Coffee

I have lots of thoughts running through my head tonight, posts for my blog. Perfectionism, failures, challenges with adoption, working, family ideals and coffee.

So, I will start with coffee. 

I don’t drink coffee. I have never wanted to start drinking coffee. Though I like the smell, I have never liked the taste. I am not really amused by the snobbery that seems to associate itself with coffee and its drinkers. I will admit I am a peanut butter snob. But of course peanut butter snobbery isn’t the same as coffee snobbery. Or refinement I should say. Both James and I were so much “not into coffee” that when my mom came to visit us for years she would bring along her own little coffee pot. Eventually we bought one to have for guests, or more likely she bought one for us to have and so then at least we started serving coffee to our guests, though we never drank any.  

I even laughed when my dear friend that came with us on our first trip to Zambia talked about getting “off” coffee to prepare for the trip and the effects that had. 

(Sorry I laughed at you)

But a few years ago James started drinking coffee, I’m not too sure why, maybe the stress of living in Africa drove him to pick it up (Kind of like I never drank anything until we moved to Africa...) Or maybe it was to have that afternoon pick me up since we were worn out all the time...But he started liking it and reading up on coffee and its history and would tell me interesting facts about it and welcomed me to join in this coffee “game.” 

Still not interested. 

So then I start working at a cafe. And not just a cafe but a coffee shop / cafe. 

Home to the Zambian National Barista Champion 2 years in a row. 

And I still wasn’t too interested. 

And still very clueless. 

For the last few months I have taken orders for coffee, bought coffee, served coffee, watched it being made and even watched a “cupping” for a new brand of coffee, as the coffee was dissected into all its glory. The smell, the taste, the sweetness, bitterness, earthy tones, cinnamon, vanilla, grassyness... when you see people sniffing and slurping and skimming things of the top of hot water with such precision it all just seems a bit hoaky to me. But I know its me and not the coffee. I was even asked to be a judge for a preliminary barista competition which I just thought was quite funny. I had to decline because I would have thought they all tasted bad. Still clueless. 

Last week a man came in and ordered some kind of coffee, a flat white cappachino to be exact, and I didn’t know what he was saying or understand. I had to call the barista over to have him explain it to her so that I knew what to charge him.  I came home and told James about it and after a bit of laughing he said, “ok. it’s time.”  Then he got online and downloaded some kindle books about coffee. I have started reading, and he’s right, how can I manage a coffee shop and not even know coffee?

So, I have made it a priority this week to learn how to make the coffees. I think the staff gets a kick out of watching me make them and taste them. To be honest the first espresso I made that I had to try was downright disgusting. Not because I had made it wrong, she tasted after me and said it was right, but because it tasted like bitter mud. It hit my taste buds as if I had just tried a shot of liquor (and how I know that...see above) 

With the espresso I was supposed to feel a certain thing in the front of my mouth and then the back and then my throat, as it went from bitter to sweet or something like that. I don’t even know. 

But I am starting to learn. I have watched and helped and gotten some training over the last few weeks but today I decided to jump in. I made espresso, cappuccino, macchiato,  cafe latte, americano, mocha latte. And lets just say I tried them all and drank a few of them to the bottom, the ones that had a lot of milk and then I added a lot of sugar to make it work. I was about to start my way into the iced coffees ( it was a bit slow today) but we actually had run out of the espresso beans. oops! 

It’s almost 11pm now and strangely I am not feeling the least bit tired. Very odd for someone who has been going to sleep at 9 for the last few months. Hmm. 

Actually the ladies were laughing at me because they said I was going to be wired for the day. True. 

So my goal is to keep learning. And keep tasting. I have surprised myself by enjoying it. And who knows if someday I will be writing as a coffee aficionado. (Probably should first learn if I spelled the word correctly)  After all coffee does go well with cake and the host of other goodies that I am promoting. And if I have many more days of coffee tasting and testing then I will have plenty of late nights to deal with these other thoughts and writings floating around in my head. 

November

All the kids and James are home, off school and work for the next 4 weeks! 

Unfortunately I am working for 3 of those 4 weeks, but maybe we can arrange for a few coffee / smoothie days. You can walk to the cafe, so maybe the older kids can take turns for a few days walking up with the little ones. 

