Muzuhile cwani!

That means good morning in Silozi. We just had a language lesson from a young man at the OVC that we have coming over twice a week to teach us how to be Lozis. Alicia made him nshima tonight which is like grits in our country. It is corn meal that you boil and thicken up and the main staple food here. Since it was Elias’ favorite food we were taking a big chance and he did give us some pointers on how to improve it!

As I write the family is in bed and it is dripping rain outside as it has been on and off all day. The clouds and rain are so welcome here as it has been a drought year and the crops are failing in the region. Food shortages are predicted later in the year and it is expected that government assistance will be needed if there is to be anything to eat later on. It is a different feeling to stand outside in the rain and feel life coming from the sky for the people. We pray that it will continue- we have now had a little rain for a few days and the clouds and lower temperatures are great also!

The bad side of the rain it what it does to the roads. Even though we have not had much it fills up the potholes and makes for some dicey driving. Yesterday I took the Land Cruiser out on the first day of our AI project and got stuck only once, which was not too bad for the 2 hour one way bush drive through swampy roads and sandy patches of water. In the truck we had a head gate (huge metal thing) and 7 men in a car that should seat 5 without a head gate in it. This would be comical for the US, but is normal here. They even had me stop to pick up a passenger. When I got stuck the men filed out, surveyed the mud up around the axels and in less than one hour had cut trees and chopped them into 4 foot lengths, dug the tires out and I backed out in 4 wheel drive. I got a little Africa driving advice- “stay on the road no matter how deep or bad it looks, the bottom is hard.” I did and it worked, sometimes fishtailing for a couple hundred yards through a foot or 2 of water, but I didn’t get stuck again. Later however, I was driving across a grassy field with no road and 7 men in the car when we suddenly came upon a 6 foot deep 2 Land Cruiser size hole (difficult to see in the tall grass). When I stopped I had the front driver side tire in the hole. Like the classic movie scene where you don’t want to move to fast with your car hanging off a cliff. All the men got out except me- I couldn’t take my foot off the brake- and they grabbed the front of the vehicle as best they could while I slowly slid my seatbelt on and then quickly shifted into reverse. It went okay and there was a lot of praising God that no one was hurt, although when everyone piled out of the car I think their chances went way down and mine went up slightly as the weight shifted to the front…

The cattle work went well- we started 32 cows on the AI program and had a good talk with the men about the cattle and how good God is to bring us together in Africa. I am worried about our conception rates though as we had to use cows that were not in the best of shape. There just simply is not enough for them to eat and I think it will be difficult to get them bred.

Neutered a couple dogs on the kitchen table this morning and besides that have been treating things here and there but still mainly focused on the AI. I do have a farm call in the morning to go on, we’ll see how that goes!

Last week I had to go to Lusaka, a night bus ride of 10 hours, pick up some stuff for the AI program and then 10 hours back the next night. It was not really so fun and kinda crazy- another whole side of life in Africa with night bus rides and stations. While I was gone Alicia called saying our neighbors house was on fire. Turns out they were just burning their leaves and things but when she sent me a picture I could see her concern. Flames were everywhere and almost higher than the house. It looked totally out of control but it all turned out alright in the end and no property was lost. The kids were also a little under the weather and overall Alicia did not have a relaxing time while I was gone, To be fair I didn’t either on my trip, and it is a toss up who got the worse end of the deal. Let’s see what else I can complain about in this blog!!!

We continue to get to know more people here and do really love Mwandi. The kids are talking more about missing Indiana as the newness wears off. There have been some tiring home school days and some amounts of frustration by the teacher, but she is a good one. We have been letting the kids play in the morning when it is cooler and then starting school during the heat of the day when you can’t really do much outside.

