Update

Well, I really have way more to write than I have the time for, and tomorrow Catherine leaves for Malawi and takes her computer with her :( So I'll try to hit an internet cafe for an update while she is gone.

Tuesday we made our first trek into town by ourselves. It's about a thrity minute walk, and we made it with little problem. We got our groceries and loaded up but the taxi driver was not answering his phone...so we walked back with all our food... Tuesday afternoon we were supposed to go to choir practice at church for a special service on Wednesday. It started at 3. Well we're in Africa so naturally we didn't go on time, we got there maybe 15 mintues late. No one was there, so we waited...for about 30 minutes and then gave up. We met one of the choir members on the way back and she said oh yeah, it started at three. We said, there is no one there, and she just looked at us like, well it's only almost four now..We gave up and went home.

Wednesday we had a very lonnnnng day. Some church members from the states and England were here and they gave a seminar for surrounding congregations. We got to the church around 8 a.m. and left after 8 p.m The seminar ended around 5:30 and then we had a closing service at 6. It was really nice, just veryyyy long. We got back to a house with no power and lit some candles to get something to eat quickly and then fell into bed.

Yesterday we woke up to a house still with no power, so we made our breakfast over a charcoal fire. I sat outside and journaled for a bit and we both did some laundry. Then in the afternoon we were supposed to go to the women's group bible study. Again, we left a little late and again we arrived at the church with no one there...we sat and waited...and gave up. Africa is frustrating....

Today we went into town again to make some copies for our survey attempt tomorrow and got some more groceries. Our phone stopped working again...oh joy..so we tried to find the store to fix it but had no luck. Muzo (Catherine's son) took us to these rocks nearby, big huge boulders that we climbed and hung out at for a while. We had a really great view of the city and it was nice to do something different.

We'll have our first youth activity on Sunday..we'll see how that goes...and then we found out today about this trade fair going on in Ndola next week. All of Zambia has four days off school while this fair is going on. The way they described it to us, it sounds like a renaissance fair, so we're going to try and go to that! Otherwise it's the same schedule, we should be having our first bible study session on Wednesday, but I'm not holding my breath that people will be there when we get there...

Pictures

The top picture is our bedroom, then the kitchen, the outside of Catherine's house, the gate to the yard and the last one is nshima.

Dreams

We have to take Malaria medication while here, and it is causing some of the most ridiculous dreams of my life. I've taken Malaria for other countries before, but I have never had this intense of an experience with the dreams side effect. The most random dreams ever! Sometimes I can trace parts of dreams back to something that acutally happened that day or a few days ago, but most of the time they consists of random people and random events. I've been trying to write them down, but there are so many it gets tiring.

We had a pretty busy weekend! On Saturday we spent the whole day at the Kasompe congregation for a youth activity. The youth of both the local congregations came together and the pastor gave a seminar on "How to find your partner." It was a bit challenging for us to contribute anything because there are so many cultural differences in the way they date and the way our culture dates and we didn't want to be offensive to them. It was quite long though...Pastor Jenny went through 12 conditions you should have for your partner and then took questions. Then about 2 we took a break for lunch. Catherine had packed us a lunch but then I guess they had prepared something for us and we were supposed to eat with Jenny as the "guests" but there was a lot of confusion and we didn't really understand what we were supposeed to be doing. Eventually we went back and ate with her and then at about 3 we started the seminar again for more questions. They sing a lot. Lots and lots of choruses they call them. They probably sang at least 15 throughout the day. At about 5 we started to head home. Catherine's family owns a taxi so we call him when we need to go places. He picked us up and we came home and started dinner.

Lots of pasta, we haven't had Nshima that much really, but lots of pasta and vegetables. Catherine makes really really good scones, and she's made those for us a couple times so far.

Then Sunday we went to church, their system is a bit different then ours. An opening prayer, a few choruses usually-the song "There's No One, There's No one Like Jesus" is from here..I think that's what they said. But the other language that it's in in the Sing a New Song hymnal is their language, so I acutally knew that song when they started singing it yesterday! :)
They do Sunday School in the middle of the service (not a bad idea to get people to go to Sunday school...) During Sunday school we went out and worked with the kids..really we just watched..and then played games with them. We went back into the service for announcements and then the sermon.

