The mountain

Tuesday morning Isa and I decided to climb Nkhoma Mountain. I did this many, many times when I lived there but not since. We had talked of spending the night in the hut but it was booked so we got up early to see sunrise and beat the heat...it was tougher than I remembered...5 years will do that. But the views were completely worth it...I'm already forgetting the 3 days it took to get over the muscle aches.

Nkhoma

(Pictures of grade 4 making paper briquettes for cooking, and some of my students all grown up)

Got to visit a week in Nkhoma after finishing with Marion Medical Mission. At church in Sunday I was invited to the front as a visitor (not a first timer but as someone who has been gone for a long time) and thought I would have to introduce myself but they didn't really give me a chance. I greeted the congregation (said hello) and they prayed for me to do the work that God has for me and to support the church as I am able.

I had time to visit with many dear friends and hear about what is happening in Nkhoma. And lots is happening in Nkhoma. (Always)

I toured Nkhoma University, classes in teaching and .... With 200 students during the week and about 400 taking weekend classes (long hours - Friday from 1 to 10, Saturday 7 to 10 and Sunday too).

I went to Ebenezer where they are growing so quickly! Chrissie is doing a great job but finding it tough as both Heather and Susan left earlier this year (expat volunteers who were doing lots of admin and overseeing). As I was around and didn't have other plans, Chrissie asked me to help in the kindergarten classes as her teachers were sick. Ah, it took me back to my first year...though the class this time was full (30 learners as opposed to my 12) and they understood much more English (having been in school for 2 years already).

They need and are looking for sponsors for the learners, if you are interested please let me know! (only $25 per month!)

I got to see the students I taught, now in grades 6 and 7! So tall and well poised.

Team 1

All done! That last week was a good one (for the most part). Kimberly and I both got sick on Wednesday (might have been some strawberries I bought). Dan and Don went out in separate trucks so the wells would still be installed. Thursday I went out with Don, and Friday, Kimberly did. It was hot and I figured rest was good especially as both the trucks we had were in use. I helped with a total of 88 protected water sources this year. That approximately gets clean water to 13,200 people (150 per well)!!!

We convened on Saturday in Lilongwe to check in, get some shopping (woodmarket), and prep to head home. Except I'm not headed home. Doug Kee, Tom Kage and I headed for Nkhoma. I'm here to visit those I lived and worked with and to see Ebenezer school. Doug and Tom are visiting their partner church just down the road.

Team 1 completed ~1300 + wells leaving ~1500 to be installed. Team 2 came in on Sunday. Prayers and thoughts are with them in their adventure!

Sponsor a protected water source (only $400) at www.mmmwater.org

Dedicaton

After the well has been installed we conduct a dedication of the new protected water source.

It starts with a prayer from someone in the community. We've had 2 prayers that were in English! How humbling! Usually I pray for the water and village, that it brings health and energy. When I got to hear the prayer from them, it was about God giving us strength to continue our work, to bless us and those in America who helped them to get this safe, clean water.

A group greeting (in the language of the villagers - or close to it) and introductions of us and the MMM people with us. We explain that Christians from America heard that they needed clean, safe water and wanted to help. They donated or raised the money to pay for the pipes, pump and cement to complete the well that they built. (Similar to sweat equity at Habitat for Humanity, the villagers are responsible to organize themselves to dig the hole -by hand, get or make the bricks, gravel, sand). They do the hard work!

The well represents the love of Christ. On the top in both English and Chichewa (or Chitimbuka, Swahili, local language) is etched Glory to God, Ulemelelo kwa Mulungu (Uchindami kwa Chiuta, etc).

This well belongs to the village! And they must take care of it by keep in the area free from trash, keep animals away from the well. That way the well can last for years and years, for the children that are there now to grow up and have children of their own.

We then explain the maintenance plan. The village has a maintenance fee to pay each year. Here in Zambia it is 50 Kwacha which is a little more than $5. The fee pays for any parts should something break. There is a trained maintenance man in the area. If the well breaks, they call him and he will come to fix the problem. The maintenance men are our builders and installation supervisors who get paid per well they put in (September-October) but are volunteer maintenance men the rest of the year (no pay). The village is asked to thank them with a gift when they come to fix the well.

We ask them to tell others from their village and area who will be using the well what they have heard and seen so that the well is properly maintained. Then we ask if anyone would like to say anything.

We are thanked, God is given glory, we are asked to take greeting back to the donors, we are given gifts of chickens, maize, ground nuts, etc. They talk about the problems they had with water...long walks, disease, drinking with animals. One woman said if we had come before this well was installed a look at the water they were using would have brought tears to our eyes. Another that they were drinking mud. That their children were in danger from falling into unprotected holes, or throwing things into the water holes.

