Happy Birthday Paxina!!!!

Paxina is a Hope Art lady, and a very good friend of mine! Today was her birthday, and let me say it was an amazing day!! Full of laughter and joy! 

Quote of the Day

"No one has ever become poor by giving." - Anne Frank

Look who I found!!! Agness and Wassa

I stumbled across Agness and Wassa on Tuesday :) 

Can't believe how much Wassa has changed!

Cooking Shima at the School :)

Photo by Claire Taramarcaz

Our AMAZING team up here in Zambia :)

Being back "Home" (Mongu, Zambia)

Well, what can I say!! It has been about a week and half since I arrived back in Mongu, Zambia. And I literally get butterflies in my stomach about how amazing it is being back "home." It really does feel like home, and where I am meant to be. I literally have a family here that can never be replaced.

The beginning of the trip, started off rough, as I got to Lusaka airport and the Taxi that was meant to pick me up, never arrived. There was no money in the exchange bank and the ATM machines had no cash available. And I had no local currency. Which meant I had no money to pay a taxi to take me to the guest house I was staying in, or money to bus my ticket for the bus trip to Mongu. All the money issues had occurred because they are bringing in a new currency, and I had arrived at the same time the new money arrived and some ceremony was happening and the military was on high force. Anyway, to cut the story short, they managed to get some old currency for me to exchange.

THEN, I found a taxi, who thought he knew where my guest house was. "Thought" - he had no idea. We managed to get lost for 2 hours, and we happened to end up about an hour out of Lusaka. It was hectic. And my Zambian sim card had expired, and I didn't have international roaming on my SA number. So I had no way of communication. Anyway, we eventually found the guest house.

Anyway, I had a very pleasant stay at the guest house; they gave me a lift to the bus station. The bus left at 8am to Mongu. It’s a very long trip. It’s about 8 hours! But what’s awesome about the trip is that we go through Kafue National Park, which happens to have thousands of animals. I was lucky enough to see a lion, a hippo, some antelope and millions of warthogs.

After 8 hours, I finally saw Mongu in the distance!! I have never been so excited! I was finally Home!!!!!! 

So far, my trip has been amazing. This time I am staying for 4 and half months! It was a surprise to all the locals that I was coming back. And I will say that Monday the 23rd of July 2012, will be a day that I will never forget, and wish to repeat it forever. It was the day that I got to surprise "my extended family" and my friends! Wow, it was a irreplaceable day. I have never felt so must love in my life. 

The day started with me walking to the Orphan House, where Charity and Florence ( House Mothers) were. I walked through the door, but because of the sun, they couldn't really see me, only the shape of my body. And I will never forget Charity was cooking and because she had no idea who it was she just said "you are welcome" Florence at this time was still in her room. As I moved closer into the house, and Charity realized who it was, and Florence was coming out of her room. Suddenly there was burst of screams and the biggest smiles on the planets. They picked me up and were hugging me, and screaming and all. It was so overwhelming the amount of excitement they had. Also baby Ruth (An Orphan at the home, who I adore) saw me, and was smiling constantly! It was a beautiful moment! Then about 15 minutes later, Teacher Margret, walked through the doors of the orphan home, not knowing I was there, and she also just started screaming. It was amazing! Whilst I am writing this, I am simply smiling; it literally makes me so happy!! :)

Then I went to the school, which the children really couldn't believe that I was back, and they were jumping around and smiling! And screaming Teacher Tara!!  Chef Jane went crazy as well! She was shouting " My Daughter!!!!"

Then, it was time to go to Hope Art! This was a funny one I must say. I went with the View Church Missionary team to the Hope Art offices. Then they went in, to have their tour. Whilst I was just waiting outside. They finished the tour in the first room. Which is the Sling bags and Critters room. Which has Paxina and Irene (If you read my previous blogs, you would understand, how much these ladies mean to me). I stood in the door frame, and looked to my right, where Irene sat. And she just looked at me in shock with her jaw dropped nearly to the ground. Then her eyes started to water, she couldn't move or say anything. Then suddenly she screamed " PAXINA." Paxina saw me, and went crazy and nearly fainted! She literally jumped on top of me! Both of them went crazy, and couldn't stop hugging me! It was amazing.

I then went into the next Hope Art room, and those ladies went insane too!

It was an amazing day! And couldn't have gone anymore perfectly! Perfectly unplanned, yet planned surprise :)

I have been currently working at the school. I am teaching on my own, which has actually been pretty awesome. The school closes tomorrow ( 2 August ) and then I shall be at Hope Art and doing village outreaches. But I will keep you in the loop.

All I can say is that I have some exciting times ahead of me!

Quote of the Day

One Life - One Chance