The Story Ends...The Story Begins

I can not remember when I ate my last mango. It isn’t that I really care that much about mangoes, though Zambian mangoes are heavenly. I am bothered because it has left my memory. One of so many moments that was vivid and living at the time and is now gone forever from my mind.

Things that are now clear and bright, will they fade into gray after a few days, a few months, a few years?

Will I remember the feel of Mrs. Kapuwe wiping tears from my face? The way Beene’s face glows by the fireside? The sound of JoJo’s laugh? Will the jingle of a dog collar always make me think of Rocky outside my door in the morning? Will I remember how gigantic and pink the sun gets just before it sets here? Bertha’s ability to hang upside down in my chikuta? Will I still have ears to hear the sound of Club Mweka kids singing? Will I remember the way the sun rises over the marsh causing the mist on the grass to look like diamonds in a sea of weeds? Will I forget my “African” tree on the hill? Nambula’s eyebrow raise? The sound of chickens, birds, donkeys, goats, cows, dogs, children at all hours of the day and night? If I came back in a year would I still know every path, be able to see in the dark, and walk through the bush without fear? Will I remember the feel of a feverish Lindiwe in my arms? And Chipo’s smile? Or Busiku and Beene singing next door? Will I be able to close my eyes and picture the trillions of stars in the Zambian sky?

My Zambia has faces now. It is no longer a mass of people suffering from all kinds of calamities. It is watching Mrs. Mpongo healing people every day at the clinic. Being by her side as she is being bathed, too weak to wash her own body. It is remembering her smile, her beauty, her choices, her struggles, her funeral. Zambia fills me with frustration at what could have been, what can be.

My Zambia is Mrs. Kapuwe caring for her own children and nieces, nephews, sister-in-laws, her husband. It is listening as she talks of the pain of staying with a husband who no longer speaks to her, who is cheating on her with her “friends”. She has no way to leave, no way to complete the school she left at grade 7 when her parents died and she chose to get married. My Zambia fills me with anger at injustice, pride at the strength of friends, awe at faith that endures through hardships.

My Zambia is all of that and so much more. Too big, too deep to find words to explain it all. I am choosing not to forget. I am choosing to mourn the loss of this time in my life of living in community with these friends that I have come to love.

I am also choosing to come home, to begin life again in my country. To return to a country filled with choices and luxuries. I am choosing to find a way to reconcile these lifestyles, to cope with the understanding that Colorado Springs and Chifusa village co-exist in the same place and time. It is mind boggling.

I choose to be a voice for my Zambia, so that in some way, you also, will not forget.

Prayer for My Cousin Katie

I have been using this blog as a forum for what has been happening here in Zambia...I want to make an exception. My cousin Katie and her family are in need of your prayers and I ask you to take time to pray for her now. To learn about her situation and get updates on her health click here

Psalm 32:5-8: "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God ; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge."

Snaps

Pictures, or snaps as we call them here in Zambia, will be coming!!! It is a major pain to upload them here at the internet cafe, so I think a little multi-media effort will take place upon my return. I know pictures speak a thousand words...hopefully my words have given you a little peak into my life here and we can just top up when I get back!

28 is the New….My Age…

It came and went-my third birthday in Zambia. I can’t believe two years have passed since a chicken was slain for my 26th. The livestock got bigger for this year’s celebration, and Grace the goat is gone. This has proven to give me some slight stomach issues and an entirely new meaning to a certain Dave Matthew’s song. My village celebration actually took place on the 20th-starting with banana pancakes with Christa, an awesome Club Mweka party and then a night filled with dancing, drumming, and eating with the Kapuwe’s and Busiku. I had told the Kapuwe’s I didn’t want any presents, only “acts of love”-i.e., songs, dances, poems. Beene, Junior, and Tembo put together quite the amazing band and personalized a lot of traditional Zambian songs for me. It was so sweet. A truly unforgettable birthday celebration. Christa and I cycled into Choma the next day for my annual “what can my body still do?” challenge. We made it in record time and a shower never felt so good! I’ve been at the Smith’s since then and enjoying time with my Choma family. I look forward to celebrating with my American family in September!

Income Generating Activity/Business Skills Workshop

After lots of meeting, follow up and running around, the workshop to train 25 Home Based Care Members came about this past week. I first met with the HBC group in February to write up a proposal for funding from the Peace Corps. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the money did not come until now. But it came!

I was able to partner with the NGO CARE International to facilitate the workshop. CARE has amazing Zambian employees that really connected with all of us. Our hope is that because of the information received at this workshop people will be able to sustain the home based care program after CARE leaves Chifusa in May. By having extra income and the skills to manage that income, their families, as well as patients they care for, will have a better way of life.

There were so many highlights, from Mrs. Kapuwe sharing with everyone about her experience of going for VCT, to Omsley sharing about the Memorial Service in May. It just felt like time after time God was encouraging me and whispering that it has all been worth it. People have some great ideas, everything from raising chickens to selling buns to processing cooking oil. One man, after the first day of the workshop, told me this was everything they have needed to know! People were able to learn simple but very practical business skills-record keeping, marketing, pricing, etc.

I am so stoked that this was able to take place while I was still in the village. I only wish I had more time to monitor and follow-up with the participants. My CARE counterparts have agreed to monitor things and provide needed encouragement-hopefully they will be sending me updates.

Keep these friends in prayer as they work to put into practice some of their ideas!

Christa Christa Christa

Just as I am about to leave, Peace Corps has given me another volunteer neighbor! Ok, she lives 25k from my house, but that is a lot closer than anyone else! We have been trying to get together since she was posted in May. Due to my visitors and her infected spider bites we had to keep rescheduling, but alas we made a date.

Last weekend I cycled over to her house and we rode back to my house. It felt very much like I was in 7th grade again! “Hey, wanna go ride bikes?” Rocky came with us on the journey and was a champ, running the whole way. I was a little nervous as this was the path where I ran into pythons last year-but no problems this time!

Christa is awesome-a Girl Scout from South Dakota, she was so much fun this past week. The plan was for her to just stay the weekend but we were having such a great time she stayed until the 21st! How can you not have a great time with a girl that brings Starbucks coffee, dark chocolate and Season 4 of the Office on her IPOD? That is basically a recipe for deep devotion from me!

She is going to be a great volunteer, can’t wait to hear all that she is going to do in her village!