Then the demo on correct usage and a picture before jumping the truck and doing it again!

Installation

We've driven up to the well (or as close to the well as we are driving) and stopped the truck. Before getting out I take a drink of water, eat a cookie or banana if needed (or wanted) and grab the android. Usually by this time there are people around the truck. Children keeping a healthy distance, adults approaching to help carry and to greet us. Our builders, installation supervisors, field officers are already pulling the pieces we will need for the installation.

Long outer pipe (about 4 inch in diameter)
Skinny inner pipe (25mm)
Pump with handle
Short outlet pipe
Footvalve (to keep dirt and rocks from getting sucked up the pipe)
Plunger (forms suction to pull the water up)
Collar (to keep the pipe from falling in the hole)
Connectors and stabilizers (to lengthen pipes for deeper wells)
Tool bag (hack saw, pipe cement, file, sand paper, matches)
Pipe wrench

And off we head to the well. Attach the foot valve to the bottom of the big pipe and lower it down the hole to measure the depth and find out how much water is there. Mark the pipe when it hits the bottom and bring it back up, marking where it is wet as well. Measure both lines for the android. We aim for 2 meters of water (6+ ft) so we are assured there will be water all year round. We install with less at times because of varying reasons, fast recharge rate, new well that hasn't had time to fill, etc...Cut the pipe and add the collar to the top.

Attach the thin pipe to the pump handle and measure it against the big pipe. Then cut the pipe or connect another along with the plunger to reach to almost the bottom of the big pipe. Drop them both down the hole and screw in the pump (in the concrete top is a spider - metal ring with threads for the pump). Heat the outlet spout over a small fire and attach it to the pump! Water! Clean water! Yeah!!

A day

We are up by 530 to have breakfast at 6. Sometimes we hear the Muslim call to prayer before 5. Breakfast is an egg, 2 pieces of white bread, and hot water or milk for tea or coffee. Then it is off to the CCAP where the Zambian MMM office is to load up the pipes and pumps and parts and tools needed for the day. The plan is anywhere from 6 to 10 wells (so far). Then to the market to pick up Coke or Fanta for lunch, bread, peanut butter and water. Then we drive...

The roads are bumpy (understatement of the year)! If you can call them roads...many aren't. We are not on paved roads for very long. Some of the dirt roads are better then others. Some are wide and have been graded sometime in the part, though usually before the last rainy season so they are pretty rutted. Then there are narrower dirt roads, and then we turn off on a footpath or through a field. Sometimes we can drive right up to the well site and sometimes we walk to get there.

Park the truck and get all the parts needed for the well: big pipes, skinny pipes, the pump, foot valve, connector pieces, suction piece, pipe wrench, tool bag, android (for documenting and GPS). Usually there are plenty of people to carry the pieces to the well...I've only carried parts once this trip!

At the site MMM workers get busy putting the well together. Kimberly and I greet everyone who is there (some of the kids take off running or just stare at us). Then enter the info into the android...water depth, well depth, village name, builder, etc. When the well is installed we dedicate it and take a picture with as many people from the village as we can...sometimes that is many people and sometimes just a handful, it depends on the other activities of the day such as markets, funerals, etc. They are always so grateful and want us to thank those who have thought of them and don't know them. Sending God's blessings with us on our way to continue in this work.

And we're off to the next well...until we decide we have to head back to get in before dark (somedays estimated better then others)...

Weekend

We got relaxed Saturday afternoon when we got back from our 4 well morning. On Sunday we went to a joint service with 5 different churches (different denominations!) Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran, United Church of Zambia, and another....it was a choir extravaganza! The sermon was on the commandments... Both the Old Testament's 10 and the New's greatest (love God, love your neighbor). It was about follow in the rules and laws. There was lots of laughter from the congregation. Not too much was translated for us... Though we were told that the preacher said that there might be some thieves in the congregation and if they were listening that stealing was wrong.

The other line I really liked was, " be happy, this isn't a funeral", just before the joint choir sang and we all danced!

The service lasted 4 hours (would we ever!?!)

We went for lunch at the castle in Lundazi. It is the largest castle hotel in Africa and is a national monument. Supposedly the queen (of England, I think) stayed there at one point. It overlooks a lake.

Back to the hotel to get ready for another week of well installations! Here we go!

*maybe a photo of a joint choir with a very tiny addition

And the castle (if not, will be added later)