The kids are building a treehouse of sorts in the front of the house. We have lightened up on our fear of snakes, I think that just happens with time (?). Now we just say as they run out to play in the morning, “Watch out for snakes!” and it has worked so far. Alicia built them a table from some left over blocks and wood and they have been having a great time hammering and building out there. The boys and I built a swing that all the neighbor kids love too. At one time I counted 21 kids playing out there, have not figured out how to control this yet. Everyone still loves lighting the trash in the trash pit- sounds terrible, but really it is kinda fun.

Today we were in the market and I lost Alicia and Rachel- turns out they stopped to tie Rachel’s shoe. As I looked for them and Ethan frustratedly tried to point them out he said, “Dad, really, you can’t see those two white people over there? We are never hard to find here.” He is right and you do feel it in such a homogenous culture. At times it would be nice to blend in more but no chance of that happening even with our increasing tans. “Makua” is what they call a white person and the young kids shout it out as you walk or drive by. It’s not derogatory but you get a little tired of it and Rachel will shout back, “Muzuhile cwani, makua!” sometimes a little agitated. They don’t know how to take her at that point but they usually stop.

Oh, basketball- we were awakened at 4:30 am here by some people marching down our street, another odd story, but point is Alicia turned on her phone to see that KY lost to Notre Dame, no wait- the game was still going on! So we watched the score tracker and caught the end! Non UK fans FYI- Ky won a nail biter to stay in the tournament. It has been fun to check in on the games.

Anyway, enough for now- we head to Livingstone Thursday to pick up a couple from Canada that will be helping at the hospital and with the AI. It will be nice to stay a couple nights there in air conditioning and a pool for the kids to swim! Hope all who are reading this are well and we do miss you so. Stay in touch please!!

Ephesians 2:10

-paul

Yes, yes I am.  (Pregnancy checking)

Education and devotion with farmers (Pastor Sikute)

Rachel's set up at night.

March Madness

A lot has happened in the last week or so.  Our house is coming along, the bats are gone, some minor carpentry is being finished up, and we are now working on minimizing the insect population inside our doors.  Ants are the big issue with wasps, a few roaches, lizards, and spiders make up the rest.  Weather is hot and we sweat a lot but the nights cool down.  We really are getting used to Africa though and realize these are minor things here that are just lived with.  There was a boomslang spotted by the house we were previously staying in last week but we have not come across any snakes personally.  We must admit we are cautious though each time we walk down some grassy edged pathways near the river- thoughts of mambas and crocs are always there and we have learned it is a legitimate thing to be mindful of!

Everyone is doing very well.  The kids are growing up so much and learning so much about the world and others in it.  Alicia’s God-given spirit of gentleness and satisfaction in every situation are blooming here and I know I am so blessed to be walking this road with her.  She just returned from the market this morning with 3 tomatoes, a small package of some local fruit, 2 bananas, a pair of sandals, and some bread.  All of them bought from as many people in the village that she stops to talk to and meet and love.  We will use the things but she buys them with the people in mind first.  She wears a dress or “shitanga” most of the time here for the culture, so pretty!  She has made amazing pizza and pancakes from local scratch and impressed people with her cookies.  She has duct taped, caulked, wood puttied, mothballed, and otherwise sealed this house a little more each day and this morning things are better than ever insect wise!  I did a couple cans of spray foam I bought in Livingstone- best stuff ever.  (Just FYI- we have had a tense moment or few with each other, reading this I realize it may have sounded ridiculously perfect.)

Rachel is super popular still around town- her and I went to the market one day and everywhere people shouted “Rrrrrachel, Rrrrrrachelll!”, rolling their r’s in that African English sound.  She plays up to it, and people love her.  I think sometimes it gets tiring for her- she says everyone knows her and she doesn’t know them.  Tough being the only little white girl, but don’t feel sorry for her.  She tried to cut her finger off in a fan at our house last week- 2 major slices and a bit worrisome for Alicia and I, but all healed now and she is proud of her scars.  Thank you neosporin.

