Inspiration

Today I have been inspired by a doctor who has made a difference in the world. Medical mission work can often times be very disheartening when you are faced with death over and over again and are unable to see immediate results. Thuma, a pediatrician who has lived in Macha, Zambia for 45 years has lived long enough to see tremendous success in the surrounding area. The hospital in Macha has helped to increase the quality of life for thousands and thousands of people since 1906.
Although the hospital does not have private wards or the entire necessary resources one will find in America, the hospital is very nice in comparison to most in Zambia. Thuma gave our group a tour of the different buildings that they have added on and shared his secrets to success with us. I certainly know who to contact if I ever decide to start a hospital in Africa. The Macha Hospital is able to receive donations and grants, but the main reason for success is the hospital’s ability to sustain itself without outside help. Nurses are limited, so mother’s stay with their children to take care of them.
John Hopkins University helped fund several projects that are currently taking place. The hospital surprisingly has a Molecular Biology lab with an Insectary. The lab is used to study tuberculosis, malaria, HIV, etc. The Microscopist explained the different types of mosquitoes, which ones cause malaria, which ones bite what, and the geographical location of different bites.
I am inspired by the work that is being done at the hospital in Macha. In 15 years, Thuma was able to provide clean water to the entire town (after almost dying from a water related illness.) In Thuma’s lifetime he has made an incredible difference in lowering the percentage of cases pertaining to Malaria, TB, HIV, and more. Many babies are saved each year thanks to Thuma and his success with neonatal care.

Living on the Edge

After church Sunday, most of the group headed back towards the mission, which has become home. About ten of us stuck around for our elephant safari that was later on Sunday evening. Riding on the back of an elephant is an unforgettable experience and I look forward to sharing pictures and videos with all of you when I arrive back in the states.
That night, those of us that were left over visited an excellent authentic restaurant called “The Arts Café.” Although I have eaten nsima several times, I tasted several traditional Zambian foods that were new to me, such as Kapenta (sardine type things), caterpillar worm things, a fish head, and cibwantu (sour milk tasting drink). The restaurant has live music and we had an excellent time dancing and laughing with the local Zambians. There are videos of us dancing with the waitresses and cooks, which is truly hilarious. For whatever reason, this is the night I changed my mind and decided I would not live with myself unless I bungee jump.
This same night, we all decided to go swimming at the Waterfront Hotel. As we were adjusting to the cold water, Ba Shawn appears out of nowhere and belly flops into the pool. Ba Shawn is truly an amazing man. I already had respect for Ba Shawn as a good Christian professor and leader, but after this weekend I have a deeper respect for him; a respect that is of one friend to another. The fact that Ba Shawn was able to lower himself to the level of college students means a lot to each of us that were present. Ba Shawn organized everything so that we would have as much fun as possible and his sincere love for each student is quite evident. He loaned me 150 dollars so that I could experience the bungee jump, gorge swing, and zip line on Monday morning.
This weekend I decided to live as if I was dying. I value my life here on Earth much more now that I have free fallen 111 meters two times in one hour. I was truly relieved when I survived the bungee jump and gorge swing. Although I was not quite as nervous as I anticipated, my heart was racing around 120 bpm. It is impossible to explain the adrenaline rush one receives while free falling this far; I cannot begin to replicate the sensation in my mind. I am very pleased that I decided to overcome such tremendous heights and plunge off of the Victoria Falls Bridge above the Zambezi River. Once I raft the Nile my bucket list for Africa will be complete.

Life in Livingstone

Friday morning we woke up early (as usual) to travel down to Livingstone, Zambia. I was very pleased to see how developed some of the areas in Livingstone have become. One area has a very nice shopping market with a pizza place, burger place, and one other nice restaurant. I spent most of Thursday watching members of our group bungee jump, while others in the group went on an elephant safari. I set aside money to do one thing, so I booked an elephant safari for Sunday evening. I was very pleased that I decided NOT to bungee jump since it looked so dangerous and sketch. I later changed my mind and forked out the money to jump on Monday.
Saturday morning we traveled into Botswana for the big safari. During the cruiser safari we were able to see many animals including giraffe, impala, hippos, elephants, kudu, hogs, and so much more. Our group was fortunate enough to see a leopard that was hidden in the bushes. Our guide had very good eye sight and knew the leopard would be hiding nearby. That morning, the leopard was seen killing an impala and hanging it in a tree. Our guide knew the leopard would be nearby, so we eventually found it. We were scary close and the leopard could have easily attacked at any moment. After lunch, we loaded onto a pontoon boat for the second part of the safari. This was definitely my favorite half, simply because our guide was AWESOME. He would park the boat very close to the animals nearby, which allowed us to take a good look at them and take pictures. During the boat portion of the safari we saw many crocodiles, hippos, buffalo, and elephants. The whole experience was absolutely fascinating. Seeing the majesty of God’s creation through the different animals that he has placed here on Earth was very enjoyable. I feel that God speaks to us through every living thing, from small ants to big elephants. I noticed an interesting parallel between the way we view elephants/hippos with the way we view God. Throughout the entire safari I heard members of our group say how “cute” and “innocent” and “sensitive” these animals are as we admired from distance. Elephants and hippos seem very innocent and cute from a distance, but hippos kill more people in Africa than any other animal. An elephant stomped a young woman into three pieces in Livingstone less than a week ago. Too often we view God as some cuddly bear who will give us what we pray for and who will comfort us and make our lives happy here on Earth. I often view God from a distance, without the appropriate fear and respect. We admire these beasts on Earth, neglecting their ability to kill people with ease; the same way we view God, forgetting his incredible power that is unimaginable.

