Formula Program Needs

 

The infant mortality rate is really high in Zambia.  Rural Zambia is ranked among the highest in Africa.  The rate for Zambia is 62.9 deaths (of infants under 1 year) per 1,000 live births.  For infants, it is 70 deaths per 1,000 live births, and it is 119 deaths per 1,000 under 5 years of age. (indexmundi.com/zambia/infant_mortalityrate.html)

A program to help with this problem was started in Mwandi a few years ago.  Many mothers who are malnourished (it takes 500 additional calories/day to breastfeed a baby), have HIV related issues, or other problems preventing them from breastfeeding, have been placed on this program.  The mother is screened at the hospital and put on the program by a nutritionist.  Then, she comes to me to pick up her formula.

This program is a very expensive program, and the need for formula is greater than the money being donated for formula.   Many more mothers could be placed on the program if there was more money.   We have about 40 babies on the program plus 10 babies from the social welfare district in the next district (because the government, also, cannot afford to pay for these babies to be on formula).  Last week, I have had two new babies put on the formula program because their mothers died during child birth.  Because of this, my supply of formula is getting low and I am rationing out formula until the new shipment is to come at the end of the month.

This program is so important, and it takes a lot of donated money to keep it going.  For a month’s supply of formula, it would cost about $96 if it was purchased at the grocery store in Livingstone.  We use a distributor and can get a month’s supply for about $52.  The more money donated to the project, the easier it is to keep the supplies full for each child that truly needs it.  I know that so many people care about these needs.  In order to donate to this project, go to donate.cvmusa.org/support/longterm and click on Open Doors (Evans) with a note designating the money to go to the formula project.  

We would love to partner with you on this project! 

-Alicia

Mother and Baby (twin of below), formula in background

Older daughter and second twin!

The Small Things

I want to do big things and be important.  I want to do big projects that help lots of people and make a difference.  I can’t get slowed down by individual needs and specific wants that take me away from the greater good.  I want to have the biggest impact in my short life and help the most people I can.  I need to teach, to preach, to build, to change things in good ways.  God wants me to.  Maybe, maybe not…

Recently I was doing a rabies clinic just after a girl had been attacked by dogs in our village and population control was in the limelight.  I was spaying and neutering on the tailgate to my hearts content and vaccinating between surgeries.  The numbers were going by and things were getting done when a woman pulled me aside.

In her broken English and my broken Silozi I learned she had a dog that could not come to the clinic.  It could not move from her house and can I come there?  A sense of aggravation crept into my heart at the thought of leaving this busy place to attend to one behavior problem dog.  If you can’t catch it at home, I can’t catch it at your home…but if you wait until we are finished maybe I will have time to go there with you.

The woman waited several more hours, maybe I hoped she would give up.  It was hot and we were wearing out.  Eventually the dogs stopped coming and the day was wearing out too.  The woman waited patiently sitting at a distance from the surgery area.  Okay, let’s go.  Isaac and I pack up and invite the woman into the truck to show us the way to her home.

A few kilometers later down a bush road we came to her mud home in the middle of a maize field.  One dog came out and we vaccinate him.  That was easy, he could have come to the clinic.  But she says there is another dog inside the house, he has been shot and can I cut the leg?  What?

I go into the dark house and there a dog is cowering iwith a shattered front leg in the corner.  He tries to act mean to keep me away but I can see the bone sticking out in all directions and the useless limb pressing into the dirt floor.  He will just die?  She asks.  Probably I say out loud.

My heart is moved and awakened,  This dog can’t come to the clinic.  He will die here from infection and in pain.  This woman loves her dog.  God created her and the dog and me.  He loves the woman and the dog he created and me.  I remember in that moment why I wanted to be a vet and how I have pushed that to such a small thing.  My heart goes to the woman and the dog.  This small thing is their whole thing today and for the last several days.

I have no more anesthetic, and an amputation in the field?  No way to fix that leg.  But if not me then who else will do this?  I have to try.  I have antibiotics so I leave that with her and tell her I will come back when I have more drugs for anesthesia.

