I miss…..

Dependable cars.  Kitchen utensils that aren’t broken.  Stop signs that get replaced when they get taken out (or stolen).  Being able to go for a walk at night.  Not living behind compound walls.  Not needing a guard to keep me safe at night.  Four seasons.  Being around productive people with varied interests.  My quiet peaceful neighborhood.  Streets without huge potholes.  Being able to understand conversations around me.  Cultural events, art, sports.  The NFL playoffs.  My cat (although he got eaten by a cougar a couple of weeks before I left for here)  Having access to my bank account.  Sea kayaking.  Skiing.  Flyfishing.  Mountain biking.  My African drumming group.  Travel without having to worry about malaria.  The drive up the Twisp River.  The Twisp Saturday Market.

Oh, I’ll stop there

But, as I get closer to leaving, I realize that a number of things have crept in to my heart around here as well.  I haven’t had the opportunity to work with a group of colleagues in over 30 years.  I will miss saying good morning to them as I walk through the village every day.  And the overall energy of this village.  It’s a school, a living area, a metal shop, an administration building, a wood shop….I have grown accustomed to having all of this in my life.  The metal shop was not even a thought before I arrived.  It is going to be difficult not being “The Big Cheese” and turning it over in a more thorough way.  I’m going to really miss the guys in the shop.  I know that I have said it before, but they have been a very meaningful part of my life….one of the most important connections that I have been able to experience in my life.  They work hard, they don’t complain, they show up on time, when they work late – they never even mention it.  They are making enough money to where they asked me if I would help them open up a bank account (as opposed to asking for a loan, as it used to be).  It fills me up to have helped them get to this point.

And Grace.

The Pestalozzi alumni woman that will be running the metal shop when I leave.  She is a very special young woman.  Both of her parents “passed” a long time ago.  She is fun, funny and bright.  I have tried to share what little I know about running a small business and the day is coming soon where the past 6 months will be put to a test.  I am well aware that I won’t ever be her father, but at times, our relationship seems to border on that type of a interaction.  I can only hope that we will be in contact for a long time to come.

And the kids.  This evening, I was set to go home and saw the young boys that just came to the village, down playing soccer at the field.  I brought the camera down there  and took these photos.  They are just precious kids.  I have been so lucky to be surrounded by such energy for the past couple of years.  And I will really miss it.

When you can’t go home….it seems that the pull becomes greater and greater to do so.  But when the time comes that you CAN go home, I am finding that other aspects gain more importance than I may have realized.

Oh, and here is the latest on the shop…we will be moving in soon.  We just got a grant from a group called “Friends of Africa”, that will help us finish it out with work benches, work tables, a forge and other finishing touches.  Thanks FoA!

I have decided to stay a little longer, until the middle of March, as there is just too much going at present.

And oh, Christmas break, can you say

ZANZIBAR!!!!

a shot from our balcony

Ahhh, I can’t upload any more photos for some reason.  More photos on my facebook page if you care to take a look.  But, if you get a chance to go to Zanzibar….GO.  It is wonderful

Been watching the weather in Seattle the past week.  Hang in there homies!!

Jerry

It is very exciting that the new metal shop will be completed before I leave Zambia.  This little project seems to be picking up steam and my goal now is to leave it in a state that Grace, Maybine, Charles and Gift will carry on in a self sufficient manner.  It has been a lot of work, but we are also getting wonderful support from the folks at Pestalozzi.  We are able to show that it is a viable business and they are doing a great deal to make it happen.

So, we broke ground a while back

Breaking Ground!!

foundation work and then a slab

slab and corner bricks

Keep going guys….we need walls!

ahhhh, Dats the ticket!!

Now, I don’t mean to be a pain….but, do you remember the conversation we had about “high ceilings”?

They say the plaster and roof will be done by next week.

Very exciting….we will be moving in shortly after the new year.

Ilene and I are headed to Zanzibar over the Christmas holiday.  We take a two hour bus ride up north, to Kapiri Moshi and then jump on an OLD, unreliable train for two days through northeastern Zambia and in to Tanzania to Dar Es Sallam (sp).  From there we board a boat for a two hour ride to the island of Zanzibar.

We’re staying in a pretty low key spot, under palm trees, with a few feet of white sand beach to the Indian Ocean.  Can’t wait for the break from a VERY hectic last two months.

Happy Holidays to all.  After experiencing a very serious car accident within our family this past month, I am especially wishing you good health and warmth amongst you, your families and friends.

Cheers,

Jerry

So, I am very happy that the village is utilizing the resources that we offer in the metal shop.  The guys are really doing nice work and put out a great deal of effort…..and NEVER complain.  It is really one of the best experiences of my life to be able to share with them.

I am also training one of the Pestalozzi alums as a project manager for the metal shop.  SHE is also putting out a very good effort and is a joy to work with.  She is currently in charge of 4 projects that we have going, and is proving to have good attention to details.  Again, she is a wonderful young woman and I feel so fortunate that our paths have crossed.

On top of all of this, Pestalozzi UK has recently committed to a new shop building, as the current one will be a kitchen next January 1.  I have been very busy coming up with a design/site location, working with the architect, corresponding with the people investing in the project, working with the builder…..and then…… trying to get a business going that is worthy of all of this effort.  And at the same time that I try to build the business up, I have to prepare to leave it and assure that it is sustainable.

The foundation of the new metal shop

The last few months are going to be a real whirlwind.   But it’s FUN and surely a challenge.

Of course there are plenty of difficulties.  But it seems the busier things get, the less comsuming the difficulties become.

I will very much miss the interactions with people from all over the world.  For instance, last Saturday, Ilene and I went running with a couple of Dutch VSO volunteers and then sat around our apartment for a couple of hours, drinking tea and sharing stories from back home.  Then it was off to Julius and Sarah’s house for a birthday lunch.  They are good friends, from Uganda and we always have fun conversations.  They want us to come to their wedding in a couple of years.  They promise to make us a traditional costume for the ceremony.  Julius informed me that he would like a cow for a wedding present.  I really can’t wait to deliver on this one.  I envision shopping around some small village for a good cow, negotiating a price and herding it to Julius’ house…probably with a couple of little boys to help out.

Julius, Sarah and "the Muzungu"

Then on Sunday, a lunch at a very nice farm owned by one of our board members.  The guests were almost exclusively white Zambians that have lived here for fifty years, at least.  They lived here when Zambia was Northern Rhodesia, in the Colonial era.  They also lived through Independence, a change of government and the country name change to Zambia.  The stories they tell of the old days and also of surrounding countries and their own struggle for independence are nothing short of fascinating.  These folks won’t be around a whole lot longer and I feel so fortunate to be able to share in their stories.

