Family BackgroundMy Story (Protasio) My family background was very humble. My early Christian life was good. I was an altar boy and I spent most of my time at church up to junior secondary school. In my senior secondary school I was just a Sunday boy but not active in the church affairs. In 1975 I entered the University of Zambia. The late Fr. Prokof who was the university Chaplain visited me in my room on the second day at the University. He encouraged me to be active member of the catholich church at campus and to join the choir. I did this briefly and due to peer pressure I went with friends to drink and dance, just like everybody else. I started work in 1979 in the Ministry of Agriculture. I worked short periods in Mansa, and Chipata and eventually I was posted to Kasama where I lived for 6 years. I met my would be wife in Kasama. We courted for sometime and eventually we got married under the traditional set up in 1982. Her Story (Happy) My name is Happy and it has to do with the birthday which was around new year in 1963. I was Baptised in the United Church of Zambia (UCZ). When we married, my husband was not going to church, I was going to church and we stared having children. Later in 1993, when we had three children, I wanted to have them baptised in the UCZ. The Reverend wanted the presence of my husband at the church for the processing of the baptism and I communicated to him. This was a wake up call for him. He reacted sharply and said over his dead body. He was not going to allow the children be baptised in UCZ as he was a Catholic himself. I was totally amazed by his reaction because he never used to go to church, and I wondered how they were going to be baptised in the Catholic Church. He answered me If it meant going to church with you for the sake of our children, then I was ready to start, not to UCZ but to the Catholic Church. I was pleased, not that we were going to the Catholic Church, but that he would start going to church, and so it was. An Assistant Parish explained that I had to undergo baptism instructions. The instructions was for me to understand and appreciate the catholic faith since I was already baptised. When I was being instructed there were new things I learnt that inspired me. Among other things, the detailed explanation of the Lords Prayer, how we meet with GOD through the things he has created, the detailed explanation of the Ten Commandments and how to apply them to our present life, so I expressed interest in joining the Catholic Church. I embarked on the two years of instructions in the Catholic Church. Our Story While under going the instructions we approached the Parish Priest for Blessing of the Marriage. We went through the marriage instructions and we got our marriage blessed on 09th September 1995. On this day three in one things happened: Blessing of the marriage My birth day-39 years old Baptism of our son Alinani. He was 2 years old. Then Happy did confirmation lessons and she was confirmed in 1996 by a Bishop. We attend mass regularly and we are active members of the church. I have just been elected Chairperson for the Christ the King Small Christian Community for 2 years starting in January, 2009. Our journey in faith involves many other land marks or achievements which include: Life in the Spirit Seminar (together) - This is a seminar for the Charismatic Renewal Movement. We are members of this movement Marriage Instructors Course We are qualified marriage instructors and have carried out several marriage training programmes for white weddings and for marriage blessings. Evangelization Course - (Protasio) Marriage Encounter (together) We are members of this movement. Some other achievements in the journey include: All the 5 children were baptised All except one receive Holy Eucharist. It was a challenge to have Christabel get her Holy Communion lessons and eventually the Holy Eucharist. She got her first Holy Eucharist on 22 November, 2008. Protasio and Happy freely share the word of GOD together and extend it to the children. Some challenges in our journey Sometimes no network (no communication). But this has improved with Marriage Encounter which has emphasized on DIALOGUE. Raising up children is a big challenge. Sometimes they do not want to go to church or do church work especially the big children. It has not been all rosy or smooth but lives have become more meaningful by inviting GOD in our family and in the day to day activities. Sharing the word of GOD, praying together, reciting the rosary will strengthen our spiritual life. There is a saying that a family which prays together, celebrates together. Our praying together has made us united and loving to each other. We have learnt to care for Christabel as a family in a special way and she is very happy. Our Occupations After completing form five I went to the university of Zambia were I studied Sociology and Economics and my first job was that of a Rural Sociologist for a rural development programme. I went on to do a masters degree in economics with emphasis on regional development planning from University College of Swansea in Wales. After my masters degree my work has mainly been in management for rural development programmes. My passion has been finding ways and means of uplifting the standards of living of the rural poor. After completing school my wife studied nursing and she became a state registered nurse. After working for about 8 years in government health centres and hospitals she did a midwife course and became a registered midwife/nurse. Currently she is working as sister in charge of a government health centre. Our family background is not complete without discussing our children. We are blessed with five children. The fist born is Mwansa and he is 26 years old then followed by Christabel who is 19 years old. The third born is Alinani and he is 15 years old and he is followed by another boy named Chapa and he is 12 years old. The last born is a girl called Suwilanji and she is 10 years old. Mwansa completed high school and studied information technology, he is working and lives on his own in Kabwe. Alinani is doing grade 11 at a boarding school which is managed by United Church of Zambia. Christabel attends a special education school and she is doing grade 7. Chapa and Suwilanji are doing grade 7 and 5 respectively at a private school. Chrisatabel, Chapa and Suwilanji are day scholars and they stay at home. My wife and I take turns to take the children to and from school.
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