Over the past three months I have been blessed to learn from and to serve alongside various missionaries and residents of rural Africa. Our group visited three countries—Zambia, Kenya, and Uganda—and experienced the diversity of their cultures while observing God’s people in each place. We saw four major missions points—Namwianga, Mumena, the Mariann School in Kenya, and the Source Café in Uganda—as well as several minor ones—ZamBikes, Klaus Muller’s farm, etc.
We lived at Namwianga Mission for about ten weeks and served in the schools, orphanages, and clinic there. All of the above experiences taught me a lot about missions, a lot about myself, and a lot about working with others. The most important thing I learned, however, was not the result of work I did or tasks I performed. It came from the time I spent with the African people.
Because the majority of our time was spent in rural areas, I was blessed to experience untainted, purely authentic Africa. I ate the foods, shopped in the markets, used the latrines, worshipped in the churches, immunized the babies, swam in a country creek, and saw the living conditions in extremely remote villages. Through these experiences, I discovered that a unique spirit occupies the hearts of rural residents. I’ve been told I have a gift for using words to paint visual images in people’s minds. But even the best writer could not capture this spirit; it is impossible to confine to words or pictures.
My best attempt at a description of this spirit includes the words relational, generous, and genuine. The people of Africa have no sense of time, and are therefore extremely altruistic. Their schedules revolve purely around relationships with others, and their motives are based on others’ needs. Because a great amount of significance is associated with relationships, a great deal of care is invested in them. Whatever an African has he shares with his neighbor. Rarely does any amount of greed or selfishness exist in his heart. He is honest about what he has and constantly willing to share what he has with those around him.
The authenticity of these people is absolutely astounding; being able to see, hear, touch, smell, taste, and feel the spirit coming from within them has been incredible. The time I have spent with the Africans has shown me that I often have a distorted view of what is important, and that I must evaluate my tendency to prioritize tasks above relationships. I have also discovered a greater joy in the small things that make life so incredible.
I realize that because I have been given the incredible gift of experiencing Africa, God expects me apply what I have learned. Luke 12:48 says, “Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.” Obviously only God knows the doors he will open for me in the future. But he has given me great peace regarding His plan for my life and excitement for what is in store. I know that because he has blessed me so incredibly with the spirit of the African people, He will expect much out of me as I live my life in service for Him. I resolve to focus on living authentically. I am going to place greater importance on the relationships in my life and work hard at the tasks that are truly important. I must let go of my selfish ambitions and focus on the opportunities that arise for me to best serve God.
Thank you so much for following my adventures this fall. I hope you learned something along the way. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and for your encouragement as I have journeyed through Africa; it is much appreciated!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
TIA!!
This Is Africa!
Namwianga was hit last weekend by one of the worst storms of the past 5 years; it tore off roofs, blew down fences, and damaged trees. We experienced straight-line winds, hail, thunder, and lightning! What made it most exciting was being caught out IN this storm! A few of us had walked to Kalomo that morning and the storm began while we were on our way home. We sought shelter at the Namwianga clinic, but not before we were soaked to the bone and shivering cold! We then watched and listened as the storm was loosed!
The recent increase in rain has plagued us with millions of insects! We first experienced an ant infestation in our house; they came in large numbers under our front and back doors and got into everything! Next came the flying termites; they’re a couple centimeters long and have wings similar to dragonflies’. They are attracted to light and come out only at night, so it’s best to leave porch lights off! Otherwise they will accumulate in layers, one on top of another, right outside the front door! These also crawl under the doors and get into our house! I feel as if we’re getting a taste of the Old Testament plagues!
And if the bugs’ just existing wasn’t enough, here they are also a snack. The Zambians catch the termites, roast or fry them, and eat them! They are called “nswa.” Soon after the termites’ appearance, Charity (one of our GBCC friends) brought us a bag of roasted nswa. They taste like burnt popcorn, but are small enough that it’s difficult to chew and swallow them – they just stick in your teeth!
I haven’t yet learned how to prepare nswa, but last night Falesi and Christine (GBCC girls) taught Katie and me to make nshima and several kinds of relish. Nshima is Zambia’s staple dish, made from ground maize. It’s eaten with “relish” which could be meat, vegetables, or broth. We had green beans fried with tomatoes, okra boiled in water and baking soda, and kapenta – baby fish!
This week we are studying for finals and spending as much time as we can with our GBCC friends and haven babies. Kiki is finally taking her first steps, and I’m hoping Bethany is close behind! It is my goal to have them both walking by the time we leave!
On Thursday, as our “final” for our Tonga class, we will be performing skits – in Tonga – during GBCC chapel. The President of Harding, Dr. Burks, arrives with his wife on Saturday and will be with us as we travel to Kenya and Uganda.
Please pray for us as we prepare for our trip to Kenya and Uganda and especially as we wrap up things here and get ready to leave Namwianga. We prefer to not talk about it, but as the time draws near we are faced with reality, and already we are experiencing the difficulties of saying goodbye.
Namwianga was hit last weekend by one of the worst storms of the past 5 years; it tore off roofs, blew down fences, and damaged trees. We experienced straight-line winds, hail, thunder, and lightning! What made it most exciting was being caught out IN this storm! A few of us had walked to Kalomo that morning and the storm began while we were on our way home. We sought shelter at the Namwianga clinic, but not before we were soaked to the bone and shivering cold! We then watched and listened as the storm was loosed!
The recent increase in rain has plagued us with millions of insects! We first experienced an ant infestation in our house; they came in large numbers under our front and back doors and got into everything! Next came the flying termites; they’re a couple centimeters long and have wings similar to dragonflies’. They are attracted to light and come out only at night, so it’s best to leave porch lights off! Otherwise they will accumulate in layers, one on top of another, right outside the front door! These also crawl under the doors and get into our house! I feel as if we’re getting a taste of the Old Testament plagues!
And if the bugs’ just existing wasn’t enough, here they are also a snack. The Zambians catch the termites, roast or fry them, and eat them! They are called “nswa.” Soon after the termites’ appearance, Charity (one of our GBCC friends) brought us a bag of roasted nswa. They taste like burnt popcorn, but are small enough that it’s difficult to chew and swallow them – they just stick in your teeth!
I haven’t yet learned how to prepare nswa, but last night Falesi and Christine (GBCC girls) taught Katie and me to make nshima and several kinds of relish. Nshima is Zambia’s staple dish, made from ground maize. It’s eaten with “relish” which could be meat, vegetables, or broth. We had green beans fried with tomatoes, okra boiled in water and baking soda, and kapenta – baby fish!
This week we are studying for finals and spending as much time as we can with our GBCC friends and haven babies. Kiki is finally taking her first steps, and I’m hoping Bethany is close behind! It is my goal to have them both walking by the time we leave!
On Thursday, as our “final” for our Tonga class, we will be performing skits – in Tonga – during GBCC chapel. The President of Harding, Dr. Burks, arrives with his wife on Saturday and will be with us as we travel to Kenya and Uganda.
Please pray for us as we prepare for our trip to Kenya and Uganda and especially as we wrap up things here and get ready to leave Namwianga. We prefer to not talk about it, but as the time draws near we are faced with reality, and already we are experiencing the difficulties of saying goodbye.
Monday, November 2, 2009
It's November already??
The month of October passed by so quickly! We spent the last several days around Livingstone. It was a nice break and a chance for us to do some fun African things!
Friday I went with 11 others to a bridge over the Zambezi River on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe and had an absolutely incredible "Big Air" experience!! I went bungee jumping, swung on the gorge swing, and ziplined across the gorge! The gorge swing was the scariest; once you're hooked up, you basically just step off a platform face forward and swing ~400 feet down into the gorge! Bungee jumping was also so intense, and was my favorite thing! You stand at the edge of the platform and a man calls "5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Bungee!" before pushing you off to dive into the gorge! And before you realize you're at the bottom, you start moving back up toward the bridge! Each time, once you've slowed down, a guy rapels down and brings you back up to the bridge. Ziplining was the last thing we did, and was fun, but after the first two activities seemed almost boring!
Saturday we crossed the border into Botswana and went on safari in Chobe! It was AMAZING! We first took a boat safari on the Chobe River (flows into the Zambezi) and saw hippos, crocodiles, impala, antelope, cape buffalo, water bucks, sable, kudu... and finally, toward the end, dozens of elephants started walking down to the river! We went right up to the edge and were within feet of lots of them as they bathed and drank. It was so much fun! After lunch, we went on a driving safari. We saw lots more of the same animals - including the elephants - up close! We also saw several giraffe; they were so beautiful! We were hoping to see lions, but didn't... however, we go on safari again at Masai Mara in Kenya in 2 weeks.
Sunday we went to church in Livingstone and ate lunch there before driving the 3 hours back to Namwianga. I ate Subway in Africa-- not the same, of course, but surprisingly similar!
