Funerals (September 6)

I got up at 6:45, which felt like sleeping in after our schedule for the past week. Jason and I had a quick breakfast (the bananas in Zambia are amazing! Smaller than those in the US, but sweeter and super fresh). We picked Paul up at 8am and headed out to West Chelston, another town on the outskirts of Lusaka. There we met with five women who are volunteers with the home-based care project. The ladies gave me some great responses and were very open about their needs and requests.

 

Me-What is your vision for expanding home-based care over the next year?

Josephine- Our group needs some soap.

The women are polite to the point of being shy. But…only to a point. They usually avoided eye contact, and only some of the women wanted to speak up when I asked questions. But during the interview we had a few instances where no translation was needed and we all laughed.

 

At the end of the interview I thanked them all for their service and said they would be in my prayers. They all said they were thankful I was there, and asked me not to forget their requests and please.

I will indeed remember Josephine, Jenpha, Mary, Eunice and Inice. I hope they remember me, too. I’ll never forget their faces and grateful gestures when I gave each of them a pen from the University Bookstore. They had a ball pronouncing “Wis-CON-sing” with me. I can’t imaging their faces if they ever actually walked into the bookstore…or one of our hospitals.

There’s a very important detail about this day. During the entire interview, we heard women wailing outside. The pastor’s daughter had passed away the night before, and the entire family, church and community were gathering for her funeral. She was in her mid-twenties, and had been sick for a few weeks.

A funeral in Zambia is very tiring and taxing on the family. In addition to dealing with the cultural norms and traditions of funerals clashing with their religious beliefs, they also have to feed and put up anyone who comes. That includes out-of-town family, to whom word travels fast, community members, distant friends and long-lost relatives. In some cases it can be comforting. But often, it’s a burden for these families, who usually feed their families for 20,000 zmk ($5) each week.

The men prepare the burial plot, city paperwork and the casket while the women mourn and wail and keep the guests comfortable. The third day is usually the day of burial, once everyone has gathered. A large procession on foot follows the casket. Men cover the casket with dirt after people share prayers and final memories.  The wailing continues until the entire crowd gets back to the house. Then the crowd disperses and only the closest of kin are left to deal with their recent loss—and expenses. Some relatives stay to help the deceased’s family. The young woman who died had two children, who will now live with the pastor and his wife.

We returned to Lusaka around noon and had some lunch. I tried to email my family and Drew, but the internet was still iffy.

I got to talk to Sheila (Tonga) Chalimba, who is wonderful. So charismatic, smart, kind. She lived in New York for 7 years working with the UN, and she speaks 11 languages! And her English is great, so I could speak normally and freely with her without having to worry about whether I was talking too fast.

That night I made myself a yummy curried rice dinner with local tilapia and vegetables. And I got to email Drew and hop on Facebook for a minute! That felt pretty weird, but it was nice to connect. I started getting a little homesick in this very foreign country. Usually when I’ve traveled I’ve been so busy that I didn’t have time to miss home. But during my evening downtime in Zambia, I did.

I kept thinking about how old my nephew Gavin would be when I’d get to see him next, and hoped he’d like the present I got him in Mfuwe. At 2 months, I can’t see him being too picky about anything :] I got him, Andy and Sara (my brother and sister-in-law), Nicole and my parents gifts from Tribal Textiles, a local place that uses cotton from the Southern province, local waxes and dyes, and all-local labor that supports the nearby community. They make beautiful works of art, from purses to wall hangings to carvings.

Miss you, family!

September 5th – Interviews begin

Interviews began on September 5^th. I wrote a few questions the night before after realizing we’d be working with a translator. My questions were too complex for the language barrier. Did you ever realize that when we’re talking in English we tend to ask multiple questions on one?

At 8am we drove to the seminary to pick up Paul, a recent addition to the H&D Program and a support person to Alisad Banda, the program’s director. He speaks English, Chewa, Bemba and others. He is really passionate about the work they’re doing in water sanitation, which is his main focus.

On the way we picked Pastor Tarisayi up along the way to Linda, a small town on the outskirts of Lusaka. With traffic and roads that haven’t been paved in 15 years, it took over an hour to get there.

Pastor Tarisayi and me inside the Linda church

We pulled up a dirt path, past vegetable and clothing stands, and arrived at the church where I’d be holding interviews. It was a white brick building with wooden benches, a nice altar and electric lights. This is where I conducted my first interview with Pastor Tarisayi, who is from Mwembezhi.

