Shifting

Here it's called shifting, moving that is. This week I shifted into my new home. But there was, of course, a time issue. The family in my place couldn't move because the people in their new home were still there. Four days later... I'm finding one needs to be patient and flexible in this community. When people say I'm on my way over right now and they live close by - give them several hours! I was worried when some difficulties slowed my travel time to Kitwe to catch the bus to Lusaka - needlessly - the bus left an hour and a half late! But I digress.

For those of you who were wondering with me - there is no hot water! So I've purchased a hot plate and heat a pot of water for washing. Oh for a hot bath! Happy I got my short 'Africa cut'.

In the midst of disrepair, I have a young man, called Douti, helping me to plug holes ( I slept with a lizard in my room the first night!), change locks and eventually we'll do some painting. In my bedroom, written in marker on the wall are 3 Scripture references - Psalm 91, Isaiah 54:17 and Luke 10:19.

The police have advised that a Zambian stay here with me so Douti has joined Edwin and Violet to help with my transition. His English seems limited, but we're getting along just fine.

Spread throughout the dry, dusty property mango, guava, banana, avocado, and orange trees (one of each) struggle to produce fruit. The soil is hard as rock, but I see that my neighbours have planted a small vegetable garden so I need to do some investigating.

The weather is lovely and mild at the moment - however - I hear that we are moving into a really HOT season Sept., Oct., Nov. (sound familiar to those of you in the Toronto area?). Then comes the rain...

As I write this on my doorstep (no chair - I only have a mattress - feels so good to be at the internet cafe sitting in a chair!), I hear the sound of children playing, dogs barking, and a rooster crowing. Hmmm - I wonder - a rooster and some chickens sound like a good idea. More investigation required.

I'm thinking about the people in Mbayi who don't have the supermarket option, whose only running water is a stream, who won't eventually have a chair and don't have a blanket to warm them on these chilly nights. They are only an hours drive away but what a difference from my life in town!