MOM’S MEMOIRS – IRENE LOUISE (NEE KUCKKAN) MUELLER
(Continued)

Mom’s Autobiography – Chapter 51 – In Book, Page 122

Lusaka Revisited, Fellowship with Missionaries, Dick Preaches in Chinyanja, Seeing Old Home on Mambulima Road – and Park Across the Street, Dangerous Cairo Road, Anniversary Celebration in Zambia, Bill Schweppe’s Grave, Visiting Game Parks, Watching for Thieves, Blantyre Revisited, Dick and Irene’s Eightieth Birthday Celebration

The city of Lusaka is now populated with millions of people, many more than when we were there. And what a busy city it is! There were blue and white buses (taxis) careening everywhere. Steve took us to the International School which our children had attended, and the Olympic-size swimming pool where we had taught our children to swim. He took us to a restaurant which served us a delicious meal of mealie-meal. We wanted to see a house in which we had lived quite a few years when we were in Africa. Steve went to the “hole in the wall” in the big steel gate and knocked. A Securicor lady opened the hole and asked what we wanted. He told her, but she said “no, the lady of the house is not here”. We were disappointed, but left.

When we came back to the Lawrenz home, we had the delicious evening meal with all the missionaries and their wives who had cooked it. It was a joy to visit with all of them. Two, Ernst, Jr. and Mark, are children of Missionaries Ernie and Betty Wendland with whom we had worked. They had grown up with our children. We were also privileged to be with WELS President Karl Gurgel and his wife, Barbara, who had also come from the States. Mr. Arthur Schulz and his wife, Joyce (Hanke) now retired teachers, were one of the couples there. I had gone to school with them at DMLC (Dr. Martin Luther College) in New Ulm, Minnesota, and hadn’t seen them since then.

What extra joy it was for Dick, Sue, and me to have the blessed privilege to be with all our friends for the 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH OF CENTRAL AFRICA IN ZAMBIA, AFRICA, ON OCTOBER 12TH, 2003. Missionary Steve Lawrenz preached an inspiring sermon for the service. The church was full of people, and there were also many people outside. It was one of the highlights of our trip, especially since Steve had decided to become a missionary after hearing my husband lecture about Africa when he was a child. His father was the President of the Seminary then, and his mother’s name was Irene – my name. We were enthralled to see that the LUTHERAN CHURCH OF CENTRAL AFRICA stickers, t-shirts, wrap-around skirts, signs, etc. still use the design with the Luther emblem on them which Dick designed.

And Dick was especially a highlight of the trip for Sue, others, and me. He stood up and talked to all the people IN CHINYANJA!!!!!  He remembered the language, and everyone, even the missionaries, were astounded that he would remember it after not having been in Africa since 1972. Again, it was the work of the Lord – a blessing! What a glorious and blessed day it was!

We were presented with a very interesting AUTOGRAPHED book written by Andrew Sardanis, with the title, “AFRICA; ANOTHER SIDE OF THE COIN – NORTHERN RHODESIA’S FINAL YEARS AND ZAMBIA’S NATIONHOOD”. At the front of the book is a note which says, “Presented to Pastor Mueller on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Lutheran Church of Central Africa in Zambia by Miles Banda”.

Before we left for Malawi, we wanted to again try to see the home on Mambulima Road (Suffolk Road). Missionary Dan Kroll took us there, but this time I told Sue that we should go to the “hole in the wall” ourselves this time. I knocked at the little door and the Securicor lady opened it and asked what we wanted. I told her that we had lived in that house for many years with our children, two of whom were born when we lived there, and asked if we could come in. Miracle of miracles, she let us in and even allowed Missionary Kroll and my husband to drive in with the truck. Dick, Susie, and I walked all around the house, remembering many of the joys, and sorrows, we had when we lived in that house. We did not ask to go into the house. We did not want to overstep our bounds. We were very thankful just to see the property. We did find out that now it was a company owned house, and there was no “lady of the house” like the Securicor lady had told us.

After that we went to the city park next door where I had taken our children when they were little. The big cement boat in which they had played in the sand is still there. It was empty, and the caretaker said he did not know there had been sand in it. He and others thought it had been planted with flowers – changes!

