First comes food, than comes visial realization.....

Peace Corps has a great net work of the deplomates or NGOs in town who are willing to share their homes to PCVs while they are in town.  So I've got arranged to stay with Dr. Lawrence Marum.  Turned out, he is the Country Director of CDC in Zambia and he was on his way back from business travel, but texted to me that I shall go to the house before his return to enjoy the swimming pool since it was a hot day.......Yeah, it was.  38C and above for sure......

 

In order to thank him for taking me in to his home, I offered to take him out for dinner and turned out that he is on law fat diet and not good to eat out often times......so I offered to cook Chinese food at his home and was agreed.  Dotor even loan me a book "First came love and than came the Malaria" written by a PCV who served in Africa country in early 1980s......that was where I copied the posting tile from this one.

 

Look at this gorgeous kitchen......

Look at my great helper of the house maid - Ba Jennipher....... 

I hurried to buy materials I need but the Doctor went ahead to have Jennipher stock up what I might use. 

I did not know the Doctor was that excited and asked me if he can invit his friends to come for dinner and if I have any friends that I want to invite.....

The first dinner, there were Peace Corps Country Director Tom Kenneday and his wife Felice....They were still talking about the Ambassador's visit to my Makasa village that got aired Sunday night's TV news and Tom was to make sure that I will have a copy of the clip.  I am truly grateful for my work in villages had all the attentions from all over.......

 

Only PCV I know well enough to invite was Barbara and she is out in Northern and Luapula Provices to train trainers on Malaria programs.  But I will see her at dinner at Doctor's home when she is back from her Malaria program travel and Bob comes. It was at Doctor's aproval and almost as at his encouragement for Bob to have my cooking while he is here......

 

How would I give thanks enough to a person like Dr. Marum......

Doctor cooked a few breakfast for me and even for Bob after he had arrived.... 

Showing me around his gardens....... 

His fruit trees......... 

Swimming pool........ 

Roses his wife planted........She is also a Medical Doctor, now in Geniva for a short term program, not to be home till mid January. 

What a nice home for my wonderful break from the six months of village life........

 

I told Dr. Marum that by Peace Corps' homestay policy that PCVs can't invit their friends or relatives to stay at homes so I will move out on Monday.  But Dr. Marum said, "I understand that, but if I invit you and Bob to stay in my house, that will be all fine."  How lovely things can be.....Bob and I did stay at Doctor's home the whole time while Bob was here.......

 

Of course we traveled in and out of Lusaka few times, just to think the packing and repacking and to store luggages while trips we took from here..... I am thankful at all times.

 

Cheng  11/25/2012