they're back!

Each red name is a location where one of our students stayed this weekend!

It was so wonderful to see our students returning this afternoon from their various weekend home stays!  They looked wonderful as they returned in pairs, thanking their hosts for the weekend.  After an afternoon of settling back in, we had another delicious dinner followed by an extended time of sharing about their weekend experiences. 

Here are some of the comments/phrases students made:

• Key words from the weekend: hospitality, humbling, patience, grace, hard-working, simplicity, strength, family.
• Two of the girls were proposed to by the same man!  (Fear not, they both respectfully declined!)
  
• Reading a sign that says, “Don’t panic, needs never end.”
  
• Discussing gender roles in Zambia and the clear distinction between “men’s work” (building, plowing, etc.) and “women’s work” (childcare, cooking, housekeeping).
  
• Some of the unique names of people they met:  Sunday, Clever, Bright, Gift, Brilliant.
• Noticing the differences between how Americans and Zambians observe death – Zambians take a week to intensely (and loudly!) grieve after a loved one passes away, and seem to get it out of their system more quickly than we do in the States.
• Realizing they had very little control over what happens next.
  
• Realizing how much they take things for granted.
  
• Feeling guilty for not earning the hospitality they received.
• SPIDERS!
• Realizing that “a lot of people do a lot of work making my frozen vegetables at home!”
  
• Spending time harvesting sunflowers and groundnuts (aka peanuts).
  
• Very physically challenging – walking A LOT, harvesting, being in the hot sun.
  
• Sleeping in their hosts’ beds while their host families slept on the floor.  VERY humbling!
  
• No electricity!
• Kids are kids everywhere – laughing, playing, teaching them to play games.
• Watching their food die in the form of chickens freshly slaughtered before dinner (an honor to get to eat a prized chicken!).
• Getting to carry buckets of water on their heads from the well.  (Or, trying to!)
  
• Harvesting, grinding, and pounding flour and peanuts.
  
• Picking sweet potatoes.
• Goats, ducks, dogs, and other animals always wandering about the homestead.
  
• Learning to dance Zambian style!
  
• How challenging cross-cultural communication can be.
  
• Women are known by their firstborn’s name – “Mother of Joe” (or "Bina Joe" in Tonga) instead of Janet.  They are also often renamed after they get married.  (Janet used to be called Mary!)
  
• Many were with polygamist families.
  
• They were all treated like royalty, by people who have little, but gave much.
  

Needless to say, the students had incredible weekends and no doubt will continue to process their experience in the weeks (and months!) to come! 

Tomorrow brings the beginning of week two of class…hello June!

a quiet day

I can imagine it's starting to sound extremely redundant to say that today dawned bright and beautiful, but it's just the plain facts!  Today was another beautiful day, though it got a bit hotter than it has been recently.  The sun shone brightly and there seemed to not be a cloud in the sky again.  Absolutely beautiful.

It was odd waking up and not almost immediately seeing our students!  It's been strangely quiet without them bustling about.  They've been in my thoughts and prayers all day long as I imagine them at their home stays, experiencing Zambian life a bit more up close and personal!

Larry and I started the morning with a walk into the village (or "town" as we call it, though Elaine laughs every time we say it - our definitions of what constitutes a town obviously differ!).  Early in our journey, we found this HUGE beetle, by far the largest I've ever seen.  I had recently watched "A Bug's Life" (it's how I detox from grad school and work!) and recognized him as one of the stars of that movie!  Larry tried to make him fly by flinging him up in the air, only to have him crash land on the ground.  That didn't keep Larry from trying again, flinging him even higher this time, only to have him thud even more loudly on the solid dirt upon re-entry to earth's atmosphere!  I told Larry if he could fly before, he definitely couldn't fly now!   We watched the beetle walk back into the bush, and I imagined him hurrying back to his ant and other insect friends, telling his harrowing story of being flung around by some giants!

We walked down to the market, and then stopped by the MIAM lab and chatted with one of the employees there for a bit who had just returned from visiting family in Zimbabwe.  We then stopped by the local library/craft store where I pretty much blew my wad getting some beautiful pieces.  (I'd rather spend my money here, where it goes directly to the artist, than in a place like Livingstone, where I'm not sure exactly where it's going!)  There were some lovely pieces, and it was hard to choose!

