Zambia

We arrived in Zambia late in the afternoon yesterday. It took us about 8 hrs. to drive here but that includes the time at the border, which is always an experience. We had paid for a double entry visa last time so we thought it would go a lot faster but..... it didn't. It is winter here so things are dry and some of the trees lose their leaves. It looks like our autumn but not as many nice autumn colors here.

We are staying at the couple's house here in Lusaka, which by the way, is very modern and nice. It is kind of used as a mission home here in Zambia, if the need arises. They have gone north to what is called the 'Copper Belt' to be part of the measles campaign there and will be back Wednesday. We will do what they need us to do here. We are meeting someone at the church nearby at 9:00 a.m. and will help give out T-shirts that they had made up for the members who will help this next week. We don't know our way around here so someone will have to ride with us and show us where to go. We will also go with the District Pres. to see a possible water project that he wants to show us while we are here.

It is the mission zone conference here on Monday so we will go to that. Jim has been asked to take 20 minutes and talk about how the B of M answers questions of the soul.

The water specialists leave tomorrow morning to go back to Utah. They live in West Jordan and are taking back and suitcase of stuff for us and will call Pam to pick it up. I don't think they live far from her. We had to come up here so arranged for Johnsons to go overnight to a game park and do a safari etc. They should enjoy that. We did accomplish a lot with them but never got the projects written up so we will have to try and get that done when we get back. Hopefully we have enough information. We asked Locardia Murenza to be our hygiene supervisor and she accepted. She has been going out with us to the sites and has been a huge asset already. She will do a great job. She gets paid for doing the job and she does have quite a bit of responsibility. We also have our two borehole site monitors and they also will get paid. We were definitely guided by the spirit in our selection of help. Locardia left on Tues. evening as she had a temple trip to Jo'berg planned with her two sisters. She will be back when we get back and she can help us write up the projects, and she took a LOT of notes so that will be good. Elder Johnson and Elder Bullock were going to write up the project proposals on Thursday but Elder Bullock got called by Pres. Dube to help with some mission business. It was something that could not wait and it took most of the day. It was not pleasant mission business.

We have started packing already and will have to finish up most of it when we get back to Harare next week. We will get our things out of our flat so that when the Beans arrive they can move right in. We will live out of a small suitcase for a couple of weeks. We have been invited to stay at the "Sharp's" home during that time. (Nice place!!) They will be leaving as soon as school ends on Aug. 4th and have said that we are welcome to stay in their home. If by some chance that doesn't work as planned we will stay at the Holiday Inn and eat with the other couples.

Today we need to go exchange some money for the local currency so that we can go buy a few groceries. The exchange rate is 5000 to $1.00 USD. We have to do some quick figuring in our heads to see what we are actually paying for things. Prices are about the same as Zimbabwe, for the most part. We brought our squash rackets with us and there is suppose to be a court nearby so we will check that out and see if it is possible for us to play there and get our exercise.

I better go get showered and dress and ready for the day.
Love to all, Nancy