This may appear as a contradiction but it is a pleasant one. As a nation we had been praying for rain, it was long overdue. As Religious Sisters of Charity we were praying for a few dry hours on the morning of the 19th January 2016.
The ending of a time of blessing for us as a Region and as a Congregation was here – the bicentennial year of the Congregation was over and we were closing it. Our prayers were answered and the sun shone on us and on the 700 children in Mary Aikenhead School as we “opened” the Pre-School. The occasion was one of celebration as we welcomed invited guests including the Irish Ambassador to Zambia Mr. Seamus O’Grady together with his wife and daughter. History was in the making – the first pre-school in a Sister of Charity facility here in Zambia. Seventy “small people” waited anxiously for the day to arrive when they could set foot in their new school.
Work on renovating the old “Lourdes Homecraft”, known by many, began in October and for those who knew the place in its old state the transformation was extraordinary. Sewing rooms converted into classrooms, an indoor play area together with an outdoor play area equipped with swings and other apparatus. A place to be proud of and somewhere we hope will be a place of safety, learning and fun for those who pass through its doors.
We also were happy to have many Religious Sisters of Charity, from Kabwata, Roma and Kabwe present at this historic event. Our Associates were also on hand to celebrate with us and one was heard to say – I wish a place like this was available where my small children go to school. “A place like this” was as a result of hard work, the generosity of the Congregation and Misean Cara.
The day was an enjoyable and happy one with the pupils singing, dancing and performing for the invited guests. One group of pupils performed a poem entitled “Shadows of Thoughts” a very thought provoking item that touched all who heard it. To read the poem click on this link to a PDF version.
The classrooms are a place of invitation and welcome and we hope that the children who cross the “threshold” into Mary Aikenhead School will enjoy their time with us.
