Dependably undependable Electric company

The Electric Company in Zambia has more customers than they have power.  In addition, they do not have the same high priority of maintaining electricity to all the customers all the time.  Last week and this week we were warned that there would be no power on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  And there has been no power on those days.  Apparently they are doing repairs.  Then in the evening it goes off again for “load shedding.”  Benedict has come up with a saying, "Zesco (the Zambian electric company), the only power company that teaches you how to live without electricity."

We do not face the same challenges as those who are trying to recover from Hurricane Sandy.  We do not need heat – it is in the 90s.  We just need a fan now and then.  We can cook over charcoal.  It is bright and sunny so we don’t need lights during the day. 

The biggest challenge is water.  All of our water comes from deep wells with pumps that depend on electricity to run.  At our school we use a lot of water for making lunch, washing dishes, etc.  Fortunately we have a “play pump.”  This is a merry-go-round that is connected to a well.  As the children go around the water is pumped into a holding tank.  When electricity is on, water from an electric pump also goes into the tank so we don’t have to use the play pump.  But today with no electricity, it won’t be jump ropes or balls when they finish their tests, it will be, “go play on the play pump.”