Zambia and the land that thunders

Victoria Falls Zambia

And this is why this place is called " the land that thunders"
Its the 7th Natural Wonder of the World.
The falls were amazing and beautiful and well worth the 6 hour drive to see them.
They were a lovely finish to a fruitful, pleasant trip.

Zambia- the land that Thunders

Corn Oil Girls

My short journey through Zambia held more sights and experiences that I could possibly explain or write about.

Anytime you travel so far from home you learn how differently others live, eat and speak.

And speaking of eating- I didnt know that corn and corn oil is a staple in Zambia. It is used in almost every meal to add flavor and moisture.

I did a quick watercolor sketch of the women going home from Market with 5 gallon plastic jugs filled with corn oil.

Zambia- the land that Thunders

Glynis + me in front of Victoria Falls

"It's better to have a partner than go it alone.
Share the work. Share the wealth.
By yourself youre unprotected
With a friend you can face the worst"  Ecc 4:9-12

 Well we never had a "worst" to have to face while on our trip.
All went so smoothly and was relatively comfortable as we journeyed across Zambia in 5 days.

 A worst could have been-

Getting sick from the delicious meat pie I had for breakfast after Pastor Fraywell said it was fine to eat. Only after I was half way finished did he turn to me and say

" You shouldn't eat those. Sometimes they are made days before and just sit out the whole time. The last American here ate one and was very, very sick!"

A worst could have been-

  Having to go to the bathroom so desperately that I actually agreed to go in the bush- I mean the real African Bush. While Glynis " protected" my modesty from the roadside ( I do believe there was laughter involved) Pastor again reminded me to beware of cobras and black mambas. He failed to mention that the 6 foot tall grass cuts and the abundant thorn bushes stick to skin and undergarments. But I did not meet a snake so all was fine.

And a worst could have been-

  After 1200 miles of good and not so good roads our poor Pastor's jeep had a big metal gear and belt fall off in the safety of the Arcades Shopping mall in Lusaka.
It could have happened anywhere less pleasant- for at least we could get a cold drink and a bite to eat rather than we could have been the bite to eat out in the middle or nowhere!

Zambia- the Land that Thunders

Faithful ladies escorting the body to church

Ecclesiastes 7:2-4
You learn more at a funeral than at a feast
Crying is better than laughter
It blotches the face but scours the heart 

Our first full day in Lusaka started with a funeral.
She was in her 30's and left behind 4 school age children.

The faithful women dressed in purple took care of the body from beginning to end. They prepared her, dressed her, escorted her body to the church and carried her within.
There are no mortuary services for the average Zambian - family and church do the job.

The service itself was an act of rejoicing for she rests in His Presence but there is no deeper earthly sorrow than the death of a loved one and especially a mother. This was reflected in the eyes of her children.

Death is universal and its pain is the same in every culture.
God choose to start out our trip with death for crying scours the heart and widens the footpath to His door.

Visiting the Land that Thunders- a short trip to Zambia

  What a great joy to be invited by my friend and Director of Reaching Generations - Glynis Crawford and to join her on a work trip to Zambia Africa. She overseas a unique program that allows financial sponsors in the US to help orphans in 7 different countries in Africa to stay with an African family or church members rather than be placed in an orphanage. The monthly sponsorship of $25.00 provides the child with educational costs, food or other things that they or the family might need along with care, nurturing and accountability through the local church.

Glynis and a new little friend

  Our adventure began in Oklahoma City and ended 8807 miles later in Lusaka the capital of land locked Zambia. It has a total population of 14 million with over 1 million living in the capital. The average yearly wage is $1473.00 per capita and for some its less than $1.00 a day. 80% of the country are literate with English as their primary language. They are very poor with limited access to water and sewage. Zambia is blessed with 3 major rivers and the 7th Wonder of the World- Victoria Falls.

  My job was to assist Glynis as the non professional videographer and anything else she needed along the way. Of course I had the fun of meeting the children and making friends with the local women that helped at the church in Lusaka.