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!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
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.
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