Familiar sounds and situations

On Saturday the power was off for most of the day. There have been a few power cuts since I have been here – this was the longest. Water has been very reliable - just a few minutes here and there when the water failed to come out of the taps! Fortunately this cottage is supplied from a borehole and it is unlikely that water will be a problem. Occasionally, if the pump is not switched on at the right time, there will be a short break. Others are not so lucky. Many still queue for water and buy it at municipal taps. As we come to the end of the dry season mains water can become a problem.

I visited my favourite little dam, or lake, yesterday. The water is very low, but there were spots where youngsters could show their acrobatic skills doing somersaults, there landings softened by the water – they could also swim a little. There were very few birds about. A couple of cattle egrets and a few African jacanas were all I spotted. Herds of cows were being led too and from the lake for a drink and to feed on the grass which still grows by the receding water. I had forgotten about the sound of the cow bells which now gently followed the herds. Goats were also at the lake in abundance. A donkey started neighing and two others from opposite sides of the lake joined in the donkey chorus – not the most melodic of sounds, but it made me smile!

The town has changed quite a lot since my last visit. There are quite a number of decent sized supermarkets, a few more restaurants and sophisticated electronics and phone shops that have moved in along the main street - the road to Lusaka. In fact this is part of the Great North Road, once intended to link Cairo to the Cape. From one of the phone shops I bought a new cable for my phone to download photos – I should therefore be able to populate this blog with pictures.

I continue to meet friends. Jennipher has brought me members of a number of support groups who are looking to raise extra funds or provide food in coming months. The government has established a system whereby groups can organise themselves into co-operatives. The government will then provide seed and fertiliser for planting as we come towards the rainy season. Most of the groups live on the edge of survival and even raising a few pounds to register or perhaps £50 or £60 to transport the goods is beyond them. If the money is found they can benefit from the government supplies, which are significant.

One of the groups to which Jennipher introduced me is a group that supports people with disabilities. They are going to buy second hand clothes for sale. Another supporting widows is buy flour and cooking oil to make fritters.

There are friends here with big challenges. For various reasons their lives have been disturbed and they need a lot of support to try to put things back on a steady footing. I have followed the lives and projects of som
e of my friends for many years through their ups and downs. It is disheartening when their dreams are shattered.

Yesterday I played pool for the first time this year. I invited Best to join me and very soon we were joined by the local players. The table is quite good, but I had difficulty adjusting to the cue which no longer has a tip! My success rate was poor, but I expect it to improve. I almost felt sorry for a guy when it looked like he was totally beaten. He then went into another gear and cleared the table!!

Best hit problems when his wife took ill. Costs of treatment took his assets and he has had a struggle. He thought he had cleared his exams to be elected to the Bar, but technicalities robbed him and he still has exams to clear before being considered again. Even for someone with a law degree life can present major problems.

Diven has a good house and shop, but finds he cannot do business in his current position, so is looking to sell up and start in another environment. His concern is the time it might take to find a buyer and how he will cope in the meantime.

Other friends, like Jennipher, are involved in the community and have established projects which are providing significant benefit for many. I try my best to support friends in their attempts to help others and fight to get their projects back on track.

Along the road I see guys pushing wheelbarrows of all shapes and sizes, designed for a variety of goods. Ladies carry bowls of fruit and vegetables on their heads and huge trucks trundle through the town – all very familiar to me, though different to back home.

Chris