Gud at spellingz?

Primary Assembly on Tuesday this week was special for a number of reasons. First of all it was held at 0930 instead of the usual 0730, and the reason for that was that there were visitors from the PTA, Mrs Hudson and Mrs Bousfield. The Assembly was led by teacher Lisa Frick who is coming toward the end of her time at Amano as replacement for Kaye Thomas who is on furlough.

The cause of all this was that the PTA had agreed to hold a 'Spellathon,' a sponsored spelling test for the Primary Students. Between twenty and sixty words were allocated, depending on the age of the children and the event was held on 6th November. Mrs Hudson spoke on behalf of the PTA to announce the great result: over 6 million Kwacha (about 850 euros, £770, US$1250) had been collected for the PTA project to construct a new playground. Mrs Hudson also announced that cakes had been prepared to celebrate the occasion, to the great delight of the students!

Our thanks go to Primary teacher Deborah Cole who serves on the PTA and undertook the organisation of the Spellathon. We are of course grateful to the Lord for the blessing - without his watching care Amano could not exist.

Our photographs show the students during the assembly, Lisa leading, Mrs Hudson announcing the results and finally the joy of some of the Primary as they view the cakes!

Web site update!

Just a brief post to let everyone know that the Amano Christian School web site has now been updated with a completely new design and refreshed content. You can now visit the web site to read this blog by clicking on the 'Amano News' tab. It is quite likely that some sharp-eyed readers will spot mistakes or have comments that will be helpful about the site. Please use the contact form on the site to let us know; it is a great help to have feedback.

The picture shows the new 'front page.' Why not go now to www.amanocs.org?

With sadness, but with faith

Last week was a special one in the life of Amano. The Grade 12 and Sixth Form students finally completed their examinations at IGCSE and above, the last examination of all being taken by Jedidah Kalala on Thursday 19th November. Our head teacher, Hilary Millard, drove Jedidah to Lechwe School in Kitwe for the exam and as Hilary later noted it was significant because some years earlier she had had the pleasure of welcoming a very young Jedidah into Grade 1 at Sakeji school. Along with the rest of the Sixth Form with the exception of Gabi Pflaum and all the Grade 12 students, Jedidah had completed her education at Amano Christian School and was about to leave.

On that Thursday evening there was a dinner at the local Protea Hotel for the leaving students and those staff members who had taught them in the past year. It was a most enjoyable occasion, with the students taking the opportunity to dress in their best. We draw a veil over the amount of time the ladies spent choosing clothes and shoes and having their hair done! The results were spectacular, however.

During the day there were textbooks to be returned and data to be recovered from computers, but there was also much preparation for the dormitory 'Hollywood Night' arranged by the Grade 11 students as a farewell to the leaving students. Compered by Wila, Andrea and Mwenya, the evening went very well with excellent talent on display and a good deal of humour.

On Saturday morning a formal 'Farewell Service' was held in the hall of the new dormitory, the first school event to be held there. We hope that next year the new school hall will be available.

The service was attended by a good number of parents and day students as well as the boarders. Andrew Kirk led the service and Amano Christian School chairman Phil Grove preached from the life of Abraham to encourage the leaving students to remain faithfully on the path that the Lord laid out for them. Nambao Mutemwa spoke on behalf of Grade 12 and Jedidah and Martin Pflaum spoke jointly on behalf of the Sixth Form. Hilary Millard reminded us of the history of some of the students and Ulfert Andresen, the Sixth Form tutor, compared the life of the Sixth Form students to mountaineering. There were various items in the service but the 'Amano Singers,' consisting of students, teaching staff and Zambian site staff were very special. The music for the service was for the most part the work of Gwen Amborski. Michael Pflaum closed the meeting with prayer and asked the Lord's blessing on the meal which followed.

Finally the sad time arrived and there were many tears and hugs as the leaving students said farewell to dear friends, colleagues and staff.

