Thursday

Today began with a bird glug-glugging in the distance – I remember hearing it in Kenya, and still have no idea what it was.

After devotions in the shade of some trees in the compound, and then breakfast (porridge again to keep the builders going until lunch time – I had bran flakes to keep me going...) we all headed off in the minibus, first to Garden Hill School where the building team spent the morning for a Zambian version of rendering (more like splatting on the walls) and where we were all greeted by some very excited children (“Uncle Geoff!! Uncle Geoff!!! Uncle Geoff!!!”) and I was taken over by a swarm of them who all clamoured for me to take their photos so they could see themselves on the camera. 

The Rewired team then went on to Crown of Life School where we were met by the amazing Dorothy and her daughter Deborah – Dorothy set up the school 10 years ago for local orphaned and vulnerable children, with a vision of something much bigger. 

With a lot of help from Christchurch St Albans and some from Mission Direct Dorothy is beginning to see her vision come alive – she now has a block of 3 classrooms and some toilets, and another block of 3 classrooms and a PC room that is almost completed – apparently it wasn't there 3 months ago, so some serious building work has been going on! By the time we had been greeted and introduced to the children and staff we had around 45 minutes left to get the 6 laptops ready to hand over to the school – we just about did it by the time the bus came to collect us, although we did need a few extra minutes. 

 The Rewired team have really become very productive – we have each found our own niche and get on with the job. I've created a checklist to help with the work in the next schools, and to use on future trips – it can be updated as we go along and find more things to add to it. I've been trying to print it off on a printer that we've got for the Internet Cafe, but it doesn't work on any of the laptops that we've got here – hopefully it will work on a desktop because that's what they've got at the Internet Cafe.

 After lunch Cosmas (the director of Kiine School) came to talk to us about the child sponsorship scheme that is run through International Needs – for less than the cost of a pub meal each month a child can be supported through their schooling – books, uniform, and sometimes breakfast. I had a look through the details of the children seeking sponsorship but in the end asked Cosmas to find me someone particular – he is sure he can find me that girl. Actually, since then someone else looking through the details found Ruth who is exactly the child I was hoping to find so I'll ask Cosmas if I can support her.

We then wandered over to the church near the school to hear about the Home Care scheme that is run by this church, to support sick people in the nearby Kaunda Square community, mostly with HIV/AIDS. This introduction was to prepare us for our visit tomorrow with the Carers to some of the people they are caring for. The Home Care scheme provides these people with basics such as shima (a basic that every Zambian meal has to have – a bit like very fine couscous), medicine and emotional and spiritual support and encouragement.

Afterwards Barbara and Benson showed us the chickens that their son Emmanuel are rearing and selling to fund his way through college – this is a very popular way of generating income and Fountain of Hope are also hoping to do this. They buy in 250 day-old chicks and put them under UV lamps and give them care, food & water, and after a few weeks they are ready to sell on and new chicks can be brought in to continue the cycle.

Finally, after a bit of a hectic day we had some free time, although Rewired had a brief discussion on how we improve our process (not much change needed) and I went for a lovely swim in the cold swimming pool – so welcome at the end of a very hot day. There is a huge frangipani tree hanging over the pool and the air smells delicious at the end of a hot day. 

Before dinner the Bishop of Lusaka (Bishop Paul) came to tell us about Zambia, especially the potential implications of the recent elections and change of president. His very strong sense of social justice came through. Pastor Benson & his wife Barbara shared dinner with us, and I was glad to be on the same table as them so we could hear more about the work of their church – when talk came around to UK politics I decided it was time to make a skype call!

We've had a very brief lightening storm and a little bit of rain – enough to freshen the air and hopefully not too much to make life miserable for anyone on the streets or in the shanty towns tonight.

