Arise Visits

One of my favourite times of the week is Thursday afternoon, when I go and visit some of the families in the community that are supported by Arise. It is great to be invited into people’s homes and made to feel so welcome. We are always treated with honour and respect which makes for a humbling experience. For example, we're always given something to sit on – be it an old sofa, a water container or a log - although guardians themselves often sit on the floor.

Kamalasha, one of the nearest villages

Sometimes we bump in to children from school!

Although it is a privilege to be invited into peoples’ homes and to chat with them, it can also be heartbreaking to hear their stories and understand the difficulties they face. After the visits, I can go home to my house with a proper bed, running water and plenty of food. I know that if I get ill, my health insurance will cover the cost of treatment. And if I was really struggling here in some way, I know I have friends and family who can help me. And this is simply because I was born in a different place. It seems so unfair when you see the contrast but I've come to the conclusion that there are just some things that we can’t understand.

Eleanor with Elena, who is a very cheerful guardian :-)

The main purpose of the visits is to build relationships and encourage the guardians. We often ask them questions about how they and the children are, how their crops are growing or how the children are getting on at school. Our conversation is through translation as my Bemba only includes greetings and basic words! We listen, chat, encourage and pray.

Psalm 121 says:

I lift my eyes to the hills

Where does my help come from?

It comes from the Lord

The Maker of Heaven and Earth

We can’t provide for all of the orphans or the guardians’ needs, or end their struggles. However, I believe in a God who can. Many people here appear more aware of the spiritual side of life than we sometimes do in the West. It is both provoking and inspiring to see such faith in difficult circumstances. Lots of people here can testify to knowing peace and even joy in the midst of sorrow or pain. 

Gift and her Grandpa

Beautiful Gift

  

I’m not sure who leaves our visits feeling the most encouraged– them or us? I suspect it might be me! I will share some of their stories in another blog post so that you can all be inspired too. J

Arise

I can't believe I haven't written more about 'Arise' earlier! It's definitely one of the things that drew me to Kaniki and a real privilege to be part of, because you get to see the difference it makes in people's lives. 

Kaniki Orphans Project (KOP), as it was originally known, was renamed last year to more accurately reflect its purpose. According to Google (the very reliable source that it is!), ‘Arise’ means ‘to get or stand up’. The purpose of the charity is to empower orphans, vulnerable children and their guardians to rise out of poverty. It works to try and break the dependency syndrome that is often rife in Africa.

Some of the orphans with a guardian

Support is mainly focused through providing education - covering the cost of school fees, books and uniform. The youngest children in Arise are sponsored to attend our school, Kapumpe Christian Primary School (as we only have Grades 1 and 2 at the moment) and older Arise children to attend community and government schools. Sponsors include individuals, mainly from the UK, and a fabulous charity called ThreeEighteen (www.facebook.com/ThreeEighteenUK). 

Alice, who is sponsored to attend Kapumpe Christian Primary School

Each week the Arise Office opens on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, where guardians are able to come and ask for help if they are struggling. This is run by two Zambian volunteers. Rosie and I run a homework club one afternoon a week each too, which is open to any children in the surrounding area.

Homework Club

A lot of time is spent trying to get to know guardians and children so we can build meaningful relationships and trust. We visit families in their homes on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons - some in surrounding villages and others in quite remote areas out in the bush. In addition, there is a children's gathering that takes place on Wednesday afternoons where the children have a meal, play games and hear Bible stories. Guardians are invited to gather on Thursday mornings to chat and pray so that they can be encouraged both emotionally and spiritually.

Lunch at the Wednesday children's gathering which the children call 'Nshima Day'

At the moment, whilst Tim & Gemma (who run Arise) are back in the UK for a month, I am overseeing Arise. It means I am learning more about what is involved every day! So far it has involved co-ordinating the payments of school fees, transport money and making decisions about help we can give…or consulting Gemma over email! There is lots more to share about Arise so future posts may well follow.

Nsobe Arise Camp 2015

The plan was to take twenty Grade 10 Arise orphans (15-16 year olds) to Nsobe for three days of camping. However, when the day arrived, the rain came which meant we had to change our plans. What?? In Africa the sun is supposed to shine!

