God's Gift of Hope

After a two hour walk we arrived in the area known as Chavuna-Chinjawa. There an extended family going back many generations lived and died. The Kalumbu family has lived in Chavuna-Chinjawa for almost one hundred years. As we approached the village of Ana's birth we were spotted by a couple of children. As soon as they saw me and Donna they began yelling, "Magoah, Magoah", which means white ones. The closer we got to the huts the little children ran and hid. I was getting used to the children running from me. When we first arrived the kids would run down the road screaming that I was a white monster. I guess at 6'4" and 220 pounds I looked like a giant.

We entered the village and all of the extended family members were there except Ana's maternal grandfather. He lived in his own village area. After a time of greetings, there is a traditional method of greeting, beginning with the eldest in the village, we sat down to talk. Donna was still carrying Ana in the chitanga and some of the women smiled when they saw Donna and Ana. I suppose it was a site they were not used to. In a matter of moments one of the elderly women came and took Ana from Donna. She held her up and smiled for all to see.

After a few minutes of sitting out in the open area between the huts we moved into a small almost open air hut. This is where the adults of the village sit to discuss things and the children know they are not allowed. Ana's father, Dominic, translated for us because in the village he was the only one to know English and our Tonga was limited to greetings and farewells. Before our trip to the village Donna and talked about the visit and what we wanted Ana's family to understand.

We felt very passionately about helping her family understand how much we loved her. If they could visualize how she was doing and know that she was eating everyday and getting the medical attention she needed, they would see the wisdom in allowing her to stay with us. Our visit lasted a couple of hours and on our way back to my truck Dominick took us by Ana's maternal grandfather. He was so happy to see her and his smile could have lit up a room. When we got ready to leave Donna asked if she could take a picture? You have to ask because some of the peoples believe you steal their spirit when you take a picture. He agreed and held Ana so proudly when the picture was taken. Our first trip to the Tonga land of Chavuna-Chinjawa was almost over.

Thank You

I want to divert from my posts about Ana just enough to express my appreciation to those who read my blog. As an infant writer nothing brings me greater satisfaction than knowing people are reading my thoughts and experiences shared through this medium. As a Believer in Christ and knowing God's call on my life I look at this blog as part of a communication ministry.

Thanks for giving my stuff a read and if you have a mind too would you tell your friends about the blog.

God's richest blessings be upon you and yours.

God's Gift of Hope

It didn't take long for the girls, Donna included, and I to know we needed to do some serious talking and praying as a family. With the prospect of Ana leaving us after her first birthday we were all pretty burdened and anxious. The idea of adopting Ana had not been talked about before. In fact if we thought about it, it was private. The thought of losing Ana, not necessarily to her father, but to the village, was very frightening. Most people will never understand what life in the Southern Province of Zambia can be like. There is no rain for eight months and the land becomes as hard as concrete. If the rains fail then the people die, it is that simple. There are no markets or grocery stores in the bush. The markets are miles and miles away.

With the certainty that we wanted adopt Ana we knew that the next step was to travel out to the Chavuna-Chinjawa area and visit her extended family. It would be no small task as it would take Donna and I most of an entire day to get there and back, even though it is only about fifty miles. With the decision made to visit her village I arranged for the day off and Donna, Ana and I headed off into the really unknown. We drove for two hours to the nearest town and then a two track that ended at the base of some really big boulders. We were stuck in the fact that we didn't know in what direction to start walking in. We were close to turning around and heading back.

As we sat in the truck a young man ventured our way, coming across an open field. He walked right up to the truck and greeted us in Tonga. After we explained to him what we wanted to do he told us that he could take us to the village. He told us it was about ten kilometers and we would have to leave the truck and walk. Donna put Ana in her chitangi and off we headed. For the most part we walked across barren ground with a few trees and an occasional trail. As we walked down a trail I noticed the young man looking into the trees. When we sat for a really needed break, needed by us not him, I asked him about looking into the trees. His reply was simple and to the point. In fact was so simple he used one word- snakes.