Zambia

area - 752.000 km2 population - 10.3 mln catholics - 24 %

Zambia was one of the richest and most industrialized countries in Africa at the time of independence. However, gross mismanagement and wrong policies have reduced it to one of the poorest on the continent. Corruption, rising food prices, poor value for the currency, poor health care and educational facilities, an increase of crime, and poor roads and transportation have become great burdens for the people. Zambia has had a multiparty democracy for the past ten years, yet freedom and democracy have not contributed to an improvement of people's lives. Life expectancy stands at 38 years.

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    Invited by Bp Raymond Mpezele, Bishop of Livingstone Diocese, the Divine Word Missionaries first arrived in Zambia in 1986. At that time, Mukuni was offered to us to make it a parish. Mukuni is 

a village, where the Chief of Toka-Leya people lives. It is a very especial place: small but rich culturally. Chief Mukuni, a Catholic man, has been very helpful to the SVD and the church as a whole.

From Mukuni, the Congregation went to Dambwa, Sesheke, Sichili and soon will be in Mwandi (another place, where the Chief for the Lozi people stays). In this Diocese we are involved in two language groups: Tonga and Lozi.

In order to have our formation house in Kabwe, Archdiocese

of Lusaka, the Congregation was asked to take up a parish work there too. Chindwin became our first mission. And now Mukobeko parish is also under our care. The language spoken in this area is called Bemba, the same one spoken on the Northern, Luapula, Cooperbelt Provinces of Zambia. And for the Congregation, it is our third language in the country.

The language is for the Zambia district one of our biggest challenges and difficulties too. However, taking in consideration that Zambia has 73 languages, we are doing fine even though.