Bright lights, big city

We spent the last 5 days in the capital city of Lusaka. I loved it.

One of the things I loved most was a visit to the Mother Theresa hospice and orphanage right in town. I was expecting a small hospice center much like the one Choma but was blown away by everything this place had and stood for. There are 7 Catholic sisters who work in both the orphanage and the hospice center. Too much work for 7 people in my opinion – there are over 100 children (45 babies) and probably around 100 or so adults struggling with HIV-related illnesses. It was absolutely heartbreaking to see, but when we listened as 20 men and 20 women sang to us about how God was healing their bodies, it was incredible. And we found out that nearly all the work around the place, including gardening, cleaning and cooking, is done by the people who used to be patients in the hospice and are now doing much better. Its really inspiring to see their desire to give back to the place that nursed them back to health.

It was also heartbreaking to see 45 babies all in cribs in 2 different, but connected, rooms at the orphanage. They were crying and reaching out for anyone who walked by, yearning for physical touch. Unlike the orphanage I went to last week, these babies were all very young and many of them not in the healthiest condition. For me, it brought the picture of orphans to a whole different level. And my heart broke even further when I realized that those babies who are HIV+ are more than likely going to remain at that orphanage until they turn 18 years old. The stigmatism makes it nearly impossible for them to be sent to grade school with other kids and their diagnosis makes them undesirable for adoption. Incredibly heartbreaking, but sadly true.

We were also able to visit another community school in probably the poorest part of Lusaka. It was incredible to have about 100 children chase after the bus as we rolled into their village and another 200 join to greet us when we stepped off the bus. Hands were grabbed immediately as we made our way to the school for a presentation from them. I was overwhelmed by how happy they were to have us there and really enjoyed spending a little time with the kids afterwards. I hated be torn away from them when we were leaving as the blessed me with tightest hugs I have ever had in my life.

I had them make funny faces – which all turned out to be the monkey face that I was making.

We did so many other things but I can’t even begin to describe everything on this blog. A few of my other highlights would definitely be visiting the American Embassy (even though it was because we were taking photos that we weren’t supposed to be taking), seeing A Christmas Carol at a movie theater while it was nearly 100 degrees outside, bartering (which I love to do now, by the way!), eating real pizza and drinking a coffee shake. No doubt about it, it was a taste of home in  many ways.

With the nurses at St. John's Medical Center in Lusaka

Classy dinner at Four Corners of the World - La Triumph Dolphin

The name pretty perfectly describes the evening we had.