The Bullock's In Zimbabwe: Tuesday, June 16th

~ I've updated this original post with some pictures Mom sent today! -K ~

Hi, I started this email earlier and hit the wrong button and deleted it. We are in Lusaka, Zambia and staying with the Esplins in the home here. It is really nice! The Wards are also here - they stay in Jo'berg but are doing some audit training etc. here. The Flakes are at a hotel nearby - they are from SLC and here as specialists to do the measles campaign. We are having a nice time with everyone. They are all great couple missionaries. We drove from Harare yesterday. The roads were rather curvy at times and some pretty good potholes here and there, but generally it wasn't too bad. We went through Kariba and Pres. Dube had told us we should stop there for lunch at a hotel. We found where we could get diesel first and filled up our truck and 2, 20 ltr. jerry cans that we keep in the back just for good measure. Our lunch was okay but they were very slow. We sat and looked out at Kariba Lake - it is very beautiful and huge. There were quite a few 'nice' boats docked along the shoreline and we wondered if this was really Zimbabwe.

14 June 2010 - Lake Kariba

We carried on and came to the Zimbabwe border crossing where we had to register our truck and get permission to take it into Zambia. We had the paperwork/police clearance all done so it wasn't too difficult. They were trying to verify the engine # but couldn't find it after two of them looked for a minute and so they just stamped the paper anyway.

From there we drove 1 or 2 km. to the Zambia border crossing where we had to buy visitor visas. Bronte paid $50 and we each paid $80 for a double entry as we are coming back in July. They took U.S. money. We then went to a different window and had to pay some carbon tax for the truck and they would only take Zambian money (Kwatcha) so Jim had to go outside and exchange money to a guy on the road and I am sure we probably paid too much for it. We then went to another window and showed them the truck clearance stuff and were allowed to go. The Zambian border took about an hour and there was no one else in line, thankfully.

We hustled then as we didn't want to be driving after dark. We arrived in Lusaka at dusk and managed to get to where we needed to be with the Elders giving us instructions over the cell phone. This morning we went to a nearby mall, YES, a real mall!! Wow! We exchanged some money, went to Subway, YES, there is a real Subway sandwich store here, and it wasn't too bad either. We went to a grocery store and bought a few things to help out with groceries while
we are here. We met the Flakes and talked to them about the measles campaign and made plans for tomorrow and Thursday.

In the morning we are going with them to "Mothers Without Borders" orphanage. When we were at the mall we met the lady (Kathy, I think) who runs it (she came up to us when she saw our missionary tags) and she ask Bronte if she would like to go with them on Thursday to a village where they are doing some service projects and playing with the kids. They will pick her up Thurs. morning.

Thursday we have 2 or 3 meetings to go to with Flakes. We will get all the information etc. that we need to be useful during the campaign in July. Esplins will go help with the campaign up north (Copperbelt) and we will be here in Lusaka. Flakes have been here organizing and having meetings for close to a month already so they have done a lot already.

Friday morning we are going to drive to Victoria Falls - the road there is not very good so we will take our time and be careful to avoid the numerous potholes. We hope to arrive in time to see the falls that afternoon. Saturday we have arranged to go to Botswana again and do a boat cruise, lunch and a land safari (same as we did on the couple's conference). It was a good day and Bronte will love it. That is where we saw soooo many elephants and hippos. We will stay at a lodge in Victoria Falls.

I almost forgot -- Friday we went to the 'hand-over' ceremony at Kadyamadare School where we did the grinding mill. I took pictures I will try and send some. It was a good day. They go all out for these things. It was fun and we were the guests of honor and treated royally. There was traditional dancing and singing and speeches etc.