We arrived back at the Gobelo House to find Andrew returned from his home stay early, suffering from some yuckiness.  While Larry continued exploring the surrounding area by foot, Andrew and I spent the rest of the day together at the house - he resting, I making sure he was hydrating in between enjoying a good book on the porch, soaking in some of the beautiful sunshine.  (Andrew is improving, and I continue to thank God for the miracle of antibiotics!)

Larry plans to attend a local church plant in the morning, and I will join Phil and Elaine for worship at the Macha Brethren in Christ Church again as it's "Women's Sunday" and I'm excited to experience an African worship service lead completely by women!  The students will arrive back on campus around 2 p.m., I'm sure bursting at the seams to tell their stories!  We'll have time tomorrow (Sunday) night to process their experiences together before starting week two at Macha!  Time is going by so quickly!

I realized that I haven't posted a picture of where the students are staying, so here it is!  The dorm is the building on the right, and our cafeteria is the building on the left.  They are beautiful buildings, only recently constructed with monies from a USAID grant.  (It's wonderful to see our tax dollars being put to such good use!)  It has served our students very well!  We all continue to feel very privileged to be here!

home stays!

The students just left for their two day home stays in the surrounding villages with MIAM employees.  Most were a mixture of excited, nervous, and overwhelmed to be heading out two by two to experience "real" Zambian living!  But they all had wonderful attitudes as they went! They will quite obviously be out of internet range until Sunday night, so fear not, friends and family, if you do not hear from them for the next few days!  Rest assured they will be very well cared for (pampered even, by Zambian standards!) and, if troubles arise, Dr. Mylin and I will be the first to know!

Here are the students as they left with their hosts for the weekend:

Alicia B., Kay, and their hostess Patricia

Chelsea, Alicia S., and their hostess Edith

Hallie, Ashley, and their hostess Flora

Marlaina, Tamara, and their host Gift

Malina, Jennie and their host Petros

Merrion, Naomi and their host Bright

Sarah, Liz, and their host Nervis

Sharon, Alex, and their hostess Noreen

Tiara, Laura, and their host Stembridge

Kenny, Brandon, Andy and their host Ivan

Keep them in your prayers this weekend!  I'm sure the students will be bursting with stories to tell when they return on Sunday afternoon, and I'm sure we'll all looking forward to hearing them!  I will keep posting a blog a day while they are gone and will take the opportunity to show you some of the other sights around the village! 

health - public and private!

On every international group experience I’ve participated in over the past thirteen years, the topic of conversation inevitably eventually turns around to stool.  So was the conversation at breakfast this morning as we discussed the consistency and constancy of our bowel movements. Ah, the bonding experience continues!  Fear not, though some of us may be slightly afflicted by this traveler’s malady, we are all still doing well, having the proper medicines and processes in place to keep us – or return us – to health! (Plus, we have the privilege of a resident doctor with us in the good and wise Dr. Thuma, so we are in good hands!)

The outdoor thermometer read 53 degrees when we awoke this morning, and Elaine had built a cozy fire in the fireplace of the Gobelo house where Dr. Mylin and I are staying. We also have the privilege of a lovely fire at our group meeting last night as we debriefed from our time with the traditional healer and discussed etiquette for the village stays this weekend. While many in the group are a bit anxious, I have no doubt their experiences this weekend will end up being a highlight of their trip! They will all be staying in surrounding villages with MIAM employees who Dr. Thuma and Elaine know quite well, so they will be in safe and trustworthy hands!

In class the past few days, we’ve continued our discussion of epidemiology and public health. Yesterday, we spent time discussing the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals, which 189 nations affirmed in 2000 to be reached by 2015. For those interested, here they are:

1. Halve extreme poverty and hunger;
2. Achieve universal primary education (less than 50% of Zambia children go to school);
3. Empower women and promote equality between women and men;
4. Reduce under-five mortality by two-thirds;
5. Reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters;
6. Reverse the spread of diseases, especially HIV/AIDS and malaria;
7. Ensure environmental sustainability;
8. Create a global partnership for development, with targets for aid, trade and debt relief.

We spent time specifically discussing the three health-related goals (#s 4, 5 and 6) and how MIAM and the Macha Mission Hospital are doing on these goals. (They are doing very well!) We also discussed and will discuss (between today and yesterday) the causes and signs of protein energy malnutrition (PEM), iodine deficiency in China, the role of public health measures, and health and the environmental setting.

