This morning's visit to Kantolomba will be a quick one since our guests will all arrive on the noon flight from Johannesburg. As usual, the compound is a flurry of activity, though quieter than usual because the kids are on holiday from school and no water is being dispensed as John tests the water pipes in the building. The three hubs of action are the women cooking for the children (they still come for lunch even though school is on hiatus), the floor crew in the building, and the gals sewing.
A quick chat with Eunice in the morning before leaving Castle Lodge. We marvel at her fashion sense.
After a quick look at the cement floor, which is, in our building experience, strangely flooded, we go to check in with the seamstresses. They are so proud and we are so happy--the skirt is gorgeous! Jen models the new creation to everyone's delight and we hand off more chitenge so they can repeat the process. Everyone speaking English is changing the relationship to an amazing degree. They were always able to understand us, though we didn't know that, but long conversation would happen in translated Bemba as we stood there wondering what was actually being said. Now the interactions flow easily and even contain a lot of humor that wasn't possible in a translated exchange.
The floor under water.
Jen and the sewing team.
The new temporary bathroom doors were almost right and the misunderstanding about securing the flap to the wood easily corrected. We now have a lovely, private entrance to the bathrooms. Alas, the pipes were still being tested so we will have to wait until tomorrow for the real test--just in time for our guests to arrive on the property. (They don't know it but the team is planning quite a welcome celebration for their new friends.)
The "door" for the new bathrooms.
They're here!!!
A good view of our guests getting off the plane.
First guest emerges from customs.
How great they all look even after long travel!
We got Muyunda to take a group shot for us.
Back to Castle Lodge to drop off luggage and reconnoiter our next steps. Everyone needs kwacha and groceries. Fortunately, the grocery store strike is over for now. We hope it went well for the workers, especially after learning that the clerks are paid less than the stipend the volunteers in Kantolomba receive. All went well (though slowly, as we keep trying to prepare people that everything will go), and we had time to stop by the chitenge shop. Most folks picked out some cloth, so the sewing cooperative will have an extra active few days fulfilling special orders.
We took them chitenge shopping as a first foray into the town (and to keep them awake!)
Back to the Lodge to settle in, have dinner, answer questions, and make plans. A couple of the Apple computers couldn't get online. We reassured the owners that this was a temporary setback, that we would call Godfrey, that Godfrey is a technological genius, and that there's nothing he can't fix, but we projected they weren't convinced. Godfrey arrived and before eating his dinner sorted out everyone's technology issues. He's our guy!
Everyone did a stellar job of staying awake until a reasonable bedtime in spite of very long travel schedules.