It's been several weeks since the last entry and as we end the month here's what did and didn't happen. Ryan and Garth didn't get away to Southern Africa for Ryan's check-up and Counsellor's meeting (which was postponed). We are now looking into a trip to visit family in the United States once schedules sort out for the next few months. the visit most likely will be in November and the most reasonable route (cost wise) is through South Africa so we will do those tasks by having a stopover in South Africa for a day or so.
Last week Garth and Chuungu made a five-day trip (2 days driving and 3 days visiting) up to Mwinilunga 800 km away in the northwest corner of Zambia to visit the 8 PSA study groups there. While Garth and Chuungu were away Chuungu's family (his wife Mushota, their 12 year old son Mwape, and their almost 1 year old Chisanji) came to Kabwe to stay with Karen and the boys. so there was a houseful. They stayed an extra day when Garth and Chuungu returned and it was great to be all together.
This last weekend the family took a day trip to some beautiful old granite rock formations about 70 km away. Garth has been curious about these formations for years, but only saw them from a distance on trips to and from the northwest. Not even sure where they were the family set off, picnic in hand, and actually found them with no difficulty. Most of Zambia is flat and rock formations like these (jutting out of the flat land, covering a few acres, and disappearing again) are few and far between. Upon arriving we had out picnic and then began climbing. We climbed over the nearest and smallest formation into a dusty valley (maybe 500 metres across) between the formations. We hiked down the valley until we found a way up the larger formation and had a more challenging climb. The boys did really well, Scott is a mountain goat and Ryan, even with his coordination challenges, did great need very little help except for a few spots. The view at the top was wonderful; we could see across the flats to the hills that dotted the distant horizon. This was the first time to really be out in what seemed the wild on our own, although out on the plane we could see a number of small farms. It is definitely worth another visit with the goal of exploring the top and seeing how to reach all the formations without coming down.
As we left we saw some newly placed power poles, so we followed the road further until we came to a new dam/reservoir. A vehicle was on the far side of the earth berm so we drove across the dam to find out what we could from them. We found a family that lives in Kapiri Mposhi ( a nearby town) having a barbecue and a swim. From them we learned that the dam had been recently completed and although not yet officially commissioned is already full of water. They come out most weekends with the aside that there just isn't much to do in Kapiri. So now further visits to the rock formations definitely looks like a reality and more interesting with the dam and swimming thrown in as well.
The rest of the month before, around and after these trips has been focused on working with the PSA groups in Kabwe, home publishing/printing 700 copies of the texts we will need for the next three months, and , as mentioned in the last entry, applying what had been learned by Daniel and Chuungu about accompanying the tutors and groups during their two-month stay in Colombia. This last week is being dedicated with preparing for the upcoming two-week tutor training that will be held in our old home place the William Masetlha Foundation.
As a family we have been discussing how we would manage this training now that we are in Kabwe. When we lived at the Foundation we just stepped our the door walked 200meters and we were in the thick of the training and could easily organize for and watch the boys. We decided after prayer that we would take the boys out of school (technically not out, but not show up for the opening of the last term) and see if we could lodge with one of the families at the Foundation for the duration of the training. Now we have learned that with the passing of the Zambian President and the attending funeral and mourning, the school's opening has been postponed a week, so in the end Ryan and Scott will only miss one week of school and possibly not even that if they attend their old school at the Foundation for the second week.
The block of courses that will be studied are really fascinating: Environmental Issues, Planting Crops, and Numerical Statements (which as titles may not inspire, but through studying them the students begin to initiate solid research into their communities and to begin to carry out a number of projects that protect and improve the environment and to start diversified, high-efficiency backyard gardens. I think with all the discussion about PSA and references to our activities, we really do need to dedicate one of these entries to describing our work and service. We will do this in the next post.
PS We will soon (in just days) be replacing the camera that was stolen in May and so will be able to include photos from now on.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Friday, August 1, 2008
A busy week (nothing big just busy)
.
Well another week has gone by and the big news is that the boys finished the school term Friday and now have the whole month of August off for the term holiday.
I guess what was also exciting is that after waiting two months we were finally able to begin working with the carpenter to build three wardrobes, a bunk bed for the boys, and a some shelves for the office. We had waited two months for Mr Zulu as he finished-up another project~definitely worth the wait as he is a craftsman with an eye for detail. Projects like this require patience first in finding able craftsman as they are in high demand, second in finding materials, third the interruptions of the lives involved (ours, the craftsman, suppliers, others) as the projects go forward. We also keep moving forward with painting the house, this week it was the enclosed ex-veranda (there is another open veranda beyond this hard to describe area). We have been repainting room-by-room using enamel. (ENAMEL you say!! Yes, we first encountered rooms painted with enamel (other than the kitchen and bathrooms) at the Foundation which was an economical measure as enamel paint holds up much better than flat paint. After ten years of living with enamel painted we found we prefer it). Anyway as we finish these projects we will finally be more settled in.