A few days later and a trip to Livingstone we are back with the needed drugs.  It takes us awhile to find her house with her as a guide.  She seems a bit surprised we are back and takes us to the dog.  He looks much better, the antibiotics have kept infection away and kept him alive.  He gently lets us catch him and take him to surgery.  The surgery on the tailgate makes me think of a Civil War field hospital.  Obby and Isaac hang in there until the end and everything goes well.  He will do fine.

“Ni tumezi ahuluhulu!”  says the woman, handing us 6 ears of maize from her field.  She is all smiles.  We are all smiles.  What a great day!  What a joy to serve!  Did we waste resources and time?  I don’t think so.  We loved someone and something God created.

God wants us to take time for people and His creation, not get lost in programs and numbers.  We will try to separate out what He has made into priorities, categories, checklists and goals.  Listening to His still small voice can be hard over the clanging cymbals of ourselves and the world around us.  Without love our work is just work.

Thank you Lord for your word and your Spirit that leads us in your work.  Help us to be quiet and listen to You.  Ni tumezi ahuluhulu!  Amen.

1 Cor 13:1-3
Ni tumezi ahuluhulu!
Thank you very very much!

Obby and the dog after surgery

Rabies Clinic

CAUTION- Dog lovers may want to skip ths one.

Today we did a rabies clinic in the village.

For a couple years I and some others have tried and failed to make an organized effort between veterinary officials, myself, the city council, and the people to get the dog problem under control.

And there is a problem.  Large groups of dogs roam around the village and the people are very afraid of them.  Many evenings we have counted 12 or 15 in a group and been kept up by the fighting and howling throughout the night.  Once when sitting in the house I heard Rachel scream the real scream (parents know what I mean) and I came racing outside to see 3 dogs closing in on her at full speed.  I arrived just in time to kick a lunging dog away and it remains a terrible memory to me.

While we were away this holiday another girl was not so lucky and ended up in the hospital for 4 days.  This prompted an uncoordinated response.  The local government began shooting dogs in mass.  One problem was they were not very selective and I heard more than one sad story about a pet I had spayed or neutered that was no longer around.  About 200 dogs were killed in those few days and one person injured by a stray shot.

Now I am back and everyone is intested in vaccinating dogs though.  So I made a plan with the vet officer to do a vaccination clinic of which part one was today.

We started at 8 hours.  Gradually people started coming and by 9 we had vaccinated about 15 dogs but the vet officers were not around to write certficates.  People waited, the crowd grew and then Doc showed up and began to take care of the paperwork.  Once he was there to give the vaccines I was free to start some surgeries.  I do spays and neuters on the tailgate of the truck on the village and it draws quite a crowd and I love the sense of accomplishment surgery gives me.

About 25 more vaccines in and 2 or 3 surgeries a gunshot rings out somewhere nearby.  By now I have about 30 people and half as many dogs around the truck, some asleep, some drunk with anesthesia and some just hanging around to see what’s going on.

“Guess they decided to shoot some more dogs today?” I ask no one in particular.  But it seems I am the only one who noticed.  But a few minutes later I hear a group of excited chilren and look up from my spay to see a man in a military uniform shoot a dog about 50 feet in front of me.  It is quickly over but as the report of the rifle rings in my ears I have the odd thought of how ironic it would be if I were accidentally shot by this man as I stood here doing dog surgeries.

No one else is really that interested or seems to think this is a wierd day.

So, when in Rome, I keep my head down and keep working.  All throughout the morning I spay and neuter and we vaccinate as periodic shots ring out from all around us.  I hear no complaints of any vaccinated dogs being shot and so I hope it is only the strays being removed.

By the end of the day we had vaccinated 64 dogs and done 13 surgeries before running out of anesthesia.  We go back tomorrow for another round and hope to do more.

I’m sorry for a story that may upset some people.  Understand the dogs are a large problem here and rabies is as well.  Groups of dogs have been known to kill small children, livestock, and even attack adults at times.  I just recently saw a calf that was attacked and then began neurologc symptoms and drooling a week later before it died.  I can only suspect rabies from the head and neck bite wounds.

People love their pets, but many more dogs are wilder canine versions here.  It was just a crazy weird day for me and I think maybe a good one to write about?  Here’s hoping so anyway.

And a thank you to each of you that read this far and support the work here and are part of protecting people from rabies and even trying to improve the lives of the canine family members who don’t have it that easy here either.

Surgery on the tailgate.

Post-op dog in ambulance going home.

