an arch wherethro'

Celebrations & Goodbyes

2011-07-07T00:58:00.007+02:00

I am enjoying being back in Arkansas and having time to spend with Keri and my Mom. I'm also trying to catch up at the office. It will be a busy July and August with the need to move offices (again), and get ready for the new graduate class. Good news however! Due to a glitch in the CAA accreditation online reporting system, we have been given a reprieve in submitting our accreditation report/application. Our report is now due in February with the CAA Accreditation visit in the Fall 2012.

Had a wonderful July 4th visit with Mom and a perfect view of the Altus fireworks from St. Mary's Mountain. Mom also had a good time! I really missed Dad this year. He would have loved the perfect viewing spot.

This past week also contained the SURPRISE announcement that Yarnell's Ice Cream was closing its doors immediately. The only ice cream available was already on the shelves. We bought some. It has been so much a part of Searcy that I'm grieving its loss. I'm not a big ice cream eater, but I can't imagine Christmas time without Yarnell's Peppermint ice cream, and I'm really going to miss their new Lemon Icebox Pie.

Arkansas - Home!

2011-06-25T12:52:00.003+02:00

We have returned! The trip was exhausting but we all made it safely. At the Memphis airport last night, everyone recieved their luggage except one suitcase of Lauren's. I suspect that the plane from Chicage was just too small to fit everything since most of us had at least two large, 50 pound suitcases each.

We arrived very early at the airport in Lusaka on Thursday. Everyone made it through the exit process smoothly except, nine or ten were told we would need to pick up our boarding passes for the second flight when we arrived in Addis Ababa (never a good sign). We were late getting into Ethiopia and found out quickly that those that didn't have boarding passes were on standby. This was complicated by a three hour delay without food (supper) or water. They finally brought a limited number of drinks just as we boarded after midnight. I had a seat assignment but Ian didn't get a seat until the last minute. We arrived in Washington, D.C. several hours late and rushed through Customs and Immigration only to discover that our luggage had not been checked to Memphis. We had to go out to the check-in counter and recheck our luggage, United couldn't find our reservations, then they had to assign seats (since we didn't have any), and then race for the gate. We barely made the flight. Keri DID come with Gene to Memphis. It was good to see her but since she had to work today, she didn't get much sleep?

We are home, and I woke up on African time. It will take awhile to adjust

Last Days in Africa

2011-06-22T20:34:00.002+02:00

Yesterday morning followed the usual routine with therapy and activities. The hard part was that we knew it would be the last time we saw some of the kiddos. These children become so much part of our lives during our time here, that it inconceivable that we will suddenly be without them. The afternoon burial of Andrew in the cemetery behind Haven 2 brought it all home and made a difficult day even harder.

The truck carrying the coffin and many mourners arrived around 15:00 hours followed by several cars and a large truck full of mourners. The coffin was placed on a table and opened for viewing. Mama Cecelia spoke, a group of women sang and then all were invited to view the body. In western cultures, mourners are expected to be reserved but I think here they are expected to be demonstrative. We then all walked to the cemetery. They discovered that the coffin would not fit so the grave had to be expanded. Apparently, coffins are not often used. Megan told Andrew’s story but never mentioned his name. She referred to him as “the baby” and “the child”. There must have been a cultural reason that I knew nothing about. The family (grandmother and other distant relatives) all threw a handful of dirt in the grave and then we waited while the grave was filled and mounded. Megan then put flowers on the grave, Kathy’s daughter put a toy and the grandmother put a bag of potato puffs (the last food I saw Andrew eat. Then it was over and everyone returned to the life they are living. The photo is of the corn crib behind Haven 1.

Over supper, we learned of a potential crisis. Apparently, all of our transportation plans to get us all to Lusaka had fallen through and there was a rush to come up with alternatives. These included driving multiple trips to Lusaka or taking the local “blue busses”. Both options had problems. While Kel was talking to Martin (one of Ellie’s “sons” in Livingstone, Martin saw a bus that he thought might be from Lusaka. A few minutes later, a bus that had delivered passengers from Lusaka to Livingstone was acquired to take us on the return trip.

Last night was spent packing and last minute good-byes. We are all so tired but not ready to leave. This morning Ian took this photo of a Grey Lourie (also known as a "go-away bird"). It has a distinct call that warns other animals. Check out the link to hear and read about this African bird. It seems appropriate that it would visit us today.

Tonight we are at the Protea in Lusaka tonight and fly out tomorrow.

Highs and Lows

2011-06-20T20:55:00.005+02:00

Today is the next-to-the-last day we will spend here in Namwianga. The highs included a chance to be with our kiddos after five days away. Little Kritz was imitating everything he could and was hugging and laughing with Tessa. It made my heart happy to see him today. Everyone reconnected with their children and a good day was had by all (children and clinicians). Ian also met with Mr. Phiri, the Superintendent of the Namwianga Mission to discuss his Eagle Project. He is planning to collect money to purchase materials and then to assemble clean delivery kits (CDKs). You will hear a lot more about this in the future. Tonight, the graduate assistants (GA) put on the Second Annual GA Olympics. Fun was had by all with events such as carrying a basket on the head, and modeling of Mrs. Moono items.

The lows were very, very emotional. Hamilton has developed rapid onset bilateral cataracts. We didn’t notice them when we left on Wednesday, but he is having trouble seeing and they are very visible in each eye. He must have surgery immediately and arrangements are currently being made. Unfortunately, we will be gone before this can be done so we will not be able to assist with the care and the recovery.

The biggest blow is the loss of Andrew. He died several hours ago of pcp pneumonia. He has had an upset stomach for several weeks and has been unable to hold any food. This is related to HIV/Aids. I’m not sure there is any family, but we will find out tomorrow. His life (and his suffering) here is over but he will be missed.

Ian doesn’t know yet because he has gone to spend the night with David. He will be very upset. All will be very subdued tomorrow at The Haven.

Rhinos

2011-06-19T11:54:00.004+02:00

(Saturday) I have finally seen Rhinos in the wild. It has always been on my list and it has never worked out but finally success. Ian and I were picked up at 06:40 by a driver and a guide, given robes to keep us warm and we headed into the bush. We were required to stop by the rangers lodge to pick up a guard and then we were on our way. We walked for miles behind the guard and guide/tracker before we found them. They were truly magnificent! Of course we had tea before we headed out of the bush. A morning well spent!

We had to shuttle back to Namwianga yesterday afternoon. Beckie took this shift because I had driven everyone to Livingstone on Wednesday. It felt like we were back home.

Victoria Falls (from the air)

2011-06-19T11:39:00.004+02:00

(Friday) I waited until we got back to Namwianga to post the blog because the connection was poor. Friday, we headed for the helicopter pad for the tour of Victoria Falls. It was truly magnificent. There were six passengers and the pilot. The pilot wanted Ian next to him so he saw it all from the front seat. It was very expensive, but well worth every penny. I really enjoyed seeing it and the surrounding area.

We headed back to Victoria Falls for the day visit. Always dramatic. Ian wanted to shop in the Victoria Falls Craft Market so I headed to The Zambezi Sun. The Kubu Crafts is still there as well as many additional upscale shops. The Zebras were roaming the grounds and one South African tourist forgot they were wild and tried to approach one. She barely avoided a kick. We had to shuttle the students again so Beckie spent much of her time driving back and forth.

Friday night we too the sunset cruise. This year we went on the Lady Livingstone and departed from the David Livingstone Lodge. It was a classier trip then either of the ones we had done before. Ian made a friend (Webster) with a fellow birder who worked as a waiter. We were all very tired when we got back to the Protea.

Chobe Safari

2011-06-16T20:12:00.003+02:00

After a wonderful breakfast at the Protea-Livingstone, a coach picked us up for transport to Chobe National Park, Botswana for our safari. We breezed through Zambian Immigration exit and went smoothly into Botswana. Our safari company was the African Odyssey Safari Company at the Chobe Marina Lodge. It was different from the last several years. The process, however, was identical with delivery to the lodge to board a boat on the Chobe River. The river guide seemed to know a lot about animals and history and I enjoyed listening to him. Unfortunately, we did not see as many animals as we have in the past. No lions or leopards and only about 50-60 elephants, 10-15 giraffes, 40 or so hippos, and 4 small crocs. It was still a wonderful day. The lunch at the lodge was nice and the afternoon Land Rover excursion was about the same. We are all tired and decided to retire early.

High Tea, a Lunar Rainbow and a Lunar Eclipse

2011-06-15T23:03:00.004+02:00

Today has been eventful. We began out tourist agenda today and will spend three days here in Livingstone, Zambia, with a side trip to Botswana. Several students and a supervisor went to the Haven this morning to make up some hours lost due to sickness. The remaining half headed for Livingstone. We had to make two trips because there wasn't enough transportation to get us all here. I rode down with Beckie (about 130 kilometers), dropped the group off and headed back to Namwianga for the second group. We made it to the Protea-Livingstone about 14:45 and had to start the shuttle to The Royal Livingstone for high-tea. Here is a photo of Beckie, Tammie and I after tea, with the Zambezi River behind us. The monkeys were in rare form and were trying to steal all the sugar packets so this employee is using a sling-shot to discourage them. We saw three giraffes on the way in. It really is very elegant. We sat on the deck until the sun set, and then began the shuttle to Victoria Falls.

Tonight was the lunar rainbow with an extra treat of a complete lunar eclipse. I could get no good photos of the moon-bow or the eclipse but I think some of the group captured it. Ellie also drove down hoping to capture it for a future postcard and photograph. I hope she was able to get a good one!

Another Evening on the Veranda

2011-06-14T18:29:00.003+02:00

Another movie on the veranda last night, and this was most appropriate. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency was introduced to many of our number. It was great to watch it on the veranda with many of our African friends. It really is a great series taken from the books by Alexander McCall Smith. Since we are headed to Botswana on Thursday for our safari we thought we needed to get it in. The evening began with Ian introducing Justin and Webster to smors. They were very pleased with the discovery. We then watched the movie introducing the series (without power failure) and ate popcorn again. The Africans must wonder about how we live our lives.

Today was our last day at the Haven this week. Tomorrow we head for Livingstone for our free time. Many of the kids seem to be getting ill. Quinton was running a fever of 101.7 and Jonathan was quiet and inactive. Maybe they will be back to form on Monday.

We have to shuttle everyone to Livingstone tomorrow. We have two groups going so it will be a long day for me.

Kasibi

2011-06-12T15:59:00.005+02:00

Last night we played a movie on the veranda of the Hamby House. We made popcorn, served bottled drinks and enjoyed the Disney animated movie, Tangled. Justin, our night watchman, and one of his friends joined us. It made me think that I need to send The Lion King to Ellie to keep here in the house.

This morning we all went to Kasibi to go to Ba Leonard’s Church and to his house for dinner afterwards. The road was even rougher than I remembered but all four vehicles made it. We had services in the arbor and then moved up the trail to the village for lunch. As usual, the village band was assembled and played while we were eating. Following lunch, we all had the opportunity to dance. It was a great day.

Mancala

2011-06-11T18:58:00.004+02:00

Last night, the faculty from the Namwianga schools had a welcome party for us in back of the Hamby house. Ba Leonard made another welcome cake. I am really going to miss him. Today, many of us went back to Choma. Ian wanted the traditional African board game we had seen at the museum there and I said we would get it for him for his birthday. I thought it would be a perfect gift to bring back from Zambia. Ian and I rode with Jeff, Judy, Scott and Janis since there was no room in Khaki Jackie. It was enjoyable to get a new perspective on Africa. Jeff hit some of the “humps” pretty hard and the top of my head is very sore tonight.

Ian and I headed into the market after a brief stop at the post office. Ian charmed the Indian lady at the fabric shop and got two chitenge lengths of fabric for the price of one. I also found a couple to get a shirt made, so I need to head over to see Mrs. Moono. I wanted a good photo of the market but I always feel bad about pulling out my camera. Here is a photo from across the tracks. The market consists of several hundred of these stalls stacked back in this area.

We went to the museum again to get some things and Ian got a drum as well as the Mancala board. We had a nice afternoon and headed back. It is hard to believe that things are winding down. We head for Livingstone on Wednesday to see the lunar eclipse and the lunar rainbow at Victoria Falls and will do our safari in Botswana on Thursday, helicopter ride on Friday, and Rhino walk on Saturday. We will then return to Namwianga on Saturday. We will work back at the Haven to make up for missing Wednesday afternoon, work on Monday and Tuesday, pack and then leave for Lusaka on Wednesday. It is really hard to believe.

Happy Birthday, Ian

2011-06-09T20:13:00.006+02:00

Today, Ian had his 14th birthday here in Zambia. It was a regular work day, but Ba Leonard made Ian a great cake for lunch. He decorated it and even had candles for us to use. The workers all came when we sang Happy Birthday. It was nice.