Since the younger kids are in Zambian schools, they have missed out on American History (obviously). The older 3 have studied it off and on for several years so their “project” to keep everyone busy at least for a few hours a week for the next few weeks is to teach the younger ones.  They are less than thrilled, but you learn also by teaching so... there they go. 

When you have a big family everyone needs to pitch in and work. During the school year, the weekdays they don’t do a whole lot of work and thats fine and good since they are in school. We have Auntie Catherine anyway who helps out in the house during the week, but on the weekends they all clean the kitchen wash dishes, etc. 

Usually, things run smoother during these breaks if they are not aimlessly wandering about the house, watching tv, pestering each other so I am trying to think of a few other things to keep them busy. Dad’s philosophy is to put them to work!  So, they each can take a turn making breakfast these next few weeks. 

November seemed to fly by. Sarah turned 16, and celebrated 3 different times. The first was with the family, the second was with a good friend of hers spending the night and the third was a party with her youth group friends. 

We had a “make your own pizza” and I was very thankful to have my big oven in addition to the small one. It was crazy, 20 some teenagers hanging out in the house eating, watching a movie but Sarah really enjoyed it. 

Emma worked at the school at the MacDonalds Farm, and C, J and G finished out the school year. A new school year starts in January for them. They had an end of the year christmas concert. Like pretty much all things related to Zambian programs we have seen since we have been here, this one was the norm. Twice as long as it should be , they did a good job, pretty cute, Zambians can sing and dance really well, but yeah this was really way too long. Every event I have this thought process. Oh thats neat. Its really cool that the kids are in an African school. Wait why do they feel the need to preach/ have a devotional at every event. Get through that part then excitement to see my kiddos on stage, Oh theres my white boy singing with his friends. Good job!...Gracie, where is she in the crown of 30 classmates...Ah there she is. She looks so cute, and likes to be up there on stage. Then more acts. Then more. Then, will this ever end. Ok yes, finally its over. But now some announcements and closing remarks and prayer. 

By the time you leave you are hauling everyone off to the car in a not so great mood.

A test of endurance!  

This month was busy with work,  We have had 2 people we let go in leadership positions due to some sketchy dealings with money. That has added some extra work as we have had less people to operate the register and oversee the shifts, so I along with the owner have split some of those shifts. I have actually enjoyed that part, though it has made it where I haven’t had time to spend on other things that need attention. In time I guess. Gotta make changes from the top down, so that literally has been happening. Feels like work was nonstop this past month so am looking forward to a few days off around christmas. 

Thanksgiving was a bit strange in that half the kids had to go to school for exams and James had to teach in the morning. I stopped by work for a few minutes and then we had the afternoon off as a family at some friends house for a group Thanksgiving dinner. It was sweet for our friends to invite us and host this big event. 

I have missed my Kabanana friends and had hoped to get out there this past month to see them. I was disappointed they could not come for the swimming party. I was told they did not have the finances in order for that. It usually just involved a lunch and transport on the buses to our house but I guess changes have been made since we are no longer involved in the work and seeing how the funds are distributed. So even as things have come up related to the college too It is a bit difficult to hear, but what can we do. 

On a happy note we had Pastor Nsangu and his whole family over for lunch yesterday. 

(Pastor of the “chicken church”) He and James stay in contact and he is always thanking James for his ministry to him and his church. Every time we go to their church I never get to spend time with his wife because she is always busy, so we told them last time we were there we wanted to have their whole family over (we would help them with paying for transport) for lunch. Their whole family was 7 kids plus the parents so it was a great blessing to have them all and see such thankfulness they expressed just for sharing a meal with them. It really did make my day! 

Now if only we could all be thankful ALL the time...

I am looking forward to christmas this year and spending the day just our family with a nice big meal. Since we have internet this month we are already talking about looking up recipes, and what should we cook. Jackson has offered to make his fried apples which he does a great job with. Red and Green Apples he said, so it will be christmasy.

Then just maybe we will go swimming. Still hard to get used to sweating, swimming and hearing the christmas carols playing over the radio in the grocery store.  It's December!

Hand to Mouth

I wrote this about a month ago, then decided not to post in mostly because I didn't want to scare my parents, :) 

But its life and as I talked to my dad recently he was saying that even in the really rough times when you think its so long and hard, later you can look back at it and realize you got through it and it wasn't as bad as it seemed. 

Hand to Mouth Existence.

