tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88967422795038143282024-03-05T11:02:12.677-08:00Leah's Amazing AdventuresMy Travels through life and AfricaLeah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-35467912451323108612009-05-14T09:26:00.000-07:002009-05-14T09:34:06.063-07:00What do I do now?SO I have been home for a little over a week....and I don't know what to do. I an not helping people all of the time now. I feel a little lost, but I know something will work out...I just have to keep at it. So I have been job searching, which has been going badly...who wants to hire a girl that has been in Africa for 6 months but has little schooling? I get really kinda annoyed that School is so important...but I understand why it is important...but I just learned things you could never learn in school...I mean I am going to school in the Fall...and I am kinda, a little excited about that...but I am more of a life learner...I always have been, I have never really been good at school....so it is frustrating...but I am still trying and I am still looking! I will find something so I CAN go to school this fall...If I do my best, Heavenly Father will help!Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-69286353615017464342009-05-09T10:08:00.000-07:002011-11-14T19:32:17.517-08:00Don't Do It!<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ok</span>...now that I am home I wanted to post something about the Organization that I was a part of...I promised my mom and my best friend that I would do this...to maybe help prevent some other people going through what I did...but before I start I want to say that I had a really amazing experience in Zambia...it was super hard but worth it...I wanted to go to Africa and I wanted to work with Kids/Teens and I did that, so I was able to accomplish what I set out to do. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ok</span> so the Organization that I went through is called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Humana</span> People to people, or in Zambia it is called Development Aide People to People. And most of the "leaders" of this group are also part of this thing called Teachers Group. It started in the 1970's (I think)...or somewhere around there. They got together and started working to get rid of Apartheid in South Africa. And when that was abolished in 1994, they started to work with other projects. So it started out with the best intentions I guess, but now all that I saw from it was corruption and huge problems. The project I was in was called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">TCE</span> or Total Control of the Epidemic. It worked with HIV and AIDS education and prevention. I worked mostly with what was called Field Officers. They are employed by the project, to out into the community, to educate them, test them for HIV, set up support groups, organize community activities, work with orphans, and so on. The problem is not the field officers, they work so hard to work with the people in the community, but they get no support from the management, or the project. They get funding from CDC, UNICEF, and other huge organizations, but I never knew where that money went to. It didn't go to the people that needed it or for the purpose it was given. The 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">nd</span> to last month I was there UNICEF gave them $200,000 for Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV....Did the pregnant mother support group that they UNICEF man saw get any of that money? Oh no! I really have no idea where that money went to.<br />
<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Ok</span> so some of you might not know that I had to do "training" before I went to Zambia. I went and was "trained" for 6 months in Massachusetts at a place called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">IICD</span> or The Institute for International Cooperation and Development. But the "training" was really just fundraising for the project. Now I thought the fundraising money went to the project I was going to...I mean that would make sense right...well I never saw any of the money I fund raised...which was $6000. I paid $4000 tuition and that paid for my plane ticket and my weekly "allowance". So the "headmaster" of the "school". Didn't care that I was there and all she really cared about was getting more students so they could have more money.....Oh Oh Oh...I forgot to mention that the fundraising we did was illegal. Most of the students are not from the USA and are here on Tourism Visas or Visitor Visas, Ha! So they should not be dealing with "making money" at all! Not only were they fundraising but they were working in a clothes collection project and promotion, getting more people to join the project...and getting paid for both of those jobs...Can I say ILLEGAL! Also we didn't really have permits or permission to fund raise in the places we went to...so bad bad bad. They also lied about pretty much everything they told me when they were promoting the project to me.....<br />
Anyway, when I finally got to Zambia, I was pumped to get to work...but there was nothing for me to do....they wanted me to be the sectary, type things for them and take pictures...Not what I went there to do. So I found something myself to do. I went and taught in schools. But not having anything to do was a common thing...all of my 12 team mates had the same problem and 6 other people I talked to in Zambia. Most people quit before the 6 months because there is NOTHING FOR THEM TO DO. One girl got to her project and her project leader told her to leave because she did not want her there. Bad, bad, bad. Mean people that did not care or even notice that I was there for 6 months....So I say of all people who want to got to Africa and Volunteer....Don't do what I did. Find some other way to go! I think everyone needs to spend sometime in a 3rd world country. It really makes you grateful for all of the many blessings you have! I loved my time there but it would have been so so so much better if I went through a different organization.Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-65523194270704238802009-04-24T04:44:00.001-07:002009-04-24T05:02:07.553-07:00Oh that I were an angel"Oh that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart.....that here might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth. But behold, I am a (wo)man."<br /><br />Oh I wish this! I wish there could be no more sorrow on the earth. It is too much, too much sorrow, to much suffering, too much sadness, too much pain, for people who do not deserve it. I wish I could take it all away. Give happiness and joy, love and charity. But I am but one person and can only do so much. Oh that I were an angel! But "perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God....and this is my joy."<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />100 points if you can guess the reference...not the normal 10 for guessing my ringback, this is big! :)Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-14146279695964475662009-04-20T04:40:00.000-07:002009-04-20T04:58:42.945-07:00Livingstone, Victoria FallsHere is the link to my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">facebook</span>...these are my latest pictures from Victoria Falls....http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2021155&id=1435457137&l=<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">bfc</span>6d026<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">af</span><br /><br />It was AMAZING! So much water...it was like I was drowning...you couldn't even see the Falls for the most part because it was obscured by all of the mist coming off of the Falls....I loved it...I got a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">poncho</span>, but still got soaked through :)Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-87865952039366674062009-04-13T03:51:00.000-07:002009-04-13T04:21:27.419-07:00ChildhoodSo Friday, Saturday, Sunday and today have been a "holiday"...it probably has something to do with Easter...but I has no idea...anyway so I have had nothing to do...but I have noticed that "holidays" here are only for people who have money. Those who have to work so hard everyday for a little bit of money never take a break...it has made me sad. They never get a break, they never have anything to look forward too, nothing to get excited about. Again this made so thankful for where I was born.<br />So I have done a post on the women here and on the nasty men....let me tell you a bit about the children. I think this is the thing that has been the hardest for me while I have been here...as most people who know me, know I love love love little kids...I love the things they can come up with, their imagination, their energy, their smiles and laughs...and I love the kids here...but there is something so different about them. They laugh and play and get dirty like any other kids...but there are things missing and I think I have finally figured it out. Childhood. Hope. Imagination. There are lots of kids here but very little childhood. They are so marred and downtrodden by things that kids should never have to worry about. They is very little hope for something better. Most of these kids will not get a proper education if they get an education at all. They have nothing to hope, no "what are you going to be when you grow up". Most of them will never leave their country or even go past the surrounding towns. There is nothing to dream about and very little to hope for. The last thing that is missing is imagination. It is hard to imagine things when you have the grim reality always pressing down on you. There are very little books, so no escape to far off places and marvelous adventures. It makes me cry even to think about it...like I said it has been the hardest thing for me here...I want to take them all away, to have the life every child should have. No cares, no worries. Just crazy adventures everyday, things to hope and dream for. Childhood.Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-24040503792966851902009-04-04T00:01:00.001-07:002009-04-04T01:02:49.440-07:003 saturdays after today<div>So I am down to my last month! So so so exciting! I just thought I would post a picture....and a funny story...ok not really a story...I don't know what it is but it is funny...but kinda sad...ok anyway here it is ...so yesterday I was walking back from shopping with HyeJin, the other volunteer that is with me, and the sun was shining and I was wearing shorts...kinda...so she was behind me...and she happened to notice how white my legs are...I had told her that I was the Queen...champion of white leg contests...but that I thought I was getting a little bit tan here...so this morning she told me just how wrong I was...this is what she said, "I saw your legs and they were sparkling, shiny they were so white....and I thought to myself, is that a skin color?" So I am still white, albino even...so funny and sad...I thought you might like it :) </div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320741257913540978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYkJ20I_snrtiucpz6awSe29tT46xh2eYCFsPFyI4W1d8tOrtEcD70nkgf_05JgwAq9S9YYxoR55ylz92olHFrCuFkjqZm-oWAj8w2mRKGYdV0zIJKQ9wJcFolHNNpxqQFKbXip-C0Mc/s320/4-5-09+002.jpg" border="0" /></div><br />So this is like the one person at the office that I like and get along with...she is the cook, cleaning woman...her name is Maureen...she is super sweet.Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-43408889767956416102009-03-25T23:35:00.000-07:002009-03-26T00:00:45.576-07:00The men I meet....Ugh<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ok</span> so I have to vent....so you know a bit back I did a post about the women who sit on the street selling corn or banana or whatever, trying to earn what little money they can. After my Mom read it she asked a very poi net question...Where are the men? Well let me tell you...they are loitering on the streets, harassing me. Seriously I can not go one day without 10 men calling me "Momma, Sweetie" and what ever else...it is disgusting. Today...less than one minute out of my house I had a man stop and say, "Hi Momma, how are you? I love you. I want to marry you." Right outside the house where I am staying there is a bus station...and all day long there are men there doing nothing....sitting, standing, talking, playing soccer...all day long. And then just down the road there is a bar and you can find drunken men at all hours of the day...like the man this morning...it was just past 8am and he was drunk...completely....They are the most vial repulsive men. I have met some really nice good people but my whole experience here has been tainted by these men...they do nothing all day, get drunk and harass women.<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ok</span> I am done venting...I just can't wait till I get home to nice <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Mormon</span> boys who treat women as more than tools to get some. I love you all and will see you soon!Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-50643051350277082882009-03-16T04:34:00.000-07:002009-03-16T05:28:11.880-07:0050 day left in Zambia<div><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ok</span>, so I just realized...it is like the middle of March and I haven't even posted anything this month...I am sorry....but you talk to my mommy and Dani and you will know that my March has been pretty frustrating and boring...so not a whole lot to post...but let me give you a few updated...I am still teaching in schools and what not...as long as they are not canceled...which happens quite a bit...but when I do teach that is great! I like to teach...but I really don't think I could EVER be a teacher...Here I teach three classes to one group of kids and then move to the next group...1. because there are a million schools and I want to try to get to most of them...and 2. because if I stayed any longer than that I think I would go crazy...some of the kids are really great...but I want to slap a few of them upside the head....<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">especially</span> when they tell me..."There is no way I am using a condom" and "Why should I only have sex with one person, that is not going to happen"....and I just want to tell them "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ok</span> them you are the <em>first</em> to die"....but I don't....I say something a little more <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">tact full</span>....So no, teaching is not a career for me. So Thursday was a "Holiday" here....Youth Day....and I we and taught some youth at a church....it was nice...<em>I</em> wouldn't call them "youth" per-say...most of them were older than I am...but anyways it was fun....but when it got to the end and time for questions...I got some crazy ones....like always....these ones really made me sad though....One was "I heard that the White men made the HIV virus because they want to eliminate the Black people"...yeah....really got asked that....and I told the man who asked..."Well I am here and clearly White...do you honestly think that I want to eliminate you?"....we also got into a huge debate about Religion and if God will take the virus away if you pray hard enough and repent....of course the answer is NO....but they wouldn't take that for an answer....they kept saying "with God anything is possible" and I assured them that I firmly believe in God but I also know that he can't take the virus away....then they accused me of not <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">believing</span> in God at all....and by that point I was almost in tears....I didn't know what else to say...and it wasn't until after that I realized what I should have said.... that God will forgive you and you can change but you still have to live with the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">consequences</span> of your choices and actions....So next time I will be ready when that question comes....and I know there will be a next time....But it just makes me so sad how mislead these people are....and how much of a hold <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Satan</span> has here....I am so <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">grateful</span> that I have the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Gospel</span> in its fullness...all of it....not just parts.....so here are some pictures of me teaching...they are not the best...I didn't take them....but here you go :)<br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313759564870224930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkl-zufdAgyAT3K7AL2mzIAWQ-U8zOoKcWY6lQGT48Hksi36kXoKYw4WNVB_Kr9u1gkLzKFOVOKeB-yjJWFFpBe9n4zh9pnIzQekMwgAgWUx69jdZdLipN2cT2jnUIcqYLXX-ZkgpZNQ/s320/2-12-09+001.jpg" border="0" /><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313757406601753858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuorxIBa_fCGtkPf6t8QWNN-3QO_8PonevSbWme-uYqAZQFPBez09wvGxAr3FrfY7sAdcSbaqRYu5IKjQj2FBYST2brFpwjJti2LD209RFAM_MOqiiXaTqukYK0a-a185HOQTM0Okv6Y/s320/2-12-09+003.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313757414590132962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACXh-2CKaQNLaghjQf3AL0F0iKe3rHzhB3WyM7WFpcMN9MlrbbdbAl89b2kmsRNquK-ez6ORujIjohhdK-E0J-2ul7FTCtUM4CBVOgFwUYvpWhPv0nyB2FSMC3BTuS3uv9Ik5z5_GU1c/s320/2-12-09+006.jpg" border="0" /></div>Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-24774720940815889072009-02-24T23:10:00.000-08:002009-02-25T00:29:53.078-08:00The people I meet....Ok...so I want to tell you about the people I meet everyday...so I get to walk everywhere I go...and sometimes it is pretty far...you know to the classes I am teaching...so on monday it was one of those days that I got to walk far....theses are some of the pictures I took on my walk....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIebL671VkIvHhK-IKIu47_uXmqatSJly6T6IucC_O2eQwSVk-Hoosy0Ja5MTj_bCJu7bwfcorBjvreOs60kWbjHx-whBomTbgYo2GzvsZLz7cf93wIARb6Dv2sVJjGSWYQwgRV0iWF1E/s1600-h/02-24-09+010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306643264776624402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 179px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIebL671VkIvHhK-IKIu47_uXmqatSJly6T6IucC_O2eQwSVk-Hoosy0Ja5MTj_bCJu7bwfcorBjvreOs60kWbjHx-whBomTbgYo2GzvsZLz7cf93wIARb6Dv2sVJjGSWYQwgRV0iWF1E/s320/02-24-09+010.jpg" border="0" /></a> This little boy was walking to who knows where...all by himself...and you can see passing him is what is called a Mini-bus....a little van that they use for public transport...and stuff as many people as they can on to it...I hate them....there are usually room for 15 people at most but I have been in one where there where 25 people....it was horrible and I have not ridden in one since then.....<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUm6PS0KlbV23f1KSCmSbQSety3Qta8nhpt-2-DUzSps_va0Zu7_k3YwfUhCJxcnvMU1OmPey5VbGVrtlwtPybkottJBdgynnZSnvij9Hm0v6qBXpumF7JlJPCtxVMq5Dk0z_9w_NWnY/s1600-h/02-24-09+008.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306643261968354642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUm6PS0KlbV23f1KSCmSbQSety3Qta8nhpt-2-DUzSps_va0Zu7_k3YwfUhCJxcnvMU1OmPey5VbGVrtlwtPybkottJBdgynnZSnvij9Hm0v6qBXpumF7JlJPCtxVMq5Dk0z_9w_NWnY/s320/02-24-09+008.jpg" border="0" /></a> So this guy is trying to fly a kite....made from trash bags, two sticks, and for sting cassette tape...you see alot of these kind of kites...and cars made out of empty drink containers...they can always find something to play with...and are so happy with their toys made out of trash.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGATz_lWUiLBLxG_mr16ZI29v-7xriCXpPAkXQKe5jlOpT6FLtDXU_s8NqMOLPdf4UHB98y17nk5eEUe6sQpXybxmLaGpR0ijEoc33bKO8VGCImaeoZh8ByjNgr6ozJW1u9Gzm2N_-t4/s1600-h/02-24-09+005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306635445941199250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGATz_lWUiLBLxG_mr16ZI29v-7xriCXpPAkXQKe5jlOpT6FLtDXU_s8NqMOLPdf4UHB98y17nk5eEUe6sQpXybxmLaGpR0ijEoc33bKO8VGCImaeoZh8ByjNgr6ozJW1u9Gzm2N_-t4/s320/02-24-09+005.jpg" border="0" /></a> So you can see some of the normal houses...these are actually really nice ones...and the house I live in is like a mansion....<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306635443712584946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVbzWGByfInu2FJoYcDrXfjCnxMPK4gfYtZLys4LKGUAHRiBICTT1xfk-DkfQMcq_Qlolb9ikoqNdDzTC3xoVHIRrx6MH11SMrjqQaDAjkLXAdnowierlLyjZk1jhvFZSHBggD3m07mg/s320/02-24-09+001.jpg" border="0" /></div><div>So everywhere you go...there are women selling things on the side of the road...it depends what is in season...like here they are selling corn...they are cooking them(kinda grilling them on coals) and sell them for 1pin(1000K=$0.20)....you find them all along the road...about every 1/2 mile or so and they are all selling the same things. This is how these women provide for their families...alot of them are single and have a bunch of kids...as you can see here....<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrk8lZqToUdQ-d4B-ddcD7ijx8DiAyiCSl0JjVx2ZqeSKFTLn-JyxI1kg-2pum4YYFgQRK-5Tu2Xp5LyoAfZ9QOZri8CCif3TiZs-7g_phmB-Tfxnx0sxWCz-OG1Blby_O6wFKOU_6liA/s1600-h/02-24-09+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306635443625404258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrk8lZqToUdQ-d4B-ddcD7ijx8DiAyiCSl0JjVx2ZqeSKFTLn-JyxI1kg-2pum4YYFgQRK-5Tu2Xp5LyoAfZ9QOZri8CCif3TiZs-7g_phmB-Tfxnx0sxWCz-OG1Blby_O6wFKOU_6liA/s320/02-24-09+003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306643265164016914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 179px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_-n5-Q25iRtPpdEMXb7wNGcmmKhP_F9xBaqOUeM0NlV-etArVhBoCFGw4_0HeLUXpLXUm_6UIjdhiGzlWEl1N8Yheqp0wHlZT_QlR1QM1OATy9Zrvxt2lVLV6KwgYYyjpnnKX8kC7PI/s320/02-24-09+014.jpg" border="0" /></div></div></div></div><br />So this woman I meet...she was selling corn too...I stopped and talked to her for a bit...her name is Modesty....<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306643266099657170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 179px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBwuaQJqcjc482LsLJGRiyLtkSuweRFICkoY6RqoMM5FHGMXzHLhPUEzB5KWv3_vGPSe0pFNQDjYA8butKABdq2F6BWdIzEU9rT0r3OfHT1_voatKP20pfeiPXQEX4cQB_QwqJHWAYDY/s320/02-24-09+012.jpg" border="0" />Like I said they are all over...they sit in the same place all day, everyday...selling what they have to get a little money...3/4 of all Zambians live on less than $1 (5000K) a day...I tried it for a week...and it was hard...and that was just with my food...not anything else....Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-90277370210472679782009-02-18T04:19:00.000-08:002009-02-18T22:42:39.258-08:00Hmmm...ok...so some of these you might knowOk so everyone is doing this...so I thought I would too...it is all over facebook and peoples blogs so I wanted to join in....25 things you don't know about me....