Meet Jane and Elizabeth

Jane is my 36 year old, as of last Wednesday, housekeeper. She is the only girl of six children. She was born in Zimbabwe, our neighboring country. When she was 8 years old her parents divorced and her father brought her, her oldest brother and her youngest brother to live with him in Zambia. Her mother and 3 other brothers all remain in Zimbabwe, about a 10 hour bus ride. (She hasn't seen her mother in 2 years and her daughter has never met her grandmother)

Jane did not attend school as it was her job to take care of her father and brothers. She speaks English very well and can also read. She is self-taught. She got married at an early age and has one daughter Elizabeth, 17 years old. Elizabeth doesn't speak English as well as her mother but speaks in their tribal language- the same one as Moses.

Jane's birthday was last week so Elizabeth came to work with Jane Friday- we picked the kids up from school at 1:00 and went to lunch at Kilamanjaro's to celebrate her birthday. She had never been to a restaurant. It was fun and she was so thankful.

Jane's husband, Elizabeth's father, died in 2005. He had a headache for 2 days and the Dr. did not know what it was. Jane then moved to the "compounds" where she rents one bedroom for $15/month. We took her home after lunch on Friday and it was amazing- I'm so glad my kids were with me. The room was probably 10 x 10 with one double bed, one stove/oven combo the size of a microwave- the two burners were on the top- one small dresser, one curio cabinet with decorating things. What must she think when she sees all the clothes in my closet and the excess stuff. And remember we still are living with no family room furniture, a plastic green table with chairs in dining room, the kids are sharing one room and sleeping on their own air mattresses, Erik and I have a bed in our room with a box for a night table, Jim and Bob each have their own room with a twin bed and crate for a nightstand- and again, how much more do I have than Jane!! The Lord is teaching me each day to be Content!! Jane knows that all her treasures are in Heaven- Just as He has promised!!

Elizabeth, again 17 years old, started school today in Year 8. Chelsea is 11 years old in Year 7. Elizabeth has not been able to go to school because it costs 250,000 Kwacha per quarter($75) to go to Government schools here, that is public school. You must buy your uniform, PTA dues, etc to attend. Jane can now afford to send Elizabeth. Elizabeth gets on a public bus, not school bus, at 6:00am and rides for 2 hours to get to school then she will arrive back home at 18 hours(6:00pm). The bus ride costs 20,000 kwacha per day ($8).

It takes Jane an hour and a half on the bus to get to me during the week. Remember the blue and white bus I showed in an earlier blog, designed to seat 11 people but packed to about 30!!

I told Jane that Moses was her age and available but Jane says, "Elizabeth comes first, after she is out of school, she will begin to look:)" she also told me that she likes to eat meat and Moses is a seventh-day adventist which means he doesn't eat meat:)

I wish I could find her a closer place to live and send Elizabeth to school- I will keep looking!!