Tanzania Trip Part I: Mt. Kilimanjaro and Serengeti Safari

The TEEZ office was closed for the last two weeks of December so Brent and I took the opportunity to visit Tanzania, the country just northeast of Zambia.  We have lots of stories and, at your request, lots of pictures to share so this is quite a lengthy blog post.   Therefore we have divided it up into three sections:  I Mt. Kilimanjaro and Serengeti Safari, II Zanzibar and III Our Orphanage Visit.   If you get tired of reading just scroll down for more pictures .  Below is section I, enjoy!

Mt. Kilimanjaro from a rooftop in Moshi

Mt Kilimanjaro

Waterfall at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro

Canoe safari at Arusha National Park

A close encounter with a lion awaking from its slumber.

A pack of Lions in Ngorongoro Crater

This massive elaphant got a little too close for comfort

A cheetah about to go hunting

Zebras in the Serengeti

Sunset in the Serengeti on New Years Eve

Ngorongoro Crater with a lion hanging out in the background

View from the top of Ngorongoro Crater

Hyena in Ngorongoro Crater

Hippo in Ngorongoro Crater

Our safari land cruiser

After a four hour bus ride from Kitwe to Lusaka, a two and a half flight from Lusaka to Dar es Salaam and a 10 hour bus ride from Dar, Brent and I found ourselves at the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro, in the quaint town of Moshi.  We arrived on Christmas Eve and this was a beautiful place to spend Christmas.  Mt. Kilimanjaro is roughly 17,500 feet, the largest mountain in Africa and the largest free standing mountain the world, meaning it is not connected to a larger mountain range.  According to climbers, the altitude is the biggest obstacle on Mt. Kili and therefore the climb can take anywhere from five to eight days.  On average five people per day are rushed down the mountain on stretchers due to life threatening altitude sickness (we met one of these people and boy was he glad to be off the mountain!).  Moshi is crawling with people who are either going to climb the mountain or already did.  Brent and I opted not to climb, but instead took a day hike meandering through the lush foothills of Mt. Kili.  We encountered a few villages along the way, as well as some chameleons, and found ourselves at the bottom of a spectacular waterfall.  For those of you from the Northwest, I told my Dad that Moshi is kind of like Sandpoint or McCall, African style!

From Moshi we took a one and half hour bus ride to Arusha, the safari headquarters of Tanzania.  The first day we canoed in Arusha National Park and came uncomfortably close to a hippo (Brent disagrees and says we were fine) as well took a walking safari and came uncomfortably close again this time to buffalo and warthogs (both Brent and I were surprised at how much we loved the warthogs).  On day two we explored Lake Manyara National Park and saw baboons, blue monkeys, giraffes and hippos.  Standing up in the land cruiser cruising through the lush, green jungle we felt like we were in Jurassic Park.  The Serengeti was the destination for day three and four and it was spectacular!  I said many times to Brent that the pictures will never do justice to what we saw.  The Serengeti’s vast open plains dotted with acacia trees and roaming elephants, lions, zebras and giraffes as well as the annual wildebeest migration was pretty incredible.  Perhaps the highlight was watching a cheetah stalk and then pursue its prey.   We saw three cheetahs and this animal is eerily beautiful, graceful and my new favorite.  We rang in 2010 camping in the Serengeti with people from all parts of the world – pretty neat!  Day five we visited Ngorongoro Crater and again marveled at its beauty.  Formed by a sunken volcano the crater looks as if someone took a perfectly rounded ball pushed it into the earth and then removed it leaving a symmetrical and rounded hole.  The drive down into the crater and the climb was a little intense, but definitely worth it!  We camped on the rim of the crater with a beautiful view and woke up to the sounds of buffalo eating next to our tent – FREAKY!!!  I just kept telling myself that people camp here every night and probably only a few get stampeded.

Part II: Zanzibar

Jamie, Amy, Erin and Brent in the Indian Ocean in Zanzibar

Matemwe Beach, Erin and Amy in the background

Erin enjoying a coconut on our sunset dhow cruise

Sunset on the dhow cruise

Evening seafood market in Stonetown

The narrow streets in Stonetown

Preparing to go snorkeling

Erin and Jamie playing frisbee with some local kids

Dinner with Jamie, Amy, and some new friends from the U.K.

The day after our safari we were back in Moshi and finally saw the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro!  It was stunning, and we had a great view from a rooftop restaurant.   From Moshi we took an eight hour bus ride back to Dar es Salaam and the trip was fairly smooth.  We stayed that night at Mikadi Beach, just south of downtown Dar es Salaam. This relaxing spot was perfect for taking a dip in the Indian Ocean after a long bus ride.   The only problem with Mikadi Beach was that we had to take a short 7 min. ferry (I call it the world’s shortest ferry) from downtown Dar es Salaam.  The next morning we were in a cab on the way to the short ferry to Dar when we realized that we forgot our passports in the hotel safe.  We turned around and retrieved our passports, but it cost us about 30 min.  Once we were back in the enormous ferry line, due to morning traffic, we realized that we weren’t going to make it to Dar in time to catch our 9:30 ferry to Zanzibar.  So we jumped out of the cab, and hopped in a little 3-wheel motorcycle taxi (which was faster because they can bypass the line of cars waiting to get on the ferry). 

