AFRICA

Fred and "the beast."  This is how we get from place to place.  Kathy bought this British military truck online! what?! and it holds everyone.  Of course, it would be nothing without the amazing driver, Fred, who gets us from place to place safely.

This is the wall that surrounds the house we stay in.  This is very typical.  All of the houses are protected this way.  Those are shards of glass inbedded into the cement wall, with wound barbed wire on top.

This girl was doing the wash to support herself and her children.  She walks several miles to do the wash for the people living here.  I decided to join her.

under the mosquito net for the night.

Alice, one of our favorites at the children's resource center (CRC)

the children's living quarters on the back side of the new school: with 150 children now! they follow the same curriculum that my nieces have at their charter school in SLC

Brian and Alice

Amy helping out with a project to take back to the states and sell in the boutique

This is the amphitheatre which Brian and Colin helped to build 6 years ago.  They made bricks from the dirt found in an ant hill.  The heavy rains damaged part of the roof this last summer.

when zambians and americans cross paths...

Nshima: a traditional porridge / polenta made from mielie-meal (ground maize) and a staple food in africa.  i learned to like it although it has no nutritional value.

our favorite family: Lord and Jackie and their two girls

singing for FHE at the CRC

teaching interested learners the guitar

we visited a nearby village and taught the women how to crochet.  we also bought live chickens they raise to sell

a ball made from plastic grocery bags. they are a resourceful country. these are common among the children. they couldn't believe i had never seen one, or didn't know how they were made

Hauling the coal to sell,  they usually ride these bikes weighted with hundreds of pounds of materials.  His bike must have broken down.

the missionaries came to help us dig trenches one day

the amphitheater where the children perform (dance and sing)

Amy's kaftan and Brian's apron.  We purchased fabric and hired the local sewing club ladies to make these.

This is Anthony a "street boy" who was found by Kathy when he was 11.  He has since graduated from medical school and is in his residency.  He is brilliant and ever so faithful to his God and religion (LDS).  We are better people by knowing him.

The first grade in the school.  They are diligent, eager students.

Amy and Alice

Riding the beast home at the end of the day and eating fritters made by Faith at the CRC

Rock chippers, sit all day long chipping away at bigger rocks found in the field, to make small rocks which are then collected in bags to be sold.

Enala, our house keeper.  We had our rooms cleaned and our laundry hand washed every single day by this sweet woman.

I could barely carry ONE

The Zambian way to carry books from one room to another in the church.

Harrison, another favorite friend.  We have watched him grow from year to year.  He showed so much interest in fixing our broken camera, that we left it there for him to work on!

Bwalya, another favorite and a terrific futbol (soccer) player

Alice, who was baptized while we were there

Precious, who is, precious

Amy getting her hair plaited

Brian and Harrison

Harrison and the poinsettia tree

Fred at church, one of my favorite people of all time, my hero really, Kathy's right hand man and also our driver.

After our work with Mothers Without Borders, we went on safari in Mfuwe. We stayed in a place called Kafunta. Memorable.

Probably one of the most complex and elegant bird nests is built by the Weaver bird.....see it for yourself.....

weaver birds

these are mating lions, who are at the moment, resting. :)

look closely  (watch out for your crumpet, Amy...)

taking a break for "tea" on safari right by some hippos

look who we found on our night safari.  this guy came extremely close to amy in the jeep

The baobab is also incredibly useful - so much so that Disney's Lion King named it the Tree of Life. It behaves like a giant succulent and up to 80% of the trunk is water. Sand nomads used to rely on the trees as a valuable source of water when the rains failed and the rivers dried. A single tree can hold up to 4,500 litres (1,189 gallons). The bark and flesh are soft, fibrous and fire-resistant and can be used to weave rope and cloth. It is also used to make soap, rubber, glue and various medicines.

we couldn't get enough of the sunsets

on our walking safari, taking time to watch the sun set

awesome hot showers at the bush camp (a 3 hour drive from our chalet at Kafunta)

good morning africa

we startled this young elephant on our waling safari.  my heart stopped beating when he stopped and looked straight down the path at me after brian's flash accidentally went off taking this picture

a tooth brush tree (they use it to keep their teeth clean). zambians have beautiful teeth and beautiful smiles

yes, there are hippos and crocodiles out there