Today was a holiday for the birds.... we visited a bird garden and saw lots of colorful and interesting birds!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Holiday with Birds
Today was a holiday for the birds.... we visited a bird garden and saw lots of colorful and interesting birds!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Greetings from Johannesburg
Where did the month of May go? And now we are ½ way through June and still we have been negligent in updating our blog. I guess with all of the skyping that goes on, updating the blog loses its urgency. The problem with that is it is impossible to remember what we have shared with each phone call. 
I visited the Baragwanath Hospital, the largest hospital in the world, with Sister Parmley and some of the area sisters to deliver little blankets and hats for the babies in the Ceserean ward.
Chris & Amy
Headlee siblings at
wedding for Chris & Amy
We know that William and Tabatha are in good hands with regards to their wedding arrangements. I am confident they will receive more advice than they need and I know that this experience will bind us all even closer together. We have come to realize that sacrifice, for us at this time in our lives, is giving up the hugs and kisses of our children and grandchildren. It is not being able to witness our children enter into eternal covenants. It is missing the excitement generated at a grandchild’s birthday celebration. Hopefully, for Pam, it won’t be missing the birth of too many grandchildren. -Mike
Animals abound in all shapes and sizes and degree of life here in Africa!
The perspective of the Church as seen from an area office…
We have met an African area authority who has twelve children and whose wife goes to a well each day for water and carries it back to her home, which has a dirt floor and no electricity or running water. He is the only area authority with no car. He works in an area of Africa which is exploding with new members….committed members who are poor, but who pay tithing and whose greatest dream is to make a once-in-a-lifetime to a temple. 2500 are worthy and waiting.
Elder Kola and Mike
We are living on a continent where there are rampant problems unlike anything we have ever been exposed to. We see disease, racial violence and crime “up close and personal.” The reality of what life is like for so many millions around the world is very sobering. It is amazing to see how so many survive amidst political terrorism, poverty, xenophobia and economic chaos. And yet they do survive. Most find some joy in their lives, even when they have lost loved ones to disease, even when they are hungry and even when they live under a cruel dictator’s rule. To balance all of the hardship that we see is an inspiring show of humility, dedication to be righteous and hope. Living around these good people makes us love Africa.
I visited the Baragwanath Hospital, the largest hospital in the world, with Sister Parmley and some of the area sisters to deliver little blankets and hats for the babies in the Ceserean ward.Sunday, April 27, 2008
Photos from our mission
Surprise at the MTC
We studied "Preach My Gospel" and learned how to introduce the gospel to others. It was a very good experience which we would recommend to all! It was fun to live in the same place where our 3 sons and 4 sons-in-law lived as they prepared to enter the mission field.
This is the main room of our apartment. It is very spacious and suitable for us here. We work so much that it doesn't seem like we have much time here at the apartment. We are a quick 1.5 mile drive from the "office" which is the area complex of the Africa Southeast area office, the presidency office, the Johannesburg temple and the distribution center.
The temple is just about a 2 minute walk from our office in the "White House" where we work. This old mansion was converted into 3 living apartments for the area presidency and their offices (and ours) on the main floor.
We are "district" leaders for the area senior missionary couples. They have weekly family home evenings together and we all live in the same apartment complex. This makes for becoming good friends with many other missionary couples.
We have figured out a way to have a big screen in our livingroom with a minimal amount of equipment ... we have a projector, a small speaker, a portable dvd player and a Tvisto (hard drive which stores 80 movies.
We were delighted to be greated at the MTC by President and Sister Brienholt, the mission president that Mike served as counselor to in the NY Rochester mission. He is a counselor to the MTC president.
The MTC was really a great experience. We enjoyed meeting other couples leaving on missions throughout the world and made some friends in just one week. The food seems to be famous. It was plentiful and good, but one week of it was enough.We studied "Preach My Gospel" and learned how to introduce the gospel to others. It was a very good experience which we would recommend to all! It was fun to live in the same place where our 3 sons and 4 sons-in-law lived as they prepared to enter the mission field.
This is the main room of our apartment. It is very spacious and suitable for us here. We work so much that it doesn't seem like we have much time here at the apartment. We are a quick 1.5 mile drive from the "office" which is the area complex of the Africa Southeast area office, the presidency office, the Johannesburg temple and the distribution center.
