Back to School! Back to Work!

Our time in Zambia is quickly coming to a close. Working in Zambia has been a wonderful experience. We have expanded our family to about 150 kids and have learned a ton about the Zambian school system, construction, orphan care, and farming. The Zambians have taught us well about the importance of relationships! Every encounter with a Zambian starts with a proper greeting and asking about family; we can discuss what we came to talk about, but not before a very good greeting. Zambians take time—a fair amount of time, greeting. They are a warm and very caring people! We've been well cared for! Definitely, it can be said, "North Americans keep time, Zambians have time!"

This week the new school year begins. However, just because January 7 was the start of the 2008 school year doesn't mean that the pupils are in school. It doesn't even mean that the teachers are in school. As a matter of fact Richard met Mr. Samaaya (our new acting head teacher at Katungu) in town today. And the new teacher, Albertina, who we took out there on Sunday, will be in a three-day workshop this week. What do the kids do? Most of them won't show up and those who do will stand around or sit maybe in a desk, if there is a desk to sit in. I was at Kalomo High School yesterday and it was a ghost town! When school is really in full swing (in a couple of weeks) there will be about 1300 students there!

Some of the sponsored students are trickling by the house with their 2007 term 3 reports. It's kind of like when our own kids used to show us their reports—the kids who get good grades can't wait to pull the paper out of their pocket, and the ones who have struggled? Well, first, they apologize and then they reluctantly pull the ragged paper out of their pocket! Some have promised now for a couple of weeks to come and show results tomorrow! So far Cynthia has not showed up with her paper. Her teacher tells me Cynthia had difficulty—another common Zambian expression.

Fighton Munduli, Amos's nephew came today and his report indicated nine points—an outstanding achievement—I'm so excited for him! Another very terrific kid, Mvulu has scored six points (even better!); his report was sent to me here at the house and so he has yet to see it. I'll be very excited to see him view his report. He is a very hard working boy, both in school and with his sponsored student volunteer work! Good work to all you sponsors and to Mrs. Ruhtt Mbumwae for selecting such great kids.

We've had a TON of rain in the past few weeks. Today was the first sunny day in about three weeks. Everything is wet and soggy and musty! I think cockroaches like wet because I see more of them tonight! The rainfall has been the most anyone has seen in December and January in many years. The crops actually need more sun; they are looking rather yellow instead of a nice rich, green colour. Our tomato plants died because of too much rain—not one tomato. But the mangoes, oranges, papaya have all loved the rain! The kids that come to the yard love to eat up the mangoes; we take a big bag of them when we go out to the field.

We had a very enjoyable sponsored-student party the other day. We played Flying Zambian. (If you remember the game, Flying Dutchman, I just changed the name.) These Zambian boys can run fast! I got dragged around and I'm sure my feet came right off the ground; the kids laughed so hard to see me run—kind of fast!! We cooked up three chickens, had cabbage and nshima, rice and even pop! We sang songs and had some motivational speeches and a devotional—a very special time with some very special kids! And then, all of us girls washed dishes—also a Zambian tradition!!

Now, I need to go and figure out a few more fee schedules for the morning. Tomorrow, we're off to Choma to deposit money, take out money, pick up a new teacher and her katundu (belongings), do shopping and go to Chodort (again!). Timmy is coming along, but we need to be back by noon because I have very long line ups of kids coming to show their reports to me!

Hope you can enjoy the smiling face of this pupil. I asked him if he was glad that school was back in session. He said, with the loveliest smile,"Maninge!" (very much) You can't beat that!