After all our hard work, we were anxious to spend our Saturday seeing the sites of Zambia!
Our first stop was the "Cultural Village," with hut after hut filled with African handy crafts. Carvings, cloth and baskets abound under these thatched roofs. The whole team buys much more than any of us expected and we leave with bowls and purses, statues and paintings. I can't help but laugh at American consumerism run rampant in an African village. What can I say . . . we love our stuff!
Our next stop is a botanical garden and zoo. We all enjoyed some quite time sitting under shady trees surrounded by bright flowers. It's funny how so many plants here look like they came out of Dr. Seuss book.
The highlight of the day was the zoo's "Feeding Tour." The sign at the beginning of the tour said "Watch Lions Leap for Meat!" and they weren't lyin' . . . . ha ha ha! We all stood outside this enclosure with hunks of meat strewn about. Then the tour guide said, "Release the lions!" and out bounded 5 or 6 lions. And when I say bounded, I mean ran straight for us, grabbed the meat and sat down for lunch. Even though there was a big fence between us and the lions, it was very unsettling.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Day Seven: The Path
Sometimes it amazes me how things come full circle. Amongst all our school touring and social work visiting we have also been working diligently on the school. All the walls are as high as the door jams and the Zambians don't trust us to help with the final tricky step so we are leaving it to them.
This morning, we were looking around the House of Martha attempting to find another project to occupy our time. As we stood in the dirt and mud out back, the obvious solution comes to us. We ought to use the brick we just tore out of the school to make a path to the school to help cut back on all the dirt and mud tracked into the buildings during the raining season. There is something so fulfilling about reusing the brick we've demolished to make something new and beautiful and there are few things as beautiful as a worn, brick path.
The kids decide to join in on the work. They scramble around the pile of rubble in their bare feet looking for usable brick. We attempt to stop them, we don't want them to cut their feet on the metal and rock in the pile but we eventually admit defeat and let them join in. As we load bricks carefully into a wheel barrow, they pile them 3 or 4 high on top of their heads and scurry over to the construction site. It amazes me out these kids know how to work. They are able to watch a task for 2 or 3 minutes and then hop in and do it better than the person who was doing it first.
We end up with kids sorting brick, moving brick on their heads, laying the brick alongside the path in easy reach of the brick layers and laying the base layer of sand that the path is on. I asked Nixon, one of the Zambian workers, if the kids help him with other chores around the house. He laughs and says he is not as exciting to work with as a bunch of white people.
Once we finish laying the brick, we distribute a layer of damp sand across the top and use our fingers to push the sand down between the bricks. Gradually, I feel a presence growing around me and I look up. Every kid in the yard has stopped what they were doing - playing, braiding hair, hanging clothes up to dry - and every kid is around the edge of this path, quietly and intently pushing sand into the cracks between the brick. What a perfect job for such little fingers. As they intently focus on the task in front of them, I wonder what lessons we Americans should be taking home from these very special kids.
This morning, we were looking around the House of Martha attempting to find another project to occupy our time. As we stood in the dirt and mud out back, the obvious solution comes to us. We ought to use the brick we just tore out of the school to make a path to the school to help cut back on all the dirt and mud tracked into the buildings during the raining season. There is something so fulfilling about reusing the brick we've demolished to make something new and beautiful and there are few things as beautiful as a worn, brick path.
The kids decide to join in on the work. They scramble around the pile of rubble in their bare feet looking for usable brick. We attempt to stop them, we don't want them to cut their feet on the metal and rock in the pile but we eventually admit defeat and let them join in. As we load bricks carefully into a wheel barrow, they pile them 3 or 4 high on top of their heads and scurry over to the construction site. It amazes me out these kids know how to work. They are able to watch a task for 2 or 3 minutes and then hop in and do it better than the person who was doing it first.
We end up with kids sorting brick, moving brick on their heads, laying the brick alongside the path in easy reach of the brick layers and laying the base layer of sand that the path is on. I asked Nixon, one of the Zambian workers, if the kids help him with other chores around the house. He laughs and says he is not as exciting to work with as a bunch of white people.
Once we finish laying the brick, we distribute a layer of damp sand across the top and use our fingers to push the sand down between the bricks. Gradually, I feel a presence growing around me and I look up. Every kid in the yard has stopped what they were doing - playing, braiding hair, hanging clothes up to dry - and every kid is around the edge of this path, quietly and intently pushing sand into the cracks between the brick. What a perfect job for such little fingers. As they intently focus on the task in front of them, I wonder what lessons we Americans should be taking home from these very special kids.