Last night we had an interesting experience just after arriving home; Patrick, a man from a neighboring village, brought a black mamba he had just killed! He had been walking through the village and heard a commotion in a tree; birds were attacking a snake that was in the tree. He took a slingshot and killed the snake, which turned out to be an 8 foot long black mamba! Black mambas are EXTREMELY poisonous, and probably my greatest fear in Africa! The Africans fondly refer to it as the "look at your house and die" snake, because once it bites you, you only have time to look back at your house before dying! That is obviously an exaggeration, but their bites can certainly be fatal. Luckily this was the first one we have seen or heard about since coming to Zambia!
We have two more weeks here at Namwianga; unfortunately, much of that time will be spent finishing up our projects for our classes and taking tests/finals. We will also be hanging out with our Zambian friends and our haven babies as much as possible! And we're looking forward to our two week tour of Kenya and Uganda before returning home November 28.
Friday I went with 11 others to a bridge over the Zambezi River on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe and had an absolutely incredible "Big Air" experience!! I went bungee jumping, swung on the gorge swing, and ziplined across the gorge! The gorge swing was the scariest; once you're hooked up, you basically just step off a platform face forward and swing ~400 feet down into the gorge! Bungee jumping was also so intense, and was my favorite thing! You stand at the edge of the platform and a man calls "5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Bungee!" before pushing you off to dive into the gorge! And before you realize you're at the bottom, you start moving back up toward the bridge! Each time, once you've slowed down, a guy rapels down and brings you back up to the bridge. Ziplining was the last thing we did, and was fun, but after the first two activities seemed almost boring!
Saturday we crossed the border into Botswana and went on safari in Chobe! It was AMAZING! We first took a boat safari on the Chobe River (flows into the Zambezi) and saw hippos, crocodiles, impala, antelope, cape buffalo, water bucks, sable, kudu... and finally, toward the end, dozens of elephants started walking down to the river! We went right up to the edge and were within feet of lots of them as they bathed and drank. It was so much fun! After lunch, we went on a driving safari. We saw lots more of the same animals - including the elephants - up close! We also saw several giraffe; they were so beautiful! We were hoping to see lions, but didn't... however, we go on safari again at Masai Mara in Kenya in 2 weeks.
Sunday we went to church in Livingstone and ate lunch there before driving the 3 hours back to Namwianga. I ate Subway in Africa-- not the same, of course, but surprisingly similar!
Last night we had an interesting experience just after arriving home; Patrick, a man from a neighboring village, brought a black mamba he had just killed! He had been walking through the village and heard a commotion in a tree; birds were attacking a snake that was in the tree. He took a slingshot and killed the snake, which turned out to be an 8 foot long black mamba! Black mambas are EXTREMELY poisonous, and probably my greatest fear in Africa! The Africans fondly refer to it as the "look at your house and die" snake, because once it bites you, you only have time to look back at your house before dying! That is obviously an exaggeration, but their bites can certainly be fatal. Luckily this was the first one we have seen or heard about since coming to Zambia!
We have two more weeks here at Namwianga; unfortunately, much of that time will be spent finishing up our projects for our classes and taking tests/finals. We will also be hanging out with our Zambian friends and our haven babies as much as possible! And we're looking forward to our two week tour of Kenya and Uganda before returning home November 28.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Loving Africa... Big Time
One of our Zambian friends, Prince, loves saying "big time." The Africans love learning and using American phrases, and we get a big kick out of it!
Many people have asked what the weather is like here. We arrived in early September, just after their “winter.” Because we are in the southern hemisphere, June and July are their coldest months; sometimes it gets down into the 30s and frost appears on the ground, but mostly the temps remain in the 40s and 50s. In August and September it starts heating up. And believe me it heats up! The good news is that the heat here is completely dry—nothing like St. Louis humidity for sure! So even when it’s 100 degrees outside, if you can find some shade, it won’t be too bad. Also, the breezes here are fairly constant, which helps. October is called “suicide month.” Until the heavy rains come, the heat is just miserable! We use our fans when the electricity is on and stay out of the sun for the early afternoon, but with no AC anywhere, it’s a very sticky life! We are ready for the rains, and the Zambians are telling us “any day!”
My haven babies (the two I have signed up to specifically care for) are doing very well! Both are on the verge of walking. Kiki (Kim) is 15 months old and Bethany is 10 months. They love to play outside and to be tossed in the air or held upside down. Kiki especially is very ticklish!
One of our new favorite things to do here is play Frisbee; the Zambians had never seen one before and enjoy trying to play with us! They also really enjoy playing soccer… rather, they enjoy just watching us play and laughing at our “talent.”
We continue to attend choir practice with the George Benson students, and are learning many Tonga songs! Learning the songs is quite challenging for us “makuas” (white people), as neither music nor lyrics is written down. The Africans’ talent for just listening to a song or tune and repeating it is amazing! After awhile we get the hang of things though! And singing with the Africans is unlike any other experience—I know that their voices will be one of the things I miss most after we leave.
Thank you so much for your interest in this trip and your prayers for us while we are here. It is so encouraging to know that we are supported by our friends and family at home!
Many people have asked what the weather is like here. We arrived in early September, just after their “winter.” Because we are in the southern hemisphere, June and July are their coldest months; sometimes it gets down into the 30s and frost appears on the ground, but mostly the temps remain in the 40s and 50s. In August and September it starts heating up. And believe me it heats up! The good news is that the heat here is completely dry—nothing like St. Louis humidity for sure! So even when it’s 100 degrees outside, if you can find some shade, it won’t be too bad. Also, the breezes here are fairly constant, which helps. October is called “suicide month.” Until the heavy rains come, the heat is just miserable! We use our fans when the electricity is on and stay out of the sun for the early afternoon, but with no AC anywhere, it’s a very sticky life! We are ready for the rains, and the Zambians are telling us “any day!”
My haven babies (the two I have signed up to specifically care for) are doing very well! Both are on the verge of walking. Kiki (Kim) is 15 months old and Bethany is 10 months. They love to play outside and to be tossed in the air or held upside down. Kiki especially is very ticklish!
One of our new favorite things to do here is play Frisbee; the Zambians had never seen one before and enjoy trying to play with us! They also really enjoy playing soccer… rather, they enjoy just watching us play and laughing at our “talent.”
We continue to attend choir practice with the George Benson students, and are learning many Tonga songs! Learning the songs is quite challenging for us “makuas” (white people), as neither music nor lyrics is written down. The Africans’ talent for just listening to a song or tune and repeating it is amazing! After awhile we get the hang of things though! And singing with the Africans is unlike any other experience—I know that their voices will be one of the things I miss most after we leave.
Thank you so much for your interest in this trip and your prayers for us while we are here. It is so encouraging to know that we are supported by our friends and family at home!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances" - 1 Thes 5:16-18
Time here continues to fly by! We spent a little over a week traveling in northern Zambia; the trip was characterized by our two flat tires, ongoing problems with the bus, visiting a refugee camp, swimming in an African creek, learning from some awesome missionary families, sleeping on concrete floors, taking bucket baths, using bat-infested latrines, playing with vervet monkeys, trick-or-treating with missionary kids, and eating lots and lots of peanut butter! We had a lot of fun and had so many amazing and unique experiences, but we were all glad to be back “home” and are looking forward to our last 3 and ½ weeks here at Namwianga.
I spent the weekend after we got back in bed with another fever. I was SO grateful to be back here, though, and not on the concrete floor! Everyone else spent the weekend catching up on lost time with their haven babies and studying for a missionary anthropology exam we had on Tuesday.
I spent Monday at the clinic, working with the clinical officer (a mid-level healthcare provider; equivalent of a Physician’s Assistant or Nurse Practitioner in the US). The most unusual thing we saw was a case of ingrown sutures-- a woman hadn’t come in to have them removed on time. The clinical officer let me take the histories of and attempt to diagnose the patients who could speak English. It wasn’t too difficult, as we see a lot of the same cases over and over again: TB, asthma, urinary tract infections, malaria, fungal infections, and skin rashes.
Unfortunately, we had some sad news this week. About a month ago, 19-month-old Grant was brought to Haven 1, malnourished and fighting TB. He was brought here because his mother is blind and epileptic and was unable to care for him; she was a victim of rape, so Grant’s father is not in the picture. Initially, Grant was given medication and tried to get him to eat. While we were on our trip, his condition worsened. He developed a fever, was extremely dehydrated, and was refusing food and drink altogether. His muscles were just wasting away; he was limp and was whimpering constantly. Eventually, Ms. Bingham (a member of Harding’s nursing faculty who is with us) brought Grant here to stay with her, and we all took turns holding him and trying to get him to take a bottle. On Monday, after no improvement, Ms. Bingham decided it would be best to transport Grant to Macha, a hospital 3 hours from here that is one of the best medical facilities in Zambia. They did so, but it was too late; on Tuesday Grant died. The more I learn about his situation the more I am convinced God knew what he was doing in taking baby Grant. He was suffering so much, and would have had a difficult life had he made it. Now he’s in heaven and is, I’m sure, happy and healthy!
