I woke up so full of energy this am. We had our usual oatmeal but today it did not agree with me. I feel nauseous. Coke Zero does not help so I try my ginger chews and peppermint WOW drops. Some relief. I still have the itchiest rash I have ever had and now it has spread up to my armpits. We did some projects for the school this morning.
Lunch in nshima and cabbage sauteed the way I cook it. The nshima has no flavor wo I add a peach chutney that was great ! I layed on the outside back sofa, listened to music and fell asleep. Everyone feels wiped out today. We have tried to see the Royal Wedding without any luck. We did see Kate's gown though. Very pretty.
It is so hot today. The sweat keeps rolling off my face. Yuk !
I see dark clouds over the gorge and decide to take a shower before the thunder and lightening strike. It is getting very windy and gusty. After my shower, I go back to my tent, get inside and a gust of wind picks up the side of my tent, tilts the beds and moves the floor so their is a 6 inch ripple in the middle of the floor. OK God, you just rocked my world!! What are you trying to tell me? I just stood there looking at the tent floor. A thunderstorm rolled in so hopefully it will cool off. Mariel said it is unusually hot for this time of year. I had my laundry done and now it is getting even wetter with the rain.
I grabbed my skirt and clean undies just in time. We are going to Songwe at 4:30 for "Youth on Fire" led by Paul. He is so excited that we are coming. He is twenty and wants to be a pastor. He is great with the kids !! For some reason we nicknamed him "Hollywoood". He helped me with the clothes and went to Sitchalobe with us too. It was good to hear from Fran and Sue today. So, Benita, Julie and I went to Youth on Fire. Kate and Lori stayed at base. I ran back to our tent to get our flashlights as it will be dark before we return. OH no.....water on the floor of our tent from the rain.
It was a another amazing meeting of little children and teens singing again. At first I told Paul that I could not speak but after Julie and Benita spoke, i felt a sudden urge that I had to speak too, So, I did ! I told them how in January, I heard about the mission trip to Zambia and not being afraid to go etc. etc. Then I told them that I was not sure of what good I had been to them but that I was blessed by their beautiful voices and singing and had received far more than I had given.
JD picked us up and we slip slided our way back to base in the mud. It was like ice and we did spin out once. My sandels had about an inch of mud on the bottom and it was like glue. It is not a good night. All my clothes and towels were outside so they were all wet. I had no shorts to wear and no towel for a shower. I had mud all over my legs and feet. Water in the tent. Itchy rash. I just want to go home.
I got 2 towels from the kitchen..1 for me, 1 for the tent floor. Once I took a shower I felt much better. I used up all the memory in my camera recording the kids singing so not more pictures for me. But it was worth capturing their singing to ake home. Lori and Benita are taking some so I will get theirs. Benita and my rash are spreading and getting itchier if that is possible. Now the others are getting it too. Mariel thinks it might be from stinging nettles.
It is 8:30 PM and Benita and I are just hanging in our tent.. The rain has stopped and it is cooler, finally. I will listen to my IPOD and get sleepy. I am having animal crackers and thinking about Owen and Eva, and Shirley Temple. Tomorrow we are going to Victoria Falls and then a safari drive.
Saturday
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Breakfast was nsima porridge and fruit. Nsima is a maize staple of the Zambian diet. It tastes like cream of rice. The Zambians eat it in varied forms and for diner have it with kapunta....tiny dried fish.
We broke camp and headed back to base. We were all so anxious to be able to take showers and then a nap. So, after unloading the cars, I go to my tent for my shower supplies only to get to the showers and find out NO WATER ! NO hot water, No cold water, NO WATER PERIOD !!!! We wait and wait and keep checking, but no water. We all feel very yucky. No shower since Monday PM and it is now Thursday afternoon. Cottenelle wipes do not do the job. I slept for a few hours hearing the workers pass our tent. Still no water.
Today I feel bumbed out but I do not know why. I read my emails and only saw the pictures of Gary's finger but no explanation. It looks awful. Sue wrote that Jason got the classes at the Art Institute. Fran sent an attachment from Joe Fobert but I could not open it. I just feel like crying. They told us these feelings we normal after spending time in the bush. Withdrawl I guess.