Day Six: Social Work Visits
Today was my lucky day! Becky (one of my other teammates and I) were selected to follow along with the organizations social workers, Lucky and Gertrude, on a tracking visit. As I mentioned in a previous post, the main goal of ACE in Zambia is to reconnect these abandoned children with extended family here in country. On a tracking trip, we load up a jeep full of 6 kids and take off to the compounds in hopes of finding their families. But, our first stop is the Department of Social Welfare. One little girl, Esnade found her family the day before on a tracking trip. We are going to meet the family at the office and get a letter of release so she can return with them. Lucky and Gertrude will follow up with them over the next few months to ensure that she has landed in a healthy living situation. Esnade walks away flanked by her father, her aunt and her cousin. I think that both Becky and I through up a little prayer as we watched her walk away.
The rest of the day is tracking with the remaining kids. The first girl, Averess, we take to a police station in Kanyama. There is a rumor that there was a man searching for a girl her age a few months ago. We are hoping to access police records to find out who he is and see if Averess is the girl he is looking for. Unfortunately, even though it is only 10am, the commanding officer has left for the day and all the files are locked in his office. We pile Averess in the back with the rest of the kids and move on to the next one.
Marsupa is a boy about 9 years old. He leads us through the streets of a different compound. He points left here and right there. Finally, we reach an impasse. He's gotten lost, he can't remember the rest of the way home. This is common. Families move frequently, roads are convuluted and some of these kids have been away from home for a long time. Dejected, Marsupa climbs back in the back of the jeep. Now, the only option for him is to run his picture and story on a local TV show focused on connecting lost children with their families.
Next is Josephine who is 8 years old. Josephine, quickly guides us through the winding roads to a small but well-cared for home. Several women on the front porch cry, "Josephine!" as we approach and she is greeted with hugs all around. One of the women invite us inside and we sit on torn, stained and mismatched chairs in their "living room." Becky and I have know idea what is being said but after about 20 minutes we leave. Lucky explains that the child had been living there and the woman was her aunt. Unfortunately, she had been being abused by her uncle and it was not a safe home for her to return to. In follow-up visits, Lucky and Gertrude will try to determine if there is another family member who would be willing to take Josephine.
The next child is Joyce, who is 9 years old. She also leads us directly to her home in Kanyama but there are no cries of recognition and hugs. Joyce politely greets the women on the front stoop and after a few minutes of conversation sadly walks back to the jeep with Luckys hand on her shoulder. Lucky explains that the family has "shifted" (moved away) and that a new family occupies the house. Once again, the only chance for Joyce now is the TV show for missing children.
Our last child is probably the saddest story. Fatima led us around in circles for several minutes in a new compound we hadn't visited before. Eventually, she and Lucky get out and stand in the intersection for a long time. Uncle G, our driver, explains that the child is intentially leading us in circles . . . most likely because she doesn't want to go home to her family. She is pretending she is lost but that is very unlikely. She is 11 years old and has only been away from home for a month. I asked Uncle G what will happen now and he says that they will continue to bring her out on tracking trips and hope that she will eventually show them where she lives. He reminds Becky and I that they would never put her into a bad situation so if they find the home and there is abuse, it just gives them the documation they need to pursue another option for her.
The rest of the day is tracking with the remaining kids. The first girl, Averess, we take to a police station in Kanyama. There is a rumor that there was a man searching for a girl her age a few months ago. We are hoping to access police records to find out who he is and see if Averess is the girl he is looking for. Unfortunately, even though it is only 10am, the commanding officer has left for the day and all the files are locked in his office. We pile Averess in the back with the rest of the kids and move on to the next one.
Marsupa is a boy about 9 years old. He leads us through the streets of a different compound. He points left here and right there. Finally, we reach an impasse. He's gotten lost, he can't remember the rest of the way home. This is common. Families move frequently, roads are convuluted and some of these kids have been away from home for a long time. Dejected, Marsupa climbs back in the back of the jeep. Now, the only option for him is to run his picture and story on a local TV show focused on connecting lost children with their families.
Next is Josephine who is 8 years old. Josephine, quickly guides us through the winding roads to a small but well-cared for home. Several women on the front porch cry, "Josephine!" as we approach and she is greeted with hugs all around. One of the women invite us inside and we sit on torn, stained and mismatched chairs in their "living room." Becky and I have know idea what is being said but after about 20 minutes we leave. Lucky explains that the child had been living there and the woman was her aunt. Unfortunately, she had been being abused by her uncle and it was not a safe home for her to return to. In follow-up visits, Lucky and Gertrude will try to determine if there is another family member who would be willing to take Josephine.
The next child is Joyce, who is 9 years old. She also leads us directly to her home in Kanyama but there are no cries of recognition and hugs. Joyce politely greets the women on the front stoop and after a few minutes of conversation sadly walks back to the jeep with Luckys hand on her shoulder. Lucky explains that the family has "shifted" (moved away) and that a new family occupies the house. Once again, the only chance for Joyce now is the TV show for missing children.
