In 1960, Ronald and Andrew Swanson left Glasgow as young children for a new life in Zambia with their missionary parents. This is the story of their return to Africa this summer.

FEATURE

Elizabeth, Ronald and Andrew with their mother Mary

Plaque for Ron and Mary Swanson

IN 1960 our parents, the late Ron and Mary Swanson with their three very young children – Elizabeth, Ronald and Andrew – left their home in Glasgow to serve the Lord as Church of Scotland missionaries in Chitambo Mission, Zambia; the final resting place of the great Scottish explorer and missionary David Livingstone, who died in Chitambo District in 1873.

The remote Chitambo Mission and Sakeji Christian boarding school, some 650 miles from Chitambo, would become our home for the next seven years.

As brothers, we have had a deep passion to return to Zambia for many years and on Tuesday August 1 2017 we boarded a plane for Lusaka Airport to fulfil our longstanding dream. Whilst in Zambia we had the most humbling, inspiring and deeply emotional experience either of us could have imagined, with our visit truly exceeding all expectations. Precious and cherished memories remembered and new ones created which we will treasure forever.

Our amazing adventure, over a period of eight days, included travelling over 2,000 miles on the most challenging roads imaginable; memories were rekindled as we revisited our old Christian boarding school – Sakeji; we met and chatted with dozens of families in their mud hut, thatched roof villages; visited a primary school where the children listened eagerly as we shared our story; toured the Agape Village Foundation orphanage, school and farm; revisited the David Livingstone memorial site and monument and recreated a photo, from 54 years ago, when we had previously visited the site as very young boys; we enjoyed and appreciated the kindness, hospitality and warm welcome of the Zambian people; we were intrigued and surprised that within the more rural regions very little had changed over the last 50 years, in comparison to the more densely populated areas where the infrastructure of the country is gradually developing and progressing; and finally, we spent three wonderful days in Chitambo Mission, the true highlight of a wonderful trip.

Our father, Ron Swanson, was a builder/joiner and over a seven year period was responsible for the construction of many buildings, including a nurses’ hostel, doctors’ and matrons’ homes and the maternity wing of the hospital, where over 20,000 babies have been born since its opening in 1962. The strongly constructed buildings are a wonderful visual testimony and witness which continues to benefit the community today and will do so for many generations to come. The legacy of our parents lives on in the community of Chitambo and our parents’ love, courage and sacrifice has not been in vain and continues to be celebrated, valued and appreciated yesterday, today and forever. What a very humbling and emotional experience to hear our father described as a man sent from God and compared to Abraham coming to an unknown land.

Ronald and Andrew Swanson

The Chitambo Mission

Maternity wing of the hospital

We had the honour and privilege to attend and take part in the Sunday service, returning to the church we worshipped in as a family.

At 0930 the three choirs rehearsed outside under shady trees; with the church full to capacity the service commenced at 1030 and continued for the next three hours; singing, dancing, collective prayer and enthusiastic acapella praise and adoration filled the church. With the support of an interpreter, Andrew had the honour and privilege to share God’s word and preach the gospel in the very church, 57 years ago, our parents had brought us as very young children – what a wonderful blessing with ‘Amen’ and ‘Hallelujah’ spontaneously resounding and ringing out throughout the address.

Following the sermon, we sang a duet of ‘Amazing Grace’ and thereafter the church resonated with the melodic and harmonic sound of voices and drums, in the linguistic dialect of Lala-Bembe, ‘Rock of Ages.’

An extremely poignant moment during the service was the introduction to Paisonmumbi, the last surviving person who worked with our Dad and when leaving school at the age of ten was trained as a carpenter by our father. At the age of 67 he is still plying his trade and is a very well respected man in the community.

We have so much to be thankful for.

Our family returned to East Kilbride, Scotland in 1967, with our father answering God’s call to train and become a Baptist Minister, honouring his Saviour and Lord, firstly in Union Grove Baptist Church, Aberdeen, before accepting the call to become the pioneer minister in Bourtreehill Baptist Church, Irvine until his passing in 1982 at the relatively young age of fifty.

The legacy of our parents lives on in the community of Chitambo and our parents’ love, courage and sacrifice has not been in vain and continues to be celebrated, valued and appreciated yesterday, today and forever.

One of the last sermons we can remember our Dad preaching was entitled – ‘Agape/ Unconditional Love.’ We have always wondered and have been puzzled by the fact this sermon, and not others, has remained with us all our lives…35 years after our Dad’s passing and after our memorable visit to Chitambo we have a much better understanding and appreciation of the reason why our father was led by God to preach this sermon and its profound significance and symbolic meaning.