Me, talking with four volunteers and Paul, my translator.

Two girls in school uniforms pump water from a borehole.

Talking with Pastor Tarisayi was formal but still comfortable. From the beginning I started cutting out questions and adding other to try to get at the root of why we were there: to improve communication among levels of the program so the work can be carried out more efficiently.

Kids just got home from school in Linda.

Then I met with four female volunteers who work with home-based care and bio-sand filters. Paul did an excellent job translating, and the women were great. They are beautiful women, and from talking with them for less than an hour I could tell their hearts are huge to be doing all of this volunteer work for their community.

Back in Lusaka Jason, Paul and I went to a grocery store to pick up dinners for the week. I also picked up some Zambian coffee and South African wine to take back home.

After a short visit with Jason and Amanda I walked to the seminary offices where I met with Alisad. We discussed the state of the programs, and his vision for H&D and its relationship with the Lutheran Church in Zambia. Alisad complimented my chitengi (a cotton cloth wrap women wear over their pants). I’d been feeling self-conscious about it all day, so his comment made me really happy!

After our talk I joined some of the missionaries’ wives for their twice-weekly walk. It’s dusty and rocky, but not too hot. Plus, they’re really nice ladies and really nice to talk casually with after a long day of enunciation with a translator! We talked about home…

That evening I had the guest house to myself, as Jason and Amanda went to dinner with some good friends from when they lived in Zambia. I transcribed the first interviews, cooked my dinner and read a bit. It was a low-tech night because the internet was down that night. At least we had power (the seminary was out until about 4pm that day).

The first day wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. People are people, and the ones I was fortunate to meet and talk with were very nice ones. 

Tuesday, 9.4.12

I had a dream last night that there was a space as big as my pinky between my two front teeth. I guess I was repressing anxiety over not bringing my retainer...
At least I wasn't dreaming about the GIANT spider that was still in my room, or the fruit bat that wanted to snuggle while I was brushing my teeth, or the tree frogs that sang sweetly to me all night, or the lizards that made a rustling noise as they scuttled along the thatched walls. It may sound creepy-crawly, but I actually love this stuff. Like, really love it :] Thanks, Mom and Dad, for letting me play with bugs and snakes and salamanders when I was little!

Last day on safari!

I woke up at 5:30 to the wake-up call and had another one of these luxury breakfasts. By 6 we were back on the rover again, headed for the park's main gate.






We saw a really tiny baby baboon. It was so cute, being passed from adult to adults. We also saw more water bucks and a train of elephants!

We came across some really strange droppings (how many great stories start with droppings?), and our guide screeched to a halt. "That's a lion," Andrew said. About 50 feet down the trail, we started seeing tracks the size of Andrew's hand.


We continued on quietly for a while, cameras ready. We came around a corner which overlooked an open field, and saw 6 huge (but skinny) lions sleeping in the grass. A bigger male slept farther away from the group, belly full, his chest full of blood from the night before.

He couldn't have cared less that we were there.

The lions didn't even care that we were there. They just snoozed, some of their ears twitching when a fly would land. The big male lay with his belly toward the sky, legs splayed.

To be that close (20 feet or so) to an animal so huge, and so normally dangerous, was absolutely breathtaking. Their beautiful eyes and faces, the nicks on their faces from fights and scuffles.

Once we had watched them for a while, another truck came up for the view and it was time to go. We continued on and saw more giraffes and a group of zebras. What a perfect few days of safari we had! I don't imagine that everyone is as fortunate as we were in seeing so many great animals.

I also had a had time fathoming what the next few days would bring. My interviews started September 5th (the day after this post), and now that the luxurious vacation days were over it was time to put my skills to the test.

These interviews are the reason I came to Zambia, but all of a sudden I started wondering if I was capable, competent. If I would be able to get the great information we'd need to help the program improve and succeed.

I had to ask myself..
Am I prepared?
Am I skilled?
Will I actually be able to help?
Why me?

It took a lot of prayer and contemplation that night to realize that I was there for a reason--a great one--and that this would all work out for great things.

The Night Drive - September 3

The evening drive was great. We again saw hippos, giraffes and elephants.

We are so fortunate to have gotten so close to these elephants!

 We were in the part of the park that was right across from our lodge when we encountered another rover whose driver had heard that a leopard was in the area...and had made a kill during the day. Recently.

