Tamara and Melissa went to St Francis in the morning, expecting to work with specific students. Exams were on again, however, and their students were not there. Furthermore, the teachers had gone into the city to get sworn in (why exactly isn't clear), so there were not enough adults to oversee the exams. So they pitched in and became exam monitors, and later marked the exams. Jean spent time in the library again, and later spoke with some teachers.
Later in the morning Tamara, Melissa and Nancy went back to MyaPopa, the ministry for street boys. They prepared food, mended clothes, and some of the soccer jerseys & shorts we brought are used here. The boys change out of their clothes into the spares, and have theirs washed. The ladies all are very excited about this ministry, and speak very highly of it.
Power was off early in the morning, so Douglas was computerless. It came on around 10:00 so I walked to St Francis. Unfortunately, the teachers were gone to the swearing in, and they had the only keys to the computer lab. I looked at a printer they had, but only had downloaded the Windows XP driver, and couldn't get the Windows 7 driver (St Francis has no Internet). Returning to the Friary, I spoke on the phone with a fellow Brother Tony has been talking to about additional computers. He is expected to arrive Wednesday evening. This fellow is also responsible for getting the books in the library, and to organize them. We'll see what happens.
Ted and Bill went to Lifesong, and the ceiling mounted projector screen was there, so they set it up. Kasumba, the computer tech, plugged in his laptop and started playing a cartoon to test the projector & screen. The kids were enthralled and booed when he turned it off. They then went back to girls boarding to finish the mosquito screen project. Doug joined them later in the afternoon and helped. The job is completed as far as we can take it. Shane the school manager is happy with the work.
Wednesday, 29 July 2015
Tuesday, 28 July 2015
Monday - Day 6
Today was our first day to work at St Francis Secondary School, which is run by the Friary. It was also our first day to have a collision between Canadian and Zambian ideas.
When we arrived, we found that grade 12 students were writing national exams, so the rest of the students were not at school. So, Melissa and Tamara and Jean were not able to see the students they thought they would. So, being adaptable, they went off with Nancy to sort the donation of books that had arrived to equip a library. Doug started looking at the computers they had, most of which were not working, aided by Ted and Bill.
The idea was to move these old computers into an adjacent smaller room, and prepare the main room for the shipment of computers was on the way. However, the small room had no power outlets. So the guys got to work swapping parts and monitors around until 11 computers were working. The old/broken parts were put aside in the small room, though there is no recycling nor even a land fill to get rid of them. Bill & Ted also looked at an A/C unit that was there, but an electrician is needed for that job. Doug also removed viruses from the head master and assistant head master's computers. Bill and Ted went back to Lifesong to arrange for more lumber for the mosquito screening, and to order a projector screen to be mounted in the cafeteria. They also got back to work with the mosquito screening project, using the bits of wood that they did have. Power went out at around 11:15 so no more computer work that day.
In the library, the ladies got to work sorting books which had been donated and shipped from the U.S. Many were college/university level, and these were put aside. Fiction was put on one shelf and other books sorted by subject. The Canadians wanted to see where the university level books could be donated, and to get rid of those books which were clearly out of date (Doug filled a box of computer books that were very much out of date). The Zambians wanted to keep all the books, no matter what. Meanwhile, a government official from the Ministry of Education was touring the school, and made the comment 'none of our other schools have a library like this'. The Zambians are also reluctant to let students take books out of the library, we believe because they fear the books won't be returned. The Canadians found this idea very frustrating. After a few conversations with different people, we had to step back and remember it is not our library, not our books, and we won't be here next week to manage things, the Zambians will, so we need to honour their wishes, even if we don't understand them.
A frustrating day for us, but we remember that we are guests here, and are trying to help, not trying to impose ourselves and our ideas onto the people here who will continue to work long after we are gone home.
When we arrived, we found that grade 12 students were writing national exams, so the rest of the students were not at school. So, Melissa and Tamara and Jean were not able to see the students they thought they would. So, being adaptable, they went off with Nancy to sort the donation of books that had arrived to equip a library. Doug started looking at the computers they had, most of which were not working, aided by Ted and Bill.