Veterinary officer vaccinating for rabies. 

Office/recovery ward.

Refugee Life Snapshot

This is just some bits about things going on in and around our lives that I want to share as told to and believed by me:


I know a man.  He lived in his country with his family since the time he was born until he could not anymore.

He was a driver for his government.  When a war broke out his government fled and he was captured.  He could drive for the rebels or not live.

So he drove for the rebels and one day an accident happened.  Seven rebel officers in his vehicle were killed.  The driver for such an incident would be shot on the spot so he ran.

But he could not run to his government or he would be executed for driving for the enemy.

So he runs to another country to be safe.

No time to get papers in order he is captured with his family by police and placed in jail.

He and his wife are suspected of child trafficking and his children are taken away.

He spends almost 2 years in prison.  His wife in a separate facility.  God sends people to take care of their children and they are able to stay in contact.

The govenrment decides they are innocent and tries to send them back to their country.  But there they will be killed by either side?  God sends people to fight for them to stay as refugees and they are saved from returning.

Now in a refugee camp there are new challenges.  No electricity, no running water, build your own house, grow your own crops if you know how.

Camp officials protect you.  Provide passes if you want to leave for up to 30 days.  Donated supplies from the outside can be sold for more than the value of helping a refugee though.  You can go to another country like Canada or Sweden very fast if you have enough money to put your name up high on the list.  Maybe someone has stolen your story and identity and gone already to another country and you are lost to the system of the world.  If you complain that can be kept track of too.  You won’t complain so much if you fear losing more.

But he is joyful.  His family is alive and together.  God has provided all his needs.  He prays God will improve their situation but he doesn’t complain.  Just tells stories.  He does not try to elicit compassion.  He does not say his life is unfair.  He does not answer all my questions all the way about what they have been through.  Just admits it was hard.

Anyway, it is enough.  Enough to make me see how much I have been given.  How much is required of me that I am often unwilling to give.  Enough to make me feel the weight of my selfishness and yet also experience the enormous joy in giving to and loving others.

I hope and pray for each of us to see what God is calling us to and to be brave and wise enough to follow Him there.

“In this world you will have trouble, but take heart for a I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

Alicia's Birthday

Alicia’s Birthday

Six months before her birthday Alicia started making plans to go see a refugee family we know in western Zambia.  “For my birthday I want to go see Trancy and the O’ kids,” she had been saying.  She spent the time leading up planning out this unique birthday wish and in late October we headed out in our semi-reliable landcruiser to drive 8 hours to our ultimate destination, the Mayukwayukwa refugee camp near Kaoma.

The O’ kids would be Omedy, Oneal, Omeal, and Omari.  They had been trying to flee with their parents from the violence in Congo but without the proper papers the parents were suspected of child trafficking at the border and imprisoned for 1 1/2 years.  The children were taken in by a missionary family in Mwandi, and we met them when we moved to Zambia in March of 2015.  Our kids became quick friends with the boys and worked their way well into all our hearts, and especially Alicia’s.  After the government decided the parents were innocent, the family was reunited and placed in a refugee camp at Mayukwayukwa.  (See blog Sunday April 19, 2015)

The drive there took us west and north of Mwandi following the Zambezi river and passing classic African landscapes and elephant crossing signs up to Mongu, where we met with Trancy, a young woman we knew from when she lived in Mwandi and a story all in her own right.  She and Alicia had become good friends and they enjoyed visiting and seeing the way her life had really improved since moving to Mongu.  We went out to eat at the “OK Restaurant” in town and set out the next moring for Kaoma.

Maps and GPS don’t always get it done here but we knew the general area we were looking for and after a two hour drive east to Kaoma we found the signpost for Mayukwayukwa- 55 K going north.  This road was dirt and rough and we continued along trailing a cloud of red dust and every 15 minutes or so asking someone if we were still going the right way.  In the end we reached the camp, truely in the middle of nowhere Zambia and sat at the entrance waiting for Arnold, the father, to meet us for the fist time.