After work today, we headed out to Jordan’s Rock to celebrate. There were a few glitches getting there. David went back to get Ian’s birthday present and missed connecting with Ian. Two of the students also missed the departure time and were left behind. I went back to get them all and got separated from Ian because he, David and the students caught a ride with Gift out to Jordan’s Rock. I made it there just in time for the photo and the sunset. We cooked hotdogs over a fire, and finished with smores because Reagan brought the ingredients with her on Tuesday. It was a Great evening. David gave Ian a shirt he had made from a chintenge he had purchased on one of their excursions.
In this posting, I have photos of David and Ian, Ellie Hamby, Beckie carrying a mat the African way, and Ian with his shirt from David.

Strange Weather and Ants

2011-06-08T18:48:00.002+02:00

There is now a crowd here at Namwianga. Everyone made it safely and there were only two suitcases misplaced in Jo-berg (and those were picked up today to be delivered here tonight.

We also survived the ant attack the other night. The bites are very painful and both of us had several before they were repelled. Ellie Hamby bought some more Doom (their insect poison and there were several cans on the shelf when we went to bed last night. I’m glad because at midnight, Justin, our watchman, banged on my window and said, “Mister, mister, the ants are swarming again and I need some poison. He got rid of them but it makes me happy we had Justin,

The weather is also strange. It is very humid and it rained again this afternoon. No one here has ever seen anything like it. It makes for some nice photos however.

Life here is very active now that Ellie has returned. She is certainly a force to be reckoned with. We have the documentary film being made while we are here. I’m glad Ellie is here and I certainly hope that she has a part.

30+

2011-06-07T18:27:00.002+02:00

Beckie went to Livingstone to pick up Tammie, Reagan, Ashley, and two videographers. Scott Ragsdale and Judy Hopper were also on the flight and Jeff and Janis flew in from London. With all new arrivals we will have 30 people so Ba Leonard set up another table. The HIZ-Path kids all walked to and from the Haven twice today so they are all tired.

Ian and David found two more cameleons today. One was a large one. They seem to be such gentle creatures. They named them after themselves. David is the big one and Ian is the small pale one.

ANTS!

2011-06-06T21:58:00.002+02:00

Help! We are being invaded by ants. Not the harmless ants we have in Arkansas but the HUGE, HUGE African variety of fierce, biting ants! I'm afraid they will overrun us during the night and eat Ian.

Changes

2011-06-06T16:55:00.004+02:00

We changed therapy assignments again today. We change every week so that all students will have experiences with all types of clients. This really is a great experience for our students and we feel that it is a great service to the kiddos with whom we are working. There were great changes in our routine today however. They moved all the children from Haven II, sending all the boys to Eric’s Place and the girls to Haven III. Apparently there have been some problems with the house parents in Haven II and the house needed a good cleaning and a series of repairs before the kids move back in with new house parents. It will probably take all week. Here is a photo of Chrissa with Kritz and Ashley with Jonathan walking from Eric’s Place to Haven III where they will work.

There are always surprises here in Africa and I was able to capture this ox cart coming between the Havens today. These carts are usually loaded with maize/corn, wood or passengers but today it was empty.

Saturday Break

2011-06-04T19:12:00.003+02:00

We all enjoyed a day off today. Most of us went into town to do some shopping at the market after breakfast. There was only one vehicle going so we had to go in shifts. There were more aggressive drunks/pot heads then I have ever seen before. We don't usually go in on a Saturday morning so this may be typical. Many of the stalls and shops were not open. I took those who were with me to some of the shops on into the market. Unfortunately, the shop with the chitanges that I wanted was closed. There are many Seventh Day Adventists here and so many shops and stalls are always closed on Saturday. Ian had stayed with David at Eric's House last night and I ran into he and David in town. It makes me happy that he feels so comfortable here.

After lunch, I read and many others headed up to the Haven to be with the kiddos. One of our special kids even smiles and imitated "bubbles" in response to some that they had taken up. Others watched movies and played soccer. There were several kids watching so I pulled out my camera. They immediately started mugging. They were cute, but they were eating something black out of a coke bottle. I didn't ask too many questions.

Apple Cake Friday

2011-06-03T13:44:00.004+02:00

Yesterday was fairly uneventful. Ian and I ran into town early to get some additional phone minutes. We did a quick run through the market to look for some additional chitanges for Mrs. Moono to use to make some thinks he wants to get for people. Everyone knows us and knows that we are looking for chitanges so the price is going up. We can still find a reasonable price or two but most have become very costly.

Yesterday afternoon, Mr. Roy and David brought some sugarcane by for Ian. They knew he wanted to try it so got him a stick while they were out. They stopped back by and brought enough for everyone to try. I tried it afterwards. It probably isn't something I would seek out, but I'm really glad I tried it. Zambia ia a big sugar producer and they are planning to extend their production of cane to generate molassas for the production of ethenol. We dry through the plantations at Mazabuka on our way from Lusaka to Namwianga. My Dad talked about chewing sugarcane when he was a child so now Ian and I have both had that experience. Ian is spending the night with David at Eric's Place tonight. He should have some stories tomorrow.

Today we found a cameleon on the ground. I took lots of photos and Ian played with it for hours. He even named it but agreed that we couldn't take it home. It was amazing to watch it change colors depending on where it was placed.

We had a huge lunch today with apple cake and vanilla ice cream for dessert. I know, I know, we are really roughing it here in Africa.

A Quilt and a Bible

2011-06-01T18:26:00.007+02:00

The additional three people from Abilene are eating with us and all the spaces are filled. I can’t imagine where they put everyone when the regular HIZ group comes in September.

Our work is moving forward and the kiddos are always glad to see us when we arrive at 09:30 and crying when we leave at 12:30. They are clam again when we arrive at 14:30 (2:30 for most of you) and crying when we leave at 16:30. I hope that is just that they are sad to see us go.

Charissa picked up her quilt from Mrs. Moono this morning and it really is beautiful. She picked out the four chitanges she wanted and Mrs. Moono had it back to her in two days. It cost 200,000 Kwachi, or just over $40. As I’ve mentioned before, she uses the money to send her kids to college. She is a real gem.

David, Ian’s friend walked back to the Hamby House with us and stayed for supper. His Papa gave Ian a Tonga Bible for an early birthday present. Ian has been wanting one for awhile now and just yesterday, asked Mr. Roy where he could get one. Roy didn’t want to ruin the surprise so went ahead and gave it to Ian today.

Our Group Grows

2011-05-31T20:19:00.002+02:00

Three workers from Abilene arrived today from Livingstone. They will be here for the next seven weeks. They really are the first arrivals for the 2011 Zambian Medical Mission. People will now be arriving continually until we leave the end of June. Ellie Hamby arrives next week, and then the activity will really begin. She is the most respected woman in all of Southern Zambia and certainly a force to reckon with. She is also one of the most amazing people I have ever met and she entertains us with stories most evenings.

Regular day at the Havens today. The kiddos were a little more restless but I think we are getting their number. Walking home afterwards, one of Ian's Zambian friends, David, took us around by the lake. There were signs of many animals (none of the big 5) and birds. It was a little longer but a great walk none-the-less.

Webster, one of the watchmen, is teaching most of the students to sing Zambian songs. They have been practicing on the veranda the last several nights and it sounds great. Tonight we have had sporadic power, but they have sang right through. One time, I even went out to see if they needed lights and they just kept singing. One is truly becoming "Zambian" if you just keep going whether you have power or not.

Monday

2011-05-30T17:50:00.004+02:00

It was a typical work day here in Zambia with one major exception. We began at 4:30 this morning, in order to see the astronomical allignment of the planets with the moon. It was neat but I'm afraid we didn't get the entire effect. We were either a little early or a little late. The rest of the day was a typical Monday. The kids are falling into a routine and willing to work a little harder for us. The infants are eating better and more willing to lay on their stomachs. We are pushing them to strengthen their upper bodies to sit up and crawl and they are resisting us less.

I am enjoying walking to and from the Haven. As I mentioned earlier, it is about a mile and a half through the bush. It really makes you aware that you are in Africa as you walk along. Hopefully, it will also help me get my exercise.

Lazy Sunday

2011-05-30T13:56:00.003+02:00

I will try to post again, but the last two days this "Lazy Sunday" has disappeared into the void. Yesterday was indeed a lazy day. The only real excitement was the arrival of a container late the night before. The Namwianga community gathered after sunrise Sunday to unload it. It was efficient and organized with each item going into the appropriate bin or area for future distribution. I took lots of photos because this is the way Ian got his balls and his Clean Delivery Kits (CDKs) here and how he will get his CDKs for his Eagle Project here next year.

Crazy Day

2011-05-28T19:10:00.006+02:00

Today (Saturday) was one of those crazy days where we tried to cram in everything that could possibly be done in a single day. We had originally planned to go to Choma for the day. Choma is a larger town about an hour away from us here at Namwianga. It has a large market for the local shoppers (still not a tourist market) and a regional art and craft museum. We usually spen a day there and had planned to keep with the tradition, but last night we were informed about a wedding that was occurring here at Namwianga this afternoon. The community was invited and we could not miss that because we had been informed that Zambian weddings were something to see.

So we headed to Choma, all crammed into Khaki Jackie and the truck the Pharmacy group has been using. We got to the Post Office in Choma by 10:00, bought stamps and mailed postcards, went to the ATM to get Kwacha (it is always a thrill to see that I have millions of Kwacha in the bank at home), then turned everyone loose in the market. The chitange man did not have a large variety, and the fabric shop had sold out of the pink African material I had wanted to buy for my sister-in-law. The lady in the heart of the market that had all the unique material was not there today, so I headed for the Spar to help get lunch for everyone. We picked up some supplies for Ba Leonard as well as lunch and headed for the museun to eat at the picnic tables. The crafts at the museum were great and the students went crazy (as usual) and probably funded many more projects with the things they bought. The director was so excited that he invited me back in after the students had left to pick a gift from the shop but we were so late for the wedding that I could not.

We raced back to Namwianga, changed into our best (embarrassing, to say the least) and walked over to the auditorium. The usher (who is also one of our watchmen, escorted Beckie, Ian, Scott and I right to the front and seated us next to the groom’s family. We stayed for three hours and it seemed to be just getting going. No cake or food had been served. There is a lot of dancing. The attendants all dance in, the bride dances in, (then the ceremony), then all dance back out, then they all dance back in. Meanwhile, the audience often got up to dance. I was exhausted, just watching. I have wonderful video but could never get it loaded. I found a link online with lots of information about Zambian wedding traditions. Go to the middle of the document to see the Zambian material with even a reference (mispelled) to Namwianga.

At 5:00 we raced back to the Hamby House where Ba Leonard had a huge meal ready for us. I included a photo just so you wouldn’t worry too much about what we were eating.

Hiking Through the Bush

2011-05-27T18:26:00.003+02:00

There is a shortcut between the Mann and Hamby houses and the Havens. It only saves a few minutes, but it cuts through the bush. Since everyone cannot fit in Khaki Jackie (our name for our Land Cruiser) some need to walk each day. It is about a mile and a half. Here is a photo of Ian on the trail and another photo of Liz, Cari, and Lauren. I actually enjoy it. The option is to walk around on the dirt road.

We are truly into a routine now. The only problem today involved other kids wanting to be a part of the special sessions we have going. I kept redirecting them, but they were determined.

We met with Mr. George Phiri this afternoon. I think he is still considering how we can get the speech therapy class going with the students here. He also mentioned that the community is planning another big welcome back for us so that is yet to come. I mentioned that Ian wanted to talk to him about his Clean Delivery Kit Eagle Project and he was excited. We will schedule that in the near future.

Making Progress

2011-05-26T20:46:00.003+02:00

We are here in Zambia to work with the children at the Haven. We are fairly rigid in our schedule and provide three hours of therapy each morning and one hour and forty-five minutes of therapy each afternoon. This puts us in contact with the children as long as we can possibly work with them each day. After several days of work, we are beginning to see results. Some of the kiddos are eating more and Kritz (my special spectrum child) imitated three words today. He and Ian have a special bond and he smiles and waves at Ian but doesn't open up to many others. We hope weeks of intensive work will help him and the others along.

Beckie, Ian and I made an early morning rush to the little market in Kalomo this morning. It is run by an Indian couple who have always been very kind to us. They always slip Ian a "sweet" while we are there. I will try to connect a photo to show the interior. I described it to my Mom and she said it reminded her of the little community stores in the States during the 1930's. She reminded me that her parents had run one and she worked in it. It put things back into perspective.

Thursday lunch is our Zambian food day. Here is a typical Zambian meal of nshima and relish. The nshima is ground corn and the relish is anything else that may come with it. Today we had this sauce with cabbage, rice, and chicken, along with a cabbage slaw. It is really OK and most of the students were impressed. I think they probably prefer hamburgers however.