Due to a day and a half of heavy rain, what was meant to be camping in tents changed to camping at school! Unfortunately not all of our tents would have been waterproof, activities would have been restricted and the roads would have been bad. Not only that, but the rain put some children off and most ended up arriving pretty late.

We fit as many activities in on Monday as we could - playing team games, talks and Bible study, singing round the campfire, toasting marshmallows, watching a film with popcorn, and even decorating t-shirts (which my friend Ang had kindly brought all the way from Asda in the UK).

The funniest moment of the day came when I was trying to teach all the kids how to play rounders. We'd set up a pitch and I believed I'd managed to explain the rules quite clearly. It then became apparent that I'd missed one small detail out, when the first batter hit the ball and the whole team ran around the pitch! It looked so funny, I wish I'd caught it on camera. However, they picked up the game quickly and I was impressed that many of them were very good at it - we seemed to have lots of natural sportsmen and sportswomen!

There were several talks during the day which provided a good opportunity to encourage the children. (Even I did a talk! My grandpa Howard, the preacher, would have been proud!) We taught the children that the Bible says they are loved, they are important and they are part of a family, which is different to what many of them have experienced in their lives.

I really enjoyed looking after the children and spending time with them. They were extremely polite, helpful and appreciative. They didn't have to be asked to wash up but would just get on and do it. I was also amazed that when I announced it was bedtime, none of them made a fuss and they all went straight to bed. I am pretty sure I didn’t used to do that when I was a teenager!

One of the days was a bit drier so we piled into two minibuses and headed to Nsobe for the day. The kids absolutely loved it. There were so many new experiences for them. At the end of the trip we asked them to tell us what they had enjoyed. Hearing their responses made me shed a tear or two! Most of them enjoyed seeing the lake because they had not seen such a large expanse of water before. They also loved seeing some of the animals and holding snakes, which they'd never had the chance to do before. 

It is hard for us to imagine how unusual things like that are for them, compared to their 'normal' life. Even sleeping on the classroom floor was luxurious for many because it was spacious and warm. We fed them up as much as possible - nshima and chicken for lunch, rice and sausages for dinner, plus bananas, lollies and sweets. I don't think any of them turned any food down.

Catherine, our cook

Unfortunately we had a very long journey home because there was so much traffic. We dropped most of the children off near where they live but decided that four of them should stay over at AQ (where Rosie and I live), because it would be too far to walk in the dark. One boy lives on a small farm about an hour's walk from the road. The road is 11km from Kaniki so this gives you an idea of just how far he has to walk to get to school!

AQ, which is reasonably basic to us, seemed like more of a hotel for the children. The four who were staying were so excited to find out that they would have a bed to sleep on. The following morning I was woken up at 5:30am by them sweeping the corridor outside my room! I didn't have the heart to ask them to stop sweeping and be quiet so that I could sleep! They swept the whole house and did all of our washing up, and we hadn’t even asked.

Our camping experience certainly turned out different to what we'd planned but it still achieved the purpose - to make sure the children had lots of fun, some new experiences, get to know each other better and hear that they are loved by God.

Nsobe - A Favourite Place

Nsobe Game Camp is one of my favourite new places. It's about 90 minutes away from where we live in Kaniki so it's near enough to visit in a day, yet it's such a different environment that when you visit you feel like you've really got away. It's a beautiful place and very peaceful too.

Nsobe Game Camp was started in 2001 and takes its name from the Sitatunga Antelope. It only costs 20k to visit (about £2) which means it is a bargain. Orphans are given free entry.

http://www.nsobegamecamp.com/

I've already visited Nsobe four times! Three of my visits were day trips, with the team that visited here from Birmingham in January, when I took my Dad, and then with some of the Arise children more recently (a separate blog post will follow about this). I've also stayed in the bush camp there for a weekend away with a group of friends. The bush camp is a group of chalets with a central dining area and people to cook for you. There’s no electricity so it’s a bit like camping. Some of the bathrooms are partially open too – so you could see a giraffe walking past whilst you’re sitting on the loo!

Our bush camp chalet

During each visit we have seen (or in my case, held!) snakes, stroked an owl, had a barbecue, sat by the lake, done a spot of fishing or swam in the pool, and of course, been on a game drive. 

At the park you are taken on a short tour to see snakes and some of the other smaller animals. You are given the option to hold some of the snakes if you want to. Not everyone was keen like me!

