8th - 12th March
Dear Jeremy,
It was the end of October and all over the country preparations were in progress for Independence Day when the governing power of the country would be handed over to the Zambian Government with President Kaunda in charge. This was heralded by much drumming in the mining compounds and the villages. Celebrations took the form of Sports Meetings at the schools and sports stadiums. The handing over ceremony in Lusaka was impressive and dignified. We watched on television.
On Saturday 24th the college had the lowering of the Union Jack which flew each day in the front of the college buildings and the raising of the new Zambian flag. Students, Staff and their families all gathered to honour this moment. It was a serious and solemn affair. There were those who looked towards 'freedom' with much hope and those who wondered what the changes would bring to the lives of the people. I even wore a stripey dress in the colours of the flag - green and red were the dominant colours. The students left to take part in football and netball matches in the township.
On Sunday the celebrations continued with tribal activities and dances. I was not able to go as Celia was in bed with chicken pox.
And then the rains broke which was a great relief to everyone as the heat was stifling. October was known as 'suicide month'. Though I never knew of anybody who took their own life at that time.
All this time Dad was rehearsing to teach a lesson with small children on the television. This required many trips to Kitwe where the television studio was. It was a great success Celia remembers he used their white mice though I do not recall having white mice. Miss Churchill expected the local matrons to be sending Dad nourishing meals as she said he looked so thin.
I was just used to him having that 'lean and hungry' look I suppose.
Tony Varty, the art teacher, asked if he could paint my portrait. I was duly flattered quite sure that my inner beauty would be revealed but if that was my inner beauty it were better had it been kept hidden and not revealed - nobody liked it least of all me. He seemed to use mostly black paint. One day when I was 'sitting' Dad took the family sketching but that was not a success either, his diary entry is 'Jeremy was a nuisance.'
Mostly social activity at the college amongst the staff took the form of inviting each other to tea or dinner. We did have a play reading group to stimulate the intellect
and would be invited to each others houses to listen to music records.
In the meantime application was made to enter Swaziland and permits for the land rover and caravan and Jonty.
Tim was running in the courtyard with his arms round a stick behind his back when he fell and cut his chin and chipped two back teeth. He still has the scar.
The arrival of the packers at the beginning of December heralded that the time was drawing near for our departure. The students gave Dad a farewell gift of a copper bowl made from copper from the Mufulira mine. You have inherited that.
Dad spent much time getting the land rover and caravan ready for the long trip south. He seemed to have quite a bit to do on the land rover.
The staff gave us a farewell party and presented us with a stainless steel coffee set. I made the faux paux of saying 'Pewter I love pewter' when it was pointed out to me it was stainless steel. I quickly recovered and said ' Even better I really like stainless steel' or something like that.
It was late afternoon on December 15th we finally drew away from Mufulira Teacher Training College and got to Broken Hill late that evening and stayed with Carel and Margaret van Ghent.
We stayed with the Barkers in Lusaka where Dad spent much time at Head Quarters handing over and saying goodbye to friends and those he worked with and met officially. There was trouble getting you put on his passport but he persuaded them and you were duly declared official. Not sure if you were finally put on my passport. The thought of you being kept in the office as a hostage must surely have persuaded the officers.
We camped at various places on the way down to Bulawayo I do not remember the stops except the last one. Dad had a frightening dream that we were being attacked and woke up very hot and sticky. He got up to see that Celia and Tim sleeping in the land rover were all right when he notices a terrible storm brewing. 'We've got to get out of here,' he said to me so he raised the caravan jacks and we just got on to the road as the storm broke with a mighty clap of thunder. It poured down so that he could hardly see the road and windscreen wipers just could not cope all the time the lightning was flashing. I had to put my head out of the window to see that he kept on the road. I got soaked and took my blouse off to keep it dry. When the storm was at its zenith a little voice came through from the back 'Don't worry Daddy Jesus will look after us'. It was Celia standing at the window connecting the front from the back.
We drove all night and arrived at Gerry and Val's in Bulawayo in the early morning they were all still asleep. They did not expect us until the evening and what a bedraggled sight we must have looked.
I suppose our departure from Zambia just had to be so dramatic.
Love you,
Mum