We Have Moved House
Well today I am writing to you from Mark and Carmen’s home. We have moved in and are trying to get into a daily routine which is kinda hard here, when things aren’t the same every day.

Our first night was great. There was quiet, with no rats or bats in the ceiling, however in our diligence of switching off all the lights we also turned off the hot water. The switch just looked like a light switch right beside the outside door. We had cold showers in the morning.... ohhh well these things you learn as you go!
We also have to look after two big dogs and they are inside dogs. For the next two weeks we don’t have a maid so the dogs are now outside and they really don’t like it! They do however sleep inside at night – apparently for security! Whenever Donald is away we will also have a night watchman. He has a little shed outside to stay in! Copper (one of the dogs) keeps going in our room, smelling our suitcases and then whimpering!

Tomorrow (Friday) we will be going to Mansa to get supplies. I hope they have lots as my shopping list is as long as my arm! I went to do some baking yesterday and there wasn’t much in the pantry so we went into Samfya but couldn’t buy most of what we needed – oh we just have to make do with what we had. I assure you we didn’t go hungry.

Oh the power has just gone off again for the second time this morning! Glad I made the cheeseless quiche early for lunch! That is one thing I have learned is that when the power is on you make the most of it as you don’t know when it will go off and for how long. You also cook with what you have and do without the other!

One of the photos I have included this time is of Katie covering her eyes. This is because she wanted to see how they prepared the chicken for dinner and of course the chicken was still alive! She came just when it’s throat was being cut! Couldn’t get fresher than that! Speaking of chickens Donald will be getting us some dressed today (killed and plucked). The Bible School students will be doing that for us thank goodness. Oh the power is back on again!

Today Donald phoned us and told us to go up the road. Some of the local boys had made themselves a soccer goal by using sticks and an old mosquito net. We just got home and he told us to go back as there was a parade happening. It was something to do with all the different schools around here. Their posters talked about their Health Studies and some of the older boys were beatings drums. It very interesting but no one could tell us what it was about. They came to the Education Buildings and there were all sorts of officials and they played the National Anthem but no one sang it. They also had the Zambian flag flying. There also seemed to be a large number of smaller children not at school today so we are assuming it is some sort of holiday.

On Sunday Fanny (pronounce Funny!) took Katie, Elizabeth and her brother to the yach club – that is how she said it! It turned out to be the yacht club! It was really funny! Anyway Katie and Elizabeth came home totally soaked as they had decided to go for a swim but hadn’t taken their togs or towels!

The weather here is very hot during the day but cools off enough at night that we are wearing sweatshirts. It is also very dry and very windy.
Katie continues to make friends and they come to visit. A couple of girls turned up here at 2.30 yesterday and at approx 6pm went home. The three of them played outside mostly but man were they dirty when they came inside.

The ladies study is going ok I think. Yesterday we had questions as we were at the end of chapter one. The questions came from the book –God’s high calling for women. It is still hard to tell what is going through their minds. I think my interpreter Patricia just answers a lot of the questions as it seems to take a long time to interpret what few English words have been said!
That’s about it for another update
Katie needs the computer for her school work.

Bye for now

Gwen


Ps Donald, Katie and her friends went to the lake this afternoon. I suggested that they take the dogs which they did. Well I was at home cross stitching when I heard a whole lot of screaming and dogs barking. I went outside on the hill to see what all the noise was about and Spice the female dog had taken off and was attacking one of the village dogs!!! Donald went in to break it up. All the girls were screaming and the men who were at a building site were all cheering! Donald said if he hadn’t have pulled Spice off the other dog she would have killed it!