Grace Academy to Zambia

I was shocked to realise that it had been five weeks since I posted anything on this blog! Where has the time gone? The answer to that is in this posting's title - Grace Academy came to Zambia for twelve days, from July 10th-22nd, so I am just recovering from the hectic weeks prior to their arrival and of course, their time here.

Although the planning had been going on for many months, the pace increased as the arrival date approached. We had had a busy two months with many visitors coming through, with its accompanying hospitality, so I think I was already in a low state. Ten days before Grace arrived my body reacted and I came down with laryngitis, finally going to the doctor two days before the due date. I had lost my voice completely, so on 10th July, when I met the party of 12, plus a film crew from Christian Vision's Creative department, the sound coming out of my mouth was very strange indeed!

Nevertheless, it was a group of very excited young people who were ushered into the VIP lounge at Lusaka Airport, while their visas were being prepared. We had hired a bus for the various trips, but it was rather a squash to get all the luggage on board:

This is one of the first group photos I took, with one of the Zambians:

The eight students and four staff from Grace Academy, Solihull, UK, had been fundraising for many months for this trip. A packed programme was about to unfold. After some rest, they had a welcome braai where they met the senior managers, and had their first taste of Zambian food and vibrant song and dance.


An early morning tour of the farm on site was an eye opener for them. Most had never been to a farm before; they didn't know how maize flour (to make nshima, the staple food of Zambia) is milled...

...or hadn't ever been up-close-and-personal with a herd of bulls:

From the farm we moved to the school on site, called Christian Vision Academy (CVA). It was Sport's Day; a wonderful way to break the ice. Besides all the usual track events there was the sack race...

...the egg and spoon race (unboiled eggs)...

...the water race...

...the bottle race...

The Grace students were split between CVA's houses, so they were competing against each other. This is Elliot with his relay team:

Tall 'Hedge', whose name is also Elliott, was popular with younger children:

The winning team was a delighted, Joshua House:

It was a wonderful start to the trip...

Quirks, Comments and Comparisons

I love my digital camera. Being able to take as many photos as I want, download them onto the computer and then choose the ones I want for this blog and other outlets, is a wonderful facility - which is almost free!

I rarely delete any photos, and find that looking through my photo record, after downloading, actually reminds me of the activity or event, especially of the things I've forgotten, which are sometimes the most interesting.

So here are a few which fit the heading above:

• What's this? Snow in Zambia?
  

Of course not! It's actually tiny polystyrene balls, which blew right across the site, when the packing boxes for the windows were opened. The new grass made an ideal landing place for the 'snow cloud', but it will be very difficult to sweep up!

• How many people can you get on the back of a (Zambian) lorry?
  

Obviously, always one more!

• June in Zambia is quite cold:

We have had a fire in the evening recently.

• This is where cream of tartar comes from:
  
  

It is the seed pod of the Boabab tree - commonly known as the upside down tree:

• Steve ordered a 'Sweat' and Sour Chicken pizza off a menu:

He said it was delicious!

• This is how your chicken comes in Zambia:

Anyone for lungs, heart, liver and feet! I do put everything except the feet into a stock.

• This is a Zambian 'motor' bike:

Two litres of petrol lasts two weeks!

• Finally, what should have started this posting:

In seven local languages.

First Aid

Last week I attended a first aid course, along with 20 others from Christian Vision Zambia. The course was held on site, for three full days.

I took a first aid course, many years ago, so this was a refresher course, but I was surprised by how much I had forgotten, or never learned!

Here are some of the group in a break (still feeling rather formal, I think!):

One of our trainer's, Adam, with 'Annie', the dummy on which we learnt how to do CPR (Cardio, Pulmonory, Resuscitation):

At the end of the second day we went outside to practise emergency lifts:

Two people can perform a three-handed lift, if the patient needs back support (4th hand):

...or a stronger, larger, four-handed lift:

There were many other lifts, including fireman's lift, 'piggyback' (which was called 'pick-a-back'!),and 'cruddle' (another term I hadn't heard of and wonder if it's a corruption of the word 'cuddle', as it's the traditional 'wedding lift'):

...and this one - the human stretcher:

We learned the recovery postion:

...and had great fun with bandages - this was for a shoulder covering:

...an elevation sling:

..some nifty head coverings:

...a emergency neck restraint (which utilised a piece of card, inside the bandage, very effectively):

...and the very complicated, spine immobilisation, (requiring seven bandages, a long under-arm splint, and several other bandages for padding - which made me wonder where one would find all those bandages, in an emergency!):

The final bandage is called the 'ring' bandage, used for stabbings or impalements:

One topic I hadn't covered before was snake bites, which was very interesting, especially in the light of recent encounters... (see 'Slithering Snakes' below)

Work and Play

It has been quite a while since I showed photos of the work currently taking place to prepare the new radio studios for Radio Christian Voice, in Lusaka...

Henry, from CVC Cape Town, completing the finishing touches to the wall boarding in studio 6, or is that 7?

Michael, from Cape Town, working on the 'crones' (hundreds of connections), training Frank, a Zambian technician:

Steve, also from Cape Town, but now on secondment for two years in Zambia:

Jordan, from USA setting up 'Nexgen' - the automated playout system for the studios:

Stuart, from UK, in his 'office' - obviously having a tough afternoon:

Kalele, Charles' son, on work experience, pulling cables:

The gardeners, laying turf outside:

As the guys had worked 13 days without a break, we booked a sunset cruise on the Kafue Queen:

Henry doing his 'Titanic' impression:

Andy - still smiling!:

The food - making everyone smile:

Two adorable children, making me smile (The hat says "CAUTION, PARTY ANIMAL BELOW"):

The Kafue River is one of the major rivers in Zambia:

The route took us between hills and provided some great views to soothe the soul:

With a magnificent finale:

Slithering Snakes!

