From Lusaka to Choma

Mulibwanji

That means “how are you?” in Nyanja in case anyone was wondering. There are 7 official tribal languages of Zambia and Nyanja is the primary tribal language in Lusaka, the capital, where we spent our first week. 

We are definitely in the “honeymoon phase” of our trip. After we got off the plane at 10:00 PM last Friday night (4:00 PM US time) I think we were just all glad to set foot on Zambian soil. Don’t get me wrong; the flight was actually pretty bearable.  But after sitting on a plane for the majority of the past 24 hours, we were ready to be here.  We stopped in Johannesburg, South Africa and had to switch planes before making the final flight to Zambia.  But we were not planning on running through the Johannesburg airport to catch our connecting flight. We landed late due to congestion and had only about 40 minutes to make it through security and over to the other terminal. We frantically dumped out water bottles and tried our best to organize our carry-on baggage so that we could make it through security quickly. That was super uncomfortable. When we arrived at our gate, we had to present our boarding passes, passports, and Yellow Fever vaccination records (silly Africa). Then we walked outside and boarded a tram that drove us over to our plane. 2 hours later we were finally here. Like I said, we were just glad to be done traveling.

Ashley and Dana- travel buddies

Joy lookin' HAWT with her compression socks

The Lusaka airport was kind of hilarious. Again, I was just pretty nervous that something was going to go wrong. But we grabbed our stuff, walked inside, and stood in a line for our visas. We will have to renew these every 30 days while we are here. That was the most hilariously simple process ever.

How to Acquire Your Zambian Visa:

1.     Walk up to counter

2.     Hand agent your passport

3.     When prompted, give agent your $50 USD bill

4.     Watch patiently as agent fills our visa sticker

5.     Thank agent as passport is handed back to you

6.     Enter Zambia 

It wouldn’t be until later in the week that we would realize that half of us got tourist visas while the other half got business visas.  That made the nursing indexing process a little difficult…and requiring a trip to Macha which we will be making Saturday.

When I walked into the baggage claim area, I was thankful to see my two suitcases with their orange and white flowered bandanas tied to the handles. My biggest fear was the something would get lost. Well, I was lucky. 9 of our team members’ bags did not arrive in Lusaka, including all but one of our “extra stuff” bags, which held almost everyone’s books and our clinical supplies. We filled out baggage claim slips and somewhat solemnly walked to our bus to head to the compound where we would stay. 

The bus ride was absolutely silent. I think everyone was simply letting reality set in. It was late, so it was already dark outside and we couldn’t see much of the terrain from our windows. And with the absence of many streetlights, it gave us the opportunity to see big bright stars. We were here. Finally. Months of planning and purchasing supplies and raising funds and praying and for me, an entire summer of camp where I truly believe God prepared my heart to be here, finally all of this had a purpose. We were in Zambia.

Psalm 8:3-4 “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” 

We woke up and had the opportunity to eat breakfast and work on homework (yes, remember we are here for school). In the afternoon we were able to do a currency exchange. This is what we refer to “opening the bank.”  Our RD Hannah is the best bank teller around.  Since the “bank’s” institution on Saturday August 30^th, we have all made frequent transactions to the delight of the shopkeepers that have benefitted from our tourism.

We spent some time at Manda Hill Shopping Mall. That was another strange experience. Lusaka is very westernized. The people dress the same as Americans. The prices are the same as American. Although it was kind of fun to be doing something besides sitting and eating, it put me in almost a bad mood. 

This was not what I wanted to be doing in Zambia. I wanted to experience rich culture and eat with my hands and play with street kids. If that doesn’t make me sound rich and privileged I don’t know what else would. Zambia wasn’t meeting my expectations. And I had a reality check. God isn’t going to meet my expectations on this trip. I am not an expert on Zambia and I don’t even have a right to have expectations for this trip or these people. I am thankful for that realization early on.

I experienced the true culture of Lusaka, Zambia during my time at the mall. The woman in front of me at the checkout bought K1,800 worth of groceries while the person in the next aisle worked all day to produce 5 large piles of gravel, by hand, and is spending the entire K5 (less than $1 USD), not even having enough to buy their family a full meal for the day. The mall is right next to a district called Kalingalinga, the largest slum in Lusaka. We only saw the outskirts of the slum and the Zambians disguise it very well with businesses. This creates a wall around the slum. When we were driving back to the compound for the night it was getting dark and we could see a little ways into the slum. There were tiny wood fires starting all around and more people than I anticipated. I don’t think I can really describe what I was thinking and feeling as we drove past. It was eye opening.

Good news is, while we all hung out at the mall, our instructors went to the airport to see if any of our baggage had come in and it was all there‼ Praise God. The Johannesburg airport simply did not have enough time to transfer all of our luggage in the time limit they were afforded due to landing late. The rest of our luggage came on the next flight from Johannesburg, which arrived at some time in the afternoon on Saturday. Needless to say there were some very happy girls Saturday night. Jehovah Jireh.

OUR BAGS!!!!

On Sunday we got the chance to worship with our Zambian brothers and sisters at the Munali Pilgrim Wesleyan Church. My heart was simply full. There was Sunday school and 45 minutes of the most beautiful worship I have ever heard, followed by an hour-long message taught in English, delivered by one of the best teachers I have ever had the privilege to learn from. Followed by more worship. They took us to a children’s classroom and welcomed us, asking us if we would like to have water, Coke, or Fanta, and then driving to town and buying drinks for us all. That is Zambian hospitality. We stayed and chatted for a long time with the people and I just felt so much joy. The American church is seriously lacking in this type of authenticity. It’s sad. But beautiful and I am so thankful I had the chance to experience this body.

Church at Munali Pilgrim Wesleyan Church

After church we went to the market. This has been our favorite experience thus far. We had lunch and then walked around to all of the different tents bartering for their goods. I bought my first chitenge (the skirts we will wear for the duration of our trip.)  Chipolopolo (the Zambia soccer team) was playing against Sudan in a stadium a few blocks from where we were and we all bought jerseys and were excited that they won 3-1‼

Jenna and Alesha with their new friend at the market

Biggest Chipolopolo fans around

We were finally able to try nshima (n-see-ma) on Sunday night. It is a corn meal and water mixture that appears in different thicknesses and consistencies in different countries all over the continent. Here, it is like play-doh and you make a ball and scoop up the different parts of the meal with your fingers. Not all of us love it.  But, we have been overwhelmed at the hospitality and service we have experienced since our arrival in Zambia.  The love that these meals are prepared with makes them taste even better, I think.

As I continue to study the book of Psalms I am encouraged simply by the greatness of our God. Not only has he created the whole earth, the US and Zambia included, but he is so interested and invested in what happens in my day. He has meticulously planned each second of my life and has created this opportunity for me to experience Zambia so that He can make me more like Jesus Christ. For that, I am grateful.

Psalm 9:19-20 “Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you! Put them in fear, O Lord! Let the nations know that they are but men!”

This is my prayer for the next few days. That as I adjust to this place, to this culture, and to these people, that I will be reminded of my humanity and therein, my connection to these people. That I don’t get a say in what I experience here, because it is already planned out for me and is meant to refine me and challenge me and break me down so there is more room for Jesus.

We are now in Choma and excited for the opportunities that come with the Poetice and Fortress Vision ministries who are hosting us.

You’ll be hearing from us soon.

Mushale kabotu.

Dana Druetzler (Zambia Abroad 2014 Team Member)