We made the next ferry and were confident we would make the Zanzibar ferry.  However, while we were on the ferry a couple of security guards began yelling at our driver, we still don’t know why.  After we unloaded the ferry a security guard stopped our driver and took him back to the ferry where more people began yelling at him.  The driver told us to wait for him, but as we were waiting they began to reload the ferry.  The next thing we knew the ferry departed with our driver on it!  At this point it was about 9:15 we were booked on a 9:30 ferry to Zanzibar.  We were only about 2 miles away so we grabbed our bags and ran about 50 yards to where we jumped in cab that took us to the Zanzibar ferry.  We arrived at 9:25 just in time for the Zanzibar ferry.  The ferry was a smaller express boat that held about 50 people (Erin called it a glorified ski boat) and we really felt the waves.  It was quite the roller coaster ride and several passengers were looking pretty pale. 

If getting to Zanzibar wasn’t stressful enough, when we arrived customs stopped us and said that we each needed to pay $50 more because we were U.S. citizens.   Unfortunately, I only had $20 on me  so I left Erin and our luggage behind as collateral and had to take a cab to an ATM.   After an hour delay I finally gave them the money and they let us go. 

When we arrived at our hotel we found out that it was closed due to the Zanzibar wide power outage.  The previous couple of weeks the entire island of Zanzibar had been without power (the under sea line from Dar broke) and hopes of getting it back were in the upwards of weeks to months.  As far as we know there still isn’t power.   We had about heard the power outage from other travelers and we were told that most places had generators so it was not a big deal.  Our place however, had problems with its generator so it was closed.  The owner was really nice and walked us down the street to a place that was the exact same price and just as nice.  As we look back, our hotel being closed was actually the least stressful part of our morning.  One other challenge to our morning was that both Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar were incredibly hot and humid which made everything more exhausting.  

 We spent our first two nights in Stone town, the old historic part of Zanzibar.  The first night we took a sunset Dhow ride (which is a traditional fishing/sail boat).  They served us fresh pineapple, coconut and mango as we watched the sun set; it was a beautiful evening.  We then walked to an open air market loaded with booths serving fresh grilled seafood.  We had shrimp, lobster, and tuna all of which were all amazing.  The second day we walked around the town through the unique narrow corridors and did some shopping.  We also bought more spices than we know what to do with; Zanzibar is called the “Spice Island” and is famous for its curries.

The next day marked the final part our trip and we spent 4 nights relaxing on the northeastern part of the island at Matemwe Beach Village.  The white sandy beaches were beautiful and the water was incredibly warm and crystal clear.  We relaxed on the beach or poolside, swam, read magazines, and enjoyed incredible cuisine.  It was also really nice to settle into one place for a few nights as up to this point we had spent almost every night in a different hotel.  The highlight of Zanzibar however, was joining up with our seminary friends, Jamey and Amy Heit, who stayed on the same beach about a half mile away.  They currently live in Scotland and were excited to get a little sun.   It was great to connect and converse with familiar friends from the U.S. and was the perfect way to end our trip. 

On the last day we went snorkling with Jamey and Amy.  A beautiful coral reef surrounds the island making for superb snorkeling.  We saw a snake, an eel, and hundreds of other tropical fish.  We enjoyed our last evening with a nice dinner just Erin and I.  We then ended the evening with star gazing, drinks, and frisbee on the beach with our friends.  The next day was a rather uneventful, but full day of travel to Lusaka.  Please see part III about our time in Lusaka and Siavonga visiting orphanages.

Part III: Orphanage Visit

House of Moses Orphanage

Holding babies at the House of Moses

Boys who live at Namumu Orphanage

Where is the Musungu?

The metal shop at Namumu

The spacious Namumu Grounds

Lake Kariba Dam located on the Zambezi River which serves as the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe

The Zambezi River from the top of Lake Kariba Dam

After arriving back in Zambia we spent a few extra days in Lusaka and Siavonga visiting a series of crisis orphanages which are supported by The Outreach Foundation, an organization that seeks to connect Presbyterian congregations with organizations in the developing world.  We first visited House of Moses, an orphanage for newborns through 18 months, and the only orphanage for this age group in all of Zambia!  Brent and I enjoyed holding the little ones and our hearts broke when we had to leave.  One little boy really took a liking to Brent and literally screamed and held onto Brent’s leg when Brent put him down, so sad.  Next, we visited House of Martha which serves as a home for children four years on through secondary school.  House of Martha, like House of Moses, was lively, cheerful and welcoming.  We were thankful to see that the children were loved, their basic needs met and were well cared for. 