Neighborhood Health Committee Workshop

After lots of wonderful downtime with USA visitors, it was back to work in a major way. I have wanted to leave knowing I have given it my all, so I have squeezed about 6 months of work into the last few weeks. Ironically, just as I am leaving it seems all programs are clicking. I am encouraged that Peace Corps will place another Peace Corps Volunteer in Chifusa area to continue the development.

The second week of July, I partnered with the Health Center to train 20 Community Health Workers. The group, long in need of training, each donated maize and 10,000zkw (about $3) to cover food costs for the week. Thanks to Danielle Vaughns and crew we were able to hand out pens and notebooks to each person. The local church allowed us to meet at the church for the 5 days, and a local woman volunteered to cook nshima for us each day. It was incredible to see the community come together to make this workshop happen. Each person left knowing that they were completely competent and able to put together a training for themselves. We covered the 6 major health thrusts of Zambia-Malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS, Water and Sanitation, Safe Motherhood, and Child Health/Nutrition. I tested each person at the end of the workshop and all passed with flying colors. I was so proud! I really believe that our community is going to see an overall improvement in health based on the knowledge these people have received. With over 8,000 people in our catchment area, it is impossible for the Rural Health Center to manage the health concerns. We absolutely have to partner with these volunteer workers in order to take care of the community.

It wasn’t all business though, I definitely had quite a few laughs. Clarifying the difference between sermons (given by clergy everywhere) and semen (spreading HIV everywhere) had me just about in tears. They really do sound alike! The nurse I was teaching with kept saying “Oak her”, and I couldn’t figure out what she meant…Mad Gab skills kicked in and suddenly it was obvious she was saying “occur”. I have to laugh at these language blips as only the Lord and all my village know how badly I have butchered Chitonga over the last two years!

It was humbling to get to be a part of this workshop. People were walking over 6 miles each morning and evening to come and learn. Women were writing notes while babies were breastfeeding, giving presentations with little ones strapped to their backs. It was such a fulfilling experience to partner with these people.

Pray for these 20 men and women as they teach and treat their villages!

The Home Stretch

This week I have the privilege of making sure Peace Corps Volunteers do not get deported or burn down the Peace Corps House in Choma. That I am trusted to be in charge of 25 people after burning down my toilet and doing a whole range of idiotic things over these last two years is pretty startling for a lot of you. Fear not, I am doing a stellar job.

I have been walking into town each day to check internet...I love this thing. That sentence can stand alone.

In two months from now I will be at the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town, reflecting back on these last 27 months. I am so excited for the trip. Julie, a great Peace Corps friend, and I are heading to Cape Town to stay with a family friend and enjoy South Africa. After 10 days of ocean, wine tasting, shopping, hiking bliss, we head to Cairo to explore Egypt for 3weeks. I am going to try to do things like "part the Red Sea" as Kelly suggests. We do want to climb Mount Sinai and watch the sunrise from the top. Let's hope we don't get strapped with any more Commandments, I want to travel light. Pyramids, camels, Arabic, we are going to embrace it all. Then I am coming home! I am so excited to do life with all the people I love back in the States.

Leaving Zambia is another story though, and I am so torn up about leaving. People in my village have greatly impacted my life as we have lived moment by moment together in the village. I can't imagine the hole that is going to be left with each loss. I will face the goodbyes when they come, but for now I am just trying to make the most of my last weeks in country. This week I am writing up Peace Corps close of service reports and enjoying reflecting on the changes that have taken place in my village.

Pray that God remains close through this next transition, that I live fully in the present, and for safety in these final days.

Blessings!

Bye-Bye Dev-Dev

The little sister is gone…somewhere in the air over the Atlantic at this point. It was so much fun to experience Zambia, and especially the village, with her. The fact that she is a few inches taller then me gave most of my villagers a good laugh. I think when I talked about my “little” sister they expected her to be, well, little.

Our 10 days in Chifusa were full. Devon got to play pharmacist at the clinic, make fun crafts with Club Mweka, enjoy Zambian food, and have me point out the Southern Cross every night in the huge African sky. It was a trip filled with a lot of laughs, Rummy, and Crystal Light packs. I’ve been super blessed by all my visitors, and being with a sister is so precious.

Dev had this idea to have a truly “timeless” day in the village. The night before, we turned my Christmas clock over so we couldn’t see the time or hear the hourly carol, I took off my watch and we went to bed. We woke the next morning and just did whatever we felt like, whenever we felt like it. This included making crepes, playing Boggle, chasing cows from my garden, watching Rocky chase pigs, playing Spit, going for a run, fetching water, drinking coffee while the sun set, and making dinner. When we were completely exhausted and sure that it was at least the next day I took out my watch. Exactly 20:44. We are a rowdy bunch.

One of my favorite stories about Devon from this trip took place our first night in Livingstone. Dev was a little worried at the high-class backpackers where we were staying as there were a few cockroaches crawling across the floor. One of her friends had a spider that got into her ear while she was sleeping and it freaked D out a bit. Being a super loving and compassionate sister I told her that she needed to woman up, this was nothing compared to my village. Still a little nervous she rummaged through our bag to try and find something to put in her ears. She found 2 OB tampons and unwrapped them and stuck them in her ears. Atta girl. I think the spiders probably crawled up to her, took one look and died laughing. We know for sure they did not get into her ears.

It will be very strange to be back in Colorado and not have Devon around to make me laugh. She will have one more year at college after I return home. Iowa is a lot closer than Zambia though, so I know we will be seeing each other! Thanks for all your prayers; it was an amazing trip together! She took lots of pictures and I will try to snag some and put them up here, especially the earplug snaps. You will laugh.

Jumping Off Bridges and the Usual

My last trip to Livingstone was amazing, yet sad as it will be my last time there while living in Zambia. It is the first of so many "lasts", but I was so blessed to share it with the Devster (I took that name from Kelly).

After getting back from our safari we laid by the pool, and then checked out Victoria Falls. One of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World, this is the absolute best time of year to view them. There is tons of water, but you are still able to see the full glory of them through the mist. We got soaked and loved it! Then we hiked down to the Boiling Pot, at the base of the falls. There are so many memories on this trail, Brad and I getting nearly mauled by baboons, cobras coming across the path, Andrea and I eating lunch on the rocks and watching kayakers drop into the rapids. Devon and I had the a great adventure too, swinging from vines like Tarzan and making our own baboon sounds. Very mature and sophisticated, of course, what else would you expect?

