Back to Samfya!

Today is Sunday and we are on our way back to Samfya today but we have to go to church first. We need to leave the house at 7:45am to be there by 8:30am. Back on the bad roads and we are actually 15 minutes late. We were thinking that they would all be in the church building waiting but no one was there! Where are they all? The service didn’t end up starting until 9:30 and then they wanted Donald just to teach one session and then have a break so that they could have some breakfast, then he could teach another. Well he ended up just teaching one, then after the break giving out the Bibles and explaining what they are for.

When we were waiting for everyone to arrive Donald bought an older lady to me. She wanted to ask me some questions he said. Well she told me she had pains in her hip and in her leg. I told her that I wasn’t a doctor. I had been talking to some about diabetes as it is such a problem here, and told her that I knew a bit about that because I am a diabetic but I don’t know about other things. Francis was interpreting for me. Then he just started talking to her. Obviously I did not know what he was saying but later said that she really just wanted money for the orphans that she looks after and didn’t need medical assistance. He told her to go and see Oliver and Emily as this is the ministry they were in. I thought it was a bit deceitful but Donald said that it is the way things work here. I would rather they just asked straight out. You know me straight to the point.

It is now after 11:00am and we are just about ready to leave and Francis is called to the side of the chapel. We have been given a chicken – a live breathing one. We are supposed to take it to Samfya with us! Now being given a chicken is a great honour. It means that they have really appreciated what we have done and hold us in high respect. So now we have a chicken but we give it to Oliver. He will have it for dinner tonight.

Back to Oliver’s for lunch – goat again. We have had goat in NZ and have liked it. It was very yummy! Load the car up and we are off to Kitwe and pick up Agnes and back to Samfya. Going through customs this time was really easy. They remembered us going through before – I guess we are an attraction!

We have picked up Agnes and we are on the road to the pedicle again. There are police stops everywhere here. They usually just let us through, but this time they tell Donald that he has committed an offence. Apparently he has overtaken on the bridge! He is told to park the car and come back to them. Oh dear here we go again!! Donald and Francis (he got out to interpret) get out and by then Francis told Donald that he actually passed the truck after the bridge. Donald gets to the police officer and he says that he is going to charge him for the offense! Donald tells him that he didn’t do it and the guys says ok you can go! Francis says that sometimes the Police here just want to show you that they are the boss! Ok lets get going again!

The road is still bad. Sometimes potholes and how deep they are can’t been seen until you are almost on top of it because of the shadows on the road. Donald hit one and nearly lost control of the car. The people on the side of the road started running to get out of the way and a man who was riding a bike rode off into the long grass!! Hahahaha it looked like something out of a movie!

Thankfully we didn’t crash. We were going fast but thankfully we were kept safe – the angels were working overtime I think. We keep going everyone is laughing so much! When you are on bad roads like these you have to use the whole width of the road avoiding potholes where you can. Sometimes you are actually on the wrong side of the road! Oh did I tell you that in the DRC you drive on the other side of the road! Just another thing to remember when you are driving here! Anyway we are going along quite happily and Donald is avoiding the potholes and drives to the other side of the road, well.... this man on a bike saw it and thought he was out of control and rode his bike straight into the long grass. Donald and I just looked at each other and then cracked up laughing! The poor man. Now let me tell you the long grass is taller than Donald, so when they ride off you can’t see them anymore!

We are now in Mansa and looking for a place to have some dinner – there are no takeaways here. We ended up finding a bakery and having bread and pies – not too good for the diabetes but at least it fills out tummys. Off again and we arrive safely in Samfya.

When I saw Levy I shook my finger at him and when we told him about the loos and the shower he laughed and laughed.

Well that was our weekend – a bit more eventful than we have at home but a lot of fun! Tomorrow we are taking two days off and are going to Kasanka Wildlife park! It will be fun and nice to have some rest.

Talk to you later

Gwen

Ps sorry it is so long!!!