The heavy rains haven’t come yet (we've had just a few showers here and there), but we are anxiously awaiting them! The jacaranda trees are purple, the flamboyant trees are orange, and the rest of the plants are bright green…. And in Africa this means rain is coming! Meanwhile we are trying to survive suicide month; the hottest month of the year here! I think most of us are really looking forward to the cold weather that will greet us in Searcy!
I spent the weekend after we got back in bed with another fever. I was SO grateful to be back here, though, and not on the concrete floor! Everyone else spent the weekend catching up on lost time with their haven babies and studying for a missionary anthropology exam we had on Tuesday.
I spent Monday at the clinic, working with the clinical officer (a mid-level healthcare provider; equivalent of a Physician’s Assistant or Nurse Practitioner in the US). The most unusual thing we saw was a case of ingrown sutures-- a woman hadn’t come in to have them removed on time. The clinical officer let me take the histories of and attempt to diagnose the patients who could speak English. It wasn’t too difficult, as we see a lot of the same cases over and over again: TB, asthma, urinary tract infections, malaria, fungal infections, and skin rashes.
Unfortunately, we had some sad news this week. About a month ago, 19-month-old Grant was brought to Haven 1, malnourished and fighting TB. He was brought here because his mother is blind and epileptic and was unable to care for him; she was a victim of rape, so Grant’s father is not in the picture. Initially, Grant was given medication and tried to get him to eat. While we were on our trip, his condition worsened. He developed a fever, was extremely dehydrated, and was refusing food and drink altogether. His muscles were just wasting away; he was limp and was whimpering constantly. Eventually, Ms. Bingham (a member of Harding’s nursing faculty who is with us) brought Grant here to stay with her, and we all took turns holding him and trying to get him to take a bottle. On Monday, after no improvement, Ms. Bingham decided it would be best to transport Grant to Macha, a hospital 3 hours from here that is one of the best medical facilities in Zambia. They did so, but it was too late; on Tuesday Grant died. The more I learn about his situation the more I am convinced God knew what he was doing in taking baby Grant. He was suffering so much, and would have had a difficult life had he made it. Now he’s in heaven and is, I’m sure, happy and healthy!
The heavy rains haven’t come yet (we've had just a few showers here and there), but we are anxiously awaiting them! The jacaranda trees are purple, the flamboyant trees are orange, and the rest of the plants are bright green…. And in Africa this means rain is coming! Meanwhile we are trying to survive suicide month; the hottest month of the year here! I think most of us are really looking forward to the cold weather that will greet us in Searcy!
Monday, October 5, 2009
John 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
I’m sorry about the long delay in posting… in true African style, our internet server was down for a week! Here’s some of what’s been going on around Namwianga:
Saturday we were visited by the Honorable Chief of Kalomo. These days, the title of “chief” is purely traditional. The man who fills this position is chosen through a democratic election and holds the title until death, or as long as he so chooses. His opinion is heard in the local government, although he does not have any defined political authority. The chief interacts with the people and works to promote the common good.
Sunday we traveled out to the bush to worship at Sichikwalula Church of Christ. This was the third such trip we have made. As an outreach, we visit congregations in remote areas and direct church services for them to encourage the people and their communities. Because most of their church members do not speak English, interpreters accompany us to translate our words into Tonga, Zambia’s native language. The church buildings are small mud huts without much ventilation. Inside are two rows of benches made from logs; ladies sit on one side and men on the other. Services typically begin with singing. One of our interpreters leads songs in Tonga and we sing along as best we can! Members of our group are responsible for leading the opening prayer and offering and for serving the Lord’s Supper. After Communion, children are dismissed for Sunday school, which is held outside under shade trees (if there are any available). Once the sermon is over, everyone parades back into the main building for more singing. The congregation sings some together, and then specific groups of people are asked to perform. “The group from Harding University” is, without fail, always asked to sing! After church, the village women serve food that they had spent all morning preparing. This usually consists of nshima (a corn porridge similar to grits; it is Zambia’s staple food), mpongo (goat), and kokoo (chicken).
Monday I spent the afternoon at Haven 1. They recently received two new babies: Grant, who is about a year old, and 1-week-old Amanda. (All babies are given new names upon entering a haven, symbolic of a new beginning). Both seem to be doing well, after treatment for various ailments.
Tuesday our group went to Choma (the next town east of Kalomo; it’s about an hour drive on paved road). We visited St. Malumba’s school for the blind, deaf, and mentally handicapped. Established in the 1980s by an Irish nun, the school currently has 210 students who board there year-round. It is an exceptional opportunity for these kids; the government schools in Zambia do not have special programs for the handicapped. The kids here are very intelligent and talented; they participate and often medal in competitions of all kinds: athletic, academic, musical, etc. We also visited the Choma Museum, which tells the story of Zambia’s southern province (where we’re at) and a local market.
Wednesday several members of our group went to Zimba Missionary Hospital, a service of the Wesleyan church. Zimba is the next town west of Kalomo (about 40 minutes on paved road). Because this hospital is run by missionaries rather than the Zambian government, it is far nicer than Kalomo hospital. It is still filthy, understaffed, and inadequate by American standards, but after seeing Kalomo hospital it seemed like a state-of-the-art facility! Patients were being cared for by nurses, and all services were performed in a fairly timely and accurate manner. In the morning I worked in the pharmacy; I labeled containers, counted pills, and organized medicines. In the afternoon I worked in the lab, where we drew blood from patients and performed various tests on blood and urine samples.
Thursday I worked at the Namwianga clinic. I sat in with Mr. Sikaleti, the clinical officer (similar to a Physician Assistant; currently he is the highest authority in the clinic, as no medical doctor is currently employed by Namwianga clinic). We saw several pregnant women, so I got to listen to babies’ heartbeats and feel their positions. I saw my first ear infection, heard a malfunctioning lung, and removed a splinter from a lady’s eye!
Friday, sickness caught up with me! Until then, I had managed to avoid every virus that affected our group! Luckily the only thing I dealt with was a fever, and it was gone in 48 hours!
Our daily life is also full of new and exciting activities. I joined the choir at George Benson, and we have practice three times a week. Many of the songs are in Tonga, which is challenging! Also, each member of the HIZ group has been assigned a “Tonga tutor” (a student from the college for us to befriend and through which learn more Tonga), so I’ve been spending quite a bit of time in the girls’ dorms! My friend’s name is Felica, and she is a “first year” student studying to become a secondary school (high school) history teacher.
On October 7 our group leaves for an 8 day tour of Northern Zambia. We will be visiting various missions and churches, and will see a refugee camp and a chimpanzee orphanage! Please pray for our safety and health while we travel.
Saturday we were visited by the Honorable Chief of Kalomo. These days, the title of “chief” is purely traditional. The man who fills this position is chosen through a democratic election and holds the title until death, or as long as he so chooses. His opinion is heard in the local government, although he does not have any defined political authority. The chief interacts with the people and works to promote the common good.
Sunday we traveled out to the bush to worship at Sichikwalula Church of Christ. This was the third such trip we have made. As an outreach, we visit congregations in remote areas and direct church services for them to encourage the people and their communities. Because most of their church members do not speak English, interpreters accompany us to translate our words into Tonga, Zambia’s native language. The church buildings are small mud huts without much ventilation. Inside are two rows of benches made from logs; ladies sit on one side and men on the other. Services typically begin with singing. One of our interpreters leads songs in Tonga and we sing along as best we can! Members of our group are responsible for leading the opening prayer and offering and for serving the Lord’s Supper. After Communion, children are dismissed for Sunday school, which is held outside under shade trees (if there are any available). Once the sermon is over, everyone parades back into the main building for more singing. The congregation sings some together, and then specific groups of people are asked to perform. “The group from Harding University” is, without fail, always asked to sing! After church, the village women serve food that they had spent all morning preparing. This usually consists of nshima (a corn porridge similar to grits; it is Zambia’s staple food), mpongo (goat), and kokoo (chicken).
Monday I spent the afternoon at Haven 1. They recently received two new babies: Grant, who is about a year old, and 1-week-old Amanda. (All babies are given new names upon entering a haven, symbolic of a new beginning). Both seem to be doing well, after treatment for various ailments.
Tuesday our group went to Choma (the next town east of Kalomo; it’s about an hour drive on paved road). We visited St. Malumba’s school for the blind, deaf, and mentally handicapped. Established in the 1980s by an Irish nun, the school currently has 210 students who board there year-round. It is an exceptional opportunity for these kids; the government schools in Zambia do not have special programs for the handicapped. The kids here are very intelligent and talented; they participate and often medal in competitions of all kinds: athletic, academic, musical, etc. We also visited the Choma Museum, which tells the story of Zambia’s southern province (where we’re at) and a local market.
