Zambian delicacies

Recently, I was asked to help provide ongoing help at a local orphanage. I accepted and now the kids and I  (and sometimes Erik if he can get away from the farm) drive about 45 minutes to see how things are going at the orphanage. It has been interesting for me to take over the purchasing of groceries, offer accountability, learn more about Zambian food preparation, get to know the "mothers" at the orphanage and most of all to see and play with the children. I have also begun to dive in to long tomes about Zambian standards for residential facilities. I won't bore you with that, but I thought you might find the food aspect interesting.

pre-measuring meals to ensure correct serving size

Larissa measuring out dried fish portions

These small dried fish are called kapenta. They are a staple here. They are extremely odoriferous.

measuring out rice

mielie meal. Most Zambians eat this ground maize at every meal. It is made thinner at breakfast as porridge. With less water added, it is used as utensil to scoop up other food. In this form it is called nshima. Zambians tell me nshima makes children very happy.

dried beans

we ended up with quite the assembly line

This frozen fish is called buka buka fish. Children here save the eyeball for last. Apparently it's the best part.

Other foods enjoyed here year round are tomatoes, ground nuts (peanuts), lots of cabbage, rape (a green leafy vegetable), bananas, cassava roots, potatoes, watermelons, okra, roasted field corn and carrots. We have seen young Zambians holding large rodents along roadsides to sell. We have yet to discover what they are exactly. Seasonal foods are mangoes, African bush oranges, avacadoes, other bush fruits (these are very different from anything I have ever tasted and I can't remember their names in Bemba), caterpillars, and termites to name a few.

Not too long ago we had the opportunity to enjoy a traditional Zambian meal. The pictures aren't great, but here is Erik's plateful.

Starting in the upper left, going clockwise...roasted cassava root, chicken, Zambian eggplant, a few groundnuts, the black things are caterpillars (which taste just like you would expect a fried caterpillar to taste...crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside...mmm) more chicken and nshima.

Bon Appetit!

Farm Friday

My intentions to begin "Farm Friday" posts is coming to fruition...

Currently, strawberry harvest continues. Because the heat has been increasing, the berries are smaller. Despite their size we are still able to meet the sales demands of our 3 biggest customers most weeks. We eagerly await the arrival of a sea container from the States which contains materials to construct tunnels over our berries. The rainy season will be here in full force soon. Usually production comes to an end during the rains, but we are hoping to extend harvest by tunneling the berries.

Preparing a spot at the farm for the sea container to sit.

The ladies continue to harvest daily

Raspberries and blackberries are just beginning to produce. We are just now marketing these to customers. (Much to the disappointment of our children! They were enjoying buying the few that were ripe!) Gooseberries have just been planted. A gooseberry is a small yellow fruit housed within a green husk. The taste is very unique. I have nothing to compare it too. Guess you'll have to come visit and experience it yourself.

Moses, our farm manager, helps some boys from Lifesong School plant the gooseberries.

Preparations for rainy season is what is taking up most of our time. We have 200 peach trees and 200 orange trees that were planted in July. The dirt must be mounded around them to protect them from the rains. They are also receiving a nutrient packed snack of chicken manure.

Just down the road, we continue working on the new farm. We call it Plot 3. There is much to do before the land is ready to plant in April. Tilling has begun. This week we are having a reservoir dug so we will be able to irrigate. An absolute must for farming in Zambia. Much to our surprise, the reservoir has been filling with water on its own from underground springs. It is the end of the dry season and we are thrilled that we will not have to trench water in from the nearby creek.

Unbroken ground with so much potential

Erik has felt like a pioneer breaking the sod out west...only difference...he has a tractor instead of horses

School let out early for the Wiegand kids to watch the momentous occasion

WATER!!

Jumping off the piles. The kids hold on to their hopes that they will be able to swim in the reservoir.

We continue to enjoy getting to know our Zambian workers, networking with local people, farming, homeschooling, capturing critters, and sharing the love of Jesus with all we come in contact with. Blessings to you and yours.

Game camp

A couple weekends ago, we were able to spend some time at a game camp about 2 hours away. It was a great time with our team members and our own family. The kids completely enjoyed being able to run around in woods with mature trees (something they haven’t done much since arriving…everything close by is bush). We had our first stay in a real safari tent. Instead of paying to hire guides to drive us around the camp, we drove our own vehicle. The only thing we spotted were different species of antelope, but to us newbies…that’s pretty exciting.

Our home in the bush

This was the view from the porch of our tent

Kids checking out the lake

Everyone took a turn holding the baby croc

The kids took these monkey pictures. They were feeding them figs out of their hands.

We still find monkeys quite novel, but everyone here views them like racoons in the states! A nuisance!

Sable. The kids nicknamed the big guy beastie black.

Why yes we have a safari vehicle!

 The kids also participated in a fishing competition. The girls were their own team. In 1 and 1/2 hours they caught nearly 40 pounds of fish! They kept Erik and I hopping baiting and removing fish from the lines. They were catching them so quickly they would hit each other in the back with the fish on their lines. It was a hoot!

Come visit soon and we will let you ride on top of our "safari van"

Happy Belated Independence Day!

Forty nine years ago shortly before midnight on October 23, a packed stadium listens in hushed silence as a thousand rifles clatter in unison. This signifies the handing over of the old guard of Northern Rhodesia to the new guard of the nation of Zambia. The band plays God Save the Queen one last time as the national anthem of the British colony. As the notes fade away, all lights in the stadium are put out. A fanfare is sounded and a single spotlight shines on the flag of the Republic of Zambia.The national anthem of the new Zambia is played as a Zambian Air Force craft flies overhead in salute. The once quiet crowd roars in enthusiasm as 73 years of colonialism come to an end.

Independence Day was celebrated in high style at Lifesong school! We enjoyed watching the kids program and seeing them march in a parade.

One Nation, One Zambia!

As the first president of Zambia said in this excerpt from one of his speeches: "...let us also show humility towards God and friendship towards others which will assure us of our self-respect, and at the same time assure us of the respect for other nations."

Thanks for praying Zambia. Thanks for praying as we seek to disciple future leaders of this great nation.