We have been exploring many project opportunities this week including several school projects, water projects, and health clinic support.  So many needs and we can't do everything.

Most of the poor areas of town and in the country side the women and children pump water and carry their buckets, sometimes a long ways, morning and night.  In the rural areas the church has put in wells so they don't have to go so far to get good water.  Helps the kids have more time for school.

Along the roadways between towns, we see these stands everywhere. 

We visited this school about 40 kms from Lusaka then off the highway about 2kms.  These kids were just hanging around because school was not in session.  The primary age children all sat on the floor for school because they don't have enough desks.  Also they lack teachers.  The government will provide these rural schools with a teacher if the community builds them a house and latrine.  We hope to provide materials so they can build another teacher house and provide desks.

Shows some homes they live in out in the rural areas.

A very nice view of the country side.  We were on our way to a school about 4km from the main road.  Good thing we had a truck because some gullies were very deep.

Witnessed a baptism today of a young man in our ward.  His fiancé is also planning on being baptized in November. We are in the Chainama Ward.  The church meetings included the same great doctrine and spirit.  The church is the same everywhere.  Also another man was confirmed.  I asked him how far from the church he lived and he said Not Far.  But another church member said that his Not Far was 3-4 km away.  His family walks to church each week over 2 miles one way. 

Loved this outdoor baptismal font. 

 Missionary couples in Lusaka.  Mission President Kupu and his wife (from Tonga) on the left.  Fakalata's, Lewis (wife taking picture), and Jones.  Family home evening.  We had a great time!

 Just some typical streets near our apartment.  The vans are their buses... crammed full of people.  Notice walkers.  Many people walk, often miles to get to work or the store.  Few bikes and hardly any scooters.

Some really pretty trees here.  Top one has purple flowers and then the pretty red one.

This is our Stake Center.  Very nice building.  We don't attend church here.  Ours is a rented facility with regular chairs and no air conditioner but good breeze.

  Today we visited a school in Lusaka to explore a possible project.  Many schools here are nice but this one is in a very poor area.  They get no help from the government so they do the best they can.  Several years ago the church provided building supplies and they built their first building.  Since then they have added more rooms as they have money.  They also provide some housing for some of the kids who come from bad home situations. 

 The start of the primary age school. 

 This is a classroom in the pre and primary age building.  The floor is just dirt and these are the frames for their desks. They can't afford the boards for these desks at this time.

 Their large room for the school.  Notice only one desk available and no other chairs for the other students.  This floor is cemented. 

 This shows three of their best desks in one of the rooms. 

 This is their computer room.  To move to the next grade, they have to take a test each year at a government school and the test for the older kids is on computers.  None of their computers actually work so they teach them keyboarding here but no way to see if they are doing it correctly. 

At this school they provide a bed in a room for some of the kids.  This bed is where 3 boys sleep, ages 21, 18, and 16.

Some children outside the school.  When I showed them this picture of themselves, they laughed and were so excited.  

More sights of Lusaka.  These boys had made drums and were beating them in a great rhythm on the street corner while one of them asked for money. 

This is the top floor of our 4-plex apartment.  The water tower services the apartment building.  We do have good bottled water we can drink.

Zambia Arrival

Proof that we really made it to Zambia.  After about 28 hours in airports with a 15.5 hour flight leg, we arrived Saturday night grateful to be here!  Sunday we caught two sessions of conference and the Lewis's gave us a quick tour.  Had lunch with 4 recent converts, one of whom has to walk an hour to church. 

Everyone walks here so we feel very blessed to have a truck to take us to remote areas.  They drive on the opposite side of road here so trying to get used to that. Here's our brand new Ford Ranger with only 46 miles on it.  We are afraid to drive it!

A picture of the front of our apartment on the bottom floor.  It is very nice.  We've been busy picking up a few things for the apartment and setting up our internet and office within the apartment.