Another story from Zambia...

Things are going ok here. Just moving on with life, potty training, weaning, youth movie nights, etc. We're not really sure what the next step is for us--I guess right now we are thinking we will just wait for a new referral.

So I wanted to share another story about the Ndeke compound in Zambia. (scroll down if you missed my first story) Blu and I would go to this compound every Monday afternoon with 2 huge footlockers filled with all kinds of sports equipment/jump ropes, frisbees, etc. Then, approximately 200 kids would surround us and wait for us to throw the balls and things to them. We would only throw it to those who remained on the grass and waited patiently. They would swarm us and kids would get hurt. You can imagine--10 balls for 200 kids didn't go very far. They then went and played soccer, volleyball, and the other games for about an hour. Amazingly, when Blu blew his whistle, they would all come running back and return the equipment and sit in the grass for a Bible story in their language. During our first year there, we made it through the Creation to Christ Bible stories. They loved them! We then passed out the balls again, let them play for another hour, and returned home. Amazingly, they never stole any of our equipment--I think they saw it as such a privilege to be able to have these things to play with.

Memorable Ndeke experiences:
1) One day, we noticed that all the kids just took off running. It was a cloudy day, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. Blu and I were left trying to gather the equpiment and figure out what was going on. Suddenly, it just started pouring!!! They had all made it indoors or under some shelters, and man did they think it was funny that the white people didn't make it in and were getting drenched! It's like they all had a sixth sense that the rain was coming! Weird.

2) The kids would surround me and hang onto my hands and my arms the whole time we were there. They loved my long blonde hair. They had seen plenty of white people before but had never interacted with any. Sometimes all of the pulling and grabbing on me got to me. One day, I felt something and looked down to see a little girl LICK my arm! I guess she wanted to see what white people taste like! I told Blu it was time to go!

3) Blu, of course, had the same thing happen to him with the kids. He had a lot more energy than I did and would run around and play with them. One day all the kids started petting his arms and laughing. They started yelling "Mbuli ngulube!!!!" We knew that meant "like pig" but we weren't sure what they were referring to. Finally, an older boy sheepishly told us that the kids thought the hair on Blu's arm was just like the hair on a pig. :)