Chief Bunda Bunda passed away

This morning when we arrived in the office we heard the news that chief Bunda Bunda had passed away on Saturday. Chief Bunda Bunda has been instrumental and very helpful in getting Every Orphan's Hope some land in Nyangwena (Chongwe) for the orphan homes as well as for the GEMS to be able to build the Esther School.

About a year ago we met chief Bunda Bunda on a visit to the Esther School. It was quite something to have a chief come out and visit. It doesn't happen that often that the chief would go out and visit places. Normally people always would come to him to discuss matters. He visited us in the teachers' quarters and had a tea with us. As one of the gifts Kristin gave him was a Florida Gators cap which he immediately put on and didn't take off.

 

 

The chief visited us with his nephew (his potential successor) and personal assistant Charles. It was a unique experience to have someone like chief Bunda Bunda at the Esther School and see how interested he was in the development of the site. The only unfortunate part for the Esther School was that the chief kept mixing up the Esther School with Every Orphan's Hope.

 

This afternoon we went to his 'palace' to bring food for all the expected guests that will be arriving over the next few days. The burial is set for this coming Saturday which means that no one is allowed to work the land till after the burial. Given that chief Bunda Bunda was a well respected chief with many connections in and even outside Zambia they allow for sufficient time for people to come to the burial.We are not sure whether it would be appropriate or expected of us to be there. We will wait for the staff to guide of in this but it is certainly a loss for the local area and the Soli people.

 

He was a driving force behind the development of the area and he understood that things needed to be done in due time. He also welcomed education, especially high school education through the Esther School. The prospect of having a high school in the area was a hugely important factor for the chief, the local headmen and local committee to donate the land. Right now children have to go to boarding school in the village of Chongwe or even Lusaka. With the Esther School started and the next construction project lined up, there is hope for a bright future in Nyangwena and surrounding area.

 

Chief Bunda Bunda will be missed by many since he was a very supportive person in regards of the initiatives of both Every Orphan's Hope and the Esther School. He welcomed Christians to help his people with providing for their basic needs. I don't know whether the chief had accepted Christ as his personal savior but I hope and pray that his soul may rest in peace. We hope and pray that his successor will be as supportive of the on-going and hopefully expanding activities of the Esther School as well as Every Orphan's Hope.