Project Progress

We participated in a project kickoff meeting at the Mulenje school, where the church will be constructing a teachers house and latrines and refurbishing the existing 2 room school.  We were greeted by some of the village women singing.  It was awesome!  

The community leaders meeting at Mulenje School

A health clinic in North Western Zambia that serves 16,000 people was going to be closed down because it was so run down.  A small organization paid for refurbishment of the building then obtained donated hospital equipment/bedding from Australia.  But they needed help financing the transportation of the equipment 1000km from here to the clinic.  We got approval for this small project in one day.  Below shows some of the equipment.  That truck was too small so they had to get a larger truck. 

Visited the Lupani School project.  They are making great progress on the 3 classroom building. 

Below is a great community school the Lord literally directed us to.  Community schools here serve the poorest families, those who can't afford the government owned schools.  But their biggest challenge is paying their teachers and buying school supplies.  The school principal told us of this problem but they had already developed a sustainable solution but needed an initial investment.  They want a maize milling machine because everyone grows corn (everywhere including in their front and back yards) and they need it milled. It is their main staple here.  We felt this was a great example of self-reliance and sustainability.  We are waiting to see if this project gets approved. 

Wow!  Not as much crowding at this school. 

There is no playground equipment nor sports equipment at most schools.  The kids come up with some pretty creative games.  Grandpa even tried his hand at it. 

wheelchairs and baby elephants

Mulani Ward had seven baptisms on Saturday.

In the Chainama ward (our ward) the brother in white baptized his wife. 

We were invited to visit an elephant orphanage whose mothers were killed or died.  

They were so cute!  

Feeding time they give them a bottle of milk and the older ones can hold it themselves.  

Playing follow the leader.

Ready for a bath and playing in the water.  

This week we went to Blantyre Malawi to help with a wheelchair training session for 25 physical therapists and technicians.  It was so wonderful to see how the church is helping people become more self-reliant while relieving suffering.  What a great program!  Wheelchairs is one of 6 major initiatives under LDS Charities that the church focuses on.  This shipment to Malawi contained 600 wheelchairs.

The team that the church sent to conduct the training, with one extra couple who were also being trained. 

Teams assembling and adjusting the wheelchairs.  We were amazed at how many adjustments were possible.  They would first evaluate and measure the patient then decide on which wheelchair was best for their situation.  They would then determine the size and specific adjustment settings needed and then do all the assembly.  Last they would put the patient in the wheelchair and fine tune the adjustments. 

Doing an assessment of the patient and measuring to make sure they pick the right chair, the right size, and the right adjustments.  

A few of the recipients and their families with the team who helped assemble and prescribe the chairs.  All were so grateful.  

This lady was a registered nurse who got meningitis in September.  She lost her sight and hearing and is now very weak.  Her family was so good and loving to her.  

This man has muscular dystrophy and can still use his left hand to maneuver the wheelchair.  

This boy had mental and physical issues.  This was his first wheelchair and the family had been carrying him around everywhere so they were very happy to have the wheelchair.  We were so impressed with the physical therapist because he had such great patience with him even when he became quite belligerent at times.

When this elderly lady learned how to move the wheelchair on her own, she just giggled. 

Good Week

Met with the founders of "I Am Zambia", an organization run by 2 housewives from the U.S.  They have a small school for older girls here in Lusaka.  They have volunteers come from the U.S. each summer for projects.  They constructed this rural medical clinic and want to hand it over the to the government.  We are going to propose a project to provide beds and medical equipment (it's just an empty building now).  Then the government will provide medical staff.  

"I Am Zambia" leaders Diane and Heidi, the two other white women, with the District Ministry of Health Managers at the clinic building.  

Work has started on the Lupani 3 classroom building. They had to cut down 5 large Mango trees. 
We really hated to see those go.  But they promised to plant new ones!

Just shows a chalkboard at the Lupani school.  The church will be replacing these as part of our project.  

Workers along the highway cutting the grass and brush away from the road using machetes. 
Such hard work for miles and miles.

Elder Tshimbundu's birthday pizza from us.  He's from French speaking Congo but his English is getting better and better each day.  

Our first package in Zambia.  Thanks to our Grand-kids who wanted to share their Halloween candy and some books with some of the children here.  But their pictures and box of chocolate is for us!

Our Indian neighbors keep sharing their food with Grandpa because he makes such a big fuss about how delicious it is. 
Too hot for Grandma.

Happy New Year

Elder Mark S. Palmer and Sister Palmer, our Area President and Wife, came on a mission tour.  We enjoyed dinner with them at the mission home with the other couples.  Received great counsel from them.  So down-to-earth people we loved being with them.

Zone conference for the two zones in Lusaka, with Elder and Sister Palmer

Missionaries love to eat! 

Great Missionaries!

It's our rainy season so things are really greening up.  On the road/path to Mikango School. It rains almost every day, sometimes real hard but often just lightly.

The tiny dots are people out working the fields.  They plant lots of corn, tomatoes, melons, squash.  

It is a whole family activity.

Grandpa and the head teacher (principal) pumping water at the new borehole for Mikango School. 
We went to test it out and plan for the closing ceremony.