Our last child is probably the saddest story. Fatima led us around in circles for several minutes in a new compound we hadn't visited before. Eventually, she and Lucky get out and stand in the intersection for a long time. Uncle G, our driver, explains that the child is intentially leading us in circles . . . most likely because she doesn't want to go home to her family. She is pretending she is lost but that is very unlikely. She is 11 years old and has only been away from home for a month. I asked Uncle G what will happen now and he says that they will continue to bring her out on tracking trips and hope that she will eventually show them where she lives. He reminds Becky and I that they would never put her into a bad situation so if they find the home and there is abuse, it just gives them the documation they need to pursue another option for her.
Day 5: The Helen DeVoss School
Today we took a little field trip to the Helen DeVoss School which is another ministry of the Alliance for Children Everywhere. The school is located in Kanyama which is one of the poorest compounds in the city and is also the one with the most kids. A compound is roughly equivalent to a neighborhood but is much more like a slum. The houses are small - usually only one or two rooms made out of cinder blocks with a tin roof. The women sit on the front step cooking over a small outdoor fire while laundry hangs on a clothesline nearby. Most of the roads are barely passable by jeep which is understandable when you consider that no one owns a car. Kids of all sizes run along side our jeep without shoes shouting "Muzungu, muzungu!" (the Zambian word for "Gringo") and garbage and mud litter the street. Zambia does have public schooling but the costs inhibit most kids from attending. Here you have to be able to pay for a uniform, pay for a notebook and you have to bath everyday. Sometimes just the cost of soap is all that keeps these kids from attending school.
The Helen DeVoss school is free to the children. Many kids are sponsored by individuals back in the US - the cost of a sponsorship is $200/year. The kids who are not sponsored are covered out of ACE's general fund until a sponsor can be established. The principal, Robby, is a distinguished looking man with gray hair who is anxious to tell us and show us everything about his school. He is a man who takes pride in his work and recognizes that what he is doing changes the lives of these kids forever. The kids well behaved, sharply dressed in their blue uniforms and intent on their studies. They greet us in unison with "Hello, how are you today?" We stopped in on 4 different classes who told us about what they are studying and why they liked going to the DeVoss school. They were representative of the 260 students who attend regularly (Grades 8-12). Our team laughed when we heard that attendance was low today because it was cold and many of the students didn't have warm enough clothes to wear - the temperature was around 75 degrees! It just shows how you become accustomed to where you live.
There are two things that the DeVoss school is most proud of - one is there computer lab which boasts 7 operating computers although Internet access is not available in the compounds. The other is their wet bench laboratory. I was so pleased to see the lab benches, sinks and test tubes. It's unusual to have a science lab in even the nicest private school so this is a real treat for the students. I hope many great scientists are born in that laboratory. Unfortunately, lab time is rare because they don't have enough glassware and other laboratory apparatus to perform many of the experiments. Hmmmmmmm . . . we'll have to see what we can do about that!
The Helen DeVoss school is free to the children. Many kids are sponsored by individuals back in the US - the cost of a sponsorship is $200/year. The kids who are not sponsored are covered out of ACE's general fund until a sponsor can be established. The principal, Robby, is a distinguished looking man with gray hair who is anxious to tell us and show us everything about his school. He is a man who takes pride in his work and recognizes that what he is doing changes the lives of these kids forever. The kids well behaved, sharply dressed in their blue uniforms and intent on their studies. They greet us in unison with "Hello, how are you today?" We stopped in on 4 different classes who told us about what they are studying and why they liked going to the DeVoss school. They were representative of the 260 students who attend regularly (Grades 8-12). Our team laughed when we heard that attendance was low today because it was cold and many of the students didn't have warm enough clothes to wear - the temperature was around 75 degrees! It just shows how you become accustomed to where you live.
There are two things that the DeVoss school is most proud of - one is there computer lab which boasts 7 operating computers although Internet access is not available in the compounds. The other is their wet bench laboratory. I was so pleased to see the lab benches, sinks and test tubes. It's unusual to have a science lab in even the nicest private school so this is a real treat for the students. I hope many great scientists are born in that laboratory. Unfortunately, lab time is rare because they don't have enough glassware and other laboratory apparatus to perform many of the experiments. Hmmmmmmm . . . we'll have to see what we can do about that!
Day 4: Bricks, Bricks and More Bricks
Today was focused on the construction of the school addition. We completed knocking down all the interior walls. The Zambians have an excellent motivational technique. They tell us to knock down these two walls - then, once we finish and celebrate reaching our goal, they say, "Great! Now walk down these two walls!" So, we knock down two more walls, celebrate and then they say, "Knock down these two walls!" It reminds me of this backpacking trip I took in college. We took a wrong turn and ended up having to hike twice as far as expected. When our leader realized what had happened, he didn't let on that a mistake had been made but whenever we got restless, he would run ahead and then run back and say just one more mile - 7 miles later, we reached a campsite!