Wednesday

Today the rewired team returned to Fountain of Hope to carry on installing the Internet Cafe and begin putting desktops into a classroom. We had constant visits to the Internet Cafe from boys asking if they could try it out, but it's not connected yet so they'll have to wait, probably until Monday – they are so looking forward to this. I've put a web cam onto one of the PCs and will put Skype onto that as soon as I can get onto the internet.

On the way back one of the team bought sunglasses at the traffic lights, paying just as the lights turned green and our minibus was pulling away – Oakeys for around £4.50 instead of the £50 ticket seen in UK high street shops – bargain!

After lunch Pastor Benson came to talk to us about how the church is using the Jesus film as outreach – this team will be taking part in one of the showings with some of the team sharing their stories during it.

We then had free time so I investigated the swimming pool, which is an unexpected luxury which was deliciously welcome because it's become rather warm (probably high 80s).

Later in the afternoon the whole team went over to Fountain of Hope where we were made very welcome by the boys (and some girls too) and team members – the leading lights of this place are Vasko, Kenny and Vincent who have such huge hearts for these children, and such patience – sometimes the children return to their old ways, but they are still cared for year after year. Vasko himself came from the streets – he has no idea when he was born so has to guess at his age. During our visit it was so evident how much love, nurturing, stability and confidence the team gives to the children.

We were shown around the complex (including a splendid art room and library that have been styled as typical African round houses). The tour included a visit to the vegetable garden and the kitchen, which was really clean but lacking in a cooker (they cook outside over an open fire, either with charcoal (when available) or plastic bottles (when charcoal isn't available). 

 (this is Vasko in the vegetable garden)

We also paid a visit to the clinic, run by Fida who is a lovely warm motherly lady and who holds clinics for the Fountain of Hope children, other street children, and under-5s in the community. Her dream is to be able to hold anti-natal and post-natal clinics, and although she has a room that can be used for this it still needs a treatment bench and a foetoscope (if that is how it is spelt!). I was given a very generous donation by 2 ladies (retired nurses) from Romsey Abbey, and I feel this is the right place to take that donation – I can imagine them in that clinic with Fida.

After a while we went into the library round house and sat in a circle in a specially made sunken area – a child sat in between the visitors, so we were alternating, and then we took it in turns to say our name, where we are from, our age (ahem) and what we want to do when we are grown up – everyone then gave a “kilo” (a bit like hip hip hurray, but with a special call and action at the end, which varied from person to person – my call was honey because I said I'd like to keep bees & hens when I grow up (if that is a gauge of when I grow up I suspect I'll never grow up! But it's good to have a dream). We then had time to play with the children. I was so hoping that I wouldn't have to play football or basketball, and was relieved when a little girl called Sandra took me under her wing. We played pat-a-cake and some strange game involving gravel and bottle tops, and I taught her noughts and crosses in the dust.

We got called back into the library again where the children (and then us!!) were called into the circle to recall a memory verse with it's meaning, with (of course) a “kilo” for each person. Then it was dinner time, sharing with the children in the dining hall. An older boy came to sit next to me – he had only been at Fountain of Hope for 4 days, having come there from another town to take himself away from the spiral of nightclubs and parties that were distracting him from his studies. We chatted about the political situation (especially Greece & Euros), the recent elections, and his hopes to become a musician and writer – he especially wants to focus on political raps. After dinner all the children lined up outside along our way to the minibus, and shook our hands or hugged us as they bid us good bye and God bless – on our journey home we had plenty to talk about, including thoughts of improving the kitchen area while we are here as an extra gift to Fountain of Hope.

The place is astonishing and has some awesome leaders who provide a father figure to the boys - and hope.

Tuesday already!

The morning started early, listening to the day waking up around us - birds twittering, people beginning their day.

The Rewired team set off in the minibus for Fountains Of Hope at around the same time that the building team left for Kiine school where they were painting a couple of classrooms (including one which we'll be installing PCs into). The journey to FoH took us through the centre of Lusaka along good roads, past the court of judiciary where the new president was sworn in last week. At traffic lights men tried to sell us sunglasses, Zambia football shirts, news papers and SIM cards.

