Letters from a VSO

P. Wilkinson J.

Description

"Letters from a VSO" describes the time spent by the author, working in a bush mission hospital, as a Nurse and Midwife in rural Zambia, from 1968 till 1970. During this period, she also did voluntary work as a Guide Leader.

Informations

• Publié par: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Date de parution: 29 novembre 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528959155
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Letters from a VSO
J. P. Wilkinson
Austin Macauley Publishers
2019-11-29
Letters from a VSO About the Author Dedication Copyright Information © Acknowledgement Foreword Chapter One London to Lusaka Chapter Two Lusaka to Senanga Chapter Three First Impressions Chapter Four Senanga Hospital Chapter Five My Home in Senanga Chapter Six Early Experiences Chapter Seven Early Days Chapter Eight “Imagine No Television!” Chapter Nine Life in Senanga Chapter Ten Working Life Chapter Eleven Preparing for Christmas Chapter Twelve Christmas in Senanga Chapter Thirteen New Year, 1969 Chapter Fourteen Life Goes On Chapter Fifteen Planning My Holiday in South Africa Chapter Sixteen Biking and Guiding Chapter Seventeen Decisions! Chapter Eighteen The Kuombuka Chapter Nineteen Minor Setbacks Chapter Twenty A Trip into the Bush Chapter Twenty-One The Litunga’s Visit Chapter Twenty-Two My First Trip to South Africa Part One: The Journey to Johannesburg Part Two: En Route to Cape Town Part Three: A Visit to Durban Part Four: Returning “Home” Chapter Twenty-Three Back in Senanga Chapter Twenty-Four Our Orphans Chapter Twenty-Five On Safari Chapter Twenty-Six Warfare Chapter Twenty-Seven Work at the Hospital Continues Chapter Twenty-Eight Guides Chapter Twenty-Nine A Letter from Simasiku Chapter Thirty An Error of Judgement Chapter Thirty-One Planning for My Next Holiday Chapter Thirty-Two Independence Day 1969 Chapter Thirty-Three Life in General Chapter Thirty-Four My Birthday Chapter Thirty-Five Christmas at the Hospital Chapter Thirty-Six Chapter Thirty-Seven Thank You! Chapter Thirty-Eight The Medical Conference Chapter Thirty-Nine My Trip to East Africa Part One: Northern Zambia Part Two: Tanzania Part Three: Kenya Part Four: Tanzania Re-Visited Chapter Forty The Return Journey A Terrific Ordeal Chapter Forty-One Back to Work Chapter Forty-Two Chapter Forty-Three Writing Letters Chapter Forty-Four Guides and Scouts Chapter Forty-Five Our New Children’s Home Chapter Forty-Six The Haringtons’ Overseas Trip Chapter Forty-Seven Malaria Again! Chapter Forty-Eight Plans for the Future Chapter Forty-Nine A Training Weekend for Guiders and Scouters Chapter Fifty Plans and Decisions Chapter Fifty-One Saying “Goodbye” Chapter Fifty-Two Goodbye Guides Chapter Fifty-Three My Last Guide and Scout Campfire Chapter Fifty-Four President Kaunda’s Visit Chapter Fifty-Five Brick Making in Litoya Chapter Fifty-Six Travel Plans Chapter Fifty-Seven Farewell Senanga! Chapter Fifty-Eight My Journey Home Part One Part Two Afterword
About the Author
J. P. Wilkinson is a retired nurse, midwife, health visitor and also a lifeguard and swimming teacher. She has cycled around the world and her first book, Around the World on a Bicycle , was published in 2016.
Dedication
I would like to dedicate this book to my late mother, Doreen Rose, who kept all my letters, without which this would not have been written.
Copyright Information ©
J. P. Wilkinson (2019)
The right of J. P. Wilkinson to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781528909105 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781528909112 (Hardback)
ISBN 9781528959155 (ePub e-book)
www.austinmacauley.com
First Published (2019)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ
Acknowledgement
First of all, I would like to acknowledge the loving support of my late parents, William and Doreen Grover, who not only gave me their blessing to go and work in Africa, but also wrote to me regularly for the two years I was there.
I also acknowledge the love and support of my brother, Jeffrey; and sister, Stella, who kept in touch with me throughout my stay in Senanga.
I will never forget the people of Zambia, especially those belonging to the Lozi Tribe in Senanga who welcomed and accepted me as one of their own, even calling me “Ma Molisa” (translated as the “Mother who loves the people”).
Willie and Dinah Harrington who became my adopted “mum and dad” and made me feel so much at home with them and their family.
The Girl Guides from Senanga Secondary School who taught me so much about “real” guiding.
The Medical Staff at the Hospital, both European and African, who were my “family” for two years.
The Staff of Wigan Library who continued to help and encourage me to write this, my second book.
Last, but not least, my dear husband, John, for his loving support and encouragement over the past two years and his willingness to “proofread” each chapter and actually enjoy doing so!
Foreword
In 1967, whilst doing Part Two Midwifery training at the South London Hospital for Women and Children, in Clapham, I made some enquiries to the Voluntary Service Overseas’ Head Office in London.
I explained that I was a State Registered Nurse, having qualified at St. Stephen’s Hospital, Chelsea in 1966. I also stated that, later that year, I had passed Part One Midwifery at the same Hospital.
Once I had completed my Midwifery training and become a State Certified Midwife, I wished to serve overseas in my chosen vocation. I really wanted to go to Africa, but I was prepared to go to any of the developing Commonwealth countries, where V.S.O. had their projects.
After a thorough medical examination, the taking up of reliable references and an intensive interview by a panel of six people, I was, much to my immense relief, appointed to go and work in Zambia.
I was sent a description of the project where I would work, which included details of the Hospital and its environment, which I will enclose in this book. It sounded both daunting and delightful!
Before my interview, I had prayed for God’s guidance; and I do believe this was given to me quite clearly.
A Bible verse, I still hold very dearly, was of great encouragement to me: Deuteronomy, Chapter 31, and Verse 8, which quotes:
‘And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.’ (Authorised Version)
With this written on my mind and heart, I ventured forth into the unknown.
Chapter One