The idea was to move these old computers into an adjacent smaller room, and prepare the main room for the shipment of computers was on the way. However, the small room had no power outlets. So the guys got to work swapping parts and monitors around until 11 computers were working. The old/broken parts were put aside in the small room, though there is no recycling nor even a land fill to get rid of them. Bill & Ted also looked at an A/C unit that was there, but an electrician is needed for that job. Doug also removed viruses from the head master and assistant head master's computers. Bill and Ted went back to Lifesong to arrange for more lumber for the mosquito screening, and to order a projector screen to be mounted in the cafeteria. They also got back to work with the mosquito screening project, using the bits of wood that they did have. Power went out at around 11:15 so no more computer work that day.
In the library, the ladies got to work sorting books which had been donated and shipped from the U.S. Many were college/university level, and these were put aside. Fiction was put on one shelf and other books sorted by subject. The Canadians wanted to see where the university level books could be donated, and to get rid of those books which were clearly out of date (Doug filled a box of computer books that were very much out of date). The Zambians wanted to keep all the books, no matter what. Meanwhile, a government official from the Ministry of Education was touring the school, and made the comment 'none of our other schools have a library like this'. The Zambians are also reluctant to let students take books out of the library, we believe because they fear the books won't be returned. The Canadians found this idea very frustrating. After a few conversations with different people, we had to step back and remember it is not our library, not our books, and we won't be here next week to manage things, the Zambians will, so we need to honour their wishes, even if we don't understand them.
A frustrating day for us, but we remember that we are guests here, and are trying to help, not trying to impose ourselves and our ideas onto the people here who will continue to work long after we are gone home.
Sunday, 26 July 2015
Weekend - Saturday & Sunday
Plans for Saturday morning fell through, so we spent the day quietly at the Friary. At 3 p.m. (or 15 hours as they say here) we were driven to the Kitwe Market by Mary. The market is a maze of shops close together. The narrow paths between the shops are uneven dirt with concrete and bricks in just enough places to turn your ankle. There are unknown liquids running down the middle of the paths, some of which are covered over with hastily made board walks. The shops seem to sell everything; food, new & used clothes, furniture, phones & electronics, cosmetics and jewelry. Mary took us to a shop that sells cloth for making chitenge (chit-en-GAY) which is a type of skirt the local ladies use for just about everything, including wrapping a baby on their back. Mary made sure we got the Zambian price, not the rich-white-tourist price. Next we went to a shop that sells carvings and paintings. Many things in each shop are the same, but they are apparently made in Zambia using ebony, malacite and hematite. Again, negotiations were mainly handled by Mary. On the way back to the Friary, the air was very hazy with smoke, thick enough to be a fog. Once we got away from the city it was better.
Sunday was an early start to go to the Roman Catholic church in Kitwe for 7:30 service. However, today was the Feast of the Sacred Heart, so the service was moved to the school field nearby which is run by this church. So the 8:00 service started at about 8:50 and was a mix of English and Bembe, the local language. The singing in Bembe is very beautiful, and the drummers add a great beat. The homily from the priest compared married relationships to bone marrow, (to lots of laughter) so calling your spouse 'my bone marrow' is a good thing. We were invited to Barry the St. Francis School head master's house for breakfast. His wife had the meal ready for 9:00 but because of the service change, we didn't get there until nearly noon. It was interesting to drive through the middle/upper class suburb and see the houses and gardens. Our welcome was very warm and the meal delicious. The rest of the afternoon was spent quietly at the Friary.
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Part of the maze that is the Kitwe Market
Shopping for chitenge (skirts)
Drums, Singing & Dancing at Church
Brother Tony Speaking at Church
Saturday, 25 July 2015
Friday - Day 5
Friday - Day 5
Last day at Lifesong. The morning we ran the school assembly, and tried to have photos on the screen using the new projector. Power was off, however, and the generator was giving trouble, so the photos were only on for a short time. It all went well, and the power came at the end so we could show some photos of Canada.