FoH is a centre supporting boys who live on the street – they have a school, clinic, and activities at the centre to support and build these boys, and outreach teams who go out to support the boys where they are. The Rewired team is installing an Internet Cafe which will generate revenue that is desperately needed for their work, as well as provide a computer facility for the boys and internet access for the wider community. This evening 3 of the FoH workers came to talk to the whole team about their work, and they were so incredibly excited about the Internet Cafe and so incredibly grateful for what they are being provided with. For me this has already made the whole trip worthwhile. So we arrived at FoH and were shown into the room where we would be working – all of us had a “wow” moment when we saw the booths that have been made by the boys, under the instruction of Colin from the 2011 main Mission Direct team – they are perfect – a large square table with 8 separate booths. 

We quickly started to unpack the PCs and set them up, and I began to tidy up the desktops and make sure they are easy to navigate and standard. It quickly became clear that our team is just such a perfect mix – we have Martyn who is the visionary and without whom this simply wouldn't happen. I am very much a details person and a coordinator at heart, Roger has made some very good suggestions on using the D: drive, Chris gets on and does things, and Jon is having fun trying the educational software and making sure we cut no corners. Every now and then boys came in and made sure we were working hard, and before we left we had a visit from a member of staff who had a go. This was just part one – we don't yet have the hub so we'll be returning soon to complete setting up the internet cafe software, which I am intrigued to see – we are considering 2 options so it'll give me a chance to have a look at what each offers.

What a contrast this afternoon has been – first we visited House of Moses, which is a rescue centre for abandoned and vulnerable babies, from brand new to 18 months old. After a presentation we were split into 2 groups; my group spent time first with the older babies, from around 6 or 8 months, playing with them, feeding them and cuddling them... oh, and being pee-ed and poohed on, but it was delightful. I first fed and cuddled a lovely little boy until he stretched out his arms to a lovely lady who is one of the team of carers, when I found a little girl to cuddle and play with, and later the boy came back to me. I didn't want to move on when the time came to go upstairs to the tiny babies, so I stayed until I could hand over the cuddling to someone else from the team who had been with the tinies. Upstairs one of our team gave me Mary to cuddle, saying she was a wriggler – that baby is such a dancer!! She loves being jiggled and is so active and attentive to her surroundings, so I spent my time dancing with her. Everyone on the team enjoyed our visit, the men as much as the women. House of Moses is an incredible place, run by amazing people – they really care for each baby as individuals and give them such huge respect. Each baby was dressed immaculately (and in the right colour too!) and were very settled with the loving care of the team. Unfortunately, with each nursery having a team of 4 or 5 carers and 15 babies (current numbers – the capacity is higher) the care and love has to be spread out widely.

Our second visit was to Bill & Bette Bryant's, which is where the babies “graduate” if they haven't been placed with family or adopted by 18 months. To be honest, I was emotionally drained by the time we got there and wasn't looking forward to this visit. But I found a little girl (Blessing with a twin brother whose Zambian name also means blessing) who wasn't responding or playing – she has only just “graduated” and seemed not to have grown accustomed to her new surroundings yet. I do like a challenge, so stuck with her trying to get her interested in a few toys around her. Eventually she would let me pick her up.... and clung to me so tightly I think I could have let go and wouldn't have dropped her. After a long time of wandering around the garden (watching 2 of the men giving rides to children in 2 supermarket trollies cunningly set up with ride-in cars at the front – at times getting quite manic!), cuddling and whispering into her ear I sat down with her and began to play “this little piggy” with her toes until she began to relax and stopped clinging to me. By the time we had to leave I was able to leave her happily playing with the toys around her.

But this visit caused me so many questions – with so many short visits by strangers what does the continual separation do to these babies? To balance that, they do get the extra cuddles and attention that the staff simply don't have time to give (although they definitely have the love and care for them), and the staff get encouragement from the fact that people are willing to take time out to visit them. I could easily spend the rest of this holiday at both of these homes.