I’ll post more, including some photos, later today after the students have left for the homestays. So stay tuned!

reflections from an African porch

I can still see my breath hang briefly and vaguely white in the air as I sit around 8 a.m. in the screened-in porch of the Gobelo House where Dr. Mylin and I are staying.  (“Gobelo” in Tonga, the local dialect, means place where wise decisions are made and Dr. Mylin and I like to think – or hope! – that we’re worthy of residing in such a place!)

After another wonderful breakfast of warm porridge, toast with PB&J, and papaya, some students are off to do rounds with the physicians in the Children’s Ward at Macha Mission Hospital, while others have climbed back into bed to steal a few more hours of sleep.  Others are sitting quietly in the warm sun with their own thoughts, or are studying, or reading.  I’m sure a few have wandered into the village or taken a leisurely stroll down to the dam.  Some have gone to the dressmaker’s house to survey the progress of their order.  And I steal a quiet moment on the screened-in porch, continuing to soak in Africa and marvel at God’s handiwork in this corner of the world.

Groups of children happily walk by on the road a few hundred yards away, chatting and giggling to each other as they make their way to wherever they are going.  There go a few village women, citenge’s wrapped tightly around their waists, water jugs balanced expertly atop their heads, obviously having made their morning visit to the local well.  One of the beautiful women who works at the MIAM campus walks up the path, her hands full of colorful blankets and towels, slightly curtseys as she greets me, then enters the house across the way.  Her quiet, yet brilliant, service is easily overlooked, but keenly felt as she, and so many others, cares for us so expertly, and so humbly.

I hear the sound of cowbells in the distance and can imagine a herd crossing to some field, or some village, or some roadside as they make their way to wherever they are going.  The roosters continue their crowing (they never seem to stop!) and are joined by a chorus of birds chirping their good-mornings.  A gentle breeze picks up and the banana tree waves hello to the lemon tree while the bright blue sky greets the morning sun.

I think of privilege, of temperature, of peace and quiet, of spaciousness and solitude, of joy and laughter, of pain and struggle.  I think of how seemingly simple and easy this beautiful place is in so many ways, yet how devastatingly complex and difficult in others.  I think of home, with its lists and bustle and noise and I wonder what it will be like to go back there – to that place and pace.  I stop myself and settle back into this quiet moment, back into Africa and her hard yet welcoming arms.  And I thank God for the diversity, complexity, and beauty of this world and of this place.  I pray we all continue to soak in it, to splash its dirt on our arms, to let its sun kiss our faces, and its people fill our hearts, learning the lessons it wants to teach us, while doing the work of actively participating in its beauty.   Dear Lord of Africa and America, let it be so!

the dusty healer

We began the morning with class, discussing the role of epidemiology (the field of medicine concerned with the study of epidemics) in understanding healthcare, especially the importance and use of statistics.  We learned that 98% of child deaths occur in developing countries; however, in wealthy countries, 1.1% of girls die before their 15th birthday, compared to 22% in sub-Saharan Africa.  Epidemiology is an extremely useful tool in assessing disease burden and very helpful in recognizing changes in disease patterns.  We also discussed morbidity and mortality, with Dr. Thuma continuing to pepper his lectures with stories from his work in Zambia.  He told us today that he has never treated a Zambian with a heart attack, perhaps mostly attributed to their healthier diet and daily exercise, with many people walking several miles to work each day.

At lunch, we were privileged to sample the local beverage of choice – ibbwatu – a slightly sour drink with chunks of corn meal served in every traditional Zambian home.  (It’s the first drink we’ve ever had to chew!)  In the picture to the above right, Sarah samples her first bit of ibbwatu!  While it seemed to be an acquired taste for most of us, it was good to have a sample prior to being offered some during our home stays this weekend!

After lunch, we set off in two trucks (with seven of us piled in the back bed of each – fear not, parents, it’s not illegal here in Africa!) to drive through the bush to visit a traditional healer in one of the surrounding villages.  Everyone we passed waved hello, some in what is quickly becoming my favorite wave – the two-armed, two-handed, near-full-body wave, where the person doing the waving looks as if nothing in the world is more important at that moment than enthusiastically greeting you with both hands outstretched above their head, hands waving and arms swaying.  After another bumpy, extremely dusty ride, we arrived at the healer’s village and were immediately surrounded and greeted by him and his family.  There were children of all ages running around, dogs wandering in and out of sight, roosters strutting about, and mothers nursing their children.

