Happy International Women’s Day! Or, as one man greeted us, Happy Females Day! Rachel and I slept in just a little and left for town around 9:30. Our plan was to walk up to the bus stop just a few minutes away, but as we were leaving campus a really nice bus was coming by and we flagged them down to ask how much to get to Arcades (the mall). It was the same price as usual and this one was bigger with nice comfy seats, plus we were practically picked up at our doorstop. Great deal and a good start to our morning.
The bus driver was quite friendly, but he turned around much too often for my taste. Within a few minutes of our ride, he turned around decided he was going to marry one of us. After a second (again, much too long) look, he thought he’d like “the tall one.” I asked if that meant I would get my bus ride for free, and he said he’d buy me from my friend. He asked Rachel how much, and she said 50,000 kwacha ($10….seriously, Rachel?). He said I must be worth much more than that, more like 2 million (that’s a little better). Then more people got on our bus and he was more focused on driving, thankfully.
The ten minute ride turned into almost an hour because there was a parade as we got closer to town that cut off the main highway. We had to merge with all the other traffic and go down one of the frontage roads (they run parallel to the main roads and are usually filled with bikes and people). Merging with the other traffic was incredibly entertaining. There were about fifteen buses within inches of each other and watching them maneuver around made me very, very thankful I wasn’t driving. There was one small car stuck in the middle going the opposite way of most of the traffic, and I bet he didn’t get out for quite some time. I tried to get a video of this to capture the madness.
We finally got to Arcades and were able to get a close up look at the parade. It was made up mostly of women from local schools and businesses. They all were color-coordinated and each group carried a big sign showing where they were from. Many groups were singing and dancing. It was a very beautiful parade, which sounds weird, but it’s true: the clothes were colorful and intricate. Most of the men were dressed up in full suits, too, which classed up the event considerably.
We walked around the mall for a while, ate at Wimpy’s (kind of a diner…cheap food, but actually pretty nice) and then went to a movie (This Means War…not Reese Witherspoon’s best performance, that’s for sure. At least it was only $3). Sitting in the theater was weird…for an hour and a half it was like I was back in America, and when we left I had to almost remind myself I was in Africa. We stopped at the market and bought some souvenirs (one vendor wants my blue Nike shoes and is willing to trade for them…I actually might consider it because I need some new ones anyway and would like that little extra room in the suitcase) before grocery shopping and heading home.
We spent the rest of the afternoon planning for Friday and then went over to Dave and Dee’s house for a braai (barbecue). Dave and Dee have friends from the States staying with them for a couple weeks, so they had us and all the other missionaries over for delicious food and good conversation. We talked a lot about the missionaries’ lives and it made me realize what these families go through. The Sargents are sending their son Nathan to Luther Prep in a year, and I can’t imagine what that must feel like. I lived five hours away from home for high school and we thought that was bad. I have to say that I feel ashamed – until I came here I never had more than a fleeting thought about missionaries living in Africa, or really any other part of the world. The sacrifices that these families make to serve their Lord are inspiring and humbling. I can’t really describe how I feel right now…guilty, self-centered. I feel like I’ve taken so much for granted while we have families who have given up so much to be here. I think we generally tend to forget about these families because we can’t understand the hardships they go through. After having just a taste of the life here, I am only beginning to see what it’s like for them. What a blessing we have people willing and able to do this kind of work.
I keep getting these rushes of happiness when I think that I am in Zambia. Already, in just barely two weeks, this has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I’m so excited to think about what’s in store for us in the rest of our time here.
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