The temple is just about a 2 minute walk from our office in the "White House" where we work. This old mansion was converted into 3 living apartments for the area presidency and their offices (and ours) on the main floor.
We are "district" leaders for the area senior missionary couples. They have weekly family home evenings together and we all live in the same apartment complex. This makes for becoming good friends with many other missionary couples.
We have figured out a way to have a big screen in our livingroom with a minimal amount of equipment ... we have a projector, a small speaker, a portable dvd player and a Tvisto (hard drive which stores 80 movies.
Friday, April 18, 2008
We are in South Africa!
Accommodations
Our “flat” is on the 2nd floor of a 6 story building. It is approximately 975 sq ft, consisting of a large bedroom, an office (or 2nd bedroom), a large dining and living room area, a modest and very functional kitchen, a toilet room, a bathing room with sink, and a dressing area. We have an under counter clothes washer and dryer in the kitchen, along with a modest sized refrigerator, microwave, and a regular sized range with oven. As busy as we have been during our first 10 days here we have mostly eaten out in one of the plethora of local restaurants in the mall immediately across the street from our building. This kind of puts Pam out of her normal element. She has been able to cook on Sundays and we try to entertain some of the other missionaries serving here with us in the Area Offices.
We were able to visit South Africa last January and managed to bring many of our possession from Lusaka and leave them in Johannesburg. With our video projector we were able to enjoy General Conference as a “big screen experience.” We also have enough movies on DVD’s to last us for the 23 months of “family nights at the movies” we will be enjoying here.
Shopping
As it happens we find shopping quite convenient to where we live. There is a mall just across the street from our apartment complex. Here the malls contain every kind of store there is. There are lots and lots of malls and they are all top notch, very modern and always full of people. You do not find strip malls or individual stores as much. The dumb thing is that the malls all close at 6:00pm. That is a pain if you work 8 to 5. The restaurants are open later and our mall has a movie theatre with 4 screens. It is interesting to go grocery shopping and then push your shopping cart across the street into your lobby, up the elevator, through the halls down to your apartment right to your door. They come and collect the carts daily to take back to the store. Prices of groceries are quite comparable to the US. Some things like bread and vegetables and fruits are cheaper.
Weather
The weather here has been nothing short of spectacular ever since we have arrived. We are entering the winter season just as you, in north America, are emerging from it. It cools down nicely at night and during the day the temperatures average between 55 and 65 degrees. There is lots of sunshine every day. The roses are still blooming and I believe they cut the grass year round. The apples and grapes here are wonderful and make for an even more enjoyable “fall season.” (A photo of the lawn and fountains outside our office is included.)
Other missionary couples – making friends
The area office complex here consists of a large old mansion which is the area presidency’s office and housing for up to 3 couples (the general authorities). The office overlooks Johannesburg with a beautiful lawn and landscaping. There is also a very large office complex which also includes patron housing for those traveling a long way to the temple. It houses a distribution center and area offices for every facet of church administration: Perpetual Education Fund, Public Affairs, Humanitarian Services, Employment Services, CES, Church Legal Dept, Welfare Services, Auditing, Travel Services, Membership record Unit, Supply Services and Physical Facilities. Most people working here are church employees. There are senior missionary couples assigned to most of these departments. We have 13 couples who serve in this area office. Most live in our apartment complex. They have a Family Home Evening 2 or 3 times a month. So, you can imagine that many lasting friendships come from serving and living near each other.
Watching General Conference
It was a bit challenging to stay up until midnight in order to watch the afternoon sessions of General Conference live but it was worth it. We never cease to be amazed at the “spiritual feast” that is provided every 6 months. We are so grateful be worthy to participate in the full blessings of the restored gospel. Elder Russell M. Nelson reminded us that salvation is an individual, personal gift, and that exaltation is a family affair. To our wonderful and supportive children we ask that you go to the temple regularly and remember there to pray for us as well as all of the missionaries serving throughout the world. (53,686 of them) We feel your strength and faith and pray for you daily.