We were able to look at and purchase some of the crafts made by the girls in the boarding house. They had many different things; bags, ornaments, necklaces, book marks and rag-rugs. The money raised is used by the girls to purchase items needed for the house. Last time they bought extra blankets for each bed. While this was going on, Jean had another look at the cut finger from yesterday. It needs stitches, but no one was able to do it as the nurse Crista-Belle is home sick herself. A medical team is arriving at the Friary this weekend to work at Lifesong next week so hopefully they can do something with it.
Work continued in the classrooms today. Nancy had a chance to pray with the school pastor over some of the students. Bill, Ted and Doug worked on screening in the car port against mosquitoes at the girls dorm, and got one wall completed. There was time for good byes to the students in the afternoon. The students understand that they have a good thing here, and are very grateful.
The evening was for a dinner in The Compound, the nearby community where most of the students live. It is a very poor area, with deeply rutted dirt roads that must be a sea of mud during the rainy season. There are children everywhere, playing with sticks, rocks and the odd old tire. No X-box or iPhones here. We were split into two groups and taken to the houses of two of the ladies who work at the farm. They had spent 3 hours preparing a feast for their guests with food paid for by us. There was chicken, mushrooms in a sauce, soup, a type of cake made from ground nuts (peanuts), cabbage, and cooked greens. Also on the menu was caterpillars. I had eaten them in 2011, and they are fine, sort of like well cooked bacon with an oiliness
to them. They are a good source of protein and something the family wouldn't afford normally. And of course there was nshima (en-SHEE-ma), a corn meal boiled to the consistency of mashed potatoes and used to scoop up the food on the plate (no cutlery involved). We all ate our fill and left more than half the food on the table. They will eat well for a couple of days because of it. We walked back to the farm where Shane & Mitzi live in their house (they are the school administrators for Lifesong) and ate brownies, ice cream and strawberries (of course) for dessert. The contrast between their house and the the one we had just left was naturally striking. The similarity, however, was that it was full of children and the love of family.
A good day.
Good-bye new friends
Last day at Lifesong. The morning we ran the school assembly, and tried to have photos on the screen using the new projector. Power was off, however, and the generator was giving trouble, so the photos were only on for a short time. It all went well, and the power came at the end so we could show some photos of Canada.
We were able to look at and purchase some of the crafts made by the girls in the boarding house. They had many different things; bags, ornaments, necklaces, book marks and rag-rugs. The money raised is used by the girls to purchase items needed for the house. Last time they bought extra blankets for each bed. While this was going on, Jean had another look at the cut finger from yesterday. It needs stitches, but no one was able to do it as the nurse Crista-Belle is home sick herself. A medical team is arriving at the Friary this weekend to work at Lifesong next week so hopefully they can do something with it.
Work continued in the classrooms today. Nancy had a chance to pray with the school pastor over some of the students. Bill, Ted and Doug worked on screening in the car port against mosquitoes at the girls dorm, and got one wall completed. There was time for good byes to the students in the afternoon. The students understand that they have a good thing here, and are very grateful.
The evening was for a dinner in The Compound, the nearby community where most of the students live. It is a very poor area, with deeply rutted dirt roads that must be a sea of mud during the rainy season. There are children everywhere, playing with sticks, rocks and the odd old tire. No X-box or iPhones here. We were split into two groups and taken to the houses of two of the ladies who work at the farm. They had spent 3 hours preparing a feast for their guests with food paid for by us. There was chicken, mushrooms in a sauce, soup, a type of cake made from ground nuts (peanuts), cabbage, and cooked greens. Also on the menu was caterpillars. I had eaten them in 2011, and they are fine, sort of like well cooked bacon with an oiliness
A good day.
Morning Assembly in the Cafeteria
Good-bye new friends
It seems everyone knows Ted
Zambian Feast - nshima on top, caterpillars hidden underneath
Thursday - Day 4
Thursday - Day 4
Bill and Ted carried on working on screening in the car port at the girls dorm for a sitting area. It took a long time to gather up the tools needed for the job as they are scattered to the various sites. Screws were brought from home (Robertson, naturally) so those were found. By lunch time they had a system worked out.