Since I'm pretty useless when it comes to knocking down walls, I spent most of the days moving cinder blocks from the front of the home to the back with a rickety old wheelbarrow. The girls and I got a pretty good system going of loading, pushing and unloading and switching off jobs every 10 minutes. I think this day is definitely going to count toward my fitness challenge at work!
Today was also bitter sweet because my favorite little baby - Brian - went home with his uncle and mother today. From the minute I met Brian - I loved him! If you are an "Office" fan, you will appreciate that this baby looked exactly like Stanley - right down to the skeptical looks up from his lab. Seriously, give this kid a crossword puzzle and he could fill in when the real guy is on vacation. Brian has always been a very sad baby - cries a lot - but has the cutest little smile when you can wrangle one out of him. I asked Sandra why Brian was always so sad and she said even when you are that small you can still feel sad about being abandoned by your mother. Brian's mother became pregnant with him when she was only 11 years old after being taken advantage of by an uncle. She delivered Brian at the age of 12 at a local hospital. Scared and unsure of the future in front of her, she complained of stomach pains and was taken down to the x-ray department. When she was left alone in the hallway, she jumped off her gurney and left the hospital, abandoning Brian at only a day old. The Department of Social Welfare then delivered Brian here to House of Moses and he has been here for almost 18 months.
A few weeks ago, a man arrived with a letter from the DSW stating that he was Brian's uncle and was free to take Brian home with him. Brian would have none of his uncle. He cried, then he screamed, then he kicked and threw a genuine temper tantrum. Sandra (the head of the House of Moses) convinced the uncle to leave Brian here for a few weeks and stop by for regular visits so that Brian would get used to him. The uncle agreed this was the best plan.
The next Sunday, the uncle came again but this time he brought a young girl with him. The young girl picked up Brian and cried almost as much as he did when he would not let her hold him. After a few minutes, they left again. Sandra asked the Zambian caretakers who the girl was. "That was his mother," they said. The girl wasn't much older than 13. Sandra explained that she had seen this before - although the babies are small they remember more than you would believe, inside they know that this woman has abandoned them and left them in this awful situation. Additionally, seeing the baby raises all sorts of feelings in the mother of failure and understanding of the implications of her decisions. "God is the only one who can mend these broken hearts," says Sandra.
The next Sunday (the day after we arrived), the uncle and the mother come again and Brian screams. This time Sandra is waiting for their arrival. She brings the uncle, the mother and the baby together and prays, "Dear Lord, you are the healer of all. Please mend this relationship between Brian and his mother. Give Brian the understanding to forgive his mother and embrace her in his life and give Brian's mother the ability to forgive herself as you have forgiven her. Amen." Then . . . Brian stopped crying.
He went home with his family for the first time every today, as he should have 18 months ago.
Since I'm pretty useless when it comes to knocking down walls, I spent most of the days moving cinder blocks from the front of the home to the back with a rickety old wheelbarrow. The girls and I got a pretty good system going of loading, pushing and unloading and switching off jobs every 10 minutes. I think this day is definitely going to count toward my fitness challenge at work!
Today was also bitter sweet because my favorite little baby - Brian - went home with his uncle and mother today. From the minute I met Brian - I loved him! If you are an "Office" fan, you will appreciate that this baby looked exactly like Stanley - right down to the skeptical looks up from his lab. Seriously, give this kid a crossword puzzle and he could fill in when the real guy is on vacation. Brian has always been a very sad baby - cries a lot - but has the cutest little smile when you can wrangle one out of him. I asked Sandra why Brian was always so sad and she said even when you are that small you can still feel sad about being abandoned by your mother. Brian's mother became pregnant with him when she was only 11 years old after being taken advantage of by an uncle. She delivered Brian at the age of 12 at a local hospital. Scared and unsure of the future in front of her, she complained of stomach pains and was taken down to the x-ray department. When she was left alone in the hallway, she jumped off her gurney and left the hospital, abandoning Brian at only a day old. The Department of Social Welfare then delivered Brian here to House of Moses and he has been here for almost 18 months.
A few weeks ago, a man arrived with a letter from the DSW stating that he was Brian's uncle and was free to take Brian home with him. Brian would have none of his uncle. He cried, then he screamed, then he kicked and threw a genuine temper tantrum. Sandra (the head of the House of Moses) convinced the uncle to leave Brian here for a few weeks and stop by for regular visits so that Brian would get used to him. The uncle agreed this was the best plan.
The next Sunday, the uncle came again but this time he brought a young girl with him. The young girl picked up Brian and cried almost as much as he did when he would not let her hold him. After a few minutes, they left again. Sandra asked the Zambian caretakers who the girl was. "That was his mother," they said. The girl wasn't much older than 13. Sandra explained that she had seen this before - although the babies are small they remember more than you would believe, inside they know that this woman has abandoned them and left them in this awful situation. Additionally, seeing the baby raises all sorts of feelings in the mother of failure and understanding of the implications of her decisions. "God is the only one who can mend these broken hearts," says Sandra.