Africa Freedom Day

2011-05-25T20:32:00.003+02:00

Today is African Freedom Day, a holiday celebrated throughout Africa. All the offices and stores are closed and the schools are off on holiday. There was a big futball (soccer) match on the field between Namwianga and a community around 40 kilometers away. There was cheering and celebration when Namwianga won.

We worked with our kiddos today and now have our process in place. We also met with all the workers tonight to prepare them for the possibility of an infant death. Most of them have been shielded from death but here it is a daily reality and Beckie and I felt they needed to be prepared.

Check out the blogs of many of our students linked on the left. Many of my friends have shifted to Facebook and do a running status report of their comings and goings and no longer maintain their blogs. I continue to keep a blog as a type of journal of my adventures.

Routine

2011-05-24T20:20:00.003+02:00

We finished our assessments/evaluations and developed our schedules today and will be ready to begin with the regular routine tomorrow. We've got all supervisors and clinicians working full time to get everything done in the next four weeks. It makes for long days but similiar to past years. We have heard nothing about the Introduction to Speech Therapy class we usually teach at the college. We are hoping they forgot to work us in this year since we need all supervisors at the Haven. Next year we will try to bring an additional supervisor so that the absence of one will not result in reduced therapy.

Quiet evening at the Hamby House. Ian is next door playing Trivial Pursuit with the college students and I am catching up on some work. He spent the afternoon playing hide-n-seek in the African bush. How neat is that?

I Shall Not Die

2011-05-23T19:00:00.003+02:00

“I shall not die, but I shall live and recount the deeds of the Lord. Psalm 118:17”

This was written on a sheet of paper taped to the wall with a bandaid in one of the rooms in Haven 3 today. We are just meeting these children and someone left this special prayer here for this child.

It has been a good day (and a very tiring one). We laid all the gifts (diapers, covers, jumpers, blankets, etc.) out on the table in Haven 1 and I am amazed how much we were able to cram into our suitcases. Thanks to all of you that contributed to these items. I can assure you that they were greatly appreciated. We are diagnosing (informally) all the kiddos to determine what we need to do over the next several weeks. There are a number of swallowing/feeding kids, some special needs kids, and a great number in need of language stimulation. It will be a busy time here. There was a lot more interacting with the kids and our signs about how to do things were still up. I’m sensing that we are making progress.

Spent some time with two of my dear ones today. Hamilton is a little brick and seems to be progressing well. Can you believe that this is the kid who was dying in our arms last summer? He’s still behind in language but seems to be ready to move ahead. Kritz is walking but not talking at all. He is still exhibiting characteristics on the spectrum, but appears to be healthy. Ian spent a lot of time with him today and got him to smile once, but I didn’t see it.

Sunday

2011-05-22T15:29:00.002+02:00

We are moved in and unpacked. After Church this morning, we unloaded the containers to get all of our HIZ-Path stuff out so that we will be ready to go to work tomorrow. We found most of what we had shipped, but it looks like all of our boxes were just thrown into the back of a big container. Knowing Ba Leonard like I do, I know that he didn't leave everything that way. The group must have left without much planning in the Fall.

An African Day Washed Clean

2011-05-21T16:36:00.002+02:00

What a storm last night! All the locals are saying that they have never had that much rain here in May. We were even accused of bringing it in our suitcases. The logistics are difficult. We don't have enough transportation until Monday, so we made multiple trips where ever we went. The kiddos at the Haven were wonderful. Little Hamilton is big and fat and a delight to play with. Kritz has moved to the toddler house and is acting more normal but there are still some problems. I still wish we could take him home with us.

We went to Kalomo in shifts today. The locals are very aware that the makuas are back in town because the chitanges were going for 10,000 to 20,000 each instead of the standard 8,000 or so. I managed to get a Manchester United chitange for 8,000 so was feeling pretty smug.

Still having trouble posting photos. I am going to put them all in a file and post them as I am able.

The Rains Down in Africa! (5-20-2011)

2011-05-21T16:19:00.005+02:00

It has been raining heavily for the last hour. It seems the rains have followed us here. This is supposed to be the dry season here in Zambia, but this year certainly seems to be an exception. The flowers are blooming everywhere and everything is greener then I have ever seen it. (We also must be more vigilant against the mosquitoes).

We drove down from Lusaka today. It is about a 5-6 hour drive and we stopped, as usual, at Tooters to go to the toilet and get some lunch. (Remember that in British associated countries, a bathroom is just for that purpose.) I think it was the first shock to our students expecting something like an American rest stop. We sat on the steps and ate, then returned to the bus to discover that it would not start. With a little pushing, we got it started but I am sure the locals will be telling the story for the rest of their lives.

We arrived here in Namwianga to find Ba Leonard waiting with all prepared. Ian and I are in the Hamby House with all of the wonderful African motif, most of the women are in the Mann House, the guys are in the bunk house and a couple of the girls are in a house behind. We are all closer together this year.

Unfortunately, we did not have Ba Leonard’s wonderful fried chicken, but he did have a welcome cake waiting for us. For those of you new to this whole Zambia adventure thing, Ba Leonard’s cakes are famous and we were honored with one right off the bat. Every cake is labeled and we always live for the next one.

We Have Arrived!

2011-05-19T21:02:00.003+02:00

We left Memphis at 12:00 on Tuesday and we landed here in Lusaka at around 2:30 pm. It was good to finally arrive and walk away from any more flights. I can remember when flying was an exciting adventure. Now it is such a pain. When we get our group flights through the Harding Travel Service, you can't ask for seat assignments. Now that the US Airlines are expanding the number of seats in economy so that they can cram in big dollar seats in "business" etc., it is just plain painful for me to fly. My knees are crammed up against the seat in front of me and I'm always stuck in the middle (on this trip anyway). One of the reasons I like Ethiopian Air is that they haven't gotten as bad as the U.S. carriers. It was still a long, long trip but we all made it and we are resting here in Lusaka tonight. Tomorrow we will head on to Namwianga, which is 5-6 hours away.

We all ate at Rapsody's tonight along with the drivers who have come to take us back. Beckie and I had also invited a speech-language pathology student who took a year off from Case-Western Reserve and an audiologist who practices here in Lusaka. We got a lot of new ideas that we will try to make work as we continue with this project.

I will try to include some pictures tomorrow. BTW: We saw Mt. Kilimanjaro from the plane window today. I was thrilled to finally see it.

Arkansas is Getting Hot So We're Off to Africa!

2011-05-17T03:54:00.002+02:00

We are off again. I am not dead, but my daily life tends to be less exciting so I blog about the exciting things. Ian and I, along with 2 other speech-language pathologists, 11 of my students, one pharmacy professor and three students, one occupational therapist and her student, and several others are heading back to Zambia. It is never an easy trip. We fly to Chicago, Washington D.C. (spend the night), fly out Wednesday morning to Rome, then to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Harare, Zimbabwe, and finally to Lusaka, Zambia on Thursday afternoon. One doesn't drive in Zambia at night so we will spend Thursday night in Lusaka and across Zambia (5-6 hours) to Namwianga on Friday.

I will post updates and photos when we have electricity. Keep us in your prayers. I can't wait to see how my kiddos are doing.

The Adventure Nears an End.

2010-08-03T23:50:00.003+02:00

I must admit that I am looking forward to getting into an air-conditioned room with an attached bathroom. I have enjoyed camping for the last several weeks and the sleeping is great with the sides of the tent up, but I am ready for my own bed. We are about to begin packing up the remainders of the Trading Post. They told us yesterday that our Trading Post alone had sold over a million dollars (most of it to me) and that we were the top Trading Post here at the Jamboree. There is not a whole lot of stuff left to sell. If we get it packed up tonight, we will be able to leave after we retrieve the cars from the "Dead Lot" tomorrow at noon. I need to drop a friend off at the airport in Richmond tomorrow afternoon and then off to Searcy.

I went up to see Ian and see if he needed to send anything back with me in the car. His group pulls out early tomorrow morning and will spend the night in a hotel in Knoxville, before getting home Thursday. I told him he better get a bath before his Mom picks him up. He truly had a great time. He took off by himself today so that he could get the most done. Most of his mates are not very energetic and Ian is so afraid he will miss something. He will get in trouble for not having a "buddy" but he seemed ready to deal with it. He weighed the consequences. He finished all of the activities that he needed to earn all the little patches but lost the sheet before making it back to camp. He will talk to Mr. Frank but I don't think he will get them. He knows, however, that he earned them.

Yesterday, he worked on his metal working merit badge. They had a great setup and he passed some of his requirements. He even made a present for his Mom. If she reads this, she still needs to act surprised.

What an Experience!!

2010-08-01T19:22:00.006+02:00

In spite of my best intentions, I have not posted since the day before all the Scouts arrived. There are many reasons, but the primary one is that there is never a down minute. My shift allowed me to meet the Arkansas Contingent when they arrived at their camp on Monday. Ian had had a great time and was ready to begin the Jambo experience. I discovered that Ian's camp is exactly 3 miles from my area and there is no easy way to get back and forth. Although there is a bus system, it is undependable (time wise) and the 3 miles can be walked faster. Most days, I walk around 9 miles and Ian probably walks a lot more. A couple of times, I have used my staff privileges to go to the front of the bus line and even took Ian to the front once but it still takes less time to walk.

I was on the 3rd shift Friday, so Ian and I spent most of the day together. I really must confess that I thought he wouldn't want me around but he called and asked if I could meet him somewhere. It was one of my best days ever. I just followed him around and shared this amazing experience with him. I also joined him for the big arena show last night. It was great to see it through his eyes. I am very grateful that we could come to this.

I am also grateful that Ian was able to participate in Scouts. I had such dreams that he would receive encouragement at the Academy but that is not happening. However, Scouts is teaching him many great things. There is even a group associated with our belief system here (Members of Churches of Christ for Scouting) that has done more to encourage Ian than anything he received in his 6th grade experience.

Summertime, and the living is...

2010-07-26T04:32:00.002+02:00

Another hot (I should have said HOT!) day in Virginia. We are anxiously awaiting the Scouts to come tomorrow. I think all the exhibits are up (or will be after a long night tonight). The Trading Post was closed this morning for Church. I headed to the Staff Dining Hall in Area B for the Church of Christ service conducted by the MCCS (Members of the Church of Christ for Scouting). They had 10,000 Bibles printed to distribute here and have approximately 17 or 18 Chaplins here to work with all the Subcamps. They are conducting Services all over the Jamboree site next Sunday and will present the Bibles to those who attend. I met lots of CofC Scouters and wanted to visit with them afterwards but I had to run to get my car to the "Dead Storage". It had to be removed from the Jamboree site for the duration. I got it parked, caught the bus back and ran to my 11:00 meeting (10 minutes late).

I worked on the first shift today and the customers were steady. (They told us that our Trading Post brought in $138,000 on our first day and the Scouts have not even arrived yet.) We closed at 5:00 today because there was supposed to be a big arena show for the staff tonight. Unfortunately, a storm was headed this way and we secured the tents and prepared for the worst. We received only a welcome reduction in the heat. The men of "Tent 2" declared themselves the "Broken Chair Patrol" due to two broken chairs already. Here is a photo of the group.

Ian called tonight from D.C. He is having a GREAT time. I hope to be at the site tomorrow when they arrive. It will be good to see the kiddo. I think Keri is missing us too.

Irritable and Hot With No Place To Sit!

2010-07-24T19:23:00.006+02:00

Trading Post C opened this morning and the crowd was lined up around the corner. Most of them were looking for one of the limited edition items with only 2010 produced. Once those are gone, the numbers will die back down. However, each day of the jamboree we will be selling a "Patch of the Day". These represent some special event of the day and may only be purchased in the Trading Post beginning at 9:00 each day when the TP opens. They are only producing 2010 of each patch and dividing them between the three TPs. The crowd will be huge and there will be many people disappointed. Staff must find someone to stand in line for them but that person can only buy one. Therefore they can either buy one for themselves or one for me. It is an impossible situation that is going to create more problems then they can imagine. I'm just glad that I'm not the "genius" that thought of this scheme.

Last night they had a barbecue for the staff. For some strange reason, we were sent to Wilcox Dining Hall instead of Longstreet (right next door). Most of us didn't have cars and the meal was around 8 miles away. It was an interesting task getting everyone to supper.

I am amazed at the extent of the jamboree. The footprint is approximately 3 miles by 5 miles and every inch of it is packed with events or people. I drove over to Ian's campsite and we are literally at opposite ends of the 5 mile stretch. Needless to say, we will need to take the bus.

I begin work this evening. My shift runs from 6:30 - 9:30. Things were pretty rough this morning, but I'm hoping they will have straightened out the problems before then.

