By Allan Studd
The days have taken on a certain rhythm. Since it is the 30th anniversary of New Life Tabernacle, there is morning worship with all 400 conference attendees, then coffee, then classes. This year we have Connie offering a basic class in massage (that has been very popular), Bonnie talking about trauma which has raised serious interest, and Allan has offered a perennial favourite with the Tree of Life, which offers a chance for participants to discover a very personal story of their life. Kim has been teaching cooking with local ingredients, Hugh, a builder/designer, has been working out the materials required for building the training centre, Wendy has been teaching about disabilities, and Heather, bless her soul, has been offering Crafts for the children all day long in the hot sun. We break for 1.5 hrs for lunch and then go back to classrooms until 4 p.m. After which, we rest until dinner.
After dinner the band strikes up again and the evening is filled with gospel music and then worship. The sermon and prayers are often something we would not even recognize in Ontario. Prayer is ecstatic with everyone praying out loud. Sermons were also loud with the interpreter following the preacher – something to get used to. But for the conference goers, this time together was very special and fulfilling.
Friday was a little bit different as we had classes only during the morning and sports in the afternoon. I had a chance to meet with a group of Veterans to discuss the similarities between Zambian and Canadian veterans. There are amazing similarities. The leader of this little group kept calling me “My Captain”. We have known each other for many years but this is the first time that we have connected as fellow soldiers. For breakfast this morning Kim cooked us cornmeal pancakes which we covered with Zambezi Gold Honey. For dinner sausages, Zambian rice, and kernel corn. We are eating well. There is always Zambian coffee.
The days are very hot and dusty. The nights are cool and still. We are wondering if we will be able to see the Perseids Meter shower over the next few nights. This Africa and several members have had stomach viruses, but there seems to be a slow recovery.
