Mbuma Mission
17/10/75
Dear Friends,
The calendar on the wall has a typical Scottish scene for November. A loch is in the fore-ground, some forlorn, frost-bitten fir trees in the middle-distance and a mountain behind capped with crisp white snow. The view from the window is rather different. A dusty clear area is in front, ending in a slope with a scattering of trees running down to a dry river bed or donga. The ridge in the distance is a blue, indefinite line. The dust, the trees and the haze suggest heat and drought and the temperature is in fact, 98° F.
Recently I attended a medical meeting addressed by an expert on plague from South Africa. We were taken through the ways in which the disease may be present in the individual and then on to community aspects of plague. Now that it had made its appearance, we were told, it would remain a constant threat since the reservoir was in wild rodents living in the forest. Another type of rodent which divides its time between the forest and houses formed the link and any factors which increased the rat population might also spark off another outbreak of plague. It was some small comfort to know that a proper Isolation Unit, giving optimal conditions for patients and staff alike in such a disease, is on this year’s building programme and has been approved by the Government for a building grant.
The October communion has come and gone. We remember the crowds over-flowing from the church into a shelter set against one side and even to the shade of adjacent trees. We remember the children sitting down at the front, singing like linnets when it was a psalm and tune they knew. Above all we remember the solemnity of the services and the sense that, as Mr Mzamo said at the close, some had been praying especially for this Communion. It is these things — the power of the Word and the power of prayer — that unite us whatever the environmental differences.
Yours sincerely,
J.T.
John Tallach Secondary School,
Ingwenya Mission,
P.O. Bembesi.
11/7/1975.
Dear Friends,
Another school year is drawing to a close for us and in another week our 4th year pupils will start their final Cambridge examinations. This is all important to them as without a good pass they have no chance of getting into any “further studies” course. Last year a quarter of our class got into Form 5 and this was almost a record for a school which does not have its own Form 5. This year our class is not nearly so good academically and we are expecting much poorer results. Politically it has been a restless year and this of course has had repercussions in the schools where the older teenagers are intensely nationalistic and interested in the ‘struggle for power.’ Needless to say, they are confused by so many false opinions but we can do little to convince them of what is right as the very colour of our skin puts us on the wrong side as far as they are concerned. However, we are very thankful that there have been no abscondings from our school. Of course we are not anywhere near the border of Rhodesia. We have sensed some restlessness however, but we feel it stems mainly from the general laxity of standards abroad today and therefore there is resentment against any restraints.
While some schools are in disfavour with the Authorities for political activities and other breaches of discipline we are thankful that we are sufficiently respected to be asked to enlarge our school even further which, however, we do not mean to do for a long time in the future at any rate. We are having extra pupils for the next two years but this is just to fulfil a commitment made years ago, that we have double stream classes (A and B) up to Form 4 as soon as possible. Now some inspectors who were here recently were begging us to consider starting a double stream non-academic course specialising in Homecraft and other crafts. This would eventually mean another 250 to 300 pupils and we have no intention whatsoever of attempting such a scheme. Even if the Government did assist with buildings and staff and the pupils were largely day pupils the administration and discipline of such a large establishment hardly bears thinking about.
However, there doesn’t seem to be any likelihood of our school being taken over by the Government for a long time if ever. Even with Primary schools we have been told that we need not hand them over to the local councils if we do not wish to and our policy is simply that we do not refuse to part with a school which requests to go.
Staff, however, continues to be a real problem and the whole country is crying out for qualified Science and Maths graduates. I was asking one of our Inspectors about the prospect of getting an overseas Graduate into the country. “Immigrations” have put a lot of restrictions on any new applications from Missions and schools can only apply for new staff when it is impossible to obtain replacements in Rhodesia. We have two new and very modern Science Laboratories but we are really having a problem getting staff for next year as Miss Mackay is finally going on leave and she has been responsible for this side of the work for a number of years. The Laboratories have only basic equipment as yet but their organisation would be a real challenge for anyone who was interested in the work. Two or three years pass very quickly on the Mission field and we wonder if there is anyone who would be willing to give such a short part of their life to help us out?
We would like to say a special thank you to the Inverness Sabbath School for their generous gift to us. This we are going to use partly to buy a special language course for our Form 4 classes who need to gain fluency so much before their exam. It is called a portable Language Laboratory. We are also in the process of having a new order of our school badge made and as the previous order was made up many years ago in South Africa and this cannot be repeated it is involving us in extra expense to have the template made again in Rhodesia. Without these extra gifts we would have to do without such useful additions to our school equipment.
Yours sincerely,
Marion M. Graham.
Ingwenya Mission,
2/12/75.
Dear Friends,
Greetings to you all and every blessing in the New Year! We have been kept busy at school since I last wrote and far too soon the final examinations have actually come and gone. We had sixty-nine pupils in Form 2 this year and it is hoped (D.V.) that most of them will return for Form 3 as beginning in January 1976 we have agreed with the government here to have a second stream in Form 3. This means a new classroom, more dormitory space and new cottages for our African teachers. With rising costs and some building materials, such as corrugated iron, in short supply, this has led to problems. As I write the classroom foundation has scarcely begun so we hope it will be complete and ready for use by the 21st January. The second laboratory furniture which was promised for last May has just arrived although it has still be to be fitted and gas, water etc., installed. The Science equipment bought with the grant given by the British Government arrived safely and although it took two-and-a-half years to come was well worth waiting for.
Our real need now is for teachers especially Maths or Science. So far we have only one of our former pupils who has just completed Sixth Form Science to teach this subject next year. Because of expansion and Rhodesian Government policy to have double classes from Form 1 to Form 4 in secondary schools we have been granted two extra members of staff for January. Miss Macaulay hopes to return and as the young man who has been teaching History this year is returning to university we will be glad to have someone to fill that post.
This year has been an unsettling one politically for Rhodesia with many schools affected by pupils absconding and crossing illegally into neighbouring countries where they are quickly put in touch with Chinese or Russian trained terrorist groups such as those receiving money from the World Council of Churches. How sad when some are as young as thirteen or fourteen and have to exist on one plate of porridge per day in order to become ‘freedom’ fighters.
The Form Four’s were particularly restless and not bright academically so an easy prey for propaganda. While here they were restless and had little time for the Gospel. We would seek to commit them to your prayers. The present Form 3 class are quite different and have shown a very real interest in their special study of the Gospel of Luke. They still speak of the day Rev. J. Tallach spent time to sketch the background so graphically for them. It is to be hoped that their attitude as a top class will spread through the school during the coming year (D.V.). Many thanks for every remembrance of us all.
Yours sincerely,
Rhoda Mackay.