Change of plans and the rest of August

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.