Before heading back to Kitwe, we took a two day trip to Siavonga to visit Namumu Orphanage which houses children aged seven years through eighteen years, a bit of a different model than we saw in Lusaka.  The Namumu Orphanage was started by a Zambian man who had several orphans living in his home and had a vision to build a place for them and others to live.  The local chief gave him 80 hectors of land (a huge space) and he has done an incredible job with it!  There are facilities for 40 girls and 40 boys, a community school which not only educates the orphans but 300 community children who otherwise wouldn’t go to school, a clinic, a welding and carpentry shop which teaches young boys skills, does repairs on the orphanage and is trying to generate some income.  Namumu also has an egg business and kapenta (tiny fish) business which again are trying to generate income.  The creativity and willingness to continue to grow and dream was remarkable and inspiring.  Namumu wants to become less dependent on foreign aid and more self sustainable which are great goals!   Our visits to these orphanages were helpful in thinking how Brent and I can continue to stay connected, and connect others, to Zambia even after we’re gone.   

An Anecdotal Story:

On the last leg of our trip, from Lusaka to Kitwe, our bus stopped in Kabwe for a bathroom break and to get food.  Brent and I piled out of the bus went to the bathroom and decided I would pick up some shwarma (gyros) for lunch.  I headed a few shops down the street to buy the shwarma and Brent got back on the bus.  As it sometimes does in Zambia, it was taking a looong time to get the shwarma.  I was getting a little nervous the bus might leave and turned to make sure it was still there only to see the back of the bus chugging down the road towards Kitwe.  I yelled and started running after it.  I was immediately surrounded by 10 or so taxi drivers who insisted I get in their cab to catch the bus.  Not knowing what else to do I jumped in one.  Meanwhile on the bus, Brent ran up the aisle yelling, along with half of the bus, that his wife was not on the bus.  The bus went around the block and met my taxi basically where we started.  I jumped out of the taxi ran across the street and jumped on the bus in one piece, but minus our shwarmas.  I was greeted with much laughter and people yelling, “My wife, my wife!”  A good way to end our vacation!!!

An Advent Reflection…

Our Christmas tree complete with presents.

Christmas decorations at Arcades, a shopping mall in Lusaka.

TEEZ staff Christmas party. Erin made cinnamon rolls and pumpkin bread and we gave everyone a mug with hot chocolate mix.

I’ve always loved the Christmas season.  I love the tradition: hunting for the perfect Christmas tree, making and delivering Christmas cookies on Christmas Eve, singing Advent hymns and lighting the Advent candle, and of course watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.  I smile at the wonder of Christmas experienced through the eyes of a child.  I enjoy the coziness of a cup of hot chocolate, a fleece blanket, and a good book read by the dim light of the Christmas tree.  I find the expectation and anticipation of Advent moving and important in my own spiritual journey.

As Brent and I were discerning our next step after seminary and this opportunity in Zambia presented itself Brent asked me, “Will you be o.k. in Zambia during the Christmas season?”  Brent’s question was part a tease and part a challenge to think through all the realities of moving to Zambia, not only the fun exotic ones.   As we approached Advent, I was looking forward to being away from the Christmas bustle of the United States and to perhaps experience Advent in a more meaningful and rich way.  Honestly, I also felt a little like I needed to prove to myself that I enjoyed Christmas for the “right” reasons. And, that I could be in Zambia during the Christmas season and be o.k.

As I write, listening to Christmas music, Christmas is less than ten days away and Advent has been less than what I had hoped for.  It’s not the absent snow; growing up in Lewiston, ID we rarely enjoyed snow at Christmas.  It’s not the lack of Christmas music; we have plenty here and the grocery stores have been playing it since late November.  I haven’t really missed the lights.  Not only are they expensive to buy, but they use coveted and sometimes hard to come by electricity.  I made sugar cookies earlier this week and will decorate them with the neighbor children, and on Friday our office will have a small Christmas party.  I of course miss my family, and wish I could be there on Christmas morning when my nieces rush downstairs to see what presents Santa left them.  But, missing my family and wishing I could be a part of a special event isn’t unique to Advent.  So, what is missing this Advent?  The symbols and images of the Christmas story seem to have disappeared, even in the Zambian churches.  I miss lighting each Advent candle in preparation to light the Christ candle on Christmas Eve.  I miss singing Christmas hymns of expectation and anticipation.  I miss hearing sermons on waiting and hope.  I miss being reminded of the craziness and absurdity of the Christmas story; God came to earth in the form of a baby to live with us and die for us.  We hear this message so often its absurdity is lost, the miracle is forgotten, and the immensity of God’s love and grace for the world is unnoticed.  Advent reminds us.

You may be thinking that I could participate in the aforementioned missing pieces of Advent by myself or with Brent.  You’re correct and to some extent we have.  However, there is something about celebrating Advent in community and as a community waiting with hope together for God to come near.  However, perhaps in the midst of these missing pieces I appreciate them in a more meaningful and rich way.  This is in no way to criticize the absence of Advent in Zambian culture.  There are reasons for why it is so, and the subject of another reflection.  However, this is my own reflection on how perhaps I do love Christmas for the “right” reasons, and I can be o.k. in Zambia during the Christmas season.  Advent Blessings!

Below are some fun pictures from the past week.  Enjoy!

Last Sunday, we visited our friend Esther in her home for lunch. This is me trying my hand at making nshima.

After lunch, we visited Edina and met several of her neices and nephews.

According to Zambian culture one always walks their guests home, or almost home. This is our entourage home after a fun afternoon.

The last couple of days we've had some crazy big storms here. The storm on Monday night uprooted a large tree which came about a foot from falling on the neighbor's house.