The next day I highly encouraged my sister to jump off the Zam/Zim Victoria Falls bridge. She agreed this would be a great way to send our parent's to an early grave. I will let her explain her little jump in her own words...

So as I always have to be just like my sister she told me it would be a wonderful idea to jump off a bridge, why not? So I went to bungee jump and the idea in theory does not scare me at all, I was not shaking or second guessing myself until I was strapped in. After asking several questions I still didn't really know what I was supposed to do. But, there I find myself standing over an edge with a crazy man counting down 5.4. 3... Wait I'm not ready yet! So he starts over 5. 4... Wait I start laughing... so I shake it off and I was ready to jump. So I hear 5. 4. 3. then I am brutally pushed off a bridge and sent to my early death. So I wanted to protect my new million dollar smile so of course I must scream very loud to keep my mouth open. I was thinking about all the things I really have not gotten to do as I fell for a very very long time and the question of why would I want to give this all up for the silly thrill of bungee jumping? But I had amazing form as I was pushed off and I did not pee my pants so in the end it all worked out. It was a blast minus the spinning part where I almost hurled. I am so glad I did it and my trip has been phenomenal so far!

Caitlin again, wondering how Devon got so dramatic in her young age. We are off to the village today for the next 10 days! Pray that we have a safe and wonderful time together. We miss you all and encourage you to bungee sometime in your life. Especially you, Dad...it will conquer your fear of heights!

Regardless...

...of what Devon said in her last post, my life here is SO hard. All of you sitting at home in your cozy houses should feel extreme pity for us roughing it in the African wilderness. I am totally kidding. It has been so fun having Dev here. We are just back from safari and about to head to Victoria Falls. We may have to lay by the pool and read magazines for a little while, just to get our strength up. I know, I know, have fun on your morning commute to the office.

Quick recap of our safari:

Faced with hippos on the Chobe River we had to strategically balance our boat in order to not tip over and become the real life Hungry Hungry Hippo game. That is harder then it sounds when you are with 6 Canadians, 2 New Zealanders, 1 Australian, and a British woman. Having learned my lesson with Kimee, this time I got into a boat with a motor and that made me feel a lot more safe!

We head to our campsite for a little siesta after lunch. A campsite in the middle of the game park. No fences or anything to keep the lions from eating Devon. Let's just say that neither of us got out of the tent at night to pee. What with the elephants trumpeting, and the hyenas crying, we just stayed cozy and prayed our bladders would last until the next morning.

Fast forward a few hours, our guide spots leopard prints in the road and then next thing you know Devon is pointing out this leopard right next to our vehicle. Leopards are just so in style. Next thing you know we are watching four lionesses frolicking in the early morning light by the river.

This was the first safari where I really wished we had signed up for longer! My last safari in Africa (for now), it was so great. We forgot the cord for our camera, but we'll upload pictures when we have a chance. Stay well!

living the good life

So this is the infamous string cheese loving hip-hop dancing trying to be just like K8 sister...Dev Dev. I arrived in Zambia well guess two days ago but I am still very off with my time but truly time has no meaning when you are with the people you love. We are currently staying at this idk Zoo? i guess it s more of a wild animal park rescue area lol. Anyways I have go ten to see some lions and monkeys when my sister and I took a little stroll in the park. I have also met some entertaining Duchies. Some girls from Holland made us a delectable dinner welcoming me to Zambia. After dinner I was exhausted and I tried to get some sleep. only to be woken from my slumber by a punch to the face. Yes my sister punched me in the face! Wow I really missed her.I also might want to warn you that my sister doesn't have it so bad out here. I will admit I am tired from my massage and sauna experience.....and a nice hot shower. So it is a good thing I am about to relax and watch a movie! Yep Zambia is not what I expected at all. I wonder if Caitlin has really even seen a snake.. maybe she just likes attention. She prolly doest even have a village I guess I will find out when i leave Lusaka in a few days.. until then I will have to wonder.

Fortune Cookies, String Cheese, and Then Came Devon Nicole

Her birth was foretold through a fortune cookie, leaving us all excited for her February arrival. With Benihana’s deliciousness still settling in our stomachs, Ryan, April, and I were left contemplating what this would mean for our lives. You would have to ask Ry and April what they were thinking, but for me there was only excitement.

A little sibling would mean I was no longer the baby of the family. It would mean I would have someone to order around. I mean direct. I mean style. I mean love. Actually, I meant all of those things.

On the day of her birth, a voice came over the loudspeaker in my 2nd grade classroom. I was being summoned to the office, my dad was there. I remember the sheer excitement and anticipation of getting out of school early. And that I was going to be a big sister. That was also very exciting.

The drive from La Costa to San Diego was long and relatively forgettable. I am sure I slept at some point being that a car and I were involved. A stellar father, my dad brought snacks for the car ride- string cheese and apples.

While I have no recollection of actually holding her that day, I do remember the string cheese. I think she probably smelled string cheese on me and that was the start of her love affair with the stuff. To this day the girl is a very strong advocate for cheese in the string variety.

You may call her Dev-Dev, I like Divertido or Devonshire, or just plain Dev if I’m in a rush. She is my little sister, my friend, and my hip-hop music guru, just to name a few of her current roles. And she is soon to be with me here in Zambia! Her plane is taking off from Denver on Tuesday and we will be together in Lusaka by Thursday, British Airways and God willing.

I am sure we will have lots of fun stories to share and none of them having to do with string cheese. Perhaps you can eat some for her while she is away; I hope she can last the 3 weeks without that dairy goodness.

AIDS Memorial Service

On May 18th people throughout the world held Candlelight Memorials to remember loved ones that had died due to the AIDS pandemic. Due to safety issues of traveling at night in the village, we chose to hold a service on Saturday afternoon. It was very close to my heart having lost numerous friends to AIDS since being here in Zambia. I was honored to have Kimee present, as well as a handful of Peace Corps friends that came to be a part of the ceremony.

This was one of the most memorable times I have had in my village to date. Sitting on the grass and in the shade of the clinic’s mango tree, about 25 people from our community gathered. Initially I was a bit discouraged by the low turnout. But, as my counterpart Omsley stated, “This day is not a day anyone present will ever forget.” In my heart I know his words to be true.