So if I was feeling emotionally drained after the first visit, you can imagine how I felt after the second, and I was not on my own - it was a subdued team who walked to the bus for the return journey.

This evening we had an interesting session for reflections on all the visits that we have made so far. One of the team grew up in Nigeria on the edge of a shanty town and shared her experiences of that time, which was so useful. The visits have, unsurprisingly, given each of us a lot to think about.

Last minute update – someone suggested a pub quiz and as I have the one that Laurie & I did at the Hyde Tavern I've offered that.

Day One in Zambia

After a very long flight we arrived in Lusaka on time – I overheard the pilot saying that there was no radar so it was “real” flying for him. It looks like Lusaka is in a very flat area, with mountains in the very far distance.

After claiming all our bags (at least 3 each!) we were met by the team (Geoff, Colin, Penny, Abe, Chika) and driven to the Chamba Valley compound. My home for the next 2 weeks will be Cottage 2 with Gay, Lindsay, Martyn and Chris – Gay and Lindsay have taken the bunks and insisted I have the regular bed which I am not arguing with! I do like my room-mates!

We unpacked then visited Kiine school – Cosmas greeted us and gave us a brief introduction – the school was set up by a couple from the NW of the country, eventually serving 250 children all in one school house. When they needed to move on they handed over to ECZ, who have worked at developing both the school and the vision, with the help of both Mission Direct and a Dutch charity. Currently 350 in grades 0 (nursery & pre-school) to 8 (13 / 14 years old) with a vision of 1000, including grade 10 and a University College. All of the children come from the neighbouring shanty town (Kaunda Square Community) from poor or vulnerable families. They absolutely love their school and the education that they are getting, recognising that it is the way out of poverty. 

The children were waiting for us when we arrived at the school and sang beautifully for us (I'll put at least one clip online when I can so that you can enjoy it too!) and then we visited their classrooms – I went into the year 1 class where the teacher was showing them one by one how to trace the letters of “bean bag” and around the shape of the bean bag – it took me right back to my early days of learning to write. Although some of the teachers are trained, many of them have not yet had their training, which will be a mixed blessing – as soon as they are trained and registered with the government then it is likely that they will be offered life-long jobs at government schools that come with good salaries and pensions, and so the community schools like Kiine lose them

After lunch (the kitchen team are looking after us very well!) each of us went through all the goodies that we'd brought to leave behind in the various projects that we'll be visiting – British Airways knew we were travelling for this project and gave us a baggage allowance of 3 cases of 23 kilos each. So you can imagine the amount of things we have! In the corner of our cottage we have 2 huge heaps of donated goodies each for a different project.

This left a pocket of time to have a quick look at the PCs that the Rewired lead had shipped over – they have been refurbished by Computers For Africa, and look really good. We are ready for tomorrow when we begin work.

We kept up with our busy schedule with a visit in small groups (4 people) led by local people for a visit into Kaunda Square Community which is right next to Chanda Valley Compound where we are staying and which is the home to Kiine School. Abe was the guide for the group that I was in, escorted by Rebecca who is a 9 (ish) year old girl from Kaunda Square for whom Abe is a very special adult (he is). At the point where we got to the market Abe told Rebecca to go home, but she began to be quizzed heavily by a group of women and Abe became worried for her safety so she stayed with us for longer – it turned out that they wanted to know about the sponsorship that she gets to enable her to go to school and how their children could get it too. The market itself was fascinating – the most memorable things were the tomatoes, greens and piles of dried fish (mostly the size of whitebait). As well as the indoor market and the market stalls outside, there were make-shift kiosks along the street selling much smaller quantities – no doubt at a healthy profit but at a price people could afford at the time they need what was on sale. Children were all around, playing with whatever they had found – one child was pushing a long articulated train made from milk-shake bottles with the lids for wheels; two other children ran out to take “photos” using “cameras” that they had made from polystyrene scraps.