Thanksgiving and Justo Mwale Graduation

Brent, Erin, Jonathon, and Cynthia sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner

Erin was pretty excited about her pie crust

Erin is tickling Justin, while  Jonathon, Jerrod, and Jason watch

Eating dessert by candle light

Dessert was over and the power was out so these two decided to crash

Brent and I were in Lusaka for Thanksgiving and celebrated with some American friends; Nancy, a PCUSA mission co-worker we met at mission training last summer and the Moller family from Ohio with three boys.  We all helped in preparing the food and with the exception of substituting chicken for turkey I’d say we had a very traditional Thanksgiving meal.  Our menu consisted of stuffing, mashed potatoes, chicken, gravy, rolls, green salad, sweet potatoes, and corn.  As predicted the power went out at 6:30 p.m., so we rounded out our meal with pumpkin pie and whipped cream, and apple pie and ice cream by candle light.  We were grateful to have friends to celebrate and be thankful with.

Erin speaking at the graduation on behalf of TEEZ

Austine was excited to receive his certificate

Brent and two graduates

Several of the graduates right before the ceremony

While in Lusaka we attended our first Zambian graduation at Justo Mwale Theological College.  The students, who we spent three weeks teaching the TEEZ Tutor Course last month, received their Certificate in Christian Mission.  We were honored to be a part of their graduation ceremony and it was a joy to be able to congratulate them on their accomplishment.   Also while in Lusaka, Brent was successful in obtaining a Zambian drivers license!  This involved a whole day of running around to different counters at the Department of Transport and then to an entirely separate office to take a driving test (which entailed driving around 1 whole block).  We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We are thankful for all of you and your thoughts and prayers!!!

Our First Visitors

Don, Erin, and Fred in front of the UCZ Theological College

Don, Kangwa, Brent, Fred, and Richard at dinner in Kitwe, Zambia

The group at dinner at the TEEZ guest house

Dorothy, Erin, and Florence

Erin in our new bed

          We hosted our first visitors last Tuesday! Fred Anderson, head pastor at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church (MAPC), and Don Whalig, the new associate pastor at MAPC, stopped through Kitwe to visit Brent and me while en route to Harare, Zimbabwe. It was a privilege to share our life here with people from our world back in the U.S. Not only was it helpful to process our first few months in Zambia with Fred and Don, but it also felt good to show them “the small things” of life; where we shop for groceries, how we purify our water, the best places to eat, where to catch the minibus into town, things like that. It was also a treat to sit in our living room, on our royal blue couch and chairs, and talk and laugh and share stories. Friends are a good thing and a blessing!  Don and Fred helped us get a new bed and even helped move it into our house.   It was quite the adventure as we had to strap the bed onto the roof of the truck.   On the last night of their visit we had a nice dinner with some of the TEEZ staff and their families which was really fun and relaxed.

 Many of you have asked what a typical day looks like in Zambia. Although each day in Zambia is full of surprises, whether it is a flat tire, a power outage that makes many things impossible to do, or an unexpected visit from a friend there is some structure to our lives.  Below is  a post that describes our daily lives and many facts about Zambia.

Facts About Zambia

 

 

A typical roadside market in Zambia

UCZ Theological College, the statue is an outline of Zambia is the symbol of the United Church of Zambia

Celebrating with a cake on the last night with the group we taught in Lusaka

Here is everything you wanted to know about Zambia and a brief description about our daily lives.

Population: 11, 477,447 (2007 est.)

Capital of Zambia:  Lusaka, population ~ 2-3 million people

Population of Kitwe (were we live):  ~ 700,000, but I have also heard estimates anywhere from 500,000 to 1 million.  Kitwe is the 2^nd most populated 2^nd city in Zambia.

Climate: Mid Nov - Apr is the rainy season.  It is still hot and wet with scattered rain showers in the afternoon.  May-Aug dry and fairly cool.  September-November is dry and gets progressively hotter.  October is the hottest month in Zambia.

Time zone in Zambia: GMT + 2.  Zambia is 10 hours ahead of the west coast and 7 hours ahead of the east coast. 

Currency:  Kwacha

Exchange rate: 4700 Kwacha = 1 U.S. dollar (we usually round to 5,000 to make it easier).

Mini Bus: Big mini vans that are everywhere!!!  A minibus from our house to town (4 miles) = 2300 kwacha or 50 cents.

1 can of Coke:  ~ 5000 Kwacha = Just over 1 U.S. dollar

1 bottle of Coke: ~ 2500 or 3000 Kwacha= about 50 & 60 cents.  Bottles are cheaper because they are reusable while cans are more expensive because they are imported and “disposable.”

Diet Coke: Coke Light

French Fries: Chips

Fruits and Vegetables: Grown locally, cheap and seasonal.  For example:

-        Tomatoes are 1000 kwacha (20cents) for 4 tomatoes. 

-        Bananas are 750 kwacha (15 cents).

-        Apples are 1000 kwacha (20 cents).

-        Oranges are 1,500 kwacha (25 cents).

-        Watermelons are now in season and are 10,000 kwacha ($2).

