Who would have thought

In Africa we would be warming ourselves by the fire.




Having lived in Kentucky, which gets cold and Montana which gets even colder and snows alot, who would have thought that the first time we had and used a fireplace would be when we were living in Africa! Certainly not me.

The house has a fireplace and we have been using it almost every night, the past few weeks. It is nice to take the chill off in the main room, and the kids think it is great. It is chilly in the evenings and in the mornings, but by the middle of the day it is usually very nice, sunny and warmer. Yesterday morning it was 13 degrees celsius. (Not sure the ratio in F). It feels like Fall weather, and it has been a nice change. Since the houses are made out of concrete blocks there is no insulation and I have noticed some days it is warmer outside because the sun is shinning than it is in the house.

Strange to think that we are sipping hot chocolate, when most everyone else we know is sweating with their lemonades.

ATEMBETO

A few weeks back, Sarah and I were planning to go and deliver the backpacks to the kids in Kabanana.
We had set up a meeting place to drop them off with the Chirwas. They were at someone's home having a celebration, or party. It was Fanny's brother and the event was called "Atembeto"
When I have asked what that word means it doesn't seem like there is a clear translation, but basically a welcoming to the family. We were invited to stop by and come in for a minute. We were curious as to what was going on anyway and certainly did not want to be rude. So we were welcomed in and given a place to sit.

The ceremeony is a welcome from the brides family to the groom and his family.
It can be done during the engagement or after the wedding. In this case it was before the wedding.

The bride's family prepares every kind of dish that they cook as their family and bring that to the groom and present it. The ceremony is very elaborate with the women walking into the room with the pots on their head. Then their are drummers and dancing and people throwing money onto the floor around where all the pots are placed.
The groom sat on the couch with the "mediator" ( as I mentioned in the white plate and milk blog post) next to him and another family member on the other side. The job of this mediator, was to explain the customs and traditions and what he can expect from his new wife.




The pots of food are carried into the room where the groom and all his family is seated. They then place the pots on the ground in front of him and people are supposed to throw money out. In the corner there were 3 women beating on drums and singing also. Throughout the whole time the mediator was whispering to the groom different things. Explaining everything.
I told Fanny that I needed to be sitting on the other side so I could have understood everything too!
Quite interesting though.

So the women are placing their food down and different ones are supposed to dance. Then it gets quiet and 2 older women, they seemed to be the representatives of the family, start to organize the pots and then place their hands behind their back and the two of them start opening a special pot that has been wrapped in a white cloth. They opened it with their teeth, all the while people are cheering and the drums are beating.
They managed to do it and more cheers came from the people.

Then the woman started some of the other things in the ceremony. Washing the grooms hands and then his face. Shining his shoes and then laying at his feet. All things that were showing the respect that the wife was going to give him.



Then the older woman threw a chitenge over her head and the grooms head and the mediators. I really had no idea what that was about. I think something symbolizing that even when others are around that the husband and wife are still to be romantic. Very interesting since culturally the husband and wife show now signs of affection even holding hands, etc in public. SO it must be referring to in the home even though various different relatives live with them.
I was told that a couple has one year to be alone after which they are expected to be having various family members living in their house with them. And it should be equally distributes one from the husbands side and then the wifes side…

The women then started showing each individual pot of food to the man to explain what it was. The types of food he should expect to see served to him from his wife. Pumpkin seeds were one of the items as well as a few other similar things and that was to symbolize that even when times are lean and there is not much food in the house these are the types of things the wife will cook.

After everything was shown then it was time to eat. All the food was taken to the table and the bride's family left, they do not eat with the grooms family. The grooms family were served drinks and then we went through the line to get the food.

We certainly did not intend to stay very long, but we ended up staying quite awhile and then getting a "take-away" container with a little food. It was very interesting to watch.

I am glad I was able to go and see this part of the Bemba tribal culture. There were two things that I found to be most interesting. The first was that the groom did not even crack a smile the whole entire time. Even when the mediator borrowed a chitenge tied it around his waist and started dancing!
The other was that the bride was not there. She was at home, and not supposed to be there.

