Be Free

Every day has been filled with stories, fulfilling work, and hilarious times in the village.  As for work, we had our first Muzoka HIV/AIDS Support Group meeting on Friday.  I was exhausted from being at the clinic all day, but when the 8 members of a previously formed support group (who dissolved due to disorganized leadership) sat with me under a tree to tell me their stories and their ideas for Income Generating Projects, I felt immediately re-energized that day.  There were at least 3 times as many group members in the previous group, so as our weekly meetings continue, we expect to get many more to re-join.  However, having 8 committed members show up to a first meeting was a huge success.  These individuals were so comfortable speaking about their status, personal and community reactions to their status (including both discrimination and acceptance), and their frustration with the long distances they have to travel in order to get their ARVs.  ARVs may be "free" in Zambia, but transport is expensive and time-consuming.  We discussed collective income generating projects, and decided we would begin a community garden for the members to both eat nutritious vegetables, and sell these vegetables in the market.  Next week we will choose a site for the garden, and elect members to various positions for the group.  Our first meeting truly inspired me, and each group member was so ready to begin our project.  We also would like to form dramas to sensitize the community on HIV/AIDS and safer sexual practices.  The group members, who are all over 40 years old, told me it would not be a problem to show up next week with skit ideas.  They were excited and began discussing costumes and drums to accompany the skits.  I hope to eventually combine this support group and my Anti-AIDS club at the school in our community dramas, culminating in a Village Health Day carnival.  I have also had quite a few villagers come to me to learn English.  They sit on my veranda and bring schoolbooks to read together.  Some are kids, some adults, some young adults who want to find jobs.  I don't really find it to be "work," I just enjoy teaching. 

I needed some alone time on Sunday, so I decided to go on a bike ride in the opposite direction of the route to the clinic.  I found gorgeous rolling hills (which gave my legs a good burn) and a peaceful, quiet path to ride when I need to get away.  I blasted my ipod as I admired the beautiful green untouched hills.  In a few months the green will begin turning brown as the Earth dries and makes Zambia look more like a savannah. 

My friends in the village are beginning to come to me as their friend, not just as a foreigner.  They tell me about their family problems, their struggles.  They laugh with me as they ask me why I am a 23 year old single women living alone without children (although the only "alone" time I have is at night when I get to read under my mosquito net).  They also laugh as I try my hardest to speak Tonga (and I laugh at my attempts as well).  I painted the words "Be Free!" on the outside of my hut, and they have really understood that my door is open.  This village is becoming my home, and I fall in love with it more and more every day.  It is challenging, exhausting, and I miss friends and family back home.  I miss people showing up to meetings on time, I miss abundant fruits and vegetables that I can buy at the grocery store, instead of waiting to see what is available during the season at the market.  I miss the ease of American transport.  But I am grateful, and I try to soak my spirit in the beauty of life in rural Zambia.

So Busy, So Happy!

I am busier and happier than I have ever been in my entire life!  Since being back in my village, every day has been a whirlwind, always moving.  I have been back for about a week and a half, and already so many things have begun.  Yesterday was probably the most exciting day.  The water pump near my home, which serves about 30 families, has been broken for a year or so.  My family has put so much work into rebuilding my home, and to give back to them, I really want to repair this borehole.  So I spent time finding the man who knows about taking apart and repairing boreholes.  He lives in a nearby village, and goes to the church not far from my home.  On Saturday, I went to the church, but was told he would be arriving late.  I went home to wash clothes and dishes, and when I went back to the church, I found him.  I invited him to our village meeting the next day, a Sunday, at my home to make plans for repairing our water pump.  I didn't want to get my hopes up on Sunday, so I spent the morning tutoring 3 girls in my village, knowing that my plan may not work out.  Things have a way of both happening as planned and not happening as planned in Zambia (usually the latter), and you just have to accept whatever happens.  Make peace with it.  At 15:30 the man arrived, but my village was not at my home.  I called the children to tell my village that they must come on time, as the man to repair our borehole has made a long journey and is at my home.  They quickly organized, and the man with water pump expertise, myself, and 8 men brought our tools to the borehole to begin the job.  The women and children gathered as we took apart our water pump.  It turned out that the only things needing replacement were the bearings, some rubbers, and a nylon nut.  I came to town today to price the items with the coordinator for the National Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program, and the pricing is even lower than I expected.  For the whole job, it will cost each family less than $2 (or 10 kwacha), equal to one bottle of cooking oil.  To have water for years.  Now, the only hurdle is to call upon these families to put together what they have to repair our water source.  My host brother things it is very, very possible, as "water is life."

Other than that, I have started an Anti-AIDS club at our school, and after teaching the students about HIV/AIDS education, I would like to begin creating dramas with them to sensitize the community on HIV and safe sex practices.  This week, I am also holding our first meetings for my nutrition program at our clinic for the most malnourished children (there are a lot of them at the Under 5 weighings, as we are still in hungry season and nutritious foods are in short supply), and re-starting the HIV/AIDS support group that once existed at our clinic.  I have also been approached by many in my village and in neighboring villages about starting a pre-school, and will hold our first meeting for the pre-school committee in about a week.  It is so much, and I have been running around like crazy, but have also not forgotten to admire the bursting field of sunflowers on my bike-ride to and from the clinic, the intensely beautiful sunsets, or sitting in my new mango tree at the end of the day (which I realized the other day as I was bucket bathing looks exactly like the tree tattoo on my shoulder!).  I also take time to laugh with my friends in the village, A LOT.  Almost every day.  I used to be way more stressed in the village, but meditation amidst the chaos is something I have recently found. I have also been devouring books before I go to sleep, as well as writing tons in my journal.  If you have any books you are finished with and would like to send my way, it would be so greatly appreciated.  Sending so much love back home!