Mission Outreach

Today I traveled with Tori Thoreson, LeAnne Stegall (soon to be Griffin), Jessica Snail, and Natalie Fisher to an outside village in order to give vaccinations to the babies nearby. We gave DTap, live polio, and TB prophylaxis (not given in US). This was a wonderful trip, not because we made all the little babies cry by sticking them with needles, but because we made them all laugh shortly after. Each of the ladies I was with brought tons and tons of stickers and the young people of the village went absolutely crazy. Soon we were handing out sticker after sticker to each of the locals. I placed one sticker on my forehead and soon all the children wanted a sticker on their forehead as well. It is a wonderful feeling when one is able to reach out to the villagers. There are many different languages in the world, but everyone should be able to smile and laugh with one another. There are many different world views, beliefs, values, and behaviors; but there is only one God. This God is our God and he deeply loves each of us, regardless of our geographical location on Earth.
When I arrived back at Namwianga I met up with Zach Daggett, Tanner, and Trey in the garden. They had picked many of the tomatoes and I began to help them water the lepu. On my way to the garden, several of the local boys spotted me and chased me to the garden. Zach is more afraid of the Zambian children messing up our garden than the cows that graze nearby. The small children are capable of stomping on each of the green bean seeds that he so diligently planted. We soon neglected the gardening work and began to play with the children. Musa and Gordon gathered several of their young friends and started throwing nuts at us. We used the garden fence as a fort and began throwing rotten tomatoes and lemons back towards them. The battle intensified and soon we were running all throughout Namwianga attacking one another. The older boys eventually won and the young Zambian boys came out with their hands up. Although Gordon faked the surrender and tried to escape, we pegged him with five or six lemons that splattered him with juice.
After calling it even, we joined forces to attack the house that the ladies are staying in. After pegging their house with several lemons, the women realized they were under attack and came out onto the porch. By this time many of the younger boys had collected to join our team. I feel bad for the commotion that we started by running around the compound, but the battle was an unforgettable experience. Several locals gathered in the street to witness our lemon war.

Zimba Hospital

Several of us were able to travel to Zimba and visit the local hospital there. Aside from me: Ba Janice, Jessica Snail, Trey Carlock, Tanner Nichols, Katryna Cardwell, Christine Hall, and Callie Donaldson made the 45 minute trip. Once we arrived, Ba Janice introduced us to the American Doctors that are staying at the local mission. Dan Jones and his wife, Jone Jones, have been practicing medicine for 20 years and have done many incredible things for Zimba. Although Zimba was a very small town, the hospital is very nice; there is an X-Ray, lab, and operating room.
The first place I visited was the OR. It was very interesting getting to know the surgeons. I was surprised to see how young they are; they are no older than 23. It is almost like a trade school; they each studied three extra years to do surgery. In America one may have up to 12 years of extra school to do the same thing. Despite his young age, the surgeon was very professional and sanitary. I was very surprised when he asked me to dress out and assist him in the first surgery of the day. An older woman who has previously had 10 children needed a BTL (bilateral tubal ligation). I was able to assist the surgeon as he sliced her stomach open to tie her tubes. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to see parts of the body first hand; it is much easier to remember the information this way. I was able to use the instruments to cut and help sew and I am very grateful that I was given this opportunity. The next surgery was an older man who had an inguinal hernia that needed to be fixed.
After leaving the OR, I shadowed Dr. Jones as he made his rounds. I ran several errands and helped to clean several wounds. One woman had a c-section that had become infected, so I replaced the bandages. Another woman injured her leg badly from a large rock; cleaning her leg was a mess. The coolest thing I was able to witness this day was a child being born. Up until my visit to Zimba, I have never seen childbirth; however, babies are popping out everywhere in Zambia. Apparently this was the woman’s ninth child.
Visiting the hospital in Zimba was a wonderful experience and I am happy that Ba Janice gave us the opportunity to make this trip.