The ladies spent the morning in the various classrooms.Melissa was working with Reception (Kindergarten) and gave some feed back to the teacher. Tamara worked with the grade one class, while Jean was in Foundations (Special Ed) and had to do some first aid on a serious cut to one boy's finger after he fell on a shard of glass. Later in the afternoon, everyone was helping with 'Prep Time' which is like homework being done at school. Math and English are the main subjects, though some were doing physics. One boy I was helping said to me 'I want to learn to use the bigger words' and his effort to understand what I was explaining was obvious.
Doug spent some time in the computer lab, and took another crack at getting the chrome books to print to the new printer. It came clear that this was not going to work, so I gave it up (darn computers). I did a few troubleshooting jobs as they came up so it felt a little like being at my own desk, only without the phone ringing. Almost heaven...
The early afternoon the team went to see the Lifesong farms. The first farm has the strawberry jam plant, which is kept spotless and is inspected by the health ministry. They are growing blackberries, and high bush blue berries. Across the street are rows of different oranges and raspberries and peach trees, which are not doing well. They are testing different plants to see what yield each crop will give, and the staff are knowledgable about nitrogen binding in the soil and pH values. A bit farther away is the strawberry farm, where they have two varieties growing. They had some trouble with them growing this year, and the yield is down, so they may try a different type when they plant again in October/November. The farm staff understand that their purpose is to generate income to support the school, and some of their children are at the school, so they are extra motivated.
The evening was time off, and the cribbage board made its first appearance. Friday we are running the assembly so we practiced a song, decided who was doing prayers and reading the bible verse, and prepared the laptop with photos from previous visits to the school and some shots of Canada, all assembled by Ted.
Bill and Ted carried on working on screening in the car port at the girls dorm for a sitting area. It took a long time to gather up the tools needed for the job as they are scattered to the various sites. Screws were brought from home (Robertson, naturally) so those were found. By lunch time they had a system worked out.
The ladies spent the morning in the various classrooms.Melissa was working with Reception (Kindergarten) and gave some feed back to the teacher. Tamara worked with the grade one class, while Jean was in Foundations (Special Ed) and had to do some first aid on a serious cut to one boy's finger after he fell on a shard of glass. Later in the afternoon, everyone was helping with 'Prep Time' which is like homework being done at school. Math and English are the main subjects, though some were doing physics. One boy I was helping said to me 'I want to learn to use the bigger words' and his effort to understand what I was explaining was obvious.
Doug spent some time in the computer lab, and took another crack at getting the chrome books to print to the new printer. It came clear that this was not going to work, so I gave it up (darn computers). I did a few troubleshooting jobs as they came up so it felt a little like being at my own desk, only without the phone ringing. Almost heaven...
The early afternoon the team went to see the Lifesong farms. The first farm has the strawberry jam plant, which is kept spotless and is inspected by the health ministry. They are growing blackberries, and high bush blue berries. Across the street are rows of different oranges and raspberries and peach trees, which are not doing well. They are testing different plants to see what yield each crop will give, and the staff are knowledgable about nitrogen binding in the soil and pH values. A bit farther away is the strawberry farm, where they have two varieties growing. They had some trouble with them growing this year, and the yield is down, so they may try a different type when they plant again in October/November. The farm staff understand that their purpose is to generate income to support the school, and some of their children are at the school, so they are extra motivated.
The evening was time off, and the cribbage board made its first appearance. Friday we are running the assembly so we practiced a song, decided who was doing prayers and reading the bible verse, and prepared the laptop with photos from previous visits to the school and some shots of Canada, all assembled by Ted.
Lifesong Farms - Supporting the School
Strawberry Jam Production
The final product
Thursday, 23 July 2015
Wednesday - Day 3
Wednesday - Day 3
Work continued today in the classrooms and with homework after school. The projector is fully functional, and work started on screening in the former garage at the girl's dorm. Jean spent some time in the Foundations class, which is a special ed class and did some teacher training. Work was done organizing the library, and Tamara found a book titled 'Snow' which is something not seen here. Nancy was able to go into the city and purchase food for the children's meal program with money donated for that purpose. Doug had a chance encounter with Dennis who runs Harmony School in Kitwe, a sister school to Lifesong. We hope to have some time next week for some of us to go and have a visit.
