Our arrival has been pretty much as usual. Most of our luggage made it, Eunice has our accommodations spiffed, the fridges are stocked, our driver is hired, the team is primed, and we're excited.
The JoBurg airport continues the march to World Cup 2010
Cheri and Theresa greeting.
We enjoyed catching up with Eunice and her friend Sanjay our first night back.
Theresa arrived at Castle Lodge around noon for a luncheon meeting on this our first full day in Ndola. We have many plans to make. Our list for the trip includes finding a "media person" who can reliably send us pictures and stories about the project; make some chitenge items; check in with Godfrey about our technological health and his schooling; take the next step in microfinance; meet with the RDC (Resident Development Committee) about additional land; explore the possibility of drilling another well; and just to add an element of excitement, we've had a request to make 500 chitenge bags for a company conference coming up in September. We're not sure we can manage it, but we're certainly going to give it our best effort since the money the company would pay for the bags would be a tremendous boon for the sewing cooperative. Oh, and add to this Theresa's suggestion that, as a group, we finish the building during this trip.
Theresa going over our list for the trip.
During our meeting Theresa brought us up to speed with the results of a recent Living Compassion Zambia Cooperative planning session. Theresa asked the folks what they saw as both short- and long-term goals for the community. She told us that they--this is quite on their own with no input from Theresa or us--want to work as quickly as possible toward taking financial responsibility for the program. They feel this is something they can accomplish, and here's the piece that brought tears to our eyes as Theresa told the story: They feel they have received so much, and it is time for them to help Living Compassion offer these possibilities to others. They see themselves in a position to mentor a whole new group of people who will learn what they've learned. The current team will present the Living Compassion programs to another segment of the community and help lift those folks out of poverty. They feel empowered to do this in Kantolomba and have ambitions to take the approach into other slums in and around Ndola!
Today is Friday, so we either had to make a quick run out to Kantolomba or face not seeing the team until Monday. We gathered what we would need, mostly cameras, and dashed off, making just one quick stop at the airport to fetch that errant bag.
No matter how tired or jet-lagged we might be feeling when we drive through the gates of the Living Compassion compound in Kantolomba, the welcome we get erases all that exhaustion and replaces it with a charge of energy that can fuel the rest of our trip--and the travel home.
The team welcoming us back.
However, the folks are busy, so we get a song, some hugs, a few words of greeting and then it's back to work for them while we take a tour of the property. Oh, my goodness! The changes they have made!
As always, no shortage of cute faces.
Theresa shows off a new chalkboard in one of the classrooms.
Gathered around the new white picket fence.
The fabulous handmade gate. The property is now completely fenced and secured.
The caretakers recently orphaned grandson now living with them.
A new outshower.
The men are burning and clearing to create a fire break to prevent brush fires from burning the fence.
This land is newly cleared, adding a great deal of garden space to the compound.
Theresa showing us the workbench the carpenters use.