Speak Wisely

This morning I was given the opportunity to preach at the church here at Namwianga. All of the students were in attendance and about 650 people arrived for the service. In America I would be quite nervous speaking in front of so many peers, but things are different here in Zambia. Zambians do not come to church just to hear a good preacher; they come to glorify God through praise and take part in the Lord ’s Supper.
I gave a 15 minute lesson on the importance of controlling our tongue. Using scripture from Proverbs and James, I gathered thoughts pertaining to righteous speech. I explained that the most important thing one does with his mouth is to praise God; not eating or communicating through language. Through our voices we give glory to God. God is in our breath and our breath is one with God. I explained that righteous speech is limited or reserved, but one must listen as well. A fool may seem wise if he remains silent, but we must be slow to speak and quick to listen. I stressed the importance of using words wisely and giving consideration to the words we wish to speak. My goal was to communicate to the congregation that we cannot allow a worthless worship to God. We must not bless God one moment and curse man the next.
I tried to incorporate a couple of stories and used my papa, Ron Huddleston, as an example. I have been blessed with such wonderful grandparents and when I think of the most righteous people, all four come to mind. Not just because of their continual support and encouragement, but because of the example they set. Without them, I would not have the incredible parents that I do. When I look at my father and grandfathers I see men who are slow to anger, slow to speak, and quick to listen. Growing up, Dad would not punish us immediately after we messed up. He would take time to think and approach the issue with a level head. I chose papa Huddleston as an example because of the tremendous respect he has been given as a true man of God and the way in which he reserves his speech. I remember as a child how quiet Papa would be at the dinner table. Everyone seemed to talk and talk, while papa limited his words. When he did speak, all would fall silent and listen intently to what he had to say; knowing the words were from a man who has truly obtained wisdom. I look up to Papa Huddleston and PawPaw Reely in every way, and hope to one day impact my grandchildren in the same way.

Clinic

I have thoroughly enjoyed working at the health clinic here at the mission and getting some hands on experience. So often, pre-med students are too buried in the books to be certain that the path they have chosen is the correct one. I am relieved that I am not fazed by the site of blood, broken bones, teeth pulling, etc. Although I have not spent many hours volunteering yet, my experiences here have helped to confirm my decision of medical school.

Tuesday, I was able to assist one of our Physician Assistants, Tori, drain an abscess from a child’s neck. Tori and I have become good friends and she is truly a unique person. She is the opposite of me in that she cannot hide emotion from her face. She is able to make us all laugh due to her funny personality. Although she can be goofy, she is completely zoned in at the clinic and does a wonderful job. Tori simply took a razor to the abscess and all kinds of mayonnaise and ketchup was released. After using a very interesting way of irrigating the abscess, she used packing gauze to fill the hole. Leanne is the other Physician Assistant, but I am not sure of the spelling. It has been great getting to know the women who are working at the clinic. Many times in the evenings several of us will sit and talk for hours. Our topics range from serious spiritual matters to pointless jokes and stories.

Just from talking with Dr. Frank and the others at the clinic, I have been able to pick up on some basic health care and medicines. Wednesday I began helping the dentist, Ba Ian, pull teeth. Tanner has spent much time with the dentist and is possibly considering dentistry. I have enjoyed helping Ba Ian, but have no interest in being a dentist for a living. Most patients wait too long before coming into the dentist, so their tooth infections are usually chronic, meaning that their tooth is no longer of use and just needs to be pulled. Each patient is given a shot to numb three different nerves in their mouth; however, none of them are sedated. The adults are usually fine, but convincing small children to let you give them a shot in the mouth and then yank their tooth out is a difficult job. Pulling someone’s tooth out was definitely an interesting experience.

Immediately when I left the dentist’s office, I am able to help clean up a deep laceration on a young man’s arm. Although the knife wound was deep, it only skimmed part of the underlying muscle. I held the flash light and cleaned up blood, while Tori and Frank stitched his arm back together. I really enjoyed the close up and learned a lot. Apparently the young man has been beaten up several times, and this time the attackers used a knife. The man had been injured for two days before coming in, simply because of all of the stipulations involved. He had to go through the police before being emitted to the hospital. Either way, Frank would never turn someone away if they came straight to the clinic. The young man’s threshold for pain was incredible; apparently all Zambians are this way. Many women show no emotion or pain during pregnancy. The young man was given an anesthetic that wore off 2/3 into the procedure.

Compost Material!

Our group has taken over a nearby garden, which contains tomatoes, onions, cabbage, green beans, and rape (lepu). We collected 25 bundles of rape to sell at the market yesterday, hoping to make a profit. We eventually sold all of our bundles for about 700 kwacha each and I am fairly sure we got ripped off. Regardless, this was a fun experience that made us feel like true Zambians. We had lots of pun fun on the way to the market, as each person took their turn yelling, “Rape!” I would like to say our group matured and the jokes were no longer funny; however, they made it almost all the way back to the mission. I have a video of Trey standing in the middle of the market with two bundles yelling, “Rape!” to the locals. I look forward to spending more time in the garden, so that I may hopefully apply some of the knowledge on sustainable foods that I obtained during HUT. We have begun collecting compost material for a pile and often reflect on good times that we shared at our garden during HUT.