After opening the program with a tribute to baby Chipego and Mrs Mpongo, followed by a pretty hilarious rendition of “It Is Well with My Soul” on the synthesizer, numerous members of our community shared those they had lost to AIDS. A headman present talked about how ignorance and superstitions have been dissolved as a result of the work that Peace Corps is doing in the area. One of the clinical workers shared how eyes had been opened due to our programs. In the midst of mourning lives lost in darkness, there was a glimpse of the light that is coming on for so many people in the area.

At an HIV/AIDS support group meeting last month I asked if anyone would be willing to talk publicly about being HIV positive. Two people immediately volunteered to speak at the Memorial. Here in Zambia there is still a huge amount of stigma surrounding people with HIV. Very few people throughout the nation publicly announce their status. It was not until after her death that I even learned of Mrs. Mpongo having AIDS. So the fact that a 27 year old woman and a 58 year old man were willing to get up in front of neighbors to speak was, as Andrea put it, “Unheard of in Zambia.”

Anitra Munsaka was shaking and on the verge of tears as she stood before us to share her story. She spoke of her husband being sick and then testing positive for HIV. She was tested shortly thereafter, along with her 3 year old son. They were both positive. As she spoke I was filled with pride at her courage to talk openly to our community.

Bernard Sivwimi spoke next. He told of believing that someone had put a “curse” on his first wife and having watched her die. Since that time he and his 2 current wives have all tested HIV positive. He expressed regret at not having known earlier about HIV, feeling that he could have prolonged his first wife’s life. He talked about the need for people in our community to get tested and to get the support they need to live a healthy lifestyle.

Yes, it was a memorial service, but it was so much more. As we tied red ribbons to the branches of the mango tree and committed to fighting this disease together I knew that Mrs. Mpongo would be proud. And I knew that I had already begun to see strength and bravery in action. I am confident we won at least one battle, and those that have fallen in the past have not fallen in vain.

Day at the Clinic

Throughout the past year and a half I’ve heard a lot about Caitlin’s experience partnering with Zambia’s Ministry of Health. After spending just one short week here, I have a new respect for what she is doing here. It is difficult to find words to describe the conditions of healthcare in the village. I will do my best by sharing about one of our days last week. I had the opportunity to get a little taste of what it’s like for Cait to work at Chifusa Rural Health Center for “antenatals” (pre-natal care for expecting mothers). Here’s a quick run-down of the day:

-The day begins with about 8 hands touching the tattoo on my neck, and everyone asking Caitlin, “Why did you write this on your cousin?”
-Cait starts to give a lesson to the pregnant mothers who have come to the clinic for antenatals (and in typical Zamfashion, we have started about an hour and a half late, allowing plenty of time for everyone to arrive).
-About two minutes into her lesson on nutrition, we are interrupted by a dog that most certainly has rabies – which in turn causes all of the women to start yelling and jumping onto benches until someone finally manages to make the dog leave.
-After our nutrition discussion, the women then wait in line for their monthly check-up.
-Come to find out, this so-called “check-up” (aka “prenatal care”) consists of a midwife pressing on the mother’s belly and then listening to the baby’s heartbeat through a little metal cylinder (I tried this method out and for the life of me, could not tell whether I was hearing the heartbeat or just my own breathing).
-After this check-up is completed, the women then receive medication and supplements thanks to the acting pharmacist of the day – (Hey Caitlin, I never knew you went to pharmacy school...?)
-Finally, at the end of the check-ups, we are informed that the clinic door has broken and we would therefore need to climb through a window to get out. And keep in mind, this is not just for Caitlin and myself, but also the remaining pregnant women. The only thought that entered my mind was: “seriously?”

In fact, that thought was in my mind through most of the day at the clinic. I have heard the stories about the healthcare in Caitlin’s village, but it is absolutely crazy to actually see these things first-hand, and I kept asking myself, “is this seriously how it is?” Take, for example, the fact that this clinic has no running water. They have no doctors. There hasn’t been a nurse here since Caitlin’s good friend Mrs. Mpongo passed away last year. The government keeps promising that they will send a new nurse here, but so far these promises have been empty. So here is a rural clinic with no running water, no electricity, and no trained medical staff... and this clinic is supposed to be providing healthcare for 8,877 people in the surrounding areas.

After seeing my nephew's birth in the US, I'm amazed at the difference in health care standards in the US and developing countries like Zambia.

Snaps

Kimee is bringing her A game to this photography thing. Here are just a few glimpses of our trip so far...







We travel today to my village and are both looking forward to the adventure ahead!

Hungry Hungry Hippos

The Jungle Cruise was everything we imagined and more and then some more! What I was really imagining was a nice canoe trip down the Zambezi with the majority of time spent bird watching and improving my farmer's tan.

The more and then some more consisted of:
1)Not dangling our hands in the water to avoid attracting crocodiles
2)Being advised if our canoe was punctured by a croc we should swim to shore immediately
3)Having to pound on our boat numerous times to alert nearby hippos
4)Paddling fiercely to avoid the hippos
5)Constantly fearing we would be eaten by hippos
6)Being advised what to do if our canoe capsized while going through the rapids
7)Wondering if we maybe had signed up for the rafting trip on accident
8)Realizing throughout this entire process no one asked us if we knew how to swim
9)Never being more happy to get out of a river in my life
10)Changing from a full day canoe trip to a half day canoe trip at the first chance we had!

Ok, I know you probably think I didn't have any fun. It was terrifyingly thrilling. We asked for the second half of our day to be spent in the safari truck driving around the Mosi-Ou-Tunya National Park. It was awesome to see elephants, giraffe, zebra, baboons, and impala from the vehicle. Then the guide tells us that it is prohibited, but he can do us a favor and walk us over to where the white rhino is sleeping. This is the only white rhino in Zambia. So of course, like any normal people that have already been in danger for the first half of the day, we got out of our safe seats and walked in the bush to see this sleeping rhino. It was huge and beautiful and then it started to wake up and we basically ran like the wind back to the car. But quietly.

I think we are going to take it easy tonight. Maybe bungee jump or skydive. No really, we are just going out to dinner.