All the students were memorable in their own particular way and while we are glad to see them moving on to higher things they will all be missed in the life of Amano. However, we know that they have enjoyed a tremendous opportunity to learn in a Christian environment and we believe that the Lord will take care of them as they put their trust in him. The glorious sovereignty and omnipresence of God mean that our friends will never be out of his sight or beyond his care. Please pray for them and their new opportunities and also for the students remaining at Amano who will miss them so much.

Our pictures show the leaving students on their 'night out,' Jedidah Kalala, Gabi Pflaum who remains at Amano, Rabecca Mwale 'enduring' Wila watched by Andrea, sixth formers Benji Mutti and Martin Pflaum with Jedidah, Matthew Raymond (a former headmaster at Amano) with wife Alison at the leaver's service, Hilary Millard speaking at the service, Neema Kashimoto playing keyboards, the 'Amano Singers,' Phil Grove preaching and finally Ulfert Andresen caught in the moment the stress of tutoring the sixth form finally made him snap!

Building for the future

Our title might serve as the motto for Amano Christian School if we didn't already have such a good one (For the Lord gives wisdom - Proverbs 2:6), but in any case it covers what we are doing. The young lives the Lord has entrusted to us are the future of Zambia and other countries and the great desire of those who founded the school is that a godly influence be implanted in them. It is no easy task. First of all, the influences of this world are not at all godly and so there is a battle for 'hearts and minds' that takes place every day at one level or another. For that reason we need and greatly appreciate people who pray regularly for us in their personal prayer time and in prayer meetings and appropriate occasions among the people of God. Please be encouraged to think much of this aspect of supporting Amano.

Secondly, teaching consumes a great deal of resources in terms of equipment, buildings and people, so we are also very grateful to the Lord for those who give in other ways. The Amano staff consists of expatriates and Zambians who are willingly giving time to serving the Lord very practically but we understand that not everyone is called to do that. Some are called to give gifts of money to the work and it is their faithfulness in knowing the leading of the Lord and responding to it that allows so much of the practical work to be done. Many are giving from very limited resources and we value and appreciate that sacrifice. What a wonderful thing it is that our Lord rewards faithfulness without regard to measure! The gospel story of the widow's mite will have been found to have been repeated many times over when the books of heaven are opened.

Our first picture shows 'Hydraform' blocks lined up waiting for use in the construction of the new kitchen, dining hall and general purpose hall located opposite the school admin block. Over 42,000 blocks have been manufactured on the Amano site to build this and the new sixth form block. As can be seen construction of the walls of the new building has begun. This is a much-needed project in many ways - the present kitchen and dining area are certainly inadequate and the hall in use at the school now (manufactured from shipping containers like the classrooms) is too small. Everyone is looking forward to the completion next year.

Also 'building for the future' is Prudence Mambwe, employed in the office at the school under Shany Grimes, our accountant. Prudence as we have generally seen her is shown above, then standing by her husband David at their wedding on Saturday 7th November. Prudence (now Mrs Muchimba) and David (who is a teacher elsewhere) are both committed Christians and a number of Amano staff celebrated with them on their special day. May the Lord build their future for his glory.

Half term on the horizon

A very busy half term is coming toward a close - the week commencing Monday 12th October will be the last before a brief break. For the students at Amano the break will seem short as they revise for examinations which take place immediately after their return on Monday 19th. Most teachers will also have a shorter than usual break as Saturday 17th and the following Monday and Tuesday are largely taken up by an in-service training course organised by our friends from NorthStar UK.

NorthStar have played a major part so far this term. The company teaches our Business Studies Course and plays a major part in our sixth form tutoring. For the biggest part of the time work with them is done via the Internet but Amano benefits from visits from NorthStar tutors from time to time. IGCSE and AS level examinations commence on the 15th October; they are held at Lechwe School in nearby Kitwe. This is therefore a key time for our Grade 12 and Sixth Form students and we have benefited from visits by Martin Warburton from NorthStar who tutors ICT to the Sixth Form and currently from Rob and Angela Mallett. Rob covers Business Studies which is supervised at Amano by our own Lukundo Siwale. Angela also works with NorthStar and is helping out as well as being the best possible company for Rob!

