Day 2

2nd Day
September 19, 2008

OK, so I spelled it wrong yesterday. It's Kwacha, not Kwatcha. But it still runs through our fingers like sand, a million here, a million there. Amazing!! We just paid a million 320 thousand for our and Baptista's two days and nights, plus meals, at Kapingila ZEC (Zambian Episcopal Conference House), and a little over a half million for 69.3 litres of diesel fuel for the Land Cruiser. Yikes!!

As you can tell I finally got access to the Internet. Everyone guards their password access with a security conscious zeal that astounds me. But they would let me plug into their system and do my thing. So you got the last blog. This one may have to wait until Sunday. We leave at 6 in the morning (Saturday) for Kasama. It's a 450 mile drive with stops along the way. I bet you are waiting with bated breath for the first report of real life in the Northern Province! So are we!

Today was a day of waiting. The Archbishop left at 9 and our appointment was scheduled for 10, so needless to say we didn't get to see him . But we got to see the Cathedral. Magnificently sparse we would call it, but with a pulpit made from a drum and several large, contemporary African paintings. Quite different from St. James! And instead of visiting with the Archbishop we got our first bid on a tractor for the farming the Sisters are doing and hoping to do in a more efficient manner. We're talking big bucks here, folks, as you might expect. We'll get other bids and have a more realistic picture after we see the actual plots of land and talk to the folks involved in farming.

This evening we enjoyed a potluck at the American Embassy with hamburgers and hot dogs cooked by the Marines stationed there. It was for over 200 Americans and their families living, working and visiting in Zambia. Mostly, the Embassy staff wanted to do three things: encourage them to complete their absentee ballots, be briefed on safety issues and emphasize how to behave as polite guests of Zambia. A lot of questions and answers ensued. The Embassy staff works hard to make life here as uncomplicated at possible but they need the cooperation of all, especially by providing information on changing procedures which the staff may not be aware of. The food was good, including some fine American style desserts, and we got acquainted with some interesting folks.

Now it's off to bed for an early wake up call. We have needed a nap each afternoon so far, but hope to be pretty well adjusted to the 9 hour time change soon. Talk to you again tomorrow.

Bruce Paula, and Baptista.