2010 National Scout Jamboree

2010-07-23T03:39:00.002+02:00

I have arrived at Fort A. P. Hill (about 30 miles north of Richmond, VA for the 100th Anniversary Scout Jamboree. I, and 9000 of my closest friends and on staff and are here to get ready for the 40,000 Boy Scouts which arrive on Monday. I am working in one of the Trading Posts and we are stocking it for our opening on Saturday. It is 1000 degrees F in the shade and we are sleeping in military tents. We have electricity, so we have fans and lights. The Scouts do not, so I have a battery operated fan awaiting Ian.

He is traveling with the Arkansas group and they are exploring Gettysburg tomorrow before heading on to Washington, D.C. I have some photos and will try to post them tomorrow. Meanwhile, I'm going to get a shower and cool off before trying to sleep. I know, TMI.

Home at Last!

2010-06-27T03:55:00.004+02:00

We are back in Searcy after a grueling trip. I have decided that the trip there and the trip back are the hardest parts of going to Zambia each summer. The Ethiopian Air flight left Lusaka Thursday afternoon. All had an easy morning with some shopping for last minute stuff at Arcades and at the airport. Check-in was smooth for most (Meaghan's walking stick had to be checked, but the others were able to carry theirs on). Landing in Addis Ababa in a thunderstorm was a little unnerving due to the number of times we had to circle the airport. The Ethiopian Air flight to the States was smooth. The only distractions were the kids that were allowed to run wild in the aisles, continually push the call buttons, etc. Fortunately, they were not Americans. They all seemed to be Ethiopian with some connection to the airlines.

We waltzed through immigration and customs (a first for me) and headed out to get a boarding pass on Delta. That is where the stress began. Keri's flight had already left so we had to get Ethiopian Air to arrange a flight to Memphis. Unfortunately, our plane was full so they had to send her to National to catch a direct flight on to Memphis. We were to fly to Atlanta and then on to Memphis. Both flights were to arrive in Memphis within an hour so we thought we were set. She headed off and Ian and I went to meet the others. Storms in Atlanta delayed our departure and left us on the ground in Atlanta once we arrived. I had no idea what had happened to Keri but in the end, we arrived 10 minutes after her in Memphis. Gene and Reagan picked us up and I was too exhausted to even carry on a conversation. We arrived back in Searcy around 11:30 and went right to bed. I did notice, when we pulled up in the driveway, that Charlene and Kay(the lawn fairies) had mowed the front yard and created a flower bed around our mailbox. We really do have great neighbors.

Back to Lusaka

2010-06-23T19:54:00.005+02:00

Tuesday, we headed back to Namwianga after an hour or two at the Livingstone official craft market. It is so overwhelming for me to go into markets like that. Everyone is pressuring you to look at their items and telling you all kinds of tails about who they are, what they need, who made the craft, etc. Of course, most of it is not true and you must always realize that the price is way, way above what they expect to get. Unfortunately, it is very unpleasant for me. I often stick it out if I am looking for something in particular, but most of the time, I am unwilling to put up with all of that. That afternoon, we had to go back to the Immigration Office to deal with the problem I mentioned earlier. It was taken care of with the help of Mr. Perri. I will give all the details once I am safely out of Zambia.

Last night, while we were frantically packing, the power went off again. It is very hard to pack by candlelight. David came down to have supper with us and spend some time with Ian. I am so happy that he and Ian became friends so quickly after our arrival. He made this a very special trip for Ian.

After a final breakfast on the Hamby veranda, we packed most of the luggage on Khaki Jackie and loaded in the Eric's Place bus. Beckie found the largest bug I have ever seen so Ian had to have a photo of it, of course. Loaded, we said our goodbyes and headed off to Lusaka. My plan to meet with Ellie and Kel during our drive to Lusaka did not work out as we had planned so I will need to brainstorm with them some other time about some ideas for next year. I hadn't planned to come back until 2012 but Beckie becoming Dean of the College of Communication has caused the need to rethink plans.

Our final night in Zambia, we are in the Portea Lusaka watching the 2010 World Cup match between Ghana and Germany. We have really enjoyed being in Africa during much of the World Cup. We caught games whenever we could. We saw the draw between the USA and England at a Hamby neighbor's house. Other games we watched at the Haven, or at Eric's Place or at the Portea Livingstone. The USA has done well and we will watch them compete in the finals after we get home. Everyone here was surprised when they won their game this afternoon.

Victoria Falls (in the daylight)

2010-06-21T20:07:00.004+02:00

We are all getting tired so many decided to sleep in this morning. Of course, I could not do that so I rousted out Keri and Ian. We ate a wonderful (made-to-order) breakfast, picked up a couple of other early risers and headed to the market on the main street in Livingstone. We checked out the tailor and found some wonderful items but I decided Ba Moono had made all we needed. We then hit the market. It is certainly more intense than the other markets we have been to but I did OK. Keri was overwhelmed. Ian did fine (but of course he wants at least one of everything).

We went to Kubu Crafts and Ian found a great soccer player made out of soda caps. We all met at the Shoprite car park for the lunch we had purchased at Wonder Bake. Then it was off to Victoria Falls.

Victoria Falls really is one of the most spectacular sites I have ever seen. Because the water is higher then I have seen it in the past, the spray was covering everything. The raincoats Keri brought were very useful. Ian, of course, had to see everything and got very wet. He also had an experience with a baboon as you can see in the photo.

The evening item on the agenda involved a sunset cruise on the Zambezi. It was not as nice as the African Queen but there was a lot more food and the staff were much more friendly. It left from the Waterfront Lodge but sent a bus to pick us up at the Portea.

Chobe National Park, Botswana

2010-06-20T20:51:00.003+02:00

What a day!!! We headed out after breakfast and boarded a bus for our safari in Botswana. It was the 13 of us and 3 additional guys from Mexico who are in Africa for the World Cup. The ride to the Zambezi River crossing to Botswana took about 50 minutes, Immigration Exit took a few, and then a boat ride across the river. After checking into Botswana, we headed to the Chobe Lodge to begin the boat portion of the safari. We saw a large number of elephants, and more hippos than I have ever seen before. A Fish Eagle, lots of other birds and a few cape buffaloes topped off the morning. The lunch at the Chobe Lodge was great and included guinea fowl and wildebeest. The Land Rover portion was also great with giraffes, elephants, kudos and the addition of a leopard (a seldom seen animal), jackels, and sable antelopes. We also saw some "bee-eaters".

It was a great day. Since today is Sunday, we had a service in one of our rooms which Ian led. He did a great job. I will post photos later.

Livingstone and Tea

2010-06-19T20:16:00.005+02:00

We were notified that Ba Leonard's mother had died during the night. In spite of that he came in this morning to help with breakfast. It was sad to see him upset. We took up a collection to help with expenses. In Zambia, they say that if you go to the hospital for surgery, you die! His mother had had surgery earlier in the week.

We strapped all the luggage on the top, loaded up Khaki Jackie and headed for Livingstone. We made it to the Falls Park Shopping Center for lunch before checking in to the Protea Livingstone for three nights. Ian headed to the craft market and got him a bowl. In this photo he is holding the bowl in his hand, but look at the t-shirt the Zambian lady is wearing. Keri designed that shirt and I traded it at this market two years ago. We didn't tell her that because there were some ill feelings from that first encounter. However, it is a small world.

This afternoon, we went to the Royal Livingstone Hotel for High Tea. It really is a wonderful ritual to end our time here. It is great drinking tea from Royal Albert china while sitting on the bank of the Zambezi River. After tea, we headed down to the river-side deck to watch the sun set. This is a facebook profile picture I took for Ian as the sunset. Tonight is an easy night so that we can make an early start for our safari in Botswana.

Last Full Day

2010-06-18T07:10:00.003+02:00

It is early on our last full day here at Namwianga. I am sitting here in the "Africa Room" of the Hamby House watching the sun come up through the trees. It has truly been a great experience for all of us and I am so blessed to have been here at this time with Keri and Ian. This time has certainly been significant to Ian. He had his 13th birthday at Jordan's Rock in the African Bush. He was baptized in a water trough in the Hamby backyard. He has made a great friend in David that I hope he will stay in touch with through the years. He seems to have developed a real servant's heart. I am usually proud of him. He has certainly made me proud these last few days as he has pitched in to help with the medical mission preparations.

I thought this was a good photo for this post. I have been trying for the last six weeks to capture the Zambian flag blowing in the wind. Yesterday, I got it all stretched out in the wind. I wanted a shot for the IALP presentation in August and decided that this was the shot I wanted. Do you notice anything strange about the flag? I know that the American flag is flown upside down in times of extreme distress but I'm not sure what this means with the Zambian flag. Needless to say, I'm still needing a photo! But it seems somewhat appropriate to post a "distress" signal as we prepare to depart from this wonderful place.

Departure Looms

2010-06-17T22:52:00.002+02:00

Our time here at Namwianga is drawing to a close and we are all feeling a little sad. We conducted our last therapy and "auntie" training sessions today at the Haven and we are saying our goodbyes to the children tomorrow. It will be a day full of tears because we are so attached to these kids. We see such a difference since we arrived and we will miss seeing them everyday. Of course, we are tired and we are ready to see our families and enjoy some of the things we have missed. But we will never be the same. We have all changed. We will never look at the world the same way again. Part of our hearts will always be here in Zambia, the "Real Africa."

Beckie and I finished our class instruction today and we will have our finals tomorrow. As I mentioned in a previous post, I will approach the classes differently next year. I must admit that the teaching has been exhausting, but I think I have learned as much as my students have.

We had an interesting meeting at the immigration office this morning. I will discuss this more at a later date. The power was off for most of the day. It went off around 4:00 and remained off until about 13:00 and then went off again around 18:00 and came back on around 20:00. I took advantage of the power outage and went out to look at the stars of the Southern Hemisphere without any light pollution, not that there is much in this part of Africa. It was absolutely beautiful, something I will always remember.

Saturday morning, we head to Livingstone for several days and a number of adventures. I will post when possible.

Cake and Chibwantu

2010-06-15T21:14:00.004+02:00

Here are a couple more photos from our trip to Kasibi this past Sunday. Here is a photo of Leonard's cake made especially for our visit to his village. Here is also a photo of a lady serving chibwantu (a drink made with roots and cornmeal) to some villagers. None of us tried it because it didn't look too appetizing. It is a staple in rural Zambia, especially around this area.

Orphan?

2010-06-15T17:27:00.003+02:00

This afternoon, a man came to the door with a child of about 10. He said that the boy was an orphan and wanted us to take the child. There is a process here and we set the process in motion only to discover that the man was a frequent case and was looking for some way to get money. It was so disturbing to see the child and we wonder where the child came from. We often take orphans but this one wasn't legit. The experience was a hard one for us.

Classes and paperwork today! We are planning for our last week and a half here in Zambia. It seems hard to believe. What an experience. The power was off again tonight. There was a game of Apples to Apples going along with another game of Risk. Ellie decided we needed popcorn and made it over a butane tank. It was great fun. David stayed for supper and the games and then Ian and I drove him home. It sure is dark in the middle of Africa at night!

Keri is Indeed Here!

2010-06-14T21:18:00.002+02:00

Keri just said that I needed to post a photo of her so that everyone would know she is here. I took this one today. Keri is loving on Jana.

Internet Connection Again

2010-06-14T20:34:00.004+02:00

I am trying to catch up on all my posts because they have connected me to the internet again. Ba Robbie wasn't sure why I have been having troubles, but he got me on again. I wanted to post everything while I had the chance.

Our last week here in Namwianga was relatively uneventful. Morning at the Haven, lunch on the veranda, then a quick trip to Kalomo. We picked up David and the new group from Lipscombe and headed to town. Ian headed off with David and we bought everything necessary. Ian said that there is much more of Kalomo beyond the street where we always stop. He said that there were many shops and stalls with many more items including fabrics, World Cup items, etc.

Tonight Ian met with Mr. Perri to discuss the donation of balls from Harding Academy. Unfortunately, the crate will not arrive until next week so Ian made arrangements for Mr. Perri to distribute them when they arrive. For those 6th Graders who participated, Mr. Perri will make sure that the balls go to whoever needs them most.

Sunday, June 13

2010-06-14T19:40:00.003+02:00

Today was another adventurous day in Zambia. Ba Leonard invited us to the Kasimi Church of Christ. It was a challenging drive and we finally made it at 10:00. The Kasimi Singers came to meet us when we arrived and escorted us into the building. Will Pipkin preached and I led the Lord’s Supper, all with a Tongan interpreter. Following the service, Leonard invited us back to his village and hosted us for lunch. Ba Leonard’s wife poured water over our hands as we entered the house (a local custom) and Ba Leonard served us wonderful roast chicken, rice, relish and cabbage, followed, of course, with a “Welcome to Kasimi Church of Christ” cake. After lunch, we headed out to hear the Kasimi band and dance. I have wonderful photos. It was a wonderful day, even if that was the end. However, the best was yet to come.