-        Mangos are also in season.  We have a large tree behind our house which means they are free! 

Staple Food in Zambia:  Nshima.

Nshima is made out of milli meal (ground maize) and water.  Nshima is cheap and abundant and it looks like really thick mashed potatoes.  To eat, you ball it up in your hand and dip it in relish (cooked vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, rape, tomatoes, onions) and soup which is also made out of tomatoes onions and meat drippings.  Some people eat nshima 2 or 3 times a day and almost all Zambians eat it once a day.

Driving a car:  On left hand side of the road and using all of your defensive driving skills you learned in driver’s ed!

Stop Lights:  Robots

Weights and Measurements:  Metric system

Soccer:  Futbol a.k.a. life

Gasoline (Petrol):  ~ 5,800 kwacha per 1 liter ($1.20) which is about $4.80 per gallon.  

White person:  Muzungu
Language:   72 tribal languages are spoken throughout Zambia while most people also speak English.  We have learned some Bemba which is one of the most commonly spoken languages.

Religion:  Christianity, we have heard estimates that over 90% of the people claim to be Christian.

Flag of Zambia:  Bright green background with a panel on the lower right with three vertical bands of red, black, and orange, surmounted by an orange eagle in flight (see the picture in the header at the top of our blog).

Motto: ‘One Zambia, One Nation’

Life Expectancy at Birth:  38.4 years

A typical meal on the road:   When we are on the road teaching we eat many of our meals at the host church or in people’s homes.  This is a great experience for us, as we are exposed to traditional Zambian food, customs, and traditions.  A common meal consists of:

-        Nshima

-        Rice

-        Boiled vegetables

-        1 type of meat (mostly chicken, but also beef, fish, goat or pork)

-        Soup, made out of tomatoes, onions and meat drippings, usually poured over the rice and nshima. A typical meal at home in Kitwe:       We enjoy Zambian food but we get a little burnt out on Nshima after three straight weeks.  In Kitwe, we buy our produce from the market and everything else from Shoprite, a chain supermarket that has a good selection and offers many of the items we can get back home.  However, food is seasonal here and imported items are very expensive.  But, since we have a little more time to cook we make a lot of what we eat from scratch.  These are our top five homemade meals thus far: 

-        Homemade spaghetti sauce over stuffed feta and spinch cananlli

-        Homemade pizza dough and sauce

-        Apple pie (yes, it can be a meal)!

-        Homemade salsa, guacamole and tortilla chips

-        Stuffed peppers

We also enjoy many of the foods we eat back in the U.S.:

-        Vegetable chicken curry

-        Chicken, rice, and salad is always an easy option

-        Grilled cheese (a real treat here)!

-        Pasta

-        PB & J

Breakfast (similar to back home)

-        Tea, coffee, toast, eggs, yogurt and granola, bananas, oatmeal, and on occasion French toast

 

Food we miss or that is difficult to find:

-        Mexican Food:  They don’t have plain tortillas, tortilla chips, or salsa.  In Lusaka they have chipatas which are like tortillas but a little thicker.  We stocked up on several packages of these.  We sliced, salted, and baked them to make tortilla chips, we also make quesadillas.  

-        Ice Cream: it is here but often not available or the quality is not good. 

-        Diet Coke and Coke Zero are available but often hard to find.  For example today at Shop Rite neither were available.  Next week they will probably have it but you never know.  They always have regular Coke and orange Fanta.

 

A Typical Day in Kitwe: 

6:30 – Rise and shine and get that water boiling. 

6:45 – Time for some yoga (yes, even Brent!!!).  Once a week I walk and shop with my friend Cheryl.  After we drop her boys off at school we walk around the school track and then hit the market and Shoprite for our groceries.   

7:30 – Shower, some times hot, some times cold, some times no water at all J.   

8:00 – Breakfast 

8:30 – Head to work.  We have a long commute of approximately 30 – 60 seconds walking.  We are still learning about our role at TEEZ now that our travel has ended for the rainy season.  We will likely work on writing curriculum for future TEEZ courses, revise current TEEZ courses, visit the prison once a week where we will conduct TEEZ courses and other things as opportunities arise.  We love our colleagues at the TEEZ office and appreciate the conversations we get to have with them on a daily basis.   

1:00 – Lunch and boil more water. 

2:00 – Back to work 4:30 – Head home where we are frequently met by the neighborhood kids who want to play!  The evenings here are cool and this is also a good time for a walk, to visit friends or unwind with a book.  Brent and I have enjoyed cooking in Zambia and have taken advantage of the wonderful produce here.  Although our resources are a bit limited, we have time to make a lot of what isn’t here the old fashioned way; homemade.  We also head into town at least once a week.  We are about 10 minutes by car, or 30 or 45 minutes via minibus from town.   

6:00 – Dinner (of course this time often varies). On Wednesday we are having our colleague, Richard and his wife Dorothy, over for pizza and then to learn how to make apple pie.  In return, Dorothy is going to teach me how to make nshima, the staple food in Zambia.  We usually share a meal once a week with our dear friends, the Smiths.  Peter, Cheryl, Brendan (10) and Jason (6) are from the U.S. and live and work in Zambia. 