Participating in a Solemn Assembly
Sitting in our “flat” in Johannesburg, South Africa this evening, I was touched as we participated in the Solemn Assembly session of General Conference. We are so grateful to be serving as missionaries. We were humbled to be given the opportunity to stand and sustain President Monson here, more than 10,000 miles from Salt Lake City, along with our brothers and sisters all over the world. We truly are blessed to be led by a modern day Prophets. We marvel in the simplicity of their teachings. We rejoice in their proclamations and testimonies of Jesus Christ. We find peace in knowing that they speak for God, as did the prophets of ancient times.
The Johannesburg Temple
The temple is 2 kilometers from where we live but less than 200 meters from where we work. From our office the temple is a brisk, gently uphill walk that takes less than 3 minutes. The walk, on a cobble stone and brick road, takes us through approximately 5 acres of beautifully maintained gardens, water features and waterfalls. From our office we enter the grounds through an underground parking facility located directly underneath the temple. It is like no other parking facility we have ever seen. Simply put, it is immaculate. Entering the temple through the front foyer presents one with the same feeling of magnificence that is experienced when entering into any temple. It is no different when entering from the parking garage directly under the temple.
Giant palm trees, and the large, dense green foliage create an atmosphere akin to what it must have been like in the Garden of Eden. This is truly a welcoming and inviting island of peace and tranquility, in an otherwise oft troubled and confused world. (photo attached)
Our “flat” is on the 2nd floor of a 6 story building. It is approximately 975 sq ft, consisting of a large bedroom, an office (or 2nd bedroom), a large dining and living room area, a modest and very functional kitchen, a toilet room, a bathing room with sink, and a dressing area. We have an under counter clothes washer and dryer in the kitchen, along with a modest sized refrigerator, microwave, and a regular sized range with oven. As busy as we have been during our first 10 days here we have mostly eaten out in one of the plethora of local restaurants in the mall immediately across the street from our building. This kind of puts Pam out of her normal element. She has been able to cook on Sundays and we try to entertain some of the other missionaries serving here with us in the Area Offices.
We were able to visit South Africa last January and managed to bring many of our possession from Lusaka and leave them in Johannesburg. With our video projector we were able to enjoy General Conference as a “big screen experience.” We also have enough movies on DVD’s to last us for the 23 months of “family nights at the movies” we will be enjoying here.
Shopping
As it happens we find shopping quite convenient to where we live. There is a mall just across the street from our apartment complex. Here the malls contain every kind of store there is. There are lots and lots of malls and they are all top notch, very modern and always full of people. You do not find strip malls or individual stores as much. The dumb thing is that the malls all close at 6:00pm. That is a pain if you work 8 to 5. The restaurants are open later and our mall has a movie theatre with 4 screens. It is interesting to go grocery shopping and then push your shopping cart across the street into your lobby, up the elevator, through the halls down to your apartment right to your door. They come and collect the carts daily to take back to the store. Prices of groceries are quite comparable to the US. Some things like bread and vegetables and fruits are cheaper.
Weather
The weather here has been nothing short of spectacular ever since we have arrived. We are entering the winter season just as you, in north America, are emerging from it. It cools down nicely at night and during the day the temperatures average between 55 and 65 degrees. There is lots of sunshine every day. The roses are still blooming and I believe they cut the grass year round. The apples and grapes here are wonderful and make for an even more enjoyable “fall season.” (A photo of the lawn and fountains outside our office is included.)
Other missionary couples – making friends
The area office complex here consists of a large old mansion which is the area presidency’s office and housing for up to 3 couples (the general authorities). The office overlooks Johannesburg with a beautiful lawn and landscaping. There is also a very large office complex which also includes patron housing for those traveling a long way to the temple. It houses a distribution center and area offices for every facet of church administration: Perpetual Education Fund, Public Affairs, Humanitarian Services, Employment Services, CES, Church Legal Dept, Welfare Services, Auditing, Travel Services, Membership record Unit, Supply Services and Physical Facilities. Most people working here are church employees. There are senior missionary couples assigned to most of these departments. We have 13 couples who serve in this area office. Most live in our apartment complex. They have a Family Home Evening 2 or 3 times a month. So, you can imagine that many lasting friendships come from serving and living near each other.
