blundering-around-in-Africa

MAGIC MOMENTS As I am sitting at this computer an elephant is looking in the window, close enough for me to count his eyelashes, all 4 frisky elephant tons of him. I am hoping he does not want to read what I am writing. This little house with its thatched roof and fly wire windows is where we will be living for 3 months when we return from Malawi. It is built under a tree, the fruit of which is as attractive to this adolescent male as teenagers to alcohol. We moved in yesterday - moved being the operative word as we had to move rapidly as junior jumbo was bearing down to greet us and stopped for several hours, munching away. The micro light flight over Victoria falls was pure magic. When Livingstone first saw the falls he wrote that it had such spectacular natural beauty that angels must fly over it. You can imagine him seeing it after months of trekking through the bush. As I flew I am sure my mother was there too flying with her own celestial wings. She believed in exploring and as children took us off the tourist route, down gorges, to watch the elephants crossing the river and exhausted back in the evening to see the lunar rainbow. Lusaka is where I was born, now an energetic African city as Zambia free of World bank debts, and with rising copper prices, is coming out of the doldrums. And it was though it was welcoming me home,36 years later. We stayed at Eureka campsite, irresistible to a Eurekan, where eland wander among the tents. In the bar 5 minutes after arriving I met an old farmer who was able to contact my godmothers son whom I was unaware still lived there on the old property. As a 4 year old, when my twin sisters were born, I was packed off 500 miles to stay with my Auntie Kate. I have very vivid and happy memories of a bush baby in my bed, a talking African parrot and fishing trips -and Autie Kate who I loved and after whom I named our Katie. So to visit her old house brought all this back. We had a lovely Sunday lunch with Brenda Davies, psychic psychiatrist, author, healer, trainer and just a wonderful woman. When I met her at a conference in Byron Bay she had told me of her dream to return to Zambia and we had an immediate shared love. So it was lovely to meet her again and to see this dream in its fruition. Her vision was to provide a home on her farm for orphans to live in an African way, and it was special to meet her family, to see the wonderful relationships they have with one another ,to see the fruits of her dreams and to learn from her trust in God and the universe. Next we met Thandiwe. About 10 years ago, sick of Christmas consumerism, we decided to make our own presents and donate instead, like many Aussies, to World Vision. Our Christmases consequently became busy and joyful. We had questioned the value of visiting, feeling perhaps that the small amount we donated was hardly praiseworthy, but we had not taken into account the joy it would bring to the World Vision workers and to Thandiwe herself. World Vision cares for 80,000 children in Zambia alone. The workers were very welcoming and deservedly proud of all they are achieving in the poor peri-urban settlement where Thandiwe lives. Thandiwe herself was a princess for a day. Dressed in her very best dress the serious little 6 year old had the confidence to sing to us in Chinyanja and then, with very little English, sang word perfectly ”Jesus loves me this I know”, and I am sure he does! The most magic of these moments was managing to find Willison Mpepo who had been our housekeeper for 14 years when we were kids. A visit to a posh Hotel where he had worked informed us that he had retired but they would find him, and indeed in the world of mobile phones he phoned the next day and we met up with him and Eileen, and some of their children and grandchildren. Problems with registration has brought us here to fantastic Flatdogs, before heading tomorrow for Malawi. Now would it not be wonderful if you were here too. Last night we came home rather gingerly ,no elephants, relief , but turned the corner to find him there on the doorstep. I am looking forward to coming back to work and see more of Jumbo Junior. Oh dear, better eat this banana quick.