In the past two years, I have had several friends ask me what my day is like here in Zambia. When I begin to tell them about the occurrences of the day, it really sounds like nothing out of the ordinary. Yesterday, was one of the kind of days that I have never really had the opportunity to describe. It was truly cultural.
8:50 a.m.- The family loads up in the truck to begin our 40 minute drive to Petauke to purchase Christmas gifts and the journey begins.
8:52 a.m.- We pull over on the side of the road because we are being waved down by a friend of our family. We stop and take money from him to purchase chicken feed for his family. And the journey begins again.
8:53 a.m.- We are flagged down by our good friend, David Daka. He is working in a field on the side of the road. He wanted to pass greetings and see where we were traveling. After a brief discussion, we were
really on our way to Petauke. On the way we saw probably 100 people in their fields working hard plowing and pulling up the grass and weeds around their crops. (I wish I had a picture of it because it really is what the rainy season is all about.)
9:30 a.m.- We arrive in Petauke and drive to the bank. At the bank, the parking lot was a small pond due to the heavy rains. Observing the attempt to park in a place that was not submersed by water was exciting for the by-stander. One person was backing out as another one was coming in and caused congestion resulting in a major traffic jam. After a few minutes the jam was cleared and all was calm.
9:35 a.m.- Time to shop. Kendall went into the hardware store to get glass cut for our guard shed. As he got out of the car he was approached by a man who began asking Kendall for "help". Help in the form of money.
9:45 a.m.- The entire family got out of the truck and proceeded to the Wholesale Bargain Center to purchase Christmas gifts. I went in and began looking at the tall wooden shelves finding the items that I needed to purchase. People were pushing and shoving their way to the front of the line. I calmly approached the lady behind the counter. She greeted me and asked me what I needed. I began telling her as I was speaking above the noise and shuffling of products. I paid and began to collect my items, when the lady instructed me to wait because Mr. Banda was coming to carry our items to the truck.
10:10 a.m.- Our family walked to ZamBeef (the meat and dairy store where we can buy FRESH milk!) The man who approached Kendall as he went into the hardware store came up to us and grabbed Easton's hand and kept repeating "mwana wanga" (my child) he then picked Easton up and began walking with him. Kendall gently told him "Iyai, Bambo" (no, sir) and the man put Easton down. He continued to walk with us and ask "thandizani" (help). We ignored and continued walking. Upon reaching ZamBeef we carefully selected our place in the queue (line) and waited patiently. Several people pushed their way around us hoping to see what meat items were for sale today. (This gesture is not insulting in Zambia, and it is very normal to us now.) We purchased our items and began on our way with our friend in need of help in tow. Kendall asked him "mupemphera kuti?" (you pray where? or where do you go to church?) He said that he was Baptist. Kendall then explained to him that his church would help him if he really needed help. Kendall told him, "Sinidziwa inu" (I don't know you) but they do know you and they know how they can help you. As we drove off, Kendall said that he didn't want to give him money because the smell of alcohol was so strong on his breath that he knew he would use the money for beer. (Drunkenness is rampant in this culture and it is sad to see young men wasting their good talents on being drunk and begging all day long.)
11:00 a.m.- We journeyed to another store. To my great surprise, TWO of our Zambian friends approached me in the store to greet me! This was so fun because in America, it is not uncommon to see someone you know in a store, but this was a treat and probably one of the first times that I have seen and been greeted by two Zambian friends in the same store! It was so encouraging and pleasant to see them.
11:21 a.m. - We ate lunch and headed back to Nyimba.
12:00 p.m.- As we neared Nyimba, Benjamin (our traveling companion) informed us of the funeral that was taking place right outside of Nyimba. A young man had been killed by his grandfather due to jealousy and witchcraft. The story was very sad and too graphic to relay. As we neared 5 kilometers (3 miles) outside of Nyimba there were many people in small groups processing to the home of the boy. People were on both sides of the road filing in a single file line down a narrow dirt path to the home.
12:45 p.m.-Upon our arrival in Nyimba, Paul informed us of the incredible rain that had come while we were gone and the strong winds that accompanied it. We also learned that our friend Joshua was unable to leave his village and return to Nyimba in order to proceed to Lusaka to catch a flight to America for Christmas holiday. This is a tough situation because of the heavy rains that had come and flooded several portions of the road, meaning that transportation in and out of his village were non-existent for the rest of the day.
1:30 p.m.- My friend, Ali and I went to an agency to use their radio to contact Joshua to inform him that transport was not coming to pick him up. They radioed and found no one attending the radio. We then went to the hospital.
I found someone in administration, explained our situation and asked if they could help us. They began radioing from Nyimba Hospital to Chalibilo. (Each Rural Health Clinic has a radio to contact other clinics to inform them of emergencies or pass messages.) I was entertained as the young man tried to communicate to Chalibilo. Chinambe RHC (a neighboring village) kept responding and they passed their greetings asking if they each were staying well, how their fields were and how the family was before talking about the message being sent. After about 15 minutes of attempting to radio Joshua at Chalibilo we gave up. The young woman put the handset down and said, "I am sorry." Just then, "Chalibilo to Nyimba Hospital...Chalibilo to Nyimba!" I was so happy. She then passed the message saying that the mzungu (white man) Joshua needs to ride his njinga (bike) to Nyimba because motocar is not coming! I was relieved and happy that Joshua would no that no one was coming to get him and that he needed to get out when he could.
3:30 p.m.- We collect packages from the post office and are informed that we will be charged for a business box if anyone writes "Candle Missionary Nyimba Association" on a letter again. I had a discussion with the woman and asked her to explain why we are a business and she told me because we run all of the churches. I then proceeded with the discussion, walked away very upset and unhappy.
3:45 p.m.- Ali and I arrive home and begin to bake some Carrot-Apple Bread. Just as we get the pan greased, the electricity goes out. So we make a fire on the braiser to begin cooking the soup and bread.
5:30 p.m.- Zesco (the electricity) comes back on and the bread burns on the top as it is cooking on the braiser. We cut the top off the bread and put it in the oven.
6:00 p.m.- We realize that our geyser (hot water heater) has switched off and the hot water is gone. Because of the rains it is cold and our kids need some warm water to bathe because they are cold! We wait and debate about giving them a cold bath. We begin heating a pot of water to boil to put in the water.
6:30 p.m.- Zesco goes off again. We sit in the dark talking and pondering the day full of events that took place. Exhausted and full of thoughts we sat.
7:30 p.m.- Zesco comes on, water boils, kids take warm bath and we begin getting ready to go to bed.
What a day. It was a day full of craziness and all I could keep saying to myself is "this was the craziest day". It was the weirdest day I have had in Nyimba in a long time. Each day living cross-cultural setting is an adventure. I had so many emotions during the day..excited about Jesus' birthday, happiness in buying for others, frustration in being followed, delight in making a new friend, the joy of seeing old friends, the sadness of a death, the burden of lostness, being blessed by the rains and crops, the feeling of victory, and the discouragement that comes from being blamed or misunderstood.
In all of these things, I know that God has gone before me and He is behind me. He knows all things and protects us and loves us, the question is, will we continually surrender to Him in the midst of happy or frustrating circumstances. Honestly, I didn't have joy in all of these situations and now that I reflect upon it I am mad at myself. I let my flesh win and the love of Christ was hidden. Maybe today, I can make up for the mistakes that I made yesterday.
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