Watching General Conference
It was a bit challenging to stay up until midnight in order to watch the afternoon sessions of General Conference live but it was worth it. We never cease to be amazed at the “spiritual feast” that is provided every 6 months. We are so grateful be worthy to participate in the full blessings of the restored gospel. Elder Russell M. Nelson reminded us that salvation is an individual, personal gift, and that exaltation is a family affair. To our wonderful and supportive children we ask that you go to the temple regularly and remember there to pray for us as well as all of the missionaries serving throughout the world. (53,686 of them) We feel your strength and faith and pray for you daily.
Participating in a Solemn Assembly
Sitting in our “flat” in Johannesburg, South Africa this evening, I was touched as we participated in the Solemn Assembly session of General Conference. We are so grateful to be serving as missionaries. We were humbled to be given the opportunity to stand and sustain President Monson here, more than 10,000 miles from Salt Lake City, along with our brothers and sisters all over the world. We truly are blessed to be led by a modern day Prophets. We marvel in the simplicity of their teachings. We rejoice in their proclamations and testimonies of Jesus Christ. We find peace in knowing that they speak for God, as did the prophets of ancient times.
The Johannesburg Temple
The temple is 2 kilometers from where we live but less than 200 meters from where we work. From our office the temple is a brisk, gently uphill walk that takes less than 3 minutes. The walk, on a cobble stone and brick road, takes us through approximately 5 acres of beautifully maintained gardens, water features and waterfalls. From our office we enter the grounds through an underground parking facility located directly underneath the temple. It is like no other parking facility we have ever seen. Simply put, it is immaculate. Entering the temple through the front foyer presents one with the same feeling of magnificence that is experienced when entering into any temple. It is no different when entering from the parking garage directly under the temple.
Giant palm trees, and the large, dense green foliage create an atmosphere akin to what it must have been like in the Garden of Eden. This is truly a welcoming and inviting island of peace and tranquility, in an otherwise oft troubled and confused world. (photo attached)
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Notes from Zambia....(this time from Mike)
31 JAN 2008
RAIN, that is the order of the day. It often rains in the morning, sometimes in the late evenings and at least once during the night. A meteorologist has a very easy job here in Zambia. There is a 100% chance of rain every day during the months of December and January. In February the daily chance of rain drops to 75%, to 60% in March and finally less than 40% in April. A very boring job July – October with less than a 1% chance of rain and sunny. There is about a 15 degree temperature change during any given day. When we wake up to 60 degrees we can plan on 75 by mid afternoon. 65 in the morning means 80 before we go to bed that night. In October we wake up to 82 degrees… you do the math. Temperature-wise spring is nice but only ducks and crocodiles enjoy this much rain.
STUCK IN THE MUD. With this much rain, traveling to the farm is a real challenge. Even the main road out of the city is beginning to suffer significant water damage and is growing new potholes every day. A 32 kilometer drive that takes about 25 minutes during the dry season can take up to an hour now in the rain. The first 31½ K’s are predictable but the last 500 meters is an adventure every day. Monday was the last day we will attempt to take the Canter (Mitsubishi 2 ½ ton flat bed, dual rear wheels) until the rains cease. There were ten of us pushing, in the mud and water, on level ground, to keep the vehicle moving forward. 20 minutes and 400 meters later we were at the road.
Tuesday we took delivery of a 1997 Nissan Hard body 4X4 quad cab, pick up truck, called a “van” here in Africa. (The vehicle we know as a minivan is referred to as a minibus here.) It is still an adventure getting to the building site but so far this week we have not needed to exit the vehicle to push.
BAREFOOT CAR WASH. You would be amused to see our vehicle once we have driven through the new land and arrive back on the main road after the day’s work. We stop along side the road and take advantage of the numerous small streams of rain water to rinse off the ‘van’. Often we just drive into the middle of the stream, take off shoes and socks, roll up the jeans and start splashing the vehicle. It is a humorous sight, grown men acting like schoolboys on their way home from school. (You know what I mean, if there is a puddle it is meant to be explored.) By the time we are on our way again, about 20 minutes, there is no evidence of our most recent adventure.
BART & MARILYN DAHNEKE. Imagine our surprise after returning to church with the Lusaka Branch after a 2 month absence only to find our friends from Palmyra NY in Zambia for an extended visit. They are here staying with their daughter Rachel who is married to a foreign services officer currently assigned to the U S Embassy here in Lusaka. The young couple is a powerful example to the Latter-day Saints in the Lusaka District.