I find that I have grown very used to this exposure to folks from all over the world.  I think it is one of the things that I will miss the most when I leave.

Ah, that’s about all that is on my mind for this evening.  I do miss the beautiful Pacific Northwest and my home in the Methow Valley and family and friends.  But on my prior posting, I was reminded to “take in” all of these adventures, as I will be home soon enough – and I have “sat” with that.  I have no doubt, I will be home for a while and will long for these opportunities once more.

It has been noticeably hotter than last year’s hot season….but rain is on the way!

Cheers,

Jerry

Ilene and I addressed all this news by deciding to “get out of town”.  (Oh my, what a surprise!)

So, it was off to Kafue National Park for all of last week.  It was a very remote lodge with a beautiful camping area – our own private insaka (open hut – for shade), another private shower/toilet/sink area (with all the wood heated hot water we could ever want to use) and right on the Kafue River.  It’s a great place called Kaingu Lodge.  It involved three hours of paved road (if we wouldn’t have missed the turnoff that is), one and a quarter hours of pretty good dirt road and then about an hour and a half (again, that is if we would not have missed the turn off, down in to a steep creek bed) (40 k’s)  of very tight single track, with moderate sand ruts and trees immediately on the side of the road to keep the driver quite “puckered” for the entire length of the travel.

We were VERY concerned for the last couple of hours, as tse-tse flys began to accompany us.  It got so bad, that if we rolled down the window, they just poured in!  And, they are really aggressive biters.  I had visions of sleeping the car and getting the hell out of there the next morning.

As it turns out, they are attracted to anything moving and when you add the methane from the exhaust, they find cars to be amongst the height of their passions.  At the lodge, they have you park for five minutes before entering the premises.  The flies go away!  While there, for four days, they were no problem at all – what a relief.

So we got that information and then were shown our camp site.  Oh how fortunes can turn (for the worse or for the better) in just a few minutes time.

A "Sweet Campsite" in the bush

We went on a river trip that was really beautiful.  There are hundreds of fingers in the river in this stretch and all of it running through a massive boulder field.

They navigate the river with small outboards and as we left I was wondering how they do this without hitting the rocks.  Answer…..

They don’t!  The first rocks that the engine hit, I just cringed…..an absolute “no-no” back home.  Here, you just get used to it (kind of)

We saw vultures circling at one point and our guide (an animal tracker), just couldn’t resist going to find out what was going on.  We found the remains of a carcass and started to follow drag marks, when he stopped and said “we will have to go back to the boat…this is too dangerous without a weapon.”

AS SOON as we got back to the lodge, our guide grabbed the other guide (who is also a tracker), a large rifle and jumped right back in to the boat.  I learned later, that he knew, as soon as we saw it, that this was a very fresh leopard kill and that the leopard would not quickly abandon his “booty”.

They followed the trail for a couple hundred meters and saw a thicket ahead.  With hand gestures, they communicated that the carcass, and in all likelihood the leopard, would be there.  They took off their shoes and slowly proceeded.  Just prior to the thicket, they came to a dry streambed and THERE…THREE METERS AWAY was the leopard.  It eventually wandered off and they were able to follow it for a short way.  In the thicket they did find the carcass, hidden from the vultures and nearby, a tree with all kinds of animal residue in it’s branches.  This was definitely a preferred dining spot for this very large leopard.  They commonly take their kills up in to the trees to get them away from hyenas.  Once a hyena gets wiff of one of these kills (which doesn’t take long in this hot African sun), the leopard can expect a visitor early in the evening, when the hyena wakes up.  And although the leopard commonly kills (and drags up a tree) animals that are one and a half to two times it’s size, it doesn’t ever mess with a hyena.

So, these guides come back to camp, all bubbly and call for Echbert (who runs the lodge) to jump in the boat…they are going to show him a leopard!  He has worked at the lodge for four years and has never seen one yet.  They came over to our site and also invited Ilene and I to come join them.

Echbert (camera) has never seen a leopard. The slump continues!

It was very exciting, following the guide in complete silence (although I just couldn’t walk as quietly as he could) through the bush of Africa.  Sun beating down on us, hot breeze  in our face, sweat drying from our skin before we get a chance to be cooled from it.  Creeping intently by a bush, along the dry streambed, over a burned out grassland, around a rock.

INTENSITY - is it in these bushes?

We didn’t find the leopard.  They were apologizing, but I had just had a most wonderful experience.  The rawness and intensity of the trek will last much longer than the spotting of the leopard would have.  We went back to the carcass and they explained that they knew right when they saw it that the remains were from a leopard kill.  The leopard immediately removes the intestine (which is what the vultures were feeding on) and then drags the prey to another site and eventually up a tree.  When the guide also grabbed, disected and smelled the fecal matter from the intestine, he knew that this kill had happened very recently…within a couple of hours.  They pointed out the puncture marks in the throat of the Kudu – which are from the teeth of the leopard and typical of how they kill their prey.

As with all of nature, this place can be just beautiful on one hand, and unbelievably cruel on the other.

Sata is Zambia’s new president.

There WAS some upheaval in Lusaka, but when they announced the results at midnight on Thursday night, THE WHOLE TOWN WOKE UP FOR A PARTY.  Unfortunately, we weren’t here to witness it.  I guess it was just nuts.  Honking, shouting, dancing going on all night.  When we came in to town on Friday afternoon……….Lusaka was “asleep”.  We were worried about rioting little hoodlums, destroying property and maybe attacking some “muzungus” just for the heck of it.  There was no one around.  We drove right in to town.  No traffic, no shops open, a few people still shouting, honking and doing little “jigs” in the street, but Lusaka is a pretty happy place right now.

So, the former president is living in the presidential palace on Thursday evening.  They announce the election results at midnight.  At one o’clock the next afternoon, they have the inaugeration (sp) and the new president sleeps in the presidential palace THAT NIGHT! (Friday)  I guess the first ladies don’t spend much time talking about the style of champagne glasses and whether the carpets match the end tables in the sitting room…..let alone essential administrative issues that would affect the transfer of the government to a new leader.

It’s the start of  the “hot season” and will go until the rains come in November.

Oh, there is a local (cheap) beer called Shake Shake.  It is packaged in cartons and the locals swear by it.  I was under the impression that it was brewed locally, but on the way home we saw that it comes from TREES!

A Shake Shake Tree.....I wasn't kidding about this one!

