The furthest you go before you start coming back

Ken Makala

2009-05-28T16:06:00.000-07:00

So I'm in Lusaka now staying at a friends house for the night, before I go off on my Victoria Falls adventure in Livingston. Tonight was fun, at first I got off the bus and met up with my friend and another friend whom I haven't seen since December I think which was nice. We went to her dorm to pick up another and then the four of us hit the bustling night time Lusaka scene, and saught out a fine restaurant to satisfy our deathly hunger. Me I hadn't eaten since this morning and that was only three small peaces of french toast. We drove about and finally stopped at a nice little joint just outside town. A bar/restaurant called Polo, the atmosphere was cool outside with the dimly lit parking lot and blue lights in the reception. We went in and took a load off, and was met by some loud and bumping tunes coming from a nearby closed door. Closer inspection told us it was in fact a bar/club in the restaurant with a dance floor, a DJ, florescent lighting and everything. Duly noted, we went back to our table and order a round of BBQ chicken wings (In Kabwe BBQ sauce doesn't exist, so what a treat this was going to be =) And a treat it was, the sauce was sweet and the chicken well grilled. After our first round of wings, during which I managed to charm the waitress instantly and then almost just as fast uncharm her for reasons that are beyond me, we decided to go dancing while we waited for our second round. The dance floor itself was booming with dance beats and we jaemed it up for a good 15 - 20 minutes, during which we heal toed, dutty wined, willy bounced and breakdanced, and then Darren, my very hungry very white host, after making frequent visits to our table to check if the food was ready and proving himself awkward and uncomfortable on a dance floor, returned to feast. He was followed by us shortly after a few "one more songs" was said. Though hungry we were after dancing so eating was the last thing our bodies wanted and so moments later we had our food packed us and we left. Dropping the girls home Darren and I stopped at 24 hour gas station (which they have is Lusaka) and bought chocolate, soda, a fresh bread (which smelt like fresh deat after it came out of the oven) and anything else you think we would need in preparation for the 7 hour bus road to Livingston tomorrow. We headed home and make sincere efforts to max and relax. In about 5 minutes now, we will be going to a friends house in Mulungushi to attend the Ascension of Baha'u'llah ceremony, and then off to bed with us, only to wake up 3 hours later. More updates will follow. With love, Jens.

A day in Lusaka with Bwalya

2009-05-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

Karen's condition has not improved much since she's been back. At first she couldn't eat due to soars in the mouth, which is bad because after malaria you're generally very thin, but those went away and she's been making up for lost time like you wouldn't believe. So it seemed like she was getting better but in fact her ability to move has been becoming increasingly more difficult, she seems to feel soarness and sharp shooting pains around the joints making it very difficult to sit down and stand up, reach for things, lift things or do pretty much anything. Even the most simple tasks like bringing the cell phone up to the ear or bringing the fork up to the mouth is like hard exercise for her, so most mornings after her "breakfast workout" she lays down which isn't nearly as relaxing as it should be, because due to her inability to move really at the joints, she's pretty much forced to lay always in one position: on her back with her arms resting on her belly. A good nights sleep, as you can imagine, is outside the realm of possibility for her.
She's been the doctor many times and received several different types of treatment but ultimately nothing is truly effective because the doctors are unable to diagnose her. So, acting on their recommendation, her and Garth hopped on a plane to South Africa yesterday, to Johanesberg, to go to one of he big hospitals they have, and I just now received a text message saying they're on their way to the hospital now. In the meantime it's me and boys again, and our friend Roxanne who graciously agreed to stay with us, hopefully, just until the weekend when the parents return. Hopefully.
Certainly they'll be able to run thorough tests and diagnose her quickly so that she can start receiving treatment right away, but I assure you she's in good hands, those of both her caring devoted capable husband, and the very capable resident staff of the hospital in Jberg. So to sum up, keep her in your prayers, keep all of us in your prayers. Baha'u'llah has a plan and certainly we'll all be a little stronger once this is all over. Thank you!

