Zambia Day 4 - Ndola

After breakfast, the team is ready to get started and eager to look at the site. There was much work to be done. There were a number of meetings that needed to be schedule, we were still hunting down surveying equipments, and we also needed to make up the schedule for the time we are in Ndola. I spend most of my day trying to figure out how big an area the composting facility needs with the limited info I have which went no where. In the afternoon, we went to walk the site which RPC was in the process of buying. The site is about 4.5 aches, it has a stream running along the bottom boarder and has very nice trees on it. The site has a two way slope and has a 30m drop from top and bottom. Next to the site were a bunch of mud houses own by farm workers working the land RPC going to buy. The villagers were not too happy with us walking around the site since the sell has not been finalized yet. We quickly drew a crowd since we are so good looking and all. The crowd was not hostile but at one point one person said “no white no fight.” Soon after that, we quickly went back to our base camp. We had a short meeting to discuss the site and we concluded it will be very expensive to put a processing plant on a sloped land. Lots of sand will be needed to level the land. That evening, we told RPC our finding and suggested finding a new site and gave them a set of guidelines. What happened with the site really show me how critical the service eMi is providing. If RPC has brought the site, then they will spend a lot more money on the land and might not be able to sell the chicken for as cheap as they want. After dinner, it was a time of sharing and it is off to bed.

Zambia Day 3 - Enroute to Ndola

Meeting with the Ministry of Work

On this Monday, we were schedule to meet with the Ministry of Work and then travel by car to Ndola where the site is. The main goal of meeting up with the Ministry was to hunt down a copy of the building codes and standard as well as environmental regulations and also determine some of the building practices and water treatment options. The Ministry was really friendly, and very willing to help. Just like us, they have never taken on a project this big and are very interested in the things they can learn from it. Part of the willingness also comes from the fact that this project has the potential to feed the poorest of the Zambia as well as diversify the economy and the agricultural industry. One of the biggest goals of the meeting was to determine if they are willing to have a partnership with eMi. Foreign professionals are forbidden to do any work in Zambia unless they are partnered with a local professional. I am happy to say they are glad to help us out and partner up with us.

After the meeting, we decided to head downtown to grab some lunch and exchange some local currency before we head up to Ndola. As we were walking back to the car after lunch, a group of locals came up to us. They distracted all of us and stole from one of the team member. The person did not realize he lost some money until later on in the night.

The car ride up to Ndola was very interesting. The ride is supposed to take about 2.5 to 3 hours. There were a total of 8 guys and we have a 7 person car plus some luggage. We managed to somehow get everything and everyone is the car. I can tell you that we got to know each other very well after the ride. We also made lots of stops to switch seat, every round, one person will get the front passenger seat. It was kind of like musical chairs. Even though it was very tight and cramp in the car, we still manage to stop and pick up 3 watermelons. With all the stops, the total trip took 6 hours. By the time we got to Ndola, we were are very tired and hungry but it was an awesome car ride. Lots of sharing, story telling, and bonding.

Lusaka - Day 2

We are all worshiping!!!

You can see one of the big speakers they use in the center of the picture

After a night of sleep, I had pretty much adjusted to the time zone. It was rather easy to correct for the time zone this trip because all my flights were overnight flight and all I had to do was sleep on the plane. Today was Sunday and the team was invited to Bethel International Church in Lusaka. That church service was sure interesting. First of all, it remained me the Aerosmith concert I went to. I was about 5 m from the stage at that concert. At church, we were given guest sits at the front of the room. 2 meters away from us was one of the big speakers you find in large halls and concerts. They crank the volume so high that the amp overheats and shuts down occasionally. There is so much distortion that would make any electric guitarist jealous. I think I lost as much percentage of hearing from the Aerosmith concert if not more. I assure you that is sure way from keeping people from following asleep. The church service start at 9 and by the time we left at around 12 they were still going. The style of preaching is very charismatic, lot of interaction between the preacher and the congregation. We stood up for worship and that’s at least 30 min, then we stood and “pray” for tides and offering and that’s at least 30min. That prayer felt more like a sermon than a prayer. Then came the sermon and that about 45 min, we gone over at least 5 passage and each of them can be a sermon in itself. We stood again and “pray” for another 45 mins. Again, the prayer felt like a sermon. My legs were so tired by the time we left. On my way out, I was trying to remember the sermon but I can’t really remember what was said since it felt like I listened to so many sermons and so much information were given. After lunch, it was a meeting to go over the Royal Poultry Company and prep for the meeting with the Ministry of Works.

Until Next time...

Zambia – Day 1 - Lusaka

After a brief meeting with Mike and Alex in Toronto, 2 hrs nap at Heathrow, 4 movies, and 20 hrs in a plane, my team leader, a couple of team members and I arrived in Lusaka at 6 am in the morning. We were greeted by Derek, the visionary, and his ministry friends. There are very kind, friendly, and accommodating, they can’t wait to help us carry our bags. Our first destination is the guest house where we are going to stay for the first 2 days. After a quick lunch, we decided to hit up the capital and check out the area. Zambia is more developed than I expected. Then again, I don’t know what to expect. There are lots of cars on the roads, the main roads are paved nicely, there are westernized shopping plazas, most people have a cell phone, and all the houses have pluming and electricity and there is even a Subway, the sandwich shop. Zambia is like any other Africa country when it comes to the separation between the rich and poor. The separation is very visible. We drove thought the ghetto and it is just devastating. It is impossible to explain what I saw and just what I was feeling. It was hard not to look at things and the situations with a western point of view but even in Derek’s pointer of view, the environment is very hash. The road is not paved, the houses are very small and very close together, no proper drainage for the sewage. Derek told us that all lot of these can be fixed with proper urban planning and simple engineering solutions. Derek himself grew up in the ghetto and the only tool that got him out of it and moves him up in society is education. That is good to know because I see lots of elementary school around and the university have a lively campus as we drove by. During the evening, the rest of the team members arrive and Derek shared about his life and his vision for Zambia. I was truly touched and moved by his faithfulness to God. Derek gave has already given 7 years of his life for this project. He recently lost his house because he lost his job and is getting by with picking up random teaching job here and there. Even under these circumstances, Derek push on with the vision and truly relaying on God to provide all that he needed, from day by day physical need to spiritual needs such as direction for the vision. He is an example of giving one’s life for God’s purpose and how he has been living his life has challenge me to be more faithful and to give my life to God but at the same time, it is so hard to let go. I still need to pray for strength and work on it with God’s directions.

My new favorite airline!!

The Lusaka Airport and my Team leader Greg glad to be on solid earth

A market in the ghetto

A traffic light in the heart of downtown Lusaka.

Until Next time....