Munda Wanga

Today we ventured out of town a bit to a zoo called Munda Wanga. We arrived around 13 hours and walked around the botanical gardens then headed off to the zoo for the animal feeding. Now...there was nothing fancy about this zoo. It was a dirt path, the animals were all fenced in with chain-link fences, no places for drinks, no jaguar exhibit but let me tell you...it was cool!!



Our first exhibit was the antelope, crown-headed crane, peacock, wart-hogs, bush hogs, camels from Libya, zebras then came the lions. Well, PETA would have sued the zoo over what we saw next. They had strategically placed goat heads recently severed from their bodies in various places then they opened the lions gate. We saw 1 male and 5 females run over the hill to have their afternoon snack. The lions were sooo beautiful but I must admit standing there next to the fence as you heard the lion biting down on their snack, yuck!! I plugged my ears and had to look away. I did learn that if I am in the bush and come across a lion, (Lord, please don't let that happen) I need to stare right at the lion and stand very still. If he moves, I move- They attack from behind. So good to know!!

We returned home where "the boys" were once again barbequing. The neighbor kids came over again to play- the girls picked lemons from our lemon tree and made lemonade- the lemons were not quite ripe. The boys helped Bradley work on a Science experience- a water timer!!

USAID

United States Agency for International Development- the group Erik and I met with this morning. After doing my research on the kids in government schools needing to buy uniforms, having 80 kids per class per session, I decided to see what USAID was doing for the education system here in Zambia.
I was very enlightened- the gentleman we met, Rick, was head of Education at USAID. He advised that 70% of the children in Lusaka go to private schools or government schools. The government schools are "free" but you must be able to pay for a uniform and some other fees- which we were already told. He said the reason they implemented this was there were too many children in school. The first day of school they would have 100 children- they only have 80 desks so they decided to initiate a "charge" to cut down on the numbers. The children who do not make it into these schools go to "community schools"- that would be the other 30% of children in Lusaka- all this information is based on Kindergarten through Year 9.
The community schools are in the compounds and they are run by people in the community. If they are lucky they will have a retired school teacher- who is happy because she is able to teach the children without all the bureaucracy. The teachers do not come with a resume- if you can read or write, you can transfer your skills to these children.
One of the NGO- non-government organisations- they spell with "s" not "z"- has started a Radio program where they give the community schools a radio and will assist the teacher by conducting a class over the radio. That allows for some autonomy in the community schools. Due to brown-outs and other outside influences- that doesn't always work so they started handing out IPods with the lessons on them. Then they are able to rewind and go over material at their own pace.
I am going to meet with the Radio Program initiator, Richard, next week so I can check out some community schools. I thought that maybe I could come along side a teacher and help her. They seem to have simple needs that they don't know how to address. Repairing desks, getting materials, they can even sign up for lunch programs. I was told that sometimes they just don't know how to go about making the appropriate connections to get these needs met.
I'm trying so hard to be diligent in my research as well as my prayer life. There are sooooo many needs here- I want to go only where God sends me. I will be useless to all, including my family, if I go anywhere without HIM!!

Tuesday Market

Oh my!! Today was the famous Tuesday Market on Burma Road- Moses calls it the Indian market- not sure why:) It costs 2,000 Kwacha to enter(75 cents) and once you enter it is a madhouse. As you pull into the driveway there are maybe 5 guys, or should I say boys, pointing at your car and running along side you. I parked my car and was immediately swarmed by 15-20 Zambian boys all saying "Madam, carry your bag, madam". I politely said, "no thank you", "no thank you", "no thank you"- probably 132 times. My friends joined me who had been before and Alix actually "hired" a boy to carry her vegetable basket around as she shopped. The market was an open pavilion...people were selling the most incredible vegetables I have ever seen- women snapping peas, shucking corn, selling okra, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, cabbage, eggplant, zucchini, onions, many herbs. I was overwhelmed by the selection and quantity of vegetables and by the boys that kept following me. Next week I will hire a boy right away so the others don't have to follow me around. (my friend Nubia is in the middle of all the commotion)

The boy that Alix hired "Cameron" was very helpful- he was 12 years old, his school started at 12 hours- he told Alix how to prepare the beans and vegetables when she had questions. He was a good kid! Next time, I know better.