As for me, well I went with them yesterday to Lusaka where the airport is. I was just hitching a ride really, my business was with the immigration office and the idea was that I would come in with them, they would drop at the ZIO and go to the airport. There I could do my business and then hop on a bus for the ride home. Of course I have never been on a Zambian bus alone before, and it is by no means an experience for the inexperienced. So we asked one of the tutors/friends, Bwalya, to come along and hang with me until bus time came, then he would escort me back to Kabwe. And thus began "My day in Lusaka with Bwalya". Bwalya is a super sweet and very charming type fellow. IDK if you ever used to watch The Reading Rainbow when you were a kid.. well he looks alot like the reading rainbow guy (I don't know his real name but he had a part on Star Trek Next Generation, of which me and my father were avid fans, so I know his only as Jordy Laforge). He used to have a psa group back in the day but the attendence was so poor and the group became so small that they decided to merge his group with another. The students however said that they only wanted Bwalya as thier tutor, and no one else, and so theg group dissolved. "Your just too darn popular for your own good Jordy, I mean Bwayla" I said to him over lunch as we discussed things. I treated him to a very expensive 70,000 kwacha meal at La Mimosa in the Arcades shopping center in downtown Lusaka. He had the sausages and chips (typical Zambian meal) and I had the crepes. "Try my crepes" I told him, and though at first he was reluctant, after some convincing he did try my crepes, and his horizons were broadened. "Next time" he said "When I find myself in Lusaka I'll come here and just say 'Crepes!'". He said it so funny and had to ask him to say it again, "Crepes!" He said as I choked on my own crepes with laughter.
After lunch I suggested we see a movie as the only movie thearter in the entire country was scarcely 20 feet from La Mimosa. We went to see the times, but then he told me it seemed such a waste to sit in a dark room for two hours instead of being out and about, he said he wanted to show me Lusaka, and I agreed. So we walked up the way until we reached the other large shopping center called Mandahill. There we visited a book store and purchased a book called Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill. The title speaks for itself but Bwalya seemed to like it because he'd read it before and in addition to the financial advice he said it also gave "hope to the hopeless". So we bought it together and later I was to learn that the father of one of Bwayla's old friends had passed away some time ago and left to him that book. He shared the book with Bwayla and hopeless though they were, together read it and recieved hope from it. But one day the book was lost and so now Bwayla and I went to his friend to show him the new book fully restored.
This of course happened over a distance of no less than 10 km which we walked te entire length. So finally we made it to the bus at around 4, totally exhausted form the walking and heat, and drove the long bus ride home. Just before arriving in Kabwe I handed Bwayla some cab fair and he made a joke about meeting his friends for drinks later that night. This caused the passenger seted next to Bwalya who was in front of me, to launch off on him and proceed to tell him all about the fear of sin that should be bestowed in him and how Jesus was the pathway towards righteousness and what not. As she attempted to save him I couldn't help feel as though this was one of those many bus teaching opportunities that Baha'is get now and then, but was reluctant to say anything because for one, she didn't seem to take breaths or leave any sort of pauses for retort, and two because we had arrived in Kabwe and the bus was emptying as she spoke. My impression was that she was a very lovely old lady who was making sincere efforts to help a fellow Zambian, weather he needed it or not, and couldn't help wishing that the discussion had started earlier in the journey.
Bwalya and I partd ways after many thanks were given, and plans for holding a chess tournament in the near future were made. I then got some Hungry Lion (the Zambian equivalent to KFC, but not nearly as good) and went home. And thus ended my "Day in Lusaka with Bwalya".

A new member of the family

2009-03-17T11:19:00.000-07:00

So we go a new puppy the other day. Also we're getting ready to move into a house that my aunt uncle bought about a week ago. So the house we stay in now which has our office attached to the back of it, will become an office building, used only for office related things, minus the unnecessary distraction the homelife provides, and we in turn will have an entire house to ourselves.
So we got a new german shepherd puppy to grow and become strong and protect our office while our dogs protect our home. Possible the cutest gs puppy ever created, she stands at 18 inches off the ground, 25 inches from wet nose to fluffy tail, 10 weeks old and curious as ever. Born on a farm some 3o km outside Kabwe, she came to us last Saturday from a lovely couple who, under the condition we love feed and care for the puppy, gave us the german shepherd for free.

At first I wanted to call me Kaya because face it, it's a cool name. But the little cousin began beating the dogs belly like a drum so Karen thought of the name Bongo. As time went on our tastes shaifted and I like the name Bongo, she like Kaya so we compromised: Kayabongo is the dogs name. that way I can call her Bongo for short, and she can call her Kaya for short, and the dog will be totally confused.