Wednesday several members of our group went to Zimba Missionary Hospital, a service of the Wesleyan church. Zimba is the next town west of Kalomo (about 40 minutes on paved road). Because this hospital is run by missionaries rather than the Zambian government, it is far nicer than Kalomo hospital. It is still filthy, understaffed, and inadequate by American standards, but after seeing Kalomo hospital it seemed like a state-of-the-art facility! Patients were being cared for by nurses, and all services were performed in a fairly timely and accurate manner. In the morning I worked in the pharmacy; I labeled containers, counted pills, and organized medicines. In the afternoon I worked in the lab, where we drew blood from patients and performed various tests on blood and urine samples.
Thursday I worked at the Namwianga clinic. I sat in with Mr. Sikaleti, the clinical officer (similar to a Physician Assistant; currently he is the highest authority in the clinic, as no medical doctor is currently employed by Namwianga clinic). We saw several pregnant women, so I got to listen to babies’ heartbeats and feel their positions. I saw my first ear infection, heard a malfunctioning lung, and removed a splinter from a lady’s eye!
Friday, sickness caught up with me! Until then, I had managed to avoid every virus that affected our group! Luckily the only thing I dealt with was a fever, and it was gone in 48 hours!
Our daily life is also full of new and exciting activities. I joined the choir at George Benson, and we have practice three times a week. Many of the songs are in Tonga, which is challenging! Also, each member of the HIZ group has been assigned a “Tonga tutor” (a student from the college for us to befriend and through which learn more Tonga), so I’ve been spending quite a bit of time in the girls’ dorms! My friend’s name is Felica, and she is a “first year” student studying to become a secondary school (high school) history teacher.
On October 7 our group leaves for an 8 day tour of Northern Zambia. We will be visiting various missions and churches, and will see a refugee camp and a chimpanzee orphanage! Please pray for our safety and health while we travel.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Bring on the Rain
Signs that the dry season is ending are beginning to appear! The first couple of weeks we were here, seeing clouds in the sky was uncommon. Over the past several days, however, we have been seeing more and more of them! They aren’t white and puffy, nor are they dark storm clouds. They mostly just cause the sky to look grey and hazy. Apparently this indicates that the atmosphere is filling with water. Also, many of the plants here turn bright green when they expect rain—and we sure have seen that happening! There is a small tree in my front yard that looked dead when we got here. It’s prickly (we nicknamed it the Jesus tree because of its crown of thorns!) and was very brown. Recently, though, its color has changed significantly; it now has lime greenish leaves!
Yesterday, Mr. Gregersen, a missionary living here at Namwianga, gave a devo comparing the dry seasons in Africa to the dry seasons – times of hopelessness and apathy – in our lives. He took a few of us to visit the hospital in Kalomo, and the patients there have definitely experienced their fair share of dry seasons.
Kalomo District Hospital is a very sad place. If the sign out front hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have recognized it as a healthcare facility. It is small, and there is no form of security and no apparent organization. Patients lay on thin mattresses amongst rotting food and dirty bedpans. On good days a doctor is present to oversee their treatment and care, which generally falls to a family member instead of a trained nurse. Rather than being a haven of hope and healing, it is a place in which death and pain are rampant.
We visited four wards: men’s, women’s, children’s, and maternity. We saw patients with burns, broken limbs, and TB. We saw a woman likely suffering from a bad reaction to her AIDS medication. She was moaning in pain and probably will not live much longer. We saw a newborn baby whose spinal fluid and part of the cord had accumulated in a sac at the base of her backbone and was therefore suffering from paralysis in the lower half of her body. She did not appear to be in pain but will probably die within the next few days as well. It was agonizing to know that many of these people could be helped if they only had transportation to a more advanced medical facility. Instead, they lay in a stinking pit of filth and misery, waiting for whatever treatment is available.
Those who are at the hospital caring for their loved ones stay in a shelter out back. We visited these caregivers and had a short worship service with them. It was evident that they are eagerly awaiting both the rains in Africa and healing rain from God.
In these situations it’s easy to question God. Why doesn’t he prevent such circumstances? What have these people done to deserve so much pain? Why has he chosen to bless Americans with superior healthcare, education, etc.?
The Old Testament author Habakkuk asks, “How long, Lord, must I call for help and You do not listen, or cry out to You about violence and You do not save? Why do You force me to look at injustice? …the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted.” God replies, “Look at the nations and observe—be utterly astounded! For something is taking place in your days that you will not believe when you hear about it.” My thoughts align with Habakkuk’s: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will triumph in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! Yahweh my Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights!” (Habakkuk 1:2-5, 3:17-19)
Edit: The rainy season has arrived as of a few hours ago! We had a nice thunderstorm this evening and haven’t had power since. It was a big surprise because usually rain doesn’t come until late October or early November…
Yesterday, Mr. Gregersen, a missionary living here at Namwianga, gave a devo comparing the dry seasons in Africa to the dry seasons – times of hopelessness and apathy – in our lives. He took a few of us to visit the hospital in Kalomo, and the patients there have definitely experienced their fair share of dry seasons.
Kalomo District Hospital is a very sad place. If the sign out front hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have recognized it as a healthcare facility. It is small, and there is no form of security and no apparent organization. Patients lay on thin mattresses amongst rotting food and dirty bedpans. On good days a doctor is present to oversee their treatment and care, which generally falls to a family member instead of a trained nurse. Rather than being a haven of hope and healing, it is a place in which death and pain are rampant.
We visited four wards: men’s, women’s, children’s, and maternity. We saw patients with burns, broken limbs, and TB. We saw a woman likely suffering from a bad reaction to her AIDS medication. She was moaning in pain and probably will not live much longer. We saw a newborn baby whose spinal fluid and part of the cord had accumulated in a sac at the base of her backbone and was therefore suffering from paralysis in the lower half of her body. She did not appear to be in pain but will probably die within the next few days as well. It was agonizing to know that many of these people could be helped if they only had transportation to a more advanced medical facility. Instead, they lay in a stinking pit of filth and misery, waiting for whatever treatment is available.
Those who are at the hospital caring for their loved ones stay in a shelter out back. We visited these caregivers and had a short worship service with them. It was evident that they are eagerly awaiting both the rains in Africa and healing rain from God.
In these situations it’s easy to question God. Why doesn’t he prevent such circumstances? What have these people done to deserve so much pain? Why has he chosen to bless Americans with superior healthcare, education, etc.?
The Old Testament author Habakkuk asks, “How long, Lord, must I call for help and You do not listen, or cry out to You about violence and You do not save? Why do You force me to look at injustice? …the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted.” God replies, “Look at the nations and observe—be utterly astounded! For something is taking place in your days that you will not believe when you hear about it.” My thoughts align with Habakkuk’s: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will triumph in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! Yahweh my Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights!” (Habakkuk 1:2-5, 3:17-19)
Edit: The rainy season has arrived as of a few hours ago! We had a nice thunderstorm this evening and haven’t had power since. It was a big surprise because usually rain doesn’t come until late October or early November…
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
A Natural Wonder
Yesterday, I went on the best field trip of my life! We took a day off to visit the city of Livingstone and to see Victoria Falls! We left around 6am and drove the three hours, mostly on dirt roads, to Livingstone, Zambia!
Vic Falls, as the locals call it, is a few kilometers outside of downtown Livingstone, and is on the southern border of Zambia/northern border of Zimbabwe. The Zambezi River feeds the falls; because we are approaching the end of dry season, the river is very weak. So the falls are not as impressive as they will be during wet season. However, because there isn’t much water, we got to walk out over the falls, and literally stand at the edge where the water flows down! I can’t even describe what an incredible feeling that was! The huge chasm where the land drops off and where water usually flows is itself extremely incredible and makes up for the decreased amount of water. Vic Falls certainly deserves its place among the seven natural wonders of the world!
In addition to viewing the falls from the top, a few of us hiked down to the “boiling point” – what they call the bottom of the falls. We journeyed through jungle-like surroundings, wading through water and climbing over boulders, to the bottom of the chasm. It’s only 700m (not quite half a mile) down, but the “path” is very rocky and extremely steep!
The local “wildlife” consists mostly of baboons! They roam freely and are not at all afraid of humans; in fact, they will come right up to people, wanting food/drink!
After leaving Vic Falls, we spent a few hours in Livingstone. We ate “pizza” at the Funky Munky, visited the David Livingstone museum, and shopped in the market. Obviously, Livingstone is much more westernized than the part of Zambia in which we are staying. The market we went to is much different than the one we visit in Kalomo; rather than selling groceries and common necessities, it is all about tourists! They sell African carvings, paintings, dishes, jewelry, etc. Bargaining with the sellers is not my favorite thing to do, but I did come back with several things!
1/4 of our time here has already passed. It is going by so quickly! Prayers for continued safety and strength would be greatly appreciated!!
Vic Falls, as the locals call it, is a few kilometers outside of downtown Livingstone, and is on the southern border of Zambia/northern border of Zimbabwe. The Zambezi River feeds the falls; because we are approaching the end of dry season, the river is very weak. So the falls are not as impressive as they will be during wet season. However, because there isn’t much water, we got to walk out over the falls, and literally stand at the edge where the water flows down! I can’t even describe what an incredible feeling that was! The huge chasm where the land drops off and where water usually flows is itself extremely incredible and makes up for the decreased amount of water. Vic Falls certainly deserves its place among the seven natural wonders of the world!
