Matero Ward Happenings

I know there are so many pictures of Primary in this blog, but that's where I spend most of my time. Sister White, Primary President, is teaching Sharing Time on the left and Sister Magunje is teaching the lesson from the Book of Mormon Stories book on the right.  The children listen very well when they teach because they teach in Bemba.  When I speak English, I lose most of them in a few short minutes!  So thankful for these wonderful sisters who are learning how to magnify their callings!
 
The stake put together a Primary Choir for our last stake conference in Lusaka, which was September 2016.  They measured and made dressed and shirts for all the children.  They looked pretty sharp.  But, because of the clothes, only 5 children from each ward were allowed to sing.  It was hard choosing them.  I chose the ones who I felt would actually show up, and they did for the singing, but not for the practice the Saturday before.  They did make it to the Sunday morning practice because we went and picked them up.  It's hard when our ward is so far from the Stake Center and when there is so little money for transportation.

                                                                      Four of the five children from Matero.  Joseph and Anna                                                                         Kaluba, Helen White and Chileshe Shimchimba.
   
Andrew is our EQ president and the sole graduate, so far, of the piano teaching course.  He is playing prelude for church here.  He has been teaching Davis Chifunda, the bishop's son, how to play and Davis is making good and steady progress.  He is also playing prelude for church.  Andrew and Davis have both learned how to lead the singing and are doing a great job in the ward.  I'm so proud of them both.  Andrew really stuck with it and practiced consistently.  And Davis is doing the same. He also has a good ear for music which helps him to play without knowing the notes.  But he is also learning those.  I wish all those who are taking lessons were so diligent!
 
Blessing White, Leonard, Steven White and Hope     Our fabulous Nursery Leaders, Fides Zimba
Musanga.                                                                     and  Faith Sikaonga. The children love them and                                                                                      they re so good with the little ones.

We are the Home Teachers for the Sikaonga family and were finally able to visit them. They live out at 10 Mile and the road into their house is treacherous.  We planned to go out once a few months back, but we had the little car and it was the rainy season.  We were told NOT to take the little car out there.  Anyway, we got the truck and took them home one Sunday after church so we could know where they stay.  It was quite amazing.  Brother and Sister Sikaonga have six daughters of their own and then keep six other children of various family members.  As we counted, there six children between the ages of 7 and 9. The parents have started a school for the children in their area, many who have never been to school before because there is no government school (which is free) near their home.  And they can't afford private schools.  So they have about 125 students they said, and the young man in the white shirt, Shumbe, is one of the teachers and is a family member.


They danced and sang for us.  They are such cute and well mannered children and were a little shy at first, but warmed up and were happy to perform once they got started.

    
So we decided we should teach them a dance as well.  I hummed the music to the Heel and Toe Polka and then we taught them the dance.  The really seemed to enjoy it.
 
This is Bishop Chifunda and his family.                 Sometimes after church we go visiting with Bishop                                                                                  to places that are a little far for him to walk.  His                                                                                      HT companion is Brother Magunje and this day we                                                                                  visited Grace and her mom.
 
This is Brother and Sister VanHeerden and their daughter Anna, on the left, and the girlfriend, Monique, of their son who is going to school at BYU-I.  The are from Zimbabwe where they once owned a large farm.  However, the government took over the farm and they had to leave Zimbabwe, so they came to Zambia.  He works for a large farm that raises pigs, and lots of maize.