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December 2003

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Choma Chat

It's that time of year again! We always know Christmas is coming up because of the Nansai end of term Nativity. Otherwise there is little to indicate that .......well.....Christmas is coming.

But things are a-changing here in sleepy ol’ Choma. Not all good of course - our very own dear Sister Philippa has gone away, recalled back to Ireland. She will be sadly missed, but her good works remain as a testament to her incredible capacity for not only starting something good and getting it up and running but keeping it going and maintaining it to the highest standards. St Mulumba is a case in point, a special school for deaf, dumb and mentally and physically handicapped children. Although she has not been directly involved for some years it continues to thrive and she is always there lurking in the background to lend a hand when required.

Then she turned her hand to the Aids problem and opened the Choma arm of Kara Counselling. When that was up and running she turned to those that were terminally ill and started a Hospice in the grounds of the Mawagali TTI. Her finale was to start a Day Care Centre for children with AIDS

The Rotarians gave her a big send off at the Club recently - she will be sadly missed, but we hope she will return again one day to wave her magic wand, and in the meantime we all wish her well.

Talking of Rotarians, they have been beavering away and been active at the Hospital again, where they raised K 1m for cleaning materials. Such practical help is their trademark

This Christmas we shall sing Carols at the Club. It is felt that there will be too many of us to expect anyone to host it privately. This is good!! It promises to be a happy evening which is what it's all about isn't it? And plenty of Christmas spirit......!!

The Kalcho Art Group will be having their usual December break, giving their arms and easels a rest, but there are still some of their excellent perpetual calendars on sale at the Tonga Museum. The calendar, depicting typical Zambian scenes by a different artist each month and designed to record birthdays and anniversaries, makes a useful and attractive present for that unexpected visitor over the festive season, or family and friends overseas. Apart from the calendars, the Museum shop has a good and varied selection of goodies ranging from local baskets of all shapes and sizes, candles, carvings, batik, etc. etc.

So now what does go on in Choma as we come to the close of year 2003? Well, we start the week with Exercises At The Club every Monday morning, Tennis Or Squash Wednesdays and Saturdays, (the Tennis Section organized a very good Fireworks night recently to raise funds for new nets etc.), Art Group Wednesdays, Book Club first Friday of every month at the Savannah. We have an Internet Cafe, a real Cafe, a Doctor (plus two Pharmacies) and cell phones abound. Lest we get too heady with all this stuff, Zesco still plague us with their outages and our landlines barely work (but...and this is a big step forward, some of us can use our cell phones to report such inconveniences!).

At the time of writing most farmers have had a good dollop of rain. Just in time for some as dams emptied. Marvellous stuff and long may it last! The Choma Traders are getting their usual BIG dollops of rain!

Important dates:

Friday Dec 5th at the Club - Nansai Junior School - The Jolly Christmas Postman 4 pm

Sunday Dec 21st at the Club - Choma Christmas Carol Service, 6.30 pm

Happy Christmas to us all