Long Time, It's Rainy Season so Everything Slows Down

Well a lot has obviously happened since I last wrote. And unfortunately I'm on speed dial even now and have to write a quick synopsis of all these pictures I uploaded. So this can be more of a picture entry, with God's love and my parents love I was able to get another camera so I am able to share my experience with you visually once again.


I was able to travel a bit in Zambia recently to support another volunteer in her area. I travelled to Mkushi in Central Province, about an 8 hour journey if public transport is cooperating. I went to visit Beyola one of the very few other African-American volunteers in Peace Corps. She did an Income Generating Activity and HIV/AIDS Training for a group of Parent Teacher Association Chairpeople and I helped her design her HIV/AIDS portion of the workshop and assisted in facilitating it as well.

I was also able to visit Niko briefly on the way to Beyola's site. He's also a HIV/AIDS Volunteer who lives in a neighboring town called Monze.

After returning to my village we had a visit from the NAPS (National Association for the Prevention of Starvation) Global President Dr. Paul from Alabama. He's actually Trinidadian come to find out, I caught his accent of course. So left to right is Derrick Banda, NAPS Zambia director, Me, and Dr. Paul. They have been doing a lot of relief work in the village, but it has been more productive relief work because they include education and interaction with the relief, they don't just drop food and leave. Because of my good working relationship with them I was invited to work with them on their activities while their visitors were here from Alabama. I helped pound Nsima, the Zambian staple food made of pounded maize, I'm holding a huge spoon (Muungo) especially made for stirring and pounding Nsima. This large amount was to feed about 500 people in the local area.

I brought one of my patients who has a very sick child, and fears she is HIV positive along with the child. As you can see she is quite frail, but at least she is eating so there is hope for an improvement in her help. She is a twin but she is significantly thinner then her twin who has managed to maintain her health.

I was also asked to make a statement for Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation about NAPS and my own HIV/AIDS work in Kayoba Village where we both live. So I was on Zambia national TV last weekend I think, of course I didn't see it, I'm a couple of sockets short of electricity.

I also helped serve food to the youth in the area.








Then I played games and sang circle songs with the children. It was a lot of fun.







Then later in the week we had a lunch with the United States Ambassador to Zambia, so I took a snap with her. She is the newly appointed ambassador and she's very tall and energetic.


Okay for now, that will have to be it. I will communicate again after my trip to South Africa. I haven't decided whether or not to bring my digital camera with me since it's far more dangerous there than here regarding theft, and I don't want to have it stolen again. So I might just bring a few disposables.

Please keep in touch, keep writing letters or start writing again if you have stopped. And stay blessed.