We were invited to sit down and listen to the traditional healer tell of how the spirits teach him how to treat people in his dreams.  We heard him sing the praises of the Macha Mission Hospital and Dr. Thuma, while at the same time repeatedly requesting that the hospital send more referrals his way!  He then showed us the tools of his trade – old, used plastic water bottles filled with different types of ground herbs, oils and liquids, a tortoise shell, an old plastic phone, which he demonstrated using to call and consult the spirits.  We were introduced to his apprentice, a young man learning the tricks of the trade.  He also showed us the stone behind his hut where he has people lay over night to cast out spirits and save their lives.

At the end of his talk, we mingled (or, more accurately, were nearly mobbed!) by his family who wanted to have their pictures taken.  Some of us also bought beautifully woven baskets that some of the women in the village had for sale.  Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the MIAM campus, so we loaded back up in the trucks and were on our way, with the young children of the village running after us, waving the double-armed, double-handed goodbye with all their hearts.

After a few short minutes on the road, one of the trucks had a flat tire, which momentarily sidetracked us, but soon we were watching the sun set as we flew down the dirt roads, again greeting everyone we passed, trying not to think too much about the incredible amount of dust those of us in the open back were inhaling!  However, the gorgeous sunset and scenery, in addition to the cool breeze and speed of the vehicle, made for an exhilarating and memorable ride home.  (Though those of us in the back felt like Pig Pen from Peanuts when we arrived back on campus in our very own personal clouds of dust!)

We were joined at dinner by three Dutch graduate students who are doing research at the Macha Hospital for a few months.  Many of us will gather after dinner to watch the “European Superbowl” (the soccer equivalent of the United States event!) in the dorm, as the Dutch students are excited to cheer on their favorite team.

Another full day is done.  Tomorrow brings hospital rounds for some students in the morning, class in the afternoon, and further discussion on the role of traditional healers in the villages in the evening, along with some cultural etiquette lessons as students prepare to go out to their homestays this coming weekend!  It’s nearly impossible to believe we’ve almost been in Africa one week already!  Time certainly does fly when you are having fun and learning a lot in the process!

pancakes and surgery

Another full day in Africa dawned bright and beautiful on Tuesday morning, with yummy pancakes for breakfast, and an opportunity for some of us to do some exploring, while others were able to observe some surgeries at the Macha Mission Hospital.  Seven students were able to scrub in to three different surgeries in the morning, with a few even having the opportunity to lend a helping hand! 

Here is a reflection straight from one of the students:

"That experience was amazing! I'm so blessed and thankful that I had the opportunity to help out, hands-on, with a surgery. This reaffirms my desire to do surgery. I don't get scared of blood, or get light-headed, even though the room was fairly warm. My nervousness wore off and my confidence grew steadily. I can do this; I DID do this! I loved it in there, with the atmosphere and the doctors, nurses and everything. There's only one thing I would change: the shoes were extremely tight and hurt my feet quite bad, so I'd want to wear shoes that fit."  - Alicia Brown

We were able to meet up with seven other Messiah students who are spending two weeks in Choma (a few hours away) doing work through Messiah’s Collaboratory.  We met up for lunch together and were excited to see some familiar faces!  

After lunch, we spent the afternoon in class, discussing a polio case study, as well as how our culture and belief system affects how we view health care.  Three hours of class flew by as we were all engrossed in and engaged with the material.  After a yummy dinner of sausage, sweet potatoes, apples, carrots, and chocolate cake, we had a change of plans (African-style!).  Our guests who were to talk with us about marriage and dating in Zambia had to reschedule for next week, so instead we watched “The Constant Gardner,” a movie set in Africa about pharmaceutical companies running drug trials in Kenya.  It was a sobering movie, which provided us with much food for thought.

We will have class again tomorrow morning and will begin discussing epidemiology and causes for poor health in developing countries.  We will then drive about 40 minutes by vehicle to visit a traditional healer in one of the surrounding villages.  We continue to soak in the culture!

class begins!