Isaac is quietly reflecting on everything.  He has had a day or so where he misses his friends.  Rachel broke his iPod (kind of big deal here) and when we opened a surprise hammock for him it turned out to be just a cover, no hammock in the bag!  Big error to correct from here.  In spite of these let downs he is a content kid and has gone with me to check on the cows, milk this morning, plays with the neighboring kids and just generally has a mind blowing good attitude.  He went to a young mens Bible study with me last night and had a good time interacting with the guys.  His favorite chore is burning the trash in our 6 foot deep trash hole in the back yard- you can get quite a blaze going sometimes!

Ethan is doing great too.  He has taken to carpentry and has spent 2 full days now helping the young man working on our house.  He has done real work too and I am impressed with our 7 year old.  He says he wants to be a carpenter veterinarian who owns a bakery.  He has such a love for the kids and I have seen a courage in him growing- when Rachel cut her finger he was the first one to shut off the fan and help her get the bleeding under control.  Nothing seems to bother him except when we say no more sweets.  I am proud of them all.

I have spayed and neutered a couple dogs on our table on the porch- Alicia assisted!  All went well and I expect more patients soon.  I have treated a few cows on the farm and some wormy puppies but mostly am getting organized for the AI project starting in about a week.  I have travelled to all the areas and met with local farmers and started relationships there.  The needs are endless but I am just trying to stay focused on this one project for now.  After that I think some education in management and rabies clinics will be in the future.  I have met with a Zambian government vet here.  He is hopeful to learn some surgery skills from me- they do not do this in school here and I think we will work together well.  He does not have a vehicle or many supplies and I think we can benefit each other well.  

We just got a water filter put in our house the other day.  I bought it in Livingstone and installed it here once I had the time.  Prior to this I was spending 2-3 hours a day either going to get filtered water or Alicia boiling small amounts at a time on the stove.  It is hard to get much done in a day for progress when your first concern is water.  It made us see how difficult it is for people here to get ahead.  Once our filter was in we felt we had 2 more hours a day to put into other things.  This was a good lesson to learn- people may not have time to come to your excellent seminar on boiling milk if they have to walk far and have so much else to do just to survive.  Something to think on…

Shopping in Livingstone last week they played American music in the store.  Phil Collins came on, “Just another day in paradise…”  That was surreal listening to that song with my American background now living in Zambia.  I will never hear it the same again.  In the states we really do live in a physical paradise.  It makes me think we should not be afraid to love the way Jesus calls us to.  I have so much.  I don’t need to feel bad about that but neither do I need to cling to it like I do.  We are blessed as Christians to be a blessing to others.  

We have heard and seen a lot in a couple weeks.  Issues here of significant alcoholism, witchcraft and witch doctors, girls abused as they walk to school, 25% HIV rate in the orphans at the OVC, political strife in neighboring countries bringing refugees to be friends with our kids.  All the things we read and hear about as issues in Africa are here at our door.  There is so much need here spiritually and physically and yet we see God meeting our spiritual and physical needs here in ways we did not recognize in the states.  The country is beautiful, the people are warm and gentle, the work is good.  I see our life here and think we should not be happy, but we are and I can only suppose that is God’s gift to us… 

Will I ruin the deep moment if I say, “Go Cats!”  I just lost half of you, I know.  Thank God for light fun things like March Madness.  And thank you for the emails, prayers, support and encouragement.  We love and miss you all- especially you Memaw!

Ephesians 2:10

-paul

Mwandi main street shops

Zambezi River in the evening

Our Zambian soccer team

First surgery- dog getting tutored

Mwandi woman coming to market

Bats, Bats, Bats

Sorry for not being in contact with any of you for a while. Internet access is spotty at best. Plus, we are figuring out all the right gadgets to use to get internet. If we didn’t buy it in Livingstone, we are out of luck buying it here. We’re working out the kinks.

