Chisakila and Kaminembe

Happy Mother's Day to all Mothers.  We love our Mothers who influence and love us so much.  

This week our highlights were borehole siting and drilling at a school and clinic.  

At Kaminebe School, our first drilled borehole was dry down to 100 meters. No Water!

While everyone was watching the borehole drilling, we brought bananas and watermelon to share with the community.
 They are always so kind to feed us. 

Watermelons were a hit.

This little guy was enjoying a banana. 

Again they insisted on feeding us Nshima. Excellent!  Grandma with the water engineer and the contractor.  

Second attempt was a success.  Water at 70 meters.  

Yahoo, Water!

The form for the apron and drainage.  

Finished Product after cementing.  

Checking on the Mazyopa Project, we spotted these kids flying a kite made out of a black plastic bag.  Below, some kids there playing a dodgeball type of game.  

On our drive to Chisakila Health Post, we spotted a dozen big monkeys hanging out on the road.
They ran for cover as we got near.  

At Chisakila, discussing the borehole project there.  They have a hand-pump borehole that is contaminated from nearby latrines.  The church will be putting in a new borehole, solar panels and pump, water tank, and distribution lines into the clinic and staff house.  

Kids in front of a Baobab tree at Chisakila.  Their school is in the background.  The school head teacher said some kids walk up to 8 kms to come to school and haven't eaten anything.  They want to give them a meal so they have devised a good plan.  They have found a buyer for Yams if they can grow them in a school garden and they can use the proceeds and the Yams to feed the children.  But they need water.  We decided if the borehole for the clinic is sufficient, we will put a tap at the school and a pipe to their garden.  Sounds like a very worthwhile sustainable project.  

Load of supplies headed for Kaminembe school to finish 3 classroom block.

Ended the week with a wonderful Baptism of Edwin and Elizabeth. 
Their mother (on right) was baptized several weeks ago.

Copperbelt

It has been a great two weeks.  Lots of activities and our trip to Copperbelt Province.  

At Kaminembe School doing the borehole siting.  

At Kaminembe School after class was out, the students carried water and bricks
 for the workers who are building the classrooms.  

The workers bricklaying for the 3 classroom building.
 Notice the scaffolding; pretty clever.  They are hard workers.  

While waiting for the borehole siting work to be done, Grandma is having a bite of roasted Maize.  

At Kaminembe school both times they have fed us.  Nshima with chicken and greens.  It is always very good.
 It is such a sacrifice for them we feel bad but they say it is their way of saying Thank You! 

 Last weekend we went to the Copperbelt Province with Pres. and Sister Kupu.  They were reorganizing the district and a branch there and we did some other business.

There are 2 Districts in the Copperbelt. 
We visited Ndola and Kitwe districts.  These are nice towns up North. 

Grandpa doing some training in Ndola on the Church's Boundary Proposals software.  

We went to two Branches in Kitwe on Sunday. 
These were some of the primary children at one Branch.

The new District President's family.  They live about 1.5 hours out of Kitwe and it takes them several buses to get to church each Sunday.  It is a great monetary and time sacrifice for them but they are so dedicated. They are a great example for us.  The younger boy in the sweater is quite a character.

While in Kitwe, we celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary.
 How many people get to take a trip to Africa for their anniversary?

We were able to spend 30 minutes at the Copperbelt Museum.
 Some good information about the geology and mining in that area.  

At the Museum this shows typical village life that we see a lot.  

Visited Nchute School where they were putting up a tower for their water tank.  It was a bit scary because the tank stand was very high and heavy.  We were worried it might tip over as they were erecting it.  But they raised it a little then dug, then repeated so it all worked out fine.  

And it's standing.  

Visited the Chainda Health Clinic.  The roof is on and they are plastering the inside.  Hooray!

While the children are out on break, at Sosco school they repaired the ceiling because the old one was collapsing.  

Sosco school finished ceiling in one of the rooms. 

Grandma liked this Coat of Arms poster.  The country motto is "One Zambia, One Nation".
 It keeps them unified because there are so many different tribes and languages.  

Progress at Mulenje Teachers house.  Plastering the outside.  

Easter, Nshima, and Desks

A Wonderful Easter Week!  

What a blessing we have in the atonement and resurrection of Christ!   Blessing is an inadequate word to describe our salvation from death, sin, trials, and weaknesses.  How grateful we are to Jesus Christ for his suffering and sacrifice for us!  Everything that gives us sorrow and suffering in this telestial world was suffered  and overcome by Christ and therefore He has the ability to remove and comfort us in our sorrows and sufferings of every type.   We have experienced and witnessed the effects of that atonement in our life and the life of others who, as we/they turn to Christ He helps us overcome all sorrow and sufferings.  

