Layers Cooked!

Layers Cooked!

One of the hazards of this time of year is brush fires. Last year a
fire went through much of the property, and today we had a repeat. I
was in Lusaka but we had gotten a text message that there was a big
fire on the property. The fire was so big that there was smoke
everywhere and it was hard to breathe according to reports. The fire
last week outside the fence near our house was very small compared to
today's fire.

Late this afternoon, after returning from Lusaka, as I drove over to
check the school and around the property, there were still little
fires, and logs were smouldering. With such a big fire, it does make
it possible to see the land better and it makes me want to walk around
and know the property better.

The good news was that the dairy cows were fine. The new fields of
vegetables (cabbage and tomatoes) were fine, and the green maize crop
was untouched.

The bad news was that the building with the chicken layers was burned
up so all but 17 layers were cooked! It was really kind of sad. When
I returned from Lusaka, Mama Rose M and Kimberly were sitting on a
verandah plucking the feathers off of some of the burned chickens and
cleaning them to be eaten. Some parts were burned pretty badly, but
everyone was eating chicken for supper last night. Chickens were also
sold at Nyrienda Village for a small amount since they were burned.
Pre-cooked meat! As I drove around, and passed the burned layer
building it even smelled a bit like cooked chicken!

It was almost time to buy new layers who were coming to the end of
their laying life, but now our need for new layers is more urgent. We
sell lots of eggs in the market, use them in the takeaway, and have
them for the children in the village.

If you read this and want to help us start a new batch of layers, your
gifts are very welcome. Checks can be sent to AKCLI, 224 N.
Washington St, Havre de Grace, MD 21078. (And pray that Hurricane
Irene goes out to the ocean, since it is projected to go up the
Chesapeake, and visit our beautiful town of Havre de Grace!) You can
also use Paypal on the website: www.akcli.org

Roman and Matilda

Roman and Matilda

The stories of our children are the most interesting that I could
write about. Right now it is very quiet here in the village since
over half of the children are visiting extended families during this
holiday month.

Roman was looking forward to going to visit his grandmother and
grandfather. When Kamau took the children to the social welfare
office to meet the relatives, no one was there for Roman. He was very
disappointed. The next day Kamau received permission from the social
welfare office to take Roman directly to the Village where his
grandparents live. When they arrived, they found out that the
grandfather had gone the week before to the wrong office, was given
misinformation, and waited all day but no one came. So in fact they
wanted Roman to visit. Roman went with his Bible. He said he was
going to preach to the people. He also said he was going to teach
them about what he has learned about "farming God's way." Kamau said
that before he left the grandparent's village, Roman was already
gathering the twigs and sticks needed to start making compost manure!

We have very exciting news about Matilda. For those who have never
been to our Village of Hope, Matilda had spinal TB at about the age of
5. Before that she was a normal, active child. The TB caused damage
to her spine and spinal column and she has been unable to walk
unassisted since the age of about 5. She is 10 years old now,
although very small. (Her mother is also a very small person.)

Kayla Cook is a surgical recovery nurse and was just here in June for
her second visit to our Village.
Although she couldn't believe the positive change in Matilda, she
felt concern wondering if there is more that can be done medically for
her. So she talked to the orthopedic surgeon and to the hospital.
The doctor, after looking at Matilda's xrays from Cure Hospital in
Lusaka, felt that there was help he could offer her. So he has put
together a team of doctors who will provide their services free, the
hospital has agreed to provide it's services free, and the company
that would manufacture any spinal hardware needed in case of surgery
has been approached about providing their equipment free. So Matilda
is coming to the states!

Kamau will be working on all the Zambian documentation that is needed.
Once that is done, I will get her a medical visa to come to our
country. Hopefully all this will be done so that we can bring her to
the US in November when Sena and I come.

I have told Matilda and Mama Anna and everyone I speak to feels that
it is God at work on behalf of this sweet girl. Matilda is the person
here in Zambia that I have known the longest. She has been through a
lot and the fact that she is alive is a miracle. Due to our
intervention she got the medicine for the TB or else she would already
be dead. So join us in praying for a miracle of healing through the
hands of the doctors who will be evaluating and working with her.

Fire, Fear, Yarn, Song, & Peace

Fire, Fear, Yarn, Song, & Peace

This afternoon, on a perfect day - blue skies, pleasant temperatures -
I was sitting on our verandah. Prudence and Matilda had come over for
"cotton" or what we call yarn. It is a very popular item and I have
been dispensing it until we are down to a few balls. The yarn from
the US is much better and thicker than what you get here. Lots of our
children can crochet and knit, in addition to the mothers and aunties.
As we were sitting peacefully, we began to untangle the last ball of
cotton of pieces that had gotten all mixed up. It was a sweet
peaceful time.

However, in the field outside the fence, one of the frequent bush
fires started. The flames were quite high. Natasha is very afraid of
fire and she had made her way to the verandah. So I had her sit in my
lap. I covered her eyes and ears with my hands. The fire is very
noisy and almost sounds like rain coming down. I started singing and
the others on the verandah with me joined in to help cover the sound
of the fire.

