Update from Zambia

Dear family and friends,

I got up early this morning so that, before the power (and therefore, wireless) went out, I could send something out in the form of an update. I hope that by now you've found a couple different student blogs that update frequently, to hopefully fill in some of the gaps between my updates. Also, we'll be posting more and more to the HIZambia blog in the next few days. The point of the blog is to share a little snippet of this experience, this story, and point to its significance in the overall story, the "big picture." We're learning so much that we hope to share some of that learning with you, and want to use a blog as a forum for that shared learning process.

On Saturday morning we attended the funeral for Adam at the Havens. We spent some time Saturday evening talking together as a group, to let individuals express some of the emotions they were feeling and questions they were asking as we work our way through this experience. There are so many layers of complexity at play. First of all, many of us Americans haven't had to deal with the death of a child. There are so many "buffer" layers in the US because of general good health, nourishment, and medical care that, long before a child gets past the point of no return, the right medicine or treatment can be found. It's surprising to us when a child who was so lively can get to that edge so quickly here. That's one layer of complexity. 

Another is that we're immersed in another culture, which makes even the simplest tasks (for instance, driving into town to pick up some fresh fruit for the group) harder. Going to this Zambian funeral was hard to handle because it was unfamiliar. The Zambians grieve out loud, they wail, and they sing. It seems like they've perfected the art of grieving because they were able to grieve and then go back to work right away. We're not nearly that well-prepared or resilient, so we blocked off time that evening to talk about it all. 

Someone once said "Impression without expression leads to depression". We're being impressed all day every day, so we're being intentional as a group to verbally express the experience. 

On Sunday we went to a village only about 40 minutes away, Simakakata. One of the teachers at the Basic school, Ba Simafuta, brought 10 students from the Basic for this "outreach trip" with us. When we arrived that morning, the church asked us to lead singing, preach, and speak before the Lord's supper, so we led in each of those areas. Phil spoke about Solomon and finding meaning in life in God's presence, Chris led singing (in Tonga!) and I spoke before the Lord's supper. At the conclusion of the worship service, several choruses got up to sing, including a couple from the congregation, the students from the Basic, and the mamakua (that is, us white people!). They are still so surprised to see us singing in Tonga that we are able to make up for mispronunciations and singing the songs differently than they're used to hearing.

After a late lunch and an afternoon off, we went to evening service here at Namwianga church. Now that George Benson Christian College of Education is in full swing, the service was pretty packed. We had been asked to teach some songs in English and there were song sheets printed out with some newer songs and a couple four part songs (the Magnificat and He is Wonderful). As we were walking in we were asked to come to the front and actually stand in front of everyone in choral formation to "perform" the songs as we taught them. The group was incredible. Not just anyone can walk in at the end of a tiring weekend and stand in a hot room for an hour, and, without fainting, sing. This group really has a talent for singing and I believe God is using that to bless and to make His name known. 

This week has been especially busy and clinic-focused. The whole country is doing a "measles awareness week," which means they've been doing measles vaccinations at the clinic here at Namwianga. It also means they've been going out into the bush to different villages to give vaccinations and some of our students have gotten to help with that. They've gone with Ba Janice and others from the clinic here, taken the day off from classes, and spent the entire day out in the villages. I'll let one of our medical people tell you more about it, and I'm sure the students who have gone will tell you all about what they've done. 

Besides that it's been a normal, crazy week! Tonga every morning at 6:30, and our humanities class at 7. Roy Merritt teaches on Monday mornings about mission methods and the story of mission here in Zambia. Dr Kapaale teaches us African cultural anthropology, Ba Siaziyu does African lit with us Wednesday morning, and this morning we'll have Ba Moonga with African history. Ba Janice is giving her first Health Care and Missions exam this week, and somehow in the midst of all this busyness the students are finding time to get readings done, study, and work. It's incredible how integrated this experience is and how it all ties together on so many levels.