Fall in the Methow……. what a wonderful time of the year!

Hello to everyone back home!

The statistics vary, but let’s just settle for 1 in 7 people between 18 and 45 years of age are infected with HIV.  You are driving along, turn the corner, there’s seven people walking along the street….one is probably infected.  My apartment building, 8 units, 16 adults…..2 are probably infected.  My street, 15 apartment buildings….30 people infected.  A walk thru the mall, say 2000 people, 285 infected.  It’s staggering and it is a constant source for aid funding, education, grief, corruption, drain on medical resources and on and on.

But today, it was not one in seven…..

It was one of my friends

Tennes died

He leaves behind a wife and four children…one a little girl that he named after a former VSO volunteer.  Her name is Jeanette – she is only a few months old.

I am very saddened by this, but let me end on a “somewhat” lighter note…..unless you are the subjects of this story.  Jeanette recently returned to Africa, and after a stop by our village, she went up to Tanzania to do some research for some studies that she is undertaking at Stanford.  I will try to copy one of her facebook posts….it’s a true story!!

Latest tales from the village – big town meeting happening next door to resolve a conflict between 2 of the church choirs. The small choir wants the big choir’s organist to play with them. The big choir says no. Small choir has suggested that they will chop the organist to pieces with a panga (aka machete) if the big choir refuses. I think the organist might be feeling a little nervous right now. Yep, time to get outta this village.

And finally, a few photos from our boy’s football tournament a couple of weeks ago.  I stopped by the village for something and said, “hey, if anyone wants to go to the boys football match, jump in the Hilux”  I should have made it “by invitation only”.  TWENTY kids jumped in to the truck….how are you going to kick anyone out?

Who wants to go for a ride?

The starting lineup

Zambia version of "Hotwheels"

The playing conditions. Our kids just got "boots" (cleats). The used to play barefoot, or in sneakers

Oh, and one LAST (I mean really last this time) little bit.  Ilene is currently in the northern part of Zambia, right along the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo) on a selection trip of new students for next year.  They are at a refugee camp, interviewing kids, testing them academically (I better have spelled that right!) and doing home visits.  From the short texts that I have received from her, it ain’t no vacation beach in Hawaii, but I bet it will be a very amazing experience none the less.  I am quite jealous and happy for her.

Her longtime friend, Janet, is coming to visit for a couple of weeks on Friday.  We are very excited for this and Ilene is downright “Giddy”

Ah, this is hard to take sometimes.  It really ruined the dinner for me – but I think that Mathews was happy to be getting a meal.

Last week, one of the guys in the shop came to me wanting a loan.  I really get tired of getting hit up for money, so I called them all over to the marker board in the shop and prepared to give them a “little lesson” on saving money.  I asked them “How much do you make a month?”

“400,000 kwacha!”

“How much on rent?”

“250″

“How much on a bag of mealie meal?”

“65….if they don’t have any guests”

“Do you have electricity?”

“Yes, 50,000 a month”

“Do you have to buy relishes for your nshima (mealie meal)?”

“Yes, around 100,000 a month”

Are you following my LESSON on savings????  We have covered a T I N Y, one room shack in the compound, the very basics for food (ground corn with some cooked veggies), limited use of electricity and we are already 65,000 kwacha in the hole.  We haven’t even started to address basic body care, household supplies and uniforms so that their kids can go to school.  At this point in my “lesson”, two of the guys eyes were starting to water up.  These are good, hard working, honest young men that are trying to provide for their family and when faced with the reality of their situation,

they too can not hold back the tears.

I just ache for these people.  I thought I would/could get more callous as I lived around this longer, but it just isn’t happening.

It’s very sad…..and overwhelming

We have made a goal TO DOUBLE THEIR INCOME.  We did it last month and it is what is driving me every day now.  I know I can’t save all of Zambia, or all of Africa….but hopefully these three great young men can afford to send their kids to school.

i hope

I “lost” a prior blog where I was reflecting on a conversation that I was having with one of the alumni women.  We were travelling on a bus to Malawi and I was asking her about village life.  She told me that she lives in one of these one room huts with her family when she goes home.  I asked about sleeping, and she said that everyone just puts a mat (not padded, just a reed mat) on the floor and goes to sleep, with just a blanket…no pillow or anything.

At that time, there was a dog next to the bus and I asked if people ever eat the dogs.  She was disgusted and said “Oh no Uncle Jerry”.  I asked about rats.  She lit up and said, “Oh yes, rats are delicious!”  You can even see kids selling them on sticks along side the road at times.  Skewer them, burn the fur off and you’re ready to go.

Yuck

Having problems downloading photos lately.

One last story.  I took 18 of our alumni women to Malawi for an African Reunion with other Pestalozzi alumni from that region.  Going, we left at 4 am (pick up at 3 am) and arrived in Mzuzu, Malawi at 9 pm.  Coming home, we left at 3:30 am and arrived back in Lusaka at 2:30 am the next day – after some problems with a WAY underpowered and jam packed bus!

I am DONE with bus travel in this country

The Gang and our bus that we got to know TOO well

Then across the river to Botswana.  This was really interesting.  A pretty funky ferry, but what really got our attention was the landing from the Botswana side to Zambia.  These guys came from everywhere, in dugout canoes, and started unloading all kinds of stuff (tv’s, cases of beer, stereos, tires, etc) off of the ferry and into their canoes.   I asked a local what was going on.  He just said “smugglers”, in a nonchalant tone.  With the immigration office within a distance I could throw a rock, from the ”scene of the crime”, this just didn’t seem possible.  I guess I was a little slow to catch on to the larger picture (AND QUITE A BIT OF BACK SCRATCHIN’) that was going on.

bootleggers…but aren’t they supposed to work under the cover of darkness??

A woman likes her colors!!

 

water buffalo

Kudu

 

Red Sable

African sunset in Chobe National Park

 

 

 

hey Ilene….seen any LIONS!!!!

 

 

intensity

 

croc stalking lizard

 

elephant eye

 

...and my favorite "Elephant Love". It really is quite touching

 

From Chobe, we headed south right through the Kalahari Desert,  to a city called Maun.  It is a stopping place to visit the Okavango Delta.  Unfortunately, where we wanted to go was washed out and they said that we would have to go on a safari to see the park, as our car could not make it.  It would be very expensive, so we had to pass and proceed on to Windhoeck, the capital city.  This is a very interesting city….very hilly.  It seems like every home has a view and pleasant architecture.  But this is not where we were interested in spending our time, so it was on to the Dunes area.  The largest sand dunes in the world.  We woke at 4:30 one morning, so that we could be at the park gate when it opened at 5 AM, and at one of the dunes to climb, before it got light.  The intention was to watch the sunrise from the top of the dune, which we were able to do.  It was a very beautiful, enchanting morning.