We teamed up with the other group to "spot" the leopard (har har har), using the ravine as our guide. After some stalking, we saw him running--no, jumping--through the grass, for just a second. "Leopards are very she during the day," said Andrew, our guide. We saw the leopard for one more second before he disappeared into the golden-brown grass. Male leopards average around 60 kg, with some reaching up to 80 or even 90 kilos. This was one of the more average males in the area, but one nearby is said to be around 75 kilos (150 lbs). It was incredible knowing that such a large cat was crouching in the grass not 50 feet from our rover, yet we couldn't see or hear him at all.

Male pukus resting

When a puku senses danger or that its territory is being threatened, it lets out three whistle-like calls.
"Yi-yi-yi!"
If smells or sees real danger, he lets out a single cry.
"Yyy-ih!"
It's usually followed by a stomp or a shake of the head.

The whole time we were searching the ravine, one puku stared right where we were searching. Every once in a while he would stomp and let out the single cry. It wasn't us he was worried about, or another puku...it was the leopard.

The grey object to the left of the lowest tree branches is the stomach

Finally we rounded a corner and saw the gruesome sight that had the puku so concerned: the leopard had killed a puku, and dragged it under a low-hanging tree so he could return for it later. The really "good" stuff (the heart, liver, kidneys) was removed and eaten to make up for the energy lost during the kill, and the puku's rib cage shown red from across the ravine. And it was a large animal. So large, in fact, that the leopard couldn't drag it up into a tree to keep it safe from other scavengers. We were lucky enough to have seen this fresh kill, even if the leopard was in hiding.

Whew!

On the rest of the drive we saw water bucks, more elephants and beautiful giraffes, as well as another solitary buffalo. Up and up we drove, past soft black rock and large boulders and traces of a buffalo herd. We stopped atop the hill for evening drinks and snacks as we watched the sun set. The top of that hill was one of the most beautiful sights I'd ever seen. We could see down onto the plain and far into the distance, all the way to the northern border of the park.

Most of the animals stay in the park because there's adequate food, water and space for them all. But some are baited out of the park by hunters in the bordering GMA (game maintenance area). Permits are regulated based on known populations, although cost alone is enough to deter most from hunting Africa's big game. Hunting costs roughly $20,000-30,000, and you also pay for whatever you kill. A leopard is "worth" about $4,000 depending on the season, an elephant about $9,000. Puku, eland and smaller animals are less.

After sundown we turned on the spotlight to once again search for nocturnal creatures. Seeing a big cat was at the top of my wishlist. We didn't see much as we drove around. We did see a Great Eagle Owl up in a treetop--he was HUGE (he left when we got too close). We also saw an elephant right in our path as we came around a corner. The truck engines are pretty quiet, and I think he was just as surprised as we were! he let out a little trumpet and scurried (as much as a 5-ton animal can "scurry") into the tall grass.

Then we returned to the place where we had seen the leopard's hidden kill. We drove up very quietly, and all of us held our breath in excitement. Andrew pulled us around until the rover was just on the edge of the ravine, and pointed our light toward the kill. Only a dry ravine separated us from the puku remains.

There, under the hiding place, we saw him eating his prey. I've never seen something so amazing--so eerie, incredible, breathtaking. The entire night was dark and silent except for the occasional shift of someone in our truck moving ever so slightly to take a photograph, and the sound of the leopard eating. I sat in awe watching through my binoculars as the leopard ate and tore at his kill, occasionally stopping to lick his chops and stare directly at us. "Leopards are NOT shy at night," Andrew whispered.

The leopard and its prey, under the tree

Eventually another vehicle drove up, either because they saw our light or because they had seen the kill earlier. They drove over a branch which snapped loudly in the silent night. The leopard stopped eating and looked directly at their truck, his meal interrupted. He looked straight at us, then vanished for a moment.

Our spotter shined his light further down the bank and saw the huge cat walking away into the night, his beautiful coat bloodied by the night's activity. And as he slinked silently off into the same woods where our truck sat, we realized this powerful cat (who kills his prey by ambush, usually from a tree limb, ground cover or from a ravine like this one) is in the brush along with us. Only now he's watching us, rather than the other way around...

"Yi!"