<br /><br />1. I love, love, love my family. They are my very best friends...I love to sit on April's lap and vent about the day...I love to hear all about the dances I-kiek just came home, talking for hours on my bed with Bee. I love getting hugs from Ry, at the same time trying to keep him from pushing me down the stairs. I love to walk to dogs with Al and my mommy....to sit and watch a good movie or play cards (it gets pretty crazy)with all of them!<br /><br />2. I love to cook! Everything! That is what I think about before I fall asleep most nights. But most of all I love to have people eat what I cook.<br /><br />3.I love to Read. When I was little and just learning how to read....Ugh I hated it. It was so hard for me. I would spend hours on one little book. I always joke that I learned how to read in the principles office...like I was bad, but really he was my tutor....I was the only one in the whole school that Mr. Jesse would spend an hour with everyday teaching me how to read.<br /><br />4.When I am mad I will either take a drive and blast classical music, or go and curl my hair or bake cookies.<br /><br />5.I am very accident prone....I like to do stupid, crazy things....like dance around the kitchen or climb a tree...and most of the time I end up getting hurt someway...but I usually never remember how I got a bruise or a cut.<br /><br />6.I love surprises or to get something that is unexpected....or thoughtful<br /><br />7. I love, love shoes! I have over 67 pairs of shoes...most of them still in the original boxes...stacked in my closet...and yes I wear them all.<br /><br />8.I love movies....I am a movie girl...but I love movies like All of the Rocky's and Die Hards...Nacho Libre and The Man Who Knew Too Little....<br /><br />9.I have to bad habit of popping....my toes. I scrunch them and they pop...I usually have to pop them multiple times before I can sleep.<br /><br />10.Speaking of toes...when I an watching a movie or just putting my feet up I inter-lock my two big toes...left one on top. It is weird I know.<br /><br />11.I really dislike going swimming. Maybe it is having to wear a swimming suit....but I hate have the feeling of wet clothes on.<br /><br />12.My biggest fear is stagnate water....oh it is disgusting! So many diseases...hmmm...maybe that has something to do with my hate for swimming...I have never thought of that.<br /><br />13.I love being the middle child...I am kinda the go between...the one everyone talks too...I love, love, love that!<br /><br />14.I love to travel, but I hate to fly. I love seeing new places and different people, but I hate to fly...unless I have someone who will take care of everything and someone to sleep on their shoulder.<br /><br />15.I love to perform...wither that is singing in a choir or being in a play...I love the stage lights on me.<br /><br />16.I tend to learn things the hard way.<br /><br />17.I have never had a cavity...well I had one in a baby tooth...but in my mouth right now I have never had one...but it has taken a lot to get my fab smile looking good....teeth pulled, spacers, head-gear (oh yes that was fun), braces and still having to wear a retainer every night.<br /><br />18.I love to laugh and to make other people laugh.<br /><br />19.I have crushes on people for a very long time...and I usually don't say anything....<br /><br />20.I am stubborn, proud, selfish and have to have the last word....but I am trying to work on these.<br /><br />21.My biggest pet peeves is when people suck their snot and when people don't use common sense.<br /><br />22.I love helping others and making them happy.<br /><br />23.I say "I know" to things that I shouldn't...ask Ben<br /><br />23 and a little bit. I have always wanted to be a singer in a Rock Band.<br /><br />23 1/4. I have a secret crush on the Jonas Brothers :)<br />(I know...Ike hang your head in shame)<br /><br />23 and a little more bit. I want a motorcycle!!!!!!!!!<br /><br />231/2.I love my friends! They are the best!!!<br /><br />23 3/4.My favorite place to sleep, besides my bed, is on the carpet in the living room...I don't know about now because we got some new stuff, but I loved snuggling into that nasty brown thing that Allen said was red when they moved the piano.<br /><br />24.I love The Church and love the Lord.<br /><br />25.All I have ever wanted to be is a Mommy.<br /><br /><br />So I hope you learned something new about me...I wanted to do some thing different than the normal post....<br /><br />But here are some updates of what I am doing...I have kinda been sick this week...I think I might have a worm...or something...anyway I have still been teaching. Today I taught a third lesson at one of my schools...that was way fun, because I kinda just talked about Utah, AF, Family and Friends....showed pictures....they loved the pictures of my blonde hair...they couldn't believe it was me...so I let my hair out of the pony and let them see that it is long...then they all wanted to feel it...Ha, ha, ha....so I had about 50 people run their dirty hands through my hair...But then we talked about HIV and Peer pressure...we played a game "Pressure Limbo"....to talk about what peer pressure was and what we can do about it....that was fun. So on Monday I was teaching at another school and my "boss" wanted to come and see....so I was teaching about the Immune System...I made a model of the body and all the parts of the Immune System...it went really well and my "boss" liked it so much that she is having me teach all of the Field Officers (over 100) and other Staff....so I guess it was good :)Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-1960151165809930892009-02-13T00:00:00.000-08:002009-02-13T02:02:01.580-08:002 months...3 weeks to go :)<div><div><div><div>Oh my goodness what a crazy week! Well let me start out by telling you about Saturday....I got to call my amazing, wonderful family! It was so so so nice I miss them so much! You have no idea...they are my best, best friends....sadly I only got to talk to half of them, because the others are not living at home...But I got to talk to my Mommy, Poppy, I-keik, and Al-bee. But I missed talking to Prilly, Ben, Ry, and Bee....They are truly wonderful and I am so grateful for them! I am so blessed! I have the best family in the world...no contest!</div><br /><br /><div>Ok so this week I taught at a bunch of schools...it was so much fun! Monday I taught at a school I taught at last week...so we did a review...there were about 100 kids there...and I lost my voice by the end of the lesson....Tuesday I went to a school for Juvenal Boys...oh my goodness that was super fun! They were so funny and asked really good questions...and because they were older and already sexually active I went into more detail and gave them statics of the AIDS epidemic through the world and especially here in Zambia...did you know that about 1 in 6 people here have HIV? Zambia is one of the countries with the highest percentage of people living with HIV....so when I was teaching this...the room got really quite and you could see the shock on their faces. Wednesday...I had a class in the morning and in the afternoon and the same on Thursday...The students are great...they ask tons of questions as well as the teachers...some of them I don't know the answers to...like how did HIV get to Africa if it was first discovered in the US? Or who discovered it? Where did it come from? And in my last class yesterday one boy asked, "I am Christan and believe in God. If I pray really hard will God take the virus out of my body?" </div><br /><br /><div>So with teaching all of these classes...I get a ton of exercise...I walk about 12 mile or more ....in the blazing heat....with my computer strapped on my back...so I calf's are looking pretty nice :) Ha, ha, ha....</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302214138150620274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbI6Oll3qQslhAGtRJ1IOTEYYwFkeHHlJ96k_QXrHbKEVXJzJbQ-TnqncLw1RN4t6HTcjvhir6Ijj4LRZLk8vcFh1D-3etWP9lsZ8BuMpyCbwyTMiElYtH-0XHK3MNb9FrkcoapZbJE8/s320/02-14-09+007.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><div>So here are some of the students...I taught them on Thursday morning....they were really great...it was so funny, there teacher tried to keep them a couple feet away from the table were I was but by the end of the lesson I was surrounded!<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302214119001898994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwcZWajy7K_3mxfhv4sxUYGiRmfaHmlS03dQOmDg-AXG7l4RT_A12iCQEVh5FcL9LHi6Jj5eaNPqZ3PdGLvul-YvbCGBI86mNgltn3o1R14MIl8JtzN7A9j46X0JdY1_sVScKOtcTTCY/s320/02-14-09+002.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><div>These are some of the JV boys...ages 8-18...they acted all tough and hard, but you could see just how scared they were when I was tell them about HIV...they all wanted to be tested.</div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302218799329399330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecpl6grCh_NZuCzg6uXbj6vTlJAlHWRodGTalqQ2j9Ace6HPkgeA7Dh8IoXlNU1vyyigtRi7CesJbIj1Q3H5_aLLXB0nSwr5vBVn3S8VMKN0dc_gZm3CvGdNjodQwmxEuGABrDsSMfzs/s320/01-12-09+034.jpg" border="0" /></div></div></div></div><br /><p>So this sign is in the open market right across from my house...and I thought it was so funny and I wanted to share it with you! So remember to be responsible and use a toilet :)</p><p>Hey by the way happy Valentines Day! I love you all!</p>Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-19179941470664119942009-02-04T04:17:00.000-08:002009-02-04T05:53:55.846-08:00Field Work.....So today...well this week...has been really good...I have started teaching class at schools, my first lesson was last Wednesday...then I taught on Monday and then again today...It has been so much fun!...I put together a power point on the United States...starting with a Map of Zambia and then Africa and then the world and then the America...