 

 

Sunrise in the Namib Desert

the view from our campsite

 

And from the dunes region, we travelled by a GREAT bakery, in the middle of nowhere and on to Swakopmund.  This had the most barren stretch of desert that I can imagine.  In the picture below, this scene went on for HOURS! 

 

Where's the road?

 

 

and finally, the Atlantic Ocean. First up...fish and chips!

This area was in the midst of more rain than they had seen in a long time….perhaps since EVER recorded!  In one region we heard that they had had more rain in the past three months than they had had in the past FIFTEEN YEARS COMBINED.  And we did get dumped on one evening/morning/afternoon.  Must say that our REI tent didn’t leak a drop through it all too. From here we went inland a bit (as the coast is just sand to ocean and not all that interesting) and headed north.  We saw ancient rock art at the White Lady site and drove on up to an area called Palmwag.  It was interesting, but a lot of dirt road driving.  It was here that we also started paying the price of trying to make our tires go a bit further than they were ready to offer.  After three “incidents” (a flat, a puncture and a blow out), we finally bought a set of new tires all the way around, when we got to an area with a tire store. We eventually made it to Etosha National Park.  Camped outside the park in a hell of a thunder and lightning storm and the next morning drove in to the park.  It was a real let down.  There has been so much rain that the animals are nowhere near the “reliable” water hole sighting areas.  They can get water anywhere at present.  We were going to camp in the park (outrageous fees), but decided to bag it, as the day was not going all that well.  At lunch time, we decided to drive all the way through to the east entrance. Well, what a difference a half of a day makes.  The east end was LOADED with wildlife.  We had a wonderful time.  With Ilene driving, we decided to be “pirates” and go through a blocked off (closed) area.  We knew the reason some roads were closed was because of the muddy conditions, but we decided to go as far as we could.  It ended up being a great decision…but close to catastrophic, as Ilene had to negotiate a substantial mudhole at the very far end of the road.  It was an  enchanting afternoon/evening. 

Ostrich

 

Big Bruiser

 

Kudu

setting sun on a giraffe

 

 

 

a day that started off rough, but ended in..... glory

 

 

From here, we got so entranced with the adventure, that we really had no plans for where we were going to stay that night.  We left the park way after dark and there was nowhere to camp.  Not a great situation, but we just started driving and eventually found a place to crash for the night.  One of the two nights that we didn’t spend in the tent for the three week period. 

 

The next day we headed for the Caprivi Strip, and again, were turned away, due to our intended destination being flooded out.  This became a common theme as we were in northern Namibia.  Whoda’ thunk????  And then on to the border crossing in to Zambia and over to Livingstone again.  We decided to go out to the falls, to see the water at high level.  Basically all you see is a cloud of, well, water….but it is impressive.

 

at the top of the falls

 

And then back to Lusaka the next day.

 

It was an interesting trip, glad we did it, but would be hesitant to do that much driving again.  Please let me know if all of these pictures make it combersome to view the blog.  I took the time to make them all smaller files, but I’m not sure if it is enough.

 

Happy Spring to all of you in the Northern Hemisphere!

 

WHEN DO I LEAVE?????

Well, they wanted me to leave the next morning.  No problemo!   In that short time, I had lined a pick-up at Sea Tac to stay with my sister, plans were under way to crash a good buddies birthday party, by surprise, etc.

We did have some problems, however.  I won’t go in to another persons affairs in this blog, but suffice it to say, we had a bit of difficulty getting on the plane in Lusaka and when we got off in Johannisburg, things really went south.  It ended with a cancellation of our connection flight to Atlanta and an ambulance ride to the hospital.  So, last week was spent taking a taxi back and forth to the hospital, while maintaining constant communications with CUSO-VSO (Canada), VSO (UK), VSO (Zambia), insurance company (Joburg) and insurance (VSO-UK).   I was the only representative in Joburg and a lot of people had a lot of questions and plans to make. 

We got through the week, the volunteer seems to be comfortable and I flew back to Lusaka last Wednesday.  I do wish for his recovery and eventual return to his family in the states.  Wish I had good news to report, but once I left the scene, I have been given no more information.  I am hoping that he is on a plane today.

On a personal note, I am left with a couple of challenges.  First, after such an intense week and leaving it unresolved, I would like to know that he is home, with his family, rather in Joburg….so far from everyone and everything that he is comfortable with. 

Also, I am struggling with the change of events.  In Buddhism, I have studied the perils of “attachment”.  I will readily admit that I became quickly and thoroughly attached to the idea of going home to family and friends for a quick visit.  It’s funny, a few days earlier, it wasn’t even a thought.  After it became a thought and then a reality and then NOT a reality, I was very disappointed.

Ilene and I are off to Botswana and Namibia in a week.  It will be a three week journey by car.  Can’t wait to see lions, elephants, zebras, giraffes, etc, in Chobe National Park, then to the beautiful Okavango Delta, further south along the edge of the Kalahari Desert, to the sand dunes of Namibia (the largest in the world).  Then out to the coast of Namibia and up to Etosha National Park in northern Namibia.  I don’t know how we will get home from there, but I’m sure there is a way. 

Please keep your fingers crossed for our 1996 Rav4, with miles and miles (make that kilometers and  kilometers) of travel in it’s near future.  If you don’t hear from us, please send water to somewhere in the Kalihari!!!

We had a field day last Friday, where I work.  I will leave with a few photos of that event.

I tried to scare them with my "sports uniform", but it didn't work....the Red Team got last place for the day

Tug of War

Broken Rope!!! who's the winner?

Yellow Team wins!

Cheers

Jerry

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/ride-tales/democratic-republic-congo-lubumbashi-kinshasa-53285-3

You learn a lot in a year here.  I wish I could report on my great strides made with regard to patience, but that is almost a daily challenge for me.  It has been a blessing to live so close to the way people really live here….although I come nowhere near living their financial hardship and struggle for day to day existence.  It hasn’t been an easy year and I do miss many things about my life back in the states, but I do have great satisfaction with regard to “getting out of the comfort zone” and living, feeling, seeing, smelling, hearing how other people spend their conscious time on this planet….and especially the people that didn’t get such a fortunate draw , when it came time to enter this life.