The next Sunday (the day after we arrived), the uncle and the mother come again and Brian screams. This time Sandra is waiting for their arrival. She brings the uncle, the mother and the baby together and prays, "Dear Lord, you are the healer of all. Please mend this relationship between Brian and his mother. Give Brian the understanding to forgive his mother and embrace her in his life and give Brian's mother the ability to forgive herself as you have forgiven her. Amen." Then . . . Brian stopped crying.
He went home with his family for the first time every today, as he should have 18 months ago.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Day Three: Demolition
We began our day with devotions with the Zambian staff. I enjoy so much worshiping the Lord with our African brothers and sisters. We sing, chant and dance - I don't understand what they are saying but I know the spirit behind their songs.
Today, we finally headed over to the House of Martha which houses the older children (4-14 years old). The kids who are 18 months to 4 years are housed at the Bill and Betty Bryant Nursery at another location. Our job today is to knock down 3 brick walls on the out-building they use as a school in preparation for expanding the building to include an additional classroom. We had a few too many "cooks in the kitchen," so to speak, so I made friends with some of the kids once they got back from school. Half the kids go to a private school next door and were very cute coming home for lunch in their plaid skirts and sweater vests.
We played an African version of pictionary in the dirt with a stick. The biggest challenge was to think of things that they would recognize since their world is filled with things very different from mine. I learned quickly that nature transcends culture boundaries - trees, the sun, flowers, a river - are all things to which they can relate.
The kids are also fascinated by my blond hair and fair skin. I got a new hair-do courtesy of 6 year old Joyce and spent much of the afternoon explaining what freckles were - needless to say, African children don't have freckles.
We were having quite a lovely time when the house mother came out calling with a loud African cry. The kids hopped up and ran around the side of the house. I had to follow to see what the commotion was. What I found was a mess of children, mud, hoses, buckets and water everywhere. One by one, the kids would emerge from the melee much cleaner then they entered it - which I still don't understand because of all the dirt and mud - and head into the house for supper - as always, with a big smile one each face!
Points for Prayer -
- One of our teammates had a little diabetic emergency last night. The staff accidentally froze his insulin. Luckily, we were able to find some insulin last night that should last him for the trip. Please pray that this is our only medical emergency this trip!
Today, we finally headed over to the House of Martha which houses the older children (4-14 years old). The kids who are 18 months to 4 years are housed at the Bill and Betty Bryant Nursery at another location. Our job today is to knock down 3 brick walls on the out-building they use as a school in preparation for expanding the building to include an additional classroom. We had a few too many "cooks in the kitchen," so to speak, so I made friends with some of the kids once they got back from school. Half the kids go to a private school next door and were very cute coming home for lunch in their plaid skirts and sweater vests.
We played an African version of pictionary in the dirt with a stick. The biggest challenge was to think of things that they would recognize since their world is filled with things very different from mine. I learned quickly that nature transcends culture boundaries - trees, the sun, flowers, a river - are all things to which they can relate.
The kids are also fascinated by my blond hair and fair skin. I got a new hair-do courtesy of 6 year old Joyce and spent much of the afternoon explaining what freckles were - needless to say, African children don't have freckles.
We were having quite a lovely time when the house mother came out calling with a loud African cry. The kids hopped up and ran around the side of the house. I had to follow to see what the commotion was. What I found was a mess of children, mud, hoses, buckets and water everywhere. One by one, the kids would emerge from the melee much cleaner then they entered it - which I still don't understand because of all the dirt and mud - and head into the house for supper - as always, with a big smile one each face!
Points for Prayer -
- One of our teammates had a little diabetic emergency last night. The staff accidentally froze his insulin. Luckily, we were able to find some insulin last night that should last him for the trip. Please pray that this is our only medical emergency this trip!
Day Two: The Zambian Experience
This morning started out with church. We were supposed to leave promptly at 9:30 but the driver hadn't shown up yet and we couldn't get the vans started. After about an hour and several Zambian and American men all standing around the vans, they manage to get them to start. Sandra - the head of the organization - shrugs, laughs and says "TIA!" (This is Africa!) I'm learning that you have to expect nothing hear because nothing goes as planned.
The church has expansive grounds and is also completely walled. There are several small groups having study sessions under the trees and traditional African Christian music floats out of the cinder block building in the center of the grounds. After church, the guests stand at the back door with the Pastor and greet each of the regular attenders as they leave. The Zambians dress to the nines for church but the dress varies. Some are in traditional African garb with head dresses and brightly colored skirts. Others are in suits and shiney black shoes. They are so excited to meet their Christian brothers and sisters from Ameria and we stay for about an hour after church to visit with the people.