That’s where we are right now. I will say it has been humbling, stressful, frustrating, emotional, and a way for learning great patience. But beyond all these things it has made us able to understand and relate to people in a way we never have and we never would have been able to, had we not gone through this season of our lives.  And I shouldn’t say “gone through” because it is not finished. We are not through it yet. 

But the feeling of not knowing where your next meal is coming from, or your next tank of gas...well not even tank, your next 5 dollars of gas to get you to where you need, or your next 2 dollars of “talk time” to be able to make a phone call. 

Most everything here is pre paid. The electricity, your phone, your internet, etc. Yesterday I noticed we had about one hour of power left. And we had about 30 Kwacha. ($6). We bought enough power for the day, I delivered a batch of energy bars and then had enough money to buy flour, milk and potatoes at the store with $5 left over to buy power today. 

With the power its pretty standard I buy the whole months worth at a time, but last month was not able to, so I knew we were going to run short the last week in the pay period. This year both of our workers finished their 2 year contract and we did not renew them, so we had to pay out their benefits of a half years salary to each of them. Something we are still working on paying. 

It seems for everyone, there are always life things that come up unexpectedly and your “budget” doesn’t really fit the actual. But you take what you are making and try to pare down and work with it, etc. But when you pare down and pare down and have nothing left to pare down it can be very discouraging.

Sometimes I sell a cake and literally walk next door to the grocery store, take the $20 and start the math of what is absolutely essential and how can I use the amount I have.

And somewhere between the produce section and the baking aisle I miscount and end up at the register watching as they ring up the items waiting to tell them to stop right there.  And though this may be new to me, it is how the majority of people live, in fact I have seen it pretty much every time I am at the grocery store. (especially outside of America. You can’t live on credit. You can only buy with what you have. Novel idea eh?)

When an employee tells me I am sorry I couldn’t call you to report I am not coming to work, because I didn’t have talk time, well now I can relate. 

When they ask to help with transport money, I can relate.

When you have been eating spinach and onion as THE vegetables for the last 2 weeks because its all you have in your garden, I can relate. 

When I see others waiting until “month end” when they are paid, and they begin to file into the stores and into town for their shopping, I can relate. 

When I see others looking for money in different places, from people that owe them, I can relate. Whether it is waiting on the rental company that owes a reimbursement for work done on the house months ago, or collecting money from books sold, or collecting a downpayment for a cake, your mind goes to how can I cover this and who owes me.

When friends say they have had to look for school fees from relatives and friends to pay for their kids school, I can relate. 

To be completely honest, it has been tough. But when I think clearly and see how even in these challenging times, we have not ever once gone without what was absolutely essential to our basic needs, I know the Lord is teaching us and taking care of us. 

One morning all I could offer the kids for breakfast was ice cream, from a batch that didn’t turn out and was in the deep freezer. I had no milk, no eggs, no flour to make anything. They thought it was great, ICE CREAM ! Yeah!!  and I tried to make it fun but it was a bit bittersweet, in that I knew this is all I could come up with. 

We wanted to stay here in Zambia and are very glad we did. But that meant that after 14 years, it was a completely different change of careers and immediately. I continue to be thankful (when my heart is right!) and see how even when things are extremely tight, and making half of what we made before, the Lord is still providing for us. 

We have only been attending the new church we are at for about 2 months, and someone anonymously gave us $600 in an envelope. It made me cry, oh me of little faith. It came on the heels of a really bad week spiritually and emotionally for me which again re-iterates, God doesn’t look at what we have done and reward according to our works. It’s only because we are his children and He wants to bless us. It happened to be the very week our car insurance, road tax and fitness were all due and it pretty much exactly covered it. 

One thing I can say is I have much less of the attitude when others are struggling that “they just need to get it together” than I used to have. I am sure there’s still some there, but it’s a lot less.

As we look ahead we have realistic hope of making it more than this “hand to mouth.” With my new job, its potential of a partnership in the company, current quarterly commission and opportunities to roll my cake business into it, we can see ahead.

With James’s drive -hard working, do whatever it takes, do whatever needs to be done even if no one wants to do it, never one to sit around, never seen him lazy a day of his life- I know we can and will make it. And one day in the (hopefully) near future, we can be more financially settled. 

As we have seen over these last 4 years, so many lessons in life or things we learn are by experience and only by experience. And God chooses us to learn them that way so we can better relate to people and understand them. And not just so we can understand, but so that our heart can be moved to greater compassion and grace. 