Crime

is on my mind this evening.  Two of our female volunteers were walking back to the village from a local shopping center and got mugged about 100 meters from our village, in the middle of the afternoon.   It happens a lot around here.  A week and a half ago, one of our board member’s gaurds got shot in the shoulder.  A few days before that, someone broke in to our village, went straight to the office and stole our computers and printers.  Before that a volunteer had his Dundle? taken from his pack at the bus terminal.  He caught the guy, and a bunch of people beat the hell out of the theif.  Another volunteer was slowed in a roundabout, someone came up to the car, reached in the driver’s window and unlocked the rear door, opened it and took his pack with phone, camera, wallet, passport, work permit.  In Mozambique, our friends had their attention diverted while someone took binoculars and other items from the dashboard.  While camping, the people next to us had someone go thru their tent and took their packs……I will stop there, but the list can go on and on and on.

After our girls got mugged today, I felt like…..I don’t know…..I guess I feel like I really don’t want to live in a country where there are so many people that view me as a target.  It is really a let down, to commit a couple of years of your life to this and have so many people look at you as “something” to take advantage of. 

Perhaps their response would be “Now you know how it feels”

Oh, let’s end on a lighter note!

I just love the guys in the metalwork shop.  One evening this past week, I drew the steps to make an ornamental grill (security)  door.

The Plan

I went in, in the morning, and told them to build THAT.

Two days later, here is what they had done:

Almost done

They were very proud of it and it just FILLED ME UP to have them feel that way about their work.  It will be on the back entrance to the shop, and they will make two double doors for the front in the near future.

So meet the guys

Mabine

Gift

Charles

At work in the shop

Being that my sister emailed only to make sure I was still alive, I figured it was probably time for another post. 

Happy New Year! (for me anyway)

Jerry

BUT

we got away with it this time.

After two weeks of downpour showers in Zambia, we took off for Mozambique on December 9, wondering WHY we were choosing to do this trip at this time of the year.  Everything is wet, with flooding after every shower….I must say that we packed our small backpack tent in to the car with a great deal of trepidation and off we went for our first stop in Chipata (Zambia, but on the Malawi border).  Here we stayed with our Brit friends, Alan and Frances, who were also leaving on the same trip, but in their car. 

Alan is here as an accompanying partner (husband) of Frances, who is working with local farmers in the Eastern Province.  Alan became friends with a leader in a small village near Chipata and over time got a brainstorm idea that HE could build them a school.  A short term volunteer from the UK, who arrived with our group, returned home and managed to fund raise enough money to get the project under way.

Now realize that these local kids were going to school under a completely open air “insaka”, about ten feet in diameter.  There are MANY more kids that want to go to school, but just not the resources to accommodate them.  Alan drew up some plans for a much larger facility and after visiting the chief for approval (and giving him an offering of a GOAT), received permission to go ahead with the project.  Ilene and I visited just after they had completed the shelter.  They plan to have 150 kids going to school there in the near future.

Alan, his crew and the NEW SCHOOL!!! (Congrats Alan)

From Chipata, we drove over the boarder to Malawi and further south to a town called Lilongwe, where we camped for the night (after pulling Alan and Frances’ car out of a mud bog just as it was getting dark).

Ilene playing games with kids as we wait for truck to pull car out of mud

The next day we decided to take the “short cut” to the Entre Lagos boarder crossing in to Moz.  Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture of the bridge that eventually made us take the “long route”, but suffice it to say that another unfortunate soul had clearly gone THRU (and not over) the bridge.  As we arrived, about 75 locals immediately “appeared” and insisted that they could put planks over the hole and it would be “good”.  “Good” depends on who’s car it is and whether you are driving the car or waiting for the show to begin.  As I contemplated a way to make it work, I went over to Alan only to receive his sage advice….

“There is no way in hell I am taking my car over that bridge”

Fortunately, we back tracked and took the long way.  Here are a few scenes from the 2 hard days of dirt road driving:

Ilene trying to catch a ride in a Landrover instead of our Rav 4

Friends, as you to go to bed in your comfortable home this evening, there are millions and millions of Africans waking up in these typical huts

a local bus, as we approach Ihla Mozambique

Ihla Mozambique is really an interesting place.  It was a former Portugese trading center and was obviously BOOMING in it’s day….but now, almost a ghost town, with the relics of a very rich past.  It was strange walking amongst all of these old decaying buildings – you could easily FEEL the energy of days gone by.

Oh, I got stung above the eye, by a wasp (I think?) along the way to the coast.  A little irritation for a couple of days, followed by a little swelling and then one morning I woke up looking like this:

"In the clearing stands a boxer, a fighter by his trade..."

Doesn't much matter what country, kids love to be photographed

From Ihla Moz to Pemba.  This is a place that I found on line and sort of made it the destination for the trip.  We stayed at a WONDERFUL, relaxing camp just outside of town and right on the water.  Highlights were hours in the hammock reading and snoozing, a mud bath (very gooey and fun), snorkelling with beautiful fish and THE beach bar of my dreams (when I was contemplating this trip from far away Zambia)

We stopped by here for a beer....turned in to three beers, a couple games of cribbage and a prawn dinner until it got dark

Then on to Ibo Island.  This is another former Portugese trading stronghold.  A beautiful island, reached by driving down miles and miles of dirt road, parking your car in a make shift enclosure and sailing out through the mangroves to the island – about an hour to hour and a half away.

We went out to a ship wreck to go snorkelling.  I really can’t fault the captain on this one.  It is way out in the middle of the Indian Ocean… you just wouldn’t believe that you could ever go aground here.  But the fish were amazing.  If they had been in an aquarium, you would accuse the owner of being cruel to these animals for packing them in there so tightly.  The best I have ever experienced.  A few highlights from Ibo:

not Ibo, but near where we went snorkelling

bike ride through the town

This touched me, as I have built MANY similar boats in my youth and sailed them off to unknown adventures. These boys really had it down though

Boats in the bay on Ibo

Then on to a little peninsula called Pengane.  Ilene wasn’t really excited about this little adventure, after reading about the road out to it.  It calls for 10 KM of soft sand track, and recommended to deflate tires for better traction and only go out there with 4 wheel drive.  Well, we had 4WD and I was all over it.

I have to admit that my knuckles were sore from grabbing the wheel so tightly for 10 solid KM’s, but what a gorgeous little fishing village.  The way these people live is just amazing – totally dependant on the sea.  The little girls would net fish along the shore during the day, while the older boys would go out to sea in these SKIMPY little dugouts.  Along the beach, there is constantly some sort of fish on drying racks in the sun, or situated around a charcoal fire.  It is a very special place.