We also have Laura Ferguson from Scotland with us. Laura came just after term started and will be here until the end of term in December. She is assisting in the Primary School and also doing great work in the dorm, adding a Celtic touch to the German volunteers we featured previously in the blog, who assist our Matron, Mrs Simfukwe.

Our pictures show Martin Warburton, Rob Mallett in conversation with Lukundo and Martin and Angela together. Laura Ferguson is seen enjoying assisting in the computer room as well as in the usual more formal portrait. Finally, while students obviously normally join the school at the beginning of the year this term saw two exceptions: Sani and Tayla-Rae both joined Amano this term come under Martin Smith's care in Grade 6 and 7.

We are grateful to the Lord for all his goodness to us seen in so many ways and we ask you to join with us in thanking him and praising his glorious name. Praise him for the volunteers we have in the dormitory and the NorthStar visitors who contribute so much to the school, not least their determined Christian stance as a company and as individuals. We would also ask you to pray for some particular needs: there has been an unusual amount of illness among students and staff this term; please pray for the students in Grade 12 and Sixth Form sitting examinations commencing 15th October. Finances at the school are by no means immune from the effects of the world economic crisis: reduced giving and increasing prices are a poor combination, but we know that the Lord is able to deal with all these things and that he will do all to his glory.

Thank you for taking time to read the blog and for your prayerful support.

The final term of 2009 begins

School started on Tuesday 8th September after the August holiday, with two new students joining the roll and extensive staff changes. Our group photo shows (left to right) Tamara and Rahel (both in the dormitory), Mattheus (working for Markus Breuninger on the site), Jonathan and Philip (dormitory) and at the front Lisa Frick. Lisa is the replacement primary teacher for Kaye Thomas who is on furlough in the USA, returning to Amano in January.

Wendy Kerr from Co. Tyrone, Ulster, is on a short visit of just three weeks, helping in the dormitory and the school.

The building is the new sixth form block, seen next to the secondary block, being built from Hydraform blocks produced on the Amano site. At the time of writing the corrugated sheets for the roof have already been fitted and the interior finishing will begin soon. This new building is a taste of things to come: all the class rooms to date have been built from converted shipping containers. Hydraform blocks are also being produced for the new kitchen/dining room/multi-purpose hall.

Finally the first Amano Family Service of the new term took place on 13th September. Our photo shows students in the choir and Andrew Kirk preaching on the Ten Commandments.

We particularly ask your prayers for Amano at this time. There has been quite a lot of sickness among staff recently and in addition the global economic crisis coupled with rapidly increasing prices in Zambia has an inevitable effect on the school. Our God is well able to deal with all these things - please join us in prayer for his name to be glorified at Amano this term.

Primary Sports Day

A couple of weeks ago we reported on the Secondary Sports Day. This year, for the first time, the Primary department had its own Sports Day and that took place on Friday 24th July.
There was a good turnout of parents and by 0900 the events were under way. Secondary students were present as spectators and helpers, a good turnout of parents were there to encourage as well as to provide catering services and both Primary and Secondary teachers were involved. Andrew Kirk did an excellent and amusing job with the commentary - he's seen in our picture taking a break with a slice of PTA cake! Lukundo Siwale manned (womanned?) the desk and David Chunsu and others kept scores.
The activities of the teachers were supplemented by the sixth form students as well as members of Grades 11 & 12. Gianni found that his score keeping abilities were assisted by a large funny hat, Benji is seen nobly and single-handedly demolishing a hot dog. Wila, David, Josh and other pupils were active, but perhaps none so much as Mwape who is seen here expertly wielding a broom for the long jump event.
The real honours of a very happy and pleasant morning have to be awarded to the students. They entered the events with enthusiasm and charm and the photographs here could have been twice or three times the number. Delight, determination and just plain happiness were all in evidence. Mwila competes with bandaged leg, Sunny, Inosa, Warren and Joseph take a flying leap, Akshata shows that even a Grade One girl knows how to handle a football. The skipping races were hotly contested and Quintin did well, the 'fun' event (involving water, of course) provided a final opportunity to get a team place. The very last event of all was a 'scratch race' of underschool age children who were there as spectators with their parents.
This report would be utterly incomplete without acknowledgement of the superb work the Primary teachers had done in preparing for the day and supervising the actual events. Kaye Thomas, who headed the team, is seen here announcing the formal end of the events, but Martin Smith and Amanda Kirk had done a great deal. With Debbie Cole away on furlough Amano Head Teacher Hilary Millard has also been doing excellent work in Primary. Summing up, the Lord blessed us with wonderful weather and a great spirit for the day, and the Primary department showed us all how things should be done!

