Getting Accustomed

From the left is Bill, James, and Gordon. I am not sure if Bill is the correct name. We taught them how to play tag and tic-tac-toe, which they seemed to enjoy greatly.

We have begun the transition between life in the United States and life here in Zambia. First off, I must mention such a wonderful place the Namwiaga Mission is. The Zambians do a wonderful job of cleaning and maintaining the nice buildings they have here. Compared to the living conditions we have seen in the villages, we are staying in a five star hotel. The only grass I have seen is on the mission. Regardless of how nice our homes are compared with the rest of Zambia, there are still adjustments that have to be made for us new comers. Water is no longer just there at all times. Water is a precious commodity and is not to be wasted. I usually use little water if any to brush my teeth. For showers it is appropriate for one to wet down quickly, lather with the water off, then turn the water back on to rinse. I plan to only take a shower every three days, but this mainly depends on the days I exercise. I am blessed to have nice clothes that are able to resist from sun, bugs, wrinkles, and smell (kind of). I do not have a mirror nor do I care for one. It is nice going from day to day without the regular concerns of Americans. Zach Daggett and I are currently in a competition to see who can where the same shirt the longest. We are both wearing North Face shirts that are the same material, but different colors. I am on day 5 and do not seem to smell yet; however, I am sure Tanner or Trey will be the first to tell me if so. Trey Carlock is one of the guys who talked me into considering the trip to Zambia. He is very intelligent and I envy his ability to retain information without studying. He actually reminds me of Dad, especially when he cracks his witty jokes. We were joking about putting on a show for Harding when we return to America and Trey recommended we call it “H-I-Z positive.” I immediately saw Dad saying the same thing in that situation.

Since we have arrived, the electricity has gone out once every day and I personally have been unable to connect on-line. If you are reading this then I was obviously able to connect long enough to send this information. We have a local cell phone that is free to receive calls. The caller has to pay 15 to 30 cents every minute. I will be giving this information to my mom if one of you ever needs to reach me.

Yesterday was a very long day and several events happened that I will never forget. Ba Merrit gave us a tour of the mission and we later rode the bus into the city of Kalomo. Ba Merrit keeps things running at Namwianga and his father founded the mission many years ago. Right from the beginning it was obvious how socially awkward I was being. It was not until the end of the day I could greet the people in Tonga and understand enough to reply. At this point I know all the common greetings, but unless they respond in a way that I can reply, “Gabutu” I am in trouble. Gabutu simply means fine and I am not sure of the spelling.

The first event I would like to share is my first experience at the Haven. The children are not use to men holding them, so it was interesting reading the facial expressions of the Zambians. After playing with the healthy children I made my way to the building where the sick babies stay since. Most of these children are either born with AIDS or are currently sick with any other type of virus. It is very important that one is healthy before entering this area because the children can become very sick, very quickly. A little baby girl that was barely old enough to stand, reached her hands up towards me, motioning for me to pick her up. Her name is Kim and she has a twin sister that is sick as well. Kim found all of the new visitors very intriguing and could not help but stare. Her blank confused face was very cute and her little hands clinched my shirt as tightly as possible. Although I know her name, I do not know her sickness because I did not ask. I wanted to hold her as if she was just like any other baby. I wanted her to feel loved. Often people neglect these sick babies because they are only looking out for themselves. The sick children need care and love like any other child and we must not be afraid of attachment for our own selfish reasons. I respect the women who take care of these children and give them the love they need, knowing the children's lives here on earth are very limited.After playing soccer with a few of the local children, I met up with the HIZ group to drive into the town of Kalomo. The market was very crowded and we stood out like a pink backpack. I cannot upload any pictures, but can share them later. Many of the Zambians that approached me were eager to ask us questions concerning our lifestyle and climate in the states. It seems as if each man I have a discussion with is eager for change and development. It seems as if they see our skin color as opportunity. One man dressed with an assortment of old torn dress clothes asked us to take an application from him, while others asked how to improve their ways. One man asked, “How can we find development?” while another stated, “When we see you, we see God.” Whether these questions and statements were heartfelt or simply hollow, I have no idea. But I do believe that people in developing countries are seeking a better way.