Aucride Moonga
Aucride Moonga plays Fred Saka the bar owner. Fred is the man who is cool enough to be Tembo’s friend.
Aucride wears many hats in Mazabuka. He gets included in many projects that are attempted to make a little bit of money.
He teaches part time. Technically he is the owner of a farm left to him by his military father. The way things work in Zambia the farm is being worked by his uncles who keep promising to help him go to school but we will have to wait and see. He is computer savvy and life savvy.
Danny Chiluba
Danny Chiluba plays Captain Mutombo in the film. Danny also sings the opening song “Africa”. He also sings “I am a Soldier” on the
soundtrack. I met Danny when he wandered into church from a hideout in the sugar fields. An outcast from family and friends he has
slowly but surely been learning the social graces that have endeared him to us all. He began to play football with the guys and then started
singing with them and developed his own reggae style. He was a great surprise when we did the Tembo play in Zambia.
He got a nice Zambian break by being hired on by the South African supermarket chain Shoprite. I helped him along with a white shirt and a
dark pair of trousers. He has come a long way.
Gerod Hamainda
Gerod Hamainda plays the High Priest in the film. Gerod took the role when our original High Priest passed away. He rose to the occasion although he was not sure he could do it when we asked him to play the part. Gerod is one of the young people who took advantage of our typing programs. His mom and several brothers and sisters leaned on the eldest son who worked up north. There father had abandoned them upon his retirement taking a new wife. The eldest brother became sick and was unable to work, Gerod rose to the occasion looking for and finding a job with a company working with the railroads. He works with a computer at his desk coordinating the trains through the many delays and problems. His position makes him the man who will care for his family and pay the school fees for the young ones. He got married in Dec. 06.
Royd Makaluka
Royd Makaluka played Husein, the assistant to the high priest, in the film. Royd is one of those young men that just can’t be beaten down no matter what happens. He comes from a farming village in Southern Zambia. He had a relative in Mazabuka so he was sent here to try and complete his high school education. He was a grade 12 student at the school where we opened up for church services. The struggle for a young student to collect school fees 3 times a year to continue their education would make for a novel on its own. Royd completed his grade 12, learned to type on a typing board, graduated to a typewriter and finally to our computer. He currently is working as a teacher in a private school. He doesn’t have the credentials to teach in a government school. He is a natural teacher, leader and speaker. He also teaches in Sunday School.
My favorite Royd story takes place in March of 2003. Every March Mazabuka is flooded with people coming from all over trying to get a seasonal job with the sugar company which is our main industry. There are many stories of monies changing hands to get jobs that never are given. It is a time of hope and desperation. Royd was one of thousands crowding around the personnel office in the hopes of getting a job. That year, and only that year, personnel announced that they would have a drawing. They had a container full of blank papers and papers with x’s. Royd is known about town as one of our song leaders. He was spotted by personnel and called upon to be the first to pick out of the container. “Potters” our church nickname was placed in front of everyone. Other young men from the church gathered around him and prayed for him much to the enjoyment of everyone there. You have to understand this was not an attack on his Christianity but a joyous moment for everyone there. Royd reached in and miracle of miracles he pulled out an x, to the astonishment of everyone there. The crowd erupted in joy and praise.
Mr. Nyoni
Mr. Nyoni plays Joseph Mapate in the film. Having an older person involved in the film brings a level of dignity to the process in Zambia.
Mr. Nyoni currently works for the town of Mazabuka as an Health Inspector. He also teaches at Lifeplan High School.
He and his wife Janet are also in charge of the youth at the church. As a couple they represent the bridge that many people have had to
pass over from the socialist days of Kaunda where everything is provided, to the present days of everyone providing for themselves.
They have made the transition and are a great example to young people to go out and try things just like they did with this film.
Nellie Masulili
Nellie plays Mrs. Mapate in the film. I slotted her into this part after her husband died with the hope that it might make some money for her in the future. She and her husband are two of the most likable people you would ever meet. They have two children of their own and also cared for two children left alone after the AIDS deaths of their parents. After, Mwapesa passed away I was very concerned for Nellie. I shouldn’t have been. She landed a job with one of the more successful private schools here in town.
Bwalya Chitama
Bwalya Chitama plays the Guard in the film. Bwalya’s part is almost to close to his life. He has that testimony of going down to the depths of
brokenness only to arise anew. He is currently running a pop corn machine downtown Mazabuka. He is hoping to save enough to run two.
Themba Matamba
Themba Matamba plays the young Priest in the film. He works for an older brother at an auto parts store. He took the
money he saved from that job to start a stand for people to make cell phone calls. He is very together and wanted to
pursue medicine, we will see what will come together for him. His older brother doesn’t want to lose an honest and diligent manager. Themba desperately wanted to repeat his final line from the play in the film “Get me out of this evil place”. We didn’t allow it. One of life’s regrets.
Alvah Malumbe
Alvah Malumbe plays the Special Agent who shows up at the end of the film. Alvah has a forceful enough personality that he has been swept into several marketing schemes that came through Mazabuka. He didn’t feel comfortable with his involvement. In the film he did his part well, but he slowly but surely took over directing duties from me. He and Bright, the cameraman, would work together to set the shot. The restaurant scene was scripted with cuts and filmed by Alvah and Bright. He currently is chasing after teaching credentials in Kabwe.
Charles Chifuku
Charles Chifuku is the film editor. He has always been the church computer guy. When we started the project he took the software and was almost immediately able to use it. I left in September of 06. He had finished editing and adding the music by Dec 06. He would like to try another project because he feels like he knows so much more now. He has some business ideas, we will just have to wait and see if he is able.
Everisto
Everisto is the guard stationed at the High Priest’s office. Everito also handled our man-made lights for the filming. Everisto keeps life going for several members of his family. That was the most English I ever heard him speak in the film. I was surprised when he got the part. One way Everisto makes money is to always have a camera available at events. He then takes pictures of folks and they pay him for them after he has them developed. He is a great guy.
Bright Mubika
Bright Mubika is the cameraman. I met Bright when I was asked to coach the local High School’s basketball team. I ended up coaching that team for 6 years. The 5th year Bright was my assistant. The 6th year I was his assistant. Bright is currently using the camera that we left behind to do projects that put some money into his pockets as well as others involved in the film.
Danny Sox, Cornelius Monze, Thomas Zulu
These three young men make up “The Peace and Harmony Brothers” that provide the key songs during the film. They were armed with a $400 recording studio and were able to make the recordings that are on the film and available on a separate sound track. They have been singing together for 5 years now and it shows in the quality. They have all worked different jobs at different times but there hearts are into music. I would preach on a Sunday and the next Sunday they would have a song about the message from the previous Sunday. Danny is married and the other two are hoping.
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