Our first few days in Mwandi were a little rough. The house that we were to stay in was supposed to be ready for us to live in, but when we arrived, we were told that bats had nested in the rafters of our house. A missionary that was helping us get the house ready, thought that we should use an all-natural approach to kill the bats. This involved putting hot peppers in the rafters to “smoke” them out. The man that we paid to do this assured us that this would get rid of the bats, and that we could safely move in the next day. This was supposed to be a lot quicker than the chemical bomb that would require us to be out of the house for a longer period of time. So, the day after the all-natural hot pepper method, we moved into our new house. As we went to bed that night, we heard a lot of bats flying around in one of the bedrooms. I mean A LOT of bats! So, we decided to shut all the bedroom doors and sleep in the middle room of the house where there had been no signs of bat droppings. As I went to sleep, I thanked God that the bats were not in the room that we were in and then fell asleep. Later in the night, I woke up to a noise by my ear. I hopped up and screamed! There was a bat crawling up my mosquito net by my head! After this, Paul got up and hunted the bat down! He killed it, and then killed 2 more! I have never loved a man so much in my life! I could not have done this. I was terrified! So from this point on, Paul and I positioned ourselves in combat mode with our headlamps on in defense against these bats to protect our 3 kids who slept peacefully the entire night while this was going on. When morning came, we were so happy. The bats started slowing down. They stopped flying around. We were not trapped anymore. Paul was worried that the bats that were in one of the bedrooms, had trashed all of our stuff. They were so noisy. It sounded like a bunch of raccoons rummaging through a garbage can. So, Paul decided to go into the bedroom and assess the damage and maybe kill a few bats. About 30 minutes later, Paul comes out and asks, “Do you know how many bats that I killed?” I guessed 20, he said, “No, 50! And guys, hurry up because we’re going to be late for church if you don’t get your shoes on.” None of our stuff was damaged, and we made it to church on time.

After we told this story to a few of the missionaries here, someone offered us a place to sleep until our bat problem got taken care of. We were so thankful!

We have been working on getting the house taken care of, and we have become quite comfortable around the bats. During the day, the bats are very slow. I killed 2 bats while organizing all my homeschool books. Believe me, it was ridiculously easy to kill them.

On another note, we have met a lot of inspiringly persevering people. A few houses down from us, some other missionaries from Scotland, Keith and Eda, have taken in 5 kids. One girl from Mwandi and 4 refugees from the Congo. (Their parents fled to Zambia because of the turmoil in the Congo, but were put in prison because they didn’t have the proper papers to enter the country). Our kids have fallen in love with these kids. They have played with them non-stop since we arrived in Mwandi - building sandcastles, swinging, sword fighting with sticks, and running through our sprinkler. Ellie is the oldest. She is 9. Her mother was going to abort her because she didn’t think that she could take care of her. Keith and Eda promised to help care for her when needed so that this mother would not abort her. Her mother decided not to abort her. She comes to visit Ellie often. I am absolutely crazy about Ellie. I want Isaac or Ethan to marry her someday! She is so kind and compassionate, and cares for Rachel and the younger kids in a very motherly way. She has a prosthetic leg but she runs, jumps, does cartwheels and flips, and kicks a soccer ball with either foot. You would never know that she had a prosthetic leg unless you were told. She is also missing her pointer finger on one of her hands. I don’t know the story behind this. Also, the Congolese boys are so adorable - Oneil, Omedy, Omerl, and Omari. They are so sweet and kind. All of the kids walk almost a mile to school each day without a guardian. They are also very tough and independent. I am so glad that my kids have them as friends.

Paul has worked on a few cows at the mission farm for the Orphan Center, met with the leaders of the newly formed cattle farmers cooperative to discuss organization and the upcoming artificial insemination program, and learned how to drive his new farm land cruiser on the wrong side of the road with stick shift on the wrong hand. (Isaac informed me that we drive on the correct side of the road because cars were invented in America. I agree).