Evening was a bible study at the school for the boarding students, boys and girls both. Songs were sung, and verses read. There was teaching on how God uses people who aren't perfect. It was a good time to spend with the students. Mitzi drove us back to the Friary and we had time together to reflect on the day.
The lack of power for great chunks of the day is getting old fast...
Work continued today in the classrooms and with homework after school. The projector is fully functional, and work started on screening in the former garage at the girl's dorm. Jean spent some time in the Foundations class, which is a special ed class and did some teacher training. Work was done organizing the library, and Tamara found a book titled 'Snow' which is something not seen here. Nancy was able to go into the city and purchase food for the children's meal program with money donated for that purpose. Doug had a chance encounter with Dennis who runs Harmony School in Kitwe, a sister school to Lifesong. We hope to have some time next week for some of us to go and have a visit.
Evening was a bible study at the school for the boarding students, boys and girls both. Songs were sung, and verses read. There was teaching on how God uses people who aren't perfect. It was a good time to spend with the students. Mitzi drove us back to the Friary and we had time together to reflect on the day.
The lack of power for great chunks of the day is getting old fast...
Kasumba with the new Canon printer in the High School Lab - Over 3000 copies printed for Grade 7 exams on the first day !
Projector brought from Thunder Bay, mounted and ready to use, if the power would only stay on.
Wednesday, 22 July 2015
Tuesday - Day 2
Tuesday - Day 2
Today the team divided up to take on different tasks.
Nancy, Tamara and Melissa went to a street mission called MoyaPapa. This group picks up boys and young men from the streets of Kitwe and drives them to the country for the day. The boys clothes get washed and while they are waiting to dry they can get a filling meal and play some soccer. The boys also get a bath and have their clothes mended. Much like at home, most have mental health and addiction issues but there is an opportunity for the boys to be placed in a school and get taken care of if they wish it, but most do not. They all used their child welfare skills to listen and be a friend to these people, if only for a day. All three came back excited about their experience. In the evening all the women went to the Lifesong girls dorm for a meal and time to visit. The boys are generally more forward in speaking with team members, so it was good to be able to focus on some of the girls for an evening.
Ted was still under the weather today, but by afternoon had some noticeable improvement. He stayed back and rested so as not to have a setback, and hopes to join the group tomorrow.
Doug, Bill and Jean went to Lifesong School in the morning. Jean worked with teachers and students, putting her skills to good use. She has been asked to do some of the work with the math manipulatives that were brought here in 2013 and show the staff and students how they work. Unfortunately the sets of items are not complete, so some time will be taken up tracking them down, if they are still even at the school. Bill worked on getting the projector we brought from Thunder Bay setup in the cafeteria/assembly building. The electrician installed an electrical plug in the rafters where it is to be mounted. There was some misunderstanding as he assumed we wanted 110v power when the standard here is 220v. I assured him that the projector we brought will do both. Some U.S. teams have had items burn out when the plug them into the higher voltage sockets, so there are a number of plugs setup separately to be put on a transformer to make the power 110v. By the end of the day the projector was mounted and ready to go. Doug continued work in the high school computer lab trying to make Chromebooks print wirelessly to the new printer. This was not successful. The internet connection is slow and seems to cut out regularly, and the power went off at 12:30 in the afternoon, bringing computer work to a halt. After lunch Doug walked over to St Francis Secondary school, where we plan to spend some time next week, to look at their computers. They have a lab of old Pentium 4 computers, most of which don't work. The ministry of education has mandated a computer component to the curriculum, so right now all the students can do is read about computers in general, and books on Word & Excel, but not actually try them. A shipment of less-old used computers was supposed to have arrived at the school and it was hoped that those could be setup next week, but that is not going to happen.
