Isaac, Ethan, Noel (my niece from India) and myself were heading out early for Mabumbu area to check some cows we had bred earlier in the year. I had made it an intentionally easy day to get my niece out in the bush around some cows as she is a future missionary vet herself. We headed down the “paved” road the first 15 minutes, dodging or slowly navigating potholes with the low sun in our eyes, at times choosing to drive on the side of the road where the going was easier than the crater field called M10 that goes all the way to Livingstone. We turned off into some bushes on the road to Mabumbu after a bit and began dodging chickens and tree branches and sliding around in the sand that invades everything here.
Twenty minutes later I was losing my confidence that I knew where I was going.
If you don’t drive a road here for a month or so the water recedes, grass withers, branches get cut, others grow, and even the consistency of the sand changes to more powdery and road contours change. I kept feigning confidence and pointing our the baobabs and hornbills to keep the kids distracted enough so no one would ask why our 30 minute trip was out to 45 and still going.
We did finally arrive at the destination though and Mubita came from his garden to greet us along with 3 of his small children and his wife who was making breakfast over the fire. Mubita is the chairman of the Mabumbu area of the cooperative and we had bred some cows for him that we needed to vaccinate now and check on. Going out to his krall was saw the 2 calves he had that were born from the program last year, nearly twice the size as their age mates and happily munching the grass around their mothers now.
A few male family members easily hobbled the cows in question so I could check for pregnancy and the kids drew up the vaccinations for us to give. I checked, 3 pregnant 5 open, not bad for Ai and especially this area of the world. Mubita gave all the injections as the kids handed them to him.
Near the end I realized that what I had planned more to entertain my niece was actually a great reflection on the past year. Last year Mubita and others in Mabumbu had lamented that they did not know how to give injections and were unable to take care of their own animals for this and other reasons. In response I had done an injection training under a tree in the bush with them where Isaac demonstrated proper technique and left no room for arguing that this was an unattainable skill for them. “If I can do it, you can do it” didn’t work so it had to be “if Isaac can do it, can you try it?” which did work. Now today Isaac was teaching the next generation (his cousin) how to draw up an injection and his formal pupil was poping shots like no ones business in the cattle pen. They don’t need outside help to vaccinate cows in Mabumbu anymore.
Then I realized these cows were the first group bred by Fred Mubita this year, a Lozi man I was training to do AI. Fred was successful! He had bred cows with the same success rate as myself and other veterinary professionals who have come to help with the project. Mwandi District no longer needs an outside specialist to breed cattle! The next generation of AI calves here are the product of Lozi skill and reflect potential for so much more in the future.
A garden tour and gifted cabbage later we were back in the truck driving Mubita’s 7 year old son 4 miles to school to save him his usual morning walk.
What a beautiful place and people we are privileged to serve! How exciting that skills are being passed on to give others potential to change their own lives and break the poverty mindset. Thank you God that you call us to such a joy as this, serving You and those you send us to.
Back at home a dog is brought for surgery, trying to whittle down the rabies problem in Africa. At the end the woman asks how much does she owe. Nothing, we are Christians serving the people of Zambia through the Church and the love of Christ, I get to answer. Thank you all for being with us here from where you are.
Love,
Paul
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| Mubita giving injections |
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| Cabbage gift and a nice garden! |