Porcupine 

After that excitement, all of us gasping and trying to settle our adrenaline, we drove back toward the river crossing. On the way back we saw a dozing giraffe, seemingly unaware of our presence. We also saw three perturbed porcupines who were fully aware of our presence. They waddled away, quills bared, looking for cover in a wooded area. A porcupine sighting is extremely rare, Andrew tells us. And they were huge! I always thought they were small, but these can weigh up to 30 lbs and are about 3 ft long.

Then we went back across the river on our "ferry." Hippos grunted all around us as we crossed the river under the starlit sky. The drive back was pretty quiet, with only a few hippos here and there eating grass on the plain. We were almost back to the lodge when we heard that familiar noise--"Yi!"

Just one. That same warning call we heard before. Only this time, it was followed by a herd of puku all running in the same direction.

"Another leopard is up ahead," said Andrew. And sure enough! Crouching down, 50 feet from the nearest impala, we saw a female leopard (about 35 kg, Andrew tells us). She looked...hungry. We pulled the rover so we could see what she was facing. Forward and to our left: an impala. Ahead and to our right: the leopard. We waited for the ambush. We looked left to make sure our lights weren't in the impala's eyes. We looked right to see the leopard, and...sure enough. She was gone.

Far off in the distance we saw a pair of glittering eyes peeking out of another dry ravine. She was downwind of us, and the pukus were all skittish, calling to each other, stomping and running in short bursts of energy. The whole night was tense. The 6 or so adult hippos didn't give a hoot, and just kept right on eating.

We got closer to the leopard again, this time with a different vantage point. We were behind her, which made her visibly anxious, but she was facing more impalas. We saw her make a few more lunges at two isolated impalas, but outrun and tired out, she sank back into some brush and disappeared beyond the ravine. At least for the time being. We decided we should let her hunt in peace, despite our excitement, and we returned to the lodge. Which, by the way, is about 3/4 of a mile from where she's hunting...


Around the dinner table, Andrew told us all about the leopards in this area, that this female is quite small and only about 3 years old, and that the dominant male is bigger than me. gulp

We discussed missions, the work ahead, and plans for the coming week under the stars on the deck of the lodge. We overlooked the silent, pitch-black lagoon. The hippos didn't grunt or feed that night, and all of the monkeys and birds were silent too. Hyenas were certainly on the prowl for the leopard's kill if she didn't get it up into a tree fast enough. The whole area was completely different when there was a predator around.

This discussion was accompanied by a carrot and cardamom soup, beef and fresh vegetables, and a chocolate mousse to die for.

I was completely exhausted from all the excitement of the day, and ready to crash without the sound of our hippo friends outside.

Labor Day, part 1

It's Labor Day back home. I can't think of a better way to spend a holiday than by going on a safari all day!

Itinerary

5:00AM - Wake up to the sound of hippos munching on grass outside my door. Think it's the wake-up call. go back to sleep.

5:30 - Guard knocks on my door, "wake up, madame!"

5:45  - Breakfast. Just enough time in between to put in my contacts and suit up in layers. These mornings are chilly, but by noon it will be 80 outside.

6:15 - Morning Drive

9:00 - Midmorning coffee break

10:30 - Brunch

Noon-3:30 - Pool Time

3:30 - Tea Time (not to be confused with "tee time")

4-6 - Evening drive

6:15 - "Sundowners," on Chichili (Salt Springs), site of many hotsprings

6:45-8  - Night drive

8-9 - Dinner

September 3 was a perfect day. There was excitement, relaxation, great people, and perfect weather. The whole time we were in Zambia it was in the 50s and 60s at night, and sunny, dry and 85-90 during the day. 

After a breakfast of fresh fruit, granola and freshly baked bread (which the Aussie keeps calling a "light breakfast"), we got back into the rover for another drive! We went a different route this time, using the main bridge to the park instead of using our hand-drawn ferry. It was a beautiful, elephant-filled morning. 

We also saw a rare--and dangerous--sight: a lone male buffalo. Usually they are only alone when they've been booted from their herd. Needless to say, they're pretty angry (and extremely aggressive) in that state. 

Andrew, our guide, also gave Vicky, Dan, Amanda, Jason, MaryAnne and I a very important lesson on puku warning calls, which came in handy on the night drive.

We saw storks eating fish in the river, saw our first buchbuck, and were treated to a small group of Zebras.

Family of giraffes

      On our way back we saw a family of giraffes. I don't think I'll ever get over how beautiful they are. 