Glorified

Have you ever pondered why God created man? Of course you have and so have I. Although there is no way of knowing for sure; I like to think that God created man on Earth to give glory to him. If God created us to be glorified then is it not important for us to glorify him?
So how is it that we may glorify God? There is no better way than through our voices; through singing praises to God. The Greek word for God used in the Bible is Yahweh. When translated to Greek and pronounced correctly, it is about as close to a breath sound that one can make. God is in our breath and our breath in God. What better way to be connected with God than through the air we breathe? What better way to glorify God then through our voice? In order to glorify God through our speech it is important that we speak wisely; that we speak righteously. Righteous speech is limited (James 1:19). Righteous speech does not boast in anything, EXCEPT for the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. Those who speak righteously reserve their language and consider the thoughts that leave their mouth (James 3:6-12).
Much more, God can be glorified through singing praises. I have no passion for singing, so church services can be tough for me sometimes. I refuse to manufacture some type of joy that is of my own earthly pleasure; not joy that is in peace with the Spirit. I sin outside of worship enough, so I refuse to give habit to an earthly joy and that is why I often remain silent and listen to others sing. It is scary to think that we may become so accustomed to manipulating neurotransmitters to their brain, that their worship is quite empty. It is scary to think that some of us that attend church our whole lives can be living off a short term high that we are getting each time we enter the building; a feeling that we simply give to ourselves. Whether other people are glorifying God through their voices or not is none of my concern, for I can see God in their voice regardless. Someone could be thinking about what they will eat for lunch, but from a distance all I can see is their breath being lifted up to God.
I have been blessed with a gift for music, which has its negatives. I am often bored with the simplistic melodies of church music; however, if it is not the music that stands in the way of my praise it can be the words. Putting words to music can have a positive or negative effect. Wonderful words can make a poor song beautiful, while lame words can make a beautiful song dead. I cannot help but listen to the words I hear during a song, which often interferes with my connection to God. You often hear people say, “There are no words to describe what I wish to say.” Then why do we always try?
I have joined the George Benson College choir here at Namwianga, which has sparked my love for music once again. The Zambian students here have such powerful voices and I take pride in our deep sounds that project from the bass section. But the songs that move me the most are the songs in which I do not understand (or should I say that these songs are the only ones I TRULY understand). The songs that I see God being glorified are the songs that we sing in Citonga; the songs that I do not apply words to. I do not care what the words are for the songs that we sing nor will I ever ask. The times that we come together and sing in Citonga are the only times that words do not hinder my praise to God. These songs have such wonderful sounds, sounds that do not symbolize anything earthly to me. For someone that speaks fluent Citonga, that language is simply sounds that represent certain things. For me, Citonga is a way that I may witness someone’s breath used to give glory to our creator.

To Die is Gain

It has been wonderful to witness the love and care that the women of our group give to the orphan babies. Observing their maternal instincts has been very interesting. I have no doubt that holding the children and taking care of their everyday needs has fulfilled an important role in the children’s development. It is equally painful to see the women’s reaction to the death of one of the babies. Luseko and Elli both passed away this morning. Both were given help, however, I cannot help but feel that more should have been done to save their lives. Sometimes it seems as if there is a somewhat hopeless, fatalistic view of sick babies in Africa. Trey stated, “Maybe I am simply naive, but I feel like more should be done for the dying children. There is a hospital nearby. This being such a nice compound in Zambia, the death of three children in two days is unacceptable.” I agree with him, but unfortunately most women who work in orphanages do not know enough about health care to identify when a child should be rushed to the hospital (not to take away that the aunties here are incredible women.) I feel that spreading primary health care throughout the world is critically important.
Several have shared their thoughts of anger about the situation, but I am not angry. In order for me to be angry I would have to pinpoint a person or thing, but I cannot. I see injustice here in Zambia. I see an economy in shambles. I see children dying simply because there is not enough money to go around. I see things that are the consequence of people allowing sin into the world.
Although the deaths of Request, Elli, and Luseko disturb me, the impact is not the same for the women. The guys in our group spend much time playing with the hyper, healthy children from Eric’s House, while the ladies comfort the smaller children. Obviously the ladies play with the older children and we the younger; but this is the typical pattern. I was around Luseko for several days last week, but mainly from a health standpoint. I helped in the clinic to rehydrate the children and shadowed Dr. Frank as he assessed them, but the ladies in our group change diapers and feed the small children, even the sick ones (diarrhea and vomiting make this quite a job.) So to see the hurt on their faces is very disheartening.
We often view death the wrong way. To die is gain. This is all I wish to say.