The K has arrived

Kimee here - Caitlin and I have switched blogs for a few days; we all know that Cait is the writer of the family, so I'm afraid you're getting the bum end of the deal here. (Check out her post on my blog here). I can't believe I'm finally in Africa! It's already been so amazing, especially having time to sit and talk with Cait about her life here the past few years. We've already had some great chats about development, AIDs & poverty... along with very insightful/intellectual conversations about really important issues such as Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' marriage. Caitlin is a wonderul host, and I feel so lucky to be able to have this experience with her! Despite her feeling a bit under the weather, she is being a trooper and not letting me miss one minute of the whole Zambia experience. I think that so far, the hightlight of the trip has been listening to Caitlin switch from English to "Zam-English" (really quite amuzing). We're in Livingston the next few days, taking a canoe trip tomorrow and then visiting Victoria Falls. And I'm so excited to get to Cait's village, to see and experience a little taste of what her life has been like the past 2 years. After hearing so many stories and learning the names of her dear friends in the village, I can't wait to actually meet everyone.

The K is on the Way

My dear friend and cousin is flying out and will be here on Thursday! I absolutely cannot wait to see her face and spend time with her. We have had plenty of adventures, from AMAZING dance/cheerleading/rollerblading routines in the garage, to road trips from Southern California all the way to Colorado without a roof on the car. I can only imagine what the 20 days in Africa will hold! Pray for her safety as she travels on British Airways and for our time together! She is a brilliant photographer and I am sure will have some amazing snaps from the trip. We will be sure to post for your viewing pleasure.

And if the "A" of "ACK Cheerleaders" is reading this, well, we wish you were going to be here for a perfect trio of cheer.

B.Y.O.S.

The last few Friday nights I have been having B.Y.O.S. parties at my chikuta. Bring Your Own Stick. Thanks to a shipment of Smores goodness from Andrea, the neighborhood has been enjoying gooey graham/chocolate/marshmallow love!

About 5pm the village kids are in the bush searching for their perfect stick and show up by 7pm with stick in hand. The first week we sat around the fire roasting and singing, and then telling riddles-it was so much fun. Last week I used all of my semi-useless Tonga vocabulary cards to create a Catchphrase Zambia game and it was a huge hit. Certain children will now forever be known by their outburst of “AFRICA!” or “NZOKA!”

My camera batteries were dead otherwise I would post great pictures of JoJo Zambia with marshmallow covering the majority of his face. I couldn’t stop laughing when Bene commented that he now looked like an American. I am guessing it was just that his face was now white, and not that Americans usually walk around with marshmallow on their faces. I could be wrong?

This Friday, I encourage all of you to have a little BYOS party of your own!

World Health Day

Last Tuesday was “World Health Day"-an international event designed to bring focus to pressing health issues in our world. I know you never would have guessed that from the title of the day! Wink, wink. This years’ theme was along the lines of “protecting health from global warming.

I worked with local community groups to have a program in the village to focus on World Health Day. Over 300 people showed up to watch dramas, learn about HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB, family planning, and basic hygiene. It was a huge success. We didn’t really get to the part about global warming and health. Of the 300 people there, I would say maybe 7 have even heard of global warming, and 2 could actually give an accurate description of what global warming means for them. I think I was the only person there that has contributed to global warming.

Which is where we, as Americans, come into the picture. Sadly, we have played a significant role in global warming. I would never have labeled myself an “environmentalist”. I drove my car regularly without thinking of the effects it may have on the environment. I have never joined the anti-SUV debate. Colorado winters sometimes require a Hummer. I never littered though, and even felt some shame in throwing banana peels out car windows-someone could slip!

Since coming to Zambia I have realized how much I used to waste, how much trash I would throw away, how much pollution I may have caused. When visitors have come bearing American food gifts I am kind of appalled at the amount of packaging we put on everything. Side note, I am not appalled at the generosity of my American friends! But does a Starburst really need to be individually wrapped and then wrapped again? Why do we need individually wrapped instant oatmeal packs? Are we so lazy that if they just threw all the oats in one box we would not possibly be able to measure out a ½ cup to which we add water?

Unfortunately, it is the people in Africa that will likely be most affected because of global warming. Crops will suffer, which means Africans will suffer. As temperatures have risen we have seen areas in Eastern Africa that have never had malaria suddenly face malaria cases daily. People that have done next to nothing to contribute to the issue of global warming will face the consequences of our actions.

As people of a global world, we need to take responsibility and take steps in order to look out for others. Do what you can, where you can, when you can. That is all I have to say on that. Sermon over.

Salt in Wounds

In the US we have all heard the saying, “pouring salt in my wound”. We know it means that someone is adding insult to injury, that they are really getting you while you are down. I was trying to explain this to Mrs. Kapuwe on our morning run a few weeks back. The whole conversation was a result of a situation at the clinic the day before…

Our clinic is still struggling to handle healthcare for the 8,000+ people in the catchment area. We have had no nurse since Mrs. Mpongo’s death last year. I had organized a follow up HIV/AIDS testing at the clinic, which meant that multiple nurses had come from the district offices to the village for the event. It was God’s timing that this all happened on this particular day.

Mid-way through the group counseling sessions an ox-cart carrying a woman pulls into the clinic yard. She is carried into our clinic and into the back room where I was setting up testing kits. One of the visiting nurses moves everyone out of the room but asks me to stay in the room and help her. The woman had given birth the night before and had serious tearing and hemorrhaging from the birth. She had lost a significant amount of blood. The nurse said she was probably within hours of death if we did not take care of her immediately. The nurse got a needle and what looked like very thick fishing wire and asked me to hold this woman on the bed while she sewed her up. We had no medicine whatsoever at the clinic, so this woman is getting sewn together after just having given birth without the use of any painkillers. It was barbaric. It was the only thing we could do.

I cannot say enough about the strength of African women. Their physical, mental, and emotional stamina is unbelievable. The woman whose arms I held just set her jaw and dealt with the pain and squeezed my hand. When it was all finished and the bleeding had stopped, she literally jumped down from the bed, dressed herself and started the walk back to her house. Before leaving the nurse told her she needed to rinse with water and put salt into the area on a daily basis. Seriously, that was the advice she gave her. Pour salt in your wounds.

Mrs. Kapuwe confirms that pouring salt in wounds really does help keep infections away. How blessed are we as Americans that our experience with salt in wounds is merely an expression, a way to better clarify our emotional state? Give it up for the Africans who pour salt on everything-from colored greens to wounds. You do what you have to do.

Namibia...Africa's Colorado

I have always said that Colorado would be perfect if only we had the ocean. Well, Namibia has the ocean and so much of what Colorado has to offer, so pretty much I am ready to stay! Now I just need to convince all the people I love that they should move out here too!