I don’t know when my feet have ever been so dirty! Most of us have remarked at least once over the past few days at the state of our feet at the end of the day. We’ve been walking everywhere, most of us in sandals of some variety, on the dry, sandy-dusty roads that the dry season brings. The wind kicked up this afternoon as we walked down the road, sweeping us up briefly in a Tasmanian devil-type cyclone of dust. It quickly passed and we were left chewing dirt! Yet another uniquely African experience!

Our Healthcare in the Developing World class started this morning after an early breakfast. (College students CAN eat breakfast at 7 a.m.! Who knew?!) Dr. Thuma provided us with an overview of what to expect in the course, reviewing some basic definitions and terms that we need to be familiar with to begin digging into the material. We discussed what goes into internationally recognized statistics such as the birth rate, death rate, child mortality rate and the infant mortality rate, among many others. We also discussed key concepts in international health, such as recognizing the emotional and 

psychological consequences that illness causes to families and communities in the developing the world. Tomorrow we will begin reviewing case studies and discussing in greater detail the unique challenges to healthcare in the developing world.

While our friends and family in the United States

celebrated Memorial Day today, Africa

celebrated African Freedom Day. We had the afternoon and evening off to spend as we pleased. After lunch, many of us made our way to a local dressmaker’s house named Vera, who custom makes beautiful African outfits. We were welcomed into her cheerful home by her beaming smile and generous presence. She showed us many of the outfits she has made, as well as prints of potential outfits. The vibrant colors and beautiful designs drew us in and many of us ordered special-made garments to bring home with us.

A few of us then walked about thirty minutes to a local store (the same store we stumbled upon in our “bushwhacking excursion” a few days before!) where we purchased fabric for our recently ordered outfits, or as gifts, or to wear as skirts (as we women need to have skirts on any time we step off MIAM’s campus). This time "The Garfield Movie" was playing on the television behind the counter, and we all marveled again at the odd experience of being in rural Africa with an American movie playing in the most unexpected of places!

We also learned recently that the locals call the MIAM campus where we are staying “Little America” due to its running water, satellite television, and wireless internet! I can completely understand why, though I’m happy to report that, to my knowledge, none of our students have taken advantage of the television thus far! (We, quite obviously, have taken great advantage of the water and wireless!) The students will have a true African experience when they go into the surrounding villages in pairs this weekend to do home-stays!

We have this evening off to work on assignments, reading for class, and to relax and enjoy each other’s company. A few of the students have the opportunity to observe surgeries tomorrow morning at the Macha Mission Hospital. We will have class in the afternoon, followed up a cultural evening discussing marriage and dating in the Zambia culture.

Though we continue to be stared at most everywhere we go, people continue to be extremely friendly and pleasant to us, always greeting us as we pass by. Zambia continues to be very good to us!

make a joyful noise

Though Dr. and Mrs. Thuma gave us an idea of what to expect at church on Sunday morning, nothing could have truly prepared us for the amazing music we encountered upon entering the building.  What seemed like seven part harmonies floated up into the ceiling, surrounding us in the rhythm and joy of African worship. Girls from the boarding school down the road sang with such gusto and energy it was hard to sit still and just listen.  Many of us were disappointed not to be able to fully join in due to the unfamiliar language, but listening provided it’s own unique pleasure.  Song after song, even those sung by the entire congregation, wrapped us up together in worship with our African brothers and sisters.  The bright blue walls of the church resounded the joyful noises contained within.

As we stood in front of the congregation of about 300 and introduced ourselves, we were warmly welcomed.  The beautiful African children proved to be quite a distraction for many of us during the service as their cherubic faces and shy smiles beckoned us to engage with them.  The message for the morning – preached in English and translated into Tonga, the local dialect – was based on John 8:1-11 and encouraged us to worship God by leaving our burdens at His feet.

After the two-hour service, we signed the guest registry in the church office and made the ten-minute walk back to the MIAM compound at an easy Sunday-driver pace.  A hearty lunch followed (chicken, potatoes, green beans fresh from the garden, and cake). 

In the afternoon, many of us walked down to the village soccer game, where the Macha Mission Hospital team was set to take on some out-of-towners.  The game, which was “scheduled” to begin at 3 p.m. finally meandered to a start around 4 p.m. (we are quickly learning about “Africa time”!).  As we joined the crowd watching the game, a herd of lazy cows meandered by on their way to the field next door!

