Tongwa:
On Sunday morning, 21 February, between 4 and 5am, there was a flash flood through Tongwa and a large landslide in the village of Kalala. Thankfully no one was killed in Tongwa and there were only one or two minor injuries, but in Kalala eight people were killed and their homes crushed with huge rocks. Here are the details about these two situations. There had been many heavy rains up on the plateau. The rivers had been flooded there, and on the 21st, the water came down in a wall of water over 2 meters high. The water came down the small streams and joined into the stream that goes through Tongwa to the lake. The water brought many stones
with it and was too much to fit in the stream. The water flowed over the banks and rushed around behind the school and through the village past the headman’s house and around the clinic. Lewis was awake in the night before the flash flood occurred because of the heavy rain and thunder and lightning.
Right before the flood, a fisherman went to try to get his big fishing net out of his boat. He was at the boat when the flash flood came through and the boat was thrown on top of him. Thankfully he was able to swim down under it and escape, but the boat and net were lost. The fishing inspectors from Mpulungu were in Tongwa at the time and their boat with a 40 horsepower engine was also lost. Some people were able to pick up fish from the water that were brought down the mountain by the flood. The stream where the people in Tongwa collected their drinking water was expanded to several meters deep and is now filled with many stones that came down from the mountain. At the mouth of the stream, there is now a ridge of stones. The water is very muddy, but the people have no option but to still drink from it. For the first several days the stream was so wide and deep that no one could cross and they had to take a small boat from one side of the village to the other. The water eroded away the land several meters down
right next to the school. Now there remains only one meter of ground between the school and the drop off into the stream. The school has a large crack through the front and back walls and the floor. The clinic is standing, but the ground around it has been washed away by the water. The headman’s house was partially washed away on the first day and has now collapsed completely.
Several other houses and toilets have also completely collapsed. On that Sunday, the water continued running through the village until around 10 in the morning and the rains continued up until 12. The people were running around very afraid and not knowing what to do. Even up to now the people are afraid to sleep in their houses at night if it is raining for fear another flood will come and their houses will collapse on top of them. The children are in danger because they play on the edges of the areas where the water made valleys and these cliff edges are ready to collapse. These are on the sides of the stream and the sides of the path the water took through the village – around the back of the school and by the headman’s house and the clinic.
The headman went to Mpulungu to talk to the DC on that Sunday the 21st. Government officials have visited Kalala, the place where people were killed by the landslide and some have visited Tongwa. There were rumors that the government would chase the people from Tongwa because it is not safe, but Lewis spoke to the DC and it is not true. But the fishermen are not fishing now because they are afraid of what will happen in the village while they are gone. The school is also closed. Many people are saying that the cause of this disaster was witchcraft. The government promised tents and food to those who had lost their homes, but none have been provided yet. Many people lost food, and the water is very bad to drink. Some also lost cash that was washed
away in the storm. In Kalala village, next to Tongwa, the side of the village was built in a valley. The houses that were built here were completely crushed by a huge landslide. It is like a road of rocks now, leading from the mountain down to the lake. Stones as big as houses came down and crushed all the trees and homes. Eight people died including a pregnant woman and her unborn baby. The others were two men and three children. The men were from a nearby village and were there for fishing.
These people were the only ones staying there where the landslide happened, there were no survivors. Now you cannot even see that houses had been there. You can see large trunks of trees lying on top of and under the rocks. Teams of men have gone there to try to retrieve the bodies, but even with dynamite they are unable to find them.
My wife and I are still trying to assess the damages to the school but it does not look good at this point. Depending on the outcome we may be looking for volunteers right away to go fix the school or to build a new one. If you would like to come or donate to this project please let me know.
Thank you, Alan Riser
Nancy
-----------------
This is the report I just received from the local missionary in Tongwa about the disaster.The pictures are from the and around the clinic area. I am still waiting for the pictures of the school.
Report From Lewis Musonda on situation in Tongwa:
On Sunday morning, 21 February, between 4 and 5am, there was a flash flood through Tongwa and a large landslide in the village of Kalala. Thankfully no one was killed in Tongwa and there were only one or two minor injuries, but in Kalala eight people were killed and their homes crushed with huge rocks. Here are the details about these two situations. There had been many heavy rains up on the plateau. The rivers had been flooded there, and on the 21st, the water came down in a wall of water over 2 meters high. The water came down the small streams and joined into the stream that goes through Tongwa to the lake. The water brought many stones
with it and was too much to fit in the stream. The water flowed over the banks and rushed around behind the school and through the village past the headman’s house and around the clinic. Lewis was awake in the night before the flash flood occurred because of the heavy rain and thunder and lightning.
Right before the flood, a fisherman went to try to get his big fishing net out of his boat. He was at the boat when the flash flood came through and the boat was thrown on top of him. Thankfully he was able to swim down under it and escape, but the boat and net were lost. The fishing inspectors from Mpulungu were in Tongwa at the time and their boat with a 40 horsepower engine was also lost. Some people were able to pick up fish from the water that were brought down the mountain by the flood. The stream where the people in Tongwa collected their drinking water was expanded to several meters deep and is now filled with many stones that came down from the mountain. At the mouth of the stream, there is now a ridge of stones. The water is very muddy, but the people have no option but to still drink from it. For the first several days the stream was so wide and deep that no one could cross and they had to take a small boat from one side of the village to the other. The water eroded away the land several meters down
right next to the school. Now there remains only one meter of ground between the school and the drop off into the stream. The school has a large crack through the front and back walls and the floor. The clinic is standing, but the ground around it has been washed away by the water. The headman’s house was partially washed away on the first day and has now collapsed completely.
Several other houses and toilets have also completely collapsed. On that Sunday, the water continued running through the village until around 10 in the morning and the rains continued up until 12. The people were running around very afraid and not knowing what to do. Even up to now the people are afraid to sleep in their houses at night if it is raining for fear another flood will come and their houses will collapse on top of them. The children are in danger because they play on the edges of the areas where the water made valleys and these cliff edges are ready to collapse. These are on the sides of the stream and the sides of the path the water took through the village – around the back of the school and by the headman’s house and the clinic.
The headman went to Mpulungu to talk to the DC on that Sunday the 21st. Government officials have visited Kalala, the place where people were killed by the landslide and some have visited Tongwa. There were rumors that the government would chase the people from Tongwa because it is not safe, but Lewis spoke to the DC and it is not true. But the fishermen are not fishing now because they are afraid of what will happen in the village while they are gone. The school is also closed. Many people are saying that the cause of this disaster was witchcraft. The government promised tents and food to those who had lost their homes, but none have been provided yet. Many people lost food, and the water is very bad to drink. Some also lost cash that was washed
away in the storm. In Kalala village, next to Tongwa, the side of the village was built in a valley. The houses that were built here were completely crushed by a huge landslide. It is like a road of rocks now, leading from the mountain down to the lake. Stones as big as houses came down and crushed all the trees and homes. Eight people died including a pregnant woman and her unborn baby. The others were two men and three children. The men were from a nearby village and were there for fishing.
These people were the only ones staying there where the landslide happened, there were no survivors. Now you cannot even see that houses had been there. You can see large trunks of trees lying on top of and under the rocks. Teams of men have gone there to try to retrieve the bodies, but even with dynamite they are unable to find them.
My wife and I are still trying to assess the damages to the school but it does not look good at this point. Depending on the outcome we may be looking for volunteers right away to go fix the school or to build a new one. If you would like to come or donate to this project please let me know.
Thank you, Alan Riser
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