Cute little bunnies - food for the snakes!

As I was passed the first snake to hold during my first visit there, the man explained that it was only slightly venomous! It is known as the 'Friday Night Snake' because apparently its venom gives you a similar feeling as having too many beers on a Friday night!

Holding the 'Friday Night Snake'

Dad looks happy here but it took some convincing!

Look who else I held!

  

Rosie and Maxwell the Owl

Although the park itself is very small in comparison to the main game parks in Zambia, we've still managed to see several giraffes and lots of zebra from close up. As there aren't any lions or hippos, it's safe to get out the car to get a closer look or take better photos. The zebra let me get surprisingly close to them before they ran off! Other animals spotted were impala, kudu, bushbucks, bush babies, crocodiles and monkeys.

10 things I didn't know about Zambians…

Being immersed in a different culture is so interesting. It's fascinating to observe the way that people live here, and think about why they do what they do. Some things that I’ve noticed seem logical, some bizarre or random, and others just completely different to what we’re used to at home. Here are ten things I've found out about life in Zambians that I didn't know before I arrived:

1) A lot of women wear wigs! You can meet a lady one day who then looks very different the next time you see her. I would have thought it would be rather hot wearing a wig in the heat but it seems to be a pretty popular thing to do. Every so often a child at school will turn up with completely different hair from one day to the next - going from almost bald to long braids, or cornrows to crazy afro!

Hair straighteners heated on the brazier

2) Nshima is the staple food here. It seems that all Zambians love it and some will eat it for every meal. Nshima (pronounced ‘sheema’) is a kind of maize and looks like something in between rice and mashed potato. It doesn't actually have a lot of flavour! I think every African country has its own version, since it is very much like Ugali which I have previously eaten in Kenya.

When visiting orphans and guardians in the village, we might ask them when they last ate. I've discovered that if someone says they haven't eaten that day, they may have actually had rice or something else but what they actually mean is they haven't eaten nshima.

Dad trying nshima

3) Believe it or not, a prime location for wedding photos here is a roundabout! I have seen several wedding parties gathering on the local roundabout leading into town for their photos. This apparently started several years ago because there were very few pretty areas in Ndola and the roundabout at that time was new.

Wedding photographs on the roundabout (taken whilst driving past!)

4) It is OK to ask a Zambian pretty much any question, except whether they are HIV positive. It is acceptable to ask someone how much they earn or how they sustained an injury or deformity, but unfortunately there is still a lot of shame concerning HIV and so this question is avoided.

5) It's not awkward to have conversations about God or spiritual things. Quite a lot of Zambians go to church on Sundays. After a service, everyone forms a very long line so that they can greet and shake hands with every single other person that is there!

Part of the long line shaking hands!

6) The people here are very patient, until they get in their cars! Perhaps the heat promotes patience and a slow approach to life. However once behind the wheel, most drivers appear anything but patient as they overtake, dart about the road and barge in front!

7) Trucks that carry beer stop for people at the roadside to buy from. Here we often see people waiting whilst surrounded by lots of containers. They’re waiting to buy beer from a truck which they can go and sell in their village.

8) Women seem to have it quite tough here. They have to work hard but are generally not respected as much as the men. It is impressive how many things the local women can carry on their heads! I’ve been told that one of the things a Zambian wife is expected to do is shave all of her husband’s hair once a month!

Masala market

9) Knees and thighs are considered raunchy parts of the body here. This means that women have to be careful to keep them covered up. I live in leggings and cropped trousers here, so my best tan is on my feet! (although they could be just permanently dirty!?).

Covering knees is becoming less important in town and the urban areas of the country, but it is still observed in Kaniki and the more rural areas. It does not seem as necessary to totally cover the top part of the body though – so we do see the occasional flash of a boob!

Women wearing African chitenge material

10) People live life earlier here. The day starts and finishes earlier compared to the UK. Some children arrive at school earlier than us, around 6:30am on some days! I often get woken up at 4.30am when the Bible College students have a prayer meeting. Not surprisingly, quite a few of them have regular naps.

Most of the workers at the college start at 7am and finish at 4pm. The sun sets predictably at 6.30pm every day. I guess many people in the villages wouldn’t have much of an evening because they only have candles to help them see once it is dark.