ELECTRICITY has become a necessity for most of us and we have experienced a storm related power outage once in a great while. Now try and imagine living your life, preparing for the day, cooking, washing clothes, watching TV and never knowing when the power is going to go off or when it will magically reappear. We are living in Lusaka, the capitol city of Zambia, and it is a rare day that the power is not lost for a period of 15 minutes to as long as 10 hours. It can be very frustrating trying to do email or checking things out on the internet and have the power go out. Yes, our laptops have battery power but the internet connection is lost and sometimes takes hours to restore once the power has returned. Just one of the things we take for granted at home in the US!
LAUNDRY is a real challenge during the rainy season. Our clothes are all washed by hand wrung out by hand and hung up in the rain or 85% humidity to dry. After hanging all day everything, including underwear, is ironed with a hot iron to get dry enough to put away. It takes most of the day to complete this otherwise simple task. Our housekeeper, Catherine, will spend 6-7 hours doing 5 days worth of laundry. I do sympathize with the women in the villages and compounds who must walk, sometimes as far as a kilometer, to get water for drinking, cooking, bathing and laundry. I wonder how much water we would use if we were required to carry it even 50 feet from a well to our house. The thought of running water, inside our homes, that is suitable for drinking makes me grateful for this most basic necessity of life.
PAM’S COOKING and companionship makes living in a 3rd world country bearable if not enjoyable. It’s amazing how far out of our ‘comfort zone’ we can go when there is the familiarity of food and conversation at the end of the day. We are separated by days of travel from every thing dear and familiar to us. We are discovering that it is important to really get to know our ‘eternal companion’ better.
The news of PRESIDENT GORDON B HINKLEY reached us here in Zambia in less than 2 hours after his passing. The marvels of modern communication never ceases to amaze us. We were greatly influenced by his teachings and example of friendshipping. His vision of the Church’s expansion was remarkable. We are comforted in his joy in being reunited with his eternal companion.
RAIN, that is the order of the day. It often rains in the morning, sometimes in the late evenings and at least once during the night. A meteorologist has a very easy job here in Zambia. There is a 100% chance of rain every day during the months of December and January. In February the daily chance of rain drops to 75%, to 60% in March and finally less than 40% in April. A very boring job July – October with less than a 1% chance of rain and sunny. There is about a 15 degree temperature change during any given day. When we wake up to 60 degrees we can plan on 75 by mid afternoon. 65 in the morning means 80 before we go to bed that night. In October we wake up to 82 degrees… you do the math. Temperature-wise spring is nice but only ducks and crocodiles enjoy this much rain.
STUCK IN THE MUD. With this much rain, traveling to the farm is a real challenge. Even the main road out of the city is beginning to suffer significant water damage and is growing new potholes every day. A 32 kilometer drive that takes about 25 minutes during the dry season can take up to an hour now in the rain. The first 31½ K’s are predictable but the last 500 meters is an adventure every day. Monday was the last day we will attempt to take the Canter (Mitsubishi 2 ½ ton flat bed, dual rear wheels) until the rains cease. There were ten of us pushing, in the mud and water, on level ground, to keep the vehicle moving forward. 20 minutes and 400 meters later we were at the road.
Tuesday we took delivery of a 1997 Nissan Hard body 4X4 quad cab, pick up truck, called a “van” here in Africa. (The vehicle we know as a minivan is referred to as a minibus here.) It is still an adventure getting to the building site but so far this week we have not needed to exit the vehicle to push.
BAREFOOT CAR WASH. You would be amused to see our vehicle once we have driven through the new land and arrive back on the main road after the day’s work. We stop along side the road and take advantage of the numerous small streams of rain water to rinse off the ‘van’. Often we just drive into the middle of the stream, take off shoes and socks, roll up the jeans and start splashing the vehicle. It is a humorous sight, grown men acting like schoolboys on their way home from school. (You know what I mean, if there is a puddle it is meant to be explored.) By the time we are on our way again, about 20 minutes, there is no evidence of our most recent adventure.
BART & MARILYN DAHNEKE. Imagine our surprise after returning to church with the Lusaka Branch after a 2 month absence only to find our friends from Palmyra NY in Zambia for an extended visit. They are here staying with their daughter Rachel who is married to a foreign services officer currently assigned to the U S Embassy here in Lusaka. The young couple is a powerful example to the Latter-day Saints in the Lusaka District.
