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."
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
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!
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!
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 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!
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