...And I just checked our account this morning, the new pay period has begun and the money’s in the bank. Off to go get a full tank of fuel, electricity, and groceries. (Hubby’s orders...)  

The New Normal

Things have been quite busy around here lately. 

I have been working now for a month. It is going well, and there are many different things to work on at the cafe, and some exciting things too.  Its been fun to come up with new ideas for sandwiches and salads. Today We made a cranberry almond green salad with chicken. It was the featured special. The dressing was really good and made it stand out to me from other salads, even cranberry salads that I have had before. Definitely a keeper. 

I am trying out new breads for all our sandwiches since right now they are just on the white bread and wheat bread from the local store, or the bagels. I have been practicing with the Honey Wheat, French Baguette, Focaccia and Ciabatta Bread. They have all turned out well, so now it’s just a matter of planning the timing of when we would make the bread. The space is very limited and most of the breads are only good the day we make them.  

I am enjoying talking with the customers and hearing their feedback. Probably one of the neatest parts is when someone new comes in. Sometimes they are new to Zambia, or they don’t live in Lusaka, maybe from a more rural area of Zambia or even other african countries.  They come in and get a blizzard or a smoothie, or a really good sandwich and  I see they have the “wow factor” going on. It just makes my day.

On the Home Front, Emma graduated from Grade 7 and took the Nationwide Comprehensive exams last week. In January we should get the results.  She had her ceremony at school and instead of walking in as a class, they dance in. Like a 10 minute dance/step all the way up to the stage then back down and into their seats. It was cool and that white girl CAN dance. She can also sing. On Sunday they had a special service at church for the graduates and she led the class in singing a song in Bemba. It was one of those proud mother moments. All the kids have done well here and can relate and interact with their Zambian peers, but Emma has a special something that seems to go above and beyond just the regular interactions. 

We had all the girls in her class over on Friday after their last exam. They had fun, Emma planned and organized and baked everything for the party so that was a big help. Sarah took one shift of Lifeguarding and then when I got in the pool, 15 girls all cornered me asking, “Auntie we want to know how to swim!...Teach us please”. 

I attempted to at least show them how to kick and move their arms, etc but lets just say it became very interesting. Emma asked if I was going to wear my swimsuit because once she had a friend over who said she knew how to swim and I ended up diving in, with my dress on to save her. 

Last weekend was Miss Gracie’s 5th Birthday. We had 3 families over with their kids and just had a low key party. Emma made a pinata we had cake and went swimming. 

She had fun with her friends and got 2 cakes out of the deal. Hard to believe she is 5 and has been with us 3 years now. 

On the weekend the 3 older kids went to a retreat with the youth group. They really enjoyed it and it was strange to have just the 3 younger kids at home. Made me think about many of my friends who have 3 kids...Oh, so this is what that would be like. ;) 

James got a promotion at work and he has a position now essentially as a vice principal of the middle school (7th, 8th, 9th grade). With his job, he was allowed to bring 2 of our kids in at the discount rate for school, but not 3. When he got the promotion he asked if he would be allowed instead of the minimal increase in salary, to bring a third child. It seemed they were going to say no and he even had to write a letter to the school board making his request known. The day before Emma graduated he was told that yes he was now allowed 3 children. We were so thankful for this good news. Even at paying 20% it is still a significant amount for us, but we are very thankful she can go there. So, she will start in January which would be the new school year for Zambia but the half year point for the International Schools.  She is very excited and I am happy for her. 

I am enjoying my time out at Chikumbuso also. We are getting ready to be marketing tofu and soy milk. Soybeans were donated to them and they have made it before and already had all the equipment, they just needed someone to get it started again and oversee the project.  They are making it now and I have been trying to arrange for packaging and labels to sell it at more retail places. The ones working in the kitchen are single moms, not the widows, so they are all young (younger than me at least...). I find it so interesting the opportunities the Lord has laid out for me and when you look at one point to another, how those things all come together to be doing things I never expected. Last week I showed them pics of my family and Emma’s videos from school and they all enjoyed it. When I left one of the girls said, “we will miss you”. 

Sweet. 

This week I went and there was no water so they had to go to the nearby well. I offered to drive them and their 6 buckets there because I couldn’t offer to carry it on my head. As we drove back, about a third of the water spilled out in the back of the car.

