This past week we had the pleasure of having Jan Boone from GEMS visiting us. She arrived on Saturday morning last week and called us in the afternoon to see if she could visit us. We asked her to join us on Sunday for church and visit us after that. We had a great time catching up and we talked a lot about everything that God has been doing for us here in Zambia. It never stops to amaze me when we put all things together how much God is in control. Often we don't give Him the credit and recognition for that but He is our Lord!
This week we got an email from Nick Kuipery to all the Acton Bethel CRC volunteers for the last clean-up of our church in Acton before the dedication service and open house tonight. It is amazing to see how the whole expansion has come together and was completed in such an amazing short time frame. Our Breaking Down Walls ministry campaign has certainly taken hold of many people in and around Acton. We hope and pray that, now that the building is ready, through all the different ministries God's kingdom may be furthered. Having been part of the process for such a long time it is a bit sad not to be able to be there for the dedication but it is not about me or us, it is all about glorifying God. He deserves the glory, honour and praise for everything He has done for us and our church in Acton.
Looking at the weather in Acton we are glad to be in Zambia. The freezing rain, school closures for two days, power outages, etc. over the last few days is something that we don't miss but we hope and pray that everyone remained safe. Many people here are complaining about the early arrival of cold weather. Overnight it is about 13C (55F) and during the day about 23C (73F) which for many people here, especially the nights, is cold. They dress as if it is the middle of winter almost whereas we are still walking around in t-shirts and shorts. It is all what you are used to.
On Wednesday Gert had the distinct honour and pleasure to meet the headmen that are responsible for the area around the homes in Nyangwena. There are two headmen, who are related to each other and are a brother and sister. In our meeting we were welcomed warmly into the community and we were told that we are now brothers and sisters. For any issues we can come to the headmen and ask their advice and guidance. I could see first hand how some issue was being discussed between the headmen after one of them had investigated the matter in the village. It seems that they take their tasks and responsibility very seriously and they spend a lot of time dealing with village matters. Therefore it is also a custom to bring gifts (food items) to the headmen when you go and visit them since they can spend less time attending their fields. The gifts (cooking oil, sugar, salt, bread) is sort of a salary paid to the headmen for the work they do for the village. There is no official salary for headmen like we pay our mayor and councillors so the headmen get their compensation "in kind". With the appropriate gifts given I think that this is a good way of compensating headmen for what they do. Visitors bring according to their ability and the matter they bring forward. This is another example to us in which the Zambians are dealing with issues and each other on a much more personal level. They don't have many institutions that are responsible for looking after all kinds of things so it is much more through personal connections and interaction that matters are dealt with.
When I reflected on my visit with the headmen and the dedication service and open house of our Acton church tonight, it dawned on me that everything we are called to do is based on personal relationships. God calls us to love our neighbour as ourselves and in order to do that you have to know him or her. The ambition of the Breaking Down Walls campaign is to connect with people and invite them into the fellowship of Jesus Christ. This is all about developing personal relationships with new visitors and believers. You can't do that through institutions but as believers we have to get personally involved. The African culture is still very much focused on those personal relationship, probably because there are few institution to rely on. It was a good reminder that we are God's hands and feet in this world and He can only do His will for this world through us. We have to personally get active and involved in building and creating those personal relationships with others. No one can do that for us other than each and everyone of us, whether in Acton, Zambia, India or wherever we are called to serve. We are God's hands and feet and all part of the same body, the bride of Christ.
Blog about the mission work of Machteld and Gert Kollenhoven and their daughter Lucinda in Zambia
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Saturday, April 6, 2013
A small scare at Immigration and the Chicken Challenge
Yesterday we went to Immigration to check up on our work permit. This time the same officer that we dealt with the previous time was very helpful and stamped our passports with another 60 day visa till the beginning of June. No mistakes this time but when she had stamped our passports she told us to go and see another officer.
We went there and waited for a bit and then when he looked at our papers he started looking through a very thick binder with pages and pages of names. He went through the whole binder looking for our name for about a half hour but couldn't find it. Then he went back to the officer that we had first seen and started looking through all the files on her desk. He even asked Gert to look through a stack of envelopes to see whether there was one that was addressed to Every Orphan's Hope. That was not the case and the file was not on the officer's desk. Then we went back to his desk and he started looking through some more files and binders but couldn't find our name. Then he left and went upstairs and while we were waiting another lady said that probably they had lost our file. That was not a good sign and we were hoping that that would not be the case. After a little while he came back with a notebook and started looking in there. At first he couldn't find us either but then he started over again and finally he found our name. After that he said that we were fine and that we could leave. For whatever reason the computer did not indicate where our file was and in what stage so they had to get that sorted out. Fortunately they found our name in the register and hopefully from there they will be able to locate it. It took about an hour and a half and we had some nervous moments but in the end it all worked out.
Today we went to the Dutch Market and bought a few more furnishings for our home. It starts to look more and more cozy with now also some smaller knickknacks. While we were at the market we ran into Barb Miedema, one of the GEMS trainers that we have met on a previous trip about a year ago. It was great to see her again and we heard that the rest of the team will arrive on Thursday and that Jan Boone was arriving today. So we will get a chance to meet up with some more people that we know in the next two weeks. This afternoon Jan Boone called us to see whether we could meet again and we decided to invite her to come with us to church tomorrow and then spend some time at our house. It will be great to catch up again.