Isaac has been great at leading games with kids in front of our yard. Four boys from the village come by everyday to play with Isaac. He has played four-square, football, and soccer with these boys. One day, I noticed one of the boys holding an empty peanut butter jar that he had dug out of the trash. He was reaching in and trying to get out any remaining peanut butter. I knew the people were really poor, here, but this woke me back up to the reality of their poverty. Then, I decided to bring them out some bananas to eat. All four boys madly took and ate the bananas that I gave them. I felt so sad that they have to worry about not getting enough food to eat. There is great need here.

Another day, while I took my kids to play with the 5 missionary’s foster kids at their house, a lady with her 11 month old came to get free formula from the missionaries through a program that they started. As far as I understand, if a mother has HIV, as long as she starts giving her baby formula instead of breast milk before the age of 6 months, the baby will not be infected with HIV from the mother. What a blessing this is to these children and their families! I have been told, that in Zambia, children are not treated with anti-retroviral drugs - only adults are. So, this formula program is vital for these children to grow up as adults.


Thank you for your prayers! We really appreciate you!






With love,


Alicia






Paul's quick add on-


Going to meet this week with cattlemen in 3 different areas to talk up the AI program, encourage participation in the co-op, and introduce myself.

Treated 3 cows with upper respiratory infections (successfully) on the farm!

Alicia is amazing with the house and kids, killing bats now, general difficulties she handles so smoothly. She was washing clothes in the shower today and made roasted peanuts- boiled, then baked. She loves the kids here so much (ours and not-ours).

Isaac is doing great- he is scared of nothing except the plane flight back and motion sickness. Bats, whatever...he is such a help today plugging holes in the house with cement and decorating his room.

Ethan is having a great time, "Dad, I think I really like Africa." is my favorite quote. He helped paint the inside of the house today and is looking for a dog.

Rachel is the leader of every kids group that forms and is loved by all the kids here so far. She loves bats, terrified of ants...?

-paul

The kids with some neighbors!

Ups and Downs

It's Thursday night in Livingstone almost 10 pm as I write.  We are staying at a small hotel and head to Mwandi village tomorrow where we will me living.  When I left off yesterday we were in London. After that we headed to Johannesburg on an 11 hour flight on which all three of the kids got sick and we lost count of the barf bags we filled up.  They slept some but didn't eat anything for what ended up being about 24 hours.  They slept for a few hours in Johannesburg and then continued where they left off on the next flight to Livingstone.  "This is the worst day ever" to quote Rachel in South Africa.  Hard to argue at that point, no use talking about having a good attitude!  Actually all the kids were major troopers as they were feeling so badly and kept pushing on very bravely.  We were very proud. At the Livingstone airport I was afraid we would be detained if the kids got sick in customs but they held it together until we were about 3 feet from the exit and Ethan vomited everywhere right in front of security.  Many raised eyebrows as I said, "He's fine, just a long plane flight..."  Ethan laying on the floor at that point did not help.  They took Ethan and Alicia to the medical station and I had no idea how long we would have to wait.  Turned out an hour and they gave him some free meds for his stomach.  One hour in Zambia and we saw our first doctor!  Turns out the medical attendant had a relative who was a professor at Auburn.

Anyway, all the kids were fine after arriving at the hotel and getting some water, rest and mangos.  They really did a major 180 which was a huge relief as Alicia and I were beginning to wonder if it really was a virus rather than motion sickness.  After just an hour all these kids that were so sick were bouncing off the walls and headed to the pool at the hotel.  It was great!

We are staying at a small hotel/dorm type place with a lot of college age people here with Peace Core or on adventure vacations.  A unique crowd and we sorta stand out.  We ate out at the Cafe Zambezi and tried crocodile skewers and some other less exotic foods like burgers.  No one was quite up for the caterpillar on the menu yet.  Croc tastes like pork by the way.  Fun to be eating them instead of the other way around.  Rachel said she was having the "best day ever."  Hilarious that a kid can have the best and worst day of their life in the same day.  Love it!