After dinner activities:  Games with the Smiths, reading, watching LOST, Friends and other movies, using the internet (highly unpredictable), journaling, other fun “projects,” and boiling water. 

10:00 – 11:00 – Head to bed.    

A Typical Day On the Road 

6:00 – Rise and Shine and time for yoga! 

7:00 – Shower and get ready for the day. 

7:30 – Breakfast 

8:00 – Depart to venue for TEEZ courses.  Brent, Richard and I rotate teaching, and Brent and I rotate leading the African Indigenous Counseling Course. 

10:00 – Tea break 

1:00 – Lunch 

2:00 – More teaching 

4:30 – Finish teaching (this time also varies greatly).  After we are done teaching for the day we are free to explore the town, relax at the guest house, head to the internet café or visit local sites.   

7:00 – Dinner usually at the guest house, or some times at someone’s home.   

After dinner activities:  See above minus games with the Smiths L and boiling water J.   

10:00 – Head to bed.

All Things Zambian…Even Malaria

            I’ve been writing this journal entry in my head for the past few days.  As I laid ill with malaria I thought about how to best articulate my experience with malaria; an everyday part of Zambian life. 
            One of my favorite phrases I’ve learned to say in Bemba is, “Einai shilly mazungu, Einai Erin.”  Translated, “I am not a mazungu, I am Erin.”  I often use this phrase to respond to a crowd of children running alongside of me yelling, “Muzungu!  Muzungu!”  As soon as I respond with my Bemba they stop yelling.  I hope by speaking this simple phrase in Bemba the children realize that I am not just a mazungu.  Yes, I am a white person, but I am living in their country, living amongst Zambians and trying earnestly to learn their culture, language and way of life. 
            A few weeks ago I bought a chitange.  The women in my office said that I would need this traditional wrap around ankle length skirt when traveling to the villages.  “In our culture it is a sign of respect” they said.  Accompanied by Mrs. Daka, a woman in the TEEZ office, I went to the fabric store picked out my favorite pattern and bought two meters, the standard amount of fabric.  I took the fabric back to the TEEZ office and the woman all gathered around me and showed me how to wrap and tie this piece of fabric around my waist.  The women yelled, laughed, and whistled when the chitanje was finally on my mazungu body properly.  They said, “You are a Zambian now.”  Over the course of our three week road trip I often wore my chitange and received a similar response, “You are Zambian now with your chitange.” 
            Brent and I have slowly been learning Bemba.  It has been a wonderful vehicle into the lives of Zambians and a way of showing our willingness to learn about their culture.  The simple phrase, “Muli shani?”  meaning, “How are you?” immediately opens up a new channel of communication and removes a few bricks in the wall that separate a mazungu from a Zambian.  The response to “Muli shani?” is usually “Bwino, muli shani?” meaning “I am well, how are you?”  Often the Zambian to whom we just conversed will smile and say, “Ahhh, you know Bemba!”  We smile and say, “Yes, we are learning, but we only know a little bit.”  Some times they will try and teach us a few phrases and say, “You are Zambian now.”
            On the Wednesday night we returned home from our first three week road trip I woke up in the middle of the night and felt as though someone had tied my stomach in a knot and was pulling on either end.  I soon found myself on the toilet, then back in our bed, then back on the toilet etc. etc.  This routine continued until about 11:30 a.m. and then subsided to a headache and fever.  I was miserable.  We went to the clinic where I was tested for malaria.  The test came back positive and I began treatment immediately.  By Thursday evening I was feeling much better.  It took several days to regain my strength and for my stomach to recover, but sure enough I survived my first bout with malaria.  As I lie on our royal blue couch with a fan about 6 inches from my face I thought of all of the millions of Zambians who experience malaria.  I asked one man how many times he had malaria.  He said, “Oh, more times than I can count, but only two times where I had to go to the hospital.”  Everyone who heard that I had malaria was sympathetic and said they would pray for me.  They knew exactly how I felt, they had been there who knows how many times before.
            I will never be Zambian.  I will always be a mazungu from the United States of America and represent all that comes with that i.e. money, resources, MTV, Obama, the American Dream etc.  However, slowly people are learning that behind this mazungu is a person who like them laughs, cries, seeks to find joy in life, wants to be known and wears chitanjes, speaks Bemba and gets malaria.

Lusaka!

The goup of 15 students studying to be evangelists

A TEEZ study group with Candles and flashlights during a power outage in Lusaka

Justo Mwale Theological College with one of our students

Oct. 24th, Independence Day in Zambia. Look closely and you will see the Zambian flag hanging above the parking lot. This was the 45th anniversary of independence from the British

Cars lined up for hours waiting for a gas truck to arrive

The gas truck just arrived. It is hard to tell from this picture but the line goes back around the corner for several blocks and people were waiting for hours