This past week we had the final delivery of the chickens from the EOH chicken farm. This time we had again some challenges with transportation but fortunately we had no mortality of chickens, even with the extra 3 hours wait. Over the past two weeks we found that there were some issues with our manager and how he handled some of the finances that he was entrusted with as well as the chickens. We had some good talks and we'll need to continue that but more importantly is that he repents of his mistakes and asks God for forgiveness. We are not to judge him but only to rebuke and point out the mistakes he made. We hope that he will turn his heart to Jesus and away from some of the bad habits he displayed. Please pray for a good ending of this all. We are also in the process of finding a new buyer for our chickens. We hope to find one that can take all the chickens at once and who has its own transportation and baskets. With everything going on around the chicken farm we jokingly talked about the Chicken Challenge that we had these past weeks. But things seem to turn around and we hope to be able to finalize a new contract with a buyer this coming week and resolve and settle some of the other issues.
Looking at the weather in Canada we are still very fortunate here in Zambia. People keep telling us that this time of the year is probably the nicest time with lush green still around, no more rains and sunny days with nice temperatures. It is hard to believe that it has been almost 3 months that we left Canada behind at the start of what turned out to be a good winter with lots of snow. We missed that all and I can't say that we are really sorry about that. We got our rainy season here in Zambia which is not the same but for Zambians it counts as the season where they can't get out and around much. So for them it feels like our winter. With this nice weather upon us we have started some work in our garden around the house.
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We got some fruit trees from other long-term residents here at Justo Mwale and the gardeners have been great in getting us some vegetables and herbs. Now we'll just have to wait and see how it will all work out. Maybe in a few months we will have our own lettuce, tomatoes and herbs and in a few years we might have our own bananas, avocados, papayas, mangos and guavas. Once they are a little bit bigger we'll show them to you.
Finally, this week we received the paperwork for our vehicle that we purchased about two months ago. Hopefully in another 2 weeks or so the vehicle will arrive in Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania. From there we will need to pick it up and drive back to Zambia. In the office, Humphrey already volunteered to pick up the vehicle for us and it seems that he has done that before. We will figure that all out in the next week or so. Finally there is light at the end of the tunnel of not having our own vehicle. In a few weeks we hope to be able to show you some pictures of the house with our new vehicle parked under the carport.
Blessings to you all and know that Spring is around the corner (at least in Canada).
We went there and waited for a bit and then when he looked at our papers he started looking through a very thick binder with pages and pages of names. He went through the whole binder looking for our name for about a half hour but couldn't find it. Then he went back to the officer that we had first seen and started looking through all the files on her desk. He even asked Gert to look through a stack of envelopes to see whether there was one that was addressed to Every Orphan's Hope. That was not the case and the file was not on the officer's desk. Then we went back to his desk and he started looking through some more files and binders but couldn't find our name. Then he left and went upstairs and while we were waiting another lady said that probably they had lost our file. That was not a good sign and we were hoping that that would not be the case. After a little while he came back with a notebook and started looking in there. At first he couldn't find us either but then he started over again and finally he found our name. After that he said that we were fine and that we could leave. For whatever reason the computer did not indicate where our file was and in what stage so they had to get that sorted out. Fortunately they found our name in the register and hopefully from there they will be able to locate it. It took about an hour and a half and we had some nervous moments but in the end it all worked out.
Today we went to the Dutch Market and bought a few more furnishings for our home. It starts to look more and more cozy with now also some smaller knickknacks. While we were at the market we ran into Barb Miedema, one of the GEMS trainers that we have met on a previous trip about a year ago. It was great to see her again and we heard that the rest of the team will arrive on Thursday and that Jan Boone was arriving today. So we will get a chance to meet up with some more people that we know in the next two weeks. This afternoon Jan Boone called us to see whether we could meet again and we decided to invite her to come with us to church tomorrow and then spend some time at our house. It will be great to catch up again.
This past week we had the final delivery of the chickens from the EOH chicken farm. This time we had again some challenges with transportation but fortunately we had no mortality of chickens, even with the extra 3 hours wait. Over the past two weeks we found that there were some issues with our manager and how he handled some of the finances that he was entrusted with as well as the chickens. We had some good talks and we'll need to continue that but more importantly is that he repents of his mistakes and asks God for forgiveness. We are not to judge him but only to rebuke and point out the mistakes he made. We hope that he will turn his heart to Jesus and away from some of the bad habits he displayed. Please pray for a good ending of this all. We are also in the process of finding a new buyer for our chickens. We hope to find one that can take all the chickens at once and who has its own transportation and baskets. With everything going on around the chicken farm we jokingly talked about the Chicken Challenge that we had these past weeks. But things seem to turn around and we hope to be able to finalize a new contract with a buyer this coming week and resolve and settle some of the other issues.
Looking at the weather in Canada we are still very fortunate here in Zambia. People keep telling us that this time of the year is probably the nicest time with lush green still around, no more rains and sunny days with nice temperatures. It is hard to believe that it has been almost 3 months that we left Canada behind at the start of what turned out to be a good winter with lots of snow. We missed that all and I can't say that we are really sorry about that. We got our rainy season here in Zambia which is not the same but for Zambians it counts as the season where they can't get out and around much. So for them it feels like our winter. With this nice weather upon us we have started some work in our garden around the house.
.jpg)
.jpg)
We got some fruit trees from other long-term residents here at Justo Mwale and the gardeners have been great in getting us some vegetables and herbs. Now we'll just have to wait and see how it will all work out. Maybe in a few months we will have our own lettuce, tomatoes and herbs and in a few years we might have our own bananas, avocados, papayas, mangos and guavas. Once they are a little bit bigger we'll show them to you.
Finally, this week we received the paperwork for our vehicle that we purchased about two months ago. Hopefully in another 2 weeks or so the vehicle will arrive in Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania. From there we will need to pick it up and drive back to Zambia. In the office, Humphrey already volunteered to pick up the vehicle for us and it seems that he has done that before. We will figure that all out in the next week or so. Finally there is light at the end of the tunnel of not having our own vehicle. In a few weeks we hope to be able to show you some pictures of the house with our new vehicle parked under the carport.