Isaac got feeling better and admitted some serious reservations about our move he kept to himself driving around Livingstone but that evening said he had already gotten quite used to it and was enjoying himself a lot.  The Cafe was his favorite restaurant ever for the atmosphere he said.  Ethan and Rachel continue to talk in British or South African accents and call everyone "mate".  Rachel put on a dance show at the Cafe and had several people completely entertained for a good 10 minutes.  They also keep asking if when we go back in December we can take a boat.  I didn't say anything about sea sickness, just "we'll see".

Today we went to see Victoria Falls in the morning.  It was a lot more water than back in August and we all got soaked.  It was truly amazing though with the power of the water rushing over in a great roar.  After Ethan and Alicia bargained with some shop vendors for some things for the house and Rachel got a small drum she loves.

Then we did a short game drive in the afternoon- seeing giraffes, baboons, monkeys, wildebeest, water buffalo, impala, zebra, hippos, and...rhino!  Praise God for His ridiculous creation of the falls and these crazy animals!  No elephants this time- they have all moved away in the rainy season fro now.  For the rhino the park rangers met us and took us to where 5 of the 10 white rhinos in Zambia (?) were and we were able to walk up within 50 feet and take pictures.  Alicia said it was cool to be escorted (just us) by 4 guys with machine guns through the bush to take pictures of rhinos.  They keep track of them and camp by them to guard them from poachers.

After that we did some shopping in town for the house some more and ate at "Hungry Lion" which maybe is kinda like KFC (?), only not.

Tomorrow we will go to Mwandi and stay in a house with another couple for a couple nights as the house is almost done but they have found a small bat problem to take care of before we move in that may take a couple days.  Oh well, the ups are that we get to stay in a nicer house a couple days and Toby and I can work on the finishing touches before we move in and get rid of the bats.

So everyone is having a really good time now, just don't talk about the plane flights.  Zambia is beautiful the time of year with everything being green and the weather in the 80s during the heat of the day.  The people are so friendly and Livingstone seems to be a safe and easy place to get around.  I have gone way to long for now.  Will update again as I can from Mwandi and see what new curves come along.

-paul

Windsor Castle Tuesday

Airport in Johannesburg

Typical warning signs at a national park 

Victoria Falls

Traveling

We are in London as I write, half way to Mwandi now.  Isaac and Ethan are passed out on benches in the airport, Rachel is fresh as ever since she slept on the entire 8 hour flight from Chicago to London. Everything is new to the kids since they have no memory of flying and everything is a question (which can be stressful when your hands are full of passports, boarding passes, 2-3 bags and several small people are questioning if you are navigating the airport correctly).  Alicia helps keep me sane.

We left the airport and went to see Windsor Castle which was very cool for Alicia and I- intricate artwork and such extravagance!  But the kids just saw a fancy museum.  With no appreciation for history the best discussions were about which sword you would chose to fight with off the wall.  They still had fun I think.

Isaac got a little ill in the taxi.  I think planes, trains. taxis, and lack of sleep took their toll.  He was falling asleep every time we sat down, so glad he can rest now.  Even when he felt so bad he kept trying to help Alicia and I with the bags and never complained.  He is more a grown up than I am.

Ethan is so inquiring about everything and seems to be having a good time.  Rachel is being Rachel and we love her for that, but causing Daddy some stress in crowded airports.

The kids are happy and excited about Africa and looking forward to their new adventure with some reasonable nervousness.  The most difficult thing for them was leaving their friends/family and our dogs, Callie and Macy.  We are so thankful to my parents for watching Macy for us, our 14 year old lab who the kids were really worried about especially.

Heading to Johannesburg in a couple hours and post again from Mwandi, try to keep it short and not bore anyone!

Love you all, thanks for all the emails, texts, Facebook messages, calls and cards as we head out.  It is such a blessing to have so many people praying for us and caring about us as we travel.  Talk to you again soon!

-paul

Rachel selecting some choice friends to take- Olaf, Kermit, Constantine, Mower the horse made the cut.

Us at the Louisville airport with all our stuff!