February 6th
Reflections by Kathleen: Yesterday we went for "tea" to one of the Zim farmers. (Farmer from Zimbabwe who has had to start all over again.) The kids are all playing barefoot outside. They have 3 dogs, 2 cats, and are raising guinea pigs. The guinea pigs are outside in a pen not in a cage inside like Sena's use to be.
They have a couple of "chicken runs" and a business of selling eggs to lots of the little stores around. Eggs here are all a beautiful brown. The inside of the eggs is lighter than in US.They are growing maize and other crops. They also are starting macadamia trees. And they grow amarylis bulbs to sell to the Netherlands. They take a bulb, cut it into wedges, and then plant each of the little pieces. Newbulbs are formed. It is very interesting. They also have sheep. Most of the farmers do lots of things to be able to make it.
The farm where we are staying has beautiful fields, growing things for essential oils - tee tree, geranium, lemon grass, lavendar, etc. It is beautiful to walk around them. Also they grow cassava which has a beautiful plant with big leaves like lupine in the states.
But in terms of daily life and my pioneer heritage: The "geezer" (Hotwater heater) has been broken most of the time this trip. So I've had one shower, the rest have been sponge baths. We boil water every day to purify it for drinking. And we have a little hot water heater for tea and coffee and to have hot water for washing dishes and washing bodies. It has really been raining the last week. There is mud everywhere. So even though we sweep everyday, if you walk around the house barefoot your feet turn black!
This morning I was making french toast for Bene and me, and he heard the sound of the pick-up truck. Kamau had gone over to do devotions with the trainees and gotten stuck in the drive on this farm. So Benedict went in the Land Cruiser and picked him up and took him over. Don't know how they will get the pick-up out. The vehicles are covered with mud all the time.
Roads here remind me of the gravel roads in Kansas. Most of the roads aredirt, even what are main roads. But then there really aren't that manyvehicles. You can go for several miles without meeting another car ortruck. But of course there are always people walking on the roads.
Although I used the washing machine when I was here before, it is no longer working. So we do all the laundry by hand. Actually us Schwartzes pay to have someone do it. Everything comes back ironed. In this season it has to be ironed if it is hung outside. In the rainy season there are flies or some flying insect that will lay larvae in wet clothes and if you don't iron it to kill the larvae it can cause trouble to your skin (won't give all the details! :) ) If we dry things inside we just hang them up and put the fan on them. Fortunately we can iron. In the villages it is a problem and some of the people have a lot of trouble with their skin, according to AuntieRose, the nurse.
One thing that is interesting here is that things are very expensive. Someone told me that they saw a list of the most expensive cities in the world. Lusaka was number 40 and Chicago was 41. So it's not like you come here and buy everything. Pants for Sena were about $50.00. So we went to one little discount store and got a pair for under $20 but everyone says the quality will be bad and they won't last. We did find out that we can go to Durbin, South Africa and get a vehicle. And if we bring it into this country in the first 6 months of having your work permit, you don't have to pay any tax. After that you pay 50% of the value of the vehicle to Zambia.
It costs $100 each to get into Zambia, and $25 each to get out. The wholepassport, work permit, etc thing is always in the thinking of people herebecause it is very important. In US it is amazing that we can travel forsuch distances without having to go through a check point, border crossingwhere you often have to pay a bribe, or worry about how long you have stayed someplace and violated your permit.
Two little irritations: We have trouble getting cell phone reception here where we are staying. The other is the dish soap! ha! It is the most useless stuff I've ever seen for making suds and cleaning and washing and cutting grease. Oh well, minor things.
Today a YWAM team came. Even before them, we figured that in the 2 weeks I have been here we have had over 40 people either to see our farm, come for sharing group, visit for a meal, etc. That doesn't count that we have 9 people living in this house and for a while the 2 guys were in a neighboring chalet. This team is from Kona and some of them knew Maide and the man who is a Doctor recognized pictures of Christopher. Sitting around the table for lunch we had people from Kenya, Ghana, Japan, Korea, and US.
A Small world. It is nice not having TV. So most evenings we play games and go to bed early. Sometimes we go to bed around 9, and then Bene and I are awake by 5 am. Of course that is about the time you all are just going to bed!Yesterday I was asked to help with the music at the Zim church so I playedwith the couple whose turn it was to lead worship. That was nice. They had a large group. I think that was because they had guest missionaries who have a Children's Ministry. Those missionaries are leaving soon and in a year will be going to Sudan.