Blessings to you all and know that Spring is around the corner (at least in Canada).
Friday, March 29, 2013
Good Friday in Zambia
Today we remember that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ died on the cross to redeem from sin those who believe in Him. As in Canada Good Friday is a holiday in Zambia but it is not observed as much as in Canada. We felt a little lost this morning since there was no church service at the church that we usually attend. As a result, it felt a bit strange not being able to have fellowship and partake in the Lord's Supper to remember His incredible sacrifice.
We stayed home and towards the end of the morning Kevin and Drew from the Esther School dropped by to bring Lindsey who will stay over with Lucinda for a sleepover. It is nice that both young ladies get along so well and they enjoy each other's company. They also play both guitar so right now they are "jamming" together and have a lot of fun.
This past week did not start out great with Machteld not feeling well. She stayed home for two days with the signs of a cold and Lucinda looked after her while she was home. Fortunately she was able to go to the office again on Wednesday. At the office it was a busy week for Gert with the delivery of the chickens to the abattoir. There were some challenges with transportation, mortality of chickens during transport, not delivering enough chickens, etc. But in the end is looks like it will all work out and we thank God for His provision in all we stand in need of. Where we sometimes don't see a way out and doors that are closed He always comes through and opens doors and provides new opportunities.
This afternoon Lucinda and Lindsey went together to the orphan homes in Lusaka and spent some time there with the children. They were welcomed with open arms and big smiles and they played all kinds of games with the kids. It was fun to hear how the kids have opened up to Lucinda and that they love to have her around and do things with them. It is also amazing to see how the kids with simple things can have a lot of fun. No high-tech or video games but real play with each other. Whether it is a word game or rope jumping with funny actions while jumping, the kids always find a way to have fun. I believe that these children have more fun playing together than many kids in North America have playing their video games.
On Sunday we will visit some people from the Lusaka Community Church that we have been attending more frequently lately. It is a German/Dutch couple with two daughters here in Zambia and their eldest son is studying in The Netherlands. It is nice to slowly get connected here with a church family. The church is going through some difficult times with the pastor just resigning and now there is a lot of prayer put into the visioning for the future of the church. We'll see what will happen and what decision will be made by the elders but it is certainly not easy to make these far-reaching decisions but we trust that God will guide the elders in this process.
On Monday we have another holiday for Easter Monday so next week will be another short week of only four days. Next we also have to check up on our work permits and probably have to get our visas extended. Hopefully they will give us another 60 days so that we don't have to come back every month. It's hard to believe that it has been almost three months that we arrived here in Zambia. You wonder where the time went.
We wish everyone a blessed Easter weekend and that we may rejoice on Easter Sunday with our risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and be thankful for our salvation through His blood. HE IS RISEN!
We stayed home and towards the end of the morning Kevin and Drew from the Esther School dropped by to bring Lindsey who will stay over with Lucinda for a sleepover. It is nice that both young ladies get along so well and they enjoy each other's company. They also play both guitar so right now they are "jamming" together and have a lot of fun.
This past week did not start out great with Machteld not feeling well. She stayed home for two days with the signs of a cold and Lucinda looked after her while she was home. Fortunately she was able to go to the office again on Wednesday. At the office it was a busy week for Gert with the delivery of the chickens to the abattoir. There were some challenges with transportation, mortality of chickens during transport, not delivering enough chickens, etc. But in the end is looks like it will all work out and we thank God for His provision in all we stand in need of. Where we sometimes don't see a way out and doors that are closed He always comes through and opens doors and provides new opportunities.
This afternoon Lucinda and Lindsey went together to the orphan homes in Lusaka and spent some time there with the children. They were welcomed with open arms and big smiles and they played all kinds of games with the kids. It was fun to hear how the kids have opened up to Lucinda and that they love to have her around and do things with them. It is also amazing to see how the kids with simple things can have a lot of fun. No high-tech or video games but real play with each other. Whether it is a word game or rope jumping with funny actions while jumping, the kids always find a way to have fun. I believe that these children have more fun playing together than many kids in North America have playing their video games.
On Sunday we will visit some people from the Lusaka Community Church that we have been attending more frequently lately. It is a German/Dutch couple with two daughters here in Zambia and their eldest son is studying in The Netherlands. It is nice to slowly get connected here with a church family. The church is going through some difficult times with the pastor just resigning and now there is a lot of prayer put into the visioning for the future of the church. We'll see what will happen and what decision will be made by the elders but it is certainly not easy to make these far-reaching decisions but we trust that God will guide the elders in this process.
On Monday we have another holiday for Easter Monday so next week will be another short week of only four days. Next we also have to check up on our work permits and probably have to get our visas extended. Hopefully they will give us another 60 days so that we don't have to come back every month. It's hard to believe that it has been almost three months that we arrived here in Zambia. You wonder where the time went.
We wish everyone a blessed Easter weekend and that we may rejoice on Easter Sunday with our risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and be thankful for our salvation through His blood. HE IS RISEN!
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Another week has flown by
It is hard to imagine that it was already a week ago that we wrote our last message on this blog. Time seems to be picking up speed here in Zambia. Not sure whether that is a good or a bad thing but it certainly means that we are getting into a routine and more busy with the things that we love to do.
The past weekend we spent some time on getting plants for our garden and on Tuesday Machteld bought some marigolds to get some more colour around the house. Slowly but surely things start to look a little more like home with cut grass (or weeds) and some plants, scrubs and flowers along the borders. This time of year in Zambia is a very colourful time with lots of green and blooming flowers but we can see already the impact of the rains being less frequent. The tall grass is starting to get a hinge of yellow already which means that in a few weeks it will be completely yellow and dry. Slowly the dust is picking up as well. It is a change of seasons here as well although probably not as obvious as it is back home. We don't envy those of you who are still dealing with snow.
