Saturday was Jen and Melinda's last full day in Zambia. Theresa and the two new Living Compassion staff, Mukonda and Martha, met with us at Castle Lodge in the morning to go over a statement describing the vision and working guidelines for Living Compassion, a reference point for our work together. Plans and possibilities for the future were part of the discussion as well. It was a lively meeting with many good ideas being generated. It seemed from the interactions among Theresa, Martha and Mukonda that they will work together well as a team and be a powerful force for moving ahead in Kantolomba.
Mukonda, Martha and Theresa at Castle Lodge
In the afternoon we drove to Kantolomba for one last visit before leaving Zambia. As always it seemed too soon to be ending the trip, while at the same time it seemed as though a great deal has been put in place for the work to continue. Just a few of the cooperative folks were at the compound when we arrived, for many others were ill or attending funerals. This was Martha's first visit to Kantolomba since joining the staff. She was given a brief tour of the building and introduced to the people who were there. She was warmly received and seemed quite at ease with the community.
Jen in the sewing room, modeling the new apron as Mukonda looks on
Jen, Memory and Veronica trying on the new desk for size
Books available for the cooperative
Veronica with Elizabeth, reading "Little Women"
Mukonda (standing) and Martha at the building
Handy clothesline - and children playing in the tree beyond it
Brenda, Mabel and another woman watching the tour
Muyunda drove us back to Castle Lodge, and over cold drinks (an orange Fanta for him - the drink of choice, it seems, for many Zambians) Jen presented him with a computer in what promises to be the first step in a new career for him in IT.
Jen showing Muyunda his new computer
Please see Cheri's blog entry for more details about Saturday's events.
This was an unusual visit in many ways, although we realize every visit to Zambia is unusual in its own way. We had spent much less time in Kantolomba than on many earlier visits, and yet what had been accomplished overall was extraordinary. Hiring Mukonda and Martha to work with the cooperative, and to be communication liaisons between Kantolomba and the United States, will in the long run contribute enormously to the forward movement of the Africa Vulnerable Children Project.
Sunday morning was time to pack, to say our goodbyes to the wonderful staff at Castle Lodge, and to get to the airport in time for an early afternoon departure from Ndola. Eunice provided transport for Jen and Melinda (Cheri would be leaving the next day), while Cheri and Theresa came along to see them off. There was enough time to stop for coffee and a bit of conversation. We found the nearby coffee/tea shop to be very quiet on a Sunday morning.
At the Koffee & Tea shop
Checking in at the Ndola airport
The flight left on schedule, and we enjoyed the beautiful clouds above Zambia as the plane ascended over Ndola and our return to the United States began.
The beautiful clouds above Ndola
In Johannesburg Jen had hoped to find Elbie, the SAA ticket agent who had played a leading role in locating Theresa during the lost passport saga. In a Target store in the US, Jen had found a fabulous red rose and had been carrying it throughout the trip on the chance of being able to present it to Elbie. It turned out to be a special rose, indeed, for all of the people who saw it exclaimed over it, wishing they had one too. Alas, Elbie was not working on Sunday, but her co-worker Simon, a man with the most contagious smile, promised he would get it to Elbie when she returned to work the next day. The encounter with Simon was a definite high point in the 30+-hour trip back to the US.
Jen and the red rose - Johannesburg airport
Simon, the South African Airways agent
A fitting end to another rewarding visit to Zambia.