Ian has been talking to me a lot since we arrived in Zambia and he is seeing how fragile life really is. He had made a decision to be baptized at services last night. Unfortunately, the power went out about 18:30 so there was some doubt whether there would even be a service. They put lanterns around and started, but the process was disrupted. They had singing groups and skits but no real opportunity to respond so we announced to Ellie and the gang that I would baptism Ian in the water trough behind the Hamby House. Word started spreading and we probably had a hundred people come. Before it was over I had baptized Ian, his friend David and four other people. It was a wonderful day here at Namwianga.

Saturday, June 12

2010-06-14T19:26:00.001+02:00

We thought this day would be calm and a day to get away from the concerns of the kiddos at the Haven. We had planned to go to Choma for the day. We began with a casual breakfast and headed out around 9:30. We began by stopping by the Clinic to check on Alfred, our aspirational pneumonia kiddo. We were shocked that he had died during the night. Apparently, there was a problem keeping him on oxygen. The struggle on Friday had been to find all the necessary components but they finally got him set up. The power outage last night resulted in no oxygen at the Clinic so they transported him to the Haven. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it.

After a good cry and a prayer for Alfred’s remaining family (his Mom had died giving birth, we headed out. We searched for chitange material and some gifts, picnicked at the Choma Craft Museum, and then headed back to Namwianga.

We all had been invited to Seven Fountains for dinner. Sue and Rod Calder, native South Africans, prepared Potjie (potjiekos). It was a wonderful evening. There were many desserts, including Milk Tart, a traditional South African dessert. The road was unbelievable and it was most interesting to travel back in the dark.

Friday, June 11

2010-06-14T19:10:00.003+02:00

(I am still unable to get on the internet to post any news, so I will start documenting this so I can post it when I do regain access.) I must mention the incredible game of Risk that has just been concluded in the Hamby House. Ellie found this game in the crate of items shipped over and Ian suggested that they all play. The power had gone out and Keri, Ian, Ellie and Kell started a game. The pieces were small and the candlelight made it difficult for me to see the pieces so I just sat back and watched. I have never heard such laughter and heard such stories. Every country Ellie landed in, we demanded a story of one of her trips there. Ian ended up winning. It was only after he took position of “the world” did he admit that he was a “ringer”. He had played frequently at Camp Tahkodah. The game and stories lasted for hours and the power didn’t come back on until the end. One of those nights to remember here in Zambia!

Lessons I've Learned!

2010-06-11T15:20:00.002+02:00

I know my students from Harding have learned a great deal while here in Zambia. I also hope that my Zambian students have learned about communication disorders. However, I know that I have learned a lot about multicultural issues while attempting to teach this class. Here are just a few of the lessons I have learned (much through embarrassment).

1. teachers are responsible for supplying their own chalk and erasers
2. do not depend on electricity for class (I have had electricity for 4 of my 9 classes so far)
3. students who are late will stand at the door and wait to be invited in
4. 60% of the class will be late
5. always put the percentage on a paper (the score is insufficient)
6. always count copies of exams/handouts before class (never assume number requested is correct)
7. never assume a photocopy can be obtained quickly (it may take several hours, even if emergency)
8. always determine special holidays in advance (if you don't, you may be the only one there)
9. never assume that the schedule set the first day will remain. It may change several times during the class.

Many of you are reading the additional linked blogs about the HIZ-PATH trip. We lost Kelly (one of our infants at Haven 3) on Wednesday morning and the students attended her funeral that afternoon. Yesterday, Alfred came down with aspiration pneumonia and today Choolwe (Haven 2) is showing a horrible eye infection. Keri has been involved with these last two. She is frustrated that something that would be handled so systematically at home becomes a life/death situation here. Ian has certainly learned a lot about life.

Someone emailed me and asked why I had not posted a photo of Ian's Ba Leonard cake. Here it is.

We set up a movie night on the Hamby House back porch last night. We had popcorn, left-over birthday cake, ice cream and Cokes. We watched the first #1 Ladies Detective Agency. It was about a woman in Botswana and it ended up being perfect for us. Hopefully we will watch the rest in our remaining time here.

The Circle of Life!

2010-06-10T16:50:00.002+02:00

Ian is now 13! It is so frightening to think that he is now a teenager. He had the most amazing birthday party yesterday. We drove in from Lusaka yesterday (more about that later), just in time to load up the Land Rover and Cruiser to head out to Jordan's Rock. It is a huge, smooth rock sticking up out of the bush near Namwianga. It has long been a site for gatherings and was where Ian's party was planned. We had a fire up on the rock to roast hot dogs and marshmallows, topped off with a chocolate Leonard birthday cake. The evening was topped off by watching the sunset in the African bush. Ellie gave him his choice of her photographs, Beckie and Gene gave him some Kwacha and he received cards from many of his new friends here. He was so moved. I think the day had a big impact on him.

Back to the last several days. I drove the Land Cruiser to Lusaka (5 hours with one stop [Tooters] half-way) to get Keri at the airport. Several passengers rode with me. The traffic was horrible in Lusaka but I made it to the hotel with a great deal of help from one of Ellie's friends. From the hotel, it was an easy drive on out to the airport. Keri's flight was only a little late and she was happy to be in Zambia at last. We drove back to the hotel (Golfview Lusaka Hotel) to deposit Keri's luggage and then took a cab to Manda Hill Shopping Center. Ian found his World Cup soccer balls and we ate supper at the Kilimanjaro Cafe. By the time we were done and headed back to the hotel, it was dark. Never, never drive in Lusaka after dark! The next morning we headed through Lusaka successfully, met Ba Hilali at the specified spot and headed through the Zambian Southern Province back to Namwianga.

Follow-the-Leader!

2010-06-07T17:14:00.003+02:00

Keri's flight has left Washington, D.C. and is on its way to Africa, via Rome. I just talked to her early this morning and she had made it to the hotel in Virginia successfully.

Ellie just returned from Livingstone where she picked up Kell. He used miles and had to put together five different segments. Even his luggage made it! He sounds glad to be back in Zambia.

We discovered that there has been a Scout Troop here at Namwianga for many years and Ian went to Mr. Perri's office to make contact. He is supposed to see Mr. Perri tomorrow for the specifics, but we must head off to Lusaka to get Keri. Mr. Perri and Ian discussed the need for a biology teacher here at Namwianga and Ian has decided to come here and fill that role.

I got up early this morning and sat on the back porch with my book and cup of coffee. Here I was, sitting in Sub-Saharan Africa as the sun came up and I heard a bagpipe playing an old Scottish tune. It was only there for a minute, and then it was gone. Just when I decided that I had imagined it, I heard it again. I decided that it was a ring tone for someones cellphone. It was still a strange experience.

Here is a photo of a strange phenomenon we just witnessed. A line of caterpillars just marched across the sidewalk. It was at least 5 or 6 feet long. We were warned that they were poisonous and not to touch them.

And She's Off!

2010-06-06T21:03:00.006+02:00

Keri should be in Memphis now, on her way to Africa. Please pray for her since she is traveling alone. Ian and I will be at the airport in Lusaka to pick her up Tuesday afternoon. I'm sure she is stressed, but maybe she can rest now that she is on her way.

More of the Zambia Medical Mission people are drifting in and our numbers are slowly growing. We are expecting Kel Hamby tomorrow. It is great having Ellie here and she has entertained us with numerous stories of early life in Zambia. Ian is in awe of her (as are we all). She has agreed to take a group picture of our group. We just need to find a space. She recommended "the Tree of Mercy" outside the Namwianga Clinic. Readers should check out her photos at http://www.photosbyellie.org/.

Church was great today. We went to the Johnson Auditorium again today. I sure hope we make it to a bush congregation while we are here. As usual, the singing was great. This morning, the HIZ-PATH group went with the kids. Ian even got up to help lead a song. As usual, I was very proud of him. I must admit that the kid's group was very lively. There was certainly more movement then I am used to but it was great. Just another of the many cultural experiences we have every day. Our Multicultural Class would certainly favorably compare to any. Tonight, one of the men's singing groups sat behind us. I am becoming aware of the rich singing tradition of the Tonga people. Harmony seems to just flow.

We had a bit of excitement last night. Around 9:00, Ian came running from the Estes-Binki House and said that the night-watchman was ill and that we had to take him to the hospital. When I got there, Beckie had gotten him loaded in Khaki Jackie, along with his bike and said we needed to take him home, in Kalomo. The interesting thing about this is that Makuas (as are all Zambians) are advised not to drive at night. It truly was an experience getting him home. The roads (or paths) were very difficult to maneuver. When we finally got him home, his brother came out and got Webster's shoes and directed us back out to the highway. He then rode Webster's bike back in the dark. We were glad to finally get home.

Lazy Saturday

2010-06-05T11:26:00.002+02:00

This is the first day of our trip that did not have a tightly packed schedule. We even told Leonard that we would be responsible for our own breakfasts so we could sleep late. That meant different things to different people but everyone had a chance to catch up on their sleep. The only things planned for today involved lunch and a 2:30 trip to Kalomo.

Ellie Hamby has arrived and the pace of life has certainly picked up. She arrived around 21:00 Thursday night and there has been a constant stream of people through ever since. I certainly see why she is considered a mover and a shaker here in Zambia. I helped her unpack several crates of food and other items, many of which we will use. Still no word about our crate. It is with 4 others and has arrived in Mozambique but who knows when it will arrive here. Ellie said that she was glad to be back in Zambia. She referred to it as the real Africa. I've heard a number of people refer to Zambia in that way. I have heard a swarm of "African bees". Everyone just says to avoid them. I wonder if these are the "killer bees" we hear so much about in the States.

Here is a new photo of Hamilton. He is doing much better now that he is eating. That first day or two I wasn't sure he would make it but he has been blessed by all your prayers. Another little is struggling today. Kelly is having a hard time breathing. She is also a preemie and they are trying to keep her going. With your prayers, they may succeed. Death is a day-by-day occurrence here in "the real Africa."

Another Cobra (Ian)

2010-06-03T17:09:00.004+02:00

Today while I was walking to the Haven I met this guy named Gift (his first name). As we walked out of the front gate of Eric's house Gift pointed to a snake on the fence and yelled "cobra". He and his buddy grabbed a hand full of stones, his buddy went to one side of the fence and Gift the other. then they started throwing stones at the snake. The snake kept dodging so Gift got a stick and flipped the snake up in the air and on to the road. He held the snake on to road with the stick while his buddy stoned the cobra. Finally they killed it and threw it to the birds. It was like the one David killed last week. We didn't see the spread hood, but everyone called it a cobra.

Language Groups

2010-06-03T16:34:00.004+02:00

Life is easier now that we are not trying to get Ian to school every morning. He really enjoyed it, but it was hard to work into our schedule. Today, I woke up early and sat on the porch as the sun rose. It was an enjoyable place to read and drink my coffee. It reminded me that I am usually doing that exact think in Destin, FL on this date.

I spent the morning at the Haven watching the wonderful things our students are doing. The toddlers were all involved in a language group. Many were getting into all the gestures and words and some were learning the routine. It was impressive to watch. I am so proud of all of our HIZ-PATH crowd. The group in Haven 1 was also great.

My class met this afternoon. Half straggled in late and then wanted me to review everything we had covered but I told them to get it from someone else who had not been late. It really was a better class because the power stayed on the entire time. Several asked good questions. They still want to copy down every word on the PowerPoint. When I was reviewing the anatomy slides. I finally told them to put their pencils down and pay attention to the pictures. It went better after that.

Ian had an adventure today that I want him to post about so I will pass this on to him.

Happy Birthday Rachel

2010-06-02T17:30:00.005+02:00

Ian decided not to go to school today, so he, Beckie and I headed to town after we dropped everyone off at the Haven. The purpose of the trip was to locate the Zambian Immigration Office and make sure that they were going to be open on June 17, the day we must renew our Visas. It was difficult to find and required a trip through the market. I found several nice chitanges but had to pay K40,000 ($7.89) for three. They were Zambian Crest and a Catholic Womens Association. I am very interested in the political and organizational chitanges. While we were in town, I had to take a picture of the ATM limits. They have recently been raised from K5 Million to K10 Million. Just the mention of those numbers put me in a spasm.

Today is Rachel's Birthday. Leonard made her a GREAT cake and had ice cream. We are lucky! We have a birthday on each of the remaining Wednesdays. Keri will be here to celebrate Ian's. I hope we can swing a Leonard cake for him.

Africa, Africa

2010-06-01T15:47:00.002+02:00

I have been unable to get internet for more than a minute or two for the last several days. I don’t know whether the rain has caused the problem or something else. I just know that I am having a difficult time communicating with Keri and when there is no communication, the worry begins.

Ian headed off to school again today. I took him to Eric’s House so that he could walk with all the students, but he has to be there at 6:15. I just sat there and watched as they all walked down the deeply rutted African road headed to school. I am so glad that Ian is having this experience. He will never think about the world and other people the same way again.