Vervet monkey leaping up into a tree

Mama is helping baby out of the mud

Hot-spring fed stone tub, overlooking the plain.

Lunch was great. They served eggplant chips, baked squash and more hearty bread. Then we all lounged by the pool and natural hot tub...which was glorious.

I shot an email to my family, and one to Drew. My family was up at Wabedo Lake with the whole Lempke side for the long weekend - I missed them dearly! It was great to be able to connect. A quick little lizard stared at me from the wall while I typed...

No, it's fine. Come swim with us....

I came back to the pool, and while we were lounging a couple critters decided to hang out with us. ...two huge lizards, to be exact. I was glad they weren't anything dangerous. They were actually pretty cool. But HUGE.

I got dressed before tea time and, lo and behold, I had a new friend in my chalet! This day was FULL of critters. Below, you can see the giant spider that was having a grand old time on my curtain. He didn't seem to mind that I was there. ... I took the photo of him next to my water bottle for a size reference.

During tea time I had a lengthy conversation with Andrew and Mario about which spiders, snakes and lizards were and weren't poisonous. They both reassured me that the one above 

1) couldn't jump

2) didn't WANT to bite me

3) wasn't poisonous (I told them I'd believe them when I woke up the next day!)

Yes, but would it be gone when I got back? I'd have to find out. They also said that most of the snakes around here aren't poisonous. And you really never see snakes anyway unless you're walking in the grass (duly noted). 

Poolside lounge chairs, the view of the riverbed

 Now that I've given you the creepy-crawlies, it's time for me to go to bed. Tomorrow I'll write about the most exciting evening and night drive ever.

For now, I'll just keep wishing I was back in Africa :]

September 2, continued

Sorry for the delay!

I've been working hard to prepare the report and recommendations from my experience in Zambia. But now that the second draft is in review, I can start posting again. I still can't believe how long I've been back. It feels just like yesterday that I was in the middle of all this.

...
After church we had a quick lunch at the guest house and departed for the airport...time to go to Mfuwe!
Our little puddle jumper made it for the 1-hour flight. My mom would have hated that tiny plane. Mom--you and Dad should go to a different national park when you go to Zambia :]
We had an hour drive, and then we arrived at the glorious Kafunta River Lodge.

Mario and Alison, the German and South African managers, greeted us by name with cool damp towels. While this lodge is pretty exclusive (a maximum of 20 guests can stay at one time), we got the star treatment. There were only 5 of us and one kooky Australian woman there for the whole stay.

When we first walked out onto the deck, our breath was completely taken away. Just down the bank past the deck and the chalets, antelope, warthogs, birds, crocodiles and monkeys were grazing and playing and drinking. We freshened up and got dressed for our first safari. First, we were treated to a lunch of delicious fish, quiche, and freshly baked bread.

The view from the pool. Impala and warthogs are grazing on the plain.

 This lodge isn't right on the river like most of the others. It's set back where the riverbank reaches at the peak of the rainy season. Yet, this place pumps in water from a natural well to create a march and a stream. Since there isn't any water around on the plains this time of year, all of the animals congregate at the footsteps of this beautiful lodge.

Puku, impala and warthogs grazed just a half mile from our table as we ate. And the silence, save a few bird calls, was breathtaking. Binoculars gave us a view of a crocodile who was barely visible in the murky swamp. We could also see a Red Ox Picker on an impala's back, crowned cranes, and countless other chattering birds.

From each of our chalets, which had private bathrooms, a tented bed (left), an indoor seating area and a furnished balcony, we could see the same view. 

The view from my balcony

We were truly in the African wilderness. Welcome to South Luangwa National Park!

To illustrate just how "wild" it was, Mario have us a warning talk when we first arrived at the lodge. "Do not go to or from your chalets after dark. Clap and a watchman will come and get you. If there is an emergency, there is a whistle on the inside of the door to your chalet." He followed this up by saying, "You don't want to startle a hippo at night. And if the hippos can walk up here, you can imagine that everything else can, too."

After getting our warnings and seeing the first animals from "afar," it was time to go on a real live safari! I couldn't even contain my excitement. During the day drive, which lasted from about 4PM-6PM, we saw...

• elephants (a mother and her first- and second-born)
• male thornycroft giraffe
• puku (a small antelope, solid brown)
• impala (more slender antelope with black and white striped markings)
• striped mongoose
• crowned cranes
• storks
• a fish eagle
• two huge crocodiles
• pods of hippos in the water
• a large pack of baboons

Warthog on her front knees so she could reach the short grass more easily with her snout

And we were so close to the animals--closer than in any zoo I've been to. And they were in their natural habitat, which made it that much more amazing. 