Back to the boys term holiday: now we need to come up with a program for the term break that will keep the boys creatively occupied while giving us time to keep up with out work. One of the things coming up this month is a probable visit to South Africa (at least Ryan and I will go) to do Ryan's annual heart check-up combined with my regional Counsellor's meeting. I will also do my regular annual check-up, get my hearing aid adjusted, and buy some equipment and supplies for Inshindo. So it will be a busy time and hopefully will be fun for Ryan (at least some of the time as we go around and get everything done.)
Hopefully, this will also be a special time for Karen and Scott to be one-on-one. Each time one of us (Karen and Garth) get one-on-one with Ryan or Scott, it is always wonderful, amazing and a time for learning about these wonderful guys. They love it too. Wished there were more opportunities for one-on-one. Guess the deal is to plan for it rather than waiting for it to occasionally happen.
Karen and I are really busy with Inshindo trying to keep up with the 8 study groups here in Kabwe, provide support to the 8 groups in Mwinilunga, as well as the related financial and logistic chores. And now we will be getting caught up on the latest as our colleagues Chuungu and Daniel have just returned from a two-month course in Colombia and are bursting with new insights, abilities and vision about PSA. (I promise that in the next blog we will explain more about our what Inshindo and PSA are and are doing). Having them being away (being an already lean organization staff-wise) for such a long time right when we were starting up 18 new groups has been a challenge to say the least. So we are very, very happy to have them back.
Most of August will be focused on beginning to apply what was learned in Colombia particularly as it applies to working with our tutors and supporting them and their groups, increasing community interaction and having the learning go forward. We will also be preparing for the next two-week tutor course to begin September 1. This involves preparing the venue, travel arrangements for the 30 tutors, getting materials printed, equipment and supplies made and ordered. So it will continue to be busy intense month as will be September. Not just the training which is intensive enough, but also the follow-up and support of the tutors as they return to their communities and start up their groups again and get started in the new materials.
Love from us
Well another week has gone by and the big news is that the boys finished the school term Friday and now have the whole month of August off for the term holiday.
I guess what was also exciting is that after waiting two months we were finally able to begin working with the carpenter to build three wardrobes, a bunk bed for the boys, and a some shelves for the office. We had waited two months for Mr Zulu as he finished-up another project~definitely worth the wait as he is a craftsman with an eye for detail. Projects like this require patience first in finding able craftsman as they are in high demand, second in finding materials, third the interruptions of the lives involved (ours, the craftsman, suppliers, others) as the projects go forward. We also keep moving forward with painting the house, this week it was the enclosed ex-veranda (there is another open veranda beyond this hard to describe area). We have been repainting room-by-room using enamel. (ENAMEL you say!! Yes, we first encountered rooms painted with enamel (other than the kitchen and bathrooms) at the Foundation which was an economical measure as enamel paint holds up much better than flat paint. After ten years of living with enamel painted we found we prefer it). Anyway as we finish these projects we will finally be more settled in.
Back to the boys term holiday: now we need to come up with a program for the term break that will keep the boys creatively occupied while giving us time to keep up with out work. One of the things coming up this month is a probable visit to South Africa (at least Ryan and I will go) to do Ryan's annual heart check-up combined with my regional Counsellor's meeting. I will also do my regular annual check-up, get my hearing aid adjusted, and buy some equipment and supplies for Inshindo. So it will be a busy time and hopefully will be fun for Ryan (at least some of the time as we go around and get everything done.)
Hopefully, this will also be a special time for Karen and Scott to be one-on-one. Each time one of us (Karen and Garth) get one-on-one with Ryan or Scott, it is always wonderful, amazing and a time for learning about these wonderful guys. They love it too. Wished there were more opportunities for one-on-one. Guess the deal is to plan for it rather than waiting for it to occasionally happen.
Karen and I are really busy with Inshindo trying to keep up with the 8 study groups here in Kabwe, provide support to the 8 groups in Mwinilunga, as well as the related financial and logistic chores. And now we will be getting caught up on the latest as our colleagues Chuungu and Daniel have just returned from a two-month course in Colombia and are bursting with new insights, abilities and vision about PSA. (I promise that in the next blog we will explain more about our what Inshindo and PSA are and are doing). Having them being away (being an already lean organization staff-wise) for such a long time right when we were starting up 18 new groups has been a challenge to say the least. So we are very, very happy to have them back.
Most of August will be focused on beginning to apply what was learned in Colombia particularly as it applies to working with our tutors and supporting them and their groups, increasing community interaction and having the learning go forward. We will also be preparing for the next two-week tutor course to begin September 1. This involves preparing the venue, travel arrangements for the 30 tutors, getting materials printed, equipment and supplies made and ordered. So it will continue to be busy intense month as will be September. Not just the training which is intensive enough, but also the follow-up and support of the tutors as they return to their communities and start up their groups again and get started in the new materials.
Love from us
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