This morning we picked up what we hoped was the last of the chitenge--this for the women's uniforms. We have purchased so much chitenge from this one shop, always refusing "plastics" (plastic bags), that the owner insisted we take some special reusable bags as a gift. They will come in very handy for the shoppers on the team who regularly buy supplies enough to feed somewhere around 450 people each day. Theresa will take a sample of the chitenge to the market and find matching shirts for everyone. Historically the women wear the chitenge "wrap" with the team shirt, the men where the team shirt with whatever trousers. Perhaps soon the sewing cooperative can make shirts from the same chitenge as the women's skirts. Who knows, maybe the women can sew the men uniform trousers, which the men would love. Why not? As far as we can tell, these folks can do anything.
Out in Kantolomba the staff interviews continue, the sewing gals prepare to move to their new digs, and the rest of the folks begin games on the lawn. Soon it's clear that everyone would much prefer to be playing games than whatever else is going on. "Go play!" they're all told. We get uncertain looks in return. "Really? Are you sure?" "Yes, we musungus will clean the new sewing room so you seamstresses can play." Soon everyone, large and small, old and young is running, jumping, laughing, and clapping to "duck, duck, goose."
Cheri runs from Beatrice.
Josephine is "it."
Some prefer to watch.
Evan and Patrick hang out.
After lunch we ask the ladies to sing some of their quiet songs, and they comply beautifully. Then it's a walk through the compound with the clothespins (pegs) "factory" and the pottery as destinations. Yes, people want to get to those places, and it's a great opportunity to spend time in the larger compound, getting a sense of life outside the Living Compassion compound and away from the bars. Driving in through the bars--a necessary route in anything other than a four-wheel drive vehicle--gives a skewed perception of Kantolomba. True, there are a lot of bars near the main entrance to the compound, but once away from that one finds a very quiet community of folks raising children, cooking food, cleaning, doing laundry and all the other tasks of daily life.
The sights as we walk through the compound
At the clothespin factory.
The clothespin order had been placed ahead. We were assured that they would have the 1800 pins we had ordered ready when we arrived. In all honesty there were some skeptics. It just didn't seem possible for 1800 clothespins to be hand-made in one day. Once again, we were wrong. Give these people a job and they get it done!
The sewing room was missing a table for one of the machines. The table the gals previously used was hauled back and forth from the storage room, where the sewing happened, to the room where the children are fed when it's meal time. A spiff new table was constructed, much to the ladies' delight, and now each seamstress has a comfortable--or at least tolerable--work station. We keep reminding ourselves that they are very happy with their new accommodations, even though the whole set-up is far from meeting any standards for ergonomic.
Bob and Muyunda working on a new sewing table.
The women hard at work in their new shop.
As we were leaving, Muyunda announced that yesterday at 5:00 p.m. he became a father for the first time. His wife is in Chingola with her parents for the final stage of the pregnancy and delivered a healthy baby girl. He will go see his new daughter on Sunday; for now he must work while the work is available, and he seems fine with that. We musungus immediately start to plan for a gift.
Back from our walk around the compound we visited the children in the classroom.
What a fabulous dress!
Beautiful eyes
And beautiful smile!
Muyunda reads the newspaper cover to cover everyday. We think his new daughter is one lucky gal!
A rather idyllic view down the porch just before we depart for the day.