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!