Several people passed as we sat in the shade of a tree with the doors of the truck open trying to avoid the heat of the day.  After some time Arnold came jogging up, introduced himself and hopped in to lead us to their home.  We drove through the market of the camp where a few small shops sold cooking oil, soap, salt, and some other basic neccesities and past the small school house the boys attended in the camp.  Arriving at their home we pulled up to a huge dirt mound rising up beside the house that was enclosed with a grass fence.  Switching off the car, the boys came running out from the house with their mother trailing and hugs were given all around.  I bit my tongue to hold back some emotion that came from somewhere- maybe a mix of joy at seeing them combined with sorrow for the conditions they were now in.

We got out a little blue bike we had brought for them and some other gifts Alicia had bought- a small DVD player, several movies, coloring books, frisbees, and crafts.  Before going inside I climbed the dirt mound and could see a large section of the camp with houses all crowded close together, very neatly made grass fences and thatch roofs with mud walls.  I climbed back down as Alicia laughed and couldn’t stop hugging the boys and Rachel and Ethan were showing the gifts with quick enthusiasm.

I walked into their yard, maybe 40 by 40 feet, with a neat grass outhouse on the left, mud walled bathing area on the right and joining the sleeping quarters and just divided from a small storage and cooking building on that side.  The dirt yard was swept clean and things could not have been more in order.

We went inside the house and sat in the boys room which consisted of a small floor space and a mattress on the corner big enough for 4 small boys.  A sheet hung in a doorway that separated the boys room from the parents bedroom in the two room building.  As the boys played with their gifts and curious neighbot children came around Arnold began to tell us about life in the camp and their arrival there last year.

When they first came they had very little belongings and the first night were shown the new arrivals building where they could stay.  There was no bedding or furniture, just a dirt floored open room, and when the boys learned they were to sleep there, Arnold had some tears to console and hearts to calm.  Fortunately he had a mattress from prison and some blankets that helped to get them through those first weeks.

Newcomers to Mayukwayukwa get $6 a person a month for the first 8 months, then you have to drop off the roll to make room for newer newcomers.  The family survived on this and went to work building the home they now live in and trying their hand at farming and chicken rearing in the camp.  The difficulty for a refugee is that they are only allowed to leave the camp for a maximum of 3 months and only if there is a job or other reason to get a pass.  This makes job hunting almost impossible (there are no towns around the camp) and starting up a business from within is difficult as your clientele have as much expendable income as you do.  The hope is that one can find a way to get out of the camp and find work or relocate in another country where this can be possible.  Some families spend entire generations in these camps stuck in a no man’s land between nations.

My mind went through how to get Arnold work, how to get the boys or one of them to America for school, how to help, and it is still going.  This is a hard working family, keeping their faith, currently without opportunity making the most of where they find themselves.

They fed us a meal of roasted goat and fried potatos and even had bottled water for us to drink.  They gave us their best and we did our best to love them in return.  As we left I pressed some money into Arnold’s hand and thought about what God would have us to do.  Each of us reading this has been blessed (if you have a screen!) and God calls us to be a wise and generous stewards of what He has entrusted to us.  This includes our very lives, our wealth, our time, and the love he has poured out on us.

My wife shows me often how to live this out as she gives these things for her family and for others.  It is typical that she would desire to spend her birthday seeking out others and pouring into them.  This is not typical of me, but I am learning.  I would not have planned this for a 40th birthday party.  But I am not very wise and often trade joy for self without ever knowing it.  God shows us a better way to live through His Son and in those around us following Him.

As we left Ethan said it was the best day ever.

In many ways it I think it was, and I look forward to what God will do with it next.

Love,
Paul, Alicia, Isaac, Ethan, and Rachel

Mayukwayukwa

Congolese and American Families

Rachel, Oneal, and Ethan

Alicia and Omari

Wow!  We are there already!  (See last post if confused)

Thank you all who jumped in and those of you who were going to but things happened too fast!

Updates to follow in time and if you are disappointed that you missed this time let me know- there are other agricultural project things going on you can help with if you so desire!

You all are the best!

-Paul and Alicia

An Opportunity For Some

This is a bit different blog post- a story and an opportunity to those who wish to be involved.  It is not something we usually do and we are hoping it is a wise exception!

Sidney is a single dad at our church in Mwandi.  He lost his wife several years ago to an illness and is raising thier two young children now by himself.  You would never know sadness has been such a part of his life though when you meet him.  He always shows a smile and has such a gentle spirit and way about him.  When he greets you at home or in the market his soft greeting, happy smile, and gentle handshake make you feel everything is okay in the world.  He leads the the young adult choir at church and every Sunday can be seen directing them with an easy hand and a humble confidence.  