ELECTRICITY has become a necessity for most of us and we have experienced a storm related power outage once in a great while. Now try and imagine living your life, preparing for the day, cooking, washing clothes, watching TV and never knowing when the power is going to go off or when it will magically reappear. We are living in Lusaka, the capitol city of Zambia, and it is a rare day that the power is not lost for a period of 15 minutes to as long as 10 hours. It can be very frustrating trying to do email or checking things out on the internet and have the power go out. Yes, our laptops have battery power but the internet connection is lost and sometimes takes hours to restore once the power has returned. Just one of the things we take for granted at home in the US!
LAUNDRY is a real challenge during the rainy season. Our clothes are all washed by hand wrung out by hand and hung up in the rain or 85% humidity to dry. After hanging all day everything, including underwear, is ironed with a hot iron to get dry enough to put away. It takes most of the day to complete this otherwise simple task. Our housekeeper, Catherine, will spend 6-7 hours doing 5 days worth of laundry. I do sympathize with the women in the villages and compounds who must walk, sometimes as far as a kilometer, to get water for drinking, cooking, bathing and laundry. I wonder how much water we would use if we were required to carry it even 50 feet from a well to our house. The thought of running water, inside our homes, that is suitable for drinking makes me grateful for this most basic necessity of life.
PAM’S COOKING and companionship makes living in a 3rd world country bearable if not enjoyable. It’s amazing how far out of our ‘comfort zone’ we can go when there is the familiarity of food and conversation at the end of the day. We are separated by days of travel from every thing dear and familiar to us. We are discovering that it is important to really get to know our ‘eternal companion’ better.
The news of PRESIDENT GORDON B HINKLEY reached us here in Zambia in less than 2 hours after his passing. The marvels of modern communication never ceases to amaze us. We were greatly influenced by his teachings and example of friendshipping. His vision of the Church’s expansion was remarkable. We are comforted in his joy in being reunited with his eternal companion.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Our Return to Zambia
We have been in Zambia only six days. Time seems to pass at a different rate now… a bit slower. I guess that is because it takes so long to accomplish things here. It is hard to get used to the change of pace. We seem to always be rushing around at home and here we just plod along.
For the first four days here we didn’t see any sun. It was cloudy, dark and cool as it rained a lot. From what everyone says the whole month of January has been like that. Many crops have been washed away or rotted in the ground. It gives you a different concept of a “rainy season.” Last year we experienced cloudbursts often daily, but with sunshine in between. The sun finally came out yesterday and we have enjoyed very beautiful weather. Zambia is really green from all the moisture. Such a contrast to the total brown dryness we see from May until December. If you could just spread some of the rains out over the dry season it would really change things here…but then weather is something we cannot control. It is so constant here that even with gray clouds in July the people say with perfect knowledge it will not rain. Sometime in early April the faucets in the sky are turned off until late in the year and NEVER even leak a bit! When they eventually do turn on, it is as if you used a power sprayer instead of a garden sprinkler!
So the first order of business is to get vehicles in safe working order. One side affect of the rains is a worsening of the roads. Pot holes are everywhere and you must proceed very carefully down the streets. Out in the rural areas the result is mud…lots of it. Bald tires don’t move a vehicle very far in mud! Unfortunately, in the midst of a project, if the roads are too muddy, then the trucks can’t come in and do the work…hence the rainy season can bring a construction project to a complete halt. The brickmaking project requires the truck for the moving and screening of the dirt. Mud does not screen very well and is VERY heavy to move! The water tower project got started, but when the truck got stuck, so did the progress. In spite of all of our efforts to be efficient and accomplish our goals within a certain time period, we still are at the mercy of Mother Nature!
For the first four days here we didn’t see any sun. It was cloudy, dark and cool as it rained a lot. From what everyone says the whole month of January has been like that. Many crops have been washed away or rotted in the ground. It gives you a different concept of a “rainy season.” Last year we experienced cloudbursts often daily, but with sunshine in between. The sun finally came out yesterday and we have enjoyed very beautiful weather. Zambia is really green from all the moisture. Such a contrast to the total brown dryness we see from May until December. If you could just spread some of the rains out over the dry season it would really change things here…but then weather is something we cannot control. It is so constant here that even with gray clouds in July the people say with perfect knowledge it will not rain. Sometime in early April the faucets in the sky are turned off until late in the year and NEVER even leak a bit! When they eventually do turn on, it is as if you used a power sprayer instead of a garden sprinkler!