This past week I have been to Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, and the Dunes, except that they were called The Brandberg, The Spitzcoff, and Soussvlei. I guess you can't really find 2000 year old rock paintings of giraffe at the Peak, but there were similarities! Brandberg is this beautiful mountain, the tallest in Namibia, and J and I ran all over that place searching for rock paintings left by these nomadic hunters that used to live on the mountain. Next we were off to the Spitzcoff, or Spitzer, or just Spitz, depending on how much we wanted to butcher up the name of that place. The Spitz is this amazing red rock that juts out of the landscape. It is known as The Matterhorn of Africa. I guess the Swiss felt a connection there too. We camped inside the rocks, scared to death of being eaten by one of the leopards that roam the place at night. Telling ghost stories and being incredibly exhausted after rock climbing and splashing in mountain ponds made us a little on edge that night. It was by far, the coolest night of camping I have experienced. Our last day in the Namib Desert was at Soussvlei, these amazing sand dunes that go on forever. We got there just as the sun was rising and casting everything in beautiful hues. We ran down dunes like little kids and didn't want to leave then the time came! It was a sweet journey home though as we passed ostrich and gazelles on our way back to Swakopmund.




This morning we got up and went sand boarding---so SICK! Sick in a good way. In a, wow, my ribs will never be the same after I caught so much air going over that jump way. In a, "are you sure it's safe to go down a sand dune on a piece of waxed plywood at 80km an hour?" way. Sick in the best sense of the word.



Julie and I are heading out tomorrow, back on the bus to Zambia, which at this point really does feel like home! This trip has been so amazing. Julie has become an even closer friend, and even though we have only known each other these 2 years of Peace Corps, the memories we have together are just so special. God has truly blessed me with great friends here and at home!

Pray for a safe journey for us back to Zambia. You can read Julie's account of our journey on her blog-link to the left of this post. I'll post photos of the trip on Snapfish...let me know if you need an invite to view them. Miss you all.

Happy Easter!

There are so many days that I truly feel overwhelmed by the amount of Grace that God has bestowed upon me. Easter is such an amazing time to reflect on the extent of God's love and power, grace and mercy. That Christ has risen and overcome death is just beyond anything I can truly comprehend. Julie and I were talking this morning about what it would have been like to be one of the disciples that watched Christ be crucified on Friday and then to see Him walking amongst us just a few days later. How raw would be the pain of witnessing His death. I can remember clearly what I was doing on Friday...how much more if I had seen a crucifixion, and then to have the Dead among the living-wow!

We woke up early this morning and took a long walk on the beach after reading through some Scriptures. We grabbed our daily coffee and headed back to our hotel. We put on our "Easter outfits" and headed to the pier for a great seafood lunch. We shared the Easter traditions we had growing up and wished we had Easter baskets but were glad we had each other.

Wherever you are, whatever your traditions, I hope this day was a day to remember that God gives LIFE. He brought Christ back from the dead, and no matter how far from truly living we may be, He can bring us life to the full.

I Heart Coffee I Don't Have 2 Make

Julie and I have made it a tradition to get cappuccinos at this little coffee shop called "Out of Africa" at least twice a day. We gladly forfeit "real" food for a frothy cappuccino. We don't just look extremely cool, we are really this cool in real life!

Sunset on the Atlantic

For the first part of this story you can insert "I hate my life" after every sentence. Julie and I met in Lusaka to take the bus to Livingstone on Tuesday. Eight hours later we arrive in Livingstone, go to the hostel, where they tell us we no longer have a room and we go to bed hungry. Things seem better the next morning when our bus to Nambia actually leaves 2 minutes early. That is until we are pulling out of Livinstone and they tell us "We have toilets on the bus...however they are not working. The air conditioning can be adjusted above your head...however it is not working." Regardless, I am with a fun friend and we are heading towards the ocean, how bad can this be? Hope is futile when you are traveling on the continent! We get through immigration and into Nambia. Then they come over that God forsaken loudspeaker again to tell us that there is a problem with the bus and we need to exit. We leave all of our food and things on the bus and get out at the Shell Station. This is at 4pm at night. It is not until 1am the next morning, when we are freezing and starving that we get back on this bus. We then promptly fall asleep until the next morning when the bus breaks down again. This time it is not the radiator, but just a general "lack of air" in the bus. Whatever that means. Julie and I were done with the bus at that point and decided to get all our bags and flag down a vehicle.

This is the part of the story where you can insert "I love my life" after every sentence. This nice family picks us up and offers us cold drinks and drives us to the turnoff for Skwakopmund. We get out, wait 10 minutes until this young cute guy picks us up in a luxury Volvo and drops us off at the door to our hotel. Our first night we were clean, eating amazing pizza, drinking cold German beer and feeling like we had stepped into the Truman Show. Swakopmund is AMAZING! It's right on the ocean, has great cafes, a rich German feel and is so clean and organized. Organized to the point of getting assigned seating in the movie theatre---this is not Africa! And after that traveling, I am ok with that! We are having such an awesome time, and watched the sunset on the Atlantic Ocean last night. I am pretty sure I could see America!

We are here in Swakopmund for the next few days and then head out in our rental car to the desert and Damaraland. Sandboarding, petrified forests,and sunrises from the Dunes are in my future. I love my life.

I hope all of you have an amazing Easter! He is Risen, and for that I am most thankful of all. Blessings!

YouTube & Picasaweb

Check out "Africa Cribs" on Youtube for a glimpse of my home in Chifusa! We fully recognize that we are dorks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqgF-ATfUDw

Then, if you want to see more of the trip with Erin and Brittany, check out Erin's photos at Picasa Web. Just follow this link...
http://picasaweb.google.com/stroup.paul/AfricaTrip

Villagio, Botswana, Etc

For those of you still reading this blog...my creativity is starting to fade. I don't think you are supposed to have "Etc" in the title of anything, but alas it has arrived. I left Brit and Erin at the airport this morning, drank a cappuccino, bought a dress, and now I'm consoling myself with the world wide web. There are worse things I could have been doing and probably less expensive things but I'm trying to keep from crying- I am going to miss those girls!