But we love Sydney because he helped us get rid of the bats.  Sydney is also a bit of a pest control expert and it was he who came to our rescue those first days in Mwandi (see early blog).  He taught us about burning chilli powder to flush bats out of a house through a pipe fitted with a sock so exit was possible, but not returning.  Turns out he is a great guy too and we have come to know him much better since those early days.

Sydney came to us to use the computer to type up a proposal he had made to start a poultry prodcuction business in Mwandi.  He is submitting the propasal to the govenrment in hopes of aquiring a grant for the startup.  As we helped him to type it we were very impressed with the thought and preparation that had gone into the proposal.  I do not have high hopes of a response from the government given the current state of election upheaval and distractions.

So…I have copied his proposal below for those interested in checking it out.  Alicia and I have decided to combine some of our resources with others of you to help Sydney with this idea that we believe will bear fruit and help someone get started and improve life in Mwandi.  Usually we stick to education, but again hope to be making a wise exception in this case.  The total cost of the start up is about $1,500 USD as Sydney has detailed in the proposal.  If you are interested let us know- you can put any contribution into our CVM account and then inform us so we can be sure to designate it for Sydney and his children.

So, here goes nothing…updates to follow.  

PS- Sydney doesn’t know about this.

-Paul and Alicia

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POULTRY PRODUCTION

1.  PROJECT BACKGROUND

2.  MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

3.  JUSTIFICATION OF PROJECT

4.  DETAILS OF THE APPLICANT

5.  LOCATION OF OPERATION

6.  BUDGET PLAN

7.  EXPENDITURE

1.  PROJECT BACKGROUND

The poultry project will be situated within my village in Mwandi New District.

I am starting this project for the first time in my life.  There are already others who are running poultry projects in the locality.  They are doing very well.  There is enough space on my yard or homestead to accommodate this project.  Water is plentiful for the chickens.  I am of the knowledge that in business ventures, there are some risks and challenges, but I have to take it on despite the risks involved.

2.   MARKET OPPORTUNITIES  

This will be the established district near our village.  There is also an export market because of the nearby country of Namibia.  Many have come to know how nutritious chicken meat is.  The community will also be a readily available primary market for my products.

3.  PROJECT JUSTIFICATION

Poultry production is a vital project to start in my area because there are only a few farmers who rear chickens.  The introduction of chicken production in my area will make people rise to the occasion of chicken rearing.  This will provide employment to me, my household, and others in the community.  Hence the education of my children and others who will be involved in the community.  The project will improve my standard of living and others in the community.  In turn, I will ask to contribute to the development of the local community and overall to the country.

I am skilled to carry out all managerial practices required on a farm.  The prevalent local climatic condition are favorable to chicken rearing.  

4.  DETAILS OF THE APPLICANT

NAME:  SYDNEY MUYUNDA

ADDRESS: THE UNITED CHURCH OF ZAMBIA

   MWANDI CONGREGATION

   MWANDI CONSISTORY

   BOX 1 MWANDI, SESHEKE

TYPE OF FARMER:  EMERGENT

BATCH  200 DAY OLD CHICKS

5.  LOCATION OF OPERATION

The rearing of chickens will be carried out in Mwandi, Sesheke of Western Province.

The total budget requested for the project is K15.050.00  Material resources requested/required.  Details are provided in the attached budget.

6.  BUDGET PLAN

I intend to start with 200 day old chicks (broilers).

- The cost of 1 chick is K7.00

- The cost of 200 day old chicks = K7.00 X 200 

    Subtotal = K1.4000.00

- Transport requirements person and chicks.