Relaxing and watching the sunset at Sandy Beach

The Beach at Lake Kariba

Sunset at Sandy Beach

                We just returned from a three week trip to Lusaka, Zambia.  We taught the TEEZ Tutors Course and African Indigenous Counseling Course to a group of 15 students who are working towards a Certificate in Church Mission. After an 18 month training program at Justo Mwale Theological College, each student will be assigned a church in his or her denomination where they will play a prominent leadership role in mission and evangelism. The group was made up of people from all over Zambia who came from four different denominations. We lived in close community with the students, which proved to be a highlight of our time. We stayed in small, but nice, dorm room with 2 single beds, two desks, and one closet. Our room was one of ten dorm rooms that shared a men’s and women’s bathroom, a lounge, a classroom and an outdoor courtyard. We ate all of our meals with the students; participated in nightly prayers; and spent a good portion of time in conversation that ranged from family, theology, politics, culture and chitenge fabric. We appreciated being welcomed and included into this community and felt fortunate to have an extended amount of time with this group of people.
             One funny story; one night after dinner, Erin and I were locked into our dorm room! A spring came loose in the door so when we turned the handle nothing happened. We attracted many students, each one thinking they knew the secret that would set us free. My handy leatherman did the trick and we were able to unscrew the door handle from inside and open the door. When we finally made it out of our room, we were greeted with cheers and applause. The irony is that this is not the first time we were locked in a dorm room. Last October we were locked in a dorm at Princeton Seminary with 15 people for about 45 minutes. Last years entrapment was much longer and more dramatic. I wonder which dorm room we will be locked into next October.
During our stay in Lusaka, we got to know a student from Austin Seminary who is studying for a year at Justo Mwale Theological College, as well a few other ex-patriots that live in the community. They invited us over for meals, gave us drinking water, and let us use there washing machine to do laundry. We’ve found that the meaning of the Body of Christ has taken on a new meaning here.
          Lusaka is the capital of Zambia. It has about 3-4 million people and is the largest and most modern city in Zambia. Lusaka boasts of high speed wireless internet, shopping malls, a movie theatre, a museum, a cultural and arts center, and grocery stores that are comparable with those one would find in the U.S. At times, one can forget they are in a developing country. However, it requires just one gaze beyond the shopping malls and internet cafes into the back alleys and compounds to be reminded of the poverty that remains a reality here. We were able to explore Lusaka a bit and learn about the many faces of poverty; it looks different here in the city than it does in the villages or towns and thus requires new conversation and learning.
         The last few weeks, there has been a gas shortage in Lusaka because of a breakdown at a major oil refinery. When a gas trucks arrives at a gas station hundreds of cars line up to get gas. Often times, the “line” has no order and cars are coming form every direction which then usually blocks traffic. It’s pretty crazy and chaotic, and all part of the experience!
         Last weekend Erin and I took a little holiday to Lake Kariba! Lake Kariba is about 3 hours south of Lusaka and borders Zimbabwe. We had a wonderful time relaxing on the beach, enjoying delicious food, and watching beautiful sunsets. We stayed at Sandy Beach Safari Lodge which is owned by Herman the German. It was a remote quiet location which served as a great place to rest. It was also nice to take a couple of days for just the two of us. This week Pastor Fred Anderson and the new associate pastor at MAPC will be visiting us in Kitwe. We are looking forward to their arrival!

Our First Roadtrip: Part I

The Director of TEEZ is on the far right, this was the goat that was given to us in Chillinda

Kapishya Hot Springs

 The grass hut we stayed in

Kapishya Hot Springs

Erin at President Kaunda’s house

Self pic above president Kaunda’s house

 

The church in Chillinda that we taught and preached in

Zebra and Wildebeasts at Shiwa Ng’andu

Erin watching how to grind millet

Erin inside our grass hut

It is now Oct. 12^th and we just returned from our first road trip.  Unfortunately, Erin had malaria last weekend.  As predicted by one of our American friends here in Zambia, Cheryl Smith, Erin got malaria after returning from our three week journey to the Northeastern Province of Zambia.  Carmen and Bob (the previous Global Ministry Fellows) returned with malaria after each of their first road trips.  We were hoping to break the trend, but we took Erin to the doctor thursday afternoon and she tested positive for malaria.  Fortunately we were home in Kitwe and caught it right away and put her on medication.  Thursday was a rough day for her.   Friday and saturday she weak but was able to rest.  On Sunday and Monday she regained her strength and was back on her feet. 

We left our home town of Kitwe on Tuesday September 15^th and traveled 600 km north to Mpika where we stayed for one week.  We then continued north and moved onto Chinsali for 3 days and then to Chillinda (the bush) for 3 additional days.  Still moving north, we reached Nakonde which is located on the border of Tanzania.  We stayed in Nakonde for 6 days.  If you look at a map you will see that we traveled all over the Northeastern province of Zambia. 

            In Mpika, Chinsali, and Nakonde we facilitated an African Indigenous Counseling Course.  The course was put together by Dr. Mwiti, a Kenyan woman who received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary, and Dr. Dueck, Professor of Clinical Psychology at Fuller.  The course is made up of ten lectures given by Dr. Mwiti via DVD.  Erin and I watched each lecture with the students and then helped facilitate a discussion at the conclusion of each chapter.  We felt a bit awkward as white persons “teaching” a course on African Indigenous Counseling.  Despite this however, we have been well received and the students are very thankful and willing to discuss how counseling fits into their context.   After the training each person receives their own DVD and book, which is huge.  Books and DVD’s are really expensive and hard to come by. 

