Letter

Many things that happen here in rural Zambia remind me of Bible times. For instance, today two men came to the door and asked for David. They had walked from Simalundu, a very remote village at least 40 miles from here. The men had been chosen by the church in Simalundu to visit Mrs. Hamby and convey their sympathy at the death of Dr. Hamby. They arrived to find Mrs. Hamby had already returned to the US, so they went to Mr. Moonga, a teacher here at Namwianga, and asked him to send her the letter they had brought from the church. Mr. Moonga translated the letter into English and then suggested that they bring it to us to e-mail to Mrs. Hamby so that she would get it more quickly. Except for the e-mail part, I can imagine that events like this happened in the days of Jesus when communication and transportation were difficult. Letters were one of the few ways to send and receive messages, and walking long distances to deliver them by hand was a common practice.

Here is the letter:
Simalundu Church of Christ
Box 363
Kalomo
4 December 05


From Simalundu and other village churches in the Simlundu area
To the Hamby family

The church at Simalundu and all the village churches in Simalundu area were greatly shocked and grieved by the death of Ba Hamby. On Sunday before last, all Christians from many different churches, the headmen in those villages, and many other people who are not Christians walked to Simalundu church where they met and worshipped God together in this great sorrow. The congregations and the headmen pray that God will put the Hamby famly into his mighty hands and care for them always, through the name of Jesus Christ.

Note at the bottom reads: This letter was translated by Dominic Moonga into English from Tonga. The congregation chose Milias Chimanine and Altert Siankompe who are church leaders in Simalundu church to write it before the churches and bring it to Namwianga Mission and give it to Mr. Moonga for Mrs. Hamby.