Sister Skidmore and I went to the Kamwalla Market to get some missionary apartment supplies and we saw these delicious delicacies at the street market. Fried Caterpillars!!
We did manage to pass them up. When we saw them, we both took out our phones to take a picture but the lady selling them didn't like that at all. While I was fumbling with my phone and the lady was berating me, Sister Skidmore got these great shots. Many people do like these caterpillars. They will even catch the large termites that fly out of the termite mounds when disturbed and cook them. If I had to eat these I would become a vegetarian!
We took Jill and Eric out to home of The Mshippi's who live and work at the orphanage,Mother's Without Borders. They are in our branch and are a delightful family and very strong in the gospel.
The day we visited it was raining and the children were all indoors. The loved the distraction that we brought and they loved Jill and Eric and when they took pictures, they all hovered around to see their pictures. They loved that part.
As we were getting ready to leave, the children just started singing, "I love to See the Temple!" That is pretty profound becaue none of them have seen a temple except in pictures because the nearest temple is in Johannesburg, South Africa, which is a three day drive by bus. They were so delightful to visit and we love them. Everything there is so neat and clean and the kids are so polite and they love visitors.
We made a delightful visit to the Phiri home. Jackson and his wife, Catherine, both served in the Kenya Naroibi Mission and that is whre they met. They never spoke of marriage but when she left the missionfield, he gave her a letter. She didn't even read it until she got home to the Copperbelt. When she read it, he was asking her to wait for him that he wanted to marry her when he came home. She let him know that she agreed and when he came home, they were married and were sealed in the temple. They are going to be a strength in the church here in Zambia. Jackson was serving in his branch presidency but he was released from that to serve as the Self Reliance Specialist for the District.
We took Jill and Eric to visit one of our favorite families. Musa Sakala (front) and his mother Rebecca are strong members in our branch. Here his brother is also pictured. Musa is submitting his papers for a mission.
While at Musa's, these children just gathered around Jill and Eric and thought is was great to have their pictures taken.
After church in Lilanda we stopped to take some pictures. L-R: Eric, Jill, Elder Collins, Elder Shai, Elder and Sister Bingham.
Eric, Jill, Branch President Mambwe, Musa Sakala, Elder & Sister Bingham, Brother Muzinga (counselor in branch) Elder Shai.
Jill, Sister Chola, our music chorister and a good one, & Sister Bingham. Sister Chola always has a smile and encourages singing.
Sister Bingham, Sister Liyali, Rebecca, Sister Muzinga, Jill. Some of our favorite Relief Society Sisters.
When visiting with the Chibbamulilo family, we saw these pretty birds feeding in their yard.
Patrick Chibbamulilo has worked with us as the Self Reliance Chairman for the Lusaka District and has done such a good job. He is a very fine man and is a good friend to us. Pictured with Jill and Eric are Sister Chibbamulilo who is also a health care Nurse, President, Chimuka, and Lazarus. They also have a daughter who is attending boarding school in Livingstone. Chimuka and Eric hit it off because Eric is an accountant and that is one of Chimuka's dreams.
Sister Liyali is always a joy to visit. Jill asked her how to wrap the scarf on her head and Sister Liyali went into her bedroom and brought a chitenge and a scarf and proceeded to teach Jill how to put on the chitenge and to wrap the scarf.
On the grounds at the mission office in Lusaka.
Jill & Eric check out this plant that is different than anything else we have seen.
Elder & Sister Bingham at the Mission office
The Lusaka Chapel which is now a Stake Center as of 15 March 2015. Pretty exciting for all of us.
Davies Mukondia is a returned missionary from Uganda and helps man the SR center in Lusaka. He also sells crafts and jewelry and Jill wanted to see what he had.
Coming back from the orphanage, we got caught in a major traffic jam. The traffic was tied up so tight and there were hundreds of people standing on roofs, cars, and balconies to see what was happening. Sirens were wailing and ambulances were trying to get through the melee. We later found that it was a riot between the two political parties and people were hurt. Eric didn't like the traffic. Actually, I don't either but finally someone got out of his vehicle and started directing traffic to try to get something opened up. We had no idea where we were but a way to get onto a side road opened up and we took it. Wasn't too difficult to find out way but the traffic is quite a challenge in Lusaka!
One morning we took Jill and Eric on one of the routes where we like to walk. We love the trees here and they climbed up the tree for a picture. This is one of our favorite trees.
We drove out to the Besa farm where Brother and Sister Besa raise maize and chickens. While we were looking at the maize crop, Patricia took Jill by the hand to show her the maize she had planted as her Young Woman project. A tender moment!
All too soon the adventure was over and time to return to four lonesome kids and to work. We had a wonderful time and loved having them here.