In Heaven

 Last Saturday my Grandma finished her race on this earth and went to be with her Lord and Savior.

After I received the email I was thinking back at what time she entered into glory and what I was doing at that moment.

She passed away in the morning hours on Saturday. That was the afternoon here and as I remember looking at the clock, I know exactly what I was doing.

 

Saturday is James’s day off and so we were spending the day together as a family. After lunch we were playing a game of hide and seek with all the kids in the house.

It was probably one of the best games we have played.  Everyone was involved,  with a good attitude ( that is the key!)  and it was a very nice family moment. The kids were running through the house to get to base. In one of the rounds, Emma was seen and Daddy was chasing her. They got caught by a couch and she was going one way and stopping and turning to go the other way, James was trying to catch her. I was hiding behind the curtain in the living room just listening to her laugh and laugh thinking to myself,  we are so thankful she is well again and so thankful to have our family together.

 

After I heard the news I thought back to remember, at the moment her life ended and she stepped into eternity, what was I doing. What if it were my last moment?  And I was standing before the Lord at that moment.   What if it was when the Lord was returning?  Would I be found doing the Masters will?  Was I ready?

Bless God yes I was (and am ) ready and yes I was doing what the Lord would have me do.

 

The sadness for me comes now in that today the entire family will be gathering to celebrate her life and have a memorial service, and I will not be there.

She had 8 children. It’s a big family that gathers together with grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She has left a legacy. May we all follow after her in seeking, serving and loving the Lord Jesus Christ!

 

I wrote her and told her “ You have been a great example to me in your life, suffering and pain and now as you are approaching death.  You are a jewel in the Lord’s sight!  I will rejoice with you when your “race is finished!”

 

I sent her these songs and quotes.

 

GIVE ME JESUS

In the morning when I rise,  In the morning when I rise

In the morning when I rise,  Give me Jesus.

 

Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus  you can have all this world,  but give me Jesus.

 

And when I am alone, And when I am alone

And when I am alone,  Give me Jesus.

 

Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus  you can have all this world,  but give me Jesus.

 

And when I come to die, and when I come to die

And when I come to die,  Give me Jesus.

 

Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus. You can have all this world. You can have all this world.

You can have all this world,  but Give me Jesus.

 

 

IT IS NOT DEATH TO DIE

It is not Death to die, to leave this weary road,
and join the saints who dwell on high,
who’ve found their home with God.
It is not death to close the eyes long dimmed by tears,
and wake in joy before your throne,
delivered from our fears.

O Jesus, conquering the grave,
your precious blood has power to save.
Those who trust in you will in your mercy find
that it is not death to die.

It is not death to fling aside this earthly dust,
and rise with strong and noble wing
to live among the just.
It is not death to hear the key unlock the door
that sets us free from mortal years
to praise you ever more.

O Jesus, conquering the grave,
your precious blood has power to save.
Those who trust in you will in your mercy find
that it is not death to die.

 

The quotes I shared are from a book titled, “Heavenly Springs”  by Andrew Bonar.

They are just short random thoughts…

 

“Come you blessed of my Father.’  That word, ‘come’-how it will sound through our heart! It was the word that drew us first to Him, and it will draw us into the kingdom”

 

“Lord, now let your servant depart in peace’. You are dismissing me from my post. It is the same word used when Christ ‘sent away’ the multitude at evening. ‘Lord You are sending me home in peace at evening.’”

 

“Rejoiced in the idea of it being God alone that I had to do with in going into eternity. He seemed so well known and sure. His heart is open. His grace has made all known to us. “

 

“The man who sees Christ in life is sure to see Him in the valley of the shadow of death.”

 

“Christ has the keys of death, and it is He who opens the gate and admits us into that invisible world. Then His will be the first face we see there-a known face.”

 

“Dying is just more of Christ”

 

“What a happy thing it is that it is the kingdom of God our Savior (2 Peter 1:11). We know Him so well. It was He who put our robe of righteousness upon us. We would be lonely in the great company if we did not know him so well. Would it not be a great comfort to the dying thief that Christ said, ‘Today with me in Paradise’”

 

 

She's Back!