Person (to and from) will cost = K75.00 X 2 = K150.00

Chicks booking will cost = K200.00

       SUB-TOTAL = K150.00 + K200.00 = K350.00

DRUGS

FUMIGANTS = 50 mls x 2 at K70 each = K70 x 2 = K140.00

DISINFECTANTS = 50 mls x 2 at K50 each = K50 x 2 = K100

10 FEEDERS at K60 each = K60 x 10 = K600.00

10 DRINKERS at K60 each = K60 x 10 = K600.00

2 20 litres sprayer at K120 each = K120 x 2 = K240.00

SUB-TOTAL = K1,680.00

LIGHTING

3 Charcoal blazies at K40 each = K40.00 x 3 = K120.00

10 Bags x 50kgs charcoal at k20 each = k20.00 x 10 = k200.00

MISCELLANEOUS (SANDRIES) at K400.00 = K400.00 x 1 = k400.00

SUB-TOTAL = K720.00

FEEDINGS

Starter = 5 bags x 50kgs at K300.00 each = k300.00 x 5 bags = K1,500.00

MASH GROWER = 10 x 50 kgs at K300.00 each = K300.00 x 10 bags = K3,000.00

FINISHER = 10 x 50 kgs at K300.00 each = K300.00 x 10 bags = k3000.00

SUB-TOTAL = K7,500.00

BUILDING ROOF

20 X 3.5 metres Iron sheets at K120.00 each

 = K120.00 x 20 = K2400.00

40 x 2.5 metres rafter planks at k25.00

= K25.00 x 40 = K1000.00

SUB-TOTAL   = K3.400.00

Therefore the total amount requested for is K15.050.00

7.  EXPENDITURE

ITEM DESCRIPTION	UNIT	QUANTITY	COST	AMOUNT
TRANSPORT To and from	1	2	K75.00	K150.00
DAY OLD CHICKS	1	200	K7.00	K1.400.00
FUMUGANTS 50ML	1	2	K70.00	K140.00
DISINFECTANTS 50ML	1	2	K50.00	K100.00
FEEDERS	1	10	K60.00	K600.00
DRINKERS	1	10	K60.00	K600.00
20 LITRES SPRAYER		2	k120.00	K240.00
CHARCOAL BLAZIES	1	3	K40.00	K120.00
BAGS OF CHARCOAL	1	10	K20.00	K200.00
MISCELLANEOUS		1	K400.00	K400.00
STARTER	1	5	K300.00	K1.500.00
MASH GROWER	1	10	K300.00	K3000.00
FINISHER	1	10	K300.00	K3000.00
IRON SHEETS	1	20	K120.00	K2.400.00
RAFTER PLANKS	1	40	K25.00	K1000.00
			GRAND TOTAL	K15.050.00

a good day

“Long time!”  That’s what Zambians say when they have not seen you for a couple days.  Sorry it’s been quite long since a blog post has gone up.  Today was a great day in the bush and I thought I need to sit down and share…

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

Mubita giving injections

Cabbage gift and a nice garden!

Sand

I often struggle to love like Christ and sometimes am aware of it. A client not paying a bill, children fighting, people asking so much of us every day in all of our lives. Yesterday I was aware and praying that God would enable me to love people like He does, believing that this can only be possible through a power much greater than my own. Shortly after finishing my prayer I learned I was to be the driver to a funeral that day. I would carry the coffin of a woman I did not know and only because I had a vehicle big enough to do so. It was a rare day that I had nothing else pressing so it seemed to work out. Even then I saw only the work God had given me to do for the day but not yet connected it to a prayer offered with apparently so little faith.

She had three sons and her husband had died years ago from HIV. Her youngest was 17, the others a bit older. I walked toward the mortuary where I heard the family was to see how I could be of help when I met the pastor coming to my door.

“Now?” Yes, the procession is leaving now and I was needed. How did they know I was available? Frustration creeps around my edges. I don’t know about carrying a coffin, will it even fit? I have not had a shower, just out of bed an hour ago. I go back in the house, throw on some pants, tuck in a shirt and head over.

People are there, mourners singing and preparing the body, church members, family, community. We wait for more to come and after some time they are ready.

The men carry the coffin out and towards the car, the women singing and holding their hands in the air making a tunnel the men pass under with the coffin. I bite my tongue to check the emotion of the scene. The seats have to be laid down in the back of my land cruiser, even the front passenger seat to make room for the long, gray, plywood box. There is talk of using ropes to secure things if the tailgate won’t shut, but it does. A woman asks me if I have 4 wheel drive, and as I reply “yes”, I wonder at the question and pray silently that this man made machine can can hold up today against this God made world.