The "Road to Pangane"

Scenes from a fishing village

fish drying EVERYWHERE

The village huts...you know, these guys don't have it too bad

Ilene was picking up shells and soon found a helper

women and girls in the region commonly apply this paste to their face as a sort of "facial". These girls were just sitting at the edge of where we were camped and watched us for about an hour. I thought "Hell, if they are going to sit around and bug us, I'm finally going to go get the picture that I have been to reserved to go for."

Pangane camp site

By this time, as you may have been able to tell by the photos, we have had a LOT of sun and it was hot.  We were very pleased to be on our way to Gurue, which is up in the mountains, amongst tea plantations.  Another beautiful place.  This is one that Ilene had heard about and that SHE really wanted to go to, and I had a few reservations as to whether it put us in a very good place to get back to Malawi from.  It was an arduous 13 hour (stop only for gas) drive and we made it just after dark, in a DOWNPOUR.  The cooler temperatures were a real relief.  Here, we stayed at a Catholic Mission that catered to small business enterprises.  They had an amazing woodworking shop, an equal metal shop, grinding mills, electronics, automotive and agriculture programs, and their own mill for cutting lumber.  All of this surrounded by a very quaint village among towering mountains (for Africa) and tea plantations.  A wonderful spot.  When we arrived, they told us to unload our bags and that dinner was in 5 minutes.  A sit down dinner for about 20 guests from all over the world.  It was great!

I did a little photo essay of women carrying “stuff” on their heads.  This will never cease to amaze me.  The loads that are carried in this manner are amazing.  Huge sacks of grain, a meter wide baskets FILLED with fruit, large tubs of water….ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING!!

LET ME BE VERY BLUNT

Most of the women in these countries work there ass off.  They make the meals, do the dishes, take care of the kids, carry the water, collect firewood, work in the fields, clean the house and surrounding landscape, harvest the crops, dry the food, etc.

The men….. don’t do ANY of that stuff.  It is the men that hang out in the villages at night and drink, chatter about and who knows what.  Some are hard working, of course, but too many are not.  It is very sad to see.

This last photo, I am giving special importance to.  We met this couple while hiking around in the tea plantation.  The husband was very upset about something and very perturbed with his wife.  He was yelling this and that and making all sorts of gestures with his hands and arms.  This while she carries the load of firewood on her head and his child in her tummy.  He would not even think of helping her out.

I have a hard time even "looking" at this photo

And here are a couple of the typical houses in the area.  It is very beautiful

A welcome reprieve from a bad New Year's in the tent

Can you say "Kick your feet up???"

A fitting end to the trip

Well that’s about it for the Mozambique adventure.  It was a very memorable trip and all in all came off pretty smoothly.  The kids are arriving back in the village and it sure is good to see them.  It just doesn’t feel right without their energy around.  Plus we have about 20 new kids to the village that we are all excited to welcome in.

Friends from Seattle (Dana, Martha and family) have been with us the past couple of days.  They are off to South Luangwa and will be back next week.  It’s so nice to have visitors from back home.

Anyone else????

Happy trails to the skiers in the Methow.  I understand that you have been DUMPED  on this year.

And Happy New Year to ALL

Jerry and Ilene

Hey why's that guy sitting in the basket, in that crazy red suit?

…actually, it isn’t

It is a holiday season, like summer break, but it doesn’t seem like anyone gets very excited for Christmas.  It is a “day” when people go to church and maybe have a bit nicer of a dinner.  The kids at our village have never even heard of Santa Claus.  I find it interesting, confusing, comical to try to explain what Santa is and isn’t. 

As far as the holiday goes, all the kids have returned to their rural villages.  It is right at the beginning of the rainy season, so they will most likely spend their time weeding and planting in their families fields.

It also means that Ilene and I are off until after the first of the year. 

Mozambique here we come!!

We just took possession of a Rav4 today

 and as soon as we get all the paperwork processed, we are headed to Chipata, where we have some volunteer friends, then will cross the border to Malawi, head south for a while and cross the border to Mozambique, and in to some pretty dicey (but beautiful) mountain roads.  From there to the coast and beach camping, until it is time to return to work.  It should be a bit of an adventure and we’re really excited to leave.

So, this posting I will share some photos of where we live.  It is a dumpy building, but the apartment grows on you.

flamboyant tree

I love driving under this tree every day (it's a Flamboyant!)

but this is our entry (upper right)

 It’s plenty comfortable and I must admit, better than expected after going through the training back home.

Well, Happy Holidays…. I will check back in after the trip to Moz.  Ilene and I are making pizza tonight

Yummmmmmy

Oh, I need to share one more tree that bloomed before the Flamboyant.  It’s called a Jacaranda.  It loses all of it’s leaves in June/July then in September, rather than budding then producing flowers….it just goes right to the beautiful flower stage.  Almost like mother nature didn’t want to have any distractions from the beautiful flower she was about to produce.  These are all over the country!

Jacaranda in September...stunning

I was thinking the other day….the things that were once sooo bizaar when I first arrived in Africa, seem to have become just a part of every day life.  I thought it might be interesting to list a few items that come to mind…so here goes:

Our driver went out to get new tires for my “Ride”

LOVE THIS VEHICLE

Anyway, he got the tires, but didn’t get them installed (couldn’t tell you why not)  I asked if he could go do that, which he did, but came back later that day with the same ol’ tires on the Canter.  When I asked why, he said that they didn’t have the right size spanner (lug wrench).  He said we would have to go buy one.  I asked why THEY didn’t go buy one.  He said that they used to have one, but finances got tight one day, so they sold the spanner so that they could get transportation to get home.  And that’s where we are at, at present.

A friend has a child who was visiting his grandmother.  He decided to run away and no one bothered to tell her for two days.  When she called the police, she was informed that she would have to come to the station to give them money for fuel to help find her kid.

These are the worst drivers I have ever seen.  It was a total daredevil venture whenever I was on the motorcycle.  I was stopped at a roundabout a while back, waiting for a spot to enter and got rearended by a car.  That was very upsetting, so I don’t ride the bike far from where I work anymore.

I haven’t had a drink out of the “tap” since leaving home.  All water is boiled and then filtered.

I have only had a few showers since leaving.  We have a bathtub and no shower for some reason…  but it is the norm here.  So the easiest thing to do is sit in the tub with a big bucket and a bowl to splash water all over – you get used to it.

Intonations of the voice mean so many things that I haven’t figured out yet.  “aaaaaAAAAHHHHaa” I think means something like “Oh, really?”  There are loads of them.