Since living in Zambia, I have had a few encounters with snakes.


In February, perhaps the most hair-raising of them all, happened when I was sitting on the garden bench, enjoying the late afternoon sun. The bench was against the house wall n the patio and I was sat at one end of the bench.


Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, a noticed movement at the other end of the bench. Glancing in that direction, I saw a snakes head appear between the bench seat and the arm rest. I'm afraid I forgot all instructions to stay still, jumping up and dashing to the other side of the patio as far away from the bench as possible. Of course, this sudden movement startled the olive brown snake, which was about the thickness of a plastic waste pipe and very long. It retreated across the garden to the rockery, and I watched it aghast slithering away over the grass, relief and annoyance washing over me: relief that it didn't attack me and annoyance that I wasn't able to take a photo of it!


However, recent visitations by snakes, to the house, have been photographed. The first is a young mamba, about 60cm in length and the thickness of cable wire. It came out of the top of one of the pillars holding up the verandah, whilst the brickwork was being varnished:

By the time I took this photo the poor thing had been hit by a guard's stick several times!

The next snake is a puff adder: the snake that kills cattle on the farm. They are very slow and lazy, so do not move out of the way when disturbed. Cattle step on them and get bitten. This one was near the drive, where there are rocks protruding out of the soil:

About a metre in length and about the thickness of a plastic waste pipe, again it was killed by Brian, our guard on duty:

The final snake was also a young green mamba, which I killed! Again, it was on the patio and at the time I saw it, there was no one around, so following the example I had witnessed a few days' earlier, I used the broom to strike it several times, until I could see that it was dead.

Here it is being held by, very brave, Henry, showing its length as around 60cm:

I hope that is the last for a while, now that the painting and varnishing has finished.

Manic Month of May!

With three days to the end of the month, I was alarmed to see that this is only my second posting during May. Apologies to those who visit regularly - you must have thought I'd given up blogging. I would love to spend more time writing the blog and posting photos, but my schedule has been somewhat crazy recently.


We have had a house full of guests for two weeks, so my domestic duties have increased. Each evening I prepare a meal for five hungry men, who have huge appetites. I can barely keep pace with them emptying the fridge and store cupboard. I often have to ring Andy to bring in more groceries and I make frequent trips to the farm for fresh produce.


When I do have time to get onto the internet, I usually try to catch up with emails. Our connection is still very slow, so the best time for me to go 'on-line' is either very early in the morning or late at night.


However, I have a small 'window of opportunity' now, as I don't have to prepare a meal this evening. In Lusaka, there is an excellent takeaway called 'Curry in a Hurry!' We have tried it a couple of times, so tonight Andy will pick some up on his way back from town. The food will need heating it up, after the hour-plus journey from Lusaka, and it will be thoroughly mixed by the bumps, but I am really looking forward to the treat - and no sticky pans to wash up afterwards!


One of our guests, Stuart, from the UK, will hardly be able to stand the journey with the aroma of curry filling the car, so I hope they don't let him nibble on the way home.


Since my friend, Sue, left on 6th May I have also been very busy with two huge projects:


The first has been ongoing since October, but is almost complete now. I have been taking an Open University course called Creative Writing. I have been able to send in my assignments via email and I am linked to about 20 other students in an on-line conference site.


I have really enjoyed the course and learnt a lot in the process. Now, I have one week to go, for the Examinable Component Assignment to arrive at Walton Hall (OU HQ). Bizarrely, this assignment cannot be sent by email, it has to be sent by 'snail mail' or hand delivered. I therefore have enlisted the help of a friend in the UK to print off my assignment and post it for me.


No, I haven't sent it yet, and perhaps I should be using this time to complete another draft or finish the commentary which has to accompany it. However, I felt I needed a break, and after all, I would normally be preparing and cooking by this time (6pm), so I feel justified in spending the time blogging.


The other large project I have been working towards, is a trip by a school in the UK, to Zambia in July. I was asked to take over the programme planning and organisation of the trip, back in March, so recently the project has been gathering speed, with me communicating closely with the staff and organiser in UK.

I have especially enjoyed putting the programme together, thinking of the range of visits and activities they can do whilst here. The trip occurs during the final weeks of the UK summer term, so all the activites need significant educational value. The eight students and four staff are linking up with two Zambian schools; the first is the Christian Vision Academy, based on this site.

This is part of their building:

The other school is Kings's School, Mukobelo, a village about an hour's drive from the CV site:

I visited the school recently to discuss our visit in July. The Principal is Sue Chapman, from the UK. She is an amazing person, known locally as 'Pastor Sue'. If you want to know more about her pioneering work in Zambia go to www.dayspringafrica.co.uk

Here is Sue outside their new secondary school (which they have been building for three years!):

When I approached Sue, she suggested that the UK students might like to paint the inside walls. This is an excellent idea, which really fits in well with some the trip's objectives. She too has a July deadline, having set her launch for 26th July, but the students have already moved into some of the rooms, with the builders working round them.

I'm afraid I couldn't resist taking this photo of their toilet facilities:

Well, Andy has just phoned me to say he is leaving Lusaka now, so I'd better lay the table and warm the plates, ready for the 'hungry hoad'.

PS: I hope you've noticed a spot of alliteration in this posting!