Rain came a little late, but it catching up on volum quick.

Heavy rain kept on coming......of course, it is raining season.  The villagers built me a "high way" from my front door to my insaka.....but I still wear gum boots for out doors....

Frogs are happily reproducing so my farmers have to watch and scoop out the eggs before the tadpole comes.........

Increase the fish feed with maize, cassava powders...... 

Some farmers been too creative to led the rain water out, the thought was good, but why in between two ponds??? It weaken the dikes on both sides.........

Why couldn't they save some energy just make the furrow straight, instead of a sharp turn????  Where do they got the ideas???

Cheng   12/28/2012

Village life becoming under the spot lights.....

December 14th, I was invited to DOF Samfya's survey result meeting regarding Lake Bangweulu's fish production and fish ban from December to February........ 

Could not say that I have any concrete contribution, but appreciated that fish pond farming in villages is highly and widely recommended ...... 

That night I was to go to C&M's home, but Joe and Rachel invited all for dinner and Christmas cookie deco; so I stayed at their home instead.....In the morning the sun behind the whole night's heavy rain, it was so different from the view from C&M's home........ 

Rachel had appendicitis operated a couple of weeks back and still recovering roughly,.....Hope all be well soon........

Cheng    12/28/2012

Still some time yet before my work planning meeting...

While my farmers had lots other things to do, so did I.....I suggested to Act'g DC that small kids here need to have experience of manage money.....it is not only to spend it, hide it or loose it....I told him that I had Post Office's deposit account when I have not enough money to make deposit with any banks when I was little and it was confirmed that many European countries had the same function many years back too.....

Act'g DC was agreed and had Post Master in Samfya to come met with me at his office the next day, and he reported to his boss in Mansa and got agreed that both of us to come see him in Mansa the following day..... 

The Post Master General for Luapula, the Post Master in Mansa, the Post Master from Samfya, the General Accountant for Luapula.......we talked for close to two hours and PM General called Lusaka and was told that it was one of their project for 2013 along with Micro Loan to public, but no one came forward.......so was agreed that this issue will be on for the public in March 2013. 

Whao.....that is it!!! 

Since I have to wait for PM Samfya be done with his business in town so I went to Dept. of Education to continue my effort to help Lukali School to build up and have a real teacher there.....

Outside of their building the butterflies were busying......

Hope my try this time will turn out as beautiful as this picture........

 

Just remembered that earlier when I checked emails, John had sent me this line.....

"All things end up well. If not, it is not the end yet."

Thanks, John. How nice of you to share such a beautiful line.

 

Cheng  12/19/2012

another quick one, seemed the connection is still good...

I have no cell phone connection since last night, that was what I am surprised the internet is on and good this time...........No new farmers at this raining time......most of them are in the fields working on maize and cassava........I had to have all dikes checked, repeared and furraws change its ways.......

 

Cheng 12/19/2012

just a quick one........

The same group but at Dr. Jonnson's home, I made Chinese dinner, just to a little thanks to all PLARD officers to support my farmers both uin Yasakwa and Makasa and thanks to Ba Chiti at DOF provincial office in Mansa too.

Mrs. Jonnson, Eva had her little Christmas light and red ribbons on..... 

We came inside to view pictures on TV screen of what I took of the events PLARD had encluded me.

Really appreciated good people are all around the world and I have them all around me no matter where I am.........Thank you all, my dear friends, all around the world.

Cheng 12/19/2012

All of sudden life in village is moving in the fast line.....

So, I have to make this updates quick for I have a work planning meeting with my farmers at my insaka in less than three hours.....

December 8th, while Dr. Abila's wife came with four children to Mansa, she made an African dinner for all PLARD officers and I was in town so was invited........Thanks greatly........

Beautiful family....... 

Look at all these delicious dishes.....got to have two three days preparation just for it.....

You can see how proud of Dr. Abila on what his wife had done for all of us.....

hmm........yammmm.........

Seconds........ 

and the third.......

Thank you all............

Cheng 12/19/2012

 

Good trying to slow down on my village life, still......

As suggestions from all over to have slow down my activities in village, but I found all sorts of reasons to watch ponds or visit officers with no ends.......and I even missed one embroidery group's meeting in my insaka on Monday 16:00......"Sorry, but I will make it up for sure....." I will buy the carbon paper for them to trace patterns when I go to Mansa this weekend.....

Tuesday I was told by my counterpart that we had to drop monitoring of ponds and to go for a workshop in the Primary School that CARITAS funded "Hand Wash Workshop" and facilitated by DAPP officer.  Yes, I would like to go, for I was pushing hand wash water system since I was in Yasakwa, that worked there, but in Makasa it had not been moving anywhere.......I took the chance to introduce Peace Corps and my pictures to show hand wash has worked in Yasakwa..... 

In classroom talked for an hour....... 

Actual making of tippy top instillation......

It worked, just as sample....... 

That night rain came down hard and the next morning all villagers were on their fields, men, women, with or without little babies on their back....... 

 

 

Thursday, I went to Mansa as planed.....just catch up with one of Chinese Mobile Doctors' birthday dinner..... 

What a treat of food and friendship..... 

Friday I was only to say "Hi" to PLARD officers and run to Dept. of Education to seek helps for the Lukali school that I was trying to help building it before my taxi accident......but PLARD had the "Baseline Report workshop" and invited me to attend.  I went with all officers and found Peace Corps was invited and PCV, Jerrica was there, too....... 

I didn't think I could have had any sound contribution, but it was a great eye opener for me to know more of what PLARD's projects and programs......Truly appreciated for the chance.  End of workshop, Ba Eero, the Director, rushed me to Immigration Office in Mansa to extend my work permit....it was Friday late afternoon.....I got a 60 days extension.....Thanks, Eero. 

Went back to Dr. and Mrs. Jonnson's home late, and they decided to eat out.  I was to take this chance to treat them in return of having me staying in their home, but they didn't let me take the bill for they know how rich a PCV can be........thanks agian........ 

Saturday morning, Dr. Jonnson, Lars, he was to change a light bulb outside of a window and got a bee sting on his left ear......he kept on saying, "Well, it is nothing....." but the ear was twice larger from his right ear.  I had to call Carmen to seek advice.  Ended to see the Pharmacist at "Sister of Mercy" for shelf medicine.....it looked the redness lightened but the size of the ear stay the same.....

 

Hmm......I am still to learn to "slow down" on my activities......but Satuday night Dr. Abila's wife is to make African dinner and I will make Chinese dinner at Dr. Jonnson's home before I go back to Makasa to my village life......

 

Cheng  12/9/2012