In addition to viewing the falls from the top, a few of us hiked down to the “boiling point” – what they call the bottom of the falls. We journeyed through jungle-like surroundings, wading through water and climbing over boulders, to the bottom of the chasm. It’s only 700m (not quite half a mile) down, but the “path” is very rocky and extremely steep!
The local “wildlife” consists mostly of baboons! They roam freely and are not at all afraid of humans; in fact, they will come right up to people, wanting food/drink!
After leaving Vic Falls, we spent a few hours in Livingstone. We ate “pizza” at the Funky Munky, visited the David Livingstone museum, and shopped in the market. Obviously, Livingstone is much more westernized than the part of Zambia in which we are staying. The market we went to is much different than the one we visit in Kalomo; rather than selling groceries and common necessities, it is all about tourists! They sell African carvings, paintings, dishes, jewelry, etc. Bargaining with the sellers is not my favorite thing to do, but I did come back with several things!
1/4 of our time here has already passed. It is going by so quickly! Prayers for continued safety and strength would be greatly appreciated!!
Friday, September 18, 2009
Today I saw Africa (written 9/17/09)
Today I saw Africa in its purest form. I saw human beings living in literal filth. I saw AIDS. I saw true poverty. And yet it was one of the best days of my life.
Once a week the Namwianga clinic sends a team out into the bush to care for mothers and young children. They set up clinics at “Health Depots” – huts made specifically for this purpose; they are built in places to which many villages will have access. The emphasis of these rural clinics is to give babies their basic immunizations (Hepatitis, Polio, Measles, etc.) and to track babies’ weight to ensure that they are growing. Pregnancy testing, HIV testing, prenatal care, and family planning (birth control) are among their other services. Everything is provided to the people free of charge; this is made possible by donations to the Namwianga clinic.
When a child first arrives, he is weighed using a hanging sack with a scale on top that reports weight in kilos (kg). This weight is recorded in the child’s pamphlet; every mother has a pamphlet in which to track her child’s growth process. A special chart tells us whether the baby is healthy, underweight or overweight based on his age. Most of the babies we saw today were underweight. Once the baby is weighed, he receives the proper immunizations. Today we gave mostly Hep B injections.
The women who are interested in family planning talk to a nurse. They either receive birth control pills or a hormonal shot which prevents menstruation for three months. These shots were the most difficult to give; first of all because the medicine is a thick, milky substance, and also because it is obviously painful for the patient and they sometimes cried out in pain. Condoms are also distributed.
HIV testing is another very important part of these rural clinics. Blood is drawn and then dropped along with a buffer onto a special HIV test strip. After 15 minutes, if two lines have appeared on the test strip, the patient likely has AIDS. Thankfully, no one we saw today tested positive!
Stella, a midwife at the Namwianga clinic, talked with and checked the pregnant mothers. She discussed with the women the importance of being honest about their health and of being careful not to participate in activities that may harm the baby. She felt their stomachs to check the positioning of the baby and performed breast checks as well.
Yesterday we visited two locations. At the first we worked in a small hut and saw about 75 patients. When we finished our work one of the women served us shema (the traditional corn porridge) and nswi (fish). This food was not like what we had been served at Namwianga; this was a true African meal. The shema was gritty and I felt like I was eating sand. The fish were small and still whole; we did not eat the head. They tasted very fishy and very salty.
At the second location there was no building and all we had was a bench off of which to work. Over 150 patients were there. This was a HUGE number! We stayed a lot longer than we expected and exhausted our supplies before we were finished, which was difficult to handle. We were very busy the whole time; at one point four of us were giving shots simultaneously!
The people we saw looked like they stepped out of National Geographic; they were beautiful people with such sweet smiles. But they were definitely poor and hungry. The children ate food that had been dropped in the dirt and stepped on, and they were drinking water that was so dirty I did not even realize at first that it was water. Women carried their babies on their backs and many brought what they could to trade with the others.
Three of us students (Kayla, Clare, and I) got to go yesterday. Because so many of our team members are also interested in medical missions and want to go, we probably will not get to participate again. But all three of us said that if we could, we would help with the rural clinic every day! We learned so much and got to do so many things and actually felt needed! And it was definitely eye-opening to see this side of Zambia...
Once a week the Namwianga clinic sends a team out into the bush to care for mothers and young children. They set up clinics at “Health Depots” – huts made specifically for this purpose; they are built in places to which many villages will have access. The emphasis of these rural clinics is to give babies their basic immunizations (Hepatitis, Polio, Measles, etc.) and to track babies’ weight to ensure that they are growing. Pregnancy testing, HIV testing, prenatal care, and family planning (birth control) are among their other services. Everything is provided to the people free of charge; this is made possible by donations to the Namwianga clinic.
When a child first arrives, he is weighed using a hanging sack with a scale on top that reports weight in kilos (kg). This weight is recorded in the child’s pamphlet; every mother has a pamphlet in which to track her child’s growth process. A special chart tells us whether the baby is healthy, underweight or overweight based on his age. Most of the babies we saw today were underweight. Once the baby is weighed, he receives the proper immunizations. Today we gave mostly Hep B injections.
The women who are interested in family planning talk to a nurse. They either receive birth control pills or a hormonal shot which prevents menstruation for three months. These shots were the most difficult to give; first of all because the medicine is a thick, milky substance, and also because it is obviously painful for the patient and they sometimes cried out in pain. Condoms are also distributed.
HIV testing is another very important part of these rural clinics. Blood is drawn and then dropped along with a buffer onto a special HIV test strip. After 15 minutes, if two lines have appeared on the test strip, the patient likely has AIDS. Thankfully, no one we saw today tested positive!
Stella, a midwife at the Namwianga clinic, talked with and checked the pregnant mothers. She discussed with the women the importance of being honest about their health and of being careful not to participate in activities that may harm the baby. She felt their stomachs to check the positioning of the baby and performed breast checks as well.
Yesterday we visited two locations. At the first we worked in a small hut and saw about 75 patients. When we finished our work one of the women served us shema (the traditional corn porridge) and nswi (fish). This food was not like what we had been served at Namwianga; this was a true African meal. The shema was gritty and I felt like I was eating sand. The fish were small and still whole; we did not eat the head. They tasted very fishy and very salty.
At the second location there was no building and all we had was a bench off of which to work. Over 150 patients were there. This was a HUGE number! We stayed a lot longer than we expected and exhausted our supplies before we were finished, which was difficult to handle. We were very busy the whole time; at one point four of us were giving shots simultaneously!
The people we saw looked like they stepped out of National Geographic; they were beautiful people with such sweet smiles. But they were definitely poor and hungry. The children ate food that had been dropped in the dirt and stepped on, and they were drinking water that was so dirty I did not even realize at first that it was water. Women carried their babies on their backs and many brought what they could to trade with the others.
Three of us students (Kayla, Clare, and I) got to go yesterday. Because so many of our team members are also interested in medical missions and want to go, we probably will not get to participate again. But all three of us said that if we could, we would help with the rural clinic every day! We learned so much and got to do so many things and actually felt needed! And it was definitely eye-opening to see this side of Zambia...
Monday, September 14, 2009
Special occasions
The past two weekends we had opportunities to attend special events in the community; first a funeral, then a wedding. As part of our humanities class, we have to write nine summaries of/responses to such cultural experiences, and I thought you might like to hear about them…
Funeral:
Shortly before our group arrived in Zambia a fatal car accident occurred on the Namwianga road. A drunk driver catapulted over the side of a bridge, causing several of his passengers to be ejected from the vehicle. Two such passengers, including a fourteen-year-old boy, died. It was this boy’s funeral to which we were invited.
We arrived right on time, but in typical Zambian style, half an hour passed before the event began. The dead boy’s family is a prominent one in the community; therefore, out of respect, his body was delivered in a police vehicle. The car pulled right up to the side of the grave, where men from the community were waiting to lower the wooden casket into the ground. Once the vehicle left, people encircled the gravesite. On one side stood the men, and the women and children sat across from them. The turnout was spectacular; hundreds of people attended.
Throughout the ceremony people sang in Tonga. The burial took place simultaneously. First, several people tossed small stones into the grave. A piece of sheet metal followed, and then the dirt. About half a dozen men spent well over half an hour carefully and respectfully shoveling the dirt into the grave, forming a perfect mound over the casket. On top of the mound a broken plate and cup were placed; Zambians believe that if one takes his dishes with him, he will be prepared for the afterlife and thus will never need to return to earth. Flowers were also placed on top of the mound. Specific groups of people; including cousins, classmates, teachers, and elders of the surrounding congregations; were invited one at a time to present the flowers. Before dismissal, a couple of men made speeches to encourage the community.