( they all freaked out when I pulled out my computer)...and I asked then if they could point out where Mazabuka was on the map of Zambia...one girl out of the three classes could...and then I asked them to find Zambia on the Map of Africa...none of them could find it without my help...so after talking a little bit about American and answering any questions they had...I moved on to the next topic which was HIV/AIDS...this they knew much more about...but they also had many misconceptions as well. Like one of the teachers asked if the kids share sweets could they get HIV and if you are sharing a bed with some one could you get it? And they heard that HIV had come from monkeys having sex with women...yeah, I know...anyway...it was really nice to teach...we did an activity to illustrate the difference between HIV and AIDS....where one person has lots of CD-4 cells and one has a few...they both get HIV, but the one with the low immune system gets Opportune Infections, like TB, STDs, Cancer, etc...so they are left with less than 200 CD-4 cells...so then they have AIDS...I then lead that into how HIV is spread...by having them give HIV to other students...and soon instead of just two having it...now 11 or 12 have it...so after we discussed HIV and AIDS. Then the next topic was Nutrition and how to have a strong immune system....Ah! It was so much fun! The first two classes didn't ask too many questions, the first class was really young...but the last class was great! And I will keep going back, so that will be nice...So today after I taught I went out with two of the field officers, Gift and Selina. We went and saw the AIDS Support Group's Garden...they had tons of tomatoes, corn (they call it Maze), and pumpkins, but that was just about it...I gave them some snow pea seeds and they gave me some corn to eat...and after that we went to go test some people for HIV....that was quite the experience! We sat in this shanty house...a mud hut with corrugated metal for a roof, held on by cinder blocks and bike parts, and a sheet for a door...with plastic bags nailed all over it to help keep the rain out....so we sat down there and Gift got out all of the testing material....first he talked with them about HIV, what is it, how do you get it, how you protect yourself...and there were a bunch of misconceptions there too...like it is a germ and you came get it from food, or that bruises can transmit it....but I was there as they tested five people....they tested them together and then gave the results individually...but out of those five people three of them were HIV positive...crazy! One man and two women...I couldn't believe that...but they seemed to accept the results really well. But I had a hard time just sitting there and watching their faces...you could see that they were picturing the rest of their lives...and what being HIV positive would do to that life...the man was the one that was really upset...but he did seem like he wanted to change the way he was living...and I am worried that he will not tell the girls he is having sex with that he is HIV positive...let alone use a condom....It is so hard to know this and know that this careless man will infect more and more people...how is it ever going to get under control if they keep living the lives they do? So I hope I can affect the next generation with what I am teaching....I hope.<br /><br /><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">This is some of the students...from my first class...the little boy with the paper on him is the one who had the good immune system.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298931061923732626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 179px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcewsbmJTzOllPlOYaVHW7O7OCYOnofbI0z_nfYEhWnZCiRTj7CkLKC6dSkqy-s1xNeZrvwMggLdqWXspPTgklH3QfsCdpYspe8sbJBob3AHV77kZoOmiFuGPt7fSe-CWMOhyphenhyphen15RaZUuI/s320/02-04-09+002.jpg" border="0" /></div><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298931063651655810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJmG58NCmsvwHBVKkXAtx4MEccONhOV4KHEn_N3oKVaFJ9Ht9kEN6OpJqMeYbOIEmSdxH7nojqcyBNWyZHiUNoztL0Ihvq4Y9_yhlDdyYwNPErOCdLypza4DnoHE83KTwOOvQzreytZA/s320/02-04-09+013.jpg" border="0" />So this the the second school...it is Tropul Private school...we had to have the class outside, because there is not room in the classrooms for all of them and as you can see there is no shade..so that was fun, but they were really good kids...and next week when I go, if they ask a question they get to get their snap (picture) taken with me :)<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298931068690097394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0Cn8EPaPXpmavcKhCNR7agJ0qOs_aWr6_6RDM1x2b6ljdj0KGsix-iIw_uG0e5hDHsjKNzmsmEFzvVBjyIg_L8TIOQqUxeBBIVSKKXDl9bWScS2VkU87rGLOxsNitdankNWfKubQuKQ/s320/02-04-09+016.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>So this the the AIDS Support Group garden...with some members and the two Field Officers I worked with today...Gift, the skinny guy in the green and Selina, the girl in green....the man in the middle is 51 years old and has been HIV positive for four years.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298931072896362946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Za17PIlnYqnfiMMe_U6_p7tZCaYCErSYqBUb5ihileRfJCyfMsXmMVf9r6XOMgMmJh-pJ0FYXPx5AMieNrbGW6LK9I9kzZpYxGZm2eqePE70e9ALo9LsZO7TXZRkGdczdyFmbI00aOI/s320/02-04-09+022.jpg" border="0" /></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298931073148178146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQemgmmQhEIxXSCFaqiiCvyqbwRuyboj_dmhz6v256IUTFCgFk_nqYQv-L0Tatiqf4vo_lNiQOUyzXSMVdAvVCmYhiJVy4wPkHJwlJe7bbcnlVRpFjuBDdNRkqXqi0fKCXUyTQIQxSbk/s320/02-04-09+029.jpg" border="0" /></p>Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-15338988606113004012009-01-23T04:02:00.000-08:002009-01-23T05:18:00.477-08:00The ease of my life...So I know that I haven't posted in a bit...that is because nothing has happened...Michi left but that is about it....life is very boring and goes on ever the same...but yesterday I had to go to Lusaka to get my work permit....yes I know I have been here 3 months and I am just getting my work permit, ah Africa.....anyways, I got to got with the driver for the project, Joe. So I got to sit in the front seat and get a good look of everything and I realized how very blessed I am as I passed shanty houses held together by cinder blocks on the roofs and protected from the rain by garbage bags for doors. I watched people laboring in fields of corn and woman earning their families income from selling tomatoes on the side of the road, with six or seven women near by. I watched a little girl of six or seven wearing no more than a tattered, dirty dress, carrying a baby on her back. I watched a man and some children getting water from a filthy rain puddle....filling up four or five large jugs, then carry them away on there heads....with no house or dwelling within five miles. My life at home, in America is so easy and I take so much for granted! I have clean warm water for a shower whenever I feel the least bit dirty. I have clean cold water in abundance to drink whenever I feel parched. I have a nice big house that keeps me dry and warm when it rains...and whenever I feel too hot or cold I just turn a dial and I am comfortable in minutes. I have nice, clean clothes to protect my body and shoes to protect my feet. When they get dirty I just put them in a machine that makes them clean again. I have food that I don't have to sweat to get. I don't have to raise chickens or goats and them kill them to eat meat. I don't have to work all day in a field to have vegetables to eat. There is nothing I went without and nothing I really appreciated.<br />Even here in Africa I have a really easy life in comparison...OK I have to treat or boil my water....but I don't have to walk five miles to get it. I have a house to live in and a bed to sleep in. I have a store where I can buy all of my food. I don't have a refrigerator or a oven...but I have good, healthy food everyday that I don't have to labor for. I am so very blessed and I have so much and I want everyone who reads this remember this and thank your Father for everything he has given you.Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-59378681505926867342009-01-11T22:22:00.000-08:002009-01-11T23:32:07.412-08:00Day Trip to Victoria Falls and other photos.....So I have been trying to upload pictures but it is not working! Arrg! So here is a link to my facebook where you can see the photos....<br /><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2008874&l=3741f&id=1435457137">http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2008874&l=3741f&id=1435457137</a><br /><br />Let me know if it works!<br /><br />So Victoria Falls was AMAZING!!!<br />Everyone should go there....and spend some time there!<br />So Saturday morning we woke up really early and got ready to go....we went and got my package from the post office at 8 (by the way mommy, it has been there since the 27th of December) and then I went home and opened it....thanks! But after that we got our stuff and went to the bus station....and caught the next bus leaving for Livingstone. We than sat on the bus for 9 hours....some of it, the road was not paved....my butt and back were really sore when we got off.....we then made our way to the backpackers place we had reserved for the night....checked in and then went to find transport to the Falls....we got a little lost but finally made it to where the mini buses are that go to the falls....but just our luck the bus broke down so we got a taxi instead...which is more expensive but it worked out great....our driver was really nice and took us on a tour of the falls and then waited for us to drive us back.....the falls really were amazing....so huge! I have seen Niagara falls and it is nothing in comparison! We got super soaked, it was like it was pouring rain the whole time.....I love, love, loved it!Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-18952486272534295782009-01-05T23:23:00.000-08:002009-01-05T23:54:56.959-08:00Turning PointSo yesterday was a pretty darn good day! It started out amazing and inspiring because I got to talk to my spectacular best friend Danielle! So is so wonderful gave me tons of help and encouragement....then the day went down a little because we had a "meeting" with most of the staff....now these so called meetings are super long and they just blab about stupid things and some one usually ends up fighting.....so I sat there, taking minutes, and feeling frustrated, because we had planned to go to the hospital that day and ask if there was anything we could do to help.....so about 3 hours later the "meeting" is over. Now it is lunch time and we go back to the house and eat some PB and J's and then buy bananas to take with us to the hospital....now it was my idea to go to the hospital, I wanted to go last week but Mich wasn't feeling well....we had been throwing around ideas of what we can do here, because neither of us can just sit around and do office work any more....Mich had the idea to teach kids songs and sports and I had the idea of going to the hospital....so we are turning a new leaf and doing both! So after we ate we set off to the Hospital....it is about a 45 min walk from out house...so I got some good exercise and I also worked on my tan....but on the way there we passed a bakery...now a few weeks ago we had a lunch for the donors of the project and we had this amazing rolls....like Sister Petersons, but bigger.......I was pretty sure this is where they had gotten them from so we stopped and Awhhhh....there they were, with whole wheat bread and pizza! I was so happy! So we bought some and then finished our journey to the hospital....Now i was pretty nervous I mean if you know me at all I, my general rule is to stay far far away from any kind of hospital, doctors....most of the time only bad comes from it....and I didn't know what they were going to say...if they said No, what was I going to do? So I go in and talk to the first nurse I can find and she takes us into another room and goes and talks to, some one higher in authority then comes back out and says er area most welcomed. then she asks if we are nurses and we say no, then she asks us what out professions were and I said I worked with kids...so she sends us to the Children's Ward....now I am way excited because this is exactly what I wanted...so we talk to the head nurse and she says that we are welcome and says we can talk to the kids....so we sit down in front of a boy, about 7 or 8...he has burns over most of his body and is covered in gauze. The is a mosquito net covering his bed so it was really hard to see him....but I just started talking...about anything, about my family, asking what he liked to do, sports, anything I could think of....but I wanted to read to him or something but I have no material, because I didn't think I would be doing something like this....and after we talked to him for a while we told him that we would me back and we went and talk to another little boy, with a broken arm and him father....again I just talked and talked....and the little boy didn't really respond. His father said he was really hungry, he hadn't eaten anything all day....so I looked at Mich and decided to give him our banana, that we had just bought....I got it and gave it too him...he snarfed it down with a huge smile on his face that he tried to hide...it was so cute.....so we stayed a little longer and then made plans to make some things to take back with us....we are going to try to make some books.....It made me so happy, that I could do even this tiny thing. So I think it was ones of my favorite days here!Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-86426384869858986222008-12-25T23:58:00.001-08:002008-12-25T23:58:59.910-08:00Christmas....SO this was the worst Christmas in the history of the world….well at least my life…..Christmas eve was nice even though we had to cook all of the food….that only insured that it was good food that we would eat….but Christmas Day that is another story….so when we got back from dinner, Christmas Eve, we found that our bathroom was flooded….that was fun, but being too tired we decided to take care of it in the morning and went to bed….I woke up to the sound of running water….and I found the reason the bathroom was flooded…the tap had been left on….so I turned it off and got the broom and started to sweep out all of the water, there was about two inches….then I took a bath, made breakfast….the morning went on like any other day….So Jabez, our Project Leader, had invited us for church…the taxi came and picked us up around 10 and we proceeded to Jabez’s house and then to church….so we get to the church and I am a little wary but also a little excited to see what the service will be like….the choir is singing and dancing and we get front row seats…..they have a guy playing the key board, mixing and what not….a little weird and super loud but ok….the preacher gets up and says he is going to talk about the origin of Christmas and he asks three members of the congregation to come and tell what Christmas means to them….it is all really gospel-ie, with all of the Amen’s, Praise: God, Savior Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and Halleluiah’s you can imagine, or more. So the Preacher, Father, Pastor….whatever he is called goes on and on about where Christmas came from and all of the legends….getting more and more animated….then the choir comes back up and starts to sing again….they start to wail and crying to holy Jesus to save them…waving their hands and covering their faces….and I take a good look around and it is like they are all pretending….it reminded me of some scriptures…I have no ideas where they are but to ones about “weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth” also “making a mockery of God” ….and the pastor takes the mic and starts call up people who have problems in the home so he can pray with them….so a few people come up and he grabs hold of them and starts shaking them and screaming….them people who feel unloved came up….and the pastor and woman did the same thing….shook them and screamed…and one woman was bawling and another woman “fainted”…..It was all so fake and all so horrible….it made me feel so dark and dirty, but also so happy that I have the truth! Later Mich and I were talking and crying…and she, who does not believe in religion, but believes in God, commented that she thought it was rude to God, what they were doing….Awful, Awful…..Jabez asked how we liked it and all I could say was….it was loud. He also invited me to go with him if I couldn’t make it to Lusaka to go to Church on Sundays….I politely told him no. After Church we went to Jabez’s house for Linner….Lunch/Dinner……it was….not so good….and there were a million flies everywhere! But after we ate he put on CNN so that I could be informed about what was going on in the US….but instead of the News there was an award show….CNN’s Heroes of the Year. I sat there watching these amazing people do incredible things to help others, and I felt so horrible….like a failure. I am here, wanting to do something good but I have felt like I have done nothing, Nothing! I want to help, I want to serve….but I feel like a failure. One the drive to church there was this tiny boy half naked standing in a heap of garbage….and no one cared….how can I help him? What can I do? I am a failure and I am letting everyone one down…..so Mich and I went back to our house and sat and cried for hours…resolved to start something outside of the project, our own program, teaching children….then ate peanut butter sandwiches….so that was my African Christmas! I hope yours was amazing and you got everything you wanted! I love you all so much!Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-32662024010519149842008-12-20T01:25:00.000-08:002008-12-22T03:59:06.085-08:00The place where I reside.....So I was talking to my amazing Aunt the other day and she said that the guy I described in my last post would be translated and I would never be able to meet him....so I guess he can have a few flaws....and she also reminded me that all I really need is a guy who is ga-ga over me and I over him....so that is what I will go for! So sorry I haven't posted for a bit, life has been really really boring....I don't know why but December the entire country like shuts down, I mean I understand shutting down for Christmas, but it has been all of December...so we haven't really been able to do a whole lot, sigh.....But I have been trying to up load the video I made of the house where I am staying....for like two weeks, but it hasn't been working, which I am really sad about because it was really funny although it sounded like I had a lisp, so I decided to work with what I could do....here are some pictures of the house with commentary added.....<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDey33ADChIC8zQDZ2j2O_LYPvAWTKyQZ4Y1Ciq8E-bEoXiPu8WDDvGnlM3moT0gDhwNBJ9iBSYNWJGY8nlaYyvEF1OO7wf2wLQIMU7b_l40B1ffnuvpXdst4_Y6OOR2XHCnMgj1EH6Q/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+022.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282568272262614226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDey33ADChIC8zQDZ2j2O_LYPvAWTKyQZ4Y1Ciq8E-bEoXiPu8WDDvGnlM3moT0gDhwNBJ9iBSYNWJGY8nlaYyvEF1OO7wf2wLQIMU7b_l40B1ffnuvpXdst4_Y6OOR2XHCnMgj1EH6Q/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+022.jpg" border="0" /></a> So this is my closet...on the bottom (not in the picture) are shoes, then some food and trash, then you have my six months supply of shampoo, body wash, face wash....and what not (really this has saved me!) Then is my supply of vitamins that my mommy sent me, so I can stay healthy...Then there is my tooth brushes and mirror and things.....<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FKNSZ9_hZglZXWmepxShaJaYl69PC_1IEfs18I2nTxjKpZfRELL4vj3Hc-KCFm9gfTyd3T6TVJwEQA-yoNdGrdMRpWVAXUNO5el0sv9ApelMGlGllVG2oqpQuo9CYLMOcj0Qwo3S76s/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+025.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282568264229565266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FKNSZ9_hZglZXWmepxShaJaYl69PC_1IEfs18I2nTxjKpZfRELL4vj3Hc-KCFm9gfTyd3T6TVJwEQA-yoNdGrdMRpWVAXUNO5el0sv9ApelMGlGllVG2oqpQuo9CYLMOcj0Qwo3S76s/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+025.jpg" border="0" /></a> Here is my bed, protected by my wonderful mosquito net! can you believe it...my bed is made! I know it is a miracle....<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2dSlZFbCo4RT1EHQxoKQRvcmZXD7-7AllhADq4CsI4L8GfdYim0GH_llHXfpZHcrDYuI32XJFo4xNNR-IiaaEM7IZ0OhkoufkDZudjlz-E6uFuPM1PnPURM8IteDRnZQr_9V1oeWEQ8/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+024.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282568260678290786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2dSlZFbCo4RT1EHQxoKQRvcmZXD7-7AllhADq4CsI4L8GfdYim0GH_llHXfpZHcrDYuI32XJFo4xNNR-IiaaEM7IZ0OhkoufkDZudjlz-E6uFuPM1PnPURM8IteDRnZQr_9V1oeWEQ8/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+024.jpg" border="0" /></a> So on the other side of the closet is where we hide our food...we have to keep it here or it disappears....<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYAJM4TAs7gbPz5QTGnnx82yGe1qUXPmB8bL2avcXFDHWOTMUfQEQqbieJejMoMJgPaEGi4CNhakE2sG1KYRoqGALSvEPggWUz4UwaRQfM6vAEtj-2AnIbyuB8e3gZA3NsQ8dyDXrv37I/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+027.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282568252737850658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYAJM4TAs7gbPz5QTGnnx82yGe1qUXPmB8bL2avcXFDHWOTMUfQEQqbieJejMoMJgPaEGi4CNhakE2sG1KYRoqGALSvEPggWUz4UwaRQfM6vAEtj-2AnIbyuB8e3gZA3NsQ8dyDXrv37I/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+027.jpg" border="0" /></a> So here is our table....it is quite nice to have....<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHV-efSWCLvj0xl1z0YqTIQ_mmCbYcrYJ_EOJgvxXZVpqPuE_juvNI9qrtepd-XQgyO78akQdBL8PaNGAlNycegGXrnibKFcIFbxW_Iqer5l-gymXiljxri5O3UQvVnY5xcH-_3PbhzEk/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+028.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282568250184870370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHV-efSWCLvj0xl1z0YqTIQ_mmCbYcrYJ_EOJgvxXZVpqPuE_juvNI9qrtepd-XQgyO78akQdBL8PaNGAlNycegGXrnibKFcIFbxW_Iqer5l-gymXiljxri5O3UQvVnY5xcH-_3PbhzEk/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+028.jpg" border="0" /></a> It is really four cinder blocks and a rug....and holy cow! It was hard getting then in there...heavy!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hFgzlpkhRHaQ5GOb8kzTBmT2vbhdBwEjb-cbcSUmfZTQVN8qHvKOOJYH1_575pkT4Rbrqsn5LWlG-pRsHkSat-4xQ0QwRddjc9Acx-vAT5YG8AvumeQRS0EPNiXsrcNco-UlvwaAIGk/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+030.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282545010371139410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hFgzlpkhRHaQ5GOb8kzTBmT2vbhdBwEjb-cbcSUmfZTQVN8qHvKOOJYH1_575pkT4Rbrqsn5LWlG-pRsHkSat-4xQ0QwRddjc9Acx-vAT5YG8AvumeQRS0EPNiXsrcNco-UlvwaAIGk/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+030.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is the one chair in the entire house.....</div><br /><div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6zlwTDONqrtI8lM9uRChyphenhyphenFO-IM9fqVN2MGRQr0HYV1lmN7cb6Q4a_IrX3lBSqcCOCsXpDpuW9Wal8ginFU0yytEDMUXgMjhqs9z7_vkgib3PxkX6fLipcxFg6yhRbJ5PWLgVr_83zrQ/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+031.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282545003424713730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6zlwTDONqrtI8lM9uRChyphenhyphenFO-IM9fqVN2MGRQr0HYV1lmN7cb6Q4a_IrX3lBSqcCOCsXpDpuW9Wal8ginFU0yytEDMUXgMjhqs9z7_vkgib3PxkX6fLipcxFg6yhRbJ5PWLgVr_83zrQ/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+031.jpg" border="0" /></a> As you can see it is broken.....</div><br /><div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEav1O3J1I8N-RLtri2cvldQGrTPYe1CWrtz7FX4bR7KJElh3MGn5sDMQE1NNY044cngvZQIqRWX5vbd8XvN_Caq_TD9LlcIEFqo4xdh7SQskxgO5Xv094muxeO02j18cVhro6Tql_S3w/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+032.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282544999389607394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEav1O3J1I8N-RLtri2cvldQGrTPYe1CWrtz7FX4bR7KJElh3MGn5sDMQE1NNY044cngvZQIqRWX5vbd8XvN_Caq_TD9LlcIEFqo4xdh7SQskxgO5Xv094muxeO02j18cVhro6Tql_S3w/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+032.jpg" border="0" /></a> But by my genius we can use it without it collapsing.....</div><br /><br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwt8DLouLeg2Ggs6ooxwx32BFYZ3tkvuEsb8rwzGnEfnoQuvRSXE8YL91S64tsjLu9lj-hfp8aOP6wJtDxhHXLxXrqZ2vj0XbqDevzjmZRA9FWEGyQ3r9RqZVmGeRryYLQAbyxlt9oGB0/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+034.