Twalumba Tuesday

Day 36

Our last full day here is memorable in so many ways. Today was a long day with extreme ups and downs. 

Our morning started with a wonderful pancake breakfast. We then walked to Eric’s house to pick up the children for the last time. Today I carried Lee to morning language class. He did not fuss or cry at all. We arrived at Haven 3 and had a wonderful language class. No one threw a fit and the children were very manageable. At the end of therapy we played on the playground. Rachel and I sat on the teeter-totter on one end, and Anna and Ian sat on the other and we still outweighed them. Then eventually Kara came over and tipped the tide and Rachel and I went up. Not thinking, Kara stepped off slamming Rachel and I to the ground. Since Rachel was sitting on my lap she was laughing and smiling, and I was in pain.

We walked the kids back to Eric’s house after therapy and then I returned to say hello to Sydney in Haven 3 because it was the last day. I went to her room and picked her up for a few minutes. She was very happy and smiley, but when it was time for me to leave for therapy I set her down and she cried as I left.

Our last language session in Haven 1 was great as always. Lauren, Tessa, and I make a great team. I first worked with Ruben and then switched to Peace. Peace is a very loud crier, and likes to control her environment by crying. That girl can cry very loud and she has a very nice lip quiver as well. During our last part of the session we sat at the table and sang many songs and read books. Tessa was leading so she made up a Careful Bee story like our group always does. Today only one child fell asleep during our session. Nice. After our session was over we headed back for lunch. On the way back we had to wait for a while for a herd of cattle to finish crossing the path.

For lunch today we had fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and rolls. It was very good as always. After lunch today we all waited until it was time for Andrew’s funeral. We drove to the Havens before the funeral so we could present our good bye/ Thank you cakes to Haven 1 and 3 Aunties.

The funeral was tough. There was a lot of singing, and a lot of crying by the Aunties. The crying and wailing was like nothing I have ever heard in my life. Imagine a dozen mothers losing their son. The funeral started with the viewing of the body. Then we walked to the grave site, where the men are responsible for digging the grave. There we waited until the hole was dug and the coffin was brought to the grave. The coffin was buried and Megan talked about Andrew for a while. His background story and how he became sick. It was very sad and touching. The men said a few prayers and then the funeral was over.

Our group was then free to spend time at which ever Haven until it was time for dinner. I immediately went to Haven 3 where Nathan greeted us with a face coated in dirt. He made us all laugh, and lifted our spirits. I held Sydney most of the afternoon. She was wet and needed a bath, but I didn’t care. Megan was very nice and tried her hardest to get Sydney to smile at the camera. I didn’t even ask her to. She called me Sydney’s American boy friend. I also spent time playing with Rachel too. All the kids in Haven 3 are so much fun. I plan on waking up very early tomorrow morning to visit them before I leave.

One our way back to dinner we stopped on the trail and took a few small group pictures of us jumping and being silly. It was a great way to lighten the mood. We were all sad about all the things that had happened today, but God had given us much needed strength to make it through the day.  For our last dinner we had ham sandwiches, and quickly after we cleaned the Man house and packed the storage unit with all of our things we need for next year.

The rest of the evening I spent saying bye to the Zambians I have net here. I went and found Mark and we shared email addresses so that we can communicate with each other, we also took some pictures as well. Mark was very touched that we wandered out in the night to come and find him on our last night. I also visited Mrs. Mono for the last time and picked up the things she had made for me.

I spent the rest of the evening visiting with Webster and Justin. They too were very sad that we were leaving tomorrow. There was some left over shema from a meal prepared for our bus drivers, so Justin and Webster taught us how to eat shema like the Zambians do. They take it in only one hand, and mold it into a ball, and then they push a small hole in the top, like you would do for mashed potatoes, and then you scoop some sauce onto the shema, like Fritos scoops, and eat it. They laughed and we laughed too as we tried to learn this skill and eat shema like them. They were very entertaining tonight. We would mention packing, and they would say, “No, do not leave” so we wouldn’t. Justin loves shema so Webster calls him Shema man, and Justin replies and calls Webster Snow Man. It is very funny because Webster does not like being called Snow man.

Finally it was time for use to go and start packing. I gave Justin my soccer cleats that I bought in the market. He was very thankful and excited. Webster was very emotional when I said good bye. I went to shake his hand, the Zambian way, and then he leaned in for a hug, and then switched to the other side of a hug, and then said, “You are a very good man, may God bless you where you go.” I was very touched and I could tell he had tears in his eyes. He then proceeded to shake my hand the Zambian way several times firmly. He kept saying that he would never forget this night throughout the evening, and I agree with him. I will never forget this day either.

Tomorrow we are leaving after breakfast and driving 5 hours to Lusaka and spending the night. Then the next day we will fly out. Please pray for safe travel for all of us.

Thank you

Ben