Overall, the funeral was not what I was expecting. First, I did not expect so many people to attend. The support from the community was overwhelming! Second, the people there were calmer than I anticipated. I was told that screaming, wailing, and convulsing are not uncommon at traditional African burials; we saw no such thing. Finally, the impact Western civilization has had on the local people shocked me. Many were dressed in American clothing, carrying cell phones, and driving cars, and it reminded me of what a huge role model my society is to the world. I hope that the African traditions are not lost in the midst of Westernization.
Wedding:
We spent our second Sunday in Zambia celebrating the marriage of a young couple, Daphne and Eugene. This wedding, like the funeral we had attended the previous weekend, was very Westernized. Many Western practices and traditions were employed. They did retain certain African traditions, however; for example, much of the wedding contained choreographed dance. Also, while the wedding guests were joyful and excited, the bridge and groom remained solemn throughout the ceremony to symbolize the seriousness of their commitment to each other.
The wedding began well over two hours after its scheduled time. Guests sat in rows facing the aisle, with the bride’s family to the right of the stage and the groom’s family on the left. The ceremony started when the groom stood up at the front of the auditorium and a techno version of Amazing Grace began playing. Three young boys and three little girls entered from the back of the auditorium, dancing up the aisle to their positions on stage. Once they reached their destinations, the bridesmaids and groomsmen (called “attendants” by Zambians) entered from opposite sides of the room, dancing toward each other until they met in the center of the aisle. From there they danced to the back of the room, from which they preceded the bride up the aisle. In the midst of all this, wedding coordinators were supervising; they gave cues while dancing right along with the wedding party!
The ceremony itself followed a very western outline. The parents of the bride gave her away, a short message was spoken, unity candles were lit, and vows were exchanged. Eugene had a ring which he placed on Daphne’s finger, and he kissed her on cue. At the end of the ceremony everyone proceeded to the high school in town, where the reception was being held.
The reception was much like the ceremony; lots of choreographed dancing took place. A grandmother, the wedding party, the children, and a boy bearing the knife to cut the wedding cake all danced up the aisle at their appointed times! When the Zambians liked a dancer, they would dance out onto the floor as well and place Kwacha (Zambian money) in the dancer’s pocket. Between dances, speeches were given. During these speeches the guests paid almost no attention; they talked, listened to music, and answered their phones. It thought it was very disrespectful, but none of the Africans seemed to care! Towards the end of the reception, guests were offered Cokes and dinner, and anyone who so chose could dance. When the ceremony was over, as the bride and groom left the building, people threw money into the air!
As was described, the Africans have adopted many American wedding practices. I did not expect this. However, what surprised me the most was the showiness of this wedding. Even American weddings are not so performance-oriented. I found it interesting that such a flashy wedding took place in such a modest society. In a way this disgusted me, but at the same time it was good to see the Zambians place so much importance on a wedding. It certainly reinforces how deserving of respect marriage truly is.
Funeral:
Shortly before our group arrived in Zambia a fatal car accident occurred on the Namwianga road. A drunk driver catapulted over the side of a bridge, causing several of his passengers to be ejected from the vehicle. Two such passengers, including a fourteen-year-old boy, died. It was this boy’s funeral to which we were invited.
We arrived right on time, but in typical Zambian style, half an hour passed before the event began. The dead boy’s family is a prominent one in the community; therefore, out of respect, his body was delivered in a police vehicle. The car pulled right up to the side of the grave, where men from the community were waiting to lower the wooden casket into the ground. Once the vehicle left, people encircled the gravesite. On one side stood the men, and the women and children sat across from them. The turnout was spectacular; hundreds of people attended.
Throughout the ceremony people sang in Tonga. The burial took place simultaneously. First, several people tossed small stones into the grave. A piece of sheet metal followed, and then the dirt. About half a dozen men spent well over half an hour carefully and respectfully shoveling the dirt into the grave, forming a perfect mound over the casket. On top of the mound a broken plate and cup were placed; Zambians believe that if one takes his dishes with him, he will be prepared for the afterlife and thus will never need to return to earth. Flowers were also placed on top of the mound. Specific groups of people; including cousins, classmates, teachers, and elders of the surrounding congregations; were invited one at a time to present the flowers. Before dismissal, a couple of men made speeches to encourage the community.
Overall, the funeral was not what I was expecting. First, I did not expect so many people to attend. The support from the community was overwhelming! Second, the people there were calmer than I anticipated. I was told that screaming, wailing, and convulsing are not uncommon at traditional African burials; we saw no such thing. Finally, the impact Western civilization has had on the local people shocked me. Many were dressed in American clothing, carrying cell phones, and driving cars, and it reminded me of what a huge role model my society is to the world. I hope that the African traditions are not lost in the midst of Westernization.
Wedding:
We spent our second Sunday in Zambia celebrating the marriage of a young couple, Daphne and Eugene. This wedding, like the funeral we had attended the previous weekend, was very Westernized. Many Western practices and traditions were employed. They did retain certain African traditions, however; for example, much of the wedding contained choreographed dance. Also, while the wedding guests were joyful and excited, the bridge and groom remained solemn throughout the ceremony to symbolize the seriousness of their commitment to each other.
The wedding began well over two hours after its scheduled time. Guests sat in rows facing the aisle, with the bride’s family to the right of the stage and the groom’s family on the left. The ceremony started when the groom stood up at the front of the auditorium and a techno version of Amazing Grace began playing. Three young boys and three little girls entered from the back of the auditorium, dancing up the aisle to their positions on stage. Once they reached their destinations, the bridesmaids and groomsmen (called “attendants” by Zambians) entered from opposite sides of the room, dancing toward each other until they met in the center of the aisle. From there they danced to the back of the room, from which they preceded the bride up the aisle. In the midst of all this, wedding coordinators were supervising; they gave cues while dancing right along with the wedding party!
The ceremony itself followed a very western outline. The parents of the bride gave her away, a short message was spoken, unity candles were lit, and vows were exchanged. Eugene had a ring which he placed on Daphne’s finger, and he kissed her on cue. At the end of the ceremony everyone proceeded to the high school in town, where the reception was being held.
The reception was much like the ceremony; lots of choreographed dancing took place. A grandmother, the wedding party, the children, and a boy bearing the knife to cut the wedding cake all danced up the aisle at their appointed times! When the Zambians liked a dancer, they would dance out onto the floor as well and place Kwacha (Zambian money) in the dancer’s pocket. Between dances, speeches were given. During these speeches the guests paid almost no attention; they talked, listened to music, and answered their phones. It thought it was very disrespectful, but none of the Africans seemed to care! Towards the end of the reception, guests were offered Cokes and dinner, and anyone who so chose could dance. When the ceremony was over, as the bride and groom left the building, people threw money into the air!
As was described, the Africans have adopted many American wedding practices. I did not expect this. However, what surprised me the most was the showiness of this wedding. Even American weddings are not so performance-oriented. I found it interesting that such a flashy wedding took place in such a modest society. In a way this disgusted me, but at the same time it was good to see the Zambians place so much importance on a wedding. It certainly reinforces how deserving of respect marriage truly is.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Livin Life
We finally have a routine—at least as much of a routine as people develop in Africa! The people here are so friendly and relational, but along with that they are very relaxed and never on time, so rarely is anything set in stone!
Our weekdays begin before 6:30am, when our first class – Tonga – begins (Tonga is the native language of Zambia, which we are attempting to learn!). Following Tonga we have Humanities class which covers the history, politics, culture, literature, etc. of Zambia. Both Tonga and Humanities are taught by Zambians! We eat breakfast at 8 and then attend chapel at 9 with the students from George Benson Christian College, a small teachers’ college here on the mission. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, we then have more classes, lunch, and then our serve time in the afternoon. Tuesdays and Thursdays, serve time starts right after chapel and lasts the rest of the day. At 5pm every day another class meets before dinner, after which we are free unless a special event has been planned.
Twice a week we are scheduled for serve time either at the basic (elementary) school, the clinic, or the havens; the other three days we are free to stay here and study, to hang out with each other, to visit the kids at the havens or people on the mission, to walk to town… whatever!
Besides Tonga/Humanities, the classes I’m taking are Missionary Anthropology, Healthcare in Missions, and a field work internship. I am working towards missions/medical missions minors.
The food we eat is very American; our cook, Ba Leno, is incredible and has learned how to make a lot of foods similar to what we eat at home. Today we had meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn, salad, and chocolate cake! Our big meal takes place at 12:30, and then supper is a much smaller deal. Once a week we eat a traditional Zambian meal; this week we had “shema” (an essentially tasteless but filling corn porridge), cabbage, onion soup, rice, chicken, and a creamy spinach salad type thing called “rape.”
Wednesday is my house’s laundry day. We take our clothes to the wash house, where ladies wash, hang out to dry, and iron every single piece of clothing! Everything must be ironed because of a pleasant little thing called the pootsie fly! These creatures enjoy laying their eggs in wet clothing, so because everything dries on a line, it all must be ironed to ensure that the eggs are taken care of! We get a kick out of seeing all our “unmentionables” out on the line right next to the veranda on which we eat and have class! Haha… We’ll get used to it, I’m sure!