Also this past week we got the message that our vehicle was loaded on the a ship and is currently sailing somewhere between the Sheerness in the UK and Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania. The estimated time of arrival in Dar-es-Salaam is April 13 at this time but that can change. So we now know that things are finally really moving towards having our own vehicle in a month or so. We look forward to that moment and to be able to do our own things a bit more at our own times. The office has been very graceful in allowing us to use the Toyota Noah van but there are times that they need the vehicle for their activities as well which limits us in what we can do sometimes.
This week Lucinda caught a bad cold and wasn't feeling the greatest so she stayed home for a couple of days. It is never nice to leave a sick person behind so Machteld stayed with her for 2 days. Surprisingly Lucinda found the time and energy to put a little video together with pictures of our house that she posted on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDT-YQOARps ). The link is also on her blog http://www.zambiamissionlucinda.blogspot.com/ . If you have the time, check it out and you'll have a pretty good picture of where we are and what the house looks like. We certainly enjoy the house a lot and are thankful that we were able to find this place.
Also this week we got an email from Peter Greif asking about some practical information about living in Zambia. Peter and Cheryl Greif and their kids are seriously considering moving to Zambia and join Every Orphan's Hope here. This would be a great blessing to the organization and we pray that God will assure them of which decision to make in following His will. It is amazing to see how much God is at work in people's hearts and how many are taking up their cross and follow Him wherever He leads them. We've seen it in our church with more and more people getting involved in missions as well as around us here in Zambia. It humbles us to see what is all happening and we realize that we often don't give God enough credit for what He does. We serve an amazing God!
Reflecting back on the week we can only say that God has been faithful. He provided and continues to provide for us in amazing ways. We have our challenges but like clay in the potter's hands He is molding us to the shape and person He wants us to be. Sometimes it feels like the molding is bending things out of shape but we have to trust Him that it is for the better. We have our own plans and ideas but God has a better plan for us than we can ever imagine. Please pray with us that He may continue to reveal His plans for us and that we are willing to trust and obey.
TRUST AND OBEY (John H. Sammis and Daniel B. Towner, 1887)
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
The past weekend we spent some time on getting plants for our garden and on Tuesday Machteld bought some marigolds to get some more colour around the house. Slowly but surely things start to look a little more like home with cut grass (or weeds) and some plants, scrubs and flowers along the borders. This time of year in Zambia is a very colourful time with lots of green and blooming flowers but we can see already the impact of the rains being less frequent. The tall grass is starting to get a hinge of yellow already which means that in a few weeks it will be completely yellow and dry. Slowly the dust is picking up as well. It is a change of seasons here as well although probably not as obvious as it is back home. We don't envy those of you who are still dealing with snow.
Also this past week we got the message that our vehicle was loaded on the a ship and is currently sailing somewhere between the Sheerness in the UK and Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania. The estimated time of arrival in Dar-es-Salaam is April 13 at this time but that can change. So we now know that things are finally really moving towards having our own vehicle in a month or so. We look forward to that moment and to be able to do our own things a bit more at our own times. The office has been very graceful in allowing us to use the Toyota Noah van but there are times that they need the vehicle for their activities as well which limits us in what we can do sometimes.
This week Lucinda caught a bad cold and wasn't feeling the greatest so she stayed home for a couple of days. It is never nice to leave a sick person behind so Machteld stayed with her for 2 days. Surprisingly Lucinda found the time and energy to put a little video together with pictures of our house that she posted on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDT-YQOARps ). The link is also on her blog http://www.zambiamissionlucinda.blogspot.com/ . If you have the time, check it out and you'll have a pretty good picture of where we are and what the house looks like. We certainly enjoy the house a lot and are thankful that we were able to find this place.
Also this week we got an email from Peter Greif asking about some practical information about living in Zambia. Peter and Cheryl Greif and their kids are seriously considering moving to Zambia and join Every Orphan's Hope here. This would be a great blessing to the organization and we pray that God will assure them of which decision to make in following His will. It is amazing to see how much God is at work in people's hearts and how many are taking up their cross and follow Him wherever He leads them. We've seen it in our church with more and more people getting involved in missions as well as around us here in Zambia. It humbles us to see what is all happening and we realize that we often don't give God enough credit for what He does. We serve an amazing God!
Reflecting back on the week we can only say that God has been faithful. He provided and continues to provide for us in amazing ways. We have our challenges but like clay in the potter's hands He is molding us to the shape and person He wants us to be. Sometimes it feels like the molding is bending things out of shape but we have to trust Him that it is for the better. We have our own plans and ideas but God has a better plan for us than we can ever imagine. Please pray with us that He may continue to reveal His plans for us and that we are willing to trust and obey.
TRUST AND OBEY (John H. Sammis and Daniel B. Towner, 1887)
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
- Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
A visit of some good friends
This past week we had the pleasure on Tuesday to enjoy our second Zambian holiday. This time it was to celebrate Youth Day. Around town there were all kinds of activities for youth. We had the pleasure of welcoming some very good friends from Canada. Henrietta, Harry and Kirk Reinders joined by Ray Scheepstra dropped in at our house for a visit on Tuesday morning. It was great to see some familiar faces and have some time to catch up. They were on their was to the airport for a flight to Livingstone where they would stay for a couple of days to see Victoria Falls as well as to visit Chobe National Park in Botswana.
On Thursday night they came back and were picked up by Kevin from the Esther School. De rest of the DeKam family stayed with us for dinner, dessert and a movie. It seemed that everyone enjoyed the food and we had a good time together. At around 9:00pm Kevin came back with Henrietta, Harry, Kirk and Ray as well as another vehicle (switched vehicles with Drew and family who just got back to Lusaka). After loading all the groceries into the van and all the passengers it was a very full vehicle heading back to Nyangwena.
