This was our last full day here in Ndola and we spent it tying up loose ends. Following our daily custom, a team of us worked on the blog after breakfast while others gathered together the mountains of clothes and school supplies that we brought with us to Africa as donations.
As we were heading out to drop them off at Theresa’s home, we ran into Elvis at the door who delivered the drum we had commissioned a couple of days before.
The team then went to Kantolomba to say goodbye to our dear friends and partners. Arriving to cheering children and sights of the volunteers progressing on the projects has been a joy that we will surely miss.
We were surprised to see the enormous gate that was built had been secured to the fence. As a temporary solution they had ingeniously used tire rubber for hinges until the local blacksmith could create some for the long term.
Inside the schoolyard, some masons were building a concrete basin around the water spigot.
We wanted to meet with the volunteers again as well as take photos of more Kantolomba crafts people who we could possibly support.
Broom maker.
Woman who knits and crochets.
There was no way we could have foreseen what was to happen next. One of the women volunteers handed us a plastic bag with something rather large inside that was wrapped in newspaper. Our translator said that the women wanted to offer us a gift. We were amazed to pull from the bag a beautiful, handmade clay pot.
No sooner had we caught our breaths than we turned to the Coordinator handing us yet another bag and told us that this was a gift from him and the teachers. It was another equally gorgeous glazed pot with handles. Words could not express the energy in that schoolroom as exclamations of deep appreciation abounded from everyone. Gratitude is contagious. Gratitude wants to give.
Then it was time for us to pass out the handmade t-shirts created by children last year at our 4th Annual Bridgewalk. The shirts were definitely a hit with the children as you can tell from the photo.
We invite you to join us this year to paint more t-shirts yourself for next year’s Africa Team.
We learned that a woman in Kantolomba created the pots we received as gifts. Without a doubt, we knew that we had to meet her. Theresa led us to her home where she was working on her latest masterpiece.
We then discovered that the carpenter we had seen working on the other side of the house was her husband.
What an industrious family!
After our big day in Kantolomba, we wrapped up the final details with the Zambia Living Compassion team: Theresa, Ignatius, and Mr. Kayula.
Inspired by our many successes of the day and the past three weeks, we went home, packed into the night, and went to bed.