We asked if we could walk down Cairo Road, the main street, like we had done many times when we lived in Lusaka 31 years ago. Dick and I would go to the cinema (Century 21) and walk up and down Cairo Road window shopping at night. First Dick would “tip” a watchman so that our car would not be stolen. But Steven told us that we could not do that anymore because it is too dangerous – another change! We did go to an African market in Lusaka where we shopped for our loved ones in the States. One picture in the album shows Dick with one of the sellers. Next to them is a sign which says, “God loves you – Shop no. 22”. There were so many beautiful hand crafted things in the market, just like there were many years ago.

We also asked Steve if he would please take us to Missionary Bill Schweppe’s grave. Bill was killed in a car crash when he made a mission trip in 1968. We had first met Bill and his wife, Leola, when they were missionaries in Nigeria. Later on they came to Zambia to serve as missionaries at Sala (also Lumano) where the nurses also lived and worked. Lumano is 40 miles from Lusaka. Leola had not gone with Bill because of a dentist appointment. Missionary Theodore (Ted) Kretzmann, who worked with Bill, went to identify him. It was quite a shock for all of us. We had gone to the cemetery first because Dick thought he remembered where the grave is, but he could not find it. Steve told us that he thought Missionary Dan Kroll knew. We went with him, and he found it, not far from where Dick knew it was. It was overgrown with weeds, and the gravestone was in terrible shape. Later on when we got back to the States, Dick wrote letters to Paul Schweppe, Bill and Leola’s son, and between them, Dan Kroll, and others, the gravestone was replaced. We pray that it is still in good condition. But we know that Bill’s soul is in heaven and treasure that thought. Our children remember him for making homemade ice cream under a tree in the bush. We remember Leola especially for her delicious chicken and homemade biscuit meals when we went to visit them in the bush.

One of the missionaries’ wives took us out to a delicious dinner at the Protea Hotel, Lusaka, Safari Lodge. There were fenced-in lions which we could see by walking a ways down the road. But what most got our attention was a sign which said, “Kango, Kali and the cubs were brought to Protea Safari Lodge in March 2001. We are providing permanent custody for the lions on behalf of MUNDA WANGA WILDLIFE AND SANCTUARY in Chilanga whose regeneration program is currently underway. We would like to record our special thanks to Munda Wanga and to the Zambia Wildlife Authority for their role in bringing lions to their new home here in Chisamba.” I said to Dick and Sue, “Look, Munda Wanga!” When we lived in Africa, Dick and I took our family to Munda Wanga (my garden). There were multitudes of beautiful African plants and flowers, a swimming pool, a pond, and a snake pit. We asked the missionary’s wife if she had ever been to Munda Wanga, and she said she hadn’t been there.

We also went on the safari offered by the Safari Lodge. We saw many animals, but the highlight was when an African AND AN ELEPHANT came walking down the road. We jumped from the open Land Rover and were allowed to feed it peanuts which the man gave us. What a thrill that was! We were also taken to a Fabric store in Lusaka where there were rolls and rolls of beautiful African designed cloth. Of course, Sue and I bought some; so did the other ladies.

Now it came time to leave our very hospitable friends, especially Lori and Steve Lawrenz, and leave for Blantyre, Malawi. Before we left, Lori told us to watch our luggage at the Lusaka International airport because sometimes it disappears. Steve took us to the airport. We walked through the passageway to the runway. I saw a cart piled with luggage, and a man standing still next to it. Then I saw our piece of luggage containing Dick’s suit standing next to the wall. I asked the man, “aren’t you going to put that piece of luggage on the cart?” “Yes, Dona”, he said, and put it on the cart. We had learned long ago that a person has to be “AWARE” of thievery. We could be accused of being mistrustful, but we had so many experiences of thievery that “AWARENESS” became second nature to us. Sad to say, disobeying the Seventh Commandment is not only in Africa, but all over the world. We then boarded a very small plane with two rows of seats. Susie sat up front and we sat way in the back. There was an attractive African flight attendant who attended to our needs. It was a great flight – everyone in our family knows that I love to fly.

“WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM TO BRING YOU
A VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ”

I remember when I listened to the radio in Africa, and still do when I listen to the radio and TV here in the States, that it is what they said, and still say, when there is bad weather or a disaster looming, to let the people know. Well, this is not bad news, but very good news – – – – – – – – –

SEPTEMBER 4. 5. 6. 7, 2009 – DICK’S AND MY 80TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

HOW CAN WE EVER THANK OUR LOVING GOD FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS HE BESTOWS ON OUR FAMILIES AND US? WE FALL ON OUR KNEES AND THANK HIM FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS!  THANK YOU, GOD!!!!!