So the first order of business is to get vehicles in safe working order. One side affect of the rains is a worsening of the roads. Pot holes are everywhere and you must proceed very carefully down the streets. Out in the rural areas the result is mud…lots of it. Bald tires don’t move a vehicle very far in mud! Unfortunately, in the midst of a project, if the roads are too muddy, then the trucks can’t come in and do the work…hence the rainy season can bring a construction project to a complete halt. The brickmaking project requires the truck for the moving and screening of the dirt. Mud does not screen very well and is VERY heavy to move! The water tower project got started, but when the truck got stuck, so did the progress. In spite of all of our efforts to be efficient and accomplish our goals within a certain time period, we still are at the mercy of Mother Nature!
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Progress at the new land….
Much has been done in the land development. What started out as a hope…a dream…a vision is now becoming a reality, though now still in infant stages. We came here to develop this vision and it is evident that we need to be here and that The Family Resource Center of Zambia will happen! It is rewarding to see the progress, but tiring as well. There is no question about it being HARD work!
So it started out as raw land. In Africa they call it the bush. Where do you start developing it? How do you know what you even have when there is elephant grass as tall as 12 feet all around you? It all has to do with timing…. We only have 2 seasons here, summer and winter…better known as the rainy season and the dry season. These seasons drive many things. Obviously you cannot do certain things when the rain comes every day and floods roads, creates mud and ruins your parade! It is great for the crops, but not for certain kinds of construction and excavation. When the dry season comes it is very common here to burn off the dry grasses. At that point you can really see the lay of the land and you can do many things impossible with heavy wet green grass. The real progress started when the rainy season ended.
Previous posts addressed the road construction. In order to get electricity, there needed to be a road for the trucks to drive to the interior of the land to place power poles. So the trees were cut and stumps were chopped and brush was cleared and burned. The bonus in all of this was that the cut trees could become charcoal…a valuable commodity here. But this “road” was only a service road. A real road for access to the heart of the land was needed. So more cutting, digging and clearing…. The road is about 800 metres or ½ mile. This road needed to be a good one, not just accessible by big trucks, but small cars as well. Huge rocks were a problem. A sledgehammer doesn’t do much except give you a headache. Solution: burn large tractor trailer tires on top of the rocks. The heat then cracks the rock and allows a sledgehammer to crumble it with a single blow.
It is a real blessing to be able to find hard workers. Because over 80% of the population is unemployed, many seek jobs. Mike was able to find 5 hard working and reliable Zambian workers who were thrilled to get a job. They work 8 hours each day, 5 to 6 days a week. They dig stumps, clear brush and create a smooth road. They are like having a machine. Going pay rate : $2.50 per day. They are so happy to have a job and we are so happy to have good workers. That is what you call WIN-WIN!
An important thing to have in any development is water. Not only is water important for cleaning and cooking, but also for making bricks. That is the next venture ready for us to try. So this past week the well-diggers came and at 70 feet they hit water. They kept drilling and after going through solid rock for 90 more feet hit water again. That means this water would be pure and uncontaminated. It could be drinkable just as it comes from the well! This would be the first of several wells that will be drilled on our land.
Next step… start making bricks. Mothers Without Borders has owned a brick making machine for over 2 years in anticipation of this construction. A shipping container was moved to the property for the secure storage of the machine. The water barrels are in place nearby and a primitive shelter has been constructed for some protection from the sun. This past week the bricks were started… much to everyone’s delight. To have it begin during the time an expedition of Americans was here was an added bonus!