This week, Emma is feeling back to normal as we have seen her bouncing around the house laughing and being Emma!

Baby Jack has started saying her name. EMMMMM. He watches her when she comes in the room and will fussy when she leaves. He missed her too. Maureen said the house was just not the same without her.

I bought a headscarf this week and wanted to learn how to tie them. I have always thought they are great because you can have a bad hair day, or have not washed your hair and then just tie your hair up in that. They are the fashion here for the women, so I was eager to join in that fashion.

Emma said "I'll ask Maureen, she can teach you." So she used Emma to show me how to tie it. Emma then liked having me take pictures.



Emma fixed the scarf for me. We showed Maureen and she said, "Emma you are clever!".
Mine is rolled almost more like a turban and Maureen had tied hers more like a bow.



We are so thankful she is back to normal!

Market Day

Tuesday morning I go to the market.
Initially this was a very stressful event. It is on the grounds of a church and there is a wide open area where everyone sets up their things. All kinds of people go there, Zambians, Chinese, Indians, Europeans and Americans.
I have the same people I go to now for the same things I get each week.
The apples, and oranges, grapes occasionally for a treat since they are more expensive and then tomatoes somewhere else, green peppers, onions, potatoes. I squeeze through the people to walk down the next row where I get the bananas and then most of the time I finish off with the lady selling eggs. She greets me each time and we ask each other how the week was. Then she says, "Enjoy" as she hands me the eggs. The are in a plastic sack carefully arranged but thats why she is last, less time to break the eggs. I just have to walk from her out the market to the car.
This is pretty much the same every week, no changes.
But the thing that was most stressful and changes from week to week is who to say yes to when they come asking to carry the bag.

As soon as I turn down the road that the market is on, teenage boys start pointing to me and holding up their finger as in number one. They yell and then chase after the car waiting until I stop. They follow me to wherever I park and are there at the window. Usually there are about 3 or 4 of them that think they spotted me first and so I owe them the privilege to either watch my vehicle or carry my bag. The first couple months this was stressful because I was a bit overwhelmed pulling into a place to park and everyone is right there crowding me out. One week I thought I would avoid the hassle and park inside the church grounds pay the few thousand kwachas and not have the trouble. Well that day seemed to be the worst because every boy that saw my vehicle followed through the parking lot (which had no space) so I ended up going outside the parking lot to where the boys were on the other side of the street. That day they even started pushing each other saying they saw me first.
I think I must not have been in the mood for it because I was pretty firm and said, Stop. No one is watching the car! And got my basket out of the trunk and walked away quickly as I hit the button to lock the car and set the alarm. And kept repeating No.

Since that time, once a boy came up and asked to carry the bag. I told him , "no thanks. " I'll get it". He asked a few more times and I said the same thing. He followed me the entire time I was there, just looking at me always ready to take the job. I got to the end of my shopping and he was still walking by me. i thought there is something to be said for persistence. So I asked him his name, Matthias. Then he asked me if next week he could carry the bag. I told him there are so many boys it is hard to know who is who. he said well I am Matthias and I will look for you next week.

So for many weeks following he has come and found me and carried my bag. I think he is probably around 15. Well yesterday I didn't see him. I told the group of boys no thanks and started carrying my bag and then a boy came up and told me, "Your boy is at school, he is not here today. I am his brother so I can carry the bag". He was older and for some reason I wasn't buying it so I just said, "oh. ok." and then asked him if he went to school also. He said yes, in the afternoons. Then I said, well "no thanks" and started walking on. Another little boy saw me a minute laster and asked me and I said "that's ok" , well he proceeded to follow me and kept asking please.

My dilemma is usually I don't know how to choose who to carry the bag.
it might seem like a no brainer and such a small thing, but some days when I look at all these young boys wanting the job I just don't know what to do. That's when I wander around repeating, "no thanks". Its not that I mind paying about a dollar to a boy that needs the money, and the basket does get heavy with potatoes and apples and things, I just don't know how you pick one.