Yesterday we also had our first training session with community people for the surveys. It went pretty well I think..we had to have a translator but I think they got everything we were saying. We scheduled our first day to go out into the commnity for this Saturday, so we'll see what results we get.

Today we just have an easy day to relax! Maybe try to do a bit more laundry....

Getting Settled

We've been at Catherine's house for a week now, which seems kind of crazy, but we still have a long way to go!

On Tuesday we hung out most of the day, Catherine had to go pick up some church people from the airport and take them to the border so they could have their own adventures getting into the Congo. So she was gone most of the day and we hung out with the family here and just did random things. Then on Wednesday we did laundry. A simple process you would think, but we were new to it and they found the way we did it, VERY funny and Catherine kept saying, no no, that's not how you do it and she would laugh. Sigh. We took turns and by the end it had taken us both about two hours to wash, rinse, and hang up, but we're learning...

In the afternoon we went to Margaret's house-she is very active in the church and will be heading the orphan program down here. The two pastors of the local congregations were also there and we discussed what we can do to help them and then what the next steps in the orphan program process will be.

We ended up with quite a few things on our plate.
Sundays we will be helping out with Sunday school for the kids and then of course the service. Then in the afternoons we will be putting together a youth activity for one of the congregations.
Mondays and Tuesdays will be our planning days as well as the days we work on the survey materials. Wednesday we will hold a bible study, Thursdays we go to a women's group, which we experienced for the first time yesterday and it was similar to a bible study. Friday's are for planning as well. Then Saturdays, we will be going to a youth activity from 10-3 every saturday. This weeks topic is preparation for dating and marraige..so that should be interesting..

We've been runnning into many cultural differences that are causing a bit of stress..but it's all in the experience I suppose. And we're slowly figuring things out, though there are many things I don't think we'll ever understand :)

Yesterday we went to the immigration office to get Ashley's visa extended, they only gave her two weeks (me they gave four weeks..no idea why..) and told us to just get it extended when the time runs out. So we walked to immigration and sat there forever until someone showed up (most of the time we have no idea what's going on....) but then they said, nope come back tomorrow because her visa doesn't really expire until Sunday, but they will be closed, so they want you to come on the day closest to the date on the passport. So we went back today and got everything taken care of.

We did go to the women's group in the afternoon and it was lot of singing (songs we don't know) and then it was similar to a bible study and then they had announcements and things got kind of heated. All in a different language, so we just sat there, again, having no idea what was really going on..but as I said..that's typical. We watched Meet the Fockers with the family last night, and then our soap opera. Scandal! has become our favorite...it's quite horrible.

Today, like I said we got the immigration stuff taken care of, and we don't have much else on the agenda for the rest of the day.

Adventures in the Congo

Well. Last wednesday we ventured into the Congo for a few hours to cross over back into Zambia, it saves some time to cut through the Congo, and it's less money for gas. However the Congolese were not so keen on these white people with no transit visas coming into their country. The way it works is, we get to the Zambian border, all get out, go in and they write down our passport numbers like four times or something ridiculous, then Catherine has to negotiate and convince them to let us through (sometimes the occasional bribe is required...) so we stand there and get stared at for a while (it's a whole new world being gawked at all the time...it's more stressful than you'd think..) so we made it through Zambia. When we had gone to get this magic letter from immigration we were told a man would escort us through the Conogo border so we didn't have any problems. Well. The letter did nothing for us. The man didn't even show it because he knew it wouldn't work. So we walked across the zambian border to the congo border and we stood there and stood there while all the locals just passed through. They did not like us white people just passing through. So the man from Zambia tried to reason and eventually it got through to them that hey-these white people, if they see how bad the road is, they'll fix it! So they let us through. So we took the 2 1/2 hour journey across (the road is only about 40 miles, and it took us that long..that's how bad it is. I gave up trying to read because my book kept getting thrown out of my hand from all the bumps and stops etc.) So after what felt like a year, we made it across and then we have to go through the Congo border again. They didn't want to let us through without visas. So they called their friends back at the other border and they said, oh no! Don't give them trouble, they're going to fix the roads! So then with a little bribe, the guy said ok. But then his boss came in, and said the same thing, so they called the other border again, and they told them the same thing, and he finally said ok. So we walked over to the Zambian border and waited while Catherine worked her magic, and then finally got into the car and drove the last hour and a half to Mansa. The end. It was an exhausting day.