Their trip out here was so much fun. They should be posting a blog for all of you to read, but we didn't have a time to sit and type it out while they were here...one day soon you'll hear from their perspective all about our adventures. A quick recap of the highlights-a week in my village, filled with lots of laughter, great talks, and eating smores every night. They were such an encouragement and brought me great perspective on a lot of the work I am doing in the village. We all worked together at the clinic, played Valentine's Day Bingo at Girls' Club, made sock puppets with Club Mweka, and enjoyed time with my close friends in the village. After 7 days we were all ready for ice cold drinks and headed back to Choma to catch the bus down to Livingstone. The next day we were down in Botswana on a "luxury safari". It was amazing. It was my third safari since being in Africa, but it was by far the most exciting as far as animal encounters. We were seriously just about nearly trampled multiple times by elephants. They do not call it "Elephant Valley" because there are a lot of zebras. In fact we did not see one zebra. But it was still fun. Lions were in full mating force and the baboons were quite friendly with one another as well. After two days of interrupting animal love making we headed back across the border to Zambia. We got to enjoy getting soaked at Victoria Falls as the water level is at its fullest.

A super long day of travel yesterday and we arrived back in Lusaka. The girls definitely got to experience the joys of traveling in the developing world. After giving ourselves pedicures and applying our nightly dose of DEET we went to sleep. Our last night together in Africa. And now they are somewhere in the sky and I am here in Lusaka alone. I know, poor poor Caitlin Annie.

I have less than 6 months left in Zambia and everything is feeling very bitter sweet! I still have quite a few projects/workshops I want to get done before leaving for the States in August. Some friends are making plans to come visit me and Julie and I are heading to Namibia for Easter, so time will seriously fly! Continue to pray for my physical, emotional, and spiritual safety while here. Once I am back on American soil I will share ALL the details of how your prayers have kept me safe, until then, I want my mom to sleep at night.

There will be tons of photos and video from the girls' trip to Zambia and I will try and put a link on here once they have uploaded things back in the States. I have to put a disclaimer on here in regards to a certain disgusting section of video which showcases my armpit hair. I have not turned into "that girl". You know the one that quits her corporate job and goes to Africa and grows out her armpit hair to show her independence and carefree spirit. That is not it at all! I am growing it out until a certain cousin of mine whose name I won't mention, gets her booty out here. If she fails to arrive in Zambia prior to my departure and I have lived with the filth known as my armpit hair in vain then she will have some major consequences. You know who you are cousin.

Alright, just remembering the fun of these last few weeks and thinking ahead to the great things in store I am feeling refreshed. And I think I need to treat myself to a Coke Light. Stay well!

Silver & Gold

Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other's gold.

I was never in Girl Scouts, but April was, and in her sisterly love she passed that little ditty on to me in childhood. I was reminded of that song with the arrival of Brit and Erin yesterday morning! It is such a joy to have friends from "home" visit my new "home" out here!

So far they have dived right into life in Zambia. We have ridden mini-buses with way too many people on them, hitched a ride in the back of a truck with way too many eggs in it, and walked around with way too little sunscreen on. Our first day we spent lounging around, grabbing coffee at a bakery and then napping at Munda Wanga Gardens. After finally letting them bathe we met up with some Peace Corps friends for a great dinner. Today I let them sleep in (I think the 12 hours of rest did them some good!) and we have been bartering at the market and getting great deals all morning. They just recognized the glory of seeing a movie in Lusaka, since the theatre is the only place with air-conditioning. We are heading back to the Gardens now to stay the night and tomorrow we will be heading out to my village! We have 8 hours of travel ahead of us tomorrow; pray that they still want to be my friend after hours in the back of a truck!

I have no doubt there will be plenty of stories coming your way as they get a taste of village life. I hope you are making and keeping friends of your own!

Some of my favorite things...

Rainboots, gigantic mangos, Mrs Kapuwe, JoJo and Bene, Rocky

Crazy Funny

We all know someone who is a little crazy. Most of us have at least one in our immediate family. Maybe that person is you. A lot of the time you are not aware that it is you until too late. Self examination is essential.

There is scary crazy and then funny crazy. We hope to medicate the scary and enjoy the funny. Thankfully the funny crazy guy in my village hasn't been introduced to any anti-psychotic meds. This means lots of funny stories for you to read now.

His name is Miyandu and rumor has it he used to be normal but his father traded his sanity for wealth in a little juju deal with the local witch doctor. This is the first of many facts throughout this story you think I have made up. People, I could not make this stuff up if I tried.

So his name is Miyandu, but he refers to himself in the third person as "King George". So our daily conversation as I am walking to get water goes something like this...

"Good morning."(Me)
"Ah, yes, white woman from Britain, King George is fine." (Miyandu)

He usually addresses me as "white woman from Britain", though at times I am referred to as "the red Indian". While I strive for a British accent and dream of tanning like an Indian, neither of these titles is accurate for me. I've tried to explain my Irish German heritage and the fact that I am an American, but it doesn't seem to stick. Oh well.

King George must have listened to a lot of top 40 hits back in the late 80's, early 90's. He does an amazing Michael Jackson impression and knows all the words to "Thriller". This man can, no joke, moonwalk barefoot on the dirt path. This takes major skills. Very impressive. Often in passing he will make comments to me about Michael Bolton or Bob Marley.

Last week he stopped me to tell me he finally had proof he was King George. Playing along I asked him to show me. He sat down in the dirt and squished his knee cap together.

"If you look into my kneecap you can clearly see the letters "j","k", and "y"." (Him)

I looked. I could see the way his skin folded it did look like those letters were there.

He said, "See, I told you!"

And there you have it...clearly proof that this man is, in fact, King George.

As you read that, if this made any sense to you, then you are definitely crazy too. If it did not make sense to you then hopefully you are at least laughing.

Hope you have a little bit of crazy funny in your own life this week.

30 Days

I am a girl that likes a challenge. Marathons, bungee jumping, sky diving, moving to Africa- I enjoy pushing myself to do hard things. This past month I embarked on the "30 Days" Challenge. Basically, I wanted to stay in my village for 30 days without going into town for anything! As the days went on I added little challenges...not plucking my eyebrows or shaving my legs or drinking coffee or speaking English. After this little adventure things like hiking Everest with no oxygen seem possible!

I made it! And it was really great to spend lots of quality time uninterrupted in the village. Since I came to Zambia there has always been some conference I came in for or email that I needed to rush to town to read! I figured it was now or never and I don't want to have regrets about not spending enough time doing what I came to Zambia to do!