Chacos

For those of you who do not know what Chacos are: they are simply the most amazing type of footwear currently known to man. They look like sandals, but are so much more. If you mixed a Merrell hiking boot with the same sandals Jesus wore, one would get Chacos. I have yet to find an occasion in which my Chacos are not appropriate. I have decided to make a list of the activities I have performed while wearing my Chacos. I may also add some that I have seen or heard of. This is a very short list and does not begin to list the uses for such an amazing sandal. If I ever settle in a developing country, I will do all I can to make sure the indigenous people around me own a pair. Unfortunately the sandals are expensive and could probably not be distributed in a way that Toms shoes are.

If anyone has one to add, feel free to comment below. Although I cannot attach any photos, I am sure I will be tagged doing these activities on Facebook at some point. This is 20 out of 6,726 things one can do while wearing Chacos. They are in no particular order.

Ping-Pong
I have never felt more agile.

Weddings
I have never been married, but many people have. And I have heard of people getting married in Chacos.

Basketball
I practically flew from one end of the court to the other; getting traction like no other. I don’t remember missing a shot either. I cannot dunk in basketball shoes, but I can two-hand slam it in my Chacos.

Football
I have never been tackled wearing them.

Soccer
I was able to kick someone in the face without moving my leg.

Hiking/Climbing
Check Guinness book of World Records 2010.

Church
I have gotten so many compliments on how beautiful my feet look at church.

Cross Country
I literally ran across the country and didn’t need any water to drink.

Sprinting
My forty yard run was timed at 3.3 seconds in these sandals.

Sleep
Coma like sleep

Eat
Last week I consumed three plates in three seconds.

Elephant Safari
I tamed the elephants with them.

Bungee Jumping
My friend wore his Chacos to bungee jump and didn’t have to use a chord.

Rafting the Nile
I didn’t even have to use a raft.

Insanity
Rebecca Daggett could only do 12 pushups barefooted. When she put her Chacos on, she was able to do 67 without stopping.

Speak Tonga
Once my sandals are strapped on, I can speak any tongue I desire.

Hunting
Several of us went hunting with some of the locals. Or should I say that we went killing?

Sing
Majestically 

Read
As long as I am wearing my sandals I don’t have to open the book to read; I simply just think about it.

Slaughtering animals
…using nothing but my bare hands.

Not only are all these activities POSSIBLE wearing Chacos, but the Chacos actually make one better at each. I can dive off of cliffs with better form. I can run faster. I can kick the soccer ball further. I can win every game of ping pong. I can jump higher. I WIN wearing these sandals. I can swim and climb faster than ever before. I can shower in these sandals (“Chaco shower”). While I have these sandals on I become smarter and I can feel more oxygen in each breath. Chacos enhance my ability to live.

Everyday Adventures

Once again Trey and I set out with Quintyn to visit locals in the market. We have made good friends with an older gentleman named Marres (pronounced Mars) who I mentioned earlier. Marres has been somewhat questionable up to this point and we were unsure whether to buy in to his unusual kindness towards Americans. Marres is very passionate about Americans (not just whites) and wishes to give us all of his land. We ran into a couple named Frank and Rebecca who helped to run a local charity, but since they were from the U.K. Marres showed no interest in them.

We began walking towards the market in order to meet Marres in front of his cousin’s convenient store. Although this is a two hour walk we were able to hitch a ride from a nice gentleman by the name of Dennis. After chatting with Dennis about his children, he dropped us off a short ways from the market. Soon we were talking with Marres and he began to show us around town. We planned to get to know Marres better, ask him of his intentions, and do a check up on him by interviewing local Zambians. While Marres chatted with Quintyn and me, Trey snuck over to meet locals and ask them their opinion of Marres. Without fail, every person we asked about Marres mentioned what a respectful man he is. They also told us how he was a great father and leader. Marres seemed to know everyone at the market; He even introduced us to the chief’s son! Each time someone approaches Marres they seem very respectful. At one point we were sitting with Marres, and others made a point to kneel and greet him in a respectful manner.
The main reason we met with Marres was because he hoped to give us one of his healthy cows. This is a very generous thing for one to do in Zambia (men buy their wives with cows) and for us to turn such an offer down is not culturally appropriate.

During our tour of the town we ran into a little black boy who had never seen a mukua (white person) before. He began to cry in the middle of the kapenta (sardine) market and all of the women laughed. His mother began pushing him towards us, which caused him to scream and hide. He was horrified of us and this was a hilarious experience that I will never forget. All of the people in Kalomo are very welcoming and accepting of us. Marres later took us to the house of Linda and Mike Johnson. The Johnsons are a very nice couple who run an orphanage about 30 km away. I look forward to visiting them again and talking with them about their work. They have lived here for 17 years now. The fact that Marres had such a good relationship with strong Christian people strengthened our confidence and trust in him.