'Anything I can send you?'

'Anything I can send you?' is a fairly familiar question to people on the mission field. Friends and family back home, colleagues going on furlough, anyone at any time might ask that or a similar question. Perhaps you have thought about asking the question if you have not asked it before. Well, here's an answer - Send us another one like Matt MacDiarmid, please!
To understand that, you would have to know a little about Matt. Matt was eighteen when he came to Amano in August last year as a volunteer. He finally left to return to his family in the UK today, Wednesday 15th July, planning to attend Loughbrough University in the near future. What could one young man - so young that we have 6th form students of similar age - possibly do at Amano?
Ask the students in the dormitory! From the youngest to the oldest student, everyone would have something to say. Go through the dormitory many morning at about 0630 and Matt would be reading to some of the Primary students, dealing with their early-morning energy and their questions about the Bible story of the day. On the boys side, where Matt's energies were naturally concentrated, students would be able to tell about times of great fun, plenty of laughs, but also the discipleship Bible studies that Matt started and encouraged, along with a deeper commitment to morning quiet time.
Ask Hilary Millard, Amano's Head Teacher. Matt freely offered to help in the school and led ICT classes for some of the Primary school and most of the Secondary with energy and enthusiasm. He didn't stop at that - whatever he was asked to do was done with a smile.
Ask anyone who attended an Amano Family Service or most school assemblies. Matt's guitar playing and planning in leading the music side was a vital part of Amano during his stay.
Ask . . . well, ask anyone. Matt made friends and was universally appreciated. Nobody who was at the farewell evening in the dormitory on Tuesday could have doubted that, even if they were visitors. The pictures are a selection from the evening, recording the admonition and encouragement in Phil Grove's fitting message, the heartfelt thanks of Hilary Millard, the warm words of appreciation from Matron, the students of every age taking part in sketches, dances and hilarious performances to say 'thank you' to Matt and the audience with included David and Pauline Foster from Matt's church in the UK.
After all that, you might feel Matt must be some kind of superhero! Not at all; Matt is in many ways an ordinary young man of his generation. The one thing that distinguishes him from 'the crowd' is his very sincere and serious love for the Lord Jesus Christ. That love delivers commitment in Matt's life, which is how he came to volunteer for almost a year of service at Amano and to deliver that service in such an excellent way. It was not all plain sailing in the sense that Matt certainly missed home and the young lady waiting for him and Matt himself would say there were learning and growing experiences at Amano along with the fun. But in it all, Matt's trust and love for the Saviour shone clearly. Matt's time at Amano was a blessing for the school and Matt would want to say for him as well.
So that's how we come to say 'Send us another one like Matt, please!' By that we don't mean a clone, we mean another young person who loves the Lord Jesus Christ deeply and is willing to let that love overflow in service toward young people in Zambia. Matt's age or older, male or female, different talents to those Matt had or more of the same - all of that is irrelevant, as long as the love for the Saviour and the willingness to serve is there. What about you? Or if not you, maybe there is someone you know you should tell about this blog - email them a link, now, while it's on your mind! Amano has room, indeed more than room, a great need. Oh that the Lord would work by his Spirit to draw the words 'Here am I, send me!' from young people like Matt, young people who love the Lord.