Yesterday we went to visit our friends before they were heading back to Canada. Gert had to check up on the chickens at the orphan homes and Machteld and Lucinda joined the school for chapel so we had a good reason to head out that way. We got together for lunch for which Tina had prepared an amazing tasting potato soup. It seems as if we keep returning favors that way. In the afternoon Gert went to help Harry, Ray and Kevin to weld some braces to the support structure of the solar panels for the water pump. After a couple of hours of rain the ground was sticky so after a little while we were all walking around with a few pounds of clay and straw on our shoes and boots. When wet it is clear that the soil has a great potential to grow crops. At around 5:30pm we headed back for Lusaka and had a nice and easy dinner at Pizza Inn.
Earlier in the week on Monday, Gert had a meeting with Ben Frampton from Foundations for Farming. This is a Christian organization that started in Zimbabwe and teaches farmers the very basics of farming based on Christian principles. Their vision is to see the wonderful potential of the continent of Africa reached through the faithful stewardship of the land. Every great was built on the effective and productive use of the land and they believe this is the starting point for Africa too. We had some good conversations about the possibilities of working together to teach people in the Nyangwena area these basic farming techniques, intertwined with Christian principles. The results that they have been able to achieve in other places are amazing, sometimes yields of as much as 10 times were achieved. Based on these results it is clear that with the basic techniques and Christian principles taught and applied, Africa would be able to feed itself. Together with the Esther School we will explore opportunities to introduce these techniques in and around Nyangwena.
This morning, Machteld and Lucinda got an early call from Tina, Rachel and Jean from the Esther School. They had just dropped off our Canadian friends at the airport and were wondering whether the ladies were interested in doing a breakfast together. That did not fall on deaf ears so quickly after they left, leaving Gert behind to look after himself. Around noon they were back and we did some shopping for groceries and some plants for the garden this afternoon.
We are slowly but surely settling in and getting into a routine here in Zambia but having friends come over a visit is certainly a highlight of the week. It is at moments like that that we realize that we miss our close friends since we cannot just drop in quickly for a coffee or have a quick chat. Those little things are the things that we miss the most. Skype, email and other means of communication can help but never replace the time spent together. We are blessed to have such a great group of friends and family that continues to look after us and support us. It has always been much appreciated but after this week and seeing some friends here it has become even more precious to us. We thank God for all of you who care and support us. Words cannot express how blessed we feel of having friends.
Thank you all and thanks be to God.
On Thursday night they came back and were picked up by Kevin from the Esther School. De rest of the DeKam family stayed with us for dinner, dessert and a movie. It seemed that everyone enjoyed the food and we had a good time together. At around 9:00pm Kevin came back with Henrietta, Harry, Kirk and Ray as well as another vehicle (switched vehicles with Drew and family who just got back to Lusaka). After loading all the groceries into the van and all the passengers it was a very full vehicle heading back to Nyangwena.
Yesterday we went to visit our friends before they were heading back to Canada. Gert had to check up on the chickens at the orphan homes and Machteld and Lucinda joined the school for chapel so we had a good reason to head out that way. We got together for lunch for which Tina had prepared an amazing tasting potato soup. It seems as if we keep returning favors that way. In the afternoon Gert went to help Harry, Ray and Kevin to weld some braces to the support structure of the solar panels for the water pump. After a couple of hours of rain the ground was sticky so after a little while we were all walking around with a few pounds of clay and straw on our shoes and boots. When wet it is clear that the soil has a great potential to grow crops. At around 5:30pm we headed back for Lusaka and had a nice and easy dinner at Pizza Inn.
Earlier in the week on Monday, Gert had a meeting with Ben Frampton from Foundations for Farming. This is a Christian organization that started in Zimbabwe and teaches farmers the very basics of farming based on Christian principles. Their vision is to see the wonderful potential of the continent of Africa reached through the faithful stewardship of the land. Every great was built on the effective and productive use of the land and they believe this is the starting point for Africa too. We had some good conversations about the possibilities of working together to teach people in the Nyangwena area these basic farming techniques, intertwined with Christian principles. The results that they have been able to achieve in other places are amazing, sometimes yields of as much as 10 times were achieved. Based on these results it is clear that with the basic techniques and Christian principles taught and applied, Africa would be able to feed itself. Together with the Esther School we will explore opportunities to introduce these techniques in and around Nyangwena.
This morning, Machteld and Lucinda got an early call from Tina, Rachel and Jean from the Esther School. They had just dropped off our Canadian friends at the airport and were wondering whether the ladies were interested in doing a breakfast together. That did not fall on deaf ears so quickly after they left, leaving Gert behind to look after himself. Around noon they were back and we did some shopping for groceries and some plants for the garden this afternoon.
We are slowly but surely settling in and getting into a routine here in Zambia but having friends come over a visit is certainly a highlight of the week. It is at moments like that that we realize that we miss our close friends since we cannot just drop in quickly for a coffee or have a quick chat. Those little things are the things that we miss the most. Skype, email and other means of communication can help but never replace the time spent together. We are blessed to have such a great group of friends and family that continues to look after us and support us. It has always been much appreciated but after this week and seeing some friends here it has become even more precious to us. We thank God for all of you who care and support us. Words cannot express how blessed we feel of having friends.
