Ndubaluba

Hey everyone! Sorry it's been a while.... we've had some pretty bad problems with the server for the past few weeks and so it's been hard to update. Seems like its getting worse over time...

Over the past couple of weeks we've been visiting the villages of Niyrenda for devotionals, and we've recently started a women's group. I really love going into the villages... its a really nice experience, and fun to learn about the peoples' lifestyles. Even though the kids don't own a lot of toys, they are really creative and they make their own and are just as happy... I saw dolls...heavy, heavy dolls made out of clay with grass hair, and rock eyes... and I saw this other kid before with a homemade kite that he made from a ripped plastic bag and some string & sticks... and even this other women ripped up a plastic bag into strips and was knitting a bag out of it.

It really bothers me that some people who go to Africa bring loads of food & money to villages, in trying to help the people and "save" them from their poverty and problems, because it's just a temporary fix that will cripple them more in the future. I learned that if you really want to help the people, you must teach them to fend for themselves.... teach them to start their own businesses and make their own money so that they can take care of themselves. I've heard so many stories of this exact situation, and sometimes its hard to find out what exactly you can do to really help. Even when we started this women's group, the first question was that a lady asked was if we could lend them some money, and we made it very clear that we were not here to do that. The women's group that we started will be with Mrs Mahoney in charge, where she will go to these villages every week and for instance, sew with them. After the women learn how to sew, they can start sewing things like bags, or even school uniforms, go on the street to sell them, make money, and then buy more fabric to make more things...and eventually it turns into their own business, where they can make their own money to support their families and send their children to school and be successful. It's really hard sometimes... the school fees for children here in Zambia are so expensive, and unaffordable, so its hard to think that such capable & smart children can't get a proper education. It's so hard to see.

So a few days ago I left for an "African Expedition" called Ndubaluba! It's pronounced "En-Dooba-looba" and its about a 3 hour bus ride from Banani. The Ndubaluba place itself is settled in the bush, and the girls had little chalets that they stayed in, with lots of bunks fit inside. I went along with the PE teacher, Mrs Tembo, and we stayed inside of a house, which was pretty much the same as a typical Banani house. Well, the girls were the ones who did the proper expedition - they walked for 24km total!!! And Mrs Tembo and I just walked and met them at the checkpoints. At this one checkpoint, we trudged through the forest, with no trail or anything, just a compass, and we hiked up this MASSIVE hill!! At some points, it got to 90 degrees, and we had to climb up rocks and we were just grabbing anything to keep from falling, grass, branches, fungi... and we were soooo tired afterwards, but it was such a beautiful view once we got to the top...and the girls were really happy to see us. One night we even set up tents in the bush and we camped out and cooked our own food over a fire... no toilets... no shower... the BUSH. I must say I was so thankful to get back to Banani and have water to bathe in! The water at Ndubs was brown...and smelled like rust, so it had to be purified...and it still tasted bad, but I guess it wasn't as bad as Banani water. Banani tap water is pretty gross! On the last night we even roasted marshmellows!!!! Soooo nice!!!

Even though Ndubs was fun... it was really nice to get back to Banani, and bathe in hot water! The shower has been broken for the past week or so, so I've had to bathe out of a bucket & wash my hair in the sink... which is new, but seriously - the tap water is hot, and I couldn't be happier. Truly a gift from God.

Well, we have 3 days left until midterm break, where I think I'm going to Soheyla's place in Lusaka and staying there for a week... finishing up some last minute gift shopping, and relaxing... and packing! Ah. My least favorite word! Well, I have 2 weeks left in Zambia and I have no words to describe how I feel about leaving. I'm trying not to think about it.