Survival is the Name of This Game!

As of today we have been in Zambia for one week. We would love to report all the things that we have experienced and accomplished, but we mostly are learning “survival”. 

The first thing we were lacking was a good internet signal. We learned that we must wait and check every so often to see if it has improved.  Sometimes the connection was restored shortly, and sometimes not.  Even when the signal is a strong one, only one person or laptop can be connected at a time. There is no loitering when there is a connection. We must each hurry to check our emails and then log off so the next person can get to their business. We never know when we will have an opportunity to check our messages again.

Then, when water is not flowing from the tap we learned the importance of keeping the reserve bottles and containers in the kitchen filled, and how to fill the clay filtering system for clean drinking water. In the bathroom there are five big pails that are kept filled at all times to be used for bathing and flushing. Since we arrived a week ago, the temps have been anywhere from about 95 to 110 degrees so drinking water and bathing water are vital! The Krauses’ have told us that since the beginning of July they have had only 5 school days with water. Can you imagine 150 people on the campus and no water?

Electricity is another unreliable commodity. It comes and goes, but mostly goes. This past week we only had power a few hours a day, and one day we no power at all. Yesterday we had to cook up all the meat that had thawed and moved it to a home that had power. This morning we cleaned out the rest of the spoiled food from all the freezers & refrigerators and burned them in the refuse pit so that no one would eat it and get sick. We learned that a transformer had burned up and after many conversations with those in charge, found out that a new transformer was arriving soon. 

This is how life works here, or should we say doesn’t work? We spend much time and energy keeping things working that many other things don’t get attended to.  Fortunately all this has happened while Gil and Ronda are here so that we can learn what to do, who to talk to, and how to make life go on at the school and boarding house. 

So, if you don’t hear from us for a while you will know that we do not have power or internet or both. That should be a clue that we need your prayers more than ever!Thank you for sticking by us, praying for us, and sending us encouragement! We need you!

 

8:00pm Thursday—UPDATE!

The transformer arrived at approximately 6pm, and amazingly was installed immediately! As typically guys, Greg & Gil dashed off to watch the process. (See photo.) And just as we were concluding devotions with the boarding students the few, dim lights that we had went out—we all groaned—and then . . . all the lights came on, the refrigerator started up AND the toilet started filling! We have full power and water! Thank you, LORD!