Love you all and thank you for your prayers and interest in what we aredoing. xxxxxooooo Kathleen
They have a couple of "chicken runs" and a business of selling eggs to lots of the little stores around. Eggs here are all a beautiful brown. The inside of the eggs is lighter than in US.They are growing maize and other crops. They also are starting macadamia trees. And they grow amarylis bulbs to sell to the Netherlands. They take a bulb, cut it into wedges, and then plant each of the little pieces. Newbulbs are formed. It is very interesting. They also have sheep. Most of the farmers do lots of things to be able to make it.
The farm where we are staying has beautiful fields, growing things for essential oils - tee tree, geranium, lemon grass, lavendar, etc. It is beautiful to walk around them. Also they grow cassava which has a beautiful plant with big leaves like lupine in the states.
But in terms of daily life and my pioneer heritage: The "geezer" (Hotwater heater) has been broken most of the time this trip. So I've had one shower, the rest have been sponge baths. We boil water every day to purify it for drinking. And we have a little hot water heater for tea and coffee and to have hot water for washing dishes and washing bodies. It has really been raining the last week. There is mud everywhere. So even though we sweep everyday, if you walk around the house barefoot your feet turn black!
This morning I was making french toast for Bene and me, and he heard the sound of the pick-up truck. Kamau had gone over to do devotions with the trainees and gotten stuck in the drive on this farm. So Benedict went in the Land Cruiser and picked him up and took him over. Don't know how they will get the pick-up out. The vehicles are covered with mud all the time.
Roads here remind me of the gravel roads in Kansas. Most of the roads aredirt, even what are main roads. But then there really aren't that manyvehicles. You can go for several miles without meeting another car ortruck. But of course there are always people walking on the roads.
Although I used the washing machine when I was here before, it is no longer working. So we do all the laundry by hand. Actually us Schwartzes pay to have someone do it. Everything comes back ironed. In this season it has to be ironed if it is hung outside. In the rainy season there are flies or some flying insect that will lay larvae in wet clothes and if you don't iron it to kill the larvae it can cause trouble to your skin (won't give all the details! :) ) If we dry things inside we just hang them up and put the fan on them. Fortunately we can iron. In the villages it is a problem and some of the people have a lot of trouble with their skin, according to AuntieRose, the nurse.
One thing that is interesting here is that things are very expensive. Someone told me that they saw a list of the most expensive cities in the world. Lusaka was number 40 and Chicago was 41. So it's not like you come here and buy everything. Pants for Sena were about $50.00. So we went to one little discount store and got a pair for under $20 but everyone says the quality will be bad and they won't last. We did find out that we can go to Durbin, South Africa and get a vehicle. And if we bring it into this country in the first 6 months of having your work permit, you don't have to pay any tax. After that you pay 50% of the value of the vehicle to Zambia.
It costs $100 each to get into Zambia, and $25 each to get out. The wholepassport, work permit, etc thing is always in the thinking of people herebecause it is very important. In US it is amazing that we can travel forsuch distances without having to go through a check point, border crossingwhere you often have to pay a bribe, or worry about how long you have stayed someplace and violated your permit.
Two little irritations: We have trouble getting cell phone reception here where we are staying. The other is the dish soap! ha! It is the most useless stuff I've ever seen for making suds and cleaning and washing and cutting grease. Oh well, minor things.
Today a YWAM team came. Even before them, we figured that in the 2 weeks I have been here we have had over 40 people either to see our farm, come for sharing group, visit for a meal, etc. That doesn't count that we have 9 people living in this house and for a while the 2 guys were in a neighboring chalet. This team is from Kona and some of them knew Maide and the man who is a Doctor recognized pictures of Christopher. Sitting around the table for lunch we had people from Kenya, Ghana, Japan, Korea, and US.
A Small world. It is nice not having TV. So most evenings we play games and go to bed early. Sometimes we go to bed around 9, and then Bene and I are awake by 5 am. Of course that is about the time you all are just going to bed!Yesterday I was asked to help with the music at the Zim church so I playedwith the couple whose turn it was to lead worship. That was nice. They had a large group. I think that was because they had guest missionaries who have a Children's Ministry. Those missionaries are leaving soon and in a year will be going to Sudan.
Love you all and thank you for your prayers and interest in what we aredoing. xxxxxooooo Kathleen
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