The day has ended with a good hearty dinner – and a time of informal reflection between my room-mates – we are looking forward to starting work tomorrow.

40 minutes to go.....

toothbrush - tick

passport - tick

camera - tick

Oh my - there are now 2 very full suitcases and 1 very stuffed backpack ready and waiting for me in the car. I still can't quite believe that today has finally come around. All I have left to do now is wash up and vacuum the floor (although with 2 cats I won't notice any difference when I get home!), and I'll be headed up to Heathrow.

What stars!!

Today I had my last (this time anyway) jam sale and thanks to generous colleagues have another £270 to add to the funds for the Rewired project - the total that I've raised is now only slightly short of £1000 (without taking into consideration gift aid which makes it so much more), so I am hugely encouraged by the support that everyone has given me - if that was you then thank you!

Countdown continues

Yesterday I had my 3rd and final rabies jab and in the next few days I begin the anti-malarial tablets, so Sunday is becoming more & more real. This time next week I will probably be in a school unpacking a box of kit ready to install it. This time in 3 weeks I will be home and it will probably seem like a different world. The 2 weeks in between will be quite an experience, I am sure.

Meanwhile I have w*rk to tidy up and handover, and things on my "to do" list at home to tick off - trouble is that I'm adding things to it as fast as I'm ticking them off! Skype is set up and a new more txt-friendly phone ordered. 2 suitcases and a backpack are packed (no room for anything I've forgotten!) and my day-pack heap is growing. Cat's haven't twigged yet onto what is going on, but they'll survive without me (and appreciate me even more when I get back..... for all of 5 mins before they get back to being cats again)

2 weeks today!!

Today I took jams & chutneys & marmalades to sell at coffee after church - it was so strange saying "2 weeks today" whenever I was asked when I'm going. Only 2 weeks to go!!! I'm so ready to go (bags packed), but not very ready to leave (getting w*rk ready to hand over & home in a Fit State).

The jam sale raised another £65 which easily takes the total over £700 and I'll update justgiving after I've had another sale at the office on Wednesday.

On a sad note, I read in the local paper on Friday that one of the lovely, inspiring ladies who gave me knitting needles etc to take has passed away. I am so sad that I'd only just met her and had hoped to see her again so she could tell me more about her time teaching in Tanzania in the early '50s. But I feel privileged and thankful that I was able to meet her, and that something of hers will be going with me to Zambia.

Yram Snippop

Today I had a trial pack - actually, I think it is the final pack because I don't need anything in my luggage until I get to Zambia. I have managed to fit everything in.... just. I have been offered a bag of trainers that still needs to go in somewhere, but I am sure I'll manage it somehow. I feel like Mary Poppins in reverse - instead of pulling all sorts of things from my luggage, I am putting an astonishing amount into it. Thankfully the allowance is 3 bags of 23 kilos each - I am taking 2 suitcases and a backpack, as well as a daypack as hand baggage. I should be able to get this combination to Heathrow - I couldn't work out how to manage 3 suitcases (not that I've got 3 large ones) but Sarah pointed out that a backpack would leave my hands free for 2 cases.

I'd better count the cats at tea time - if there aren't 2 then I might need to unpack until I find the missing one(s).

The countdown begins

So it's September already! The time since I first saw the project has flown by, and I really should begin packing (if I'm not careful I think I might be saying that right up to the day before!). Yesterday I collected a bag of teen boy's clothes & trainers, and the heap is now definitely growing out from under my bed. I've got Skype working, and have proved that my Poundland headset is good, so I really hope I can use it a few times while I am away - texting or email are OK, but a real voice is much better.

I have a few more jars to sell now - last week a friend from Japan was staying and I taught her how to make jam & chutney. So I'll take some to the Abbey & more to the office and top up the amount that I have raised - hopefully I'll get it over the £700 target.