Kwasiya buti (Good evening!)

Zimba, our most recent home here in Zambia. Our team arrived on Sunday afternoon to the mission home. This place feels so homey. And the best part? Fresh brewed coffee every morning. I find it’s easier to wake up early in the morning when I know there’s a hot pot of coffee in the kitchen. Last Saturday before our team left for Zimba, we visited the orphanage for the last time until October. I let the kids run around with my camera, and I just wanted to share some of the faces that melt my heart. 

On my last post I included a picture with Masiye; the orphanage has a sponsorship program so the children can go to school. I'm praying it works out for me to sponsor this young man who wants to be a pastor one day. 

Group picture with these precious children. 

Our group also took this picture back in Choma on our first day in the hospital. Now that we're in Zimba, we're spending a lot of time in clinical since the hospital is so close by. 

 These pictures were taken one morning when we went to visit a local school.

I made a little friend during the school visit :)

I miss my little friend. I am thankful that we are spending almost the first 3 weeks of October back in Choma.

 It's hard to live out of a suitcase sometimes!

Melissa & Ired on the day we left for Zimba.

In Zimba this past week we have been so busy. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were spent working at the Zimba Mission Hospital. The hospital is right down the road, and it’s nice to be able to walk back and forth. The market also happens to be close by, and we visit there enough that I’m starting to learn some of the names of the venders. I love to walk around the market and practice my Tonga with the Zambians. Also it’s fun to buy snacks and candy that are equivalent to cents in USD.

Our first full day in Zimba we went to watch the sunset before dinner. The photographs hardly capture the beauty and the colors of the sky, but I think these pictures show how much we’ve all grown to love each other :)

At the hospital on Tuesday I was assigned to travel on a village outreach with some of the hospital staff. The travel time to the village lasted just over an hour. When we arrived, hundreds of mothers and babies were waiting for us. The nurses provided some brief education, and then we set up a “clinic” on the dirt floor of a one room schoolhouse. The purpose of the outreach was to vaccinate these babies, because of these mothers do not have transportation to the hospital. Unfortunately many of the babies came in happy and smiling, but left screaming because we administered several injections. I think this remains one of my favorite experiences so far. The nurse that I worked with taught me so much and I learned more about the importance of vaccinations. This ended up being almost a 12 hour day; by the time I got back to the house I felt exhausted.

Next week our team finishes up our community nursing class, and we start into the second half of the semester with leadership and management.

To all of you at home (both in PA & back at school) I miss you so much! I can’t believe we’re heading into the second half of our trip soon. I’ll be seeing you before long :)  

Our Home in Choma

I don't even know where to begin on this update. We've experienced so much in this past week here in Choma. 

On Sunday we walked to a local Wesleyan church, and during the service I made some new little friends (I like how my one professor stated, "The national treasure of Zambia is it's people"). Of course both children and adults alike struggle with the same issues in all humans that are not limited by culture or country - but when the Zambians decide they want to be your friend, you feel like the most special person in the world. 

One of the most special moments occurred in the middle of the church service, this little girl turned around to hold my hand.

On Tuesday our team started clinical at Choma General Hospital. Another girl and I assisted the nurses on the children's ward. Many of the children suffered from malnutrition and malaria, but thankfully all of the children that morning were stable and making good progress. Tomorrow morning another student and I will be working on the men's ward; I should probably be going to bed soon because clinical mornings start early in the morning :)

Even though the healthcare system here lacks some the technology we possess in the States, I'm finding the doctors and nurses are very knowledgeable and work with what is available. One major difference seen here in Zambia is the nurses do not provide bedside care (bathing, feeding, etc.). The patient is expected to have family present to provide for those needs. Unfortunately if a patient does not come with a family member or friend, those needs will often not be met. 