I am learning though that culture is more than just the way people dress and the language that they speak. It is a completely different way of thinking. I didn't realise how British I was until now!

Adrenaline Junkies in Livingstone

I spent last week experiencing the sights and sounds of Livingstone. Lying 10km to the north of the Zambezi River, Livingstone is best known for the famous waterfall the Victoria Falls.

The Mighty Victoria Falls

My friend Ang from Winchester is currently out here visiting me, and so after spending the Easter weekend together in Ndola, we decided to enjoy some holiday time away. I’d saved up a bit of money before I came out here to put towards a couple of trips/holidays during my time here in Zambia, so that I can experience some places and of course enjoy the time out. I’m really enjoying being here but living and working within the same compound can be quite intense at times and so it’s nice to occasionally have a few days away from things.

Livingstone was a bit smaller than I had expected but it is certainly well set up for tourists and offers lots of opportunity to see the views and go on a variety of excursions. I absolutely love holidays, relaxing and spending time with friends and family. I’ve also come to realise that I'm actually a bit of an adrenaline junkie too (or a ‘complete nutter’ as my sister Rach puts it!).

We arrived in Livingstone on Monday afternoon and we were keen to visit the Victoria Falls straight away. Ignoring advice about hiring ponchos, we wandered straight towards the falls. The spray was so huge that we got drenched instantly! Soaked to the skin and far too wet to turn back for ponchos, we carried on enjoying the views. Victoria Falls is absolutely stunning. I can certainly see why it is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Drenched from the spray

On Tuesday we went to Angel's Pool which is situated right at the top of the falls. There is no way people would be allowed anywhere like this in England! We had a guide leading us as we scrambled across slippery rocks, through muddy grass and shallow water, until we were only a metre or two away from the edge of the falls! The view was phenomenal and we enjoyed a delicious breakfast overlooking the spectacular surroundings. 

Close to the edge!

Going for a swim...!?

So what next? Well, I went on to do a bungee jump over the Zambezi River! This was a first for me as I’ve never bungee jumped before. I decided that this would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience (although I actually wouldn’t rule out doing another one…just don’t tell my Mum!). Despite bouncing up and down and spinning around whilst screaming, I really did enjoy the experience in such a beautiful location.

The Zambezi River

Getting ready to bungee!

On Wednesday, we walked with lions!  Ang and I visited an animal centre that rescues lions, cheetahs, lynxes and elephants, looking after them until they can be released into game reserves. The two 27 month lions that we met (called Dynah and Terry!) were surprisingly calm. Apparently this was because they had been fed the day before and only eat every three days! I’m not sure what our experience would have been if we had met them the following day...

After all this excitement we decided to stop and relax for the afternoon at the very grand Royal Livingstone Hotel. It has zebra and impala roaming around the grounds and we enjoyed a yummy High Tea there (this meant cakes galore for me!).

Thursday meant an early start as we headed to Chobe, in Botswana. There we spent the day on safari, on a river cruise and a game drive. I have never seen so many wild animals - elephants, giraffes and hippos everywhere.

After debating how much energy and money we had left, we decided to take the opportunity and spend Friday, our last full day in Livingstone, white water rafting on the Zambezi River. I am so glad we did! I think I spent the whole day with a big smile on my face. Rafting certainly had its challenging moments but was a lot of fun. Even the climb down to the river was a challenge in itself…although not quite as worrying as having to sign a waiver before travelling in the cable car back up afterwards! We rafted through quite high waters which are more dangerous at the moment than at other times of year (and also meant not all the rapids were open). Fortunately the guides who took us out on the river were very skilled and there were also some extra staff travelling alongside in canoes, keeping a close eye on everyone.

Well, I managed to fall out of the boat on one of the first rapids! At least it was easy to pull me back in as the boat was still upright. This wasn’t quite the case when the boat flipped, which ended up happening to us twice! The first time I ended up under the boat but managed to escape and help turn the boat back over. The second time, I struggled to hold on to the safety line and ended up drifting down the river. It was exciting but also scary when I came to a cluster of whirlpools and could feel the current pulling me. Another boat rescued me. All in a day's fun!

Oops, I fell out!

Going...

going...

...gone!!

We survived!

It was an amazing week; full of excitement and new experiences. Thank you Ang for embracing the fun and joining me in my crazy escapades! I hope that you all had a lovely Easter too.