Time is moving quickly, we leave for Zambia in less than 3 months
Since I'm a planner at heart, my brain is constantly working out details for our trip, even in my sleep! We only have half of the funding needed to be able to pay for the trip. I have faith that the rest will come in, but I'm not going to lie, it's making me kind of nervous.
With a lack of current funding at the moment, we are trying to research how to keep the cost of our trip expenses as low as possible. We are looking for a cheaper option for housing but it's a bit hard to find. We need to stay somewhere that will be safe for both our personal safety, as well as keeping our belongings safe while we are away working at the school each day. We also need to find a place within a few miles of Sylvester's family house so that we can walk each day and not blow all of our funds on transportation back and forth to drop off the kids on the days they can't come with us.
I really wish we could just stay with Sylvester's family but it seems to not be an option. First, there is no room for us. Second, we seem to be a security risk. Mostly I am the security risk... which makes me feel a bit odd to be truthful. I admit that I draw a lot of attention when I walk through the neighborhoods in Zambia. My white skin and my red hair make me stick out like a sore thumb. I am literally the center of attention anywhere I go. I'm more of a background kind of gal and it makes me feel kind of uncomfortable when all the attention turns to me. It's not a negative kind of attention, and not necessarily a positive sort of attention... it's more of an announcement. As I walk down the streets of Kalingalinga (the city where Sylvester grew up and his family still live) people literally turn around backwards to stare at me. The neighborhood children will start yelling "Muzungu, Muzungu!" and chase me down the street. If I stop to speak to them, or shake their hands, they will run into their homes to report the happenings and invite more people to come out and stare at me. Honestly I would prefer to just sort of blend in and go unnoticed but it's not very likely that will happen.
With a lack of current funding at the moment, we are trying to research how to keep the cost of our trip expenses as low as possible. We are looking for a cheaper option for housing but it's a bit hard to find. We need to stay somewhere that will be safe for both our personal safety, as well as keeping our belongings safe while we are away working at the school each day. We also need to find a place within a few miles of Sylvester's family house so that we can walk each day and not blow all of our funds on transportation back and forth to drop off the kids on the days they can't come with us.
I really wish we could just stay with Sylvester's family but it seems to not be an option. First, there is no room for us. Second, we seem to be a security risk. Mostly I am the security risk... which makes me feel a bit odd to be truthful. I admit that I draw a lot of attention when I walk through the neighborhoods in Zambia. My white skin and my red hair make me stick out like a sore thumb. I am literally the center of attention anywhere I go. I'm more of a background kind of gal and it makes me feel kind of uncomfortable when all the attention turns to me. It's not a negative kind of attention, and not necessarily a positive sort of attention... it's more of an announcement. As I walk down the streets of Kalingalinga (the city where Sylvester grew up and his family still live) people literally turn around backwards to stare at me. The neighborhood children will start yelling "Muzungu, Muzungu!" and chase me down the street. If I stop to speak to them, or shake their hands, they will run into their homes to report the happenings and invite more people to come out and stare at me. Honestly I would prefer to just sort of blend in and go unnoticed but it's not very likely that will happen.
It's this interest in the Muzungu (foreigner usually white) that makes me a security risk if we were to stay with our family while in Zambia. I would draw extra attention to the household and people might think that because of the color of my skin, that I travel with expensive things that might be worth looting from my suitcases. I don't really believe that my children or I would ever personally be in danger, but all of my inlaws still prefer to accompany me anytime I step outside the walls of the family home. |
Last year, we were visiting an old friend of Sylvester's not far from his home. It was in the evening and the power was out in the whole city as per usual in Kalingalinga several times per week. We had been invited to join a candle light bible study but Madison was fussy and was getting pretty loud. I didn't want her to continue to interrupt the readings, so I silently took Sylvester's phone from him, wrapped Maddie up on my back, and proceeded to walk back to the family's house. Webster was with Sylvester and I knew he has a phone in his pocket. I didn't tell them I was leaving, but figured they would just call my phone if they needed me. It was about a 10 minute brisk walk back home and it was really really dark. I had to really pay attention to each step on the dirt road filled with potholes and couldn't see more than a few inches in front of me. I've always been a bit afraid of the dark, but I just walked quickly and headed in the direction of home. When I arrived, Sylvester's family was very confused that I walked alone. About 10 minutes after I arrived, Sly and Webster burst into the house in a panic. Apparently I was lost, and they were terrified that someone had stolen me. They did not appreciate my independence at all and I tried not to laugh as I asked them why they didn't just call the phone that was in my pocket. Sly doesn't think this story is funny.
This story confirms that Sylvester, or any of his siblings are not going to allow me to stay anywhere where they do not feel like we are 100% safe. I never really considered myself as a high security risk, but I seem not to get a vote about the matter. |
If you were thinking of making a donation towards our trip, now would be a great time! It would really help my sanity as well as our fundraising ;)
MAKE AN ONLINE DONATION HERE
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MAKE AN ONLINE DONATION HERE
OR CLICK HERE TO EMAIL ME FOR INFO ON WHERE TO SEND A DONATION