Second Site Visit

We are in Southern Province for a couple weeks staying with a volunteer one year in and also visiting our new villages. I will be in Dimbwe which is 50k from town. Good thing Im such a fierce biker! The volunteer we stayed with this past week has shown me some great cooking tips. homemade tortillas and salsa are a nice break from nshima and cabbage.
A couple days ago we had a meeting with a traditional healer. He said the most common ailments that he cures are when a man doesnt have the apetite for marriage (zambian way of saying homosexuality), a spouse has too many dreams of her deceased partner, and bad luck. Most of the treatment involves grounding roots and boiling the mixture with water. Then either breathing the steam, drinking the mixture or making small cuts on your body with razor blades (they call them tattoos) and being splashed with the mixture.
We asked where he learned these remedies and he said he has dreams and visions of certain sicknesses and their correct treatments. Now up to this I was very respectful and interested. But then he mentioned how he helps a woman that cant conceive. Basically it involves a root and certain cavaties of the boody. At that point I had a "coughing attack from the dust" and had to take a break. I mean seriously, adoption is always an option.
He showed us the jars that he keeps his concoctions in. Noticing the jar labeled "Die and Push" we asked what it treated. The healer told us about "talking coffin" This happens when a person dies of unknown causes because it is believed that someone is resposible. So the healer makes tattoos on the body, rubs in the mixture, and asks it to lead them to the murderor. People then carry the coffin around the village and they are led to the guilty person. African village ouji board?
So in reflection: it was very bizarre and |I think about the Christians that convince themselves of a fair God that probably supernaturally helps these isolated tribes...maybe his dreams are real but Im not trying out any roots.

Peace Out
Lweendo (my tonga name "journey")

In other news I had to say goodbye to Trent, my best buddy in the PC. He decided to take a different direction in life. I respect his decision and Im very thankful for his friendship over these past few weeks. And since your probably reading this "Im a woman for change so I will beat you as my husband!" I miss you pesi mbubo badela, ndanywa mosi zyotatwe in your honor! Love, Ba B

Training Halftime

We are halfway through training. Time is moving quickly as we study our languages and get training in the technical aspects as well. Im learning Tonga and I will be going somewhere in the Southern Province. We just had our site interviews yesterday and we will get our post assignment on Thursday!
And then on Friday we will go visit our sites for 2 weeks to see what we think of it. Village/town life is cool so far but im excited to get back to the bush.
The family that i live with go by the name Sikangila. 7 of their 12 children live with us, i have my hut on the compound. they cook my food and boil water for my bath twice a day. When I get tired of trying to speak Tonga I pull out my guitar (banjo here) and the old man loves to tap his foot to the beat.
My close friends are Trent and Carroll-Anne. Or Tent and Annie and Blitelia as we have now been called by the Zambians. We bike to our training together and they love my "Never Surrender" motto. I wear the PUNISHER t-shirt when I bike and yesterday it totally mocked me as I fell for the first time. Just scrapes and bruises, no worries even though it was intense.
We had a gardening session and I was in charge of the machete. Me and Mindy had to gather dry material for the compost pile and I found and awesome tree with dry leavces. So |I went to hacking away on the branches and then me and Mindy started itching. ooops, so the leaves that were raining down all had tiny spikes on them that stuck to our skin and clothes. my bad!
besides those mishaps Im enjoying the food and clothing and the entire Zambian culture. BTW, if you are in class and need to use the bathroom, you just say "sorry, i must go wash my feet."
Trent taught our langugage teacher the phrase WTF! so that has become a good joke. There is a rumor we get to go to a store with electricity this week and Im hoping to get some cheese! Ive had 11 shots so far and learned about all the ways we can die but it sounds like the PC takes our safety seriously so no worries.
I hope everyone is doing greawt in the States. Yay for Zach starting college. And thanks to Amy and Maetzin for your letters. your replies on our their way.
God bless and Peace OUT!

First Week

This past week they sent us out in small groups to visit a volunteer and see what life as a PCV is really like. To welcome us the community wanted to feed us a guinea fowl. Which was cool...except they gave us the job of hunting and killing it. The five of us grabbed small rocks and ran after the bird (like a chicken) and it flew into a tree. So we threw all the rocks but it took Ba Jolie and his slingshot to shoot it out of the tree. Trent grabbed the fallen bird, stepped on its wing and went to work slicing off its neck. I thought I was more hard-core but it was tough to watch. Then, me and Mindy had to dip it in boiling water and pull out all the feathers...which takes a long time. But it was all worth it! Guinea Fowl is good stuff.
We also got to meet the chief but we had to walk 8k one way. I brought stupid shoes and I have cuts and blisters but its all cool. I got to meet a real African Chief. He has 5 wives and 25 kids. yikes!
We move in with our families tomorrow. They will take care of us throughout training which is until Sept. 28. Hope things are going well in America!

D.C. Airport

Just a quick note. Staging went well and everyone is really nice. They all have done amazing things in the US and abroad. The best piece of advice I heard was "Cross the river in a crowd and the crocidile will not get you." umm, sweet! There are 33 of us, 1 already dropped out to get married.

I gotta go get on the plane now. Thank you for the great send off, I feel very blessed and loved by everyone.

Peace OUT

Peace Corps Update

Im going to Zambia! I will be a HIV/AIDS Community Mobilizer...no clue what that means. The Peace Corps definition: Your task will be to help the communities to understand the basics of HIV/AIDS, identify means of prevention, care and support, prioritize, plan, implement and manage these interventions in a sustainable manner.

Because that isnt intimidating at all.

I leave July 23 for staging (a short orientation to meet other volunteers and get lots of shots) in D.C. and then we all fly out July 25 to Lusaka, Zambia. The first three months is intensive training in a local language, technical skills and cross-cultural awareness. And then we are sent to our villages for the actual 2 years of Peace Corps service.

Im doing my best to prepare and see everyone one last time so email me or call. Im hanging out in the Bay Area filling out paperwork, packing and drinking a lot of red wine. And please PLEASE write a letter to me in Africa. But most of all...send up some prayers for my safety and this great opportunity to learn about my little self in the Lord's big world.

B. Fresh

Sunday Sermonette

She sits in the front row pew. She sits pristine, nails polished and hair highlighted.
I think its so she doesnt have to look at anyone else. I think its so she doesnt have to see people look at her.
She stares into space, occasionally rolling her eyes and the shame that seeps through her pores project her past as fattened regret - growing heavy with the stress of each patterend day.
And Im tired of feeling pity. And Im tired of justifying.
Im tired of wondering if she is the mold for which destiny has made me the clay.

9:15

9:15
A time. A place. A prescription.
The hours between almost let you forget.
9:15
A definition. A description. A precaution.
The answer to a question without a decision.
9:15
A blessing. A curse. A solution.
The stigmatized facilitator to a haunting hindrance.
9:15