In the evening, Doug & Bill went to a meeting of the Kitwe Rotary club. The Kitwe club has worked with Lifesong school on funding a number of projects, and it is hoped that the Lakehead Club, which has been raising money, can partner with the Kitwe Club to make something happen. The meeting was typical, with business mixed with good humour, and fines being handed out to everyone for many silly infractions. The Sargent-at-arms was fined for making a reference to 'our American guests' when we are, in fact, Canadian. Afterwards Caleb from Lifesong (who was our driver and escort for the evening) with other Caleb from Lifesong, took us to a local Indian restaurant where we ate our fill for not too much money.
Today the team divided up to take on different tasks.
Nancy, Tamara and Melissa went to a street mission called MoyaPapa. This group picks up boys and young men from the streets of Kitwe and drives them to the country for the day. The boys clothes get washed and while they are waiting to dry they can get a filling meal and play some soccer. The boys also get a bath and have their clothes mended. Much like at home, most have mental health and addiction issues but there is an opportunity for the boys to be placed in a school and get taken care of if they wish it, but most do not. They all used their child welfare skills to listen and be a friend to these people, if only for a day. All three came back excited about their experience. In the evening all the women went to the Lifesong girls dorm for a meal and time to visit. The boys are generally more forward in speaking with team members, so it was good to be able to focus on some of the girls for an evening.
Ted was still under the weather today, but by afternoon had some noticeable improvement. He stayed back and rested so as not to have a setback, and hopes to join the group tomorrow.
Doug, Bill and Jean went to Lifesong School in the morning. Jean worked with teachers and students, putting her skills to good use. She has been asked to do some of the work with the math manipulatives that were brought here in 2013 and show the staff and students how they work. Unfortunately the sets of items are not complete, so some time will be taken up tracking them down, if they are still even at the school. Bill worked on getting the projector we brought from Thunder Bay setup in the cafeteria/assembly building. The electrician installed an electrical plug in the rafters where it is to be mounted. There was some misunderstanding as he assumed we wanted 110v power when the standard here is 220v. I assured him that the projector we brought will do both. Some U.S. teams have had items burn out when the plug them into the higher voltage sockets, so there are a number of plugs setup separately to be put on a transformer to make the power 110v. By the end of the day the projector was mounted and ready to go. Doug continued work in the high school computer lab trying to make Chromebooks print wirelessly to the new printer. This was not successful. The internet connection is slow and seems to cut out regularly, and the power went off at 12:30 in the afternoon, bringing computer work to a halt. After lunch Doug walked over to St Francis Secondary school, where we plan to spend some time next week, to look at their computers. They have a lab of old Pentium 4 computers, most of which don't work. The ministry of education has mandated a computer component to the curriculum, so right now all the students can do is read about computers in general, and books on Word & Excel, but not actually try them. A shipment of less-old used computers was supposed to have arrived at the school and it was hoped that those could be setup next week, but that is not going to happen.
In the evening, Doug & Bill went to a meeting of the Kitwe Rotary club. The Kitwe club has worked with Lifesong school on funding a number of projects, and it is hoped that the Lakehead Club, which has been raising money, can partner with the Kitwe Club to make something happen. The meeting was typical, with business mixed with good humour, and fines being handed out to everyone for many silly infractions. The Sargent-at-arms was fined for making a reference to 'our American guests' when we are, in fact, Canadian. Afterwards Caleb from Lifesong (who was our driver and escort for the evening) with other Caleb from Lifesong, took us to a local Indian restaurant where we ate our fill for not too much money.
Bill Assembling The Projector
Lunch In The Cafeteria
Rotary Club Meeting
Tuesday, 21 July 2015
Monday - Day 1
We started the day early, arriving at Lifesong School at 7:30 for the morning assembly. The children sang, had a bible teaching, announcments, the national anthem, and the team from Canada was introduced.
