Megan - Dec 16-18 (Thur-Sat)

I’m happy to report that I did not die from either the mystery disease or the malaria drugs I took, but I can’t say that I would like to repeat either experience. I have, however, discovered the new Zambian weight loss program, which is pretty much: feel like death, don’t eat for 3 days.

Happily, by Thursday I was sufficiently recovered to walk the 2 kilometers into town with the team for our meeting with the Facilitators. Tessa actually headed in early for a continued discussion on Counseling. I wasn’t there to see it, but I heard positive reports, and I think a lot of the Facilitators are interested in becoming more proficient at helping their students work through some challenging issues.

The Facilitators’ meeting focused on how to implement the business development workshop for the students next year – it was universally agreed that we ought to focus on a few pilot schools, rather than invite a limited number of students from each school to a larger workshop. Although it will take longer (several years, perhaps) to reach all the schools, we want to make sure we offer the students enough attention and depth that they really grasp the tools we are teaching them, and can successfully apply them. We are hoping that over the course of next year’s workshop, the students will be able to generate business plans and proposals, which will allow them to start a business run by their club. Students regularly request funds for t-shirts, sports equipment, inter-club events, and even school fees for their club members, and we would like to empower them to earn their own money to support their clubs. These will also be solid foundational tools that they can take with them as they go on to college or out into the “working world” where they will most likely need to create their own jobs, since the employment rate in Zambia is so low.

Friday was reserved as a planning day for the Annual General Meeting (AGM), which of course meant that it was immediately filled with a thousand endabas. It is entirely futile to allocate “planning time” in our schedule. Zambian Time is a finicky thing. After a full day meeting at the church planting school, the locals are perfectly happy to sit around singing or playing some Zambian version of hacky sack for 2 hours, while the rain prevents you from going home. But as soon as the rain lightens and you show signs of packing up, 6 people suddenly need to talk to you now now. (Which is sooner than now.) Asking them why they couldn’t have talked to you over the past 2 hours will only result in their sudden incapacity to understand English. Similarly, if their inscrutable Zambian Time sense tells them that you will be at home all day (regardless of your intent to be planning so that the AGM doesn’t last 12 hours) they will all discover that they need to meet with you, and will proceed to come by the house, utterly preventing you from accomplishing anything.

And so it was that on Friday we spent a significant amount of time with Simon, learning wonderful things about how traditional Zambian spouses respect each other. Women respect their husbands by welcoming them home on their knees, serving them food on their knees, bringing them water in bed on their knees. Men respect their wives (I had to ask) by 1. not shouting at them, 2. not chastising them publicly in front of guests, but rather waiting until they are alone. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. I don’t think Simon understands what it means when I stare at him incredulously. I also find it hilarious when Bishop Muleya tells us that we should find some nice Zambian men to marry. I don’t think my knees could take it. Not being shouted at publicly though, now that would be a perk.

On Saturday, we sent Sarah off to the airport with a fond farewell to one of our finest chefs. These Paynes are certainly worth having around for their creative culinary skills. Sarah was also instrumental in making sure that I got lots of sleep and ate the occasional piece of bread while I was “down” as they say, so she has my thanks.

Saturday afternoon was consumed by the AGM with the Executive Committee (EC), which is comprised of several hard-working and committed Zambians. The EC has been one of the greatest STS accomplishments for 2010. They have really taken ownership of the Zambian side of the organization, keeping the Facilitators motivated and on track, dealing with distributing the funds, helping us organize this trip’s workshop, and preparing to take over a significant chunk of Johnny’s monitoring & evaluation role in 2011.

I’ll leave the tales of Sunday to another lucky blogger, but I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.