And what does the school chairman do . . . . . ?

Anyone coming to the Amano website and entering by the 'Welcome' page sees the smiling face of Phil Grove and a brief message from him. The signature line simply indicates he is the school chairman and you will find passing mention of him in this blog but almost nowhere else on the web site. If you were visiting Amano you might see him in passing perhaps once in the course of a week but otherwise there would be nothing to indicate who Phil is or how he serves the Lord. With the school very definitely on holiday it seemed a good idea to say something more about Phil, pictured here with Valerie.
Phil's role as school chairman at least partly arises from the fact that he is one of the founders of Amano, along with Michael Pflaum who we will feature on another occasion. Both Phil and Valerie have spent almost all their lives in Zambia and Phil was educated initially at Sakeji School which still has strong links with Amano. In the Lord's good timing they met and it was recently revealed to the school that Phil proposed to Valerie at Victoria Falls. In recounting that time Phil said that if Valerie had refused him someone would have been found at the bottom of the Falls; as the Lord would have it Valerie accepted the proposal and her father suggested that there should be a renaming of the place to 'Valerie Falls!' The Zambian authorities don't seem to have taken that hint yet!
Amano Christian School originally became a possibility because political instability in the region where Sakeji School is sited indicated that it might be necessary to relocate. In the event that did not happen but the Amano project went ahead and resulted in the growing school we have now. Phil and Valerie's interest in education generally and Amano specifically was serious and practical from the very beginning. They personally invested time, energy and money in what they believed was the Lord's purpose in establishing Amano and have never wavered in that commitment.
So why, if that is so, is Phil not a more visible presence at Amano? There is a whole string of good reasons for that. Phil will modestly say he has three areas of main responsibility: the printing press which occupies a building literally on his doorstep, the distribution of aid and his preaching and teaching responsibilities amongst Christians arising from his position as an elder of Bethel Chapel in Chingola. We don't have space to detail fully all Phil and Valerie are doing in the service of their beloved Saviour, but just to expand a little on those areas will give some idea of what occupies Phil. The printing press produces books which are distributed and sold all over Zambia by Christian Copperbelt Publications and other materials are produced for Phil's own publishing work as well. Just the press work alone would be a full-time job for most of us.
The 'distribution of aid' means the receiving of one hundred shipping containers a year at the Grove's home site and the breaking down of those containers into shipments that are taken by truck over a large area of Zambia, supplying hospitals and other mission stations with all kinds of essentials. It would be no exaggeration to say that there are large and important parts of the mission work in Zambia that could not function were it not for Phil and Valerie's work. They would quite rightly want all the glory given to the Lord, but no-one should underestimate the personal work and effort that goes into arranging all this, getting customs clearance and a hundred other things.
Phil's service as an elder is another essential dimension. he regularly teaches and preaches and is greatly appreciated in these roles by many, many people, both Zambians and missionaries.
Valerie supports Phil in all of this but also has her own field of work. She runs a daily clinic, is the senior school nurse, teaches a ladies Bible study and provides music through her skills on the piano at Bethel. Valerie also makes food 'to die for' as the modern saying goes - how else would Phil be sustained?!
You may be exhausted just reading all this, but there is more. Space here doesn't allow us to go through all the various things Phil does in flying regularly to Lusaka - and other places - dealing with Zambian government matters in various aspects, listening to and offering wise counsel to the many people who come to him looking for help, plus chairing the school board and being actively involved in giving advice and help to many people at Amano.
Phil and Valerie's son Steve helps with the containers and mission maintenance but a couple who could serve in this area would be a tremendous blessing to Phil. Someone with printing skills is needed also - could it be you? Phil and Valerie need specific prayer support. We always want our readers to remember Amano as a school but taking a few moments to bring Phil and Valerie Grove before the Lord will bless the school as well!
Phil's abilities combined with Valerie's talents might well have made them a wealthy couple in a secular context. Instead they are willingly giving their lives in the Lord's service. In Brethren circles Phil is quite well known and certainly one could hardly serve the Lord in Zambia without coming across the Groves, but in the wider world they are willingly 'nobodies' as they concentrate their energy on promoting and serving the kingdom of God. There is a tremendous need for others to step forward to take their place and to expand the work in the future. Will you seek the Lord as to what he would have you do?

Christmas Computers!

