Well, it's been my third week here in Zambia and it started off rather slow .... but with much joy I went out on the First Quantum Mine Conservation Farming project with a chap from Zimbabwe Mike Corken , he is very passionate about the Conservation farming that needs teaching to the Zambians in the rural area here in the North Western Province ....the Zambian  people here farm with subsistence methods just to feed their families so the farm is very small ... although there is much more land available to them they seem and present themselves as a lazy nation....they do not have live stock as goats or cattle but are starting to do chickens....which is something that is a lucrative market as they breed and sell the chickens within 8 weeks... the farming maize is too much effort so the farm is as small as the average garden size in the UK and maybe smaller....

On Monday I was invited by a young girl Katherine to share a Christmas dinner.... ( I met her on Friday night previously )... to a project that is run by a group of African women "mapesho womens club" these elder women have taken it upon themselves to look after 45 AIDS orphans and currently 11 AIDS patients..they have been running this project for 10 years and it is clearly working....we arrived at 4pm and played outside games with the children who were a joy to see them in little less dressed in what we would call rags ...but who cares as they were just happy to be playing and laughing with immense innocence and I cannot explain what the feeling is when you experience this true happiness....the dignitary's arrived and were placed on the "Top Table" and the rest of us including the children filled the classroom ... the children were extremely well behaved and not realising why we were all gathered there...speeches and thanks were spoken and a lot of yodelling sounds with the women's tongues were sounded in appreciation.... here come the shock of all ... they decided they would offer 2 gifts to guests and these gifts are given with the highest of Honor and of course must be received in the same manner...thank goodness I am African born and I have an understanding of this.... but, I NEVER expected for one moment that I would be one of the chosen guests ...when they mentioned they wanted to give the first gift to the large Mama in the front..I actually turned around and they confirmed that I was that big mama.... well, I did not really need a Live White Chicken...but, I know I certainly could not refuse ..so I stood up and received my gift with much pleasure, the second person to receive the gift was the local pastor.... so the chicken was tied around the legs and put into the car for the remaining hours....we then proceeded to play with the children out doors while the most amazing feast was been prepared for the elders and adult guests... we ate Nshima which is maize staple diet... goat stew, an African tripe, African spinach and the gravy...this is of course eaten with ones hand and the process of washing ones hands is as important as the meal.....after we ate the children were lined up and then fed... this is a tradition where as the elders are always before children... how different we are!!!!... but these children know no different, and it is very humbling to watch the order and respect that the children have for their elders....

Yes, I gave the chicken to a disabled group that have a guest house in the town...they seemed to be very grateful for the token....

I managed to get myself completely plastered by finishing a bottle of Port on Christmas Eve, unfortunately my sister's father passed away ..we passed condolences and we still went to the party...so on Christmas day I suffered with the biggest hangover ever, I went to a couple in the compound that invited me to their Xmas meal, and I am so glad as the event was calm and collected...the food was absolutely amazing... and seriously it was bed by 9pm..

Boxing day is not a public holiday, as in France so everyone was back to work... the storms are rather vicious here so when the sun is out one wonders what one should do??? Katherine again happened to invite me to yet another party shared with a disabled group that have a program to keep disabled people off the streets from begging ...so they do all sorts of crafts and they have various business ventures..with no power there were solar lights brought out and we yet again had the most amazing African meal in the dark, they also gave me a gift as the guest which is an amazing bag made with the local African fabric... I am returning to teach the women how to crochet and do various crafts in January..so I am looking forward to putting some input into this group... 

I know this all sounds like a very European thing to be doing, but as I am African born and my roots are here it really is in the blood, and all the traditions and cultural differences flood back and are so rewarding being an adult as I am.... this experience is something that I can share in writing but the sounds,smells and the true African innocence one cannot put into words, it is something that one would need to experience themselves.....

I am coming home but, while I am here I will truly make the most of what I have experienced and seen and will certainly not take people for granted...