The mother elephant was calm with us nearby

The thornycroft giraffe was more shy than I expected him to be

Crossing over the river was an adventure in itself. They call it a "ferry," but I'm not sure what we'd call it. Our guide had us all exit the big truck as he drove it carefully onto a metal raft. We all boarded again, and two men with wooden sticks with grooves in them pulled us across the river using a cable and the notches in the sticks. These same two men (below) pulled us back and forth across the river each time we went. 

The river ferry

The night drive was so exciting. After a short stop for a couple Mosi, we turned the spotlight on to see nocturnal animals. 

A giraffe walked past us in the sunset

That part of the safari was my favorite. Getting up early and having blankets and coffee was great, but being on the night drive and swiveling our heads back in forth to see glimmering eyes in the jungle was a complete thrill. On the night drive, we saw:

• puku and impala, getting ready to sleep
• hippos eating out in the field
• elephants
• a baby elephant and a hippo eating side by side
• 2 mongoose
• a civet
• a lone hyena, scavenging (if he finds something big, he starts howling. Something small he'll eat on his own)

Andrew, our guide, was a total riot. He had great tales of close encounters, hilarious jokes, and loved to talk about his family.

He was almost killed TWICE on the same walking safari. First he had to stand down two male lions. Then, he had to avoid a herd of charging buffalo. I wasn't too upset that we didn't have that much excitement. 

"To beat lions," Andrew said, "stare them right straight in the eye. Don't run, and don't shoot. They're faster than you, and you would probably miss." In his case, he stared them down and they turned and walked away grumbling.

He also told us this: 

If a hippo charges you, either jump over a fallen tree (hippos can't step over it), or simply side-step right before he's on you (they run with their mouths open, so he'll run right past!).

At 8PM we returned for red wine and a four course dinner on the deck overlook under a star-filled sky. All was quiet and peaceful except for the occasional grunting and snorting of hippos over by our chalets. 

It was a full day, and the next would start bright and early. I got under my mosquito net to get some rest.

I felt like a true adventurer. It was only day 3, and already the experience of a lifetime!

Church in Zambia

September 2

I slept peacefully last night. The neighbors' dogs were finally quiet, and  the rooster only squawked once or twice around 3AM. We woke up in the guest house for a quick breakfast before walking to Bethel Lutheran Church, just a few steps down the road from the house. 

The church, a large cement brick structure with unfinished doors and windows is a local project started by members of the congregation who had been gathering for worship in the small seminary chapel for the past 30 years. The church is plain. An altar and reading stand are at the front with white cloths draped over. There are potted tropical-looking plants at the front. 

100-150 plastic lawn chairs are set up in neat lines. People pick them up and move them out of their orderly rows if they see someone they want to sit near. 

The pastor and his wife greeted us warmly, as did many of the choir members and one of the couples from dinner the night before. 

Today's lesson is from Genesis -- "Jacob wrestles with God."

Jacob was a stubborn, arrogant man. He was the kind of man who always wanted to get ahead, no matter what it took. And still, God came all the way to earth and spent a whole night arguing, wrestling and fighting with this stubborn man. Why did he do that? To change Jacob's life.  God made Jacob a new man... but not before dislocating his ankle.

When we are proud or don't put our trust in God, sometimes he has to shake us around a bit to get us to listen. When we don't listen, or when we aren't doing what we should be doing, or when things go wrong and we try to take them into our own hands, that's when God takes the time to change us. 

When nothing is going right for you and you think "Why, God? Why?" It often means that God is wrestling with you to get you to change something about what you are doing. 

So don't wrestle God. Obey him. Be humble. And when you are walking your own way, be thankful when he takes the time to come and fight with you.

The pastor spoke clearly and elegantly, in a meandering way very unlike the preachers at home. In the States  (or at least in the Lutheran Church), pastors seem to follow an outline in their sermons. There's the main passage we're studying. Then they state the three main points, and then go through each one in detail. Then there's a conclusion and a prayer. This style of preaching was more how we think. It was cyclical and process-oriented, and went the directions it needed to go. 

It was very moving. And real. 

Two choirs blessed us with their music today. It was so moving! Their musical tradition is different from ours as well. The pastor announced, "Today our choir will sing us a song." 