Thank you all and thanks be to God.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Our first Zambia holiday - International Women`s Day
Today we are enjoying our first Zambian holiday to celebrate International Women's Day. Out of all places it is amazing to realize that they actually celebrate this day here in Zambia whereas in North America we sort of skip over it. Yesterday, in the office, we were joking a bit about this holiday and Gert was challenged into making breakfast this morning by all the women in the office. So this morning it was his turn to prepare breakfast. It wasn`t anything fancy or special other than he made some left-over rice from yesterday with milk, butter and sugar. Last night we tried to find cinnamon but without luck. Lucinda had some toast with Nutella (the jar isn`t empty yet).
After breakfast Gert installed some solar lights and put the solar panels on the roof of the house. The lights will come in handy when there is of the frequent power outages just around dinner time. The electricity company (Zesco) explained this week that they had issues at two generation stations but that by this past Wednesday it should all be fine. On Wednesday night we had power but last night the power went off around 6:30pm just as we were about to head out to the Courtyard hotel to meet Cheryl Martin Duivesteyn. She and three other people from VisionLedd were in Malawi and Zambia for about two weeks and spent the last few days in Lusaka before they fly back to Toronto today. We had a nice time together and talked a lot about her experiences and first impressions and the things that we have noticed here during our first two months. We realized last night that it was exactly two months ago that we left Canada and that the time has been flying. It`s hard to believe that is has already been two months that we are here in Zambia.
Later this afternoon we will go to Nyangwena to visit the Esther School and Harry, Henrietta and Kirk Reinders and Ray Scheepstra who arrived this past Monday in Zambia. Machteld and Lucinda visited them on Wednesday and they had brought us some of the t-shirts that Gord Furzer had made for us (thanks Gord, they look great!) and some `hagelslag`. Tonight Harry and Ray will do a simpler version of their specialty `red neck dinner` but this time Zambian style. We are anxious to see and taste what this will be like. I don`t know whether they offered this because of International Women`s Day but it is certainly a very nice gesture of them. And it is always great to spend time with good friends. We are very blessed with the people that are visiting us and Zambia. They not only bring us stuff but it also allows us to have a great time of fellowship and hear about some of the things that are happening back home.
Having seen some of the pictures that people sent us of the snow in Canada it makes us feel very blessed to be here in a nice, warm and sunny climate right now. It is still the tail-end of the summer here but according to Zambians it is already getting colder. We haven`t noticed that as much since according to our standards it is still pretty warm. Today the forecast calls for about 26C (feels like 36C) with cloudy periods and it is pretty much the same for the next 7 days. This is the kind of weather that you can get used to pretty easily. You don`t have to worry about what to wear since it is amost always the same kind of weather. The only thing to bring is an umbrella for either the rain or the sun. The only thing that changes is the humidity and the humidex as a result.
Hopefully in Canada you are slowly leaving winter behind you. It seems that you have had enough snow for the season but likely there will still be a bit more. We`ll think of you will we`re sweating in the sun. Two more weeks and it will be officially Spring and a new season!
Enjoy International Women`s Day, and guys, be nice extra to your special woman today!
After breakfast Gert installed some solar lights and put the solar panels on the roof of the house. The lights will come in handy when there is of the frequent power outages just around dinner time. The electricity company (Zesco) explained this week that they had issues at two generation stations but that by this past Wednesday it should all be fine. On Wednesday night we had power but last night the power went off around 6:30pm just as we were about to head out to the Courtyard hotel to meet Cheryl Martin Duivesteyn. She and three other people from VisionLedd were in Malawi and Zambia for about two weeks and spent the last few days in Lusaka before they fly back to Toronto today. We had a nice time together and talked a lot about her experiences and first impressions and the things that we have noticed here during our first two months. We realized last night that it was exactly two months ago that we left Canada and that the time has been flying. It`s hard to believe that is has already been two months that we are here in Zambia.
Later this afternoon we will go to Nyangwena to visit the Esther School and Harry, Henrietta and Kirk Reinders and Ray Scheepstra who arrived this past Monday in Zambia. Machteld and Lucinda visited them on Wednesday and they had brought us some of the t-shirts that Gord Furzer had made for us (thanks Gord, they look great!) and some `hagelslag`. Tonight Harry and Ray will do a simpler version of their specialty `red neck dinner` but this time Zambian style. We are anxious to see and taste what this will be like. I don`t know whether they offered this because of International Women`s Day but it is certainly a very nice gesture of them. And it is always great to spend time with good friends. We are very blessed with the people that are visiting us and Zambia. They not only bring us stuff but it also allows us to have a great time of fellowship and hear about some of the things that are happening back home.
Having seen some of the pictures that people sent us of the snow in Canada it makes us feel very blessed to be here in a nice, warm and sunny climate right now. It is still the tail-end of the summer here but according to Zambians it is already getting colder. We haven`t noticed that as much since according to our standards it is still pretty warm. Today the forecast calls for about 26C (feels like 36C) with cloudy periods and it is pretty much the same for the next 7 days. This is the kind of weather that you can get used to pretty easily. You don`t have to worry about what to wear since it is amost always the same kind of weather. The only thing to bring is an umbrella for either the rain or the sun. The only thing that changes is the humidity and the humidex as a result.
Hopefully in Canada you are slowly leaving winter behind you. It seems that you have had enough snow for the season but likely there will still be a bit more. We`ll think of you will we`re sweating in the sun. Two more weeks and it will be officially Spring and a new season!
Enjoy International Women`s Day, and guys, be nice extra to your special woman today!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
A week of ups and downs
The past week has been a week with many ups and some downs. From birthday celebrations, to funerals and visiting police stations to get an impounded vehicle back.
