(Note: This blog entry marks the beginning of the second half trip Cheri and Jen made to Zambia in October 2006) Tuesday began with the return visit to the Deputy District Commissioner’s office. We met about registering Living Compassion as an NGO in Zambia. The registration fee has increased ten-fold in the last year. Mr. Satwinda, the Deputy DC, agreed the fee is too high, but when he explained the red-tape involved in waiving the fee, we decided just paying the fee was well worth it.
We then walked down the hallway to the DC’s office and waited for 45 minutes while he met with a government intelligence officer, there to collect local opinion on the re-elected President’s choice for cabinet members. The DC is one of the most charming people we have met in Zambia, and his infectious smile and apology were enough to allay our frustrations once we were finally welcomed into his office. He arranged for someone from his staff to accompany us to the Water Affairs office and then to the Building Department. Having an escort from the DC is a ticket straight into any government office so we were grateful.
Though we were disappointed not to meet with the woman who is the head of Water Affairs (she was not in that day), we had a great meeting with one of the engineers. We explained our need to drill a well in Kantolomba and asked if his office could help. Using the government equipment to drill is far less expensive than employing a private company. He was quite sure he could help, and we arranged to have an on-site visit in Kantolomba on Thursday.
The rig to drill wells. |
Chomba, the water engineer. |
The building meeting was equally successful. Steve, the head of the building department, listened attentively as we laid out our vision for the property we are purchasing in Kantolomba. The DC had already explained that we want to work with a woman contractor. He knows three candidates he feels are very strong. We wrote up a plan of action, detailing the steps to manifest our new center. We decided that in the time Jen is still here, Steve would draw up a site plan as well as the architectural drawings for the main building. He will later give the plans to the three women contractors who will submit quotations that Steve will send along to us in the U.S. When we come back in January, we will meet with each of the contractors and choose one. We will break ground in late spring, just after the last rains. We set the first site visit for Friday.
We went downtown to drop off Mr. Kayula. We stopped quickly at Carol’s house (one of the fabulous women we had dinner with on Sunday evening) to say goodbye before she headed off for Hong Kong to visit her sister. She gave us a copy of her thesis paper, “Non-Governmental Organizations and the Economic Empowerment Of Women.” Does this woman need to be on our team, or what? We asked if she would be willing to serve on our board and she readily accepted. We are assembling an all-star team over here! We are deeply grateful to have met her but disappointed that she will not be here this next week.
We passed through the Guest House for a whirlwind lunch before hopping back in the car to pick up Theresa and go view the potential community medical center site in Kantolomba again. If there had been any doubt before this second visit, it was washed away as we climbed the hill at the back of the property and looked down. It is a beautiful spot with a lovely view. There are several elevations, kind of like a mini version of the Monastery grounds. One ledge overlooks the main building and will be perfect for a small building to serve as office and bedrooms for us when we are there. It is starting to feel like we will soon have a solid home base here.
This view is standing at the top boundary of the property.
One of the little mud structures on the property.
Cheri and Theresa surveying.
Though we could go into great detail about the vision for the property, we are thinking it will be more fun to wait until we have the site drawings so we can scan them in and put them up on the web. Plus, we have to sleep sometime!
We finished up in Kantolomba and raced into town to get Theresa to the computer lessons with Godfrey on time. He is proving to be quite the dedicated teacher, with Jen having to advocate to let the poor students go home after an hour and 15 minute lesson and darkness looming outside. Agness, Mr. Kayula, and Theresa all report that he is an excellent instructor—clear and easy to understand. The Monastery should be so lucky as to have such thoroughly trained computer users!
During the lessons, Cheri answered emails from the U.S. and Jen did some grocery shopping. When Jen returned, Godfrey finally released the last student, and we all headed home to eat dinner, pack (Cheri leaving), and write Monday’s blog. Truly, we can hardly keep up with our exciting life here. Without awareness practice, and the reminder that taking care of ourselves is integral to the work we are doing, we would run ourselves into the ground in a short time. Thankfully, we do have practice, and thus it is just a glorious opportunity to learn how to move full-speed ahead while remaining relaxed and happy.