Since the term for the college is well under way, we got to play sports with the GBCCE students on Tuesday. Some of us played football (that is, soccer) and others volleyball. Some of our students will join their choirs and we hope to build relationships with the students as we go throughout the semester. We are their guests, guests of Namwianga, here to learn, and hoping to serve in any way we can. 

Tonight the students are getting paired with a student from the college to be their "Tonga tutor". Tomorrow is the big GBCCE graduation, so we've blocked off the entire morning to be here for that, and we'll do our regular morning classes in the afternoon.

Thanks so much for being our audience and for praying for us. Our constant prayer is that we will see God's hand at work in this, to see what He's done worldwide throughout history, and that we can recognize it and join THAT. And that's not just our prayer because we're here in Zambia. We pray that for you too, because our God is a global God, which means being His people has significance here in Zambia, in the US of A, and wherever we go. It's a lifestyle thing, asking the questions, looking for God, trying to make sense of comfort on one side of the spectrum and pain and suffering on the other. We believe God governs the big picture. Jesus prayed that God's Kingdom would come and will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Let's be a part of more and more of that kingdom breaking in on earth, God's will ACTUALLY being done by His people here below. 

We're hoping it's not just 3 months of learning setting us up for a return to "sameness". God gives us opportunity to learn something about Him through cross-cultural encounter and we want to translate that to wherever we go in the future. 

All that to say, thanks for praying for us :)

Grace and peace,

Jeremy Daggett

HIZ 2012 Field Director

Exciting day for Hope

Dear Mom,

I wanted to email you to tell you about what I did today. I was in a group with three other students and Ba Bingham who went out with a few Zambians to give measles vaccinations in two villages. It was so amazing. Of course I was terrified to give an injection and at first I felt really sick but then I got the hang of it and I probably gave about eighty myself. After a while the arms kinda became one big blur so I didn’t actually count. But the official count of all the people we served was 572. It was really chaotic because Zambians don’t really stay in lines and there were so many kids to vaccinate but it was a really great experience and I am so proud of myself.

Oh and about phone calls. You could probably call me like Friday at nine my time. Would that be a good time for you? I don’t really know because our schedule is really flexible and always changing but I think that might work.

Anyway I just really wanted to tell you. I love you so much. Pass the word on to Dad and Hannah.

Love,

Hope

Sweet emails between sisters:

Thursday 9/6/2012

Dear Mom,

HOPE JUST SENT ME AN EMAIL!!!! AHHH!! AWESOME!!! I knew you'd want to see it right away so after I hurriedly send off a reply email to her I'm forwarding the message on to you... She sounds like she's really doing good and not just faking (at least that's what I got from reading in between the lines and my female intuition). I'm just so happy to get an email from her!!! I guess that's it... Ok I love you! bye! :) 

Love,

Hannah

(your daughter)

The message I sent back to her after I got that email-
HOOOOOPPPIIEEE!!!!!
 YAY! YOU SENT ME AN EMAIL!!! I just got the biggest thrill out of that!!! Thank you so much!!! I'm so glad to hear that you're doing well and that just makes me so happy... I just sent you another letter; I had to get my bike (and Felix in the bike) and race all over the neighborhood in order to track the mail lady down since the mail had already passed us. But I can't believe you still haven't gotten any of my letters (this is gonna drive me crazy until you get one) though! I've sent 3 now (counting today's) and I've been sending them about a week apart so the 1st one I sent must have gone out about 2 weeks ago... wow I knew it would take a long time but never that long; 2 weeks is FOREVER in Hannah time... I LOVE YOU SO MUCH and thanks again for emailing me; seriously my adrenaline is pumping now and everything! I LOVE  YOU!!! and you better remember it.... bye!!!
 Love,
Hannah Stanger (your sister back in Ohio)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Hope Stanger <hstanger@harding.edu>
Date: Thu, Sep 6, 2012 at 12:32 PM
Subject: Re: FROM YOUR SISTER!!!
To: Hannah Stanger <hannahstanger2@gmail.com>

Yeah it is weird but I am really busy doing stuff so I don't think I have as much time to think about it as you do. I miss you but I am doing well. Today I got to go to the Kalomo hospital for the first time and sing in Tonga to patients there. They were so thankful even though I felt like we weren’t doing much. I also have my first test tomorrow so I am nervous and trying to study.