Tomorrow we will do more preschool work for Bev. Benita and I talked and we want to go to another village and see more Zambian people. We will see what happens. We are all antsy this afternoon.
I have an ugly red, raised very itchy rash on my arms from picking the corn and brushing through the stalks.
Julie is upset because Phillip is not writing much either. Benita misses her girls. Lori is just bummed. Strange day.
We broke camp and headed back to base. We were all so anxious to be able to take showers and then a nap. So, after unloading the cars, I go to my tent for my shower supplies only to get to the showers and find out NO WATER ! NO hot water, No cold water, NO WATER PERIOD !!!! We wait and wait and keep checking, but no water. We all feel very yucky. No shower since Monday PM and it is now Thursday afternoon. Cottenelle wipes do not do the job. I slept for a few hours hearing the workers pass our tent. Still no water.
Today I feel bumbed out but I do not know why. I read my emails and only saw the pictures of Gary's finger but no explanation. It looks awful. Sue wrote that Jason got the classes at the Art Institute. Fran sent an attachment from Joe Fobert but I could not open it. I just feel like crying. They told us these feelings we normal after spending time in the bush. Withdrawl I guess.
Tomorrow we will do more preschool work for Bev. Benita and I talked and we want to go to another village and see more Zambian people. We will see what happens. We are all antsy this afternoon.
I have an ugly red, raised very itchy rash on my arms from picking the corn and brushing through the stalks.
Julie is upset because Phillip is not writing much either. Benita misses her girls. Lori is just bummed. Strange day.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
I had forgotten my meds when I packed so I did not sleep well and I feel grouchy this morning. I have my Coke Zero for breakfast. I need caffeine. After breakfast of Oatmeal with peanut butter and apples, we walk to a widow's home to help harvest her dried corn. Phenise is forty years old and her husband died March 23, 2011. We finished in about an hour and she was overwhelmed. To thank us, she gave us a huge, green squash that she called a pumpkin. Again, the children were there and helped us as well as two other women. One came over to me and when I introduced myself, she said her daughter's name was Jan too. I prayed with her.
We sat with Phenise and the women and children for awhile and really learned a lot. They walk about three miles, six times a day to get water because their well pump is broken. I took more pictures and found a little guy that captured my heart. He is less than two years old and just adoreable. Hard to tell they are malnourished with their pudgy faces and big cheeks.
I feel so itchy and dirty. The kids kept coming to me and saying "Photo me, Jan". So I would take their picture and then show them. We heard a bell and then came the goats. There were three herds, each with a little boy chasing them.
Back to our campsite. It is 11 am and we are ready for naps. All our meals are cooked over an open wood fire since the propane stove we brought was broken. Everyone feels like we are gaining weight daily as we eat a ton of carbs. The flies are awful today even with the breeze.
I forgot that last night withg Pastor Joseph interpretting. he said "caput" which means death in Tonga. We all laughed and told him we have used that term not knowing what it really meant.
At 3 PM we had a worship service with about 20 kids and adults. Lots of singing which we have all learned to love. Kate, Benita and I gave our testimonies. Mine was about when Gary got burned.
At 7 PM we started again with about 80 people. Singing, worship and blessing people. Prayers again for a lot of headaches, bad dreams and stomach pains. SO many comp;lain of seeing bad things at night. I was empowered and prayed for healings. WOW !
We all crashed at 10 PM.
We sat with Phenise and the women and children for awhile and really learned a lot. They walk about three miles, six times a day to get water because their well pump is broken. I took more pictures and found a little guy that captured my heart. He is less than two years old and just adoreable. Hard to tell they are malnourished with their pudgy faces and big cheeks.
I feel so itchy and dirty. The kids kept coming to me and saying "Photo me, Jan". So I would take their picture and then show them. We heard a bell and then came the goats. There were three herds, each with a little boy chasing them.
Back to our campsite. It is 11 am and we are ready for naps. All our meals are cooked over an open wood fire since the propane stove we brought was broken. Everyone feels like we are gaining weight daily as we eat a ton of carbs. The flies are awful today even with the breeze.
