April 20, 2010

April 20, 2010

Dear family and friends

I hope this brief communication finds you well! More rain here last night. Not so great weather for the drying of maize that is still standing in the field.

Once again, e-mail has not been cooperating – so communicating with loved ones has been so poor! I apologize! I seem to run from one possible working network to another…and then the power fails and then…as in last night – we are visited by a big storm. I guess, its good to know that at least sometimes we have at our disposal the ability to e-mail!

Last week was very full! We housed 8 young men and conducted a week long Discipleship and Servanthood class.

Here is how the week went:
Sunday – the guys arrived in the morning and accompanied us to Simakakata where Richard and the “boys” participated in leading the service. Lunch – a feast of chicken and rice!

Monday – Friday – rise at 05:45; breakfast of samp with farm milk and sugar and then to the farm by 07:00 to do “service work”. The boys assisted with building a sheep corral and a few other farm projects. Meghan Morton, our niece visiting from BC volunteered at the various orphan homes in the mornings.

Lunch –menu: nsima and beans/veggies or kapenta. Afternoons (13:00 – 16:30) consisted of Richard teaching the guys, Meghan and a few others. Supper – more nsima and either veggies/beans. A couple of times I cooked some “makuwa” food i.e. curried lentils, etc. Thursday was the “banquet” of spaghetti, meat sauce and for dessert – poppy seed sheet cake. Meghan has adapted wonderfully to the Tonga culture and has feasted on nsima, kapenta and beans along with the rest of us!

After all this activity the guys still had enough energy for a daily, energetic game of soccer. Thursday was the “final” with some fantastic shots and lots of sweat! Meghan was the “official” photographer!

After supper and dishes, each evening was filled with games – i.e. “greedy”, spoons, the bowl game and then devo time, lots of quite deep sharing and wonderful singing – in Tonga and English. And then sleep!

I just love to discover the wonderful personalities that God has created and this week was certainly another reminder of God’s amazing creativity as we spent time with these very sweet young people. We have known all these kids for a few years (and Meghan even longer!) – and quality time with them has confirmed how special each of them is.

All of the Zambian participants are “leaver” grade 12 pupils who have been sponsored by ZMF-C and have scored the highest marks of all the kids in the program. These 2009 grade 12 graduates wrote their final grade 12 exams in Nov/Dec 2009 and have just received their marks in March 2010. They cannot apply for college until approximately June, July, August or Sept of this year – so they just sit in their villages and wait.

Must go and get ready for the rest of this week – until next opportunity to communicate,

Sue K
Aka: mom/aunty/even grandma (baby JonasJ!)/friend/sister/zmf-c board member and volunteer!

Hope for Tomorrow report

April 2010

Dear Sponsors

Richard and I returned to Zambia mid February this year. Nice time of year to come with the rainy season still in full swing and the maize crop growing taller and riper each day! Absolutely, lovely.

So far, this trip I’ve met twice with the nurses, Tebia and Fortune to discuss the future of the Hope for Tomorrow program. So far, the thinking is that due to government assistance for HIV/AIDS patients, and because most of our patients that were released from the program just over a year ago are functioning satisfactorily independent of assistance, we will continue to assist only the two children, Sibeso and Muna.

Judith, our only adult patient left on the program, will be discontinued from the program because her husband is employed and because the government nurses can monitor her condition.

Unfortunately, Caral who was on our program since 2006 died just over a week ago of kidney failure related to the harshness of the limited choice of available anti-retroviral medications. In Zambia there are not many choices of anti-retroviral therapy medication – and that is a harsh reality.

I’d been to visit Caral several times just prior to her death as she lived close by. It was quite sad to watch her suffer. As weak as she was, she always recognized who I was when I visited and greeted me even though she was barely alive. The kidney failure could have been assisted with renal dialysis which is available in Lusaka at the University Hospital for a sum of 3 million kwacha per week. (Approximately $750.00). That cost was completely unworkable and as well the therapy would have needed to be a few times a week for the duration of her life. Very difficult, especially knowing how such issues – such as easy access to good health care is in developed countries.

Not too sure of Caral’s exact age, but she was in her mid to late thirties. I attended her large “funeral” joining in with the singing and mourning at the home of Caral’s aunt, where Caral had lived for the past several years. Her suffering now has finally ended. Thanks to Caral’s sponsor – Eloise Smith who assisted Caral the past 5 years.

On a brighter side, Florence and Sibeso are both doing well. Sibeso continues to grow and she is a bright little girl. She even reminds her mother when it is time to take her pills. Sibeso now attends school in grade 2.

As well, Muna – now in grade 6 is doing very well. I had gone down to Bbello, his village to see him but unfortunately, since his uncle had died a few days before that I did not get to see him because he was at the funeral. Way too many deaths in this country!

As part of our plan for Muna and Sibeso the nurses and I are discussing a couple of possible income generating activities that will potentially generate money in an effort to supplement these kids.

All of these people that have been helped over the past 5 years express their thanks over and over! So…thank you to all who have contributed. May God continue to bless you in your lives! Sharing makes life richer!

Love to all

Sue Krogsgaard

April 11, 2010

Greetings all

This moment we have power and internet. Amazing. Its a pretty slow connection - but its a connection, at least.

The first term for the students is over and they are now on holiday. Saturdays are spent alongside the sponsored kids while they do volunteer work. One of the "jobs" is to play with the orphan babies at Seven Fountain Farm. So today the babies will miss our grade 11 and 12 Kalomo High School girls company! Doris - a KHS student is shown in the photo playing with baby Jane. Jane obviously is not 100% sure about Doris!

Ruhtt arrived home on Wednesday, actually coming in on the same flight as my niece, Meghan Morton. Ruhtt has been resting and receiving visitors and condolences while sharing much hospitality - including "Inca cola". It is good for her to be back "home" and for her to be with her family. Her husband and kids had missed her terribly!

I will make blog posts very short due to sudden and unexpected power outages!

Take care and enjoy your week of service to the Lord!

Sue K

A

April 2, 2010

The last blog got published before it was finished. The power quit and then I was trying to edit what had saved in the draft and pushed the wrong button.