40/40 Orientation!

Each day during our 40/40 training will look the same. We wake up, eat breakfast, worship together, have small group Bible Study, go out on daily field assignments, and then have a lecture to prepare us for the next day.

Today we (Jodie and my partner Katie) went to the compound called "Mtendere" (which means peace). We took 2 short bus rides to get there. We received the "mazungu" (or white person) rate on the bus! When we arrived in Mtendere I was surprised at the difference between there and what I had already seen of Lusaka. The roads were dirt roads, full of trash and broken glass. The houses were built close together, but there were trees spread around. The children were amazed to see us. They were excited to practice their English. We must have heard about 100 times, "Hello. How are you?" They would just keep repeating it over and over, even after we responded! That is about all they knew! The would giggle when we spoke back. Every street had a bar playing loud music. Many of the men who had been drinking called out to us, "Mazungu!..Mazungu!" I have never been hit on by so many men, nor felt so uncomfortable. It was very strange and awkward. The women were quiet and although they noticed us, they did not stop what they were doing. We walked through a large market where we found a variety of foods. The streets were busy- later we gound out it was a holiday...Zambia's Independence Day. One man came up to us with his hand held out and said, "Zambia has had so many years of independence, what is your contribution?" Aside from that there was not much begging. It was strange and freeing after being in Madagascar- but I think that I preferred the way men treated us in Mada!