So yesterday, when Matthias was not there and this other boy started following me around I said, Ok", and handed him the basket. I asked his name, "Johns" he said. He helped me carry the basket and I watched him too. His clothes were very worn and torn and he looked younger than many of the other boys. I noticed he even struggled a bit with the basket at the end. He looked at me a few times and smiled.

I asked him if he went to school. He said, "no money". Then I asked him where he stayed. ( that's how you phrase the question, where do you live?) He just looked at me. I asked him again and he still didn't answer and then I said do you stay on the street? He looked away and then said, "I don't know…I don't know how to answer".

I dropped it and we started walking back to the car. I asked him how old he was.
He said 12 years old.

I hope I never get used to hearing that. I paid him and watched him walk off as I sat in the car. 12 years old. He doesn't go to school and probably lives on the street, at 12 years old.

Internet Cafe

No video.

I went yesterday to the internet café to try and upload the video I mentioned.

It was actually my second day there to try. The first day I bought 30 minutes for about a dollar and then it was extremely slow and not able to even open the page let alone upload a video.

I went back the second time at a different part of the day hoping it would be quicker.  It wasn’t working and I didn’t have much time because I had to go pick up the kids from school. So I went back again after lunch and thought I had everything set up. My battery was fully charged,  I had my new computer so I wasn’t worried about it just randomly shutting down in the middle of a project, and I bought an hour of time just in case at 29 minutes it would be almost finished and then shut down due to using all the time up.

 

As I was in the process of uploading, a couple of young people came in. They were trying to decide to do something online but knew the speed wasn’t great and were asking me about it.  I answered their questions but after they left I thought to myself,  they are Zambians. Does such a thing as fast internet exist in Zambia? Where have they even seen it to know whether something is fast speed or slow speed?

You would think if you were at a place that is the internet place I could have accomplished my task,  but no I did not.  I had plenty of time left but I had already exceeded my data capacity. At that point I shut it down and came home. A bit frustrating, when you worked on something and then it continues to not work and you keep putting time and energy into it, only to become more frustrating in the end.  So I will stop working on it. And that will end the frustrations (for now).

 

Main point of the video was just to show through pictures and video clip and music how thankful we were for the Lord’s working in our family and restoring Emma’s health.  She said, “thank you” on the video as well.

So there you have it. I will go back to blogging and regular pictures hopefully next week.

 

When I remember that it is amazing to even have email where we can communicate daily through those means and occasionally instant messaging, and am able to upload some pictures that should help put our internet woes in perspective.  

 

Emma’s rash has been slowly going away and she is no longer itchy.  We are very thankful for that as well and  I hope to have a regular week next week…. Regular for living in Africa.

 

 

 

Last Update on Emma

Emma went for her follow-up doctor appointment this afternoon.
Yesterday she developed a severe skin rash all over that is most likely a reaction to the anti-malaria medicine Antemeter that she was on.
It hopefully will clear up in a few days.
The doctor confirmed that the malaria is gone and the bacteria culture they had done last week came back negative at 3 and 6 days.
I asked him which type of malaria it was, since I had seen online that there are several different types. He said that it was the most severe of malaria.
Then he reiterated why he went straight to the injections to get the medicine in her fast rather than waiting for the oral medicines to take effect. Time is a critical factor when dealing with Malaria.

Please praise God with us for healing Emma and providentially working in us so that we acted as fast as we did.
Praise God with us for the wisdom of the Doctor and for the availability of medicines and a hospital.
Please pray for continued good health and strength for everyone in our family. If we never had to deal with Malaria again that would be wonderful! And not beyond the Lord’s Hand.

We again want to thank everyone who prayed for her personally and churches that prayed in their prayer meetings for her. The Lord has answered all the prayers that have been prayed and we have been humbled to know how many people were lifting our family up before the Throne of Grace


I hope to get a video posted soon.

Thank you,
Megan and James Williamson and EMMA
Sarah, Ian, Caleb and Jackson
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