Dear Abby...

Dear Abby,
My daughter and a team from Indiana Wesleyan University are currently in Zambia, Africa serving with World Hope International as well as studying abroad. I know this is not a typical “Dear Abby” letter, but is there a way you could possibly give me insight into what they are doing?

Sincerely,
Curious Parent (a.k.a. Debbie Weigel)

Dear Curious Parent,

I completely understand your curiosity concerning your daughter. It is very scary as a parent to have a child all the way across the world communicating with limited internet access at best. However, you are in luck because I have just heard from the team and know all their happenings! I will relay what I have heard:

Well it has almost been a month since our arrival in Choma, (knowing the unreliability of the internet it will probably be over a month by the time I actually get a chance to submit this) and things are finally starting to follow a routine, well as much as possible anyway. Saying “Mwabuka Buti” (hello, how are you?) has become as natural to us as seeing a little lizard scurry past our feet or blowing the ants off our peanut butter in the morning. We have been making new acquaintances as well as building even deeper friendships with those whom we have known since the beginning.

Last Saturday we had the privilege to have Dr Chondoka come speak to our team regarding the impacts of colonialism on African society and politics. It was a very intriguing seminar and even though it lasted three solid hours, longer than any class at IWU, it was well appreciated by all. And even though on Sunday morning our group split up into three groups to attend three separate churches we were no doubt praising and worshipping as one body of believers before Christ. Monday brought around the first day of February, which proved to be quite relaxing. It was also on this day that Kara and I took a run out to the “bush” (African rural area) where the evening sunset proved to be one of the most amazing things my eyes have yet seen. Yes, those African sunset pictures you see in national geographic are indeed legit. Tuesday rolled around and the groundhog saw his shadow so looks like you folks are going to have a longer winter, that’s tough. We however, are having a hard time feeling your pain as the weather is a balmy 80-something and the Africa sun is as cruel as ever! The aloe is being passed around if you know what I mean.

Tuesdays and Thursday exist as the days we get to work alongside with World Hope, and I am not sure about the others, but these have also been the days that I have come to anticipate the most. While it is nearly impossible to share stories from all the groups I would just most certainly love to inform you of the activities of my group. Group #3 which consists of Michael, Elijah, Melinda and myself (Leah) have had the opportunity to work with Reach4Life and AB (Abstinence and Being Faithful) for the first few weeks. In this group we were again split so as to have time in both of the programs. Michael and I spent this week in Reach4Life traveling to the different schools meeting with both the students and facilitators to get a feel for how the program is moving along. From what we’ve seen the programs are extremely effective at accomplishing their purpose, to teach abstinence by drawing from lessons in the New Testament. It has been a real testimony to see how these kids are so excited about this program! On a lighter note, I have never talked about sex and condoms as much in my entire life as I have in a single week here in Africa. As many of these topics are blunt and a tad embarrassing at times, HIV/AIDS is a serial killer that is taking more lives than we can ever imagine! Thank God that a subject that has been taboo in the past is finally being exposed for the damage that it can do. In fact, just today I saw a billboard on the side of the road that said “
"Sex thrills and AIDS kills.”

Other random notes that I think can be beneficial to parents reading this blog include:

• Peterson’s and Weigel’s, (and maybe Termeer’s) your daughters are scheduled to get dread locks this weekend, so say goodbye to that gorgeous shine, Bob Marley here we come!
• Mike, I have never seen Melinda happier than when she gets back from the guesthouse after having chatted with you online.
• Bratcher family, your son Michael is officially the best one out of the group at speed scrabble. You have taught him well in the ways of words! (note: speed scrabble is a very popular sport among team members at the guest house, some have even reported having played it so much that they see small letter square when closing their eyes to sleep)
  
  Well, that’s a wrap from Africa,
  Love,
  Leah Weigel