As mentioned in the previous post, chief Bunda Bunda passed away last Saturday and his funeral was yesterday. In his whole chiefdom people are not supposed to work the land and have any kind of celebrations till after the burial. Yesterday was the burial which I attended with a number of the staff of Every Orphan's Hope. It was an impressive happening that started around 10am and that was attended by many people. The funeral service was at the "palace" which is not much more that a big tent. There is a fenced in area where many of the guests were watching and then there were a lot of people outside the fence, waiting for the procession to the burial grounds to start. Around noon the crowd started to move towards the burial ground that was somewhere deep into the forest. It was a difficult drive of about 20 minutes and then a walk of about another 15 minutes. Around 2:30pm the actual burial ceremony started and lasted well over an hour. By that time we decided to leave and head back to Nyangwena and Lusaka. It was nice to see how some of the traditions are still followed but also how modern elements are being introduced. A successor for chief Bunda Bunda will have to be elected soon and rumour has it that it could be a niece of chief Bunda Bunda. I believe that this would be a first for the Soli people, at least is has not happened in a long time.
On Friday we celebrated Gert's birthday with a nice breakfast of bacon and eggs. It almost felt as being home in Acton, except that the group of friends was not there to eat and celebrate with us. After breakfast we went to the office and found out that the other vehicle of EOH (the Landcruiser) had been impounded the evening before in Chongwe for causing an accident and leaving the scene. We would have to pay KR540 to get it back.
As it turned out there were some irregularities in the process which made it look like that the local police was trying to get some money out of us. So we decided to first go to the Lusaka Central police station to report the situation and ask what we should do. After some back and forth between different officers we ended up at the desk of a very helpful and knowledgeable office. She heard the case and then called the officer in Chongwe who had impounded the vehicle. Over the phone she explained to him that he had to release the vehicle, press any charges against Willy, our driver, if necessary and put those on paper and hand that to him including any penalty that he would have to pay.
After this we went from Lusaka to Chongwe and visited the police office there. Willy and Gert ended up talking to the office and his supervisor in which the office explained the accident according to the other parties involved. The first car was very slow and the second one was already passing the first. At the same time Willy (the third vehicle) was passing the second vehicle (on a two-lane road). So when the second vehicle started passing the first, Willy honked his horn which scared the driver of the second vehicle, who slammed on the brakes, lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the ditch without hitting any of the other vehicles. Luckily there were no injuries or casualties but the car that crashed was totalled.
Whether Willy was already passing the second car when this one started passing the first or not we will never come to know since the stories of the different people involved are all different. Since Willy had not stopped at the scene (he drove a bit further to contact the police) and based on the stories of the other drivers the officer concluded that Willy had been driving dangerously and that he had left the scene without providing any help to the victims. So after Willy had delivered a generator to the "palace" for the funeral, on his way back he was held up at the road block and then he had to hand over the keys of the vehicle to the officer but no charges were laid and handed to him. When we met with the office, he explained that he wanted to hear Willy's story so he could charge him properly. After some talking back and forth, discussing payment options, the costs for the ticket first went up to KR2,700 but in the end landed at KR180 (about $35) which we had to pay in cash with an officer who was at a road block towards Nyangwena. So we got our vehicle back and paid about $35 as fine for not obeying a traffic sign (not sure which one Willy didn't obey). So the good thing was that we got the vehicle back and only had to pay $35 and there were no injuries or casualties. The sad thing is that this should not have happened the way it did and now it took us a day to get a vehicle back that should have never been impounded.
It clearly shows that when something happens, you're at the mercy of the police officer that you deal with. The nice part was that during the burial of chief Bunda Bunda Gert met a few of the police officers again and they clearly recognized him and acknowledged his presence there. It might be helpful for the future, you never know.
After coming back from Chongwe and Nyangwena, we went out for dinner to celebrate Gert's birthday so we went to Spurs. We had an excellent dinner and a very nice waiter (Samson) who has one of the biggest smiles around and jumps and runs around to serve his customers. It was a lot of fun and very good food. It was a nice close of a busy day which besides the vehicle problems also had a power outage at the office in store for most of the day. So the workday was pretty much a write-off but the rest was great. In the evening we had a couple of Skype calls with Anneloes, Elise and some friends which was very nice. At the end of the day, I realized that this was actually the second year in a row that I celebrated my birthday in Zambia. Also last year, I was in Zambia on a trip with GEMS to the Esther School so I can't say that this was a first but it was certainly a memorable day.
It was a week with ups and downs but overall and in the end it was a good week. This coming week we hope to celebrate Elise's birthday on Monday (last week was Anneloes' birthday) and the arrival of some friends from Acton and Georgetown (Harry, Henrietta, Kirk and Ray). We look forward to catching up with them and spend some time together. The weather is slowly changing and getting dryer. It rains less and less frequent than it did a few weeks ago. Some people here are concerned that they didn't get enough rain. For us, it seemed that they got enough in the short time that we were here, but by the same token, it is almost the only rain they will get for the rest of the year. We'll see how this will evolve in the next few weeks. It was funny to hear and see some of the snow that fell this past week in Acton. For us it is still a bit strange to see the snow back home while we walk around in shorts and are sweating every day. It seems like a world upside down with ups and downs. We just take it the way it is and are happy with whatever we get, whether it is sun, rain or snow. We need them all to make it to the next year. God created the earth perfectly with a finely tuned weather system. Let's hope and pray that we do not tamper with and destroy this delicate system. Being in Zambia makes you realize how dependent people here are on weather and especially rain. Without it there will be drought followed by famine. That's a hard reality here that we often take for granted in North America with our irrigation, etc. We try to control and manager nature, weather, etc. without always fully understanding the consequences. Here you see some of the consequences first hand and they are difficult to accept. It makes you realize once more that we are stewards in God's creation and that we have to take good care of what we are entrusted with. May God help and guide us in this endeavor.