Every evening, around 5:45 the sun sets, creating a beautiful African sunset right in front of our house. I am still not used to how early the sun sets; by 6:30 the sky is dark. I think it makes many of us go to bed earlier. I've been in bed before 12 every night, which is unusual during a school semester. Also our days are just so full and busy, we're pretty worn out by the end of the day. 

This picture was actually taken when we were back in Lusaka, but I thought I'd include it on this post to show some of the lovely faces that I see every single day :)

I think I mentioned in the last post the ministry that we are partnering while we are here in Choma. One of Poetice's outreaches includes support groups for people living with HIV/AIDS. Part of this ministry includes house visits into the villages I think (all the days blur together here) we went on this visit last Thursday. As we were walking through the village, literally all the children in sight would run up to us to just to check us out at first. But they quickly became our friends.

Group picture :) These children were so precious. Another one of my favorite experiences so far.

Sometimes, at the end of the day you just need to have a movie night. We set up all the couches in our living room, and play a movie over the projector that we use in class. And there you go! A makeshift movie theater for no cost at all.

(I can't remember if I included this picture in the last post or not) But I thought I would post it anyways, just because it is my favorite picture. I am with Mesiya and Ruth at the local orphanage. Any time the girls and I have some spare time, we go to the orphanage. Mesiya is 12 years old; the oldest of 3 orphaned children. He wants to be a pastor when he gets older. There's always that one child who just touches your heart in a way that is hard to even put into words. I hate the thought of leaving Choma, and leaving the orphanage and Mesiya behind when it's time to go back to the States. Right now I am thankful that we are coming back to Choma at the beginning of October. On Sunday we leave for our next stop on this journey: Zimba.

My newest Tonga phrase: Tuyoo bonana! (See you again!)

The Adventure Continues

Last Thursday we made the five hour journey from the capital city of Lusaka to Choma, where we will be staying for the next two weeks. That morning we packed up all our suitcases, and our wonderful bus driver loaded everything into the trailer. His name is Lovemore, but I’ve gotten into the habit of calling him “mukulu” – which means “older brother” in his tribal language.  

Waiting to pack up and move to Choma. 

Our wonderful bus driver, Lovemore. 

While in Choma, our team is staying with the ministry organization Poetice. The team here has so graciously opened up their guest house up to us – this place already feels like home. The director’s kids often stop by to play; I welcome this distraction from doing homework.

My friend Lauren with our little friends. 

On Saturday morning we woke up early to travel to Macha,in order to fill out forms to work in the hospital here. After filling out paperwork for an hour or so, our team visited the local village market. 

At this market in Macha we drew quite the crowd. The people wanted us to dance, so we did! We shared lots of laughter that day. 

The road outside our home in Choma.

The countryside on our way to Choma. 

Jenna and Katie in matching chitenges (the traditional Zambian wear)

In Choma, my bed is covered by a mosquito net. I know it’s supposed to keep out the mosquitoes, but I’m more thankful that I won’t be sharing my bed with any monstrous African spiders. Speaking of spiders, the other night our leader Hannah tried to shoot down a spider on the wall with a rubber band. The following video shows the results - hopefully it loaded okay!

My room here at Poetice. 

Some of the girls working on homework. 

The view from outside our home. I can't get over how clear blue the African sky is!

Our home here in Choma is close to town, so during the afternoons we like to walk to the market. Our favorite item to shop for is chitenges. I never thought I could look at pieces of fabric for so long. 

Grass fence on the way to town. 

Sometimes we just get tired of wearing skirts all the time... 

Since we've been here in Choma, we've visited the orphanage several times. Here are some of the beautiful children we've met. At our last visit, I spent some time with one lady who cares for the kids. She told me about a sponsorship program for the children. The program seems very similar to World Vision and Compassion International. The monthly donations cover school fees and uniforms, along with other needs the children may possess.  

My friend Paige and I made our own mugs to use when class starts early in the mornings. (Mwabuka buti means good morning in Tonga)

Well that finishes my update. I can't say thank you enough for all your love and prayers! Leza amuleleke (God bless you!)