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.