Nine women from the church fill in as they can around the cargo and driver’s seat. They never stop singing hymns. One man sits up near the front to guide me. The smell of embalming chemicals hints even with the windows down, our attempt to slow down the speed of death long enough to say goodbye. We drive off and I bite my tongue again at the beauty of the singing and the respect and love it reflects.

We go in a procession like the US, about 9 vehicles with flashers on. The few other vehicles on the main road pull over and stop out of respect. I have always been moved by this too and remembered being on farm calls when my tech (who hardly respected anyone living) would pull over for a funeral procession and curse young college students driving past in a hurry. He has had his own procession now, but I always liked him for that.

We turn toward the church and I see the sand. It is a foot deep and the vehicle in front of me has to be pushed up the hill. I put it in first gear and we slip like in snow but make it up to the church all together. We wait for everyone to get up that hill at the church and then the coffin goes in under a bridge of hands like before. I enter the small packed church and try to stand in the back but the people will not have it and I am offered a seat up front that I quickly decline and am thankfully left alone. I am just a driver and the respect given due to skin tone is embarrassing and makes me sad.

Four women stand on each side of the coffin and hold candles throughout the service that lasts about an hour and women from the congregation replace them ever 10 minutes or so through some unseen signal I suppose. As they sing in Silozi, “ On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand…”, I sing in English sitting in a building made of sand and watch a chicken outside pecking in the sand, and think about that hill.

We finish and load back up and now I see a flatbed has arrived to carry villagers to the grave site. We go out and back down the hill singing and sliding. We cross the main road and go into the bush, more sand, more vehicles stuck, pushing, but not ours. We push on and on and I think we are lost. Now there are just two vehicles that can continue and we have found a man that has pointed the way and is now running across the plain ahead of the vehicle I am following. I don’t ask, just drive and the women never stop singing. The plain is a classic African landscape and I begin to think the man must be getting tired but where could he fit in either truck? A few miles later we come to some trees and a place prepared. It is an unmarked village graveyard on the edge of the floodplain. I back the truck up and all but one exit and we sit in the shade while for the next 30 minutes people walk into the scene.

There is singing, another service, mourning, a viewing. The 17 year old breaks down and I bite my tongue again and put on a hard face. He is alone with his brothers now and my heart breaks for him. He is taken off into the trees and we can hear him for some time. I sit to the side in the sand and shade. People are everywhere now. A mentally ill man goes around being loud and distracting but is beautifully accepted and allowed to be by the people. I think about my wife, my children, our families, these people here and friends back home. People are the greatest gift on this earth God has given us. Relationships and most importantly the one with Him through which we can love others in ways we cannot do on our own. Life is wonderful, beautiful, a gift, quick and dangerous. Only now do I suddenly realize God’s response to my request that morning. My day has been like a dream where I watched life go on in front of me from a spectator’s seat.

The service is over and the people sit quietly in groups among the scrubby trees. The men begin to use their shovels and the women begin to sing, “On Christ the solid Rock I stand…”

And the sand rained softly back into the earth.

April Update

April Update!

Determined to update this blog at least monthly I am making time on April 30th to do the April entry.  I can’t believe we have only been back for 2 months as it feels like we have been so busy and here forever again.  Risking boredom I have decided to do bullet points to give updates on what your prayers. encouragement, finances, and other support have been growing in Africa!

-We were blessed with Dr. Brian Whitlock coming to help with breeding cows and teaching this skill.  Everyone loved him and learned much and we travelled to 4 villages and bred 120 cows and taught during his time here.  

-We had a cooperative board meeting the other day and in one year membership has grown to 113!  We are breeding 400 cows this year, doing devotions in the bush, providing access to medicines in bush areas by placing small refrigerators in strategic villages that have power, teaching about various human and animal disease prevention, bringing a mobile tick sprayer to the area, and investigating the building of a small shop where they can sell medicines and operate out of.  They are making great strides towards self sufficiency and the future looks bright in many ways.

-Dr. Paige Pongratz and her 2 children will be coming in a couple weeks to do devotions and goat clinics in the bush areas.  The people are excited about her coming and we will have a busy week teaching and doing labs in the bush.