London to Lusaka
It was the first time I had travelled in an aeroplane; thus I was very excited. My only apprehension at the time was that of saying goodbye to my parents and young sister, then aged six, and a few members of my family who came to see me off and whom I would not see again for two years.
I set off from Heathrow Airport on 20 th August 1968 and described the take-off as being on a big dipper at Battersea Fun Fair, only you didn’t come down again!
It was a comfortable flight; the food was excellent and very plentiful. We stopped at Tripoli to refuel and at 2am it was still pleasantly warm. For most of the time, between bouts of eating, we slept or “dozed”. I think we were all exhausted by the effort of continuous digestion!
I remember being impressed by the toilet facilities which were well-provided with various lotions and creams, for both men and women, as well as tissues, cotton wool, disposable towels and individual soaps. These were all by courtesy of B.O.A.C.
I travelled with a young man called John. He was from America and going as a Peace Corps Volunteer to work in Zambia as an agriculturalist. He had studied at college and had practical experience in farming. His work in Zambia would include teaching farming to the Africans, less privileged than him, and helping them to develop their land to its full potential. He would also be teaching the Zambians how to take care of their livestock in order to yield greater reward.
We had some very stimulating conversations during our journey together. We discovered that we were both Christians and also Pacifists. John belonged to a section of the Christian Church known as “Menonites” whereas I was an Anglican.
I had been an active member of C.N.D. since schooldays and John’s Church preached Pacifism as one of their tenets of faith. If John had not been a Menonite he would have been conscripted, along with many of his friends, and sent off to Vietnam. Otherwise he would have had to fight his corner as a Conscientious Objector.
John came across to me as a very genuine and humble young man. He told me that for him not to be conscripted was relatively easy as, being a Menonite, he was automatically exempt from combat. He said that he admired the courage and bravery of his friends sent out to fight in such a cruel war and those who had to take the hard stand of refusing to fight at any cost.
I shall never forget John. He inspired me and was an excellent companion throughout our long flight. When we finally landed, we said goodbye, shook hands and wished each other luck. That “young man” would now be sixty-nine years old as I write this, aged seventy-one, in 2016. I do pray that John is receiving God’s rich blessings wherever he is now.
There was a second stop at Nairobi; whilst the cabin was cleaned and vacuumed and the crew changed. The weather was noticeably cool and not so different from what we had left behind in England.
Finally we arrived in Lusaka at 12:15 pm only to find that all of us VSO’s (12 in all) were debarred from entry! Apparently our work permits hadn’t arrived. So we waited nearly three hours, while a British Council official sorted the matter out. We were then split between a jeep and car and taken, via Lusaka, to a Dutch Volunteer’s Centre, just outside the city.
I remember very clearly, as we were driven thro