I arrived at my class today only to discover that it has been moved from 10:00 Tuesday, Thursday and Friday to 14:00 on those same days. It would have been nice to know and we have a conflict with our time at the Haven, but this is how it is done here.

If you can’t tell, I’m having one of those low days. I should have known that it was going to be one of those days when I couldn’t get the alarm set on the Land Cruiser. At 6:45 this morning, it went off. I just hope all the neighbors were already up!

I continue to spiral! When I arrived for my class, I discovered that it had been reschedules for the rest of the term. Then when I arrived and set up my PowerPoint at 2:00, the power went off. Can you imagine teaching anatomy of the vocal mechanism to a class whose primary language is Tonga without pictures. I think I'm going to take to the bed!

Zambian School Day

2010-05-31T20:47:00.005+02:00

Ian really wanted to go to school while he was here and we were able to work that out for today. The only problem is that school is supposed to begin at 7:00 and go until 12:00. It was hard getting up and getting him there but we made it in plenty of time. School also runs on Zambian time. It was thrilling to see Ian headed off to chapel with David’s arm around his shoulder, a blonde haired white boy amid a sea of Zambians. I hope he has a GREAT day.

It really rained yesterday. I am so used to being here in the “dry” season that the rain was refreshing. There were puddles right afterwards, but not enough to remain as a breeding-ground for mosquitoes.

Ian figured out that the Zambian K50 note was equal to 1 U.S. cent. I thought that it would make a good photo so I set it up.

The power just went off again. Leonard is busy making breakfast for everyone so we shall see what happens. Never a dull moment in Zambia!

Rainy Day

2010-05-30T20:36:00.002+02:00

I woke up early this morning, dressed and went to the porch to read with my coffee. It was very cloudy and rained for awhile. Church in the Johnson Auditorium, leftovers on the Hamby Porch, a brief rest and then back to the Haven. We were making up for the language group we missed Thursday afternoon. I watched Choolwe take 1/4 bottle as it poured rain outside. The rain seemed appropriate somehow. Maybe Choolwe is going to make it.

After church tonight, three people wanted to be baptized and everyone headed out of the building while I talked to several people about Ian going to school tomorrow. As we approached the Hamby House, I realized that everyone was in the backyard. We're talking about several hundred people. It was a little surprising.

Prayers Needed!

2010-05-29T16:56:00.006+02:00

Prayers are needed for one of our little guys. Choolwe is not eating. He is 1 year old but looks much younger. Although he appears alert and interested in his environment, he continues to eat little. If he was in the States, he would probably be tube-fed until he could build the strength and swallowing skills. Here is is on his own. Caroline has tried everything she knows and the feeling is that it is now up to God. I guess we should say that "we have done everything we know to do and God must handle the rest." Hamilton, the little guy I asked for prayers earlier seems to be doing much better.

We spent today making up for our Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning trip to Livingstone. It was an exhausting day and we are resting until Leonard's wonderful supper. Last night he made his "famous" Apple Cake. I am fascinated by Leonard's cakes.

Black Mamba

2010-05-28T17:00:00.001+02:00

My GBCC class finally met again today. I didn’t even try to take role because I was already behind and needed to get to the subject at hand (Intro. to Communication Disorders). I arrived early and spent around 15 or 20 minutes getting the projector hooked up to my computer as everyone arrived. Then, as class began at 10:00, the power went off. I decided to just wing-it and wrote terms on the board with the chalk we purchased at the little shop. A few people were taking notes, but most just looked bored. However, when I asked for questions, I received some very good ones. I guess it was a success. I meet them again on Tuesday. I am having a hard time getting used to a Tuesday, Thursday and Friday class.

After lunch, we dropped the gang at the Haven and Beckie, Ian, and I headed into Kalomo to mail postcards and to pick up some items at the little shop. We hope to show a movie tonight and wanted some drinks and popcorn. Unfortunately, popcorn is a no-go but we will still have a movie and Coca-Cola. We had an appointment back at the Hamby House at 3:00 so we really had to make tracks. Suddenly, there was a large snake in the road in front of us. It was about 5 feet long and a dark gray color. When startled, it stood up about 18 inches and darted off the road, still in that position. I never got a good look at the open mouth but all other characteristics suggest that this snake was a black mamba. None of the other snakes in our guide matched but the mamba certainly did. I wish I could have seen its mouth, but I was glad I was in the Land Cruiser.

We had our appointment with the director of Seven Fountains about a couple of children. I hope we gave them some helpful advice. Following, we toured the Namwianga Radio Station, the most powerful in Zambia.

Have I mentioned that it is the dry season here in Zambia and the roads are DUSTY!!!!!

Long Road Home

2010-05-27T16:11:00.002+02:00

Victoria Falls on a full moon is definitely worth the trip. The moonbow was not as majestic as I had expected but it was still spectacular. Just to know that few people have ever seen one and to be at the falls with almost no one else around made the trip worthwhile. Beckie asked everyone if it was something we needed to do with each group and everyone said yes. It cost around $30 per person to get in, and we plan to go back later, but everyone still thinks it was worth it. Several people were able to take photos but I was not. Maybe I can get one from someone.

Breakfast at the Portea was great and Ian and I walked down to the Falls Park Shopping Center to check out the craft shop. It actually was all the street vendors who have moved into an empty shop. It was great to see them. Ian was a little whelmed when they swarmed him but hopefully he will get used to it. I told him to look around and we will go back and shop when we return to Livingstone next month. We purchased some groceries for Leonard and new bungie cords and a tarp so that we could put our backpacks on the roof. That relieved some space issues but many were sick with upset stomachs so it was a long trip back. Before we left Livingstone, I had to find some eggs for Leonard (the SuperSpar was out) so I drove down the street to the Shoprite. They were more modern and had some 2010 Worldcup stuff and Ian got a water bottle.

Back into our routine because we plan to make up for our missed Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. We will be exhausted by next weekend.

Livingstone

2010-05-26T19:14:00.004+02:00

We worked half a day and then loaded up Khaki Jackie to head for Livingstone. Unfortunately, I kept intending to warn everyone about my "insulin reactions" but demonstrated one today. We had run around all morning. I went to class only to discover that my class is Tuesday, Thursday and Friday morning at 10:00 and Math is Wednesday. That gave me time to transport someone trying to complete some paperwork for a child whose mother died giving birth and who arrived at the Haven this morning. Ian again helped with the infant motor exercises and feeding. By lunch I was out of glucose and sweating like I was back in Arkansas. Ian took care of me and explained to everyone why I was not making any sense.

We are staying at the Portea here in Livingstone, a short walk from the Falls Park Shopping Area. It is a really great hotel. Unfortunately, it looks like many of the shops have closed, but we got Ian some pizza and shopped in the SuperSpar for some snacks. The bookstore that had all the Zambian, Southern Africa and British books has closed. I was really looking forward to buying some. I did buy a great Zambia flag chitange in the gift shop for K30,000. It sounded like a lot but when I realized that it was $5.87, I went for it.

We will head to see the moonbow at Victoria Falls tonight. I hope it is worth the trip and the extra expense. We shall see.

Africa Freedom Day

2010-05-25T20:18:00.003+02:00

May 25, Africa Freedom Day, is a national holiday across most of Africa. It represents an end to colonial control. All public offices and schools were closed and our classes here at GBCC did not meet. They just forgot to tell us about it ahead of time. It is strange to be standing at the front of a classroom waiting for 80 students to come to class and not one of them shows up. It can be really rough on your ego!

We had another day working at the Haven. Hamilton has survived another day and he looked a little stronger. Our goal is to see him through. There are several kids we thought we were going to lose last year that are going strong so we shall see. These photos are just a couple of photos that I have taken at the Haven.

Tomorrow we head for Livingstone to see the "moonbow" created by the full moon over Victoria Falls. There are supposed to be only a couple of places in the world where you can see one and the next couple of days at Victoria Falls is supposed to be an ideal time to view it.

'Mweenzu talangwi ankumo ulangwa mwida'

2010-05-24T16:35:00.011+02:00

This is a Tonga proverb which means "Do not look at a visitor's forehead but at his stomach." This seemed appropriate since we worked on infant feeding and language enrichment all day and went to a welcoming dinner tonight.

This was our first full day of work. The assignments were made and discussed last night and, following breakfast, began work at the Haven. Caroline is directing the feeding program and supervising assessments and intervention. There are a number of fragile children here and Caroline is trying to pull them through. I cannot think of a greater experience for our students to have. Even Ian got to help while two other students are completing specific assignments. Marja is directing the language enrichment program and has incorporated language into all aspects of play as well as the feeding routine. Combined, the graduate students that are here are participating in clinical experiences that few professionals will ever have the opportunity to experience.

Tonight at 1800 (6:00 pm) the Namwianga Community had a welcoming reception for us at the Johnson Auditorium. We heard that they were planning one this morning but we didn't realize how elaborate it was to be. There were welcoming speeches by Mr. Perri, the Namwianga Superintendent, and others, and food including the worlds largest bowl of rice, roasted chicken and beef, slaw and cake. Mr. Perri made a special point to introduce Ian and hinted at the "Athletic Ball" project he was going to introduce when the crate arrives. Leonard made a special cake to be presented to us at the end which Ian went up to receive. Leonard titled this one "NICE CAKE". I'm not sure of its meaning. Maybe it's "nice" to welcome us back. Whatever, it was wonderful to receive one of Leonard's cakes. There was singing in Tonga and several special songs presented by a men's group. It was a high honor to be so welcomed. At the end, we were asked to sing a song. I'm beginning to appreciate how much our efforts are appreciated here. Be sure and check out the other Zambian blogs under "Blogs I Read".

Zumba Isolation!

2010-05-23T15:07:00.004+02:00

Last night everyone wanted to go back to their house to chill and Zumba (some sort of exercise program) which left Ian at odds. After several card games, and journaling, he got out his DS and played awhile.

This morning we walked to the Sunday service at Johnson Auditorium where we spent two and a half hours. They didn't have their children's worship this morning so our gang sat in the back with laps full of children. Ian found his friend David and sat with him. We were on our own for lunch (leftovers) and after cleanup, most headed back to their house. Ian desperately wanted to go to Eric's House to play with David so I took him for the afternoon. I'm really trying to be the dad of an almost 13 year-old, but it is hard. Here we are in the middle of Southern Provence, Zambia, and I'm letting my son head off with a virtual stranger. Needless to say, I haven't gotten much done. I'm going back to pick him up at 4:30. He hopes to go to school with David in the next several days. I hope it works out.

Choma

2010-05-22T16:43:00.004+02:00

Saturday here at Namwianga is relatively laid-back so we headed to Choma after breakfast. There is a cultural and craft museum and gallery (Choma Museum and Craft Project) there that is always worth a trip. It displays and sells some of the higher end crafts in the area and many purchased jewelry and baskets. We will go back when Keri arrives. We purchased broiled chicken and fries from the local Spar for everyone and had a picnic on the grounds.

Then we headed for the market. It is much bigger than Kalomo but still very much a community market. Ian was looking for some chitange material to have Ms. Mono make him a bag and found some at a great price. We paid K16,000 ($3.21) for two great ones. He found some other material he likes so we will go back. While in the market, he also found a world cup duffel-pack for K11,000 ($2.20).

Ms. Mono was impressed with the material and wants to return and get some for her projects. She showed him some material she had put back and said she would make him a bag out of that as well so he will get two African fabric messenger bags for K70,000 ($14.03). He also bought a little bag for each of his grandmothers.

Easy African Day

2010-05-21T20:38:00.003+02:00

Today was relatively uneventful. We did teach our first class and Beckie and I spent the whole hour trying to document the Tonga names in phonetics. Probably not very successful, but at least we will be a lot closer when next we meet. We will divide the class on Monday and teach "Intro. to Speech Therapy" and "Language Disorders" classes. I gave Ian the run of the Mission while I was in class and he already seems at home here.

After lunch, we made a run into Kalomo to get some postage stamps ("I'm sorry, we are out. Try again next week."), some chalk and a "dusting board" (eraser) for the class at the little shop run by a lady from India. We also treated ourselves to ice cream. Beckie said that those that run the errands get the treats. Ian and I didn't argue.

When we reached the Haven to pick up all the rest of the group, Ian wanted to go to Eric's House, a place for the older children. I wandered around taking photos of cute kids. Ian immediately made a friend, has a penpal, and plans to go to school with David next week. He and Ian wandered all over the place and I worried, but did not go hunting for him.

We played "Apples to Apples" after supper because the girls said that if Ian ate all of his baked potato, they would play any game Ian wanted to after supper. We may have found a new way to get the kid to eat. Beautiful sunset as I was walking over!