However. Not as exhausting as the women who met us there had. They got up at four a.m. walked 17 km, then took a canoe across a river, got on bikes and road many km and then took a several hour bus. So..I do think we had it a little better than them.

We did decide to come home the long way though..12 hours vs. 8, but much much less hassel and no bribing and waiting at borders.

We got back from Mansa on Friday night and Ashley and I spent our first night at Catherine's house. Things are going quite well so far. We watched Spiderman 2 last night, and they love to show wrestling here..so we've watched some of that too...

Today we drove to Kitwe to take Jac and Sherri to the bus station, so Ashley and I are on our own from here on out. Then we went to visit Catherine's daughter at her boarding school and then we stopped for lunch in Kitwe. We went to this place, After Ten, where we have now eaten at three times in the past week. But I'll take all the falafel I can get :)

Then we went on our first grocery shopping adventure and stocked up for the next couple of weeks and then headed back to Catherine's. Kitwe is about 45 mintues from Chingola. Oh! and at the grocery store, I found veggie burgers! I was amazed-they had burger and hotdogs and ground "meat" all vegan in fact, not just vegetarian. So, we'll see how these Zambian veggie burgers taste... We'll have another low key day tomorrow, and then starting Wednesday we'll be working with the local pastors to get something going in their churchs, as well as starting our survey work.

I've been trying so hard to put pictures up, and I'm still having no luck, the internet comes and goes here so it's hard to get something uploaded before the connections goes. So. Still working on that...maybe someday...

We've also made good friends with Catherine's niece, Maureen, she is wonderful!
She is four years old and has become an awesome play mate :)

Ok. That's all for now. It's about dinner time!

Quick

So much to say, so little time, and I've been on the internet for waaay more than my share talking to parents, but I just wanted to put a quick update, and I'll go into more detail hopefully tomorrow (with pictures..cross your fingers...) but we're in Chingola! At Catherine's, they have so generously given us our own room, with our own beds! It's very nice, we're having a great time with Catherine, our host, she is wonderful! We've visited many congregations here, went to church this morning...which was an experience, and tomorrow..well we're not really sure where we go from here. We start our work on this orhpans program, and we're not sure how we're really going to start that off. Mostly by talking to communites and going into homes to get statistical data about them. So...more tomorrow hopefully!

a little more

ok in response to comments
dad-yes i can use word and just copy and paste but at internet cafes they charge you as soon as you sit down, but once i get to catherines for good (friday) then i can do that and it will save lots of problems :)
katy-nshima is the traditional staple here in zambia, it is cornmeal and water cooked and cooked and cooked and it turns into almost a really really thick cream of wheat. they serve it to you in patties and then you pull a chunck off and roll it into a ball and the press down to make it into a spoon like contraption and then use it to eat the other food.

again, i'll post pictures when i can, but it has not been easy..hopefully at catherine's house i'll be able to!

so...i don't really remember where I was.
oh. we ate lunch and then headed of to chingola. We got in and settled at the hotel and then grabbed a lite dinner since we ate lunch at about 3:30. Then (it was only like 7 o'clock) we went to our rooms and tried to find things to do until we were tired. Journaling is taking over my life..it never ends sigh.

Backing up a little...when we first got here (zambia) we realized after we were at our hotel that we were only stamped in for two weeks (ashley) and 30 days (rachael) which was a problem since we are here until august... so we had to go back to the airport and after some problems we discovered that we have to get our stay extended in chingola..so we were ok, but then we also realized that our visas are only double entry, not multiple. So if we left the country to travel through the congo, and then came back in we would have used our two. And we would have to buy another visa to go back the same way two days later, and at that time we thought we were going to have to pay for congolese visas as well, so it would get quite expensive. BUT. we didn't have to pay for visas for the congo because of the letter we got the immigration office to write for us saying we are just passing through, so now we'll just have to buy new zambia visas....oh well...

alright..we're off to the congo! more when I can :)

Chingola!