Well I got to go soon. I haven’t gotten any letters yet but they say it takes a long time to get here.

Love you,

Hope

On Tue, Sep 4, 2012 at 4:00 PM, Hannah Stanger <hannahstanger2@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Hope,

This is Hannah; I've got a new email address. I wonder, have you gotten any of my letters yet? I've sent two... I know you have a hard time getting on the internet; but I would like to know more about how you're doing. I pray for you just about every day. I really miss you but I hope it's going well there and that you're getting adjusted alright. It's weird you being so far away and not hearing from you very often; I'm used to hearing from you every day... Anyway, remember I love you. Bye  

Love,

Hannah Stanger (your sister)

Heavy Hearts

Kaitlin Plachy summarizes the group morale after receiving some hard news yesterday. It seems crazy to think that for some of the people here, yesterday might be considered a “normal” day. That doesn’t negate the sadness by any means. It just shows how far removed we usually are from the reality of life and death, raw humanity. We read 150 different prayers, poems, and songs in the book of Psalms, all addressed to a God who is present in praise and lament, joy and sorrow. To Him we also pray.

heavy hearts

Today has probably been the hardest day we’ve experienced yet here in Africa. One of the toddlers in Haven 3 died this morning. He was a healthy miracle little boy who’s almost died so many times. He was so full of life and was the little one that everyone knew. We don’t understand, but we hurt.

Yesterday, one of the aunties told me, “Adam is sick. He has malaria.” I asked Meagan about it and she said that he tested negative, but they were treating him anyway. He had a seizure yesterday morning from his high fever. Last night, he seized again and our incredible medical team rushed up there to offer help. They found that he had a terrible ear infection and were relieved that the source of the fever was something so treatable. This morning, however, he started seizing again. They took him to the hospital in Zimba and he died shortly after. Ba Janice thinks it was cerebral malaria. We’re all shocked. I kissed Adam’s head yesterday when I heard he was sick. I had no clue how serious it was.

We learned about malaria today in Health Care Missions and the way it attacks the red blood cells. I’m learning that you really gain a new appreciation for the things you’re learning when little ones you love are suffering with the very life-threatening things you’re reading about in a book.

So our hearts are heavy. We’re not quite sure what to do. But we’re clinging to each other and Scripture. We praise Him always and know that He’s forever good. Aumbi has had four good days in a row (the incredible one year old that weighs six lbs and can’t hold up her head). Sometimes it’s scary to think how attached we’re allowing ourselves to get. But we trust God and we love with abandon because He IS love.

“Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.” Psalm 41: 1

He’s the God of the weak. He’s the God of the sick. He’s God here in Zambia and throughout the whole earth

Weddings and Wildfires ...by Lauren Ammerman

Weddings and Wildfires

by Lauren Ammerman

There is arguably no other event as culturally significant as a wedding, and American weddings are no exception. While the ritualistic motivations for exchanging rings, throwing the bouquet, or playful cake wars often take a backseat to the festivities themselves, these traditions nonetheless reveal aspects of American culture that are otherwise hidden below the surface.

So when we were invited to a wedding in a rural Zambian village, I had three questions: 1) What would be our gift? 2) Why would a bride and groom want strangers at their wedding? and 3) What deeper layers of Zambian culture would be exposed for our viewing pleasure?

The first question was answered almost immediately when Ba Jeremy informed us, “We’re planning on bringing a goat.” The second question was also a snap. Weddings, along with pretty much everything else, are communal in a rural Zambian village. The focus is not on the marriage of an individual bride and groom, but on the union of two families that make up part of a greater harmonious community. The more the merrier.