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282544997248770850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwt8DLouLeg2Ggs6ooxwx32BFYZ3tkvuEsb8rwzGnEfnoQuvRSXE8YL91S64tsjLu9lj-hfp8aOP6wJtDxhHXLxXrqZ2vj0XbqDevzjmZRA9FWEGyQ3r9RqZVmGeRryYLQAbyxlt9oGB0/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+034.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is Mich's bed......<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNHs1B-twAmyZP8TEJq98UW1zZViVG0j4M3l96scfGHZFqNnRSlaoANX9PcQwIDumnLeu0HY78D2kRXOGWHUOiWqe-dKcoICG4Akz9_AFHHx6SJSBY-OvSqgciIbR47NbiAmo5NymO80/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+035.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282544987454090834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNHs1B-twAmyZP8TEJq98UW1zZViVG0j4M3l96scfGHZFqNnRSlaoANX9PcQwIDumnLeu0HY78D2kRXOGWHUOiWqe-dKcoICG4Akz9_AFHHx6SJSBY-OvSqgciIbR47NbiAmo5NymO80/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+035.jpg" border="0" /></a>This is the hole in the ceiling right outside our door....every time Mich leave the room she checks to see if anything is there, because one day a good sized lizard fell out and was about an inch away from landing on either on of us....<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0WaMkw6TU6VxfxRa3lHDibKOonnEXMXZs-3l_bNQc4EckbdKD0AKvy3F4lR-4-sjLlgkmfdJiO4UTQTP2twMP6Jgpw5eG9P2sguOnYglbzeeaj4etRbLd-7MBLOG1oTeVsrxjTDwwd9g/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+036.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282531708284556114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0WaMkw6TU6VxfxRa3lHDibKOonnEXMXZs-3l_bNQc4EckbdKD0AKvy3F4lR-4-sjLlgkmfdJiO4UTQTP2twMP6Jgpw5eG9P2sguOnYglbzeeaj4etRbLd-7MBLOG1oTeVsrxjTDwwd9g/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+036.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is the toilet...I am very lucky, it is inside and it flushes! But the seat is broken, so you don't pinch your butt you kinda have to squat or just not use the seat...and then you still have you squat......<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3vCETxZ5D7y6LBmwNUFzHnHaSZqp9Tl2boSR9ZlTd4EFMXzt4dfxIqgzFcEyCBYYnj-oneWprCUm5Li_TNyTktBMLLgFjz_qKaRtK3w4xVsGMYF5zBRaD3qyAWju6Srqd6726S7uLZA/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+037.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282531700092274882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3vCETxZ5D7y6LBmwNUFzHnHaSZqp9Tl2boSR9ZlTd4EFMXzt4dfxIqgzFcEyCBYYnj-oneWprCUm5Li_TNyTktBMLLgFjz_qKaRtK3w4xVsGMYF5zBRaD3qyAWju6Srqd6726S7uLZA/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+037.jpg" border="0" /></a> Oh look, look.....And this is the gaping hole above the toilet....you have to be careful that nothing falls on your head while you are peeing....<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQeaASOsYn0a2hYQcFnWvhCk9uVfDzhqx8UX4mQw0T4P3laZxzf9GYl7xhyphenhyphenbuYqs1ZAs39FuBDRn5-VgXoPaS5be320E-jFBAnHS2nk8Pwy_5lye7WiDtc1lB50LI_S15ngvA0US3qyAw/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+038.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282531693870655442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQeaASOsYn0a2hYQcFnWvhCk9uVfDzhqx8UX4mQw0T4P3laZxzf9GYl7xhyphenhyphenbuYqs1ZAs39FuBDRn5-VgXoPaS5be320E-jFBAnHS2nk8Pwy_5lye7WiDtc1lB50LI_S15ngvA0US3qyAw/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+038.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is the bathroom....<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_lLTTjvgl5yX7S8a-2emXf2VHydIwH9SnFygkSFnO3wcnodkXD8xZMyk4S_vk4C9ehtAuAM-LPTtd5VxKGKPcip1hQop4wUUaTJFp0rMSPPt-iGjaUB_eAU6r51CfMqFwIMG73i_4xw/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+039.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282531690713079842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_lLTTjvgl5yX7S8a-2emXf2VHydIwH9SnFygkSFnO3wcnodkXD8xZMyk4S_vk4C9ehtAuAM-LPTtd5VxKGKPcip1hQop4wUUaTJFp0rMSPPt-iGjaUB_eAU6r51CfMqFwIMG73i_4xw/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+039.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is the bucket that I use to bathe with.....<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRy6ffhRoKRCU4wEgTjE8iOAf4TCI9LttKT1CYzWY9SsGigVQkbgnfdan90Q1boYJo5zT3M2x5q3x97KzYijhClGF8IZzCsoLPuq3SRfmR9jBEnuvo2JnzLjejqBPeYEvZ82rcjEyX6IA/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+040.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282531679838609682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRy6ffhRoKRCU4wEgTjE8iOAf4TCI9LttKT1CYzWY9SsGigVQkbgnfdan90Q1boYJo5zT3M2x5q3x97KzYijhClGF8IZzCsoLPuq3SRfmR9jBEnuvo2JnzLjejqBPeYEvZ82rcjEyX6IA/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+040.jpg" border="0" /></a> And this is the cup I use to take my bath.......<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19lKJCwxmbOLuMk8juRsTAXgjhWvSZBZQvNQ6sSl3_J7WLFsZUdE0qg5gaq0X7TFmpDu_ss9MK_6x6Nd4SpFoTMfvf2nic9RNRZ4SzaH2qWTMQi42aNS6olsWnW1-w_DVaqCgK8inrrw/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+041.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281808438176080338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19lKJCwxmbOLuMk8juRsTAXgjhWvSZBZQvNQ6sSl3_J7WLFsZUdE0qg5gaq0X7TFmpDu_ss9MK_6x6Nd4SpFoTMfvf2nic9RNRZ4SzaH2qWTMQi42aNS6olsWnW1-w_DVaqCgK8inrrw/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+041.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is the boy who cleans the house...his name is Eric...he is really nice, but I feel so bad for him because Petronella is such a mess, well I should say pig. She just throws her trash on the floor of her room. I asked her once what she was doing and she said, "it is ok, it will get cleaned up"....<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin177s2xzY-6WeASe1spGMXF5VLBwYB1U8evdoUwOIoDT1zrkZV7YvE1HNSzzlaNzksqyPa0tK2OQMle8UK_9DGP-WdAHIF7I9_28Ns-dcSHN7XrCQ7M4D-98zdmO_51Qa8mrSFeP-g98/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+042.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281808434914654850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin177s2xzY-6WeASe1spGMXF5VLBwYB1U8evdoUwOIoDT1zrkZV7YvE1HNSzzlaNzksqyPa0tK2OQMle8UK_9DGP-WdAHIF7I9_28Ns-dcSHN7XrCQ7M4D-98zdmO_51Qa8mrSFeP-g98/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+042.jpg" border="0" /></a> The kitchen sink....as you can see the right faucet is covered because it doesn't work....and the left on leaks.....and this is Eric cleaning the pots...we don't let him wash our dishes, the house is such a mess from Pertonella that he doesn't need to clean up after us too...so<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8iHGZOfYmGToHYhypscRZL55W0OxgpG2_4vmZC13TYA4ttTFSC5lZMjmgBLrcvBGG_gt4oxyri-XH_-sCn0URqRtWYaptEOl5BkAYCKWrS5obR7g0TbfXwRKrJkNKh2ocwgvngOdRKQ/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+043.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281808428370401010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8iHGZOfYmGToHYhypscRZL55W0OxgpG2_4vmZC13TYA4ttTFSC5lZMjmgBLrcvBGG_gt4oxyri-XH_-sCn0URqRtWYaptEOl5BkAYCKWrS5obR7g0TbfXwRKrJkNKh2ocwgvngOdRKQ/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+043.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is the Kitchen...really there is nothing in here, just a sink and cabinets.....oh and flys! Tons and tons of flys all over.....<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIlCs_ITu21UW_f-CxsP97IGzTqFs3rdvBWD4jSy6XRPe-nrLnzT6IqmtYyC5JSqNrGHqKhbDqYHB7ZByLbjEDAoJVqbzzGmW_YtPN59RP3AS8HUdfIL8hnniXkESAKZwGCkyJ0WE4VE/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+044.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281808425694539554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIlCs_ITu21UW_f-CxsP97IGzTqFs3rdvBWD4jSy6XRPe-nrLnzT6IqmtYyC5JSqNrGHqKhbDqYHB7ZByLbjEDAoJVqbzzGmW_YtPN59RP3AS8HUdfIL8hnniXkESAKZwGCkyJ0WE4VE/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+044.jpg" border="0" /></a> So this is the "Stove" where I cook every meal....only the right burner works so it makes it kinda annoying when I have to wait till one thing is done (like rice) so I can finish cooking the meal....But at least it is not coals!<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsclhC4H9I1rS2VJpA6PzD-IwKv4G_Ut0niZsZKZrh_5YHd7AlyzxKie2vtMJeF00wzcCiQNAg1dhDKQX51cLZiYfwYs0aenuC-7lk8U6VS-NIKn8qiu0jOmW8c0kjoKYIOyMwhouWmak/s1600-h/Dec.+20th+2008+048.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281808420999762562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsclhC4H9I1rS2VJpA6PzD-IwKv4G_Ut0niZsZKZrh_5YHd7AlyzxKie2vtMJeF00wzcCiQNAg1dhDKQX51cLZiYfwYs0aenuC-7lk8U6VS-NIKn8qiu0jOmW8c0kjoKYIOyMwhouWmak/s320/Dec.+20th+2008+048.jpg" border="0" /></a>So I hope you liked the tour of the place where I reside....The movie was better, but oh well.... So I thought I was getting kinda tan....but nope I am still albino....Although I do have some funny tan lines...hmmm, oh well! I love you all! And Merry Christmas!<br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-4646087204154061672008-12-08T22:33:00.000-08:002008-12-08T22:38:08.077-08:00Hmmm....that would be perfect<p>So I had a revelation, ok not really but…..so I was reading on of the Ensigns my mommy sent me before I left, the October 2008, and there is an article in it entitled “Preparing Yourself for Marriage” by Elder Eric Shumway. Some of the things it says to do to prepare are….Love the Lord, Become productive, Be happy, Develop friendship, create order, serve, maintain moral purity, and attend the temple…..and I was thinking about that and also something I heard or read, that said to pray for our future companions….So I have been praying that I can develop and “acquire the personal attributes that will sustain a happy marriage.” I have also been praying for my future husband that he too is work on those things….and as I was thinking about it I asked myself the question “What do I want in a husband” Well really the questions was, “If I could have the perfect guy, what would he be like?” So here is my answer….He has to<br /><br />Love the Lord<br />Be Humble like Ammon, Alma 26:12<br />Be Obedient like Nephi, 1 Nephi 3:7, 19:1<br />Have amazing Strength like Moroni, Alma 48:11 &17<br />Be diligent like Jacob, Genesis 29<br />Have Faith like the Brother of Jared, Ether 3:9, 12:20, 21<br />Have Charity, Moroni 7:45<br />Be Wise like Solomon, 1 Kings 4:29-30<br />Be Patient like Job, James 5:11<br />Be Grateful, D&C 78:19<br />Be vitreous like Joseph, Genesis 39:9<br />Have Knowledge like the Sons of Mosiah, Alma 17: 2-3<br />Be Forgiving, like Nephi, 1 Nephi 7:21<br />Endure all things, like Joseph Smith (no explanation needed)<br />And most importantly he has to be Honest like the people of Ammon, Alma 27:27<br /><br /><br />He also should be……Kind, hilarious, fun, healthy, romantic, thoughtful, curious, adventurous, spontaneous, intuitive, determined, motivated, playful, clean, good, loving, open, happy, sincere, silly, hard working, even tempered, assertive, courageous, giving, and observant. He should also love to serve and he has to be will to admit when he is wrong…..I know I am reaching for the impossible, but I don’t expect him to have all of these qualities right now but he should be striving to acquire them….just like I am, so we can work together and grow closer, to each other and the Lord.