2nd day at camp

Today was our 2nd day at camp. We awoke to rain hitting our chalet. You know how it is when you are camping and it is raining outside your tent. Think of 28 tents with 3-4 children in each with nothing but wet blankets and gully washing rains. Yes, it can be miserable – but it wasn’t. We started our day with devotions as our cooks were preparing the meal to be served to the kids. Since it was Sunday, Nick determined that it was a day of church and rest and there would not be any physical activity besides swimming during the day. This was OK as the day before was a travel day and the kids hadn’t gotten to bed until late. Since it was raining we used the conference center which had tables and chairs to have church and be led by Timothy who is a preacher from ABC. Timothy is married and has a baby who also joined us on this trip. We separated the little ones under 6 and there was a children’s as well as big kid church. It was a nice experience and there was an interpreter (John) who assisted Timothy in the short sermon for our benefit. It was nice to hear the rain hit the ground as the kids were singing.

After church we had the task of peeling potatoes for the fish and chips lunch meal along with a local mango for dessert. It looked very good. The afternoon was spent resting and playing quiet games for the kids. Late afternoon a big game of soccer was played by most of the boys as the girls did hair, looked at our photos and chatted. Dinner was prepared by the cooks and it was a cabbage dish mixed with other vegetables, rice and chicken. It also looked very good. I was so encouraged by the meals these kids are getting as provided by the feeding program in the village and the cooks Invest has hired. Being here makes me realize the care Invest takes on for these children and all resources in order to manage the services they provide to the women and children of the Makalani and Kasiyafumbi villages. They also employ several people including in country such as cooks, a guard, village director, program directors not to mention Nick and Bethany. If you are without a cause to be a part of or haven’t inquired about Invest, please consider the good work being done on the ground here.

The kids went to bed quietly in their tents. The kids are separated by gender – or probably more by choice. These kids are not much different from our kids, at this age, they have no interest in mixing it up. However, one huge difference is the older ones look out for the younger ones. When they line up for dinner it is by age. So always in the front are Grace J. an HIV positive 3 year old and Tamandani who is about 5 or 6 followed by the two Violet’s. As the line progresses the older kids are at the end. There is no shortage of food here at camp, but at times, there is more dispensed earlier in the line and if anyone goes without it is the older kids. The younger siblings always share if that is the case. I have never seen anything like it and I adore seeing the young girls picking up the babies and swaddling them on their backs. They just know that the babies need to be close and they take care of their every needs. You rarely hear a baby cry.

Tomorrow we are hoping for no rain and a day of games, devotions and time with our small groups, then an opportunity to break away to get an update on the internet. We found a hotel down the road that you can pay 30 Kwacha a minute. I am hoping for a fast upload from the jump drive. No pics today.

For those of you that were wondering what I might eat – it has all been pretty normal. Bethany knows how to take care of us and make sure we are getting what we need. “Chips” are french fries, but you are lucky to have a namebrand catsup. “Crisps” are potato chips.
More later…..