Today started off with Janet receiving a call that a young boy from the school we've been working at was hit by a car this morning. He's just 6 years old and has some major head trauma. He was first taken to the clinic in Chainda (the community the school is in) and then had to be taken to the hospital in Lusaka. His name is Nathan Banda and he was a new student at the school. Sweet boy even had on his new uniform blue shirt. There's so much more to catch you guys up on, but this is the most important part..so please remember him today and the rest of the week as he undergoes surgery and whatever other care will be needed.
The rest of the past couple of days have been a blurrrr. Yesterday was Valentine's Day here in Zambia too!! Flowers and huge heart balloons are everywhere and they even have cards for "your sexy wife." It was another great day, but for sure an emotionally taxing one. We got up and went to pick up Janet's old landlord, Mrs. Sibalwa, and then headed to the school that Mercy Ministries runs for the community of Chainda. This community is extremely impoverished. The majority of people living there make a living by breaking rocks...its pretty crazy. From little bitty kids to very old women spend all day just...breaking rocks. Its heartbreaking. We spent the morning taking out some more food to some of the people who are sick that Mercy Ministries works with. My car went to 5 different families: one man was blind, one woman was very sick with TB, one man was crippled, one woman had a stroke and was still very sick, and the last had several health issues including diabetes. The AIDS rate in Chainda especially is extremely high and that is what causes a lot of infections to become far more severe. Each of these people were so sweet, and their words encouraged me more than I think anything I did really helped them. Just being with these people up close and personal opened up my eyes to things that I've seen in Haiti, and I had seen on every infomercial asking for money for Africa, but really sitting down and talking with them about their situation was so very very different. It just a completely opposite world. I don't even know how to accurately describe it. Pictures will do it more justice, but it takes far too long to upload them here so you'll have to wait for me to be back in the states for those.
We went back to the school after delivering the food and I got to help pass out the new uniforms that Christ United Methodist Church had sent over on a container. The kids were so excited to get clothes and shoes! Definitely an 11 on the 1-10 cute factor. They were so fun!! Pictures of those to come too :) After that we headed back to the house.
Then there's today. Today started with sweet Nathan's accident. He's in the youngest class and I can't imagine how he must feel right now. When it happened, his friend was with him and was taken to the clinic also. When the friend came back to the school he just looked so traumatized and oh his face just broke my heart into a thousand pieces. He traveled back home with his family, and Nathan's family headed to the hospital, along with Janet and Dorothy who runs the school. After that was handled, Jessica and I headed to the grade 1 class to watch their science lesson. They were learning the names of insects in English..so funny! They're all just so sweet!! Ok anyway, we just hung out with the kids around break time and helped a couple of the teachers. Lots of other little details, but I have limited time!! The rest, and the pictures of the kids who swarmed me when they saw my camera, will for sure go up when I get back!! Miss you all! Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers!
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