</p>Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-45889151958914035912008-12-07T22:25:00.001-08:002008-12-07T23:04:42.069-08:00Week 6...i think....So guess what!.....Nothing happened this week when I went to Church! No crazy car experiences, or traumatic events.....No I just had a wonderful day at church! It was so nice. So I have been having a dilemma this past week because of the money it takes to go to church....about K100,000 every week, that is the equivalent of about $25 and half of my allowance for the week, but I made a choice, and budgeted....I know strange word for me....and I will be able to go to church often and still eat food and buy things I need.....it makes me very happy! So this week has been very....hmmm, what is the right word?......educational, i guess.....so Michi and I have made a budget and a menu so we know what we are spending so we don't over spend....and little did I know the effect that would take on the woman we are staying with....I think she got really offended, because we put the food in our room and she could not eat it when ever she wanted like she did before.....so she started hiding the dishes and pots and pans.....and then when I asked her about it she said she had no idea where they were....of course<em> </em>I knew she was lying...the next day I found in her room all of the pots and pans and dishes....it just made me laugh! So we went and bought some little plastic bowls we could use....it reminded me of when i was a nanny and Cannon would try to hide something he did....and that is how most of the Zambians are that I have met....sure they completed grade 12 but the education levels are so different and just everything is so different, but education is the big one....It is like I am dealing with children all of the time.....so I am learning patience....Also I learned something else about my self this week....I guess I talk in my sleep a lot! Michi says I talk to her and say lots of random things....ha, ha, ha, ha...so that is funny! I mean people have told me that I do, but it was every once and a while....Mich says it is like every night! It thought that was way funny, I really wonder what I say! I also made a video show my house....I will see if I can post it! I will try, but as you might have guessed the Internet here is not the greatest....but I will try!Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-32478865671392194922008-12-01T05:20:00.000-08:002008-12-01T05:39:30.429-08:00Why?So no amazing life changing, nerve <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">wracking</span> story this week....I wasn't able to go to church this week so that is why, I was so <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">miserable</span> yesterday because I couldn't go, but I kinda needed to have food, so church this week was out, sadly....but don't worry I do have enough money for food, this week was just weird.....But because I didn't get to go to church I had a lot of time to read and study....and I was trying to decide what I was going to write today.....and I thought I would answer a question so many people have asked me....."Why did you want to do something like this?" or "why did you want to go to Africa?" and It is a very good question and I will see if I can answer it. I have always wanted to travel, ever since I was little. I wanted to experience and see, new exciting things....Utah was boring to me. I would watch documentaries on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">KBYU</span> and stuff like that and I longed to see those places. There was this one night I was home alone and I was watching one of these programs and it was about <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">starving</span> children in Africa. For three weeks strait I had the same dream....me driving a huge truck full of food, and giving it to those kids in need...I had to do something to help.....so that is one reason. The second reason for doing something like this, now, is while I was in Utah, I was watching friends and people my age all getting married and I knew I wanted to too, but I felt that I wouldn't make a very good wife and mother.....I needed to experience more and go through more trials that would teach me <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">patience</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">reliance</span> on the Lord, understanding, charity, and other qualities need to make a wonderful wife and mother.....That is what I want more than anything in the world....that is all I have ever wanted. To be the best mother ever. So I hope from this experience that I will gain the qualities need to become one some day......I hope that makes sense, and answers the question........Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-34636062998440420532008-11-23T22:18:00.000-08:002008-11-23T22:56:57.973-08:00Blessings and answered prayersSo Yesterday was Sunday and I was very very determined to go to church again....so I prepared everything Saturday and woke up really early Sunday morning to go....This week the woman I live with (Pretonella) was going to Lusaka as well so I had someone to travel with and help me get a bus....so we go out around 6:30 and there happens to be a bus, an empty bus, that is returning to Lusaka, so we get on...and set off shortly after. However, the bus is so so so incredibly slow and has some problem, and is making the worst noise I have ever heard....It was taking for ever and I didn't want to miss church, so I prayed and prayed that I might be able to make it before the sacrament.....the bus stopped a short while later and we had to get off and get onto another bus, a mini bus....really it is like a normal van size but they cram about twenty people into it and as soon as there is any space they stop and cram more people onto it....so we stopped every few minutes to let people on or off.....by this time it was 8:30 and church starts at 9...I was panicking! I prayed and prayed to make it before they took the sacrament....we finally made it into Lusaka at 8:56.....we got a taxi and I gave the driver the address....and wouldn't you know it, he didn't know where that was, but he started driving anyway, and some how he all of the sudden knew where it was :)...so we get there about 15 after and I am running in, changing my shoes, and they are just singing the opening song! I found out after church that the first counselor was running late, he had car troubles, so that is why they started late! I was so happy! The Lord made sure I was there so I could take the sacrament! So after church I got a ride to the bus station with Luwani, the guy who helped me last week, and his younger brother. We got a bus and they decided to stay with me until it left, because it they don't leave until they are crammed full, and that could take all day. So we were sitting in the car at the station just talking and talking about everything....Luwani kept going and checking to see how much longer the bus would be and had asked about three guys who were working on the bus to tell us when it was about to leave, so about two hours after we bought the ticket the bus decided to leave, but I had left without me! Luwani had just gone to check, and the funny thing was that we were just talking about what would happen if it left me, so he came back with one of the guys from the bus company, the bus had just barely left and we were going to try to catch it before it got too far....so we rushed off to catch the bus....can I just say drivers here are all crazy! Any way we come to a traffic jam. There are people running everywhere screaming. As we move closer we see the cause of all of the commotion....a bus, my should have been bus, was in a horrible accident. The entire front of the bus completely demolished...the drive had been drunk and he ended up being completely impaled and died, I don't know what happened to the passengers, but there were injured people all over. There really was no reason why I should have missed the bus, but some how I did. Oh my Heavenly Father is watching over me! I am so grateful! I know I missed it because he needed me to miss it....Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-52100892001159602472008-11-20T23:45:00.000-08:002008-11-20T23:48:17.639-08:00So I am really sadI am really sad that I take the time to update my blog, but no one cares to comment on anything....I don't even know if anyone is reading it! So please if you are reading it feel free to make a comment! I would love to hear from all of you! I love you so, please show that you care by making even the smallest comment!!! Ok now I am done :)Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-25396146778028844352008-11-18T00:50:00.000-08:002008-11-18T01:34:57.898-08:00A Few Photos....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg94Gk80Ogkm2yxo39x97NdPTj9zNiK6u82-nlnGc5efh4xGi2-M53ylBcZAJ24H5ZLHVM21c9KklGWFVrcr7hWzKOPTV9q13ij0mIlT4-AlYq4u45TiEq1wbZ7D4DXbNC9zWiqIExrAw/s1600-h/Africa+010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269925996628353602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg94Gk80Ogkm2yxo39x97NdPTj9zNiK6u82-nlnGc5efh4xGi2-M53ylBcZAJ24H5ZLHVM21c9KklGWFVrcr7hWzKOPTV9q13ij0mIlT4-AlYq4u45TiEq1wbZ7D4DXbNC9zWiqIExrAw/s320/Africa+010.jpg" border="0" /></a> See, See! I am really here! This is Andrew, his niece and me. Jackson took the photo.....I will get some more soon!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHHeimhTriQSSqcsD_QToesxeQIoZLBc6NxzNx2F_6qITxGfS8Gy1uEP9zBAa0lYNXDZZpaBMcuLrfX6bijdQrm-xXOUwJ_MX3OEbGlCCAqV1AAd079CrOjF5obgKhyphenhyphenLN_Cs6IFpYpxI/s1600-h/Africa+007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269925986228270402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHHeimhTriQSSqcsD_QToesxeQIoZLBc6NxzNx2F_6qITxGfS8Gy1uEP9zBAa0lYNXDZZpaBMcuLrfX6bijdQrm-xXOUwJ_MX3OEbGlCCAqV1AAd079CrOjF5obgKhyphenhyphenLN_Cs6IFpYpxI/s320/Africa+007.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is the little girl I was watching play in the trash, with to broken umbrella...is was way cute I just had to take a picture!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDi6TfT5ArPp_ai-IlWUuwN8C3sC6CTRdOBPhmtxk1kvwJuFEB1zC1dXTgft4_Dj2kn0rb6UqyDlEVy8oKatFl7HayTptXquPyEflbIYftJhUpDnAbdf4Ag97Rmn6Pg4u8v2v5nJJ81GU/s1600-h/Africa+006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269925981918659490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDi6TfT5ArPp_ai-IlWUuwN8C3sC6CTRdOBPhmtxk1kvwJuFEB1zC1dXTgft4_Dj2kn0rb6UqyDlEVy8oKatFl7HayTptXquPyEflbIYftJhUpDnAbdf4Ag97Rmn6Pg4u8v2v5nJJ81GU/s320/Africa+006.jpg" border="0" /></a> Waiting for the tire to be fixed...sigh! It was so hot and crazy!<br /><br /><br /><div> </div></div></div>Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-19184496977650337862008-11-16T23:34:00.000-08:002008-11-17T00:20:50.930-08:00My First Real African ExperienceSo I was determined to go to church on <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sunday</span> no matter what! So on <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Saturday</span> we had a supper, long meeting where all I did was sit and doodle in my note pad, while everyone else bickered at each other, but at the end they were saying that we need to have a meeting and work the next day (<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sunday</span>)...and I thought no way are they going to make me sit through a meaningless meeting when I could go to church, so I told them that....