Arrived in Choma to the beautiful World Hope Guest House. It is very comfortable, and we definitely have more space than back in Chikankata. We divided into three groups this morning and went to different Wesleyan churches in the area, so we each experienced something a little different. The church we attended is the Central Church in Choma; it is the mother church of the other two churches that were visited. Much of the worship time was in Tonga, but the visiting pastor preached in English with an interpreter for Tonga. This is the home church of Mrs. Makonde who is a World Hope employee and is our constant companion and guide on all our trips. We were able to visit her home after church and meet her family members.
Mrs. Makonde is a retired nurse and has a vast amount of experience both in clinical nursing and management. She has spent time in U.S., U.K. Ethiopia and other places where she was sent by her place of employment for further training. She is a wealth of information both culturally and in nursing. We are blessed to have her with us.
The students are in little groups everywhere in the compound this afternoon preparing for class tomorrow and doing assigned homework. Since they are taking both a history course and Community Health Nursing, we are all learning about both topics. Pam Leslie is the CHN professor and has so much knowledge about Community. She also does a great job of applying what they learn to how that fits into the Zambian culture. The challenge is to provide the correct information so the students can pass their State Board examinations after graduation as well as teaching them about community health in this culture. Since CHN is a passion of hers, she does an outstanding job…I enjoy listening to her knowledge and insights.
We had a birthday party last evening for all the students having birthdays while in Zambia. They baked a cake, put up some decorations in the “great room” and made cards for each person which everyone on the team signed. Afterwards, we all played a game which was hilarious…if laughing boosts one’s immune system, all of ours should be boosted!
Erin and John Stevens are the American onsite World Hope employees who have assisted in coordinating and arranging all our activities while in the country. They are very nice, and work hard to accommodate our needs.
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