Welcome back

2009-03-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

Ok I'll tell you about the work we do then I'll tell you about what I do. So as you know there's this organization called Inshindo Foundation located in Columbia, and they are developing this program called PSA (Preparation for Social Action). That program is what is being implemented here but it's also being done in many other countries, 17 I think, mostly in South America and Africa. The program is designed to empower the youth of the communities and develop them into what we call Promoters of Community Well Being. So what it is is it's a series of material (Secondary Educational Material) which the youth would go through and once they finish they would graduate and become PCWBs (Promoters of Community Wellbeing). The whole program is a two - two and a half year course which is divided up into 8 "blocks", a block is about 3 months and there are three books per block, so about a month is spent on each book. And the books are all specified for different things, all of which are designed to realize potential and develop capacities. The materials are actually very similar to the Ruhi materials in their structure (The organization that designs the material and actually started the program is called FUNDAEC, which was started by two members of the Universal House of Justice, the same ones who created the Ruhi process). So there are groups in different communities, each group has a tutor or facilitator (not a teacher, like Ruhi) and they go through the material together in a read and feedback sort of way and in addition to doing the material there are many projects the groups would do within their communities (practical application of the material like in Ruhi!). So it's a very high level education being provided here by Inshindo, and so what we as an organization do is work with the communities on the community level, as opposed to some NGOs which work above the communities or beside the communities. So what that means is we provide the trained tutors, the material, the equipment and the educational opportunity and the community would provide the venue where the classes would take place.
ANYWAY! SO that's basically what its about so what we've been doing now for the past few weeks is meeting with the leaders of all the communities around the place and telling them all about the program and with them organizing youth who would apply and join the program, organize venues and stuff. So really we're starting from the beginning, and so now we have a lot of active participation from the communities and thier leaders so very soon the groups will be starting the actual groups which means the students will be needing books and materials. That's where I come in. See FUNDAEC sends the materials electronically to Garth and he prints them out here. So we print and bind the books our selves by hand here in the office, and that's what I do. One of the things anyway but lately that's been my main project because we're starting potentially 8 or so groups with anywhere from 15 - 30 students per group. Each student is require to start by purchasing the first 3 books up front, sooooo, we have to print and bind like 600 books. And in fact right now as I write this I'm actually waiting for some books to finish printing so I can bind them.
But we all have different jobs and responsibilities and at this stage in the implementation of the program there is ALOT of work to do so everyone is pretty stressed, especially Karen, but really everyone

So that's what we do, that's what my service entails. I'm like a resource, at the disposal of the Baha'i community, no matter how monotonous or tedious a task may be. Hehe, but it's cool.

So here's a story.