Other random stuff:
We sleep under mosquito nets, wear shoes all the time to avoid hookworm, and regularly are without electricity and/or water.
I have learned how to change “nappies” (cloth diapers) and have fed the kids in the havens countless bowls of shema (I usually end up covered in it)!
Star gazing here is INCREDIBLE; we can see the Milky Way (which is so amazing I can’t even explain it!) and the Southern Cross. Really, the sky at any time of day is magnificent! The sun is just rising when we walk to class in the morning, and it is a spectacular bright neon orange ball!
Please continue to pray for physical and emotional strength for our team... it is very much appreciated! I am one of the lucky few still unaffected by the sickness going around, but very few Americans leave here without experiecing some kind of bug so we'll see how my immune system does! haha
Our weekdays begin before 6:30am, when our first class – Tonga – begins (Tonga is the native language of Zambia, which we are attempting to learn!). Following Tonga we have Humanities class which covers the history, politics, culture, literature, etc. of Zambia. Both Tonga and Humanities are taught by Zambians! We eat breakfast at 8 and then attend chapel at 9 with the students from George Benson Christian College, a small teachers’ college here on the mission. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, we then have more classes, lunch, and then our serve time in the afternoon. Tuesdays and Thursdays, serve time starts right after chapel and lasts the rest of the day. At 5pm every day another class meets before dinner, after which we are free unless a special event has been planned.
Twice a week we are scheduled for serve time either at the basic (elementary) school, the clinic, or the havens; the other three days we are free to stay here and study, to hang out with each other, to visit the kids at the havens or people on the mission, to walk to town… whatever!
Besides Tonga/Humanities, the classes I’m taking are Missionary Anthropology, Healthcare in Missions, and a field work internship. I am working towards missions/medical missions minors.
The food we eat is very American; our cook, Ba Leno, is incredible and has learned how to make a lot of foods similar to what we eat at home. Today we had meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn, salad, and chocolate cake! Our big meal takes place at 12:30, and then supper is a much smaller deal. Once a week we eat a traditional Zambian meal; this week we had “shema” (an essentially tasteless but filling corn porridge), cabbage, onion soup, rice, chicken, and a creamy spinach salad type thing called “rape.”
Wednesday is my house’s laundry day. We take our clothes to the wash house, where ladies wash, hang out to dry, and iron every single piece of clothing! Everything must be ironed because of a pleasant little thing called the pootsie fly! These creatures enjoy laying their eggs in wet clothing, so because everything dries on a line, it all must be ironed to ensure that the eggs are taken care of! We get a kick out of seeing all our “unmentionables” out on the line right next to the veranda on which we eat and have class! Haha… We’ll get used to it, I’m sure!
Other random stuff:
We sleep under mosquito nets, wear shoes all the time to avoid hookworm, and regularly are without electricity and/or water.
I have learned how to change “nappies” (cloth diapers) and have fed the kids in the havens countless bowls of shema (I usually end up covered in it)!
Star gazing here is INCREDIBLE; we can see the Milky Way (which is so amazing I can’t even explain it!) and the Southern Cross. Really, the sky at any time of day is magnificent! The sun is just rising when we walk to class in the morning, and it is a spectacular bright neon orange ball!
Please continue to pray for physical and emotional strength for our team... it is very much appreciated! I am one of the lucky few still unaffected by the sickness going around, but very few Americans leave here without experiecing some kind of bug so we'll see how my immune system does! haha
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Every Day an Adventure!
Our first week here at Namwianga has been full of new and exciting experiences! We drove into Kalomo (the nearest village, which is 7km away) to the market, attended a funeral/burial, went out to a village church for services on Sunday, and have now started our classes and service assignments.
I have been out to the havens many times. There are currently two havens (orphanages, for lack of a better term, although many of these children are not orphans). Haven 1 is for children up to 18 months and Haven 2 is for toddlers. A third haven will open sometime in the next month and will house only the AIDS and TB patients. The children come to a haven if their family is unable to take care of them. Sometimes the parents have died, but in most cases they simply cannot afford to properly care for the child. Family members are encouraged to regularly visit and to retrieve the child once he is around 3 years old. By this time, the child has survived the most difficult stage of life and is prepared for village life. If no one is ever able to take the child, he will go instead to “Eric’s House,” the actual home of a missionary couple at which 42 children are currently living.
Of course I have favorites at each haven (although they are all ADORABLE!)! Some of them are Gift, Katy, Patricia, KiKi, William, Daisy, Sam, and twins that just came in a couple nights ago – Ross and Nita (named after Dr. Ross Cochran, who is leading this trip, and his wife Anita).
Earlier this week I had my first experience in the clinic! It is a busy place, especially in the mornings, and patients travel as far as 50km to get there. Patients must first check in, and then they wait outside until a nurse is available to see them. I sat in with one of the two nurses working that day and took the temperatures and blood pressures of the patients. In most cases, the nurses are able to prescribe treatment for the patient. The most common complaints are headaches, backaches, coughing, fevers, and sneezing. Most of the time Brofen (a form of ibuprofen) is given for pain relief/fever reducer and Amoxyl for coughing and sneezing. A few of the patients we saw showed signs of malaria and/or TB, in which cases I wrote lab orders for blood tests. If a nurse is unsure of the problem, she sends the patient back to see the doctor (the only “doctor” in that day was Ms. Bingham, one of the Harding faculty accompanying us on this trip—she is a nurse practitioner who has years of experience in rural medicine). The most exciting part of the day was when I got to give my first shot! It was a form of medicine used to reduce coughing in little babies. I also saw an IV started and helped care for several AIDS patients.
Please pray for our team, as we have been here a week now and are reaching the end of the “honeymoon stage.” Ten people have been sick today, and many are experiencing the mental/emotional breakdown that culture shock brings.
We are looking forward to several exciting things: Saturday an herbal medicine man is coming to visit with us, Sunday we will attend a wedding, and next Monday we are going to Livingstone to see Victoria Falls and the surrounding area!
Tulubanana! (talk to you later)
I have been out to the havens many times. There are currently two havens (orphanages, for lack of a better term, although many of these children are not orphans). Haven 1 is for children up to 18 months and Haven 2 is for toddlers. A third haven will open sometime in the next month and will house only the AIDS and TB patients. The children come to a haven if their family is unable to take care of them. Sometimes the parents have died, but in most cases they simply cannot afford to properly care for the child. Family members are encouraged to regularly visit and to retrieve the child once he is around 3 years old. By this time, the child has survived the most difficult stage of life and is prepared for village life. If no one is ever able to take the child, he will go instead to “Eric’s House,” the actual home of a missionary couple at which 42 children are currently living.
Of course I have favorites at each haven (although they are all ADORABLE!)! Some of them are Gift, Katy, Patricia, KiKi, William, Daisy, Sam, and twins that just came in a couple nights ago – Ross and Nita (named after Dr. Ross Cochran, who is leading this trip, and his wife Anita).
Earlier this week I had my first experience in the clinic! It is a busy place, especially in the mornings, and patients travel as far as 50km to get there. Patients must first check in, and then they wait outside until a nurse is available to see them. I sat in with one of the two nurses working that day and took the temperatures and blood pressures of the patients. In most cases, the nurses are able to prescribe treatment for the patient. The most common complaints are headaches, backaches, coughing, fevers, and sneezing. Most of the time Brofen (a form of ibuprofen) is given for pain relief/fever reducer and Amoxyl for coughing and sneezing. A few of the patients we saw showed signs of malaria and/or TB, in which cases I wrote lab orders for blood tests. If a nurse is unsure of the problem, she sends the patient back to see the doctor (the only “doctor” in that day was Ms. Bingham, one of the Harding faculty accompanying us on this trip—she is a nurse practitioner who has years of experience in rural medicine). The most exciting part of the day was when I got to give my first shot! It was a form of medicine used to reduce coughing in little babies. I also saw an IV started and helped care for several AIDS patients.
Please pray for our team, as we have been here a week now and are reaching the end of the “honeymoon stage.” Ten people have been sick today, and many are experiencing the mental/emotional breakdown that culture shock brings.
We are looking forward to several exciting things: Saturday an herbal medicine man is coming to visit with us, Sunday we will attend a wedding, and next Monday we are going to Livingstone to see Victoria Falls and the surrounding area!
Tulubanana! (talk to you later)
Friday, September 4, 2009
I'm at home in the Bestes House...
The rest of our flight to Nairobi went well. But I can’t tell the story of this flight without mentioning the Kenyan woman I sat next to! She was older and spoke very little English. I was able to discover that she spent the summer in Minneapolis and was travelling home to Nairobi where she lives with her son. During the flight I was able to sleep quite a bit, but whenever food came around she would wake me up by slapping me on the arm and saying, “Food!” When she needed the use the bathroom it was the same situation: “Bathroom!” Also, she enjoyed taking her shoes on and off, but once they were off she couldn’t reach them to put back on, and so she slapped me some more, saying, “Shoes!” All this to say, she was very friendly, smiled a lot, and enjoyed talking to me! At one point she asked if Ms. Bingham, one of our chaperones, was my mother. When I told her she wasn’t, the woman said, “I be your mother,” and proceeded to tell everyone around her that I was her daughter! At the end of our flight, she gave me my first truly African hug!