The third question, however, is pretty tricky. One of our group goals is to immerse ourselves in the culture, seeking to understand. We will never fully appreciate what we saw, but we can try to process it, ask questions, and use guesswork to fill in the gaps. This is what I’ve got so far …

We were greeted warmly by the celebrating villagers. Some drummers struck up a beat, and the Zambians began to dance in a spiral around them. We were encouraged to join in, but our dancing was nothing like the coordinated movement of the villagers, whose swaying struck me as the physical expression of joy. Afterwards, Ba Siaziyu told us that weddings are the time to expose sinners in front of the village. While the atmosphere was festive, the actual content of the song revealed a woman of the village to be an adulteress. The village asserted, “You have embarrassed us!” in the midst of their celebrating.

I almost couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the wildfire that before had seemed far away race toward the dancing circle. All of us makua (white people) ran to the opposite side of the village, and a small hut caught on fire shortly after the groom dashed out of it. The fire abruptly stopped just short of the village, at the line where the tall grass gave way to sandy soil. Thanks to our driver Ba Zimba’s quick thinking, the bus was no longer in the vicinity. The black landscape continued smoking.

I was amazed by the villagers’ cool reaction. Festivities resumed soon afterwards. Ba Lou remarked later that Zambians tend to take life as it comes, and they knew there was no way they could control the fire’s course. Plus, I’m guessing that wildfires are common in the dry season.

There were a few self-proclaimed drunkards roaming around and one especially who frequently interrupted the revelry. He even offered drugs to some of our group with impunity (of course they declined). The villagers must have deemed him at least somewhat innocuous, just laughing at rather than scolding him. It was fascinating to see what might be called the underbelly of Zambian society freely associating with the mainstream.

Playing with the village children was an experiment in nonverbal communication. I employed high fives, the game of tag, and big smiles to my advantage. Every time I attempted to say something in Tonga, they laughed heartily and then made me repeat the phrase over and over until they were somewhat satisfied with my pronunciation.

Accompanied by an entourage of dancers, the unsmiling bride left her hut in a white wedding dress and veil. She must display sorrow for the family she leaves behind, and it would be shameful to dance in front of one’s in-laws. A mock bride and groom walked next to the actual couple in order to confuse the spirits.

An energetic officiator led the bride and groom to seats of honor. He used a whistle to transition between parts of the ceremony, which included presentation of gifts, dancing, and a Christian prayer, the latter obviously a relatively new component of village weddings in Zambia. According to Ba Siaziyu, it is after this prayer that the couple is considered husband and wife. At one point, they fed each other and their in-laws pieces of cake, representing their reciprocal responsibility to take care of each other as well as the marriage of the two families. The officiator led Luke and Chris to seats of honor in the inner circle. After Ba Jeremy, Parker and Phil presented our gift of two nkuku (we ended up giving chickens, since the market didn’t have any goats), we left for Namwianga. Weddings are a whole-day affair, so the group leaders decided it was time to go.

The entire experience was surreal. We had actually danced with Zambian villagers and observed a whole slew of traditions and rituals we will never fully understand. We witnessed miniature snippets of real people’s lives: the woman who kept poking her baby with a small stick to stop its crying, the Zambian girl who begged me to take her picture again and again, the older grandmother who taught Parker how to dance and guffawed at the results, and the drunken man who told me that Zambian children are afraid of makua like makua are afraid of lions.

The combination of the smoke in my eyes, the burning sun, the forceful wind, and the flying dirt kept my eyelids screwed shut for the majority of the ceremony. While nursing my eyes behind sunglasses on the ride home, I thought about how physically taxing village life must be, where there is virtually no way to escape the elements. I contemplated seriously for the first time how my life would have been different if I had been born in a village like this one. There would be no culturally assumed forum for economic advancement, negligible personal identity, and monotony in my days and years. Yet at the same time, would I empathize more? Would I forge stronger relationships with family and friends? Would I want strangers at my wedding? Would I laugh more? Would I dance better?

