Zambia

I'm here!!!

After a very long night... after the braai, we played a few last rounds of Dutch Blitz, sang and danced to a few songs from the mix-tape playlists... Mariah and I went up for one last bounce on the trampoline, and to look at the stars, but it was too overcast. I stayed up way too late, cleaning out my refrigerator and my cupboards, bagging up the food I left behind, setting out other food to be eaten by the other volunteers in the Village, did laundry, unpacked and repacked my suitcase, had so many prayers and hugs... I went to bed just before 1:00am, and barely slept. I basically took a nap. I woke up (and gave up trying to go back to sleep) at 3:40ish and got a shower, did some dishes, finished packing. Alicia, Mel, and Daytona all woke up at 4:45 to come see me off! Cat and Lynn pulled in front of the Village at 5am on the dot and we were on the road.

I managed to take a few cat naps on the CityBug. "A few" means two: one that was about 20 minutes and one that was about 10 minutes. (I'm the queen of sleep, I know! You don't have to tell me twice!) Lynn and I had a pretty easy time through the airport and we even had some downtime to shop. Not that either of us bought anything, but we at least perused the merchandise. We finally boarded the plane, and I had another cat nap, maybe 20-30 minutes this time. So I'm still awake, going on about 4 hours of sleep...

Landing in Zambia was beautiful! It looks like the stereotypical image of Africa you have in your head when you think of Africa. Getting my visa was interesting. It was fine, not dramatic, though they did initially write that I was Canadian... So now my visa lists my nationality as "Canada America." All the Canadians will love this I'm sure. First, I started saying 'oh hey' and now the Zambian government says I'm Canadian... Well that is just absolutely delightful! My experience was breezy, no problems. Lynn was tied up though, so I found Weston and we took my luggage to the car and I went to the ATM to take out some Kwacha. My collection of international currency is growing quite nicely if I do say so myself. Weston took us to Pick n Pay to pick up some basic things. Yes, I bought all the necessities: bread, peanut butter, jelly, and carrots. (I'm only here until Friday people! I promise I will buy real groceries in Kitwe) I also got a SIM card (for Zambia) for my phone and some data to keep in touch with everyone else in the intake, and people back at the South Africa HUB. Once we got to the farm, I couldn't believe it. It is much more green here. There is just a more dense population of trees around the property. In South Africa, there are roughly 40 people living in the Village property. This land is smaller scale, and it's much quieter. It's nice. It's been raining off and on all afternoon. The most relaxing kind of rain you can have, not too hard or too noisy, just persistent. It's quite lovely. Also, it was quite humid when we were landed at the airport, but the rain has cooled things off quite a bit.

I'm still in shock that just over a month ago I was leaving the United States for the first time to go to South Africa. Now I'm sitting in a bedroom in the main house of the Kachele Farm in Luanshya, Zambia, and on Friday I will be traveling to Kitwe, Zambia and moving into a guest house by myself for the next three weeks. It's a moment I've had to pinch myself, and ask: how I got here? how am I so lucky, so blessed? and is this really happening? is this really my life? It is just CRAZY... crazy in the best way of course but it just blows my mind! I am so excited to find out what the next month holds, and what I will learn here in Zambia. About myself, my faith, and the lives of the people I will be meeting here. I have a journal full of observations from the last month, I'm almost ready to start my second one!, and I'm sure I'll continue to reflect back on those situations and learn new things after the fact. I hope to really dive into the communities here in Zambia, even though I'm only here for a brief stay. I want to get everything I can out of these next four weeks prior to going home. It is definitely going to be bittersweet.

Prior to coming to Zambia, I've been reading Psalms, specifically Psalm 27. Here it is:

Psalm 27 [NIV]

Of David.

¹ The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?

² When the wicked advance against me
    to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
    who will stumble and fall.
³ Though an army besiege me,
    my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.

⁴ One thing I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
⁵ For in the day of trouble
    he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.

⁶ Then my head will be exalted
    above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
    I will sing and make music to the Lord.

⁷ Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
    be merciful to me and answer me.
⁸ My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
    Your face, Lord, I will seek.
⁹ Do not hide your face from me,
    do not turn your servant away in anger;
    you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
    God my Savior.
¹⁰ Though my father and mother forsake me,
    the Lord will receive me.
¹¹ Teach me your way, Lord;
    lead me in a straight path
    because of my oppressors.
¹² Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
    for false witnesses rise up against me,
    spouting malicious accusations.

¹³ I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
¹⁴ Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

Just read it a few times. See what it speaks to you, because I know it's been a moving scripture for me this past week.