Beginning Life at Namwianga

2010-05-20T14:59:00.004+02:00

The drive from to Lusaka was an eye-opening experience for most of our group. The hotel we use Lusaka has a very Western feel and our walk through the shopping area and dinner also were not that different from experiences in the States. However, as we left Lusaka and headed into rural Zambia, life began looking very different. We arrived here at Namwianga Mission just in time for a tour. Meagan is leaving after 5 years and is going to leave a big gap here. She introduced us to everyone, including this little girl at the Haven. Notice that she is tied onto Meagan's back with a chitange, a strip of cloth also used for clothing, padding, and everything else.

We then headed back to the Hamby House for dinner. As you can see, it was made up of typical Zambian foods all made for us by Mr. Leonard. He makes the best fried chicken in the world, second only to ______(fill in the blank, this is to keep me out of trouble). It really was great and even Ian ate a big meal. I think everyone feels better about the food for the next several weeks.

We also had a great breakfast before going to George Benson Christian College to be introduced in Chapel. We were given our schedules and we begin teaching classes tomorrow.

A quick trip to Kalomo to get kwacha, phone cards, a few supplies and a quick run-through of the market. Many bought chitange and Ian found, bargained, and purchased a shoulder bag with a Zambian flag on it. I was proud of him. He is taking to everything. He has been invited to a soccer game so I am about to head over and see how it is going. I am giving him the run of the Mission, but it is taking some getting-used-to.

Ian had hoped to play and I let him wear his runners but I thought this was a serious game and they would not be interested in a 12 year old. After he retrieved a few balls during warmup they invited him to join the game. They did indeed take it seriously but Ian held his own with/against a group of college students. He even took the ball away from one of them, much to his (and the older players) surprise.

Great supper again which we ate on the Hamby House backporch, then everyone headed home. Ian and I were invited back but we decided to call it a day. We were playing a game of cards when the power went off so we finished the game by flashlight. There is nothing like the stars in Africa without all the light pollution. You add to that a blackout on any light and we had to go out and see the stars of the Southern Hemisphere. WHAT A DAY!

We Have Arrived!

2010-05-19T04:33:00.003+02:00

It is now 4:34 am and I am working on this blog instead of sleeping. As in all travels, it will take me awhile to adjust to Zambian time. Speaking of which, I have changed my clock to reflect the time at Namwianga. Still no photos to post, but check out some of the linked blogs below and you will see other takes on the last several days. There is just no getting around the fact that it is hard to get here. (OK, so I didn't have to beat my way through the bush like Livingstone and Stanley, but it is still difficult by modern standards.)

We are driving on to Namwianga Mission today so we will be able to settle in tonight and remain in one spot for awhile. We will need to drive to Livingstone (where we had the 7 missing bags sent on to) to retrieve luggage withing the next several days. Poor Lacey lost both hers but each of the other 5 received one of their bags.

Ian is fascinated with everything! Given a little encouragement, he will hang in there no matter what. Hopefully, I'll get some good photos today to post. I did want to post this one of the bathroom freebees. Where else would you find shampoo, body wash, lotion, and insect repellent.

Ready or Not, Here We Come!

2010-05-16T16:41:00.002+02:00

Our bags are packed and we are about to head over to campus to meet the van for the trip to the airport in Memphis. I have decided that I am getting to old to get ready for travel. Did you notice that I said "get ready"? I love it when I am finally on the road, but getting to the point where I can pull out of the driveway takes its toll.

There are already five or six blogs about our trip and I will post the links in the next several days. Please do not judge mine too harshly when you see the others. It is all I can do to make mine look like this, my fellow travelers obviously have much greater "blog skills than I do. Maybe they will give me some pointers as we travel. Hopefully, they will also link back to my blog. I am also prepared to post photos here and on facebook but that will be several days from now.

So I guess its Washington D.C. tonight and then off to Europe/Africa tomorrow!

Zambia Bound!

2010-05-14T12:24:00.002+02:00

On Sunday morning, Ian and I will board a van to begin our trip to Namwianga Mission, Zambia. We have been looking forward to this trip for so long but I must admit that we are not yet ready. The blogs of our students suggest that they are packed and ready to go. Do you realize what this does to my panic level. It looks like an all-nighter Saturday night.

Lacey has posted our itinerary on her blog but I will post it here as well. Check her "schedule" for more detail. As with all our previous adventures, feel free to lurk to keep up with our adventures but I would also love to hear from you. Either post your responses here, or send me an email. I think Ian will also be posting here so it should be fun to see the perspectives of a 12 year old as he sees Africa for the first time. I am also adding additional blogs about our trip. Just check my links. We are flying Ethiopian Airlines from D.C. to Lusaka and back. Hopefully that will be better then my last trip on Delta.

Tentative Schedule

May 16 - van to Memphis, flight to Atlanta and then on to D.C., overnight in D.C.

May 17 - flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia via Rome, Italy

May 18 - continue on to Lusaka, Zambia via Harrie, Zimbabwe, overnight in Lusaka

May 19 - drive to Namwianga

May 26 - drive to Livingston to catch "moonbow" over Victoria Falls

May 27 - return to Namwianga

June 19 - "high tea" at the Royal Livingstone in Livingstone

June 20 - safari in Chobe National Park, Botswana

June 21 - Victoria Falls and Zambezi River (where my blog photo was taken)

June 22 - return to Namwianga

June 23 - drive to Lusaka

June 24 - flight back to States (reverse itinerary)

June 25 - arrive Memphis

Proud Moment!

2010-03-15T02:51:00.003+02:00

As I have written before, I wanted Ian to be involved with Scouting so I became involved again after many years away. It has been a true blessing for him (and therefore for me). Several weeks ago he was elected as "Senior Patrol Leader", the youth all other Scouts want to be their leader for the next six months. He led his first meeting last Tuesday night, and was in charge of the Troop activities during our two night camping trip this weekend. He did a GREAT job. He has a few of the older boys that are having a hard time "following" a kid half their size, and even one of the adult leaders is asking why we "need to do it that way." However, the group was more involved in the events this weekend then usual and several of the adult leaders from other Troops commented that Ian was "a natural leader." It all made a Dad proud.

The highlight of the weekend was Ian's selection as an Order of the Arrow member. It is a great honor for a Scout to be voted into the OA by his peers, and Ian was selected early. He still has to go through their "Ordeal" process, but he is so excited. He will do well. Keri was camping with us this weekend and was able to witness the selection process.

All of this is just one more indication that we have been truly blessed with Ian. On the one hand, he has trouble in school. Of course, it's not because he's not able to do the work. It's simply because no one at his school seems to have a clue about ADHD and are certainly not interested in assisting him to excel. On the other hand is the Scouting program that sees leadership potential and tries to encourage it. We are thankful for the positive influences of Scouting to counter the discouraging atmosphere of his school.

A Cold Winter's Day

2010-01-31T23:27:00.002+02:00

Ian always wants snow and this year he seems to be getting his wish. This past Thursday night, our area was under a Winter Storm Warning. The storm stretched from the Oklahoma to the East coast. Fortunately, we received very little freezing rain. However, we did get a base layer of sleet followed by about three inches of snow. It was just enough to allow a great snowman, followed by a fierce snowball fight. Keri and Ian carefully made a wonderful snowman, touching it up with my hat, Keri's scarf, a carrot nose, and coal eyes and buttons taken from my grandparent's barn.

The following snowball fight was something to behold. I'm sure the neighbors all came to their windows to see what was happening. We all had such a good time. I'm sure Ian will remember it for the rest of his life.

Return of the Trumpter Swans

2010-01-08T03:55:00.002+02:00

The Trumpeter Swans have returned to Arkansas! They arrive in November and leave in late February or early March. They began wintering near Searcy after getting blown off course during a storm years ago. This location is supposed to be as far South as Trumpeter Swans winter. When you visit the lake, they come right up to the fence and you are free to feed them corn. As you can see from the video, they are also very noisy. I have several nice longer videos but I can't seem to get them loaded. This short one will have to do. If you are anywhere nearby, it is well worth a trip to see these huge, beautiful birds.

Unusual Christmas Activity

2010-01-01T22:34:00.003+02:00

Happy New Year everyone. I wish for you all the very best 2010 that you can have. Unfortunately, Keri had to work today so Ian and I are being lazy. There is a lot to be said for that occasionally. We all had a nice Christmas with Christmas Eve at Keri's Mom's house and Boxing Day at my Mom's. Christmas day was spent with little fanfare except for a evening "Rock Band" experience at Reagan and Nate's. We are gearing up for some major parental issues this coming year and were happy for the relatively calm Christmas.

Ian and I left Sunday for the Winter Camp at the local Boy Scout Reservation. We slept in tents, cooked many of our own meals, and participated in four days of outdoor activities in 14-40 degree weather. You can tell by looking at this photo that Ian was sleeping soundly (and warmly) under his load of blankets. Ian had a blast and I really enjoyed my time with him. He is growing up fast and I treasure all the time I can get with with him.

Christmas Open House

2009-12-04T22:53:00.003+02:00

Last night, Harding sponsored its Christmas Open House. It really is a period of magic and promise, and a perfect way to begin the holiday season. ARAMark serves all of its fanciest food in Cone Chapel, free apple cider and hot chocolate around campus, ice skating in front of the Administration Building, and carriage rides around campus. The community is invited and a good time is had by all.

Great Run for Scrooge!

2009-11-13T23:24:00.003+02:00

Pictured here is a photo of the Cratchit Family from the dress rehearsal of Harding's recent Homecoming production of Scrooge. As I mentioned earlier, Ian played "Peter Cratchit", Tiny Tim's big brother. The director and production worked very hard not to use up the kids, it was still an exhausting run for the nine children in the cast. Four of the children happened to be in Ian's class so they were all tired on the same days. The play was such a hit that Dr. Burks asked Robin Miller to present it at the meeting of the University Presidents that would be on campus November 8. All the Searcy community were also invited and there was no charge for tickets. It was a great performance and a great way to end the run. One of Ian's highlights was that his dear friend Courtney got to be in the final performance. She was originally in the cast and then became ill and was unable to perform in the Homecoming presentations. Ian can now say that he was in a production with Courtney Wood.

He is still struggling to catch up with school work he missed while he was ill, and the late nights associated with Scrooge didn't help.

Swine Flu and Pneumonia

2009-10-24T04:59:00.002+02:00

Ian is recovering from the flu and pneumonia. He only missed a week of school but that is always a very big problem for him. He was able to get back to school this past Monday but has still not caught up with the rest of the class. He should have it well under control by the beginning of next week.

Scrooge is going well. He has had such a good time but the rehearsals have been exhausting. It is all over this weekend, but he is certainly going to have a rough week with all the late rehearsals. Both of his grandmothers are coming to see it Saturday night and he is very excited about that. I will post some pictures as soon as I get them.

You Can't Take It With You

2009-09-29T01:05:00.002+02:00

The play is now history, but it was really fun. I must admit that I enjoyed this cast and my time with all of them more than I have any play in recent years. All were great to work. Sally did a great job directing all fourteen of the cast. Her task was difficult due to limited resources, but she did well. Nancy is GREAT in any role she takes on.

Ian is really enjoying his part in Scrooge. Both grandmothers are coming to see him. It should be a great homecoming.

Is there a "GREAT" theme going here?

Where Does the Time Go?

2009-09-10T23:07:00.002+02:00

I remember my Great-Grandmother saying that we had so little time to live our lives and that I needed to use it wisely. That was so hard for me to understand since I was always looking forward to something. I wanted to skip all the boring times and get right to Christmas, or my birthday, or Camp. I now understand what she meant. How do I get done everything I need to do from day to day?

Ian is loving rehearsing for Scrooge. Right now he has a rehearsal about three times a week, but I'm sure that will change as it looms closer. You Can't Take It With You went well this past weekend. The Thursday night dress-rehearsal was rough but the Friday and Saturday performances were to very large crowds. I enjoyed several days off from rehearsals but we have another performance tonight. I certainly hope everyone reviewed their lines.

Theatre Central

2009-08-31T23:33:00.003+02:00

There is a lot of "high drama" at the Tullos household at the present time. I am currently playing Paul Sycamore in You Can't Take It With You at the Center on the Square here in Searcy. We open this Thursday night and run for the next several weeks. Not only do I have to run around the stage in my boxers, I have to do it without my glasses. I'm afraid I am going to traumatize some little ole lady by falling into her lap. It has been fun, but exhausting with the new graduate semester beginning and helping my Mom.

The important dramatic announcement involves Ian. He tried out (along with 80 other children) for the 8 or so children's roles in Scrooge, the musical based on Dickens A Christmas Carol. He made the first set of callbacks, and then was asked to return for an additional callback. There was "extreme" competition for the role of Tiny Tim. Unfortunately, when all was said and done, he did not win that role, but was cast as Peter Cratchit. He is so excited. I am so happy for him. I am disappointed only in the fact that he was called back and I realize that he was being considered for that major role and didn't make it. He was beat out by a second grade girl. Everyone who saw the audition felt that they were so matched for it. I, of course, could not watch the audition and sat out in the lobby until it was over.

