End of the trip already! Cheri leaves late today; Jen will leave Saturday morning.
It has been a very successful trip. We accomplished everything we came to do in ways that far exceeded our hopes. That is a nice side-benefit of awareness practice: to be able to set an intention and then let life come through in ways we could never have imagined if we were trying to "make it happen."
We had promised Friday that, if he put all the Kantolomba home roofs on before the rains began, we would bring him a laptop computer. Our motives were not 100% pure--Friday having easy access to a computer is a near guarantee that he will keep us closely informed. His new position as foreman on the community center construction makes close communication critical.
We arranged for Friday and Godfrey to meet us at the guesthouse to hand over the computer, a used, yet still in good condition, laptop that someone in the Sangha generously donated. Godfrey's role was to ensure that the laptop could connect to the wireless at the guesthouse and to arrange with Friday to begin computer lessons. It was 7:00PM. by the time we all gathered, and, true to form, Godfrey jumped right in instructing Friday, step-by-step. It is an unusual techie who can have as much detailed, expert knowledge as Godfrey and yet still be an excellent teacher, able to strip right down to the basics to teach someone who has never even typed on a keyboard.
At 7:30PM we told them it was fine with us for them to continue at another time, since they probably both had places to be. "Five more minutes," Godfrey responded. "We are just getting to the good parts."
As Friday left we said goodbye, since we wouldn't see him again this trip. "You are really making a big difference in my life," he said quietly as he got into the car. "Friday," we responded, "we feel exactly the same way. You are really making a big difference in our lives." "Sure?" he asked in his shy, humble way. Sure!
On the way out to Kantolomba this morning we stopped at the hardware store that sells hammer mills. The store owner, a very nice gentleman from India, showed us the two models they carry and explained a few other options they could order. It looks like the machine is going to cost about $2,500. One of the things we learned from meeting with Nelson and his team (the folks from People's Process on Housing and Poverty and Zambia Homeless and Poor People's Federation) is the importance of making informed choices about the kind of business to start when working with communities on microfinance projects. To get a loan to buy an expensive machine, only to have no demand for the product, would be devastating to an impoverished community. We have been asking everyone we meet whether a hammer mill to grind maize into mealie meal is a good idea in Kantolomba. There is 100% agreement. There are maize farms all around Kantolomba, but the nearest hammer mill is several kilometers away.
The hammer mill.
As Cheri and Jen looked at the hammer mill, Friday helped a fellow with car problems. Always the business man.
Then we were off to Kantolomba to say goodbye. Cheri asked Theresa if she would gather the whole team. When we arrived the property seemed pretty quiet, but as soon as the call went out people began arriving from all the places where they had been busily doing their part to make the day-to-day work of Living Compassion happen.
Everyone lined up on the side of the building. Cheri spoke and Theresa translated. Cheri reflected back what the team had laid out at our microfinance meeting: they want to buy a hammer mill, they want a piece of land to farm, and they want to start a business to make and sell Hydraform bricks. Cheri talked about buying land now. There are two good pieces of land available, and we don't want to miss the opportunity. Living Compassion will cover that initial expense. When the land begins producing, the cooperative can decide on a workable repayment plan. With the profits from the corn, the water tap (members of the community pay a very small fee--smaller than using the dirty city water, to use the Living Compassion well), the tuck shop, and the modest school fees just instituted, the cooperative will put a down payment on the hammer mill and Living Compassion will seek sponsors for the rest. When both the hammer mill and the land are producing, the cooperative will have funds to put toward the purchase of the Hydraform machine and, again, Living Compassion will seek donors to cover the rest. We researched on line and found the Hydraform will be the largest investment--between $16,000 and $25,000). And then (and this is the very exciting part) down the road, perhaps 5 years from now, when ALL of these projects are up and running and making money, the cooperative will be in a position to decide what they want to invest in next.
The cheers, clapping, and dancing were an indication that the community feels exactly as we do--the project has leaped forward. When we first started the work, we knew we were providing emergency aid in the form of money to feed people who had no way of feeding themselves. Development people always warn against "handouts." The project must be self-sustaining. While we are certainly not development experts, we have moved forward with sustainability as our intention, trusting that the way for that to happen would present itself. And it has! Suddenly we all can see it. Over time the balance is shifting as the community takes over from Living Compassion as the main funders of the project.
As we ended the meeting, the women began talking all at once. We asked Theresa to translate. "They say you are making a very big difference," Theresa relayed. Pauline was animated as she acted out how she used to have to place pans all over her house in the rainy season. "My house is dry now!" she exclaimed as she made a gesture of thanks. We responded trying to convey, as we often do, how they are really making the difference. They are making a difference in the great joy they bring to our lives and in the incredibly hard work they do every day. We joked with them that, if we worked as physically hard as they do for one day, we might not survive. We told them that they are famous in the United States (among all of you). We told them that it is their work that we write about in the blog that inspires people in the U.S. and around the world to contribute financially to the project. So, quite literally, it is their work that funds the expansion of the cooperative.
"But it would never have started if you had not have found us here," one of the men called out. We had to concur, and all agreed what great good fortune that was for us all.
They wanted this photo taken to show to all of you their gratitude.
We tried to get Friday to take a group photo of us with the team. The delay in the shutter makes it a challenge. This was the best shot we got.
The team waving goodbye as we drove away.
Thank you once again for being with us during this current chapter of transformation. We have definite plans to be back here in August and may try to squeeze a short visit in before that, depending on what life allows. Either way, we will be sure to bring you along.
As we sat at the airport waiting to board the flight to Johannesburg, fitting in last minute details, Theresa looked down at Jen's passport and remarked, "Next time it will be me with my passport on the table, getting ready to get onto the plane." Indeed!
At the airport
A few more fun images from the trip we wanted to share.
Saying goodbye to Eunice. She is a treasure, both a close friend and an invaluable resource.
Some of the cute faces around Kantolomba.
Now we almost always recognize the children we see around the compound. We can even call them by name at times. Perhaps you, too, recognize Margaret on the far right.
Motivation to keep up the good work!
Could we just bring them home with us?!?