Dave started his day with yet another visit to Mr. Chaila from the Water Affairs Department, who claimed he was off to get the compressor, and followed with meetings with two mechanics for second and third opinions on what to do with our poor car.
Tracey is researching sewing machines and supplies for the sewing/knitting cooperatives as well as continuing her search for Zambian chitenge. She's come up with another, we think, brilliant idea for an item the ladies can produce. Experimenting with strips of material for rag rugs, hook rugs, and dolls, she decided to see if she could knit the strips. Sure enough, and the brilliant idea is to knit chitenge jackets.
The beginning of a knitted chitenge jacket.
The only difficulty we could see with our knitted jacket scheme is that the gals crochet instead of knitting. Ha! Our Josephine knows how to knit as well as crochet. We don't know when we're going to stop being surprised by what these people can do. So far everything we've needed--electricians, plumbers, mechanics, brick-layers, knitters, teachers--we've been able to find right in the community. We're learning that what we need to do is ask rather than automatically assuming we will need to look outside the community simply because no one has a "shingle" outside the door. We have many hidden treasures.
Josephine shows Rebecca the chitenge knitting.
After a quick lunch at the flat, we're off to Kantolomba in our car. We're tired of waiting for and paying for taxis. What's the worst that can happen? We'll ruin the engine? Too late, that ship has already sailed!
We settle into our favorite meeting spot, the palapa, for a heartening report from Tom: English classes are going great and are very popular; fifty-four of the one hundred 10- to 15-year-olds have been selected; the gals are set to make uniforms for the students; plans are in place for giving out the photos of our current 100 children that Tom printed during his whirlwind trip back to the U.S.; all supplies are gathered for the art classes with the little guys; and a plan is in place for photographing the older students as they come on board. Having an excellent team makes life easy!
Meeting in the palapa.
The RDC stopped by the palapa to talk with us about the houses next door. Everyone agrees that we simply cannot have people distilling alcohol mere feet away from the building where little kids are attending school. Even if the product were not an issue, the smoke and loud music create an impossible atmosphere. The RDC is very enthusiastic and supportive of what we're doing and assured us that some kind of arrangement can be made with our neighbors. We can either buy their property or the community will find them another plot and provide them with a house. The RDC, and apparently the larger community, really wants the community center, the medical facility, and the educational opportunities, and is committed to providing any and all assistance he can.
Meeting with the RDC (back).
The RDC trying on his new gift.
Everesto came to the palapa after finishing his school day. We listened excitedly as Magnus explained to him about United World Colleges and the possibility that he might attend one of them. We thought his smile couldn't get bigger or his eyes brighter, but then Tom told him about his new laptop computer!
Tom, Jen, Everesto, Magnus.
Magnus showing Everesto some photos from home in Norway.
We presented Josephine with a birthday card from all of us, all of you: Living Compassion.
Tom and crew left with Josephine to research mosquito nets. They will stop by Beauty's house to see her two beds under which 10 people sleep with nets. We've realized that while we have our experience with nets, it would be helpful to see what kind of net would be best for Kantolombans. We'll have a report tomorrow.