After a dinner of meat and veggie pies, popcorn, carrots (and the ever present, much appreciated PB&J), we had a time of praise and worship together as a group.  Each person was asked to say one word that represents his or her experience in Africa thus far.  Words such as surprising, heart, stretching, contrasts, spacious, and challenging began to express the incredible opportunities that have come our way.  As the students signed up for opportunities to do rounds at the hospital with the doctors, or to observe an operation, we sensed a new anticipation for the new experiences this coming week holds!

We are working to find the balance between being and doing in this beautiful place – wanting to actively learn the course material, yet also desiring to be fully present to the experiences we are having.  With class beginning tomorrow, we will all have ample opportunity to begin finding that balance!

what a day its been!

Saturday dawned bright and beautiful, with a cool breeze gently swaying the leaves on the banana trees surrounding our new home.  A few of us awoke with the sun at 6 a.m. and watched it rise slowly over the horizon – our first morning in Macha!

After a breakfast of cornflakes, papaya, fresh peanut butter and toast, we set off to tour the surrounding area, leaving for the first time the fenced in Malaria Institute at Macha (MIAM) compound and stepping into Macha proper.  We met many of the locals along the way, stopping in the town market, and browsing through the produce, bread and miscellaneous wares found within.  Every one we met was extremely friendly, greeting us with a “hello!” or “mwabuka buti?” (meaning “how are you this morning?”).   Some of the children stopped and stared, unaccustomed to the pale skin of foreigners. 

From the market, we walked through the “fires” where families of those who are admitted to the Macha Mission Hospital, founded in 1957, stay while their loved ones receive treatment.  The “fires” is appropriately named for the small cooking fires lining the road where each family prepares supplemental food for their loved one, who gets basic nourishment at the hospital. 

The Macha Mission Hospital, once one small building, is now a compound of many buildings including a men’s and women’s ward, a children’s ward, a maternity and delivery ward, and numerous other buildings for labs, offices, and facilities.  The hospital serves over 140,000 people in the surrounding area and is very basic, staffed by a few doctors (our host Dr. Thuma being one of them) and many wonderful nurses, who at times care for up to 50 patients at a time.  The families of these patients help with much of their care while in the hospital so the nurses can tend to those most critically in need.  (The original mission was started in 1906 by Brethren in Christ missionaries Francis Davidson and Adda Engle.)

We then visited the MIAM offices and met some of Dr. Thuma’s colleagues who assist him with the malaria, and now TB and HIV/AIDS, research they are doing there.  Dr. Thuma told us that in the past number of years, the number of people dying annually from malaria in the area has drastically decreased.  This year so far, only one has passed away, a remarkable change Dr. Thuma attributes to the greatly improved medications, some of which were tested at the MIAM facility.

We returned to a lunch of yams and salad (with some PB & J on the side!) and had the afternoon to spend as we so chose.  Some of us decided to stay at the compound and do some reading, journaling, emailing, or napping, while nine of us adventurous souls (myself included!) decided to take Dr. Mylin up on his offer of a walk around some of the beautiful country surrounding MIAM. 

We walked up the road to the Macha Brethren in Christ Church, to the two schools surrounding it (the girls climbed the tree pictured below!), and then set off to find the local dam and reservoir. 

What started out as a nice stroll around town quickly turned into a bushwhacking expedition as we found ourselves “off path” as Dr. Mylin put it (though I called it “lost”!) and making our way through the bush, trying to side step the prickly plants and quickly encroaching growth along the way!  After much laughter, a few little scrapes, and a lot of walking, we finally found the dam and took a few moments to soak in the beautiful sky reflecting in the calm water. 

We then started our trek home, passing numerous houses, chickens, goats, and cows along the way!  We stopped by Gideon’s store and were highly amused to find the movie “Juno” playing on the TV above the counter!  We arrived back at the compound two hours (and two or three miles!) later, our feet extremely dirty but overall invigorated by the exercise and the scenery.

Dinner is in an hour, after which Dr. Thuma will lead us in a discussion of more of the history and culture of Macha and Zambia.  Tomorrow morning is church at the Brethren in Christ Church, followed by lunch and a visit to the local soccer (or football, as they call it here!) match.

