1. What happened to your house in Zambia?
Brentwood Oaks built the house for us in 2005 knowing that when we were finished with it, the house would go back to the Mission. When we left, we recommended that the house be divided into a duplex and used as housing for teachers--a desperate need right now. The administration agreed and eight months later, the house is ready for new occupants. Parts of the verandas on both the front and back were enclosed to create additional rooms. Two small bedrooms were added onto the original living/kitchen/dining area. With one existing bedroom and bathroom, that side is now ready for a family to move in.
Our master bedroom became a new living area and kitchen on the other side of the house. The huge guest bedroom was extended onto the front veranda and then divided into three smaller bedrooms and a hallway. That side will now house three single male teachers.
I hope the new occupants love that house as much as I did. It will always be my favorite.
2. Who took your place(s) at Namwianga?
I guess we'd like to think no one could take our places, but that's not the case. Mr. Muwele took my ed psych classes (sniff, sniff), and Mr. Phiri took my English classes. Rod Calder is teaching David's Bible classes.
Rajiv Siamweela, a GBCC sponsored student when we left, now serves as assistant coordinator for the sponsorship program. He's very smart, computer-savvy, and ministry-oriented--the perfect guy for the job. Rajiv finished his college work in December and is now teaching math at the secondary school. He deserves his own blog post, and I'll try to do that soon.
3. What do you miss the most?
That's a tough question. I miss the gracious Zambian people and their warm, accepting ways. I miss the breath-taking sunsets and sunrises. I miss Sundays in the bush, sitting on logs in a thatched-roof mud brick building and singing Tonga songs. I miss George and Jason and their antics. Right now as I sit looking out my window and seeing the snow-covered landscape, I miss warm weather! I miss wearing Tevas and flip flops every day. I miss our American co-workers who blessed us so richly. And I miss the adventure of never knowing what crazy, dangerous, or hilarious circumstance was going to pop up that day. I miss Peace Corps volunteers who loved my cooking. I miss the simplicity of life without all the things we Americans think we need. Which of these I miss the most changes from day to day.
4. What do you NOT miss?
Grading term papers. Unrelenting requests for my time, my money, my advice, my possessions. I am thrilled that I can be a part of my grandson's life and see my children often, so I don't miss that loneliness and heartache of being too far away to share their lives. I don't miss the scariness of illness when medical care is unavailable. And I don't miss cobras, mambas, or puff adders. Or scorpions. Or wall spiders.
To be continued . . .
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