We made it to Chingola! For one night...now today we're off through the D.R. Congo (should be interesting...) to go to Mansa still in Zambia, it's just much faster to drive through the congo, so that's what we'll be doing!


Grandpa and Grandma! I meant Samuel! Unfortunately, I didn't realize it was him until after! I was looking at the stuff you gave me grandpa the night after i spent all day with him and I realized it was him! He moved to the Ndola area, and I was expecting to see him in Mansa, but I met him, he's wonderful! I left the pictures with Catherine (our host) and she said she would get them to him, but I was so sad when I realized I didn't even know who I was with :(

Yesterday we spent the day in Luanshya with another Community of Christ group and then we headed out of town and got lunch in Kitwe, the first restaurant I've seen to offer a vegetarian burger. I however had the falafel, it was delicious...ok i'm worrie about the internet i'm going to try and publish this and then write some more.

Zambia

iWell I just typed a very long post and then the internet quit..so I'll recap and write more details later. made it to zambia, Catherine our host while in chingoloa met us at the airport and took us to our hotel. We had to change rooms about three times until we settled and then we went out looking for water but ended up back at the airport because we discovered the airport had stamped ashley and i in incorrectly. So after lots of hassel we discovered there was nothing we could do and we had to get it extended once in chingola. So we went back and got water and then hung out at the hotel until dinner, we met the Matthews for Indian, which was wonderful. TOday we went to exchanged money and went on a quest for visas so we can get across the D.R. congo's border on wednesday (more on that later..) we were basically successful and then we went to a community of christ congregation in town where they welcomed us and then prepared lunch for us. we had our first nshima experience! so far so good :) our cell phone does not work...so we will have to get one in chingoloa (mom that was mostly for you..this internet is bad and i don't want to waste time typing an email...i'll let you know when we have a number you can call but it looks like it will be friday at least unfortunately..) so now we have an easy evening and off to chingola briefly tomorrow.. hope this posts...

"Tresspassers will be shot...survivors will be shot again.."

The billboards and signs have got to be one of the most hilarious things about this country. We saw that sign on the way to the bus station on Wednesday along with many many others..I've started a list...

The trip has been going so well! We spent the last two days in Botswana meeting with NGO's to learn about their programs and to get ideas for the program we are going to be starting in Zambia in the coming weeks. There are really no words to describe the people we've met and the things they have achomplished. They have bulit the most amazing programs by themselves from the ground, we saw programs for all ages. One was run by a minister and his wife for preschool aged kids. The couple gave us a tour of the place and as soon as we went over to see the kids playing on the playground they ran over as fast as they could and almost tackled us to the ground. They wanted to be picked up and given high fives, so much love immediately, it was really something. And as soon as I got my camera out they all started screaming "Cheeeeese!!!" and putting their hands up, they were so much fun. The program we visited last night was started by an American and she is working with teenage kids. We were lucky enough to be there on the last day their Peace Corps volunteer was going to be there so we got to be part of her going away party and interact with the kids. The generosity we have been shown by everyone everywhere is really something, I've never seen anything like it.

We've also met quite a few Americans working at these programs, we've had dinner the past two nights with Americans we've met during the day, all just a matter of chance-it seems to happen a lot down here! We also got to site see a bit but it was a pretty short visit.

Tomorrow we fly to Zambia, and we'll be traveling around the country for about a week before finishing up in Chingolo. I"ll try to post pictures sometime this next week, South Africa has such low bandwith that you get charged by your MB usage not by time, so uploading pictures is not even a remote possibility!

We're Here!

We got here last night at about 7 pm, and met Jac and Sherri Kirpatrick at the airport. We were picked up by our hotel hosts and arrived at a wonderful hotel! It's so beautiful here, but quite cold! Not a lot of time to write at the moment, but everything is going well, we're off to Botswana today by bus and then we have meetings with NGO's for the next few days. We got a decent amount of sleep last night but both Ashley and I were up for several hours during the night wide awake. But the plane ride was fine, we had a delayed take off due to mechanical problems...just what you want to hear before a 15 hour flight, but it was the first non stop flight for Delta to Johannesburg, and we were on a brand new plane, which was kind of cool. They did a ribbon cutting ceremony and everything...which was amusing..anyway. Everything is great so far..more later! :)