UK, Zambia, & South Africa

[Diplomat]

Re: UK, Zambia, & South Africa

<span style="font-style: italic">Finally at Elder Joy's farm...</span>


Farming equipment....


The elder's truck. These things cost the proverbial arm and a leg...


Relief from the sun. It was the Zambian summer.


How the straw is tied down for the roof...

[Diplomat]

Re: UK, Zambia, &amp; South Africa


Having a light moment with a fellow team member...


Second from left moving to the right are also team members...


The way Zambian women (and presumably African women in general) carry their babies. I found it fascinating...


Need a &quot;gate&quot;? Just make one by cutting holes in a couple of old tree trunks and put some poles through them.
This was to keep in the goats.

[Diplomat]

Re: UK, Zambia, &amp; South Africa


Yep, the outdoor &quot;facilities&quot;


Notice the antenna on the pole leaning up on the side of the house? Talk about creative...
Again, this is a house made from mud bricks.


Blame this one on the kid in me; this tractor tire was huge.


Elder Joy in the foreground. A wonderful woman with an excellent spirit...

Time to get out of here. By this time it was obvious we were not going to make it back for the start of the day's first session. I wasn't too worried because the Senior Pastor of the church we were working with was with us. We also had a stop to make on our way back. While we were getting in the van I saw one of the kids on the farm chasing down a chicken, cornered and then grabbed it. The kid was good. They tied the legs and threw it in the back of the pickup. One of the men also threw in a goat also with its legs tied. I had a funny feeling I knew what we would be having for dinner that evening or the next.

[Xavier]

Re: UK, Zambia, &amp; South Africa

Keep it coming...I love it...the discussion with Tariq sounded like fun...I love this picture
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChurchDude</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
</div></div>

[R00TS]

Re: UK, Zambia, &amp; South Africa

Exciting start!
Love the photos

[Diplomat]

Re: UK, Zambia, &amp; South Africa

<span style="font-weight: bold">R00TS, Xavier:</span> Thanks for dropping in. Quite a bit more to come as you can well imagine.

[Diplomat]

Re: UK, Zambia, &amp; South Africa

<span style="font-style: italic">Reflections...</span>

Since I have been back, the two questions I get asked most often are: &quot;What is Zambia like?&quot; and &quot;What are the people like?&quot; I found the curiosity behind the second question went beyond traditon and culture and when I sometimes counterasked, &quot;What do you think the people are like?&quot; I found the real question, asked sincerely and without malice, was - &quot;Are they like us?&quot; But the country first.

From my perspective, Zambia is a beautiful, diverse, and relatively clean country that is also very westernized. To be in the capital Lusaka had no different feel than being in Kingston or Montego Bay except there were less people to contend with. The diversity in the population is due in no small part to the fact that the country's traditions come from a mixture of more than 70 different ethnicities. Young people from the cities try to embrace western traditions, while old tribal customs persist in the rural areas. Having had the chance to be in both places, this contrast is extremely obvious as is the gap between the rich and the poor.

In the supermarkets one could find just about anything, even though the prices seem astronomical. We were told that a police officer earns the equivalent of about US$100 (K500,000) per month while the &quot;average&quot; worker earns about US$40 (K200,000). We had the opportunity to visit a pediatric hospital and there I found out that a &quot;top doctor&quot; earned about US$1,000 (K5M) per month.

Zambia Language is represented by 73 dialects of the country, though English is the official language and the chief medium of communication. Interestingly, one only learns English if one goes to school. In the rural areas, we hardly saw anyone who spoke English and even in the urban areas, the various dialects seem the first option.

Zambians are some of the warmest and most respectful people one could meet. Just about everyone we met typically curtsied as a part of their greeting and they are just like us in their hopes, dreams and aspirations - wanting a good life for themselves and their children. On the first day we asked those we met to call us by our first names, but they refused, pointing out that in their culture it was disrespectful for them to do so.

