Friday, November 27, 2009

40 / 40 in Lusaka

Washing Dishes




Air drying Dishes



Public Transportation

I thought I would tell you a little bit about 40/40. I won’t try to catch you up or tell you all. I mostly want to post some pictures that we took.

The first part of 40/40 orientation was in Lusaka at the Seminary. Our family had the privilege of staying at the guest house with two bathrooms in our flat. Everyone at the seminary had two showers and three toilets to share for the women and I think the men had the same. They also shared two wash machines and two dryers while we had our own. So the first 14 days or so we were spoiled.

Most every morning we got on a blue bus and with our helpers went out into an area of the city to do our DFA’s (Daily Field Assignments). We started with just observing, then just sitting with them visiting and getting to know Zambians, to telling them the story of Creation to Christ. These DFA’s were training us to know how to get to know Africans when we get to our area of service.

Three of the pictures are of Heather washing and drying her dishes. We all washed and air dried our dishes. They went through a cold wash and rinse and then a hot wash and rinse. The rinse water had the purple stuff we wash all our fruits and veggies in. Then air drying. This is so we don’t pass on germs and make each other sick. All this and a bug was still passed around. We even had to air dry our hands. They use to have towels to dry hands but not anymore. Every 40/40 they try to figure out what they can do to stop passing the runs and a throw up bug around, so the shared hand towels went.

The picture of the blue bus is what public transportation looks like here in Zambia. The first morning we walked a little way to the main road to catch one and ride it to down town where we transferred to another one in the bus terminal. We were in teams of two with a Zambian helper, but three teams were going to the same area. So we had 6 white women getting on the same bus. The bus drivers started fighting over us. After that our Zambian helpers got the drivers phone number and called them and they came to the Seminary and picked us up and took us all the way to where we were going. The last Saturday we did this no buses showed up. So we walked to the bus stop again. This time the helpers had us wait outside the terminal while two of them went in and got a bus and brought it out. They did a wonderful job of watching out for us and keeping us safe. One other time we were in the terminal on a bus and a guy wanted to steal my purse. He saw how I had a hold of it and so since he couldn’t steal it he got mad and tried to steal my hat. One of the helpers saw this going down and grabbed my hat first. I think white women on public buses cause too much trouble. I don’t think I will be ridding those buses by myself.


Flamboyent Tree

I cannot spell and the internet is too slow. This beautiful tree is one of many at the Guest House in Lusaka. This picture was taken out of a second story window overlooking the playground.