On top of the Counseling course both Erin and I have been helping to teach the TEEZ Tutor Course and the Ecumenical Leadership Course (ie. tutors refresher course).  The TEEZ Tutor Course basically trains people in the church how to be leaders and to facilitate small group studies that will empower others in the church to take an active role.  Lay leaders here play a really vital role in the church.  Some pastors oversee 3 or 4 congregations and some oversee as many as 30!!!  So, we teach courses on the church and its ministries, group dynamics, ecumenism, the role of a tutor etc.  The refresher course teaches advanced courses for people who have already taken the TEEZ Tutor Course.  Erin and I also take turns preaching each week, so we stay fairly busy!

People travel a long way to attend the TEEZ courses.  When we were in the bush, some people biked up to 50km to get to Chilinda!  Wherever we go people come from all over and sleep on the floor of the church.  Each participant is also responsible for a 40,000 Kwacha ($8) registration fee.  This fee can be quite expensive for the people here.  For those who cannot afford the fee TEEZ offers scholarships.  It is quite humbling that so many people make incredible sacrifices to attend.

As I mentioned we spent 3 days in Chilinda, which is the bush my friends.  It is about 100 km drive on a dirt road from Chinsali (which is a small town).  There is no electricity or running water.  The people in Chilinda have been working on their church and manse for 23 years and are still not finished b/c of lack of funds.  They are incredibly humble people with servant’s hearts and have incredible faith and hope!  I included a picture of the church above where you can see the dirt floor.  The kids in the bush couldn’t get enough of us; they would follow us around wherever we went.  When we would stop, they would stop and just sit and look at us.  They LOVE pictures a.k.a snaps!    They constantly were posing for pictures and especially liked it I would show them the picture after I took it. 

The people in Chilinda were lovely and showed us incredible hospitality!  The food we ate was wonderful and very generous.  Most families here only eat chicken twice a month or so, and we ate it everyday (or some other kind of meat).  They went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and well taken care of!  On Saturday night they arranged for all of the choirs (women’s, men’s, Sunday school etc.) to come and sing and dance for us around a campfire.  We sat under the stars and moonlight and listened and watched!  It was surreal!    We slept in a hut make of bricks, clay and a grass thatched roof.  It was two rooms; one 4ft by 5 ft and the other 7 ft by 7 ft.  We had a mattress and two sheets (this is not standard!).  We were very comfortable and loved our little grass hut.  On Sunday morning the owner of the hut came over at 6 a.m. to make sure we had slept o.k. and then came back again at 7 to tell us it was time to wash.  They boiled a big basin of water for us to take a bath.  Behind a 7 ft. grass thatched wall we took a very warm bath; it was amazing (Zambia is like camping; everything is better.  The food tastes better, a bath feels better and sleep feels better too.)

            Village life is hard!  Everything they eat they grow and everything they use they make.  They buy very few things.  They might buy some soap, salt, sugar, cooking oil and clothes.  To buy these things they have to travel quite a distance.  They hand wash all of their clothes, fetch water from the river and hand grind the millet and maize.  The women showed Erin how to do this on Monday morning.  Kneeling on the ground she dumped about 3 tablespoons of the millet (tiny little grains) onto a smooth rock.  Using another rock she rubbed the millet into the rock using a back-n-forth motion.  It was hard work! 

We got to see a lot of the country side and some pretty cool historical aspects of Zambia.  For a few days the Bishop in the Northeastern Province of United Church of Zambia (UCZ) traveled with us.  The bishop has all sorts of connections, and in Chinsali he took us to the home of Kenneth Kaunda, the first President of Zambia.  Kaunda is still alive and spends most of his time in Lusaka. Chinsali, however is his hometown and therefore he has kept a home there and returns for holidays. Unfortunately, the care taker was gone so we could not go inside, but Kenneth Kaunda’s nephew (David Kaunda) gave us a full history lesson about the house and Lubwa Mission started by Kaunda’s father.  We also visited the first Vice President of Zambia’s house, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and were able to meet his wife and daughter.  He is a beloved politician in Zambia.  He was a freedom fighter during independence (Zambia became independent from Britain in 1964) and was very influential in bringing freedom of worship, speech and movement to Zambia.

The Bishop also took us to the Shiwa Ng’andu private estate.  This is a massive property owned by an Englishman Sir Stewart Brown back in the 1930’s.  He is one of the most honored Englishmen in Zambia.  The estate is now run by his grandsons.  On this estate is a huge 72 room mansion, a large lake, Kapishya Hot Springs and much more.  During our tour we were given permission to drive by the lake and view our first wild life in Africa.  We saw Zebra’s, Wildebeests, Impala, bushbuck, Kudu, and some wild birds.  We were blessed to go on this mini safari through Shiwa and we look forward to visiting more game parks.  

Last Saturday in Nakonde I experienced my first bout with illness as I was vomiting and felt absolutely miserable that night.  I was supposed to preach the next morning and I really wanted to but I had no energy and was forced by Erin to rest.  I took it easy that day and was back on feet on Monday.  This concludes part I of our travels on the road.  Scroll down to see Part II, it has more pictures and details about the culture of Zambia.