During childrens class one day I recieved a call from an aquaintence, a young girl, 15 or 16, I had met through her father. Her father I met on a bus coming back from Banani, we exchanged numbers and he invited me to his house to see his organization which works with youth and kids infected with AIDS or are orphaned. That day was wet and I had an unbrella with which I left, so the gentleman called his daughter and told her to run it to me quickly before I left, this is how we met, and we exchanged numbers. The phone call I recieved was many weeks after though, I hadn't seen either of them since.
So she called me during the class around 2:30 - 3:00 told me to meet her at the local grocery store. I said Cool, figure we could hang out in town get something to eat, you know, chill, it was Saturday after all. Got there, and the minute I saw her she snatched me up adn threw me on a bus to Chimanimani! Chimanimani is a community about 20 minutes bus ride from town, just long enough to make it VERY difficult to navagate your way back if your not on a bus, or not from this country.
We got there and got off the bus, now it's around 4 and I had called to tell Karen I'd be back by 6. We walked up the dusty street waving and greeting the elders as they passed by, chatting nonchalontly. I finally asked where she was taking me to which she replie, I'm taking you to see the youth. I remembered maybe two weeks before being invited to come meet the youth of thier organization and being unable to come for whatever reason. So I figured ok I'll meet these young people and we'll jam, totally unaware of the serious journey ahead of me.
We continued up the road, turned at a roundabout and cut through some grass to reach a field in which 40 or 50 kids were playing soccer, playing around or just chilling. I noticed a large cluster of them at one nd of the field, so I went there first. In the center of the group was a young boy sitting atop a rather large wooden goat skin drum. The drum was on its side and the boy was beating it as he sat. My arrival seemed to spark up something of a performance, it's not unusual for kids when meeting an adult to give a small presentation, weather it be a song or a dance or both. In this case it was both, the boy began drunning a simple rhyme and girls formed a line. The dancing went on for a few minutes before they all giggled and stopped. I nealed to the boy and said I challenge you to drum off. He was however overwhelmed by the dozens of other children around him yelling and laughing, so the drum off never happened. But we laughed and eventually I got up to leave. The girl who and escorted me told me she was leaving and now I was to folow her sister to the other group they have. And just like that she was gone again, into the bushes from whence we came, with not so much as an introduction of her sister.
Her and I went walking along another dusty road, this time through the planes of Africa.
Zambia is also know as the land of the skies because there are no hills or mountains, no tall trees or buildings or anything to block you and so the ski takes up your entire view. There's something about the African sky when the sun shines through the cluds in the evening its like an equisit painting. Words of course do it no justice at all, needless to say I've missed many a Kodak moment. But this particular scene, with the endless planes and tree or bush placed here of there, it was quite breathtaking to walk through it.
We walked for about 20 minutes and came across two gentleman, one with a bike. Pleasentry were exchanged and then, I was told that they had been waiting for me since 4, it now being closer to 6. We walked further and one of the men was exaplining to me thier situation, he told me about the conditions of the kids and the education they try to provide with them, he said thier teacher were few and undertrained. We walked for another half hour or so and I was begining to feel nervous since it was now almost 7 and the sun was going down, on top of that a little confused about the mans erlier comment, "wating to see me". We pressed on and encountered a flock of mothers, who were not very pleased. They said they too had been waiting since 4 to see me, and now they had to go home, it began to rain and they had a long way to go. I was feeling now even more confused and a little upset at the direction the day was going.
We walked for 15 more minutes, the last few of which we ran to get out of the rain which was pouring. We came to a small building, a school I came to find out, where the alleged other group was waiting too, since 4. I met the headmistres and some teachers. The HM had a lot to say about thier situation, she used the word suffering alot. She talked and then I told her about the Inshindo PSA program, and siggested maybe thier teachers could join the program and after graduating at least be more well equipped to teach. She said ok and that was that. We all came out of the building togeher, me the HM the teachers, the sister, the two gentlemen with the bike and the plethora of kids. By now the rain had stopped and sun was on its way down. BUT! The rain had stayed long enough to turn what was once a dustry road into total mush. So what took us 45 minutes to come on, took over 2 hours to go. By the time we reached the field from where we started it was well after dark. My shoes were completely destoryed, I was covered in mud, the whole trip the HM elaborateb more on how they were suffering, I was feling terribly helpless, simpathetic and upset that all this had been planned since 4 and I felt as though I was thrown into it unknowningly.
We finally made it to the road, by the now the group had disolved to just me and the sister again. She led me to her house where I met her father again, they had a whole dinner prepared for me. Apperantly this day was well thought out, except for the small detail of telling me what the hech was going on. I tried to politly exaplain that I was veyr late and needed to get home (I really just couldn't wait to get home) but they insisted and I was quite hungry so I ate. I was good, chicken and shima, and then the father and I went off where he go me a bus going to town, paid for it, escorted me all the way to front of our house. He's a good dude, and put a nice little twinge of happiness to my experiece at the end.
So that was the rest of the story, the result of the cliff hanger I left you with those weeks ago when last I updated. Now, it's old news in my mind, but at the time it was quite the adventure. ANd so since then, and as a result, the members of the Chimanimani community have joined the PSA program and two groups are starting their. So the trip bore fruit after all.

Active lifestyle

2009-02-01T12:25:00.000-08:00

So here I am. It's February 1st and I am eating just the juiciest nectarine I have had in many days. In fact I'm having to stop typing and move away so the juice doesn't spill onto the keyboard.

Apologies friends for the gap in my blog posts but our internet has been down and I've been quite busy.. Quite busy in fact I have a few stories to tell.