Traditionally, people would marry within their tribe, rarely going outside that circle to find a mate, but marriage within a clan group is considered taboo. Tribal customs vary but there usually is a mediator who serves as a go-between for a man and his desired bride. The man and his negotiator will meet with a prospective bride's family and in addition to getting to know each other, start negotiations for a <span style="font-style: italic">lobola</span> (dowry). This <span style="font-style: italic">lobola</span> traditionally involves cattle or other livestock, but in modern times money settlements have been accepted. The <span style="font-style: italic">lobola</span> is considered a compensation to the family for the lost services of the woman. We understood from some of the men at the church that the traditional way of marriage was happening less frequently as the younger generation adopted the dating and marriage habits of their western counterparts.

One intertesting practice we heard about is that of &quot;paying damages.&quot; If two people are dating and the woman becomes pregnant, the man is required to pay damages to her parents. This is compensation for the loss of her contribution to the family unit while she is pregnant and after she has the baby. Usually, this is set by the parents based on any number of variables. We heard of one instance where &quot;damages&quot; was set at 10 cows, the equivalent of ten million kwachas! If the young man cannot pay, his parents are obligated to. I wonder how this would work in North America?

Oh yeah, on top of having the pay damages, the young man is also &quot;obligated&quot; to marry the girl, a position that the tribal elders would insist on. The challenge for the guy is now he has to come up with the <span style="font-style: italic">lobola</span>, the dowry, as a separate payment! Talk about an &quot;incentive&quot; to think before dropping one's pants!

<span style="font-weight: bold">Some Zambian Etiquette</span>

One greets another by saying &quot;hello&quot; and &quot;how are you?&quot; Then come inquiries into one's family, the crops or the weather. It is rude to come directly to the point; conversations may go on for several minutes before the point of the conversation is broached.

There is hand etiquette as well. The right hand is for eating—which is traditionally done without utensils—greetings, and exchanges of money. It is impolite to use your left hand when interacting with another person. Washing of one's hands before eating is very common, with a bowl of water passed around as one sits at the table. The guests are given the honor of going first.

Another important aspect of Zambian culture is respect for elders. When greeting an elder (older person), one shows respect by dropping to one knee, bowing the head, clapping three times, and saying one of the many terms that signify respect.

[Bandana]

Re: UK, Zambia, &amp; South Africa




Can't wait for more!!

[Seveen]

Re: UK, Zambia, &amp; South Africa

i'm glad i found this - your mission trips are so inspirational

thank you for sharing!

[Peasie]

Re: UK, Zambia, &amp; South Africa

[Marielle]

Re: UK, Zambia, &amp; South Africa

oh great!

An African (and via London!) trip report, can't wait to take the time to go thru it! Must've been amazing!

First time in Africa? Bet you caught the &quot;Africa Fever&quot;!!
Most of us do!

[Diplomat]

Re: UK, Zambia, &amp; South Africa

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mrs_Bandanna</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Can't wait for more!! </div></div>
Thanks for dropping in

[Diplomat]

Re: UK, Zambia, &amp; South Africa

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Seveen</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i'm glad i found this - your mission trips are so inspirational

thank you for sharing! </div></div>
The pleasure is mine. Thanks for tagging along...

[Diplomat]

Re: UK, Zambia, &amp; South Africa

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Peasie</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> </div></div>
BOAL...you're way too much. Sleep got the better of me this morning so I couldn't post the pics like I wanted to. Soon come though

[Diplomat]

Re: UK, Zambia, &amp; South Africa

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Marielle</div><div class="ubbcode-body">oh great!

An African (and via London!) trip report, can't wait to take the time to go thru it! Must've been amazing!

First time in Africa? Bet you caught the &quot;Africa Fever&quot;!!
Most of us do! </div></div>
Thanks for dropping in Yes, it was my first time in Africa and I absolutely loved it. I do want to go back so you could say I've got the &quot;Africa Fever&quot; alright!