Fr John Dickson SDB writes from Lusaka, September 22nd 2009:

Greetings from the Zambian Provincial, Fr Joseph Czerwinski, who studied in England at Ushaw College and who invited me out here to preach the retreats to the Salesians. Most of the present missionaries came as seminarians 25 years ago. In that short space of time they have established a thriving presence in Zambia itself right across this huge country, but also in Malawi, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Some of the retreatants after Mass with Fr Dickson

They have youth centres, missions with multiple out-stations, technical schools, training centres and an agricultural school. Zambia has about 12 million people. Like many African nations the population is young and thirsty for education, but unlike many others it is peaceful. Although Lusaka has some huge shanty towns, like the one near the Provincial House, the emphasis on agriculture and the welcome that the Zambian government has recently given to Zimbabwean agricultural businessmen means that the economy is reasonably buoyant.

Before the retreats I visited Victoria Falls and Livingstone on the border with Zimbabwe. I was walking in the footsteps of another Scot, Dr David Livingstone, the great Scottish missionary and explorer who came from Blantyre, the village next to mine. His wife, who was also a missionary, died from Malaria while he was away.

Please remember the Zambian Province in your prayers, especially as they form a new generation of Salesians here in Africa. They had nine novices professed last year and 4 starting this year.

Read more about the Zambian Province on their own web site