After visiting with some more locals, Marres took us to the automotive section of town so that we could get a ride to the slaughter house. Once we arrived, I could no longer breathe through my nose. Each time I tried to breathe in through my nose I would gag and almost throw up. The smell was unbearable, but I tried to hide my disgust. Random cow parts were scattered throughout puddles of blood. Complete cow heads were lying around in different spots. Several cows were hung from the ceiling, while others were still kicking with severed necks. We were taken out to the line of cows. One by one the cows are lead into the building, where they will be shot and have their throats slit. The slaughter house was another example in which Zambians work in a less organized fashion than Americans are accustomed to.

The last place Marres showed us was the land that he recently purchased. It is quite a large plot of land that is right on the highway. The land is three blocks total and is very close to the Namwianga Mission. Marres wishes to hand this land over to us, which is very exciting. We have encouraged him to form good relations with Roy Merritt and the people here at Namwianga. We then encouraged him to form connection with Harding University and use us as a connection. Although we cannot occupy the land currently, we hope that Marres will consider giving the land to Namwianga or Harding University so that it may be used for good. Marres is very kind to us and insisted on paying for our drinks and lunch in the market. We had grilled chicken and schema (sp) at a local restaurant. Schema is a ball that has no taste to me; however, many of the locals love its acquired taste. You eat it with your hands by rolling it into a ball and dipping it into a sauce. During lunch Trey did most of the talking and did a wonderful job of speaking with Marres reasonably on issues concerning land and Marres’ visit to the United States. Throughout our stay, I had to be careful to only drink bore whole water or else I will become very sick. Our weak stomachs cannot handle some of the water that locals drink.

Marres is a very kind man and payed for us to be driven back to the mission. We have kept our relationship with Marres as brothers; NOT as business partners. He has been very kind to us and has agreed to bring us a live cow to slaughter today. Although this is a very kind gesture, I sincerely hope he does not bring the cow. If he does I will be sure to film Ba Shawn’s reaction so that we may record as one of the greatest moments in Harding history. Also we have no tree that is big enough to hang a huge cow from. After my experience with killing a goat at H.U.T I can only imagine how chaotic a dying cow may be if we are unsuccessful in slaughtering it. Cleaning a cow will certainly be a new experience for all of us.

The guys got in a dispute with the girls over who was next to play ping pong. The guys put the ping pong on the roof so that one has to climb a huge tree to play. win.

Convicted

I cannot brag enough about our group that has come to Zambia. But should I be surprised that the students that committed to a three month mission trip in Africa are the greatest people I know? Should I be surprised that the greatest group I have been a part of includes students from Harding that are willing to give up anything they have? The nurse, Jessica that has traveled with us gave up her job in the states in order to volunteer her time here at the mission. I could go on and on, but I will save my praises for another time.
Trey Carlock has a tremendous desire to serve those around him and spends much of his time here walking and forming relationships with people in nearby villages. Although his knees are weak, he has spent several days walking up to 20 kilometers to reach out to the local Zambians. He would not like me to brag on him; however, I would like to share the journey that we took today.
Yesterday, Trey met a man who had his house burn down and lost many of his possessions. He did not have a name, but he knew that the man could not speak English and that his three children had no clothes to wear. This morning Trey decided he would trek back into the villages and try to find this man’s house. I agreed to set out with him, both of us having no idea where to find the man. We figured we could ask around; Trey has picked up on the Tonga language very well and was able to communicate surprisingly well.
Before our journey, we collected first aid supplies, food, and shirts to take to the man’s family. Once the students knew the trip we were taking, everyone was willing to give. Several people gave of their own clothes and food while others gave medicine and ointments that they have brought. Several of the ladies in our group wanted to walk with us once they found out about the trek. We warned Kristin, Katrina, and Katy that we may not return until evening and that we would be walking fast. This did not faze any of them and they did an incredible job of keeping up.
A mile in, we ran into our friend Elvis who pointed us towards another friend, Belvis. Belvis escorted us to the man we needed: Given. One of Given’s ears is missing and he cannot speak English well. We eventually discovered the man’s nickname (Diabu Diabu which may mean march in Tonga) and had a rough map that was drawn in the dirt. Eventually, we found the man that could help us find Diabu Diabu. He has three children and one of his children apparently has seizures. We are not quite sure of his situation, but his family is for sure living in poor conditions. We left what little we brought and agreed to visit them again soon. The children were very respectful and received our gifts with two hands.
I look forward to learning more Tonga and visiting Diabu Diabu’s family again. I admire Trey’s willingness to travel and serve those around. I also admire Kristin, Katrina, and Katy for their endurance and caring hearts. There is much to say about this experience, but there is one thing that bothers me. There is a question that constantly bugs me while I am here and there is no answer. Why did God choose us to be so blessed? Why do we have so many material things, while some people in Zambia are lucky to feed their children? For this I feel convicted. It has never hit me from watching television or reading National Geographic. It never hit me until I found myself staring at Diabu Diabu and his children in the dirt, as if I was having an outer body experience. I continued to ask myself, “is this really where they live?” How can they live in this small hut with no door?
Once we arrived back at the mission I was exhausted and fell asleep on my comfortable mattress with my white sheets. After I woke up I took a shower with clean water. Only two hours away there are children the color of dirt. We eat three meals a day and each meal is different food. When I am thirsty I drink water out of the sink. For all of these things I feel convicted.
The only thing more surprising than these conditions in which many Africans live is the fact that they are more content than many Americans. Although I will never have the answers, it is comforting to know that the Zambians are very content with what they have and are able to live a life of joy no matter what their situation; something many wealthy Americans do not possess.

