Catching Up

I might seem like a pretty milk toast generic type of old man in his 60's to most.

However, in my own mind, I feel like a caged animal that is used to roaming free.

Below is my first "selfie" as I felt that old senior missionary ailment coming on.

The above photo captures why I haven't posted in this blog lately, along with out internet at our home not working often or well enough to post photos on the blog.  Today is a Zambian holiday, "Hero's Day",  so I am at the mission home primarily to use the internet.  Of course I need to correct some accounting errors, submit a vehicle report, and purchase more "talk time" for everyone.

To get caught up I will post several random photos to let you see a sampling of what has gone on.

Below is Jackson at the mission home.  When not opening and closing the gate he works on his garden and he then can take as much home with him as he wants.  His wife, Precious, will be delivering a baby any day now.

This was one of many baptisms in the mission.  The font is a fiberglass tub out in the yard.

I stayed back to take a photo to preserve the dignity of the event.

I remember how keys were such an issue in our home church building.  We went from standard, to electronic keypads, to electronic keys to finally having the church provide a patented unique blank that is highly controlled.  Below is one set of keys to the Lusaka chapel.  I shuddered when I saw it and I am very thankful that they are not entrusted to me. (All the vehicles and all the flats are enough for me).  

A couple of roads are being widened in Lusaka to try and accommodate the large increase in traffic we are noticing.  Here many beautiful Jacaranda trees are paying the price of progress.

We had a general authority, Elder Hamilton, and his wife visit and tour the mission.  This is a photo of eating lunch at the Zone Conference.

That evening between meetings, Kristi was hurrying back from taking missionaries to immigration and poked her nose out into traffic.  This was the result.  They were all fine but the little car was out of commission for a month waiting for parts from South Africa.

I have also had several other vehicles in for repairs and touchups, which is just more paperwork.

Here is a little nest I found on the top of the windshield wiper.  It was something I had never seen before.  The nest looked just like a miniature clay pot that had been turned.  Inside were inchworms.

We get invited to weddings for people in our branch.  Here Chikumbe and Kate have just gotten married.

The receptions are really nice, though traditionally start much later than planned.

As the only white folks in attendance we tend to be some of the "honored guests".  However, being the token white is not bad as our table was excused to hit the food first and the rest of our table was thrilled that we were seated with them.  Of course we are called upon to help get the dancing started.  You can see Kristi's pale countenance trying to catch the rhythm of the "congo" line.

We started attending District Meeting with the missionaries who attend our branch.

Some have moved on since this photo and we miss them.  In the back row is Elder Welling and Elder Mwambu.  In front, Sisters Griffus, Nakitende, Fuamatu, and Jones.

Below is our present family home evening group.  Skidmores, Humpherys, Binghams, Lyles and Ericksons.  Those that are in town get together every Monday evening and read a short story from our lives that we would like to pass on to our grandchildren.  It has been a good way to get to know each other and have a little dessert.

We drive by this sculpture often so I finally had Kristi pose.

This was the refreshments after a home teaching activity in the Woodlands branch.

(Golden, Pauline, Sianga, Ben and Jacob)

We alternate with the other branch in the building cleaning it each week.  The first time there I looked and looked for a vacuum.  No vacuums, and these traditional brooms worked the best and fastest.  Here Sister Zemba is making short work of the Young Women's room.

Often books and paper are in short supply so schools have many simple lessons permanently painted on their walls.  Everyone should know the provinces of Zambia.  I was ready to visit them all.  I am sure it is the cure for my mental derangement.   So here I am feeling sorry for myself with plenty of work and worries, no internet, and not being in control of my own life.  

Then I drive down the street in a new truck to my nice home and full refrigerator feeling sorry for myself and this lady comes by.  Yes, she is the best dressed, cleanest beggar in town - but with one arm and a totally distorted face that she lives with every single day of her life.

I suppose my gripes ring a little hollow.

Peanuts

It's baseball time!  

My buddy and I had tickets to the Oakland A's for almost twenty years.

When you live below the equator, the peanut harvest coincides with the opening of the season.

In America they are harvested in the fall and then prepared for Spring Training.

In Zambia we get them fresh from the earth in anticipation of the first pitch.

Baseball must be huge here because everyone grows a few.

You can often find them in the maize along with squash and other delectibles.

It was in this village that a lady showed us how they were grown.

They really don't grow on the roots as I had always thought but the flower changes and drops on a small vine to the ground where it developes a peanut under the earth.

You can buy peanuts everywhere, now it is baseball season.

The problem I had getting ready for the opening pitch was that these ground nuts were RAW.

Really moist, damp, and with sort of a musty flavor.  Now I know what a real "goober pea" is.

However, I needed peanuts so I checked out how to prepare them.

It turns out there are two basic ways - boil or roast.  

You might want to dry them out in the sun a while first though.

You then have the option of shelling them, or not.

I chose to roast them in an oven on a cookie sheet in the shell.

They turned out good, not great.

I think I will boil them in salty water next time.

Obviously shelled and roasted with salt or honey would be best but I love to shell them when the action gets tense and just toss the shells on the floor of the stadium, which drives Kristi nuts.

My bowl was ready, and I knew enough to get another bowl for shells.  I was ready to watch baseball.

Well guess what?  There is soccer and golf on Zambia TV but no BASEBALL!