We are in rainy season now and have had tons of rain. The most rainfall in Zambia since 1920! There were quite a few rainy days spent reading (9 books), playing cards, and chatting about the rain. Other days I was busy working in my garden, weeding, making rows, killing snakes, and trying to get my field ready for planting. My regular work- Girls Club, Club Mweka, teaching at the clinic, all of that is going well. I am also in the process of getting HIV Support Groups started; we have about 30 people interested at this point. It has been encouraging to see more people come forward about their status and not hiding in shame.

I am still missing Mrs Mpongo. Her children have all been taken to their aunt's home in another town and so it has been lonely without Bertha and crew to brighten my days! It seems more real now that she is gone. God has deepened my friendship with Mrs Kapuwe and that has been a huge blessing. We are meeting together Wednesday nights to read through the Bible and talk about what God is teaching us. It is really amazing to talk about how our cultures have given us such different perspectives.

Two very special ladies are arriving in Zambia on the 16th for their own adventures here! I can't wait to see Erin and Britt and I will have them be guest bloggers for their time here. We will have a week in my village and then be in Livingstone and Botswana. Should be a blast.

Keep praying for me! Specifically for these support groups, for an upcoming IGA workshop, an upcoming NHC training, and that God would be so present in my last 6 months here!

Here's to challenges of your own making!

A Chieferific New Years

So there I was at the Chief's "palace", I had just given a great speech on family, friends, and New Years Resolutions. The Chief was, in return, welcoming me into his family, telling me I was like a daughter to him. As if I wasn't getting enough attention, it seems I needed to stand out a little more. I was wearing a chitenge on my head and a bee came inside the area between my ear and the scarf. I tried to swat it away, but it stung the inside of my ear and continued to buzz around. I started swatting at my ear, sending the chitenge flying, all my hair falling out, and the entire ceremony came to a halt. Everyone was wondering if I was showing them a new American dance move, if I was dying, or if I was just intentionally trying to disrespect the Chief. As I write this I am still laughing and my ear is still swollen.

Happy 2008! I spent my New Years Day, obviously, causing a scene! I had been invited by the Kapuwes (friends from my village) to attend a "family reunion" in Monze, a town about 100k from Choma. It happens that Mr Kapuwe's father is the Chief of that area, and his 4 wives, 41 children, and all the grandkids gather each New Years Day for a celebration. And I was just like the 42nd child the Chief never had, so I was more then welcome!

We arrived at the "palace"-a converted old farmhouse with electricity!-on Monday and were given nshima, goat and chicken to eat. We were then spoiled with bread and hot cocoa made from fresh milk. Fresh like they just milked the cow. It was really great! Due to major flooding in the area, the majority of the family was stuck across the river at the "old" farmhouse. But we had the Chief with us and so that was really where the party was at! About 250 of the area Headmen report to the chief. He carries this carved walking stick, has bodyguards that protect him at all times, and wears this awesome cheetah skin vest deal.

On New Years Day we ate lots of meat-goat, sheep, guinea fowl, and chicken. I got to watch traditional dances and hear them sing family songs. The Chief got up and named all of his children that were present. This is a pretty big task considering he is in his late 60's and has so many kids.

In my speech I talked about how I always thought I was from a big family until I came to the palace. They all laughed. I also talked about how one of my new years resolutions is to practice the generosity that I have received from their family and so many others here in Zambia.

It was an unforgettable New Years Day...I did however get a little homesick when I thought about my friends and family eating at the Pantry and getting ready to play broomball. Let me just say that next year I am bringing my A-game to the ice and you people better be ready!

Blessings in the year ahead!

A Very Zamtastic Christmas

It was an unforgettable Christmas for so many reasons! I missed being with my family, but really made the most of my Christmas here. My close Peace Corps friend, Heidi, came out to the village with me and we both loved every minute! Ok, well the fact that I could not pick up Christmas music on my world radio was sad, but I figure I can make up for that next year! And dancing to Amy Grant in my socks on my parent's wood floor is really not replicable in Zambia, so I didn't give that one a try. This was a Christmas of so many firsts!

It was the first time I...



~Cut down my own Christmas tree...and with a machette no less. I felt a little too cool.
~Cooked Christmas Eve dinner...my portion was homemade applesauce and garlic mashed potatos. The fact that I cooked is pretty startling, but that it turned out amazing and I did it over an open fire is, well, a Christmas miracle. Second only to Christ's birth. The fact that Heidi made green bean caserole and stuffing is remarkable too, but she is just remarkable like that!
~Made Christmas ornaments with African children. I loved seeing some of our American Christmas traditions through the eyes of my villagers. We showed my Club Mweka kids how to make ornaments, put glitter on everything, and hang them on trees. They loved it. Their parents probably don't love me for the glitter they will be enjoying all throughout the year....
~Baked and decorated sugar cookies. I have definetly eaten sugar cookies in the past, but this was the first year that I baked my great grandma's recipe for sugar cookies. They were so good. I had all my little village buddies over to decorate them on Christmas Eve. Heidi and I turned my chikuta into a winter wonderland-complete with paper snowflakes. They loved it!
~Opened gifts by candlelight. We opened presents after dinner on Christmas Eve and thanks to a package I recieved right before I went to the village, I had all kinds of great things to open from my Grandma Jones. My mom sent me out a stocking too, but I had opened it before...not too good at waiting. Sorry, mom!
~Sang Masiku Asweya (Silent Night). I love that song so much, and it was so special to sing it in Tonga with my villagers. I told the pastor I loved that song and we ended up singing it four times during the Christmas Service.

Those are just a few of the highlights from this year! I have uploaded photos to my snapfish account. If I didn't send you a link I probably don't have your email. Send it my way if you want to check out some of the photos! Hope all of you enjoyed your Christmas and were able to have a few of your own firsts!

Jesus Christ

"Lord Jesus Christ, Thou Son of the Most High, Prince of Peace, be born again into our world. Wherever there is war in this world, wherever there is pain, wherever there is loneliness, wherever there is no hope, come, thou long-expected one, with healing in thy wings. Holy Child, whom the shepherds and the kings and the dumb beasts adored, be born again. Wherever there is boredom, wherever there is fear of failure, wherever there is temptation too strong to resist, wherever there is bitterness of heart, come, thou blessed one, with healing in thy wings." ~ From The Hungering Dark by Frederick Buechner

I came across these words last week and loved them. December 25th we celebrated Christ's birth and we need to celebrate His coming into our everyday situations to heal us now. I pray that He will make His Presence known in your very situation. Blessings in the journey ahead!