The choir stood and sang a song as they danced their way up to the front of the church. Then they all faced the congregation and sang their main song. One woman was so moved that she leaped up and started shouting and dancing. She ran up next to the choir and yelled, "ayi-ayi-ayi-ayi!" as she waved her arms around. Some people in the congregation smiled or chuckled, but from their reactions it didn't seem like this was too out of the ordinary.

Jason also told us that sometimes the sermons tend to get very long here. Where our entire service is usually an hour on the dot (an hour ten if it's a Communion Sunday), here the pastor's speech can be an hour or even an hour and a half! If someone is getting sleepy and starts to nod off, it's acceptable for them to start humming or singing a hymn to wake themselves up. The congregation will quickly join in, and the pastor takes his cue to sit and rest for a bit as well. When the song is done, the pastor returns to the front to continue where he left off.

While I was in Zambia I also noticed the attention span and train of thought is very acute there compared to at home. If I was interviewing a person and asked a question and their phone rang, they would excuse themselves, answer the call and talk for a while (in a language other than English), hand up, and then answer the question. I never heard the phrase, "Where were we?" from a Zambian. Not once. 

The order of service was nearly identical to ours back home, except that this Sunday there was no accompaniment to our singing. It's all a Capella, led by the choir and joined by everyone else. Everyone seemed to know the songs even without a book with words.

Worshiping with these people--complete strangers--was so uplifting. I felt completely welcomed there. Sure, a few little boys and girls stared at me grinning for the entire service. But people treated me like I was supposed to be there. Like I belonged. 

After church we had a quick lunch at the guest house and departed for the airport. 

It's time to go to Mfuwe to start the second leg of our wild adventure!

Helicopter Ride!

...a helicopter ride!

We flew over both the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides for an incredible view of Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River, and the snaking gorge which brings water into Zimbabwe. My adrenaline rush lasted a long while, even during the first bit of our 7-hour drive back to Lusaka.

Water floods off the side of the floodplains. This is the water level in the dry season.

Magnitude

Happy to be here!

A rainbow across the falls

What an amazing start to a service-filled trip! Jason Paltzer is an awesome guide from his years of living here in Zambia, and Dand and Vicky have shown immense generosity which is completely humbling. 

Tonight we dined with the WELS missionary couples at a restaurant in Lusaka. I will get to talk with them at length soon, once we are back in Lusaka after the next great adventure.

But first.....

Safari!!

The Falls

Today we woke up  to the screeches, screams and howls of mysterious creatures. 

Pumas, waiting in the trees, I was convinced. Or wild dogs who smell the Clif bar in my pack and can chew through my tent to get it... they'll definitely kill me while they're in here.

Turns out, it wasn't pumas or wild dogs, but baboons jumping through the trees, harassing each other and barking at birds and smaller monkeys. 

Well, they sure sounded scary!

We had a lovely "English" breakfast at the lodge before packing up and beginning our amazing day at Victoria Falls. Right as we were leaving the lodge though, we saw three beautiful elephants eating and drinking in the lagoon about 1/4 from where we were standing by the truck. They were incredible! And although they weren't extremely close to us, I was shocked that they didn't seem to mind that we were there. 

Our first stop was walking around the falls and getting our first look at the world landmark. While Jason went to get us park passes Dan and Vicky Kunz and I guarded the truck from two baboons who, unlike the elephants,  came far too close for comfort! They were eyeing us up like animals that have seen far too many tourists. 

Victoria Falls' baboons are more than a nuisance recently. One woman from the LCCA Mission was pulled down by her backpack and dragged by one. A man was pushed off of the cliffs of the falls after trying to retrieve a bag that was stolen by a baboon. Others get their cameras, backpacks and food stolen regularly. 

This guy means business.

Once we get past the entryway, the Falls were breathtaking! Each new lookout brought an even more spectacular view of the falls, the gorge, the "boiling pot" of churning waters underneath the bridge to Zimbabwe. I couldn't get over the beauty of the water tumbling down 300-foot tall cliffs and plummeting down. This is the dry season, yet we felt mist on our faces from across the entire gorge.

Dan and Vicky Kunz

Me at the falls

A beautiful view on the Zambian side

The bridge to Zimbabwe

 We only had an hour to explore the majesty of Victoria Falls on foot for a first glimpse because we had another adventure in store...