Quite a Ladies Day

 

Yesterday was quite a day.  The Chimwemwe Ladies hosted over 50 ladies from Chicumbuso in Lusaka.  Our ladies began arriving around 9am and began to cook and prepare the meal.  We had about 11 chickens, 15 cabbages, 5 kgs of tomatoes, and half a very large bag of onions.  They used over a 25kg bag of mealie meal to make shema.  We had grills going and a wood fire as well.  The ladies from Lusaka arrived in 3 vehicles, singing as they came.  The came walking and singing off of the bus, embracing all of our ladies.
 
We met in the building that will be the restaurant.  With both groups of women and the women from the US team there were probably 80 of us.  There was much singing and dancing, and eating together.  Linda Wilkinson who started the Chicumbuso group gave a Bible lesson.  For our medical discussion, one of her ladies shared to encourage our women to be tested for cervical cancer and for HIV/AIDS.  She is a beautiful young woman who herself tested posted for the cancer, and is also on the ARVs for HIV.  She is on a campaign to see that every woman is tested and knows her status.  She will probably be coming back to address some of the women's fears about being tested and knowing if they are positive or not.  It was a wonderful day and I think everyone had a great time.