You all look the same....by Hope Stanger

You All Look The Same

by Hope Stanger

Being in a country other than your native home can be expressed in one word: different. There is different wildlife, different food, different languages but the most exciting and terrifying thing is the different people. People with completely different upbringings and customs surround you. It is interesting to experience their world and try to understand things from their perspective. On the other hand, it is a little daunting to think about how they view us.

While I was talking to Justin, one of the Zambian night watchmen at Namwianga, he apologized for not remembering my name. He explained that our group appearance is alike, “You all look the same.” Since then I have heard several other Zambians say equivalent statements. At first it offended me a little. We Americans enjoy our individuality and I like to think that people remember me for who I am apart from anyone else in our group. Yet, it made me start to think about how we appear to outsiders.

One identifier that we can’t escape is our race. As an all-white group we stand out rather quickly here in Zambia. And it is true that races tend to be able to distinguish differing features among their own race more quickly than others. Often we recognize the difference in race quickly and fail to perceive minor changes in features. So it is understandable that many Zambians find it difficult to distinguish between us at first. I definitely have a hard time remembering all the names of the children at the clinic until I am able to get to know them individually.

What about beyond our race though? What else do Zambians see when they look at us?

I may not be able to perceive all that a Zambian notices when they look at our Harding group but I do know what I hope they see. I hope they can see the image and character of God. I hope that as we strive to emulate Jesus, they will be able to see him in us and not just our pale skin. We are called to love one another and live as disciples of Jesus so that God may be glorified.

So maybe it can actually be a good thing if we all look alike. If the Zambians can see Jesus in all of us then we will look similar as we follow Him. Plus, as we learn to view the image of God stamped on all of us, we begin to realize that not only do all of us white people look alike, but all the people in the world look alike in our ability to mirror the character of God through His grace. Suddenly all the differences don’t really matter as we begin to catch glimpses of the qualities we have shared since creation.

We really do look the same.

From the HIZ Director

September 6, 2012

Dear friends and family,

As always, thank you for your interest in our group's activities and well-being. Thank you for thinking about us and praying for us. You'll notice that the first couple student posts are up on HIZambia.tumblr.com. They've each been assigned two blog posts to complete throughout the semester, and the blog will be our forum for telling the story of Harding in Zambia and how we see ourselves, cross-cultural learning, and the humanities, fitting into a bigger picture. I hope you'll enjoy those posts and interact with the material.

I'd like to share a specific prayer request on behalf of our group and those who work day in and day out at the Haven (orphanages). 

This morning one of the babies from the Haven died at a nearby hospital in Zimba. We think it may have been cerebral malaria but are not sure. The baby boy had been having seizures and lost consciousness. He had been at the Haven for quite some time so the aunties and those who work there are very sad. 

Our group has to grapple pretty early with the paradox of life and death and the question of human, especially baby, suffering. I know that for many this isn't their first time to deal with death, but for this specific group at this time in Zambia it's our first time to deal with it as a group. My prayer is that God is honored by our group, both in praise and lament, as we recognize His presence here in the midst of pain and suffering. 

I ask that you would pray for the individuals that make up our group, and the group as a whole, as we wrestle with these questions. I'm sure you'll see some of it on blogs and in emails. Pray for the aunties at the Haven and for Meagan Hawley and others at Namwianga who make it their mission to take care of these babies. I don't believe in the power of prayer, but rather, the power of God to whom we pray. The God we pray to is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine, according to His power which is at work within us. To him be the honor in the church, in praise and lament, joy and sorrow, peace and suffering (Eph 3:20). 

More soon. Grace and peace,

Jeremy Daggett

HIZ 2012 Field Director