What better way to celebrate Easter than the baptism of Alice.

Lupani School project is nearly completed.  Desks being delivered to Lupani School.... 
"See Grandpa look.  Look Grandpa Look."

"See Grandpa Work.  Work Grandpa Work."

"See Grandpa Sweat.  Sweat Grandpa Sweat."

School boys helping assemble and carrying them into the classrooms.

The new 3 classroom building with the 60 desks that go inside.

Inside classrooms are now all ready for the students.  They will move in after their school holiday this month.

We were very impressed with their efforts to spruce up the school. 
The grass inside the brick spells Lupani, the school name.

At Mpango school trying to set up the solar power for the borehole pump.  How many men does it take to set it up?  Apparently more than this because it didn't work.  We all concluded the control panel was faulty so they'll need a new one.

While the men were working on the solar system, Grandma was taking lessons on how to make Nshima. 
It is their staple made from corn flour/meal that they eat with everything.  

Grandma's Nshima making teachers that cook for about 60 girls who live at the school.

The finished product, chicken and Nshima.  These are some of the girls that live at the school.  They pumped Grandma full of questions about life in the United States.  They were great posers too.

More young women posing with Grandma.  The Nshima and chicken was delicious.  

At Kaminembe school we saw these children drying, then taking off the corn cob, and sacking their corn (maize)
that they will grind and make into Nshima.  

Moapa Valley Highlight

The highlight of the week was a tender mercy from the Lord letting us know he knows where we are and what we are doing.  We visited this family who were recently baptized and found their son wearing this sweatshirt with Moapa Valley on it.  We couldn't believe it!  Janet and I grew up in Moapa Valley, a very small community in Nevada.  What are the odds of finding that in Zambia?

 

After drilling two dry boreholes at Nchute school last week, everyone decided the best option would be to tie into a community borehole that is about 0.6 kms away.  To do this, they had to remove the hand pump and test for water flow and capacity (inserting the pump below).  The test was successful so we are now getting cost estimates for a solar powered pump, solar panels, water tank and stand, and piping to the school. 

Inserting pump into borehole.  Water was at 15 m but borehole was 50 m deep.  

All the women and children carry heavy things on their head here.  This young girl about the age of Brynlee and Olive made carrying these tomatoes look very easy.

So Grandpa tried it.  There were circular ridges on the bottom that absolutely cut into my head.  Ouch!!!  I couldn't believe she could carry it so effortlessly and painlessly.  The villagers got a good laugh!

Just purchased materials for this Nyabombwe school teachers house so stopped by and found they had made good progress already, with all the foundation and back-fill done.  They decided to divide the building into 4 sections with each of the 4 villages responsible for providing the building sand, dirt, crushed stone, and river sand for their section.  Good idea.  

Boreholes, buildings, and songs

We are enjoying general conference!  Our mission president was called as an Area 70. 

 We spent much of the week checking on existing and potential projects. 

 Progress is going well.  

Borehole drilling at Nchute School.  Went 65 meters in one location and 95 meters in another but never found water!  We hope to get a neighbor to allow the school to pump from their borehole if we put in a solar powered pump and water tank.

Every 5 meters they bring a shovel of dirt coming out of the borehole to see if any is moist and if it is changing.  If water would have been there it would have shown up in the two gravely looking layers.  Mostly solid granite. 

Lupani School nearly finished.  We were inspecting before final payment to contractor.
 Community members installing window panes.  

Mulenje Teacher house progressing along.  Up to the roof line. 

While checking on progress at Chainda clinic, we heard this group of kids practicing for church.

 We love their lively songs.  

At Mpango School drilling a borehole.  Discussing how deep they should go.

At this school, they found water at 85 meters.  Can you see the mud?  Everyone was very happy!

We visited a new school.  Drove 70 km on a bumpy dirt road each way. 
This is the shelter they are using for classes while they build a new 3 classroom block. 

This is the new 3 classroom block they have been working on.  They made their own bricks using a small brick mold.  We were very impressed with the community's hard work and initiative.

Some of the children at the school in the outside classroom.  We tried to talk with them but they didn't understand much English but when we asked if they knew a song, they lit up and sang for us. 

A new project at Nyabombwe school.  The day before this we met them in Lusaka and paid for their materials. The next day they were hard at work building a teachers house.  They made their own blocks. 

The community gets involved.  They are carrying crushed stone to the construction site.