<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ok</span> no really in those words, but I did say that I would be traveling to Lusaka the next day for church, they were upset and said that we needed to talk about it, but I said no way! I was going! So I made plans to travel to Lusaka to find the church. Because of this meeting Petronella, the woman i am staying with and who also works in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">TCE</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">whos</span> family lives in Lusaka, couldn't go to Lusaka with me...so I geared up to go by myself...and I know what you are thinking, I promised to go no where by myself but I had to or I was stuck another Sunday feeling awful...so the next morning I packed my backpack with all of my books and all of my money...Petronella found a car that was going to Lusaka and that would help me find the church, So I jumped in the back seat with two other men, it was quite cozy....Flying at over one hundred miles an hour we made it to Lusaka in just under two hours....my driver dropped off everyone else and then turned to me and asked, "where is it you would like to go Madam?" I pulled out my paper that had the address of the Branches on it and pointed to one and said, "there!" Sadly he had no idea where "there" was but <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">luckily</span> I had some phone numbers of taxi drivers in Lusaka that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Pretonella</span> had given me, so we (well really he) call him up and asked directions....we go to the road and searched for the building...slow we drove down the street looking, I was looking left, and just happened to look right and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Ahhh</span>! There was the sigh "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Visitors Welcome"! I was so happy...I paid my driver and jumped out of the car. Running to the doors, with my back pack on I felt like one of those kids I always would make fun of in high school who run around the halls rushing to class....any way, I ran to the doors so excited, I got to the doors and found the missionaries greeting the members....I had the biggest smile on my face I think they thought I was crazy! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Sacerment</span> meeting was so good and completely wonderful and uplifting! I have never felt so good! The rest of the meetings proceeded and I meet the sister missionaries and a bunch of members....by the end I felt right at home. But there was the problem of getting back to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Mazabuka</span>...Ha, ha, ha...I had no idea what I was going to do, but the good members didn't let me worry, a really sweet guy named <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Luwani</span> and his brother took me to the bus station and found a bus that was going to Livingston and would stop in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Mazabuka</span>. They made sure I was safely on the bus and that all was well....so I go a place on the bus, cramped and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">extremely</span> hot, I had to climb over boxes and bags to get to my seat, but I had a window so it was perfect! I sat waiting for the bus to leave for over an hour and a half, finally we were off...I enjoyed looking at the landscape...the trees here are amazing! I know I am going to miss them when I leave....but then in my enjoyment a horrible noise came from the bus....We had blown a tire...ha ha ha! That was so funny. And we had only been traveling for about a half hour....So we pulled over to the side of the rode, and we were swarmed by young girls selling fruit and water, yelling, shouting, putting it through the windows, I have never experienced anything like that before! It was crazy, so a bunch of people got off the bus, but I didn't want to, remember I had to climb over a ton of stuff and I was in a dress, so I sat watching everyone. I watched people eat their things and throw their trash onto the side of the rode and then I watched a two year old little girl <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">happily</span> play in that trash, she found a broke umbrella and was completely over joyed flipping it around. It was amazing to just watch all of the activities going on. But the bus got super hot and a boy came to my window and advised me to get off the bus while they change the tire....so I struggle over all of the boxes and made my way out of the bus. That same boy then introduce himself as Jackson and his friend as Andrew...we had a great conversation, they tried to guess what state I was from from my accent, I didn't know I had one, but they were way wrong. I know I do not sound like I am from Texas, Florida or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Missouri</span>! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Hee</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">hee</span>...so about two and a half hours later the tire was changed and we were ready to go again....so I didn't get back to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Mazabuka</span> until about eight that night, but it was the best day I have had here! It was so much fun and I completely loved it! And I felt like it was my first real Afican experience!Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8896742279503814328.post-35054565223768118412008-11-13T07:10:00.000-08:002008-11-14T05:39:32.693-08:00A Conversation with my MotherSo my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Internet</span> is working for the most part! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Yeppie</span>! and I got to have a good long talk with my mother....and I thought I would post it for all to read...I hope you don't mind mommy! I has some good stuff in it.....<br />GINA says:<br />good morning for me hello and how are you<br />Leah says:<br />hey! how are you<br />GINA says:<br />what time is it<br />GINA says:<br />good with a little cold<br />Leah says:<br />it is 6:30pm...really it is super super hot<br />Leah says:<br />I just walked about two miles....<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">i'm</span> wiped out<br />GINA says:<br />I'm glad you got the computer to work<br />GINA says:<br />where did you walk<br />Leah says:<br />me too! it just happened today...and the wireless is not working yet<br />Leah says:<br />I have to plug it in<br />Leah says:<br />I went and visited some of the field officers while they were working<br />GINA says:<br />what have you been doing?<br />Leah says:<br />well not so much actually...the culture here is so lax it is driving me crazy...but I have been doing some office work, and I have visited some of the field officers and went with them as they have gone to talk to people about HIV<br />GINA says:<br />hello are you still there... I got the job<br />Leah says:<br />today I went with one girl as she visited some <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">prostitutes</span> and asked them to be tested and gave them <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">condoms</span><br /><br />GINA says:<br />tell me about your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">House</span><br />Leah says:<br />humph...that is funny..well you haven't spoken forever1<br />Leah says:<br />!<br />GINA says:<br />yea<br />Leah says:<br />So it is a pretty big house, it has concrete floors and bars on all of the windows, It has running water, although i still have to treat it, it has a flush toilet and a bathtub I can stand in to take a shower with a cup...the kitchen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">dosent</span> have a stove, just a two little burners that are on <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">cinder blocks</span>.....<br />Leah says:<br />what else do you want to know?....I just updated my blog....<br />GINA says:<br />oh I looked at that last night so what so you get to eat<br />Leah says:<br />well for breakfast either hard boiled eggs or oatmeal....lunch is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Nshima</span> which is like hard cream of wheat paste thing and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">usually</span> some <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">spinach</span> and dinner....<br />Leah says:<br />dinner if I didn't have eggs then eggs or bread, I haven't really taken to the meat here...when the fish still has eyes and the chicken still has feathers....<br />GINA says:<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">oooowwwww</span> yeah do you have a place to plant a garden?<br />Leah says:<br />yeah they have some things planted and the boy who takes care of the house tends to it, but I haven't looked what is in it....but we do have a ton of mango trees although they are not quite ripe yet<br /><br />GINA says:<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">ok</span>...do you have more people coming to help now<br />Leah says:<br />what do you mean?<br />GINA says:<br />more <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">volunteers</span><br />Leah says:<br />no I am the only one that will be in this project for the whole six months<br />GINA says:<br />wow <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">ok</span> so you go out with the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">people</span> from around there not any one from any other projects<br />Leah says:<br />yep...today I rode on the back of a motorcycle, well a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">dirt bike</span>... to one of fields and worked with the people there and then walked back with one of the guys who works as a Field Officer...<br />GINA says:<br />so that was your long walk home... <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">ok</span> so what else do you get to do....<br />Leah says:<br />I don't really know yet...they are still working on my plan...I mean they <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">didn</span>''t know I was coming or anything...so they couldn't do it before I got here, but I hope to visit all of the fields and all of the field officers...there are 55 and they are hiring 50 more...I have been helping with the hiring process...that has been interesting<br />GINA says:<br />yeah that should keep you busy<br />Leah says:<br />I hope so! So it is so funny...I have already been asked 7 times if I am married and 5 of those by guys...they then ask if I have a boy friend and such and such....it is crazy. And today I was asked if I would marry a Zambian...and take him to America<br />GINA says:<br />Dad says hi and I love you<br />Leah says:<br />Tell him I love him too and have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">a good</span> day at work!<br />GINA says:<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">ok</span><br />GINA says:<br />that is funny ... have you met any <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">LDS</span> or have you found out about church?<br />Leah says:<br />I haven't met anyone who is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">mormon</span>, and no I haven't but the woman who is living with me, family is in Lusaka and she goes there about every weekend so I am going to talk to her, she was gone today though<br />GINA says:<br />April looked to see if they had a branch she said there was two. So made you can find one. that would be great<br />Leah says:<br />Yeah I have a list of the Branches with me that Elder and Sister Smith printed out for me<br />GINA says:<br />oh good<br />Leah says:<br />Yeah! I really am excited to be able to go!Leah Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15943964555727979233noreply@blogger.com0