So, this past week has flown by for me. At the moment we are trying to organized our office into an office; trying to get the network up and running, the internet, creating invoices and spreadsheets, alot of my work involves transferring information or data from paper to computer, phone logs and car mileage logs and of course photo copy logs... So we stay busy.
On Thursday Karen and Garth went to Lusaka for the day leaving me with the boys (Though during the day there are at least 5 people here working at any given time, some for the house and some in the office). It wasn't until after 5 when everyone goes home that me and the boys had the house to ourselves. And we had fun! Scotty loves to build things and comes to me daily with new ideas for inventions and drawings of designs for vehicles he intends to build (remind you of anyone?) So him and I worked on a little project where we to the inside parts of an old gameboy and tried to make a sort of wrist apparatus with a screen and rubber straps. But like all the other projects it fell through and we became engaged in something else. Ryan has become almost completely obsessed with Pokemon since he discovered that I in fact went through a Pokemon phase and as a result have an extensive knowledge of them. He bombards me with questions and its come to the point where anything and everything he says to me has to do with Pokemon in some way.
So what can i say, we played Pokemon together. Then we read and we had Swedish pancakes for dinner! With home made syrup. but I made too little so we spend the rest of the evening snacking. Finally the parents returned bringing all sorts of goodies from Lusaka, and in fact did a lot of bulk shopping and it was there that the juicy nectarine I mentioned earlier came from. they came with a whole box of em, and I just ate the last one. ^^

Friday was typical until 5 when Mwape came over to spend the night. That was cool and unexpected. We were having Chepotes (A dish much like tortillas) and watching a movie, Disney's "Bolt". It was funny and cute, recommend it if you have kids to watch it with. Then Mwape and I went on to have a movie night with two more blockbuster hits: I Robot and Coming to America.

Saturday was interesting. The day went in three main events, at least for me. And each one was so far from the other by the end of the day i felt as though I experienced three days in one. At first we had our first book 1 meeting. Six of us: Kawawa the facilitator, Mambwe, Mwape, Fungai, Chikonde and myself. The meeting was a good firm start. Three of the members are newly enrolled Baha'is and I've done the book once 5 years ago plus Kawawa is a great facilitator so it will be a great experience for us all.
After that we had our childrens class. So Mambwe and I walked back over to the Polluck's since the book 1 was at the Malitonga's (Mwape's house). We first went around to the houses we visited last time to remind them of the class. Then we came back and prepared our spot for the kids. There is an over hang in front of the house and it was beneath it our class would take place. So chairs were put out and cookies were baked. Shortly after the teaching material was frantically looked over and over to instill confidence, the first children arrived and two nearvous and tired teachers greeted them warmly. At first there were 6 or 7 kids and we introduced ourselves and sang. Soon the class swelled to 18 and we began. Prayers were learned, stories were told, songs were sang, cookies were eaten, games were played and 18 new friends left. it was a triumphant first class and the kids had a lot of fun MEANING the class with most definitely double by next week. Frightening to think about as that is, it is still extremely motivating and exciting and it simply means we have to teach more people and then train them to become chlidrens class teachers!
So the class ended and the next and final stage of my day commenced. I received a call from a friend of mine named Edina to meet her at the supermarket in town. I figure ok, we could go hang out in town, get something to eat, whatever. I get there and the first thing she says is I've come to take you. Next thing I know I'm on a bus to Chimanimani (A community outside of town about a 15 minute bus ride from home). And this is where I leave you with a cliff hanger because I have to get off now. But I will finish the story soon I promise! I have to go though.

Have a lovely evening :)

An intersting observation

2009-01-23T13:15:00.000-08:00

Something very cool happened yesterday. Mushota walked into an internet cafe yesterday and was intrigued to find a young man selling a Baha'i book in the store. She asked him about it and they got to talking, turns out he had heard about the faith and was very interested, so much so that he had intended to try and learn more about it via the internet. So she told him she was a Baha'i and invited him over to her house to talk more about the faith. So Kawawa and I are going to meet him and talk with him tomorrow morning at Mushota's. I'm very excited.
So Karen and I were talking about it tonight, and how other people around Kabwe have heard of the Faith and they are aware that there are Baha'is and it seems our presenece is becoming more and more known. And so she had an interesting observation that I noticed too, which was that it seems far more effective when Zambian Baha'is interact with thier fellow Zambian's and tell them about the Faith, show them how Baha'is are. Because when they see us foreignors, we're already foreign and somewhat strange in thier eyes, so they expect us to be something strange and different than what they're used to. But to see fellow Zambian's that they grew up with, they know their grandmothers and used to live next door to thier uncles, and see them as Baha'is then they become intigued and say 'You're a Baha'i? What is that?". Rather than to us where they would say "You're a Baha'i? Ohh ok. I'm a maize farmer". So it was noticed that the word of Baha'is in town hadn't really started to spread until Mushota and Chuungu moved to Kabwe. Its an interesting thing, and I think about how that tool can be used back home in our own communities. But we only just discussed it tonight and m thoughts haven't cooked fully yet. ^^

So I have a few more pictures that I managed to get off my laptop and onto this computer which has internet, but I can't upload them now because I suppose the connection is too poor or something. But just letting you know more pictures are coming soon. Just hang in there man!