Amano Christian School is dependent on many sources of supply for the wide range of books and equipment a modern school needs. Some things have to be purchased but the kindness and generosity of people in different parts of the world has supported the work here. It would take too long to list all the many things that have been sent to us that are in daily use and are greatly appreciated by students and staff.
Among the donated items have been computers, printers and various other accessories. Without them the administration of the school and the place of computers in the education of the students the Lord has sent to us would have been greatly diminished. However, computers are subject more than most items to the fact of built-in obsolescence and the reality is that sometimes the machines available for education and administration have been less than ideal.
Earlier in the year a very generous gift was received for the work at Amano that has allowed us to make the school’s first-ever purchase of new computers. They were ordered in August from Novatech in the UK (www.novatech.co.uk) who were very helpful in many ways, not least in giving a useful discount! Shipping the pallet of twenty-two computers and LCD screens took until December, but the Lord’s timing was evident in that their arrival was exactly right for them to be installed over the Christmas break.
The new computers will be used mainly in the computer laboratory for use by all the school. Seven will be used specifically by the Sixth Form students who have a special need for them in their course work.
Our picture shows the very first of the new computers up and running. Those who are really interested in technical details will notice that the computer is not running Microsoft Windows. We are planning to use Ubuntu Linux as our Operating System where possible.
Maybe your eyes glazed over at the mention of Operating Systems. Possibly you are not really keen on computers at all! Don’t let that feeling close your eyes to the fact that these new machines are very much the provision of our gracious Lord who watches over us in every way. We never forget our main aim of pointing the students in our care to the Lord Jesus Christ as their only hope and always our main concern is their eternal destiny over and above their possible careers. That approach is quite biblical - the Scripture tells us to seek first the Kingdom of God and that then everything else we need will be added. The arrival of our first new computers is evidence yet again that the Lord always keeps his Word.
Please continue to remember all the aspects of Amano in prayer and, when you are able, in your giving.

Christmas 2008

Term ended at Amano on Wednesday 10th December. There was the usual 'Christmas count-down' with various activities in the dormitory and in school, but the undoubted highlight was the planning, preparations and rehearsals for the Christmas concerts which were held on the final day.
Anyone who doubted the hard work that was going into the concerts would have had their doubts removed when the final results were seen. The school hall was packed to standing room only for both the Primary and Secondary performances. A special delight was the large number of parents and friends who came - no small thing when the Primary concert began at 9.00am on what for most Zambians was a normal working day.
The Primary theme was 'international' and took the audience round the world, visiting the USA, India and various other places as well as Hawaii and Zambia shown in our photographs. Each 'nation,' appropriately dressed and with typical music and dancing contributed something to the biblical Christmas story. The Primary teachers (Deborah Cole, Kaye Thomas and Kelly Zimpfer) had worked hard in co-operation with Gwen Amborski (music) and the result was a delightful and flawless performance form the children who obviously enjoyed themselves.
The Head teacher, Hilary Millard, presented prizes to children who had worked especially hard during the year and also made presentations to Jason & Kelly Zimpfer (who are leaving Amano to return to the USA) and Renate Koegel (who has been at Amano for a few weeks but now returns to her usual mission station elsewhere in Zambia).
Secondary students also worked hard on their concert which included excellent music and an amusing presentation of the Christmas story using a 'TV show' and various other elements including the best and funniest presentation of the wise men of Matthew 2 this writer has ever seen! Again a perfect performance was accompanied by wonderful music (Gwen Amborski along with various students).
Hilary Millard again made the prize presentation to those who had done exceptionally well. A special presentation was of certificates gained in music, specifically flute playing, by three students under the tuition provided by Jo Grove. Jo is seen with two of the her students providing accompaniment during the concert.
You would be right in expecting a Christmas concert at a Christian School to be different. Both Primary and Secondary concerts included a very clear and direct presentation of the gospel - not the 'watered-down' version so beloved of many schools in the UK and elsewhere! The audience were told very clearly that trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, the baby whose birth is celebrated at Christmas and who was both truly man and truly God and who died on the cross for sinners, is essential. The Secondary presentation in particular was pointed. Even the title of their concert (The Choice is Yours) left no doubt about what was being said.
It is a real privilege to be working in a country like Zambia where there is still the freedom to present the truth and that privilege is doubled when the students at Amano make it clear that for so many of them the message of the gospel is both understood and loved.
Maybe it would be worth spending a few moments this Christmas considering whether you could be part of what the Lord is doing here in Zambia? You can join us as a prayer partner, you can commit to financial support as a one time gift or longer term as a sponsor, or you could come to Amano and be part of one of the most exciting projects in mission today. Please visit our website at www.amanochristianschool.org

Amano's 'star' week

This past week has been a 'star' week in two ways. First of all, Wednesday evening witnessed an unusual astronomical event. Rod Boatman kindly sent text messages to a few of us that that evening would see the moon positioned between two planets. The event was scheduled to be clearly visible here in the southern hemisphere, but rainy season is not the most reliable time for astronomy!
As the Lord would have it, we had a good sighting just before a downpour: the photo shows the moon with Venus on the left and Jupiter on the right. As the Scripture says, 'the heavens declare the glory of God.'