And...today was the European Spelling Bee- Brad came in 2nd place in his class!! Good job but his European spelling days are over!

After-school Activities

Yesterday was the first "official" day of after-school activities. School is over at 13 hours(1:00pm) then the children have one hour to eat lunch, play, do whatever they please until 14 hours(2:00pm). Afternoon activities start at 14 hours until 15:30 hours. All activities are free!
Bradley is on the swim team which practices for 45 minutes then he changes clothes and goes to "touch typing". Well, I know that my son has a hard time making it from his bedroom to the bathroom so...I hung out yesterday to help him make the transition. The funny part was that the only other mother that felt the need to "assist" their children was my friend Nubia, also from the States. As the Headmaster walked by me yesterday afternoon, I just said "Yes, I'm a little controlling and need to make sure my boy doesn't get lost". He just nodded his head.
Chelsea signed up for Basketball which is played for 1 1/2 hours. Out of 20 kids there were 2 girls, her and Ishna- another girl from her class. I had a chance to meet the PE coach and Athletic director and find out about the sports teams at school. He was very nice and informative. Chelsea had fun yesterday- good practice for her to play with the boys!!

Bradley's schedule: Monday- Swimming and Typing
Tuesday- Painting and Cricket
Wednesday- Swimming for just 45 minutes
Thursday- Cookery and Chess club
Friday- Swimming for 45 minutes

Chelsea's schedule- Monday/Wednesday- Basketball
Tuesday/Thursday- Volleyball
No activities on Friday so we are home after Bradley swims:)

My friend Caroline advised us this morning that her son, Chelsea's age signed up for Ping Pong and Cake Decorating- We all had a good laugh!!

Catch up

I have some pictures from the last 3 days that I wanted to share so this will just catch you up on our latest activities:

Saturday we went to the Dutch Reform Market- it is within 2 miles from our home and is always the last Saturday of the month(moved this month due to the President's death). It was fun- There were many "booths" set up with vegetables, hand-crafted tables, handmade chitenges- the custom skirts worn by African women, some crafts, they also had bbq chicken- they call bbq "braai". We ran into a lot of people we had met so it was somewhat of a social outing also. I bought a handmade straw basket for the vegetable market and a wood carved Zebra painted bowl. Chelsea bought a purse made from bottle caps- Orange Fanta- and some bottlecap earrings. Bradley bought a local instrument that looks similar to a xylophone but made from wood. We each had 50,000 Kwacha and we each spent it all!! Chelsea is the only one who did a little bargaining:) She is becoming more and more Zambian each day!

We had a birthday party Saturday also. It was for Erik's business partner's daughter, Seeyoko, who was turning 8. They rented two jumpy things- one for mountain climbing and one for watersliding. The party was at a local Indian restaurant where some wonderful food was served. Bradley went reluctantly to the party and as we drove up 3 of his buddies were there- their sisters were invited. He was very happy and played all afternoon. The excitement of the afternoon was the lack of rules on the mountain climbing jumpy thing. The children would get to the top about 12 feet high and rock the thing until it fell over. Scary the first time, frustrating the fifth time. Cindy and Boyd- wouldn't you have to tie that thing to some sandbags in the States- no hurries, no worries in Zambia:)

The boys, Jim and Bob, once again grilled some awesome steaks for us. That is becoming a Saturday tradition- listen to some football over the internet and do some grilling.

Sunday morning we went back to the same church we visited last week, Independent Baptist Church. We have yet to hear Preacher Zulu but look forward to his sermon this weekend. It is a church of about 100 people- 10 of which are from the Baptist missionary bible study we attend. We did meet 2 new couples, one from Mississippi and one that lives 2 streets over from us now with 2 babysitting age daughters.

We had our new neighbors come over to swim on Sunday afternoon- Exit, 12 years old, Treche, 9 years old and Lucas, 6 years old. The kids had a great time playing Colors, Crocodile and Categories- Peterson even joined in on the fun!

Sunday evening we set up a Sunday school studio in our yard as Bob taught his Sunday school class at Hibernia Baptist in Jax over Skype. It was very cool- Technology is amazing!!

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!!