I forgot that last night withg Pastor Joseph interpretting. he said "caput" which means death in Tonga. We all laughed and told him we have used that term not knowing what it really meant.
At 3 PM we had a worship service with about 20 kids and adults. Lots of singing which we have all learned to love. Kate, Benita and I gave our testimonies. Mine was about when Gary got burned.
At 7 PM we started again with about 80 people. Singing, worship and blessing people. Prayers again for a lot of headaches, bad dreams and stomach pains. SO many comp;lain of seeing bad things at night. I was empowered and prayed for healings. WOW !
We all crashed at 10 PM.
Tuesday April 26, 2011
After packing the the cars, we drove the bumpy, deeply rutted roads to the Village of Sitchalobe, in the African bush country. Bev's car kept stalling and we got stuck in ruts but we arrived safely. We were greeted by a group of children lying on the hot sand/dirt, with big smiles and sparkling eyes. Our campsite is adjacent to the village and next to the one room mud hut school. Our "bathroom" is a hole in the ground inside of a thatched hut. We used a chitange for the door. Aiming was difficult as the hole was not more that 8 inches square. The sand is reddish orange and very hot. It actually softened my toenail polish and sand then got imbedded in it. Flies are everywhere and the little ones get into our eyes. Very annoying! PB and J sandwiches for lunch and apples for dessert. I feel like a Queen. I have a tent to myself with a mattress.
Pastor Joseph and Paul are with us to act as interpretors and for our safety. Time to rest now as we have a 6 PM conference with the villagers. I miss talking to Fran more than anything. My back and leg are great !! I pray as much as I can for total healing. Dinner was rice and boiled chicken with potatoes and gravy. It is amazing how fast it gets dark here. By 6:15 it is pitch black. but the stars are amazing.
There was a funeral today so the women did not attend as planned but about 55 children came ! So, TIA and we changed gears as we have done so often on our trip.
The kids have beautiful voices and they love to sing. Their smiles are huge and their eyes are so big. It was lightening in the distance and when the rain came, we all moved into the school house. Benita told the story of Moses and Lori told them the story of David and Goliath. They are so attentive. We then prayed and asked iof anyone wanted us to pray especially for them. Some said yes, while others just smiled. There were two girls sitting next to me who kept giggling when they looked at me. The one closest to me touched my arm and then we were holding hands. I asked her what her name was and she replied "Mabel". I told her my middle name was Mae, named after my Aunt Maebel". She looked at me and said "Jan Mabel"? I said yes and we both laughed. I asked her if I could pray for her and she said yes. I place my hands on the heads of both the girls and I prayed for them. Then another girl came to me with her hand on her stomach. I asked her if it hurt and she nodded yes so I prayed her healing. Mariel brought another girl to me who said her head hurt. I layed hands on her aw well. Then Mabel brought her sister over to me for prayer. I told them we would be her again tomorrow to meet with the Moms. She said she had school but would come after school. This was all done in the dark with only one flashlight on. After the kids left, I started crying. I was so moved by what had just happened. Me, praying and laying on hands like I did ! That was a milestone for me. It was amazing how almost all had the same prayer request - headaches, nightmares, and stomach aches.
It was bedtime and we were exhausted. I put on my IPOD and fell asleep. At 4 AM the roosters decided it was daylight and started crowing. Every rooster in the area joined in! GO BACK TO SLEEP ROOSTERS ! No such luck, but I did rest to my music.
Pastor Joseph and Paul are with us to act as interpretors and for our safety. Time to rest now as we have a 6 PM conference with the villagers. I miss talking to Fran more than anything. My back and leg are great !! I pray as much as I can for total healing. Dinner was rice and boiled chicken with potatoes and gravy. It is amazing how fast it gets dark here. By 6:15 it is pitch black. but the stars are amazing.
There was a funeral today so the women did not attend as planned but about 55 children came ! So, TIA and we changed gears as we have done so often on our trip.