The afternoon was spent milling around the local craft market. The vendors lay out cloth on which they display bowls, pottery, carvings, paintings and brightly colored fabrics. They are not shy about selling their wares and are consistantly in your face convicing you that they have the one item you cannot leave Africa with out. I laughed when one vendor persistantly attempted to sell me a carving of two giraffes not knowing that my friend, Melissa (who invited me on this trip) brought me the exact same one on her last visit. "I already have this one, my friend gave it to me as a gift!" - "That's okay! You need two!" he replied. Like I said - persistant!
Points for Prayer -
- Jetlag, Headaches and Dehydration - I'm feeling the affects of traveling for over 24 hours.
The church has expansive grounds and is also completely walled. There are several small groups having study sessions under the trees and traditional African Christian music floats out of the cinder block building in the center of the grounds. After church, the guests stand at the back door with the Pastor and greet each of the regular attenders as they leave. The Zambians dress to the nines for church but the dress varies. Some are in traditional African garb with head dresses and brightly colored skirts. Others are in suits and shiney black shoes. They are so excited to meet their Christian brothers and sisters from Ameria and we stay for about an hour after church to visit with the people.
The afternoon was spent milling around the local craft market. The vendors lay out cloth on which they display bowls, pottery, carvings, paintings and brightly colored fabrics. They are not shy about selling their wares and are consistantly in your face convicing you that they have the one item you cannot leave Africa with out. I laughed when one vendor persistantly attempted to sell me a carving of two giraffes not knowing that my friend, Melissa (who invited me on this trip) brought me the exact same one on her last visit. "I already have this one, my friend gave it to me as a gift!" - "That's okay! You need two!" he replied. Like I said - persistant!
Points for Prayer -
- Jetlag, Headaches and Dehydration - I'm feeling the affects of traveling for over 24 hours.
Day One: Warm Welcomes
As I mentioned, we arrived very early on Saturday morning, so our goal for the day was to stay awake as long as we could to help with adjusting to the schedule here.
The House of Moses - where we are staying - is an orphanage for children from birth to 18 months. The grounds are surrounded with a tall, thick cement wall with shards of glass protruding from the top. The whole picture would be rather imposing if it wasn't for the colorful mural covering the front gate. It depicts an African woman carrying her baby in a sling across her back. In the background there is a little church and many different African animals. Once inside the compound, it looks very much like a preschool in the states. Little Tykes playground equipment and a see-saw scatter across the yard. The lawn and driveway are shady and cool. The house is a very large two story structure made out of brick and cinder blocks. We are immediately greeted by the staff who are so excited to meet us and learn all our names.
Our rooms are dormitory style - one for the men and one for the women - with bunkbeds and mosquito nets hanging from the ceiling. The food is delicous but very American. It's obvious that the staff is used to having teams of Americans come for a visit.
The babies are adorable! Some are orphaned but many have been removed from their families by the Zambian version of child protective services. The goal of the Alliance for Children in Zambia is to help these kids find homes preferably with their own extended family but also in other Zambian families and occasionally adoption into other countries. There are about 30 babies living at this house.
Points for Prayer -
Malaria - The unusual weather has made the mosquitos more of a problem then they ususally are at this time of year. I'm using a lot of bug spray but its still more of a risk than expected.
The House of Moses - where we are staying - is an orphanage for children from birth to 18 months. The grounds are surrounded with a tall, thick cement wall with shards of glass protruding from the top. The whole picture would be rather imposing if it wasn't for the colorful mural covering the front gate. It depicts an African woman carrying her baby in a sling across her back. In the background there is a little church and many different African animals. Once inside the compound, it looks very much like a preschool in the states. Little Tykes playground equipment and a see-saw scatter across the yard. The lawn and driveway are shady and cool. The house is a very large two story structure made out of brick and cinder blocks. We are immediately greeted by the staff who are so excited to meet us and learn all our names.
Our rooms are dormitory style - one for the men and one for the women - with bunkbeds and mosquito nets hanging from the ceiling. The food is delicous but very American. It's obvious that the staff is used to having teams of Americans come for a visit.
The babies are adorable! Some are orphaned but many have been removed from their families by the Zambian version of child protective services. The goal of the Alliance for Children in Zambia is to help these kids find homes preferably with their own extended family but also in other Zambian families and occasionally adoption into other countries. There are about 30 babies living at this house.
Points for Prayer -
Malaria - The unusual weather has made the mosquitos more of a problem then they ususally are at this time of year. I'm using a lot of bug spray but its still more of a risk than expected.
We've Arrived
I arrived safe and sound in Lusaka, Zambia in the wee hours of Saturday morning after two very long flights and a quick stop over in London for gyros. Its very hot and actually very humid here - which is unusual for this time of year. More to come soon!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Zambia - The Pre-Trip
Hi All!
