settling into "normalcy"

Ensha (That’s “hello” in Silozi)!

Now that we’re back from the bush, things seem to easing into a sort of “normal.” When the team first got back to base camp from Mwai Kalupe, we all took a day to rest, repack, and take a boat ride down the Zambezi River. 

Local village along the Zambezi

Bryan and me on the boat

That Monday, the rest of the team from Dwelling Place headed to Capetown where they’re now working with Paul and Marinette’s church for a week or two before going home to the States. Bryan, Brian, Lucas, and I spent most of Tuesday discovering Mongu. We ate legit Zambian fare at Lloyd’s restaurant, shopped the town’s main marketplace (I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how much attention we get here), bought local veggies and sun-dried fish, and attempted to cook like the locals. The fish was an epic fail – but the veggies were pretty amazing!

Street market in Mongu

For the rest of this past week, I’ve been working with Lozi Teachers Stephen, Margaret, Jayson, George, and Patricia at Village of Hope orphan school with about 80 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd graders. I’m learning so much from them and the kids about the Silozi (mostly the Western Province) and Bimba (Northern Provinces) cultures, Zambia’s educational system and curriculum, and Silozi kid songs and dances (these kids aren’t afraid to get down!!). One of the coolest parts of living at base camp, though, is the clash of cultures in all places and all times. This past Saturday, for example, we had 5 ethnicities sitting in one room: Irish, English (UK), South African, Silozi, and American. And that’s normal! Awesome. :)

So it looks like I’ve got a pretty busy summer ahead. I’ll be writing lesson plans at VOH school, teaching at Kids Church, visiting the ladies at Hope Art, discipling girls in cell groups, going to all-night prayer gatherings at Hope Church, helping to host teams at the base, going out to the bush with short-term groups or water well guys whenever I get the chance…this summer will go by in a blink! For now, the long-term missionaries and all the medium interns are preparing base camp to host 110 people from Dubai, Australia, and South Africa in a few weeks. It’s an awesome problem – interest in and concern for the Zambia Project’s mission is growing exponentially – but the logistics with providing for over a hundred visitors in one week are borderline insane. We’re also welcoming 5 new medium-term interns to Mutoya tonight (picture 8 girls, one apartment, one shower). Prayers, please!

Thank yall so much for all your continued support, concern, and interest in what’s going on here in Zambia. I miss yall!!! Details coming soon on how school, Hope Church, and the Zambia Project’s other projects are going. In the meantime, check out my running list of things I didn’t know about Africa until I got here (and learned the hard way):

1.One-day-old fire embers are still hot.

2.Black sand and dust will get into EVERYTHING – even your nose and ears.

3.If you’re over the age of 4, don’t live in the bush, and are breathing, you have a Facebook and a cell phone.

4.Running uphill through foot-deep sand is hard.

5.Planning meals that don’t require electricity to prepare is a must – power is just as sketchy as the internet.

6.In the smack middle of the bush (and, depending who you are, in town too), dreads are taboo. So cut em off.

7.Everyone drinks instant coffee! YEEEEESSSSS!

8.Mcua means money (especially to taxi drivers and phone salesmen).

9.Q-tips, paper towels, and Kleenex are incredible luxuries.

10.When something gets dirty, it stays dirty, no matter how many times you wash it.

11.Leaving your headlamp at base when you know you’ll be back after 6 pm is an epic fail.

12.Americans have really ugly accents.

13.If you think something’s going to take an hour, it’ll take at least 2.

14.30 minutes late is “early” and an hour late is right on time.

15.Traffic laws are very mild suggestions.

16.Counting shooting stars never gets old.

17.You eat shima with your hands just like the locals do, and because you’re white, you still look ridiculous.

18.Ladies sit on the floor, guys get the chairs.

19.Girls, wear whatever you want to on top – just keep from your waist to your knees covered.

20.Guys, learn to make eye contact like never before when a village woman pops a breast out of her shirt to begin breastfeeding mid-conversation.

21.Raid is not an effective bug spray.

22.250 volts of electricity is a lot stronger than the 110 we use in the States.  Also, you shouldn’t electrocute yourself twice in one day. 

23.Soccer is life.

24.It just isn’t a big deal when you find ants in your coffee, on your “biscuit” (cookie), in your hair, down your shirt, between your toes, on your toothbrush, or in a peanut butter jar. Look at them as additional protein.

25.African sunrises will always make you want to burst into The Lion King’s “The Circle of Life” song.

26.Make friends with wall spiders named Bob.

27.Bugs are bigger in Africa.

I think I'll name this one George

 

All my love and in His peace, 

Stephanie :)

P.S. - Maggs, I didn't forget to take pictures! More to come ;) 

 Jet-lagged in Johannesburg, South Africa (check out the lion's hat!)

Loving Lusaka, Zambia with Lucas