I have never seen a bat or a baseball in the streets even.  What's with that?

This is crazy - why do they grow all these peanuts?

Mothers Without Borders, Zambia (#2)

 Rebecca really wanted to visit "Mothers Without Borders," it is located near Lusaka, Zambia.

Rebecca has a lot of friends and church members in Livermore that wanted to donate "something" since she was traveling to Lusaka.  Brent and Rebecca brought several suitcases with dresses, shirts and flip flops.  Josephine, the onsite social worker,  indicated that they could use them.  Here you see some of the simple play dresses on the girls.

These girls were just happy for a gift and visitors.

The boys got white shirts which they will wear on Sundays.

Rebecca was happy to help even this little bit and to actually meet the recipients.

In reality, the best help is to donate cash.  Mothers Without Borders is a nonprofit organization.

If you are interested I have pasted the web site for it where you can donate.

https://www.motherswithoutborders.org/donation

This second web site is to friend them on Facebook where they have a boutique sale of Zambian items every once in a while.  If interested - check it out.

https://www.facebook.com/pagesMothers-Without-Borders/152892941422878

You will need to copy and paste the web address on to your browser.

Lunch was almost ready.  It is kapenta, or little dried fish that is sort of re-hydrated, along with green beans.  This will be the "relish" to go along with nshima. 

We took a tour of the school.

And the dorms.

We found one young man just sort of chilling on his bed.

Next the boys got the drums out and started to beat out a great rhythm.

Notice they had to put down the sugar cane they had been chewing on.

Then the girls all lined up and entered the stage dancing.  

Each girl had a turn to show off her moves.  I must admit it was mesmerizing.

I noticed the boys paid close attention.

Next all the boys entered the stage together dancing.  Then all but the two drummers took a turn and showed off their moves.  The older ones were a little more athletic but they all took it very seriously, and the girls were very attentive.

I tried to imagine my grandchildren being so uninhibited at a family reunion and showing off their solo moves.  I am putting them on notice that when we return they will need to be ready.  

Dancing, and feeling the rhythm can be such an expression of joy.  

So grandkids, get ready to express yourself.

(That is -  in a positive happy way)

We're going to DANCE!

Brent enjoyed showing them how good their moves were.

On the left is Josephine Daka the social worker here.  On the right is Innocent Sunsiwilla the director and also the branch president of the Lusaka Branch.

We said good-bye and Rebecca stopped by a shop that sold chitenges to take home as a table cloth.

One last stop at the mission home where Kristi and I spend most of our time and then off to the airport to send Brent and Rebecca home to their busy lives.  It will be a year before we see them again.

Ngombe Village Life - Fun?

Life in Ngombe seems quite pleasant and I was sure we could find happy people.

Of course Rebecca and Kristi were happy just to be together and walk and talk.

This lady thought they were a little out of place but mother and daughter didn't even notice.

Shopping is serious business and I never find it "fun".

These boys got to be together but I am not certain they would call it "fun".

"Only God Knows wholesale" is something I hadn't considered.  I suppose retail is for the rest of us.

Eggs at wholesale don't seem to be moving when everyone has their own chickens.

There cannot be much fun about a butchery.

When we got to the "new" market, business seemed a little slow.  That is not fun.

Obviously, avocados are not a hot item or the hot pot of goodies cooking.

The hardware store was open late for emergencies but not much action here.

Thankfully, "God's Gentle" with haircuts and there was a little business there, but I wouldn't call it fun.

Gingerly making your way across the mud is not fun, especially with shopping and a child strapped to you.

As darkness approaches it is time to clean up and put everything away.  Not fun.

It looks like this barber and hair salon has changed products but not many customers.

This is one of Ngombe's public wells.  Not fun.

Ah! Finally!  The village champ is whooping the little kids at draughts.  Fun for him but I am not certain about the losers.

Here is a younger version and the skills seem to a little more equal.  More fun happening here.

Families are gathering together at the end of the day and with a Karem board, they are having fun.

This young man had a great kite but needed a breeze.  Potential fun.

Here was some great fun as the neighborhood kids competed in jumping a stick over and over.

Hanging out together seemed like fun for most kids.

Pretty soon it seemed like the most fun thing to do was to follow and talk to the muzungu's.

They had lots of questions and so did we.

I thought this was a sight you don't see too often.  I am not sure what it has to do with fun but it was on our tour.  As a missionary, I have been thinking this is evidence of some of the negative things introduced to Africa over the years by missionaries.  Maybe half the population doesn't agree. (?)

We got back to the truck as it was getting dark and I think that we found plenty of fun in Ngombe.

Ngombe is made up of families and neighbors living life like everyone else.  They live a little closer together than I am used to, but because of that they seem to look out for each other and all the children a little better.  You can certainly obtain all the essentials for life right here.  Things that could be improved are running water and flush toilets for better health.  Secondly, I would like to have access to better medical care and supplies.  Having these two items lacking can sort of keep the lid on fun.

One of the things I have learned in life is that religion can open doors to more "fun".  Well maybe fun isn't exactly the word I am thinking of, but close.  Religion, and a belief in Jesus Christ and his atonement, brings not just fun, but pure joy.  Joy in living, and joy in faith and hope for the future.  

Peace and joy comes into my life when I listen to the spiritual promptings that are available to everyone.

When that happens I sometimes call that daily joy - fun.

Go have some "fun" today!