When you enter a roundabout, you give way to traffic on your right EXCEPT when you are in the area of President Banda’s house.  Then you don’t stop…it’s so the big cheese can travel with greater convenience.

At intersections, there isn’t necessarily a stop sign if you are supposed to stop.  There should at least be a white line, but it is usually faded away….if there ever was one.  I remember driving through the city when I first arrived and asked “How do you know that you are supposed to stop at this intersection?”  Answer…”It’s just something that you pick up”  There are no signs or markers.

So that’s just a couple of items…the list could go on and on.

Work with the alumni girls is going well.  We have switched gears and are selling to retail shops.  Being able to offer special makeup products and gearing toward the “muzungu” market made a huge difference.  They are now making some good money and learning a great deal about running a small business.

The metal shop is booming with projects.  Right now, we are making 12 bunk beds and then we make some “artistic” (security), grill doors  then we will be making some coffee stand kiosks for a number of airport locations and then perhaps a display area for another shop at the Lusaka airport and on and on.  I am training three workers in the shop and having a wonderful time sharing the skills.  They are totally psyched to learn something that has greater potential than pulling weeds and digging ditches for the rest of their lives and I appreciate working with these guys that are trying so hard…making plenty of mistakes, but it is because they are trying.

Last weekend, Ilene and I went down to Livingstone for her birthday get-away.  We stayed with a wonderful VSO couple from Australia.  It was SO HOT (over 40 – or 100 for you Yanks), but fortunately, they have a pool. 

The first evening, we went to one of the most fantastic places to have a “sundowner”.  It is a hotel right on the Zambezi River and just above the falls (Victoria Falls).  On the way home, we did have to slow down for an elephant in the road.  It is amazing, they are just on the outskirts of town.

The second day, we crossed the border in to Zimbabwe.  I had not seen the falls from that side, and it really was beautiful, and it is always interesting just doing a border crossing.  So here is a few photos of the falls:

a small section of the falls

Oh, these bugs are SOOO tasty

from the Zambian side

This was just "Sweet". These baboons were hanging out right on the edge of the cliff

And now a little story, before I watch our boys play the kids from the local compound in football. 

Kristen (guy from Australia) asked me if I wanted to go boogie boarding in the Zambezi River…just below the falls.  He surfs a standing wave and offered that I might be able to boogie board it.  This was a no brainer of a decision for me and we left at about 6 am to be there before it got too hot out.  We also had a goal to paddle across the river and walk around at the base of the falls. (things are a bit less regulated around here). 

So, we walked down to the river and it was there that the adventure began.  The entry in to the river was to jump in to some boiling white water and float down to the wave.  This was a bit more intimidating than the actual event and it was great to be playing in a river.  I tried to catch the wave four times and just couldn’t get it to hold me.  So, we decided to walk a ways up the river on the Zimbabwe side and then jump in and paddle up the river to the base of the falls.  If you look at the above picture “from the Zambia side”, we paddled to the point at the bottom of the photo.  From here, we made an aggressive paddle across the current, got washed down river a ways and then caught a back eddy and were at the base of the falls.  We were able to walk around the falls, until we were at a place that was like being in a hurricane.  Lots of falling water powered wind and pouring…..very fun. 

Then back to the boogie board and flippers and we now prepared to again cross the river.  Kristen went first on his surfboard and to our dismay, the current was too strong to cross and he got washed in to the back eddy and back up to me.  We both looked at eachother and wondered how we were going to get out of this one.  So, we took the gear off and climbed through some rocks and entered further upstream, in a pretty strong current.  Off he went again, and after about a 45 second struggle, just barely made the current that went over to the other side.  I knew it was going to be a struggle for me, as I wasn’t as quick on the boogie board, as he was on the surfboard.  I stood for what seemed like a couple of minutes on a rock, contemplating the whitewater I was about to dive in to and the consequences if I didn’t make it…..it wasn’t good.  I knew that I would not have the energy to try again very soon.

So, a leap into frothing whitewater and I started kicking with everything I had.  Then I stopped to realize I would have to do this for quite a while and could not keep that pace up.  So I backed off and read the current.  It didn’t read well…I had doubts that I was going to make it.  Then I hit a calm stretch and paddled hard – and made some ground (water).  I gave it everything I could muster and in the end, where the current hit a wall and some water went downstream and the rest went in to that dreaded backeddy – my body split the difference.  The board and my shoulders were headed downstream and my legs were headed for the backeddy.  I felt like one of those salmon in the locks, that makes one short burst to climb the fish ladders. 

I just barely made it.  Kristen was there with a “Good on ya Mate!”  I was REALLY tired. 

After catching my breath, he informed me that we needed to float through rapid #1, stay to the left and catch the back eddy to where we could pull out.  “Make sure you stay to the left”.  After questioning him about that, he replied “Just follow me mate”. 

What we did NOT discuss was RAPID #1.  This is a class four rapid, with two HUGE standing waves…..that I was about to enter on a boogie board!  I was totally thinking “stay left”, when we came upon the first wave.  HOLEY SMOKES!!  There was about a two foot drop and huge acceleration in to a four foot wall of frothing, standing wave.  I don’t have any idea just how I got through it, but summitted the top, only to look at a four to five foot drop and another four to five foot wall of nastiness.  This time, my leg hit a rock in the bottom and I emerged at the top in nowhere near as good of shape as after the first wave.  I was upside down, had lost the board and the tether to it was wrapped around my leg, which was facing the wrong direction to “stay to the left”.    After another noticeable struggle, I was able to catch the back eddy, where Kristen was waiting with a “How’d it go mate?”

How did it go????

That river had just totally kicked my bootie……and I loved it.  I do have a memento of that rock as a reminder however:

We decided to take a break for my birthday, and went down to the Lower Zambezi.  We took a 15 passenger bus, in which they pack up to 24 people in to, for the two hour trip to Chirundu. 

Let's get "chummy"

From there, we got in to a skiff with a lot more room and fresh air

Immediately, we saw elephants and hippos

Just AMAZING!!

These we heard snortin' in the river outside our tent - all night long

We camped one night at a lodge, then floated the river for over three and a half days.  We camped mainly on islands (I think for safety), but would hear animals around all night long.  We had a hyena in our camp one night and it ate our soap!  They can be nasty if you are sleeping out in the open, I have heard.

a TOTALLY relaxed pace...current did most of the work

Hyena campsite!!

 We saw loads of crocodiles (some BIG ones), elephants, hippos, babboons, velvet monkeys, antelope.  It was really fun and most of all - RELAXING.

morning coffee

our last night.... lions roaring in the bush a few hours later.