A generous society

2009-01-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

I must say, Zambia has the most generous society I have ever seen. From the moment I arrived I have been receiving gifts from everything I meet. The dogs they give me slime for sleeves, holes for my shirts and dirt for my clean clothes, the ground gives me cuts for my feet, and mud for my shoes, the everything shoulder height anywhere that sticks out gives my cuts and scrapes for the shoulders, I especially love those, the mosquitoes give me malaria, the roads give me headaches, the car fumes give me nausea... but the people, they give me hospitality, the people give me lunch and conversation, the people give me comfort words, things to laugh at, they give me comfort when I'm sick, hot tea when I'm cold, movies when I'm bedridden and can't sleep, asprin for my headache, take me to the doctor, pay my expenses, buy my medicine and read stories in the night, ask me if I'm ok, if I need anything, if they can help me with anything.
The people here that I have encountered are phenomenal, extraordinary people. Of the delightest nature and of good humor, hard working, I have much to be thankful for while I'm here. Much. I only hope some of it can rub off on me.

The reason I haven't posted in so long is because I've had malaria the past few days, about a week, and have been bedridden and writhing the entire time. For those who don't know the symptoms of malaria are high fever acompanied by headache, chills, general uncomfort, aching of the muscles and joints, and above all generally no energy.
It started with no energy and headache, I found my sitting down for something and it becoming increasingly difficult to get up. Then the fever picked up and I would go lay down. After the first few days I became routine, and I would go through "episodes" throughout the day. Between episodes I was fine, felt healthy, looked healthy, even had a certain degree of energy. But when an episode would begin, it would with a slight fever, also my energy level would drop sharly and I would be stricken with fatuige. The chills would kick in, the chills were profuse. The first time I was in the office with one of the other guys who noticed I was shivered and advised I get a blanket. I did and on my return I realized my finger nails were all purple and blue and I was totally freezing. I went to bed and there I stayed for the next 7 days. After the chills a violently high fever with headache with kick in, but I was chalk full of panendo, an asprin like drug, and that took care of the headache. The fever would climb and climb until it peacked at nearly 40 degrees cel and then would be sweated out. That was more or less the end except for the aching and the discomfort, preventing and good long term sleep.
It was a rough 7 days but after two trips to the clinic and two trips to the doctor, I took the drugs and I feel fine now. Though curiously, they never actually diagnosed me with malaria, I had all the similar symptoms but the test showed negative and even now the doctor has labelled my alment as what he calls a PUO (Parasomething of unknown origine) I say parasomething because he said something that wasn't paracite but it began with para... anyway, he said he would name what it it was after me when he finds it.
The journey to health was made far less uncomfortable than it could have been by the polluck family who were so gracious in taking care of me and making me comfort drinks and keeping me company, otherwise I was cooped up in my room or my "cave" as Karen called it all the time, it was a dark warm place in which my bed was nestled neatly in the corner and I wrapped like a present in the sheets. Today even Garth drove me 12 km out to one of the only places in Kabwe you can get milkshakes and get me a chocolate large milkshake. It was just ok, but the place was a real groovy little joint, very classy. The shakes were no Prince Albert's shake but hey, 24 km plus 24 000 kwacha for 2, made my day. Needless to say I'll be starting work again tomorrow, see how it goes. Today, in the morning I was feeling sharp but shortly after breakfast I found myself right back in bed exausted for no reason. It's this that seems to worry everyone and is perplexing the doctor. There is a theory that I had a combination of two alements, malaria and what have you: typhoid, mono, even hepetitis was suggested as a possible suspect. Maybe if tomorrow goes well, we'll never find out.
But the point is I feel good now and I have the Polluck's to thank.

So, here are some picture I found in my email, its not much but its a start, and it has nothing to do with what been said in this blog. But I promised pictures so gosh darn it, pictures there shall be.