The student’s spirits continue to be high.  Our enjoyment of each other, and of this beautiful country, only seems to grow with each passing day!  I look forward to what tomorrow holds!

a few pictures from our travels

We've just finished our first night at Macha and, after a yummy breakfast!   Everyone seems to have slept well for the most part and all are excited to get to know our new home for the next few weeks!

Here are a few photos from our travels thus far:

Our layover in London led us to Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and Big Ben!  Here Dr. Mylin takes a picture of Jennie, Tiara and Melina in front of the palace!

Chelsea tries a local favorite, fish and chips for lunch!

After arriving in Livingstone and settling in at Jolly Boys, the hostel we stayed in, we ventured into town to find our dinner plance, Fez!

The five hour journey to Macha begins in our snug little bus!

After arriving safe and sound in Macha, we were treated to our first Zambian dinner!

This morning we'll venture into Macha, visit the marketplace, the hospital, and get to know some of our neighbors.  We'll have the afternoon to rest and will spend this evening doing some more cultural orientation for our stay in Macha.  Spirits remain high, and we're all looking forward to spending our first day without getting on a bus or in a plane!  

we're in Africa!

After three days of travel, we've arrived safe and sound in Macha, Zambia!  The last five hours of our travels found us squeezed into a tiny bus bumping its way up the dusty African dirt roads.  It was our introduction to the "real" Africa, complete with monkeys and goats!

Our travels went by with few hitches.  Ashley's luggage was left in Johannesburg, but is already on its way to Choma.  Other than that, our travel was long, but smooth!

We're now settling into our new home for the next few weeks and will have dinner in a few minutes, with an orientation session to follow with our gracious hosts, Dr. Phil and Elaine Thuma.

I'll do my best to post some photos soon!  The internet is slow here, so I won't promise anything other than that I'll try!

Know that we're all safe and sound!

a bit about me

I just realized that many of the people who will be following this blog have no idea who I am!  so, here's a little something for those of you who have no idea who will be writing this blog while we're gone!

My name is Faith Minnich and I am Assistant Director of International Programs here at Messiah College, where I help oversee and administrate our thriving study abroad programs. I am going into my eighth year of working at Messiah and love almost every minute of it!  I particularly enjoy helping students travel and learn abroad during their college years.  I also work with the faculty leaders of our cross-cultural courses that go out during May-Term and J-Term (such as the one we are embarking on!).  

I am also currently pursuing my masters in marriage and family therapy and am half way through (anyone who has done any masters work before knows that every little bit counts!). I've had the privilege of traveling a good bit in my life thus far, including the Ukraine, Philippines, Japan, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, France, Nicaragua (to name a few!).  This is my first trip to Africa and I'm very excited to visit this land that holds a special place in so many hearts.

So, that's a bit about me, your friendly blogger (and co-leader) for the trip.  I'm very excited to get to know the students on our course and am sure we'll have many adventures to tell in the weeks to come!  Stay tuned!

goodbye Grantham!

It's 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19th.  I'm sitting in my sunny office on main campus in Grantham, PA, finishing up the last few items on my list before meeting others in our group at 2 p.m. to head to Dulles International Airport!  We'll rendezvous with the rest of the group at the British Airways ticket counter and head through security together.  Our flight to London leaves at 8:45 p.m. this evening, and we're on our way!

As we won't most likely have internet access again until Friday (May 22), I'll give you an overview of what we'll be doing the next few days!

We'll arrive in London around 9 a.m. (their time), and will spend the day tomorrow (Wed) sightseeing around the city, including (but not limited to) Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and hearing Big Ben chime on the hour!

Our flight leaves Heathrow at 9:15 p.m. Wednesday evening and will arrive into Johannesburg, South Africa at 9 a.m. Thursday morning.  We'll then fly to Livingstone, Zambia, arriving around 1 p.m. Thursday.  We'll spend Thursday night at a backpackers lodge named Jolly Boys in Livingstone and will leave around 9 a.m. Friday morning to make the five hour drive to the Macha Malaria Institute, arriving by mid-afternoon.  We'll then spend the rest of the day on Friday settling into our new home for the next few weeks!

We covet your prayers for safe and uneventful travels!  

Welcome to the Messiah College Zambia Cross-Cultural May-Term 2009 travel blog!  We depart from Dulles International Airport at 8:45 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19th!  Five days and counting...