When we got to Nairobi it was already completely dark, although it wasn’t even 8pm. We waited in the airport a little over an hour before boarding our final flight—and around 11:00pm Zambian time, we safely arrived in Lusaka! Because it was so late, the airport was virtually dead. We filled out customs cards and then went to the baggage claim and found out that less than half of our team’s luggage made the transfer in Nairobi. Luckily, the bags were sent down on a flight the next morning, and everything made it!
Namwianga sent several men to meet us in Lusaka, where we all stayed overnight. They took us on their school bus to our hotel; during this drive I turned 19! The hotel was very nice, even by American standards! After breakfast in the morning, we got back on Namwianga’s bus and rode more than 6 hours to the mission.
Between 4 and 5pm we finally pulled in to Namwianga. The property is about 7000 acres, so there was a lot to see! We drove by the medical clinic, George Benson Teachers’ College, and the havens. As we pulled up to the Hamby House (the central place at the mission), we saw that all of the children and many other people had assembled to greet us. They were holding a sign saying “Welcome Harding” and were singing a Zambian worship song that talks about how beautiful Jesus is. I was, of course, crying! When they finished singing, the Zambians came to greet us, each person shaking the hand of everyone else. The children were far from shy and many of the smaller ones immediately begged to be held!
For dinner, Leonard (the chef at Namwianga) made tacos and fruit salad. Afterwards we had birthday cake! They even had 19 candles! Later we headed to our houses to unpack. I am staying in the Bestes House, which is brand new (literally! It was finished only an hour before we arrived!). I have two roommates, Niki and Erin; and seven other girls also live in our house. The building is much nicer than any of us expected! We share a living room, kitchen, and two bathrooms! It is much different than an American house, but we are making it our home and are quickly adjusting to the differences.
We were greeted last evening by our first African wildlife—a small cobra! Weston, the night watchman that patrols the area around our house, found it on the porch and killed it, so I didn’t actually see it alive. But it was obvious that it had been ready to attack because the sides of its neck were puffed out (for lack of a better explanation)!
Today (September 4) we had orientation and a tour of the property. We visited the havens (orphanages) and the clinic, which I will tell more about once I have more experience there! This evening the local people had a reception at the church (called Johnson Auditorium) to welcome us! We sang worship songs, listened to several welcome speeches, and ate cake and drank Coca-Cola out of glass bottles!
So far everything here is WONDERFUL! I am so grateful to have this opportunity and can't wait to see what God will teach me over the next three months!
When we got to Nairobi it was already completely dark, although it wasn’t even 8pm. We waited in the airport a little over an hour before boarding our final flight—and around 11:00pm Zambian time, we safely arrived in Lusaka! Because it was so late, the airport was virtually dead. We filled out customs cards and then went to the baggage claim and found out that less than half of our team’s luggage made the transfer in Nairobi. Luckily, the bags were sent down on a flight the next morning, and everything made it!
Namwianga sent several men to meet us in Lusaka, where we all stayed overnight. They took us on their school bus to our hotel; during this drive I turned 19! The hotel was very nice, even by American standards! After breakfast in the morning, we got back on Namwianga’s bus and rode more than 6 hours to the mission.
Between 4 and 5pm we finally pulled in to Namwianga. The property is about 7000 acres, so there was a lot to see! We drove by the medical clinic, George Benson Teachers’ College, and the havens. As we pulled up to the Hamby House (the central place at the mission), we saw that all of the children and many other people had assembled to greet us. They were holding a sign saying “Welcome Harding” and were singing a Zambian worship song that talks about how beautiful Jesus is. I was, of course, crying! When they finished singing, the Zambians came to greet us, each person shaking the hand of everyone else. The children were far from shy and many of the smaller ones immediately begged to be held!
For dinner, Leonard (the chef at Namwianga) made tacos and fruit salad. Afterwards we had birthday cake! They even had 19 candles! Later we headed to our houses to unpack. I am staying in the Bestes House, which is brand new (literally! It was finished only an hour before we arrived!). I have two roommates, Niki and Erin; and seven other girls also live in our house. The building is much nicer than any of us expected! We share a living room, kitchen, and two bathrooms! It is much different than an American house, but we are making it our home and are quickly adjusting to the differences.
We were greeted last evening by our first African wildlife—a small cobra! Weston, the night watchman that patrols the area around our house, found it on the porch and killed it, so I didn’t actually see it alive. But it was obvious that it had been ready to attack because the sides of its neck were puffed out (for lack of a better explanation)!
Today (September 4) we had orientation and a tour of the property. We visited the havens (orphanages) and the clinic, which I will tell more about once I have more experience there! This evening the local people had a reception at the church (called Johnson Auditorium) to welcome us! We sang worship songs, listened to several welcome speeches, and ate cake and drank Coca-Cola out of glass bottles!
So far everything here is WONDERFUL! I am so grateful to have this opportunity and can't wait to see what God will teach me over the next three months!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Written 7:00pm local time, 9/2/09
Today IS September 2nd, right? The past several days are completely jumbled in my mind! Our team spent last weekend at the HUT (Harding University Tahkodah) retreat center preparing for the trip and getting a head start on our classes. Everyone is full of excitement for and anticipation of the coming semester! “Guess what guys? We’re going to AFRICA!” has been heard dozens of times these last five days!
Early Tuesday morning we left HUT and travelled to Memphis, TN. With only a few minor difficulties, we checked in and made it through security. Each of us was allowed to check two 50lb bags and to bring one carry-on weighing 26lb or less.
Our schedule changed slightly from the original plan. Instead of flying through Detroit, our first layover was in Boston, MA. The flight from Memphis to Boston was about 2.5 hours and was perfectly smooth. I got my first glimpse of NYC and the northern Atlantic!
Once we landed in Boston, we immediately headed to our next gate and got in line to board the flight to Amsterdam, Netherlands. This flight lasted about 6.5 hours, during which we lost the most time. We boarded the plane, ate dinner, saw the sun set, spent less than 4 hours in darkness, saw the sun rise, and ate breakfast before landing!
Our layover in Amsterdam was about two hours. It was early Wednesday morning there, but to us it was just after midnight! We walked around the airport, which is very large, and then were required to go through security again before boarding our longest flight.
We are currently in the air above Kenya, Africa. I am definitely ready to get to Lusaka; 8 hours is a long time to spend on a plane, especially when you haven’t slept for 24 hours! I have been asleep for about 4 hours this flight but I’m trying to keep myself tired so I will sleep all night when we arrive this evening.
I found out I will be able to receive mail (letters only, no packages) while I’m there. It can take up to two weeks for mail to arrive, and we’re only at Namwianga through November 16th, so it would probably be best not to send anything after October 31. Here’s the address:
Emily Wilkin
Namwianga Mission
PO Box 620022
Kalomo, Zambia
I would love to hear from you!
If you are praying for our trip, I would ask that you especially lift up our team over the next 2-3 weeks as we deal with the time change, diet change, starting classes, and facing our first bout of culture shock!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Four weeks and counting!
For so long this adventure has been only a speck in the distant future. After nearly eight months of preparation, my excitement and anticipation is higher than ever! Four weeks from today, I will leave the United States for the first time in my life to spend three months in Zambia, Africa.
The trip is a semester abroad program offered by my university. Twenty-three students, including myself, have been blessed with this amazing opportunity to serve God. Our ultimate destination is a mission called Namwianga, which hosts a church, a school, medical and dental clinics, and an orphanage. During our stay, we will take classes and spend time serving at the above locations.
Our team is scheduled to fly out of Memphis, TN the afternoon of September 1. After twenty-five hours of travel through Detroit, Amsterdam, and Nairobi, we should arrive in Lusaka, Zambia late September 2. On September 3 we drive out to Namwianga.
Your prayers for me and my team would be truly appreciated! Pray for a stress-free month as our plans are finalized and safe travels come September. Feel free to share this link with any others who would be interested!
The trip is a semester abroad program offered by my university. Twenty-three students, including myself, have been blessed with this amazing opportunity to serve God. Our ultimate destination is a mission called Namwianga, which hosts a church, a school, medical and dental clinics, and an orphanage. During our stay, we will take classes and spend time serving at the above locations.
Our team is scheduled to fly out of Memphis, TN the afternoon of September 1. After twenty-five hours of travel through Detroit, Amsterdam, and Nairobi, we should arrive in Lusaka, Zambia late September 2. On September 3 we drive out to Namwianga.
Your prayers for me and my team would be truly appreciated! Pray for a stress-free month as our plans are finalized and safe travels come September. Feel free to share this link with any others who would be interested!
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