Ok, so they're all disorganized and I can't figure out how to organize them, so I'll just decribe them how they are, from left to right. So to the far left on top is a picture of Mushota, the mother of the family who was staying with us until they found a place to move to. She's very sweet and very wise, good to go to for advise. Now above is a good picture of everyone so from left to right: Mushota holding baby Chisanchi, Scotty, little head behind the chair is Kawawa, he's one of the youth serving as an administrator at Inshindo (he's 22? 24, idk), then in the chain is Ryan, then me all the way in the back, then the boy standing is Mwape, my little buddy, Mushota's son, and last the gentleman sitting there with the chicken breast in his hand is Chungu the father, and also a councilor, and also a funny chap, and also wildly brilliant. So that's that.
So down here we have a very nice picture of me teaching guitar in the sitting room to Mwape, you see I used to teach his guitar and in exchange he would teach me the local language Bemba, chawama. Then on the right is me teaching all the boys graffiti from Naysson's old graffiti book that he lent me and never got back. It was very cool, while I was away at Banani Mwape made a little sketch book and did some cool graffiti in it from the book. So when I got back as a project we all made books like Mwape's to draw graffiti in. Some day I'll get a good picture of the inside of out books.

So there you have it, four proofs that I am in fact in Africa, and not in an undergroup bunker somewhere eating snacks and drinking soda, watching movies, taking a vacation playing you all for suckers. Ah but I guy can dream can't he. Until next time. Malaria out!

Happy birthday shout out to my man my life this cat is bad, ANTHONY RODGERS! Turning 18 finally, now he can vote and reap all the other benifits of being a voter. Peace.

A promise is a promise

2008-12-30T06:38:00.000-08:00

I promise pictures are coming soon. Unfortunetly, last night, all the pictures of the last week and a half I had on my camera were somehow erased and my batteries are totally dead. But I have a few on my laptop which isn't with me, but will be soon. So hang in there man!

Punch Drum Love

2008-12-30T05:43:00.000-08:00

So last night we was trying to throw another party since the first one was so slamming, and we had nothing better to do. However unbenounced to us the guy with all the sound equipment was in a meeting so we sat and waited. In our waiting a freind named Kawawa managed to get his hands on a drum and began serenating us with intricate African rhythms. As intruiged as I'm sure you imagined me to be, I quickly located another drum with a much bassier sound and joined in. Since a human beings life relies on rhythm, that is the rhythm of the heart beat, I thought it appropraite to beat the bass in accordance to my own. Our drumming reverberated through the hall and a crowd developed. More people started joining in, including an Umusungu (white girl) from the UK.
The drumming got louder and more intense and chairs, walls, knees, guitars and other people all became instruments of rhythm. We jammed for a good half an hour before our hands became swollen and our ears were satisfied. It was a gloriously sponteneous event.
Afterwards I went and had a conversation with the English gal, the first conversation I ever really had with her, which was nice. I've developed a bit of a fancy for this englishwoman, because she too is extremely musically gifted and passionate. Wonderful singer, guitarist, floutist, drummer and composer; natrually I found myself attracted. A friendship I'm sure with bare many musical fruits.

The day ended in the rain.

The day of today

2008-12-29T09:03:00.000-08:00

For the last 8 days I've been at the Banani Intrnation School located between Kabwe and Lusaka taking an intensive ruhi course in Book 5, junior youth animator training. Well tody we finished the book, tomorrow we summarize, and the I will be a full fledged junior youth animato, trained and ready.
So now the plan is to go back home to Kabwe and start a junior youth group, which to tell you the truth, I was very nervous about before. But in doing book 5 we also completed Breezes of Confirmation which I think was a great idea, because when I first did the book I was 13 and really didn't much out of it. Since then the meaning behind it has changed and I know realize the true meaning of God's confirmation, and that has instilled me with confidence. Rather than before, where I was thinking man how can I help these guys, I think how can I help Baha'u'llah help these guys. I learned that I have to make an effort and if I 'm meant for the job then God will confirm me and if not then he won't. But the important thing is that the effort is made and I go into it as a channel through which Baha'u'llah can spread his teachings. I'm actually really excited now.
In addition to doing the book these was much singing and laughter, parties and movie nights.. well one party and one movie night, but it was fun.