Funerals

In the short time that we have been in Zambia, three children and one adult have passed away. I have attended two funerals at Namwianga. The first funeral was for Mrs. Moonga, an older lady who had an obvious impact on the lives of many people. Although I did not know Mrs. Moonga, her impact on the lives of many is very apparent and I look forward to meeting our teacher, Mr. Moonga. I am very grateful that we were able to attend the funeral of Mrs. Moonga; this was a great learning experience.

The first thing I noticed during the ceremony that began in the church, was that several men videotaped the congregation. This is something that one would never see in America. Ba Siyaziyu was very generous in answering all of our questions concerning the funeral. He clarified that the video is simply for the family to see. The video is to keep in memory, especially for those who may not have been able to attend the funeral.

Next, I noticed the different ways in which each person dressed. Men that were directly related to Mrs. Moonga wore black suits in order for those in attendance to know. Several of the women wore headdresses known as chitambalas. This was to hide their hair, in what is to be a more respectful manner. I also thought it was very interesting that the women insisted on carrying the casket.

It becomes obvious to one the impact that Mrs. Moonga had at Namwianga since the funeral lasted for several hours. Cement was used in burying Mrs. Moonga; this is for several reasons. First, they bury people in this way to keep thieves from stealing the casket. Secondly, the cement keeps the ground very sturdy. Lastly, the cement helps keep animals away as well. After the family members threw a handful of dirt into the grave, the young men proceeded to bury Mrs. Moonga. Once the dirt was filled in, individual people in attendance placed assorted flowers into the grave. Different people gave speeches pertaining to the life of Mrs. Moonga and the impact she had here on earth.

The second funeral was for a small baby named Shelby. Little Shelby had measles and passed away at a very young age. In a way, this funeral is more saddening than a longer funeral, which may be held for someone that lived a long life. It is also sad that I must struggle to find words to write; simply because the funeral was so short. The graveyard is near the Haven and Shelby was buried next to five other graves, each surrounded by cement blocks filled with rocks. Very few people attended this funeral aside from our group and the area was under a large tree, which was surrounded by a fence. During the burial we sang several songs in Tonga, and then there was a short prayer afterwards.

The hole for the burial was considerably small and Shelby was wrapped in a sheet and blanket before being buried. This was a very sad experience for each of us in the Harding University group, because in America one will not have to bury near as many children. I did not know Shelby, but it is very sad to see small child buried at such a young age; especially with no family to witness.

Update

First picture is Request on Wednesday. Request passed away this morning. Second picture is little Christine at the Haven.

Here at Namiwanga we have begun classes and are starting to get involved with some of the school activities. Several of us are in the choir and participate in the soccer games. Here soccer is football and there are no shin guards or cleats. The players here are incredibly fast and make me look very sluggish.
We have begun doing clinical rotations, exposing me more to the sick children here in Kalomo. It is very sad to spend one day with a child, knowing they may not make it to the end of the week. Wednesday I spent much of my time with a child named Request. Request came to the orphanage with several problems and most likely had AIDS. Some thought that Request had measles; plus he was dehydrated. So we were able to hook an IV to his head and soon he looked much better. Although he did not have measles it was obviously a virus of some kind with visible bumps all over his body. This morning we found out that Request passed away and will no longer be with us here on Earth.

During Quintyn’s rotation at the Haven last week, twins were born. Neither of the babies had names so Quintyn was able to name them. Now two children at the orphanage go by the names Quintyn and Tanner. I hope to witness a child being born so that another Kelsey can be running around. Hopefully if I do get to name a child Kelsey it will be a girl, so a boy doesn’t have to worry about having a girl’s name. However, if the child is a boy and is named Kelsey this will make him very patient with the ignorance of others and will be a very humbling name for him during his teenage years. He will look back and be glad that he was given this name and will be proud.