As mentioned in the previous post, chief Bunda Bunda passed away last Saturday and his funeral was yesterday. In his whole chiefdom people are not supposed to work the land and have any kind of celebrations till after the burial. Yesterday was the burial which I attended with a number of the staff of Every Orphan's Hope. It was an impressive happening that started around 10am and that was attended by many people. The funeral service was at the "palace" which is not much more that a big tent. There is a fenced in area where many of the guests were watching and then there were a lot of people outside the fence, waiting for the procession to the burial grounds to start. Around noon the crowd started to move towards the burial ground that was somewhere deep into the forest. It was a difficult drive of about 20 minutes and then a walk of about another 15 minutes. Around 2:30pm the actual burial ceremony started and lasted well over an hour. By that time we decided to leave and head back to Nyangwena and Lusaka. It was nice to see how some of the traditions are still followed but also how modern elements are being introduced. A successor for chief Bunda Bunda will have to be elected soon and rumour has it that it could be a niece of chief Bunda Bunda. I believe that this would be a first for the Soli people, at least is has not happened in a long time.
On Friday we celebrated Gert's birthday with a nice breakfast of bacon and eggs. It almost felt as being home in Acton, except that the group of friends was not there to eat and celebrate with us. After breakfast we went to the office and found out that the other vehicle of EOH (the Landcruiser) had been impounded the evening before in Chongwe for causing an accident and leaving the scene. We would have to pay KR540 to get it back.
As it turned out there were some irregularities in the process which made it look like that the local police was trying to get some money out of us. So we decided to first go to the Lusaka Central police station to report the situation and ask what we should do. After some back and forth between different officers we ended up at the desk of a very helpful and knowledgeable office. She heard the case and then called the officer in Chongwe who had impounded the vehicle. Over the phone she explained to him that he had to release the vehicle, press any charges against Willy, our driver, if necessary and put those on paper and hand that to him including any penalty that he would have to pay.
After this we went from Lusaka to Chongwe and visited the police office there. Willy and Gert ended up talking to the office and his supervisor in which the office explained the accident according to the other parties involved. The first car was very slow and the second one was already passing the first. At the same time Willy (the third vehicle) was passing the second vehicle (on a two-lane road). So when the second vehicle started passing the first, Willy honked his horn which scared the driver of the second vehicle, who slammed on the brakes, lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the ditch without hitting any of the other vehicles. Luckily there were no injuries or casualties but the car that crashed was totalled.
Whether Willy was already passing the second car when this one started passing the first or not we will never come to know since the stories of the different people involved are all different. Since Willy had not stopped at the scene (he drove a bit further to contact the police) and based on the stories of the other drivers the officer concluded that Willy had been driving dangerously and that he had left the scene without providing any help to the victims. So after Willy had delivered a generator to the "palace" for the funeral, on his way back he was held up at the road block and then he had to hand over the keys of the vehicle to the officer but no charges were laid and handed to him. When we met with the office, he explained that he wanted to hear Willy's story so he could charge him properly. After some talking back and forth, discussing payment options, the costs for the ticket first went up to KR2,700 but in the end landed at KR180 (about $35) which we had to pay in cash with an officer who was at a road block towards Nyangwena. So we got our vehicle back and paid about $35 as fine for not obeying a traffic sign (not sure which one Willy didn't obey). So the good thing was that we got the vehicle back and only had to pay $35 and there were no injuries or casualties. The sad thing is that this should not have happened the way it did and now it took us a day to get a vehicle back that should have never been impounded.
It clearly shows that when something happens, you're at the mercy of the police officer that you deal with. The nice part was that during the burial of chief Bunda Bunda Gert met a few of the police officers again and they clearly recognized him and acknowledged his presence there. It might be helpful for the future, you never know.
After coming back from Chongwe and Nyangwena, we went out for dinner to celebrate Gert's birthday so we went to Spurs. We had an excellent dinner and a very nice waiter (Samson) who has one of the biggest smiles around and jumps and runs around to serve his customers. It was a lot of fun and very good food. It was a nice close of a busy day which besides the vehicle problems also had a power outage at the office in store for most of the day. So the workday was pretty much a write-off but the rest was great. In the evening we had a couple of Skype calls with Anneloes, Elise and some friends which was very nice. At the end of the day, I realized that this was actually the second year in a row that I celebrated my birthday in Zambia. Also last year, I was in Zambia on a trip with GEMS to the Esther School so I can't say that this was a first but it was certainly a memorable day.
It was a week with ups and downs but overall and in the end it was a good week. This coming week we hope to celebrate Elise's birthday on Monday (last week was Anneloes' birthday) and the arrival of some friends from Acton and Georgetown (Harry, Henrietta, Kirk and Ray). We look forward to catching up with them and spend some time together. The weather is slowly changing and getting dryer. It rains less and less frequent than it did a few weeks ago. Some people here are concerned that they didn't get enough rain. For us, it seemed that they got enough in the short time that we were here, but by the same token, it is almost the only rain they will get for the rest of the year. We'll see how this will evolve in the next few weeks. It was funny to hear and see some of the snow that fell this past week in Acton. For us it is still a bit strange to see the snow back home while we walk around in shorts and are sweating every day. It seems like a world upside down with ups and downs. We just take it the way it is and are happy with whatever we get, whether it is sun, rain or snow. We need them all to make it to the next year. God created the earth perfectly with a finely tuned weather system. Let's hope and pray that we do not tamper with and destroy this delicate system. Being in Zambia makes you realize how dependent people here are on weather and especially rain. Without it there will be drought followed by famine. That's a hard reality here that we often take for granted in North America with our irrigation, etc. We try to control and manager nature, weather, etc. without always fully understanding the consequences. Here you see some of the consequences first hand and they are difficult to accept. It makes you realize once more that we are stewards in God's creation and that we have to take good care of what we are entrusted with. May God help and guide us in this endeavor.
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