Stones of Remembrance and Help!

I can only imagine that my title must be extremely curious indeed. Bear with me a moment. I have thought it through.

The Good Book has two interesting narratives involving stones of remembrance. The first is to be found in the Old Testament Book of Joshua chapter 4. As the Israelites crossed over the River Jordan after it had been cut off at the head, thereby allowing them walk on dry ground, their leader Joshua ordered that 12 stones be collected and placed in the midst of the Jordan. They were to serve as memorial stones for future generations, a testament to the miraculous events predicating their successful cross over. The second is no less dramatic and is to be found in another Old Testament Book called 1 Samuel chapter 4. The Israelites were confronted by their age old and formidable foe, the Philistines. The odds being heavily stacked against the Israelites to the point of paralysing fear, the narrative goes on to show how by Divine intervention, thunder discomfited the Philistines and delivered the victory to the Israelites.

While we have not had the adversity of war close to our borders, we have certainly known our fair share of circumstances akin to battle and paralysing fear in this year. We have also known more than our fair share of Divine intervention that has delivered many victories indeed.

The year brought with it a roller coaster of peaks and troughs. The immediate external context was a Country still reeling but recovering from the Covid Pandemic; a people emerging from a highly polarised but decisive Election and Administration change; an economy beginning to rebound from its doldrums etc. Internally within the Firm, we were beginning to roll out plans that we had broken quite the sweat over to develop. Navigating all, providing our signature bespoke care to our clients, developing new relationships while keeping the tried and true relationships warm, ensuring that the business side of the firm was on the appropriate trajectory, all the while, managing a diverse, largely youthful and thus, transient team, were herculean tasks to put it mildly.

In July, we celebrated a monumental milestone in our development when 'KMLP turned Three!' We were very blessed to have the support of many of our clients, allies, supporters and friends. The event was a rip roaring success and the team came away from it with a sense of having 'come of age'.

The mountains and valleys continued to characterise the landscape. The firm suffered some set backs in the year eg the loss of key members to the public sector. We continue to view the progression of team members many whom we train over several years, to the public sector as our contribution to our Countries human capital. We are proud that many of our alumni are flying our flag in parastatals and within various arms of Government including being judicial officers of note. The other blessing that comes with transition is that when the taller grass is shaved, the budding grass underneath can fully show it's shine! The team has rallied amazingly and the firm finished very strong. We couldn't be prouder of the team's accomplishments.?

On a personal note, the year continued to deliver it's mountains and valleys. We had the ill fortune of being knocked over by a speeding driver while on a morning bicycle ride. The driver 'hit and ran' leaving what would be to be. Thankfully, Divine intervention ensured our preservation and we lived to tell another tale from the asphalt, albeit fractured and bruised from it. Yet all was certainly not doom and gloom. We celebrated another successful year of practice catapulting us higher into the elevated regions of seniority at the Bar. We also knew success in adding more grease to the elbows by advancing in our international Arbitration training and mastering international Commercial Law.

We closed off the year on a jubilant and triumphant note, celebrating the team and particularly honoring four individuals and one of our teams for their particularly exceptional showing in 2022. They 'turned up' this year! Chidano Masela Chisoya, Micheal Elcrint Mwiinga, Phebelina Mwalilino Chibesa and Mwindula Nkole and Team Dispute Resolutuon, chappeu my people! You rock!

So while we may not have literal stones to fix like the Israelites of yore, we pause at the end of the year and etch in the stones of our memories that this far, we have been helped! Battles have been fought and won, streams have been forded successfully. We stand at the watershed between yesterday and tomorrow quietly assured and brimming with hope. We say with the hymn writer, 'We will praise Him for all that is past, and trust Him for all that's to come!'

Thank you and God bless you all!