Home at Last

2009-08-03T01:41:00.004+02:00

It has been a wonderful two weeks, but I'm glad to be home. We pulled into the driveway around noon today. Friday morning, we headed out to Yorktown so Ian could see the last major battle site of the American Revolution. For those that have been following this blog, it was also where Major Isaac Hite, Jr. helped write the Articles of Capitulation setting the terms of surrender for Lord Cornwallis. It was a fitting end to our Isaac Hite adventures. This took awhile and we arrived back in Williamsburg around lunch. The afternoon was spent driving back down the James River Road to Berkley Plantation, the home of William Henry Harrison, 9th President of the U.S. Ian was assigned Harrison as a school project several years ago and wanted to see his home. I liked this photo of Ian standing at Harrison's Landing looking out over the James River.

We left Richmond area around 6:00 and headed for I81. We made it to Wytheville around 12:00 and collapsed into bed. Early Saturday morning, I got up and wondered to the site where Durham's Restaurant used to be. I had many memories of a dear friend who showed me this area and a trip was not complete without country ham biscuits from Durham's. There is a Rite Aid there now. It just seemed WRONG!

I just thought we were headed for home. We made it to Abingdon and decided to take in the Virginia Highlands Festival. It was the best juried art and craft show that I've ever seen. I also explored the Barter Theatre, a memory from theatre classes. Needless to say we had to spend Saturday night on the road as well.

History Comes Alive

2009-07-31T01:48:00.003+02:00

Today was our Jamestown and Yorktown days, but things didn't go as planned. We headed off to Jamestown early and really enjoyed our visit there. So much has been discovered since Keri and I visited and there is a new museum to view the discoveries. Ian took advantage of every tour and display. Afterwards, we decided to take the ferry (Jamestown-Scotland Ferry) across the James and drive down to Surry and Smithfield to see the home of "country ham". We ate lunch at Surrey House Restaurant, a highly recommended local restaurant. The local crab cake sandwich certainly lived up to expectations.

From there, we headed off to find St. Luke's Church, the oldest existing church of English foundation in America and the nation's only surviving Gothic building. One of Keri's ancestors was the rector there in the early 1600s, shortly after it was built. There is a plaque to him in the church. It really was a beautiful place. We have been seeing all kinds of reenactments these last several days, but going in this church made it all come alive. We ended up spending so much time there that we missed Yorktown. Perhaps we will try getting there on our way out of town.

We stopped by the famous Edwards Ham center on our way back through Surry. Edwards ham is a Christmas breakfast tradition for as long as I can remember.

It's Raining, It's Pouring ...

2009-07-30T02:35:00.004+02:00

Day Two at Williamsburg was very wet. It didn't rain all day, but one minute it would be raining and the next the sun would be shining. Once again, we crammed in everything we could possible do in one day. One of the highlights involved a carriage ride around Colonial Williamsburg. The driver was named Lee and was great. He told us all about transportation in Virginia in the 1790s. Another hit was the jail. This jail and cell was where Blackbeard's pirates were housed before execution by the Colonial Virginia government. One that was found innocent later became the source for Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stephenson.

We headed back to the motel for a swim and rest. We need a relaxing, non-demanding evening.

Long Day in Colonial Williamsburg

2009-07-29T06:05:00.002+02:00

It was an exciting (and exhausting) day. We crammed as must as we possibly could into a single day and I may never walk again. We got back to the hotel a few minutes ago and Keri and Ian are already asleep. We have one more day at Colonial Williamsburg and Ian doesn't plan to miss a thing. The highlight of today has to be the fifes and drums. Today was the last performance for two of the members who had been in the corps for the last eight years and they were doing everything in a form of celebration. It was quite a show.

We went back to Bruton Parish Church for a Handel performance by the organist and a contra-alto. The concert was by candlelight and it was wonderful. I couldn't help but think of Isaac Hite, Jr., whose house we had worked in for the last week and whose grave we had marked this past Saturday. He left Middletown to come to Williamsburg to attend William & Mary. While here, he met and listened to Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson (who would later help design his home) and others. He marched off from here to fight for independence. He is honored on a plaque in the William & Mary Christopher Wren Building. Although he was not mentioned in the Colonial Williamsburg, the fictional Fry students could have been Isaac Hite. It was all very moving.

After the concert we walked around Williamsburg at night. This really is one my favorite ways to see the historic district

Winchester to Richmond to Williamsburg

2009-07-28T03:23:00.003+02:00

The Hite Family Reunion chapter has closed and it's time to continue our adventures. We headed out of Winchester fairly early this morning on our way to Richmond. I have wanted Ian to see the Museum of the Confederacy and the Executive Mansion of the Confederacy before they were crowded out of Richmond by the medical buildings that are totally surrounding them. It has been 15 years since Keri and I visited and it was truly amazing the changes around the Museum and the Mansion. It was a great thing for Ian to see. There was a very strange "fish" in front the Museum. I understand the images painted on the fish. I do NOT understand what a fish is doing in front of the Museum of the Confederacy.

We took the James River Road from Richmond and made plans for a visit to some James River Plantations some time this week. We found our little Priceline hotel and were truly delighted. The hotel is the Budget Inn Williamsburg and it's located several blocks from Colonial Williamsburg. It is surrounded by trees, has a wonderful pool, and is restful with a microwave and frig. I think I would recommend this hotel to anyone.

The Empty Tent

2009-07-27T06:09:00.002+02:00

We have survived! The Reunion is over and the cousins have headed home. It was a wonderful Reunion but I could use some rest. We had a Hite Family Church Service at St. Thomas Chapel in Middletown, VA. It is occasionally opened for ceremonies and is always the site of our reunion service. It is a very beautiful little church built in the functional Virginia style (as the speaker said).

The Church Picnic followed on the grounds at Belle Grove. The Business Meeting and group photo brought everything to a close around 2:30 and everyone hit the road. We raised $1200 for the Hite Family Cemetery Restoration Fund. The evaluations indicated everyone had a good time and gave some suggestions for 2012. We will soon begin work on that one.

Ian had a hard time leaving everyone at Belle Grove. He really believes that he is on the staff there. We ended the day seeing a movie at the Family Drive-In in Stephen's City. A perfect way to end the week here in the Shenandoah Valley. We head to Williamsburg tomorrow for a couple of days.

2009-07-26T05:01:00.002+02:00

It has been a busy day filled with meetings, a ceremony, a banquet, family trauma, and just about everything else it is possible to cram into a single day. The highlight, however, has to be the Sons of the American Revolution dedication at the Hite Family Cemetery. It was very dramatic with a color guard, taps, and all the trappings of a ceremony honoring a dead hero. Toward the end, the Master of Ceremonies approached my seat on the front row of chairs and presented me with a flag and certificate honoring Major Isaac Hite, Jr. "on behalf of a grateful nation" as one of the heros who earned us the freedom we now have. I accepted it on behalf of all Isaac Hite Descendants and the Hite Family Association. At the banquet tonight, I presented it to the Board of Belle Grove as a repository of the memories and belongings of the Hite Family. I think Ian was impressed. I know I certainly was. There was a Revolutionary Era flag flying over the cemetery.

It Has Begun!

2009-07-25T04:09:00.002+02:00

There were some frantic moments this morning as we completed the final preparations for the 2009 Triennial Family Reunion. However, there were still a few minutes for additional exploration. Dennis, one of the staff, took us into the attic at Belle Grove which is closed to the public. I had been up there many years ago, and I took my parents up there in the 1980s. I was glad Ian got to go this morning. Many of the original 1790 structural components are visible. There is also a lot of graffiti, including a lot of Civil War names and dates left when the Confederate and Union troops occupied the house. The window pictured here is the point watchmen scanned for signals of approaching troops. Ian was fascinated by all the stories Dennis told us.

Many of the attendees were delayed due to a major auto accident on I81. Many did not even make it in tonight. But the Ice Cream Social went well and the Square Dancing was fun. Most people were not into it, but those who participated had a good time. It was wonderful doing the the 1760 Minuet at Belle Grove Plantation. We have a big day planned for tomorrow.

Final Day of Preparations

2009-07-24T02:51:00.003+02:00

We had a busy day as we made our final preparations for the arrival of the Hite (Chrisman, Bowman) Family tomorrow. I spent several hours this morning meeting with the Sons of the American Revolution as they walked through Saturday's monument dedication and wreath-laying ceremony for Issac Hite, Jr., "an American Patriot". It will be very impressive.

Our 15 minutes of fame occurred today as we appeared in both the Winchester Star and the Northern Virginia Daily. Our photo and an article about the Reunion in appeared in the Winchester Star to welcome the family. I was also interviewed about the Reunion by the Northern Virginia Daily. Belle Grove will be closed to the public beginning tomorrow through Sunday. Several large tents have been set up behind the house and all the registration packets are complete. It will be an exciting weekend.

Unexpected Discovery

2009-07-23T02:50:00.005+02:00

Today, Keri and I drove to the Hite Family Cemetery at Long Meadow Plantation. The original home was build in the 1730s but burned in the late 1790s. It was replaced in the 1830s with this structure. The original out-buildings are all still standing. The family cemetery was established here and the first burial is documented (but not marked) in 1736. As long as Belle Grove has been taking care of the cemetery, we have assumed that two specific unlabeled but marked graves were linked to two existing stones. Recent study has suggested that the two unlabeled graves are some of the oldest in the cemetery. We are initiating research to determine if the graves are of Jost Hite. It is very exciting for the family (but sounds very boring as I read it).

We are working hard and are starting to get a little tired. But it is still a great experience. Tomorrow, I meet with the Sons of the American Revolution to walk through the wreath-laying ceremony at the cemetery. They are very intense and want everything to be just right. I'm glad. It's that much less I have to worry about.

Historic Documents

2009-07-22T03:17:00.002+02:00

What an experience? How many families have the opportunity to spend a week exploring a historic house? Today we help set up displays involving historical documents and items donated by the family back to Belle Grove. In the photo, Ian and Keri and Pat (a volunteer) look at a journal kept by the sister of President James Madison. We also arranged furniture, labeled items, worked on programs, typed welcome notes for the program and all the other things required to get ready for the registration on Friday.

We heard bad news about one of the paintings originally painted by Charles Peale Polk to hang in the parlor at Belle Grove. The original set included paintings of the Hites, President Madison and Thomas Jefferson. Madison because of his sister and Jefferson because of his contributions to designing the house and friendship with the Hites. All of the paintings have been purchased or donated back to Belle Grove except the one of Jefferson. We have been attempting to acquire it for several years now, but have just been informed that it has sold to a private collector. We had borrowed it back for the last reunion but that space is vacant now.

2009-07-21T05:52:00.003+02:00

We feel like we are home! The staff met us this morning with a sign that said "Welcome, Dan, Keri and Ian!" Of course, we had to get right to work so the feeling of "special" was short lived. I had to decide where events were to be held, make sure that all the venues were confirmed, followup up on a couple of family home issues and discuss money for awhile. Our number of registrants are way down. We currently have around 100 registered. Our last reunion had 175. I think it is the economy. Most events in the area that depend on people traveling are down as well. We are probably fortunate with the numbers we have.

Ian is having a great time, as expected. How many kids get to spend a week at a National Trust property? He also is treated like this is his house and he is loving every minute of it. He is doing whatever task they assign him, and counting the hours as some of his service hours for Boy Scouts.

We left the Plantation around 6:00 and saw Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It was a frightening movie, especially for a 12 year old. Ian is trying to get to sleep, but it might take awhile.

Here They Go Again!

2009-07-20T05:21:00.003+02:00

Well, the Tulli are off again. We are in Northern Virginia for the next week. As Vice President of the Hite Family Association, an organization of descendants of Jost Hite, the first settler in the Shenandoah Valley, I am in charge of the family reunion every three years. It is a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. The event is held at Belle Grove Plantation, a Hite Family property owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. We all return to the Plantation for three days every three years to relive history, meet cousins, tour family properties, eat, etc. Keri, Ian and I will get it all set up to begin this coming Friday. The great thing about this week is that we get to explore every nook and cranny, and almost feel that we are living at the Plantation. I will keep an ongoing account posted.

War Eagle Mill

2009-07-11T07:19:00.002+02:00

Today was my last chance to explore Northwest Arkansas during this visit. I headed down to War Eagle to see the last working mill in Arkansas. I had not been to the mill since the mid-70s, shortly after it had been restored. It is certainly a must-see for any trip to this part of Arkansas. I bought several packages of grits and several jars of Arkansas jams and jellys for gifts. Certainly a unique place to visit!

It reminded me that this is the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games weekend. Many of our friends are there this week for Thistle School. We stopped going when Ian started attending Camp Tahkodah. I really miss going and must figure out some way for us to get back. Today, a friend sent us a YouTube video of John Middleton presenting Robert Burns "Address to the Haggis".