In order to make bricks there has to be a source of dirt, a source of water and then bags of cement. It goes like this…For every bag of cement (25 kilos or 50 lbs) you need 10 construction-sized wheelbarrows full of dirt and 25 litres of water. The dirt and cement are mixed on the ground then about a gallon and a half of water is mixed in and shoveled into the machine where it is hydraulically pressed to create a brick every 15 seconds. Each brick weighs 11 kilos or 22 pounds. Someone needs to be there to take the brick from the machine and stack it in the holding area where it is watered daily to cured for 2 weeks. The goal is to make about 900 bricks per day. That means 100 wheelbarrow loads of dirt must be dug from the ground and wheeled several hundred feet to the construction site. That uses about 10 to 12 bags of cement and about 1 ¼ drums of water per day. If you were working full force this would require about 14 workers.
Now consider how many bricks we need to build this “village” of buildings…. 20 homes for children, staff housing, International volunteer housing, a lodge, school, clinic, country store, mill, vocational and business training center and a brick fence around the whole property !!!! I think we are going to be here for a while….
So it started out as raw land. In Africa they call it the bush. Where do you start developing it? How do you know what you even have when there is elephant grass as tall as 12 feet all around you? It all has to do with timing…. We only have 2 seasons here, summer and winter…better known as the rainy season and the dry season. These seasons drive many things. Obviously you cannot do certain things when the rain comes every day and floods roads, creates mud and ruins your parade! It is great for the crops, but not for certain kinds of construction and excavation. When the dry season comes it is very common here to burn off the dry grasses. At that point you can really see the lay of the land and you can do many things impossible with heavy wet green grass. The real progress started when the rainy season ended.
Previous posts addressed the road construction. In order to get electricity, there needed to be a road for the trucks to drive to the interior of the land to place power poles. So the trees were cut and stumps were chopped and brush was cleared and burned. The bonus in all of this was that the cut trees could become charcoal…a valuable commodity here. But this “road” was only a service road. A real road for access to the heart of the land was needed. So more cutting, digging and clearing…. The road is about 800 metres or ½ mile. This road needed to be a good one, not just accessible by big trucks, but small cars as well. Huge rocks were a problem. A sledgehammer doesn’t do much except give you a headache. Solution: burn large tractor trailer tires on top of the rocks. The heat then cracks the rock and allows a sledgehammer to crumble it with a single blow.
It is a real blessing to be able to find hard workers. Because over 80% of the population is unemployed, many seek jobs. Mike was able to find 5 hard working and reliable Zambian workers who were thrilled to get a job. They work 8 hours each day, 5 to 6 days a week. They dig stumps, clear brush and create a smooth road. They are like having a machine. Going pay rate : $2.50 per day. They are so happy to have a job and we are so happy to have good workers. That is what you call WIN-WIN!
An important thing to have in any development is water. Not only is water important for cleaning and cooking, but also for making bricks. That is the next venture ready for us to try. So this past week the well-diggers came and at 70 feet they hit water. They kept drilling and after going through solid rock for 90 more feet hit water again. That means this water would be pure and uncontaminated. It could be drinkable just as it comes from the well! This would be the first of several wells that will be drilled on our land.
Next step… start making bricks. Mothers Without Borders has owned a brick making machine for over 2 years in anticipation of this construction. A shipping container was moved to the property for the secure storage of the machine. The water barrels are in place nearby and a primitive shelter has been constructed for some protection from the sun. This past week the bricks were started… much to everyone’s delight. To have it begin during the time an expedition of Americans was here was an added bonus!
In order to make bricks there has to be a source of dirt, a source of water and then bags of cement. It goes like this…For every bag of cement (25 kilos or 50 lbs) you need 10 construction-sized wheelbarrows full of dirt and 25 litres of water. The dirt and cement are mixed on the ground then about a gallon and a half of water is mixed in and shoveled into the machine where it is hydraulically pressed to create a brick every 15 seconds. Each brick weighs 11 kilos or 22 pounds. Someone needs to be there to take the brick from the machine and stack it in the holding area where it is watered daily to cured for 2 weeks. The goal is to make about 900 bricks per day. That means 100 wheelbarrow loads of dirt must be dug from the ground and wheeled several hundred feet to the construction site. That uses about 10 to 12 bags of cement and about 1 ¼ drums of water per day. If you were working full force this would require about 14 workers.
Now consider how many bricks we need to build this “village” of buildings…. 20 homes for children, staff housing, International volunteer housing, a lodge, school, clinic, country store, mill, vocational and business training center and a brick fence around the whole property !!!! I think we are going to be here for a while….
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