Tomorrow I wing my way to Lusaka, Zambia!
With me is coming a TON of kids underwear! Thanks to my extremely generous coworkers, these kids are going to be the proud recieptants of 346 pairs of underwear. For kids who share everything, having their own pair will be a huge treat for them! In case your curious, here are some pictures of what that looks like. I can tell you it weighs about 41 lbs.
For those of you who are praying for me while I'm on my trip, I greatly appreciate it. Here are some points for prayer at this stage:
- Traveling Mercies: Pray that my flights go well, no luggage is lost and I don't get sick (no swine flu please!).
- Team Unity: The group I'm traveling with has had limited interaction at this point and we are all arriving separately. Pray that we will establish trust and rapport quickly so that we can have maximum impact.
- Culture Shock: This is not my first third world experience but traveling to a new country always brings its own set of challenges. For me, it is almost always the food - I'm a terribly picky eater. Prayer that I'll find a dish I like and can rely on for the trip.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Just Grillin'!
I bought a grill today - figured it would be a good use of a portion of my tax refund and a good way to eat fast and healthy this summer.
My new neighbor Darrell helped me carry it to the backyard and set it up. Darrell also gave me some tomato plants for my back yard. And helped me figure out how to turn on my sprinklers. Darrell is very helpful - too bad he's forty plus and a smoker. ;)
Anyway, back to the grillin' . . .
So, I grilled myself up some chicken and I made a little foil packet of peppers, onions, carrots and garlic (Thanks for the idea Meredith!) and it was delicious!
I sat in the sun on my back patio and enjoyed my meal while reading a book and watching my cats frolic through the grass chasing bugs.
I think I'm going to really like this summer!
My new neighbor Darrell helped me carry it to the backyard and set it up. Darrell also gave me some tomato plants for my back yard. And helped me figure out how to turn on my sprinklers. Darrell is very helpful - too bad he's forty plus and a smoker. ;)
Anyway, back to the grillin' . . .
So, I grilled myself up some chicken and I made a little foil packet of peppers, onions, carrots and garlic (Thanks for the idea Meredith!) and it was delicious!
I sat in the sun on my back patio and enjoyed my meal while reading a book and watching my cats frolic through the grass chasing bugs.
I think I'm going to really like this summer!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Things I'm into today . . . .
Whoa! Long blogging hiatus! Sorry for that. I've had tons of things to blog about but just couldn't find the time to sit down and write! So, I thought a good way to get back into the swing of things would be to highlight some things that I've been really into lately.
- Finding Financial Peace - In January, I decided it was time to take control of my money and not let my money control me. I'd been feeling a little overwhelmed and frustrated with managing my finances. So, I began taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University at a local church. For those of you who aren't familiar with Dave or his program I highly, highly recommend it! Dave presents a straight-forward and Biblicaly based system for managing your finances. I am not good or interested in financial stuff but Dave is really funny and his program has me on a budget and with a plan . . . . pretty amazing for me!
- Tap Dancing - I've been taking Tap Dancing lessons since September and I'm loving it!!! I have a recital in June and we're dancing to Chicago's version of "In the Mood." (For those of you who are familiar with both Chicago and the song "In the Mood" you are not going crazy, I guess Chicago has a big band album.) I'm sure I'll be Ginger Rogers by then.
- Africa Trip - In case you didn't know, I'm headed to Africa in May for two weeks with my ex-roommate Melissa and her church from Seattle. We'll be working at an orphanage in the Zambian capitol of Lusaka. I'm so excited for this trip!!! My team is awesome and I think it will be a great opportunity to see God's work in this African country. We are taking each child in the orphanage a backpack with socks, flip-flops, school supplies, a treat and underwear. I'm responsible for getting underwear donations and my non-Christian co-workers are all over that! It's hilarious, all they talk about is getting underwear for this trip. Its amazing to see God work in progress!
- My New Church - I've finally found a church in the Tri-Cities that's a fit for me! It's actually a church plant of a bigger church I tried and decided wasn't for me. It's kinda funny because it meets in a movie theater so church always smells like popcorn. But the fellowship is amazing and I'm finally feeling at home. I also just started going to a small group and I think this is going to be a great place for me!
- Contra Dancing - This is a form of folk dancing that sort of a blend of square dancing and line dancing. If you've ever seen the new Pride and Prejudice movie with Keira Knightly, they do it in the first dance scene where Elizabeth Bennett meets Mr. Darcy. I know it's kind of hoaky but I used to do this every now and then when I lived in Seattle but its so much fun and such a good work out, I decided to make it a more regular event. They have a group here in the TC that dances once a month and there is another one in Walla Walla that meets once a month. It should be great fun!