-I have been preparing my curriculum to teach an animal science course to seminary students at the International Bible College of Zambia (IBCZ) outside Lusaka in June.  It is 45 hours of class time over 2 weeks and something I have never done before.  The purpose of the class is to equip new pastors and evangelists to be able to bring physical knowledge to their congregations to accompany the spiritual.  I am enjoying the preparation and really looking forward to this opportunity as I think it is a great use of a missionary vet!

-Alicia has daily visitors with the formula program and has loved assisting these women in the ministry.  It provides such a help in a time of need for these struggling mothers and families.

-The devotions at the farm have been going well and are transitioning to being mostly Lozi led now.  We are going daily through the New Testament and are now just starting Romans.

-Homeschool is moving along and we hope to finish up the year just before we have Alicia’s family come to visit in July (a bit behind from our US stay!)

-Alicia’s Mom, sister (Shannon), 3 nieces, and cousin will be coming in July!  Thank God for a bigger house to be able to host teams and family!!  Everyone is of course super excited about their coming!

-Please pray for Zambia as a nation as elections approach in August.  There has been quite a bit of national tension building and we pray for a peaceful election and process.  There has also been a series of witchcraft ritual killings this year in the country that have resulted in violent and misplaced retaliation against Rwandan immigrants in the capital city.  Pray for calm and that these evils could be overcome peaceably.

-It is so great to hear from so many of you and what is going on back home!  We miss you all and look forward to hearing more!

Until next time,

Paul

Dr, Whitlock and Fred teaching in the bush

Back In Zambia

Hello!

Alicia and I have been meaning to catch up the blog since we arrived back in Zambia but each day has presented new challenges and business such that we find ourselves here for 2 weeks without an update!  

We arrived the first of March and everyone was happy to be back in Mwandi!  The kids even enjoyed (?) the plane flight a bit this time!  We flew through NYC and went to Times Square for dinner and to rest up before the 14 hour flight to Johannesburg.  I was happily surprised that each of the kids were looking forward to returning to Mwandi.  Mostly I think they were all excited to see the cat they had been missing for 3 months and we were happy she still remembered us!  

Immediately we had car trouble and I spent a couple days going back and forth to Livingstone as that is not an easy thing to take care of in the rural areas.  Once working we took a trip out to survey the country and catch up with the farmers.  I saw several of the new calves from the AI program and many happy farmers.  Inside I hoped the numbers could have been higher, but I kept that to myself as they were nothing short of elated in each area we visited.  The real excitement on the trip however came with the drive.  There has been drought all year- until just before we came back when it started raining every day.  This is awesome for crops, animals, and just life in general- but not awesome for the roads into the bush.  Thankfully the land cruiser is awesome and we made it out and back in spite of the roads and endless water.  I’m not sure how we didn’t flood the engine but at one point we had water lapping over the front of the hood.  

The water on the east side made us completely change plans to start with the west side and all of the difficult communication and logistics ensued but seem to have worked out so far…I have a good friend and classmate coming next week to help with the breeding and while the plan is constantly fluid we will have a great time!

We moved to our new house a couple days ago- not so hard when you don’t have many things and it is only 100 meters down the road.  With several helpers it only took a couple hours and Alicia and I reflected on how nice it is to live simply (which is embarrassingly not simple compared to the life possessions of the Zambians helping us move).  Our new house is very big and also embarrassingly nice!  It is right on the river and has an upstairs and 3 bathrooms!  We never dreamed of staying in such a place when we signed on here but now feel so blessed to have a place where we can accommodate the many visitors planning on coming this year.  We are also excited about the new ministry opportunities that come with the house including assisting with senior care, baby formula, gardening, and sewing ministries (separate ministries!).  

The kids brought a small TV and their Wii and have made the house a bit more American too (worked great until we ran out of power that night!).  The boys brought their bows and we are planning to make a ping pong table and get some guineas for the yard.  Home school is back in full swing and we have some catching up to do to finish by ‘summer’.  

We will not be so long before the next update.  Thank you to each of you for reading, caring, and supporting us in so many ways.  We could not be here or do this without you- we are your servants as well as for the people here.  Please pray for us to see clearly each day what God has for us and to keep His big picture first in our lives.  As always, let us hear from you and how we can help in your ministry and life.

Love,

Paul, Alicia, Isaac, Ethan, and Rachel

Kids reunited with Kaze

2 month old AI calf in Magumwi- same size as 5-6 month local stock!