Later in the week different stars in an altogether sadder event, at least for staff and students at Amano. It is no exaggeration to say that Jason and Kelly Zimpfer have been 'stars' at Amano during their time here. It's no small thing to achieve that status on a 16 month short-term placement, but Kelly's quiet but effective teaching and Jason's excellent work in a number of departments have been a real blessing to everyone. Jason and Kelly were dorm parents for a while and were popular and appreciated in that position. When that time ended Kelly was able to devote herself to her real love, teaching primary children, and Jason continued to do some teaching while at the same time doing sterling work in his specialised area as a construction engineer and being involved in building design and drawing for Markus Breuninger, the Project Manager.

On Friday 5th December a farewell 'dessert party' was held after lunch in the Breuninger's garden. Board chairman Phil Grove spoke on behalf of the Board of the appreciation everyone feels for Jason and Kelly's work; Markus spoke very warmly of Jason's contribution in his department and of the regard that he and everyone else, including the Zambian workers, had for Jason; Head teacher Hilary Millard spoke of her regard for their work in the school. In his speech Phil Grove said that young people of the Zimpfer's quality willing to put in time on the mission field were sadly rare these days. As you read this, is it possible that the Lord is calling YOU to Amano to serve in some capacity or another? You may be as young as the Zimpfer's or older, but shouldn't you be seeking the Lord as to whether your abilities (which he has given you!) can be used in his service in Africa?

Jason and Kelly will be sadly missed and remembered very fondly as they return to the United States in the coming week.

Our pictures show Zambian staff Mrs Mwambu, Lukundo Siwale (both teachers) and Prudence Mambwe (accounts) enjoying the sun at the farewell, Jason and Kelly and the unknowing beauty of the afternoon, Laura Grove (daughter of Steve and Jo, teachers, and granddaughter of Phil and Valerie).

A Significant Day

On Saturday 15th November there was a special gathering at Amano. Our four Grade 12 students, Gabriele Pflaum, Gianni Katebe, Emmanuel Mwale and Wankumbu Silengo have now completed their Secondary schooling and the last of their exams has finished! They are not leaving Amano - all four return in January to begin other courses at Sixth Form level - but this significant transition from secondary to tertiary education needed to be appropriately marked.

Earlier in the week they enjoyed a meal out with their teachers at a local restaurant, then on Friday 14th November there was an evening party in the dormitory which was a great deal of fun.

The service on Saturday was a more orderly affair - necessarily so! - but was greatly enjoyed by all present, including the Grade 12 parents who were able to come. School chairman Phil Grove led the service with his usual aplomb.

The music was one of the delights of the service. The three musicians, Jason Zimpfer, Matt MacDiarmid and Gwen Amborski were performed very well and in addition to accompanying the congregational singing and the singing items, they sang two songs themselves. Gwen had also trained the Amano Singers (who performed brilliantly) and arranged the music for the program.

School Board member Mrs Carolyn Belton made the presentation of an NIV Study Bible and a book giving a guided study of the Gospel of John to each of the four students. Mrs Belton was assisted by the Head Teacher Miss Hilary Millard, who gave a speech on behalf of the school.

The four Grade 12 students all had a part to play in the service, with Gianni and Emmanuel reading Scripture, Wankumbu leading in prayer and Gabi delivering the speech on behalf of the students. The sermon was delivered by Graham Hind and prayers were offered by Michael Pflaum (Board Vice-chairman and Gabi's father) and Board member Kelvin Samwata.

Photographs above (from the top) show:
The Grade 12 students with their parents; Marina, our Zambian kitchen supervisor who was an important part of the team responsible for an excellent lunch; Gwen Amborski; Gwen with Matt MacDiarmid and Jason Zimpfer, musicians; Hilary Millard making her speech; the congregation; Hilary with Mrs Carolyn Belton; the Amano Singers; the four Grade 12 students singing - from left to right Gabi, Emmanuel, Gianni and Wankumbu; Phil Grove; four pictures by Ulfert Andreeson from the Friday evening celebration.