That’s the highlights for now.  It really was great to get out of the city and experience the bush and river life, of Africa.  We both want to go right back out there. 

But back to work for now!

Please send me a note if these photos don’t download o.k.  I’ll try something else if they don’t

Cheers,

Jerry

I found her "hanging on the clothes line"

Yes, Ilene really arrived on the first of July.  It was out of sequence for normal arrivals, so she hasn’t gone through the VSO country induction yet.  That will take place in October.  I keep getting asked “how is she doing?”.  Well some things don’t change no matter what country you are in I suppose.  Ilene is a total “clean-nic”

Ilene's socks hanging to dry....matched, pointing in the same direction, evenly spaced - BROTHER!!!

and those that know me realize that…. well, you know – I don’t ever recall being called a “clean-nic”.   So, her first weekend here, we (mostly she) spent doing a deep clean.  I thought it looked pretty good before, but it is much nicer with her touch.  Get this, you can walk around the house in your socks and they no longer turn red on the bottom.   Brilliant!

It is great to be able to share this together. Besides cleaning this place up, we are working out a totally new rythym for how we live our life.  Each little pattern we establish seems to make it more and more comfortable.

Pestalozzi has two centers in Lusaka.  One called Ibex Hill, which is where I spend most of my time.  Ilene will be working at the other center a lot.  It is called Kasisi.  Her location houses the younger kids – grade 5 and 6.  There are 70 children at that location.  Her services are really in demand there and they are very happy to have her here.  Last Wednesday – Saturday was her first visit.  She had a wonderful experience when she was with a group of kids and counted “uno, doce, tres” and some of them just lit up!  Can you guess why?

They are orphaned kids from a refugee area near the Angola border - previously Portugese colony.  They haven’t heard anyone else speak their language in a long time.  She had an immediate connection with these kids.  Can you imagine being born in a country - then through these unbelievable struggles for power, you are forced to leave (probably after you parents have been killed) and end up in a refugee camp.  Pestalozzi comes around and brings you to this center in the middle of Zambia and there you sit, to figure the world out. 

A pretty different perspective than my upbringing.  But there are millions of these children throughout Africa.

Last night was a somewhat typical outing here in Zambia.  We had a “meet the wives” night.   As it turned out, no one was actually married, but the premise was sound.

Ilene (Yank), Sarah, Julius and Agnes (Uganda), Estelle (UK) and Lea (Phillipines)

We shared some great cultural stories.  For example, throughout Uganda you pay a “bride price” when you want to get married.  They explained just how that happens and how you come up with a price.  In Uganda, the price being

 HOW MANY COWS she is worth! 

Agnes explained that in her region, it is determined by a representative of the bride who goes out to the herd of cows and throws a rock.  Any cows between you and the rock -

 NOW BELONG TO THE FATHER OF THE BRIDE!!!!   

How come Major League Baseball doesn’t recruit in Uganda?  It bet there are some terrific arms there.

They shared other methods of determining the number of cows – all very interesting.

I believe that I shared with y’all that I have started some small businesses with some of the alumni young ladies.  One business is renting plastic rental chairs for social gatherings.  We bought 200 of them and are busy making order forms, a pamphlet and doing some marketing/networking.

Another business involves a bunch of pottery that a guy that I work with has at his factory.  He processes the clay, has artists throw the pottery, other people do the artwork/glazing, while others do the firing.  I looked over at the huge inventory of pottery he had on hand and asked how he is marketing it.  He basically isn’t!

So, I told him that I could line up some young ladies that would start a business selling it for him. 

Mulenga and Audress and their pottery biz'

They have done that and are doing a weekly market.  Let me tell you, the beginning was very slow and difficult.  They had NO small business experience or savvy.  I mean from moving the mouse on the computer, to explaining about marketing a product, to financial responsibility, to inventory accountability, etc..  It is ALL new to them….. and slow for me.  But they are getting in to the groove now.  This week we needed to input a bunch of new inventory on the computer.   I told them to find the computer and do it.  I got a blank look from both of them.   I said “I mean it.  You find the computer and get it done – I won’t be able to hold your hand forever on this”. 

A half hour later, I went up to the office.  They figured out that Edith had the computer, got it from her, brought it up to the office, figured out how to set it up, turned it on, found the Excel program that we have the information on and were inputting the new information.  I was very proud of them.  I realize that these are somewhat small gains, but it is satisfying to see this growth and have some fun doing it together.

AND, they are proving to be ruthless sales people.  I wanted to buy a mug the other day, and Audress informed me that she could give it to me at the old price and that prices on mugs were going up this weekend.  I said “No, I will buy it at the wholesale price”.  She said “that isn’t possible” and informed me that they “could not run a business selling products at their cost and besides….. I needed to support their efforts.”

Mulenga wanted to sell it at the NEW price!

They are tough.

MY NEW MUG!!!

Market Day

One final story to share, that I can’t seem to get off of my mind.

I went out to dinner with Lena a few weeks ago.  She is a VSO volunteer from Ireland who was in Lusaka for a conference of some kind.  She’s working in a very rural area as the ONLY doctor in this community hospital.  Don’t picture a US hospital – this is a  tiny brick building, that has sixty beds jammed in to it, with her and ONE nurse.  The beds were full on her arrival in February and they were in the height of the Malaria season… not to mention a plethora of HIV/AIDS patients as well. 

She quickly learned that the nurse may or may not come in in the morning.  And, she may or may not stay for her entire shift.  This being in an environment of babies and children needing their life saving malaria medication.  She was right in the middle of all of these innocent, little beings dying left and right for what are very curable reasons.  Her patients either weren’t getting the available medication, or,  the life saving medication wasn’t available, they would run out of injection kits or needles or, on and on.  She nearly left within the first couple of weeks, as it was just too much to bare.  If a child came in with a broken bone, she had to send the parents hours away to buy their own plaster of paris (sp), so that she could put a cast on them.  The “hospital” doesn’t have these basic commodities.

On the up side – she did stay and is saving many lives.  She got through malaria season and now travels out to even more remote communities to provide care to these people.  She is loving her assignment and her parents are here to share this with her as I write.  She was going to take them down to Livingston and see Victoria Falls.

So, that’s the news from this little corner of the world. 

It’s all so interesting.

I do miss pure, flowing rivers - mountains - clean community parks – not having to lock EVERYTHING up -my mountain bike – friends/family …… but Ilene is here, so no complaints

It still touches me that you choose to read this blog and it’s a pleasure to share this different life with you

Cheers,

Jerry