Mitzi, the director of Residential Services (a.k.a. boss lady), took us on a tour first thing. We saw the classrooms for the school, and the recently built secondary school which is very nice. Next we walked about 100 m down the road to the girls dormotories. This a newly aquired property houses 25 girls grade 8 to 10. Girls in particular are at risk to drop out (or be taken out) of school due to pregnancy and/or early marriage. They have house chores to do and a 'house mom' to keep an eye on things. There are expansion plans as the school grows to grade 11 and 12 in the next two years.
A good distance down the road (a deliberate move) is the boys dorm. Two new houses have been built, and hold a total of 23 boys. Each has a couple to be a 'house mom & dad' and the boys also have chores in addition to their homework and bible study. Two new houses are being built to meet the demand as the school expands over the next two years.
Work got started, setting up a wireless printer, and checking how to mount the projector we brought with us from home. There were some problems, but nothing unusual for getting started on a new project. Our social workers and teachers had some time to begin working with the children and discuss options for the upcoming week. The ladies also had some time in the afternoon with the Lifesong farm workers (all women, who are much more reliable than men) to speak English and just get to know each other. They had a great time and learned much about the ladies lives (Sunday is their favourite day). Late afternoon the whole team spent time helping the students with their homework, which was challenging to us (how many degrees inside a triangle? how do you add two matricies?) National grade 7 testing is coming up next week, so they are studying hard.
Evening had some time to get grocieries at the 'Pick-n-Pay', a modern grocery store. Interesting to see middle class Zambians shopping with their families. A security guard talked to me for a few minutes, wanting to know how things were in Canada. Also this evening, a chance to discuss the day as a team, and discuss the things coming up. Ted, unfortunately is quite sick, and has spent most of his time so far in bed.
Power has been out many evenings, starting at 6 p.m., so making supper, and updating folks at home is difficult.
Mitzi, the director of Residential Services (a.k.a. boss lady), took us on a tour first thing. We saw the classrooms for the school, and the recently built secondary school which is very nice. Next we walked about 100 m down the road to the girls dormotories. This a newly aquired property houses 25 girls grade 8 to 10. Girls in particular are at risk to drop out (or be taken out) of school due to pregnancy and/or early marriage. They have house chores to do and a 'house mom' to keep an eye on things. There are expansion plans as the school grows to grade 11 and 12 in the next two years.
A good distance down the road (a deliberate move) is the boys dorm. Two new houses have been built, and hold a total of 23 boys. Each has a couple to be a 'house mom & dad' and the boys also have chores in addition to their homework and bible study. Two new houses are being built to meet the demand as the school expands over the next two years.
Work got started, setting up a wireless printer, and checking how to mount the projector we brought with us from home. There were some problems, but nothing unusual for getting started on a new project. Our social workers and teachers had some time to begin working with the children and discuss options for the upcoming week. The ladies also had some time in the afternoon with the Lifesong farm workers (all women, who are much more reliable than men) to speak English and just get to know each other. They had a great time and learned much about the ladies lives (Sunday is their favourite day). Late afternoon the whole team spent time helping the students with their homework, which was challenging to us (how many degrees inside a triangle? how do you add two matricies?) National grade 7 testing is coming up next week, so they are studying hard.
Evening had some time to get grocieries at the 'Pick-n-Pay', a modern grocery store. Interesting to see middle class Zambians shopping with their families. A security guard talked to me for a few minutes, wanting to know how things were in Canada. Also this evening, a chance to discuss the day as a team, and discuss the things coming up. Ted, unfortunately is quite sick, and has spent most of his time so far in bed.
Power has been out many evenings, starting at 6 p.m., so making supper, and updating folks at home is difficult.
Girls Dorm Room - Nice And Tidy
New Boys Dorm Homes - One Couple And 12 Boys Will Live In Each Home
Tamara's Birthday - One Candle
Sunday, 19 July 2015
What a long strange trip it has been
The good news is, we have all arrived in Zambia, and all our bags did too, which is surely a miracle.
Arriving at the Thunder Bay International Airport, on Wednesday the 15th, we learned that our Westjet flight would be delayed, preventing us from making our connection (yes, Westjet, not Air Canada was messing up our connections). They got us on a later flight, gave us meal vouchers and put us up in a Toronto airport hotel.