Yesterday George Benson had their 16th graduation ceremony. This was a very interesting experience. The graduation was suppose to start at 1 p.m. but did not start until 3 p.m. Time is something that Zambians do not consider. To them the event is important, NOT the time. This is very frustrating to me because I do not understand, plus I feel as if I am wasting time. If a meeting is scheduled for 10 it may not start until 11:30. Throughout the ceremony different African music played, which I enjoyed very much. Although the ceremony seemed less organized I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. The students danced their way in to receive their diplomas and had a very light hearted approach.

Many of the ladies in our group have become sick. Something is going around; however, none of the guys have gotten it yet. I hope to avoid this illness, simply because it seems quite miserable. One can tell who his sick that day because they will be missing in action for 48 hours.
Today Dr. Frank asked me if I would like to join him at the clinic, which I immediately accepted. Since today is Saturday, there is no clinical rotation and I was the only student to go. This was a great opportunity to talk with Ba Janice and Ba Frank and learn some general physical assessments. I was able to give my first shot to a child named Memory. Memory has some type of conjunctivitis that caused her eyes to be swollen shut. Hopefully this will not pass to the other children at the Haven.

I must mention how beautiful the stars are here. There are no lights to hinder ones view of the sky and night and I am able to see stars from one side to the other. Last night, several of us climbed on top of some storage containers and watched the stars. The sky was completely full of stars, leaving me in awe of God’s power.

Ants vs. HIZ

Although I have not been in Zambia long, I have already gotten use to seeing huge spiders, wasps, and ants everywhere. Often times there will be a huge spider on my bedroom wall and it no longer fazes me. If anything, we hope that they will kill the ants and mosquitoes. Much like in America, there are good bugs and bad bugs. Here at Namwianga the ants are invading, and ants are BAD. I must inform you that ants here in Zambia are huge and have pinchers. These ants bite and are nothing like one seen in America.

At first the ants invaded the Mann House, which is where half of the ladies in our group are staying. Here in Zambia, one cannot just call a terminator; they must take care of the problem themselves. This has given the guys a great chance to mess with the bugs; something we have loved doing since childhood anyways. We were able to kill all the ants surrounding the Mann House and the problem seemed to be taken care of; especially since we covered the edge of the house with ash. If you know anything about ants you know that we did not attack the main source, which would be underground. Sometimes killing ants in this way can make the queen ant very angry and only make problems worse. We ignored this reality and hoped that the ants would invade somewhere else. Little did we know that we were very wrong and the ants were only preparing for their next attack.

Last night twelve of us were watching Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (very funny childish movie) on a twelve inch Mac computer screen. We were having a blast in the Mann House living room, drinking soda and enjoying the movie. The room was very dark, so the ants chose this hour to schedule their revenge. Throughout the entire movie, ants were swarming back into the living room from the ceiling above and we had NO IDEA. The reaction on everyone’s face when the lights came on is priceless! Tons and tons of ants were pouring into the room and covered the living room floor and some of the furniture. As the girls were screaming I remember looking over at Quityn as he emptied ants out of his shirt and pants. Shortly after we discovered the ants he was bitten a couple times. Those that were sitting on the couch near the wall had ants in their pants and didn’t even know! The whole episode was hilarious; however, action had to be taken.

While some of the guys began spraying the ants and stomping, several of us made a mixture of boric acid and flour. This was Ba Shawn’s idea and worked quite brilliantly. The ants will either eat the boric acid and flour and die or carry it back to their home and kill the other ants. Once we walked outside and discovered where the ants were coming from, chills ran up my spine. Although the number of ants was overwhelming, they did not stand a chance. Since the spiders didn’t do their job, the men stepped up. Dead ants were everywhere in the house and how we got rid of them is a whole different blog entry in itself. While spot checking the area I found a black snake with white stripes. It escaped and we were unable to identify it. So if you have any ideas let me know. Miss you all.

Heavenly Sounds

If one was to tell me I will experience the most magnificent scene AND sounds of my life up to this point all in the same week; I would laugh directly in their face. However, they would have been exactly right. After visiting the market in Kalomo, the group visited a local congregation to worship and sing with one another. I believe the name of the church is Motata, but I am not sure. The men of the congregation were outside making plans, while the women and children of the congregation were inside the church building with us. The church was lit my three candles, one in the front and two in the back. It was very simple, but one can see how much the church building means to these people. As the women and children began to sing praises in Tonga, I was shocked. I cannot explain the sounds in proper words; it was absolutely magnificent. No recordings can capture the beauty of their voices. It is almost as if every person sings their own part and it somehow fits together. Once the men of the congregation arrived, the sound became even more phenomenal. Each of the Zambians has such a powerful and loud voice. I will never forget my first impression of the Zambians and their ways of worship. Once again my eyes have been opened to something real and magnificent. Once again I have experienced a praise that is truly connected with Christ.