- Summertime - I'm so ready for it! Gardening, hiking, camping, canoeing, eating out-side, BBQ's, Boccie Ball, Goof Ball, chores, farmer's market, craft fairs, wine tasting, evening walks, star gazing, playing with dogs, sun-tans, tubing, croquet, swimming, Miller Island, Mt. Rainier . . . . . and so much more!!!
So that's what's keeping me occupied right now! Here's to much more frequent blogging!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Princeton!
Hello Folks!
I've arrived safely in Princeton, NJ for my big trip! I'm visiting my dear friend Meghan who was my best friend in middle school and is one of my oldest friends! She's a smart-one and is currently getting her PhD in French Lit here at Princeton. Today is all about seeing her world and meeting her friends. Tomorrow we'll head into the Big Apple for our grand adventure! More to come soon!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Speed Dating!!!
Sorry for the long hiatus guys! With the holidays and work finally picking up again, I've been pretty busy. But I finally had such a life event I had to blog about it!
After much begging, pleading and down right coercion. I gave into my coworker's request to try the speed dating event she'd heard about on the radio. Most people heard that ad and thought "That sounds like fun, I should go to that!" She heard it and thought, "That sounds like fun, Jessica should try it!" What can I say, my married coworkers live vicariously through my singleness.
Well, despite my best intentions to have a HORRIBLE time, it was actually pretty fun. Most of the guys were very nice - old and divorced - but nice. Filling up the three minutes wasn't too much trouble - although some of them were pretty quite. It was too bad that most of them had been married before and most who had been married before had kids - a couple had high school age kids! NO THANK YOU!!!
Now, it would be very lax of me to not share about the two creepy guys who you knew had to be there. One was in his fifties and we discussed his plans for retirement. He said he would note me by my pink shirt because it would be inappropriate to use other aspects of my appearance to jog his memory . . . . he said this while staring at my chest. Yes, the conversation just got worse from there!
The worst one though was actually a host at the radio station - and I'm really hoping he doesn't get my name and number through some tricky way because he works there. He was over the top! "Do you like to hike? Great! I love to hike! Ever hiked Badger Mountain? No, well we can go together!" "Oh, you grew up in Walla Walla. I love Walla Walla! We should go there, we can go visit your parents and then I'll take you to all the wineries I love!" "Do you like good food! Let's go to lunch! You just say when and where!" When I asked him how long he'd been in radio, he said longer than I'd been alive. Now, why does a guy easily old enough to be my dad want to show me the town?! Cause he's a creep! That's why!
Anyway, they've been doing this for a while and I guess it's pretty successful but they took a break over the holidays so things were a little slow today. There were about 6 guys to visit with. They also said that crowd usually has guys more my age. I think I'll give it another try. I gave the go ahead on 2 different guys who were normal and nice - we'll see what they think tomorrow!
If nothing else, most of the guys were engineers so I might get some good candidates out of my dating endeavours!
TTFN!
After much begging, pleading and down right coercion. I gave into my coworker's request to try the speed dating event she'd heard about on the radio. Most people heard that ad and thought "That sounds like fun, I should go to that!" She heard it and thought, "That sounds like fun, Jessica should try it!" What can I say, my married coworkers live vicariously through my singleness.
Well, despite my best intentions to have a HORRIBLE time, it was actually pretty fun. Most of the guys were very nice - old and divorced - but nice. Filling up the three minutes wasn't too much trouble - although some of them were pretty quite. It was too bad that most of them had been married before and most who had been married before had kids - a couple had high school age kids! NO THANK YOU!!!
Now, it would be very lax of me to not share about the two creepy guys who you knew had to be there. One was in his fifties and we discussed his plans for retirement. He said he would note me by my pink shirt because it would be inappropriate to use other aspects of my appearance to jog his memory . . . . he said this while staring at my chest. Yes, the conversation just got worse from there!
The worst one though was actually a host at the radio station - and I'm really hoping he doesn't get my name and number through some tricky way because he works there. He was over the top! "Do you like to hike? Great! I love to hike! Ever hiked Badger Mountain? No, well we can go together!" "Oh, you grew up in Walla Walla. I love Walla Walla! We should go there, we can go visit your parents and then I'll take you to all the wineries I love!" "Do you like good food! Let's go to lunch! You just say when and where!" When I asked him how long he'd been in radio, he said longer than I'd been alive. Now, why does a guy easily old enough to be my dad want to show me the town?! Cause he's a creep! That's why!
Anyway, they've been doing this for a while and I guess it's pretty successful but they took a break over the holidays so things were a little slow today. There were about 6 guys to visit with. They also said that crowd usually has guys more my age. I think I'll give it another try. I gave the go ahead on 2 different guys who were normal and nice - we'll see what they think tomorrow!
If nothing else, most of the guys were engineers so I might get some good candidates out of my dating endeavours!
TTFN!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)