The new toilets and showers were completed in March 2004 and the Deputy Mayor of Livingstone came for the official opening.

Sr Emanuela left us in February 2004 to return to her native Poland for a while. She was replaced by Sr Sylvia, who also belongs to the Holy Spirit Sisters and is from Kerala in South India. She has worked with children in a leprosy settlement in India. Unlike Sr Emanuela, Sr Sylvia is full time at Lubasi. She has recently passed the driving test.

We used some of the materials left over from the toilet project to construct a guard house near the gate so that our security guards can keep dry in the rainy season. It includes a toilet and shower.

In October 2003, we were visited by Cherise Makubale, Zambian winner of Big Brother Africa.

In June 2003 our first children’s party for the Lubasi children and the children of staff and board members. Fr Pat entertained the children with conjuring tricks.

In June 2003, the borehole drillers arrived and drilled down 60 metres. There was plenty of water only 18 metres from the surface.

A submersible pump was fitted and two tanks erected. But the tank stands were not strong enough and one of the tanks fell when it was filled with water.

The tank was replaced and new stands made.

The water project was financed by the Rotary Club of Covington, Kentucky, USA, at the instigation of Betty Herriman who can be seen tasting the borehole water.

The next project was the construction of new toilet and shower blocks attached to four of the dormitories. This was partly financed by the Rotary Foundation and the Rotary District Governor, William Nyirenda, visited the site with Lubasi chairman Antony Ranjan. Another major donor was Mission St Joseph, Germany.

On 26th April 2003 all the children attended the fete run by the Rotary Anns, and enjoyed the Jumping Castle.

A Lusaka architect who is working on the renovations of Livingstone Museum has drawn the plans for the new toilets and showers. We hope to start building soon. This will enable us to admit more children.

On the 24th April 2003, The Deputy Czech Ambassador came with the Mayor of Livingstone to present a donation. In the evening of the same day the Bishop of Livingstone came for a service of dedication.

The chairman and mayor watch the ambassador sign the visitors’ book

The bishop blesses the children

On 15th April 2003 the Superior of the Holy Spirit Sisters came for supper. She promised to send us two sisters to be at Lubasi full time, by the end of the year. We all danced around to celebrate.

Roger has a big plate full

The song goes “arms up, elbows out, buttocks out….”

On 6th April 2003 we had our second fundraising cruise on the Zambezi.

In March 2003, two of our children, John and Melina, were taken to Sun City in South Africa by the management of the Sun Hotels at the Falls, together with 9 children of their staff. All the children were invited to the Zambezi Sun Hotel for a briefing before they left. We also saw them off at the airport and met them on their return. Now the others are hoping it will be their turn next year!

John and Melina with Sr Emanuela at Zambezi Sun Hotel

John and Melina welcomed back by mothers Mary and Dorcas

28th March 2003 was a big day for Lubasi Home. Our First Lady, Mrs Maureen Mwanawasa (wife of the President of Zambia) came to officially open the Home. We borrowed some big tents and chairs and about 100 prominent people from Livingstone came for the occasion. Between the speeches the children sang and the First Lady joined them. She also donated a lot of food, blankets, footballs and school books.

Chairman Antony Ranjan shakes hands with the First Lady after she unveiled the plaque		Mrs Mwanawasa singing with the children

The First Lady’s speech. On the right are the Deputy Mayor and Town Clerk		Mrs Mwanawasa was presented with an album of photos of the children

When we gathered for the official opening we heard that one of our founding trustees and benefactor of the renovations, Mr M C Patel, had died suddenly in Lusaka the day before.

MC relaxing with the mayor and other visitors at the open day in December

On 11th February 2003, Lackson, Karen and Mother Emma had a joint birthday party.

On 14th December 2002 we held a “Come and See Lubasi Day” when Livingstone residents were invited to visit the Home. The Member of Parliament came, as did the Mayor of Livingstone and several City Councillors. Churches sent representatives and the Nurses Association brought a donation of curtains for the kitchen. The children exhibited their artwork and performed some songs and a play. They challenged the adults to also put on a play, so some members of the Board and Working Committee put on a play with staff and children about why we should help those less fortunate than ourselves.

At Christmas, the children met around the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve and were told the story of Christmas. Cards and letters from friends who had visited during the year were read to them, then they sang Christmas carols and each received gifts. They then went to church for a Christmas service. On Christmas Day the children visited sick children in hospital and sang for them and performed a nativity play. They also visited one of the mothers, who was sick at home.

On November 3rd 2002 the children, staff and trustees went for a cruise on the Zambezi River on a tourist launch, the African Queen. Tickets were sold to the members of the public and we also had a raffle and an American Auction on the boat. We raised over K4 million (about $800). The children enjoyed watching the hippos, elephants and crocodiles.

At the end of the school year in December, the children brought home their school reports. Although they had been in school for only half a year, several came at or near the top of the class. This can be attributed to the mothers’ efforts in teaching them before and after they started school.