There is a convoluted connection between WestJet, KLM/Air France, Delta and Kenya Airways. Apparently none of the computer systems talk to each other very well (darn computers). So the friendly Westjet agent couldn't be certain we were booked through the next day. So we spent the day in the GTA walking around the mall, watching a movie (Jurassic World - 3D effects A+, story C-), and then waiting in line at the KLM desk. Some got tickets right away, others it wasn't so clear we would be on the flight. This waiting at airline desks would be repeated in Amsterdam, and Nairobi. A bit of stress but it all worked out. We arrived Ndola Zambia on Saturday afternoon, got through customs no problem (the lady could tell I had been here in 2011 on a different passport, darn computers!) after having our body temperature read by a gun like device (don't know what they were checking for, Yellow Fever? Ebola?). We were picked up by Shane & Caleb from Lifesong school at the Ndola airport and driven to the Friary near Kitwe.
Today we went to the nearby Roman Catholic church with Brother Tony and were warmly welcomed. We have been solidifying plans for the week to come and tomorrow we will begin with a tour at the Lifesong School.
First impressions, things have grown in this area; new houses, new roads, new businesses. Makes me recall the Janet Stein talk we had in 2011 for that year's team, where she said Africa would have great growth. It certainly seems that way at first glance.
Arriving at the Thunder Bay International Airport, on Wednesday the 15th, we learned that our Westjet flight would be delayed, preventing us from making our connection (yes, Westjet, not Air Canada was messing up our connections). They got us on a later flight, gave us meal vouchers and put us up in a Toronto airport hotel.
There is a convoluted connection between WestJet, KLM/Air France, Delta and Kenya Airways. Apparently none of the computer systems talk to each other very well (darn computers). So the friendly Westjet agent couldn't be certain we were booked through the next day. So we spent the day in the GTA walking around the mall, watching a movie (Jurassic World - 3D effects A+, story C-), and then waiting in line at the KLM desk. Some got tickets right away, others it wasn't so clear we would be on the flight. This waiting at airline desks would be repeated in Amsterdam, and Nairobi. A bit of stress but it all worked out. We arrived Ndola Zambia on Saturday afternoon, got through customs no problem (the lady could tell I had been here in 2011 on a different passport, darn computers!) after having our body temperature read by a gun like device (don't know what they were checking for, Yellow Fever? Ebola?). We were picked up by Shane & Caleb from Lifesong school at the Ndola airport and driven to the Friary near Kitwe.
Today we went to the nearby Roman Catholic church with Brother Tony and were warmly welcomed. We have been solidifying plans for the week to come and tomorrow we will begin with a tour at the Lifesong School.
First impressions, things have grown in this area; new houses, new roads, new businesses. Makes me recall the Janet Stein talk we had in 2011 for that year's team, where she said Africa would have great growth. It certainly seems that way at first glance.
Nairobi Airport - Still much the same, the fire didn't do enough much damage.
The Whole Team At the Friary
Brother Tony Receiving Hand Tools Donated To St. Francis Secondary School
Thursday, 16 July 2015
Delayed
We have made it, to Toronto...
Mechanical difficulties with the Westjet plane casused our flight to be late, and so we missed our connection to Amsterdam. We are ok with that, as on one likes to be on the plane when the pilot asks for volunteers to get out and push at 35,000 feet. We were not able to confirm new connections last night, so our itinerary is up in the air so to speak.
Mechanical difficulties with the Westjet plane casused our flight to be late, and so we missed our connection to Amsterdam. We are ok with that, as on one likes to be on the plane when the pilot asks for volunteers to get out and push at 35,000 feet. We were not able to confirm new connections last night, so our itinerary is up in the air so to speak.
Team Leader Nancy Working Things Out With Westjet
"Keep your friends close, and your boarding pass closer" - Ancient Traveler's Proverb
Wednesday, 15 July 2015
Travel day number one :)
A small 3.5 hour delay out of thunder means catching no connecting flights, but on the bright side we are having tons of laughs and good team building.
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