The kids have beautiful voices and they love to sing. Their smiles are huge and their eyes are so big. It was lightening in the distance and when the rain came, we all moved into the school house. Benita told the story of Moses and Lori told them the story of David and Goliath. They are so attentive. We then prayed and asked iof anyone wanted us to pray especially for them. Some said yes, while others just smiled. There were two girls sitting next to me who kept giggling when they looked at me. The one closest to me touched my arm and then we were holding hands. I asked her what her name was and she replied "Mabel". I told her my middle name was Mae, named after my Aunt Maebel". She looked at me and said "Jan Mabel"? I said yes and we both laughed. I asked her if I could pray for her and she said yes. I place my hands on the heads of both the girls and I prayed for them. Then another girl came to me with her hand on her stomach. I asked her if it hurt and she nodded yes so I prayed her healing. Mariel brought another girl to me who said her head hurt. I layed hands on her aw well. Then Mabel brought her sister over to me for prayer. I told them we would be her again tomorrow to meet with the Moms. She said she had school but would come after school. This was all done in the dark with only one flashlight on. After the kids left, I started crying. I was so moved by what had just happened. Me, praying and laying on hands like I did ! That was a milestone for me. It was amazing how almost all had the same prayer request - headaches, nightmares, and stomach aches.
It was bedtime and we were exhausted. I put on my IPOD and fell asleep. At 4 AM the roosters decided it was daylight and started crowing. Every rooster in the area joined in! GO BACK TO SLEEP ROOSTERS ! No such luck, but I did rest to my music.
Monday April 25, 2011
After breakfast we went to Makuni Village to distribute vitamins to about fifty people. The interpretor had introduced us all by name when we arrived but it still blew me away when each person who came up to me said, "Hi, Jan". They were all very appreciative for the vitamins and the friendship we showed. The one thing they asked for was the empty cardboard box that the vitamins came in.
We then drove to the second village but there had been some confusion about the time so noone was there. Instead, we went to see a seventh grade class. The teacher allowed us to participate in asking the children questions and if their answer was correct, Mariel threw them a piece of bubble gum. After class was over, I taught them how to blow bubbles with their gum They all thought that was funny, I sat next to a little boy who near the end of the game had not gotten gum so I coached him with the correct answer.
It is funny that when we speak Tonga and mispronounce the words, they laugh at us so we all start laughing.
We left the school and after a very bumpy ride, we arrived in Livingstone to have a local "fast food" lunch. Mine was a chicken and mushroom pie. It was like a pot pie in puff pastry and delicious. Then we each got and ice cream cone for $.50 US. It was not like Rita's or Ben and Jerry's but it was cold and refreshing. It has been very hot and dusty. I took my shower before dinner so it was cold, but felt good. Dinner was leftover Mac and cheese, salad and a casserole with the Easter pork and rice with vegetables.
We are going out to the bush tomorrow and they have planned to put a mattress on top of the car for me so I would not have to sleep on the ground. Their concern for my back is overwhelming. These are GREAT people. I hope we see some animals. We saw baboons today but so far that is all for the wildlife. This is the only disappointing thing so far. "No problem" "TIA"
This is Africa.
We then drove to the second village but there had been some confusion about the time so noone was there. Instead, we went to see a seventh grade class. The teacher allowed us to participate in asking the children questions and if their answer was correct, Mariel threw them a piece of bubble gum. After class was over, I taught them how to blow bubbles with their gum They all thought that was funny, I sat next to a little boy who near the end of the game had not gotten gum so I coached him with the correct answer.
It is funny that when we speak Tonga and mispronounce the words, they laugh at us so we all start laughing.
We left the school and after a very bumpy ride, we arrived in Livingstone to have a local "fast food" lunch. Mine was a chicken and mushroom pie. It was like a pot pie in puff pastry and delicious. Then we each got and ice cream cone for $.50 US. It was not like Rita's or Ben and Jerry's but it was cold and refreshing. It has been very hot and dusty. I took my shower before dinner so it was cold, but felt good. Dinner was leftover Mac and cheese, salad and a casserole with the Easter pork and rice with vegetables.
We are going out to the bush tomorrow and they have planned to put a mattress on top of the car for me so I would not have to sleep on the ground. Their concern for my back is overwhelming. These are GREAT people. I hope we see some animals. We saw baboons today but so far that is all for the wildlife. This is the only disappointing thing so far. "No problem" "TIA"
This is Africa.
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