OLP
Zambia Service Group Joined: May 14th 2009
Logged in: July 12th 2009
Logged in: July 12th 2009
Travel Blog Posts
4th of July Victoria Falls Zambia
Glad all made it home safely. Meghan gets the prize for getting at least 75 pictures up on her facebook page! Check them out. Here is the last group shot at the Botswana border and then one more at the Falls!... read more
The 13 Conifer members of the Zambia-14 returned Tuesday, disembarking at DIA. Meghan we assume arrived 24 hours later and will look for her entry! Trip home was somewhat uneventful -- the fastest anyone had to move occurred with these events -- 1) Sean had to quickly demonstrate his juggling prowess to a grouchy security guard who eyed the juggling batons suspiciously, saying "you could BEAT someone with these!" -- then laughed out loud as the juggling demo proceeded. . . . 2) Mike had to sprint across the airport in Joberg after he left his phone and camera in the box at the security xray . . .. . 3) all kids had to quickly shuffle to different seats on the plane when the airline video consoles didn't work ("gasp! no movies for 8 hours!?") ... read more
Let the games begin
I have time for one more blog so thought I would tell the tale of the Chicken Caper. It is one of the pranks that the girls managed to pull off on Artie and Steven...with the help of their new friar student friends, Emmanuel (Manny) and Augustine AND with the help of the College president Fr Mack and Fr Bonaventure, the friary guardian. It involves catching the chickens and putting them in Steven and Artie's rooms. Artie's room was easier because keys were extra. Steven's room needed some creativity with removing screens from windows and replacing. The final coup was running some shorts of Artie's up the flagpole. Revenge is sweet after the girls had been terrorized the previous evening as Steve and Artie hid under the girls bed for 45 minutes in the dust and ... read more
Beginning our Mass
Trying to get one more blog in and some pictures loaded. Yesterday was interesting with our Botswana adventures which the youth have lots of tales about. However, we did not forget about mass on Sunday either. Since it was such a packed day, we brought a mass kit with us and celebrated the Eucharist at a very special time. It was in the army tank/container vehicle that transported us from Zambia to the crossing into Botswana and back. It was on the way back, as the sun was beginning to set that Fr Patrick celebrated mass on our moving vehicle. As Steven said, God is everywhere and this proves that you can make a relatively irreverent place into a reverent and holy place. It was my favorite mass of all celebrated with this special group. Keep ... read more
Hello all, We are so sorry for not getting more blogs out but no one has had much access to the internet. Today was a great day for all. We went to Botswana for the day and experienced Chobe National Park with all the animals. For the parents of Monica and Sarah, some bungee jumping and Gorge Swing has been attempted and accomplished. All are well and I am sure they are looking forward to sharing their many stories with you all. I write on the eve of their departure. It will be bitter sweet for me since I will remain after they are gone. I must tell you all that this group is amazing and that this group of people have done an incredible job here in Zambia. I am so proud of them and ... read more
Greetings
Congratulations to Fr. Patrick on 10 years of priesthood! What a wonderful celebration. We were at mass for a total of 6 hours on Sunday, tons of singing and dancing and a suprisingly unique offering! We ate more caterpillars, african bologna with cake on the same plate. We continue to be amazed by the Zambian's generosity and hospitality, what joyful people! Monday we left Ndola and headed back to Lusaka, and arrived here at Lusaka Bonaventure College, greeted by all the brothers we missed so much! Tuesday we visited the Bauleni School for street kids, bought Zambia hats knitted by the students, and had fun visiting the classrooms full of kids with special needs. Wednesday was a shopping day (and filled with pranks) and tomorrow we leave for Livingstone. ps. note to the fam from sarah- ... read more
We arrived back at the Franciscan Center in Ndola from which we had departed on Thursday morning for Ibenga (see previous entry). We woke Friday morning and after Anna and Sarah had nicely milked Father Angelo's cows (we think they are cow girls at heart) we toured the Ibenga hospital and left some of the medical supplies we brought. We also had the great pleasure of seeing Violet, an adorable, lovable orphan girl of about 4 years age who we all fell in love with at the Leprosorium the previous day. After that we were on the bus again heading for Kitwe to an overwhelming and incredible welcome at Chamboli Parish. We were not prepared for the 500 plus who greeted us in a big procession around the church followed by tours of the parish grounds, ... read more
Ibenga Mission, Copperbelt region The group arrived at Ibenga Mission after a long day of service work at Walale Nutrition Center (feeding over 800 orphans ages 2 yrs to 12 yrs) visiting with the children and old people at Chibote Leprosarium and having lunch hosted by the Missionary Sisters of St Francis of Assisi. Sr Sabina (who has visited the parish in Conifer) gave tours and made sure all were well. After playing and having a party with the girls at Ibenga School for the disabled all went to bed. But in the early morning, Anna requested a lesson on milking cows which Fr Angelo was delighted to provide the lessons. Anna and Sarah along with Dr Dave all took a 'hand' at milking cows very early in morning... If we are successful with uploading the ... read more
Hello Everyone, This should be the second blog of the day. If you have not read the summary of the first, please do so for the facts and figures of the trip over the last 2 days. Tomorrow we get into the "meat" of the missionary part of the trip. Though we have helped with some destruction/construction of a building in Lusaka, and visited the school, and compounds (slums) of Chawama, those were mostly observational trips. We did get a lot of time to meet and interact with hundreds of people, and the kids have had a great time with the youth in Ndola. Tomorrow we will travel an hour and a half to a childrens center to help feed disadvantaged, malnourished and orphaned children. There is also a stop at a health center and hospital. ... read more
dancers
Monday -- Left Bonaventure College in Lusaka with the van and Sandy's Red Beast loaded with people/boxes/books/meds/supplies, heading 320km north toward Ndola. Driving north out of Lusaka into the African bush, as it appeared before deforestation removed the grasses and mukwa and mopani trees, through termite mounds, women carrying baskets of guava, charcoal, colorful vegetable stand stops (Stephen will add the story of Anna's first encounter with a Turkish toilet later -- let's just say that it began with a shriek and ended in a change of clothes . . . ). Arrived at Kapiri in time for a wonderful lunch of nshima, chicken, vegetables, fruit salad, and Coke (a treat for the kids). Sang the "Chawama" song to the friars as we presented a box of books and t-shirts for Fr. Phillip, Brother Ryan, Matthews, ... read more
