Our first full day began with the customary trip to Shoprite to pick up food and supplies. Unfortunately, the shelves were missing quite a few essentials - we were told a shipment was coming in soon - so we planned to do a second grocery run later.
Our next stop was the internet cafe to check in with the home team. The internet at Castle Lodge is again out of commission, so we will be relying on the net cafe and Zain sticks (a USB modem you plug into your computer to access the internet) to get online. At first we weren't able to get the Zain sticks to work with the team's Mac laptops, but our local tech expert Godfrey was able to get us sorted out!
After the internet Cafe, it was time to pick up Sequoia at the airport.
Sequoia clearing customs
Our great friend Peggy with a gift we brought for her
Having collected Sequoia (and Jen's luggage), we headed back to Castle Lodge for lunch.
Sequoia meeting Eunice
After lunch we headed out to Kantolomba so that Sequoia could meet the team.
The new Living Compassion sign, painted by Beatrice's husband Duncan
Sequoia getting the first of many hugs
Jen greeting the team
After many introductions and greetings, we took a tour around the compound to see what was new since our last visit and to give Sequoia the lay of the land.
Brian admiring the alphabet illustrations, also by Duncan
More from Duncan - This time an educational poster
Admiring the sewing machines
Jen gets a Bemba lesson
The tour completed, we got to see a fun craft project Rose has the women working on. People use reed mats to sit on the floor and they wear out quickly. Rose noted that the cooperative often needed to purchase new mats and suggested instead they take old mealie meal sacks and “sew” yarn onto them creating colorful patterns that make the sacks into wonderful, strong mats. Ingenious! Rose donated all the yarn. She is a gem.
Enjoying the handiwork
Next we met with Theresa and some team members about getting started with the stove project
Bringing in the big pulumusa
Brian inspecting the big pulumusa
The team discovered that the pot supports on the pulumusa design do not scale well. The first order of business is redesigning that portion of the big stove, and then building three more of them so that all cooperative cooking will be on pulumusas. We arranged to meet with Lingson, the local tinsmith, on Tuesday. On Wednesday, we will meet with Martha about the finance tracking portion of the project.
Just before we left for the day we had a had an impromptu meeting with Theresa, all of us musungus and a handful of other co-op folks, laid out the agenda for the next day. What struck us so much was how easy and natural it all was. We simply sat down and prepared an agenda for starting the engines on all of our agenda items. As we sat there it was a reminder that the entire project is based in relationship. We are a group of people who care a great deal about each other. Even though living on opposite sides of the globe, and we come together, sit on a stone porch, and casually lay out the transformation of so many lives. We are lucky folks, indeed, and tomorrow promises to be a big day.
Satisfied with our arrangements for our work in the coming days, we headed back into town.
The rainy season has taken its toll on the roads here. We had to get out and walk to allow the car to make it through.
Back in town, we headed over to Quiksave to pick up some supplies that we weren't able to get at Shoprite. Our grocery needs attended to, we headed back to Castle Lodge.
Scenes from Kantolomba:
Jen tries out the chair-shaped bush
