End of Week 2 Approaching

Time if just flying by.....so much to share with all of you!

On Tuesday, I worked with Group 1 girls (larger group of about 21 girls). We did some finger-painting exercise in which they painted "people in my world". After completing that, they painted a heart next to those they love, a snake next to those they are afraid of, an insect next to those that make them angry, and a star next to those who help them and who they trust. They also did an activity in which they drew a picture of a tree. The roots were labeled with the tribe(s) they are from; the trunk was labeled with people or things that have helped them become better people (i.e. parents, school, etc.); the branches were labeled with positive attributes about themselves; the fruit were labeled with accomplishments they've achieved; insects were labeled with problems/challenges they are facing; and the leaves on the ground were labeled with people whom they've lost in their life to death. I drew one of my own as an example. The girls did a fantastic job! I hope to post a few pictures soon of a few of the drawings.

Yesterday, I began my day by meeting my friend from UNZA on campus. He knows a Rotarian in Lusaka and set up an appointment for me to meet with him at his office. We took a taxi downtown and talked with this gentleman for about a half hour. He said he was the president of the club last year and is the Chair of the Youth Exchange Program. He mentioned that there are about 32 members in their local club. He invited me and my friend to attend the next meeting, which is next Monday evening at 6:30pm. I'm looking forward to meeting the others and learning more about what Rotary is doing in Lusaka.

In the afternoon I worked with Group 2 girls, a smaller group of only 10 girls. I found this group much easier to manage. They were quieter, more focused and engaged, and I was able to connect with each of them on a more personal level. It was truly fantastic! They are SO PRECIOUS! I began the session by having them draw a picture of themselves. I asked them to write any additional information they felt comfortable sharing. It could include their age, where they live, what they enjoy doing, etc. I was surprised how much a picture can reveal about a person. Some girls mentioned wanting to be teachers when they grow up; another a nurse; another an accountant; another a journalist. Some girls even openly wrote that both of their parents died, that they miss their parents so much, that they love their mother very much and hope to see her again some day. They really melt my heart! I felt myself feeling emotions of sadness and loss when I looked at their pictures. Wow, they just bless me beyond words! Next, I had them draw a picture of their hero, whether they are alive or dead. Many drew pictures of a parent who had died; others drew a picture of an "auntie" or uncle who takes care of them now; and a couple drew a picture of the Director of Kondwa. No surprise to me, as I consider her to be one of my heroes as well. A truly amazing woman! That activity was really great, too. Each girl came up to me individually to share with me why the person in their picture is their hero. After taking a break to drink tea and eat bread, we moved on to another activity. This time I wrote down a wide range of emotions individually on a piece of paper and folded each of them. Each girl picked a piece of paper and took turns acting out that emotion for the rest of the class to guess. We then openly discussed when we felt that emotion and why. We talked about feeling lonely, sad, depressed, angry, as well as happy, excited, proud, and loving, among others. The girls really seemed to enjoy that. I was happy to see how much they participated. Next, I utilized the finger puppets again. Each girl took a finger puppet, got into a small group of 2 or 3, and picked an emotion/feeling to act out through the puppet. Each group then got in front of the class to act out one of those emotions with their puppets. They did a great job! We ended yesterday's session with about 5 or 6 songs. What lovely voices they have!

So this afternoon, I hope to begin working on the memory books with them. The memory books touch on some deeper issues that will most likely surface some sad feelings. So I'm going to test the waters a bit, but encourage them to only write about what they feel comfortable with. There is also lots of space to relive many happy memories. I anticipate this book taking a few sessions to complete. I will inform you about how that goes.

Last night, our group leader invited a young man from the Congo to join us for dinner and share his story about his country, his family, current conditions of Congo, how he fled his country and ended up in Zambia, his current challenges, etc.. Wow, what treacherous experiences he's endured, what disturbing things he's witnessed with his eyes. I thought to myself, "If I were walking down the street and passed by this young man, I would have NO IDEA half of what he's endured." Think twice about those you meet and encounter. Hold back preconceived notions. You never know what you'll learn about another and about yourself. It was great to have him over for dinner.

It's about 11am here right now. I decided that it's best to head to the internet in the mornings to blog. My workshop starts at 2pm and ends at 5pm. By the time we get back to the guest house, it is nearly dark. Then we have to prepare dinner and clean up, which takes a good couple hours. By that time, it's not the best idea to walk 45 minutes to an hour in the dark. So I decided....walk in the morning to the internet, walk back, then do the workshop in the afternoon and not feel rushed at dinner time. It makes good sense. Tomorrow, however, I will be accompanying my professor who is here in Lusaka to a compound (slum) that I haven't yet visited. I will also meet a woman from Minnesota who does work with street kids here. Looking forward to that.

Thanks again, everyone, for those staying in touch with me as I'm here in Zambia. It means a lot. It's really great to log on and have comments to read and respond to. I'm pleased to inform you that I'm in good health, even though the change in diet takes a bit of an adjustment for my body. I'm holding up pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. I'm also learning to be patient with "inconveniences", as it may be termed. I spent nearly an hour on Tuesday night scrubbing 6 pairs of socks and underwear. Imagine. Ha, and they're still drying. It's been great! I'm no longer "expecting" a warm shower in the morning, although this morning was a great surprise. It hasn't been warm in a few days; today it was warm. It was nice! And I get to sleep in a great little mosquito tent-looking thing, although I've only seen about 2 mosquitoes since I've arrived. I have to purchase one of those things for next year's trip. They're great and pack up so compactly!

Okay, guys....time for me to walk back to the guest house and prepare for this afternoon. Enjoy the rest of the week!