While Jen once again stayed home to rest in the morning as a precautionary measure, Dave set off for town on foot to continue filing our NGO papers. For about a year now we have been inching along toward becoming an official NGO in Zambia. There is much red tape. We are determined to finish the process on this trip. We had what we thought were nearly complete papers, but Dave and Mr. Kayula (our legal advisor) spent much of the morning going over what was missing and what needs to be changed. Mr. Kayula told us we need to write a whole constitution (a fairly detailed, five-page document). It seems there is always something else.
Feeling better, Jen once again joined the team to go to Kantolomba in the afternoon. It was our first visit on this trip and would be Dave's first time seeing the new property purchased in October.
It is always an adventure getting to Kantolomba on the dirt roads, but the rainy season poses unique challenges. Theresa, with her new driver's license, maneuvered expertly over, around, and through when there was no other choice, the many ditches created in the roads by the heavy rains. The scenery on the way was exquisite–green, green, green against the rich reddish-brown of the clay earth.
A washed out road.
As we drove into Kantolomba on the main road, it was great fun to begin to see familiar faces. Big smiles and greetings from all sides. The smaller roads in Kantolomba are not passable now so we parked the car at the local police post where the RDC Chairman happened to be. We greeted him, and then set out on foot to our property.
RDC Chairman.
Before long we came upon one of the 85 collapsed houses. It is quite sobering. Most of the houses in Kantolomba are made from mud brick that is not fired nor reinforced by concrete. If it gets wet it simply returns to its original mud form. Looking at the collapsed houses was like seeing an elaborate sand castle that has been hit by a huge wave--evidence of the structure is still there, but smoothed over by the wash of water.
A lot where a house stood just a month ago.
As we approached the house where Josephine lives, I asked Pauline about Zambian custom around acknowledging a death. Was it okay to tell Josephine how sorry we are about Daniel's death? She said it would be fine--even welcome. When Josephine came out of the house, it was clear she was glad to see us though she did not smile. We told her we, too, would miss Daniel very much.
Pauline and Josephine
As we walked on, we saw Georgina, one of the teachers at the school, and her new baby Testimony, who has doubled in size since we saw her in October.
Testimony in October.
Testimony in January
On the way to the new property, we stopped in at the existing school and saw a lovely new structure they have built just inside the courtyard area. It provides a shaded seating area and a place for the women to cook lunch.
The volunteer cooks at the Living Compassion school
Imagine the profound pleasure we felt in seeing the new property again, this time dressed in the green of the African summer and surrounded by the new fence dozens of volunteers from the community pitched in to build! We were prepared for the beauty we remembered there, but even so it took our breath away, that beautiful little spot of land twelve thousand miles from our other beautiful little spot of land in California. It stands open to the African sun and sky, full of growing things, perched above the valley rolling down to the Kafubu River and miles beyond, as far as eyes can reach into the bush. Moved, as we took in this beauty, we recognized the possibility that this place represents for us and for the people of Kantolomba. Truly, we have everything to be grateful for.
At the new property
After we had our fill of exploring the place once again, the local women led us to the top of the property, and then, on a tiny trail over rocks and through stumpy trees, to the ridge that stands above the entire compound. It is the highest place around, with valleys stretching away to both sides. Looking across towards town, the women pointed to another ridge even taller than the one we stood upon, between us and the city center, its peak bristling with metal towers. "Koloko Hill," they said.
There it was, right before our eyes. Our gateway into a perfect internet connection. If we were not already religious people, we would have become so at that moment. With all of our work in Zambia, it feels as if we are being guided towards a possibility that we can only barely see. We congratulated each other excitedly: "We're in business," we said. From the top of the ridge, we looked down on our property below and imagined a new building there with classrooms and a bustling medical clinic; with water gushing from a well in the central courtyard, and a tower receiving information via the internet from all over the world, all for the use of the people here. There is so much to be done; we have so much to look forward to.
Looking at the new property from above
Once back on the property, we met Veronica, Theresa's new assistant for the projects in Kantolomba. We liked her immediately. Theresa has a knack for choosing bright, honest, big-hearted people. As we sat talking, we looked around and realized our whole core Kantolomba team was present: Theresa, Georgina, Josephine, Veronica, Beauty and Pauline--a photo op to be sure.
Left to right: Josephine, Veronica, Beauty, Pauline. Theresa, Jen.
In front: Georgina holding Testimony.
Before we left, the people who live in the main house as caretakers told us the owners of the adjacent property had expressed interest in selling their land to us. We were thrilled to hear it! We had been planning to talk with them about that. The vision for the community center is to design it California mission-style, where four sections of building connect to create a quadrangle, leaving a large courtyard in the middle. Having the adjacent property would certainly allow the area needed to accomplish that vision. We told them we would begin negotiations in the next few days.
Property Caretaker
As we walked back to the car, we continued to hear all the latest news of Kantolomba: People are excited about the well being dug. The young girl we saw in October with severe scabies is healed thanks to the generous donation of a Living Compassion participant who read about the girl and wanted to help get her medical care. One of the Living Compassion cooks who was pregnant in October gave birth to twin boys in early December. They were born prematurely, weighing just over two pounds each and miraculously seem healthy now. There was much to tell.
The newborn twins with their mom.
We were dropped off at the guesthouse in time for Dave to cook another delicious meal while Jen drafted the constitution. We ended the evening with just enough time to sit and get to bed early enough to be well rested for another big day.