Blog Introduction

We hope you enjoy these pictures and videos of our trip to Africa with http://www.motherswithoutborders.org/ - April 8-May 2 2010

May we remember the children and those who care for them throughout the world!

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Betty and I, when we were trying to figure out the name for our blog, had just run accross the following joke that was sent to us - and it seemed quite good timing - as were were frantically preparing to head to Africa!!
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From the diary of a Pre-School Teacher

My five-year old students are learning to read.

                       Yesterday one of them pointed at a picture in a zoo book and said,
                                              "Look at this! It's a frickin' elephant!"
                               I took a deep breath, then asked...."What did you call it?"
                                    "It's a frickin' elephant! It says so on the picture!"

And so it does...

" A f r i c a n Elephant "

Hooked on phonics! Ain't it wonderful?

Our ZamFam!!

Even though the 15 members of our MWB team were together just about 18 days - all of us became each others 'Zambian Family' - or just "our ZamFam". Even though we each brought our own individualities to the team - these individualities intregrated very well together - making us able to do more as a group. That, along with our common strengths and goals, was able to allow us to be together, 24X7, very well! And of course, our 'mom' and 'dad' - Allison and Shane - fortunately for us, had great 'parenting skills' - which, I am sure, helped us all to 'tow the line'!! (really, they led 'by example'!)


Of course we could not forgot our 'extended ZamFam' - those of the MWB staff that we spent some of most everyday with - Kathy, Josephine, Fred, Webster and Innocent (who some nicknamed 'Guilty'!!). This group picture was taken on the last day we were all together - at Josephines home; unfortunately for us Deb was having to fly back to England the next day - to return back to work.


Just like the pictures of the Zambian children - the smiles in this picture says a whole lot about our ZamFam and our Lusaka experience!! To our ZamFam - here!! here!! and for Webster -"Fresh Air........."!!

A comment on the organization of pictures, videos and comments

blog month of: JUNE - contains all the intro posts -
                         MAY - contains LUSAKA pics/videos/comments
                         APRIL - contains LIVINGSTONE (BOTSWANA) pics/videos/comments 
                         MARCH - contains JOHANNESBURG pics/videos/comments
(NOTE: on the picture 'link' right click and then select 'Open in New Window' - then you will not have to hit the 'back button' to get back to the blog)
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I have been trying to get my arms around the pictures and videos that we brought back! It has been a task!

So I first copied all of the 'raw' pictures and videos to new storage locations so that I could 'edit' them. Which means that I have all of the originals - before comments have been added - let me know if you need a pic without the comment.

I was starting to put a brief comment into the pictures but quickly realized that this was going to take to long - but would be something that I would have to continue to whittle away at over time. I changed my focus to trying to get the pictures/videos generally available to those who are interested in them - especially our 'ZamFam' (those who comprised our 'team' for this adventure!).

So then I decided to group the pictures by subject matter - not a 'day by day' accounting. Some groupings such as 'The Bunkhouse' is comprised of pictures throughout our stay, while others, such as visiting the Bufwano compound, occured on a single day. This 'grouping process' seemed to make sense and seemed farily 'straight forward'. In each group I placed pictures and videos.

During the 'grouping process' I also weeded out the 'oops' and the 'boo-boos'; rototated those that needed rotating (sounds like Les Schwab's!) to change their orientation and renamed all of the videos so that their file name was indicative of the subject - to help when accessing them. I did find, though, that I was maybe not as good at 'filtering' out duplicates and maybe lower quality shots etc. as I seemed to be more frantic to get them available - such as they were.

The next challenge was to determine where and how to place all of these, besides on our own computers/storage devices, and make it easy to access. After some trial and error, and getting educated on various websites (pros/cons) etc (Thanks to Meg!) I came up with a plan.

I have decided, at this point, to place the pictures into KodakGallery for 2 reasons - so that I can get them out to our ZamFam and so I can also put a link into our blog - so that they can be seen via 'slide show' format. Also, with the KodayGallery - you have the ability to 'step' thru the pictures as your own pace - rather then viewing as a slideshow - if you would rather.

The videos, on the other hand I will upload into this blog - and then you can click on them to view.

I will set up each picture group as its own 'blog post' - so that you can skip around if you desire - or easily come back to groups.

Betty and I then have to go thru and copy out pics/videos into another grouping that will be used for about a 45 minute presentation - as we have been invited to talk about our trip in a few different locations (church, work etc).

Once we get that done then I will work to continue to edit pictures; do additional weeding and editing text into the pictures and adding additional comments into the blog - adding more comment to the groupings as well as comments about our trip from our journals - cause even Betty and I will forget some of this content that we were priviledged to be a part of! Enjoy!

AFRICA- traveling to

These are pictures we took flying Thursday April 8 - 5:30AM thru Friday April 9th - about 10:30PM! On the way out we flew from the Portland, OR airport, to Dulles airport in Washington DC, to Dakar, Senagal, Africa (on western coast of Africa - about 1/4 down), to Johannesburg, South Africa to Lusaka Zambia.

PICS: Traveling to Africa

LUSAKA-Big House

This was a private home that was our 'operations center'. When she was in Zambia, Kathy (founder of MWB) stayed in an upstairs bedroom/office here. Each morning, except Sundays, we would arrive here from the Bunk House and have an opening meeting - upstairs in their family/TV room - usually about 8:15AM. Then after about an hour or two - we would head out for the activities of the day.

We would return back to the 'Big House' each night, have dinner (very good and always ready for it) - and then have a nightly 'wrap up and "intention setting" meeting regarding the next days activities. As we were upstairs we appreciated the wind that would occaisionally blow thru the barred windows!

Those who lived there and who helped were all so very kind and generous!! Thank you very much!
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A FEWPICS: LUSAKA-road to the Big House

ROADWAY TO BIG HOUSE



COMING UP TO BIG HOUSE DRIVEWAY



PULLING UP TO THE BIG HOUSE

LUSAKA-Bufwano

The government would provide land for those of low income. It was up to the tenant to provide the housing on the small plot of land. Most were of cinder block - but some were of cloth, cardboard etc. These were quite large compounds - and, to some degree, took on being their own community and 'city'; having markets, taverns, water filling stations (for a price) etc. There were lots of residents in a typical compound. We had the opportunity to visit one of these with the MWB staff. We divided up into 3 small groups and make some 'house calls' to check on the residents of some of these homes. A couple of the groups, including the one Betty and I were in, finished before the third group. We came back and wound up entertaining and playing with the kids from around the compound for a couple of hours!! We were very tired after that!! There is an organization (name escapes me at the moment) that helps out in the Bufwano compound - and it was their buildings and courtyard we did most of our playing in (after moving inside from 'the street!).

Pics:Lusaka-the Bufwano compound

    The Bufwano compound 1-3       

LUSAKA-Bunk House

This was where we 'laid our head and called it home'! On this property there were 3 buildings - the main home of the renters, a chicken coop and a second home - that was rented/leased - for the Bunk House. It was a single story home that was converted to sleep about 15-20 people. There we one bedroom with a set of bunk beds, and a single bed; another with a one set of bunkbeds (where Betty stayed); another with 2 sets of 2 (where I slept) - right off the 'good' bathroom! - and the 'living/family room that had 4 sets of bunk beds. There was a kitchen, a full bath, a room with just a toilet, a room with just a shower (ok - a 'dropper') and a patio with a picnic table.

PICS: LUSAKA-the Bunk House

The BUNK HOUSE