Day 131 - Lusaka, Zambia

I arrived safely in Lusaka, Zambia, this morning and Zack picked me up the airport. It was good to finally get to Africa! Today was “shopping day,” so I was excited to get to see the town. The orphanage is located in Serenje, Zambia, (approximately 30 minutes from the Congo border) about 5 hours north of Lusaka and the building supplies are very limited in the town, so the guys have to make a weekly run to Lusaka. This task would be easy for them if there was a Lowe’s and Fleet Farm in the town, but there is not and they usually find themselves running around the entire city looking for one or two parts. The trip turns into an adventure with a the bargaining and hasseling they have to do to get the prices they want for things. Most of the hardware stores are set up like general stores, so you just go in and ask for the screws or parts you want. The employees dig through their shelves to see if they have it and if they don't they may phone a neighbor store to see if that place has it so they can buy it from them and sell it to us. It is a trip that should take them a day, but usually takes two days by the time they get most everything they need. We also did a bunch of grocery shopping, because later that night 12 men from Cornerstone and Brookside were arrived to help with the project and hold administrative meetings for the Center. Here are some quick facts about Zambia:

• Lusaka, is the capital of Zambia, and has a little over 1 million people living in the area out of the 11 million people in the country


• $1 = $5,600 Kwatcha. Food prices are very comparable to the U.S.


• Winter is just beginning in Zambia, as the rainy season ends. If the sun is out the temperature is in the mid 80's and it cools off to the low 70's at night (a much needed relief from the 95 - 100 degree, 70% humidity days in Thailand the last couple months)! Perfect weather for sitting out on the porch at night (and no big MN mosquitoes).
• There over 70 indiginous languages spoken in Zambian.
• Copper is the country's leading industry, but still the economic development of the country is very low.