Kids got buckets and ran the "hose pipe" (hose) out to be closer to
the fire. They were filling buckets and handing them to some of the
workers who were trying to keep our grass fence from burning. There
was no danger to us since on our side of the fence there isn't
anything that would keep the fire going. However, we really didn't
want to have the fence burn up and with it some of our privacy.

Although there was a lot of action, I had a lot of joy and peace as I
sat on the veranda, singing with the girls, enjoying being with them,
comforting Natasha, and (for the most part) enjoying the beautiful
day. I realized that I need to take more time to just sit with the
kids on the verandah enjoying the beautiful time of year and the break
from school, with gratitude for all that we have, including the love
of these children.

Outreach, Wisconsin Team, and Holidays

Outreach, Wisconsin Team, and Holidays

On Saturday morning at 4:30am we bid farewell to the team of 12 from
Neenah, WI. What a great time we had with them! They provided a
variety of helps, from organizing the Village container that had
clothes, shoes, books, etc to passing out shoes to all the children to
organizing supplies at the school to helping with the Outreach to the
children at the Green Farm. It was a special team because there were
not only loving adults who enjoyed being with the children, but a
family with their 5 children came and it was a joy to see the American
and Zambian children becoming friends and playing together. We expect
to see some return visitors from this team!

The Outreach to the Green Farm was organized by Kimberly, Kamau, and
Dick. They set up like a carnival with all kinds of games and
activities. Some of our children went. They helped with the games,
translating for the visitors, did a couple of musical dances, and a
skit. Dick did a teaching, and he is great with children and of
course speaks their language. It was held in their new preschool
building area that has a nice fenced yard, and modern toilets. (that
is not always available everywhere you go here) Although the focus
was for the children at the Green Farm, the word got out and many
children walked over 2 miles to come from the Nyrienda Farm. There
were over 100 children present. Everyone came home tired but happy
from the event.

Today I looked out of my verandah and saw a line of kids carrying
bags, headed to Kamau's house. He was transporting over half of our
children to the social worker's office in Chibombo where the children
meet their relatives to go for 1-2 week visits during this holiday
month. We usually don't let the children go in December since it is
one of the hunger months, and many of the people do not have food for
the children then. We will have to have a movie night or something
special for the kids who remained in the Village. It will be a quiet
week for us which is nice to have now and then.

Exciting end to Sunday lunch

Exciting end to Sunday lunch

With each team that comes from the states, we have one meal at Ibis
Gardens, the conference center across the road from our Village. So
today the 12 from Wisconsin joined us for lunch after church. We were
sitting out under the tree. Our meal was almost done when William who
is about 12 noticed a snake crawling towards our table. We figure
that it must have dropped out of the tree. Everyone began to scatter.
Some of the workers grabbed sticks and ended up killing it by hitting
it. It was about 1 1/2 yards long, very dull gray in color. The only
thing I know is that it wasn't a boomslang since they are a bright and
beautiful green. The goal here is to kill any snake that you see,
since most are very poisonous. It made for a bit of excitement and no
one was hurt. That is the first snake I have ever seen at Ibis, and I
have been there many times. Maybe it will be the last!

End of Term 2

End of Term 2

Thursday was the last day for children of Term 2 for the 2011 school
year. We closed with a special program. The staff has decided that
we will try and do one special program each year when extended family
members would be invited. Many of these people live rather far away
and a Christmas program in December comes in the rainy season when
some roads are impassable. So we have targeted the second term. This
program included:
National Anthem: all 3 verses, and one verse in Bemba
Our welcome song that we sing when visitors come to our school
Reciting of memorized Bible verses that were then translated into
Nyanga for those relatives who don't speak English
Two plays about street kids that we had put together for African
Children's Day a month ago
Acting out of Acts 12 - Peter in prison
Mary B and Brighton playing songs on the guitar. They take lessons
from Aunt Kimberly.
Two choreographed songs

It was a wonderful program and it was well received. After the
program, lunch was served in the restaurant for those relatives who
had come some distance. Teachers joined us for the luncheon and were
able to talk to these relatives and learn more about the students that
they are teaching.

Now the Holiday break has begun. Teacher Bruce Malowa is gone for 2
weeks for his distance learning classes as he works on his degree.
Teacher Joan Chirwa has brought two of her children to be staying with
her during this holiday break. Some of our Village children will be
going to visit relatives. On Wednesday will be a special event for
the children at the Green Farm, organized by Kimberly Kamau and Dick
Mumba with help from the team from WI. And I'm looking forward to
some down time - something I haven't had for over a year. Reading and
crocheting are both on my to-do list. I want to make a baby blanket
for our new granddaughter who is scheduled to arrive in early
November.

So

Re: Email

Hi Julie, Benedict here. Look forward to seeing you guys sometime. If
I understand your question, Kathleen hit the "send" button this
morning, and it went out to everyone on the mailing list. Thanks for
your great help! You and Kathleen make a dynamic duo! Many Blessings,
Benedict

On 8/3/11, Julie Dickey <julieannedickey@gmail.com> wrote:
> aha! How Cool!
>
> Got the email, should I go ahead and sent the email date on
> ConstantContact? Or do you do that? Already set up the email list!
>

--
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