So that's what happned today. Happy birthday Mom., I know you think you're getting old but unfortuanetly you're not an accountant so you can't fudge the numbers (The Office reference)

PS. I had a big plate of Inswa today, they are deLISHOUS!!! :):):)

The first of many

2008-12-26T12:11:00.000-08:00

Appologies friends for the delay of my first blog. As you can imagine finding a computer with good internet is not the easiest thing to do. But I managed to find some time on a good one now. I've been in Zambia now for ten days, though soooo much has happened I don't know where to begin.
We arrived safely and without problems with the customs agents, even though the five of us had a total of 18 large bags and carry-ons. The five of us being myslf, my aunt and uncle and two cousins whom I am living with now in Kabwe, although in first arriving in Lusaka we didn't go immedietly to Kabwe because it was late. The journey from US to Africa took about 5 days during which we took no showers or had a change of clothes since all our luggage was always in the possestion of the airport people. Needless to say the first shower I took in Kabwe, although weak in pressure and reletivly cold, was heavenly.
The house in which we stay lies in the center of a preperty completely boxed in by high brick walls and glass shards, and a large steel gate. Don't be alarmed, in fact these security measures are generally mild compared to that of our neighbors, with thier electric fences and vicious gaurd dogs.
We live in the house with another family, a father, mother and two sons, one is 1 and the other is 13. The 13 year old and I becam fast friends. His name is Mwape and he's sharp as a whip and very clever. For the first order of buisness him and I made a basketball rim with a shower net and a wire hanger fastened to a board and hung on the water tower out back. Although cool to look at, completely ineffective as a basketball rim, but was fun anyway to make.

As far as adjusting to to the culture here it is actually not very different from the Bahamas, in climate and in social behavior, although people here are much friendlier and the roads are much more bumpy. Driving through the heart of Lusaka is not unlike driving down Bay Street in Nassua, except for the glaring absence of a beautiful beach and salt in the air. There is an abundance of Baha'i youth there in Lusaka, the Baha'i community itself is about 300. It seems every youth I meet is a Baha'i, raised Baha'i even, which I always find a surprise to hear, simply because I'm not used to the fact. However in Kabwe the comminute is almost nonexistant and I'll tell you why: Because the purpose for my aunt and uncle being there, and by extention the reason I'm there, is to work with a program called Inshindo which focusses on essencially teaching people, mainly youth, how to teach themselves and take their education into thier own hands. The program is not affiliated with the Baha'i faith, and in an effort to keep it that way, the faith is taught very seldom. We don't want people to think we're using Inshindo to try and spread the faith, lest we scare them away form the program, but rather to support them as two seperate grwoing entities that have no connection with eachother.

The culture here is very rich. In addition to english most people of Kabwe speak Bemba, which I'm learning, and Nyanja. Nyanja is a very blocky language in the way it sounds and reminds me of japanes when spoken by men. But bemba is alot more lyrical and flowing with alot of 'wah' sounds and 'ns' inbetween words. For example the word for no is 'awe' and the word for you or hey is 'iwe'. 'Mulishani' is how are you to which you respond Bwino', good, and 'nga iwe' and you, etc.
The FOOD here is phenominal! They eat a maize product similar to grits called inshima or in Bemba 'Ubwali'. Shima is much thicker than grits and very packable, and they eat it with any kind of flavorful side dish: vegetables, muchrooms, beans, chicken, pork, with lots of sauce and without fork or spoon but rather by taking bots of it and rolling into balls in thier hands and dipping it in the sause. The technique takes some practice to get used to but in time I'll have it down pat. Of course food here is similar or just the same as food home, but I'll mention two exceptions. One, Kapenta, which is small fish like minoes which is dried and boiled and eaten with shima. Certainly fish is no strange characteristic of food for us islanders but believe me when I say a bowl of Kapenta is like no dish a Bahamian has seen.
Two, is of course, Inswa, which is large termites. They come in swarms after the rains and thier wings fall off, and large quanteties of wings can be fuond in places where there are windows. After which people go and collect the wingless Inswa and fry them in oil. I"ve been told they taste like crispy bacon though I haven't had the pleasure myself of trying them yet. Soon though, I promise you, I can't wait.

This blog is extensive though it doesn't nearly cover the extent of the details of my stay so far. I will try to make more frequent updates so that too much doesn't go by.

With love from Banani

Jens