The girls were laughing and I said ok next time you have to teach me to carry it on my head. Then one girl replied, I don’t even know how to carry it on my head. I asked the other girl and neither did she. I  told them I guess not so much this younger generation, only the older mamas. 

I got to see my friend Fanny a few weeks ago and her baby. We were praying for her and the baby to turn because the baby was breech and she was going to have to have a C-section at a local hospital that is known for its bad conditions. A few days before the baby was born they said it had turned. She was very thankful. She went to deliver the baby and ends up he had not turned so she delivered breech, and then had some complications afterward. Thankfully the baby was ok and he was healthy. She is doing fine now as well.  Their church came out to our place for a baptism service to use our pool. One of the boys being baptized was the brother to one of the sponsored kids. Then Maureen’s son was also there, which was neat too. The kids are all supposed to come next month for the annual SWIM. 

Guess that’s about all for now. As I am looking ahead to November it already seems full with activities, and LIFE.  It’s not just about working full-time but also this whole teenagers with social lives, thing. Still trying to get used to the new normal. 

Work/School/Church...LIFE

3 weeks into my new job. I am enjoying it and everything seems to be going well. Adjustments and changes, but it’s going well. 

We have been working on a new cinnamon roll recipe so today when I stopped by at 10 all of them were sold. I actually thought maybe they didn’t have time to get them made last night after I left, but they said they turned out great and were all gone! 

The recipe works well because you make up the rolls then leave them to rise in the refrigerator overnight so when one of the workers comes in at 5:30 he just can bake them after he makes the bagels.

The bagel recipe is next. I have a good one we have tried out but I have to see if we can make them to leave overnight and see how they will turn out in the morning. 

I have been getting different customer feedback which has been very helpful. We have lots of ideas and are first trying to work on making our own bread. Right now they just buy from the grocery store next door. So this week I was making french baguettes and focaccia bread. Need to try it again next week too. 

Its been good to observe the staff and see how we can be more efficient, and see what they think will work and what won’t. 

I have been out to Chikumbuso one day each week and have enjoyed that. The first week I just met everyone and hung out with the ladies and then some of the kids at the school. Then last week they started making soy milk. Soybeans were donated to the project and so the cost is very minimal for them to make the milk which they then sell locally. We hope to get tofu started again and then I will be looking into marketing and packaging that for selling within Lusaka. 

So far its been working out at home, I take the kids to school in the morning and then pick them up in the afternoon. Things are really packed and we are feeling worn out, but we are surviving. James and I try to get up at 5, get a few things done then by 6 I go for a run, then am back in time when James, Sarah and Ian leave at 6:30 for school. Then I wake the other 4 kids up at 6:30 and we leave for school at 7:30. I then head to work until about 4. Then I get the kids from school we get home around 4:30 4:45. Try to  rest a few minutes, get their snack, homework done, then James and the two older kids don’t get home until 5:30 or 6 depending on the day. 

Sarah and Ian have activities they are involved in after school (Swimming and chess for Ian and Sarah has basketball and music) then twice a week James is tutoring. The school is on the other side of town and traffic can be pretty bad so most days they are gone about 11 hours. 

Once a week I have gone in early, 5:30 to the cafe and help with the morning preps for opening the cafe, then I come home at 7 to get the kids for school.  I try to be done earlier on Friday between 2 and 3, since the kids only have half a day of school. 

The past 2 weeks some of the kids have stayed home sick so I have been able to go in to work later and come home to check on them. 

Last weekend was crazy, I had a big order for cakes,desserts etc with the baking business so I put in ( with the help of Sarah and Olivia) about 10 hours friday evening and early sat morning. So I still am doing that on the side for now. If things go well with the cafe and a partnership as we have discussed then I would look at rolling my business into that. I still have weekly cake orders, energy bars at 5 different schools/gyms and ice cream now at a local restaurant. It is helpful because we need everything we can get right now, but long term it is not feasible. I am looking at maybe hiring someone part-time for now to help with the baking at home, for the business and just in general. We have been saving money by making a lot of things from scratch, but I don’t have time for that anymore so we will have to see how that all works out. 

The older kids are enjoying being at school at Lusaka International Community School. The discount for James teaching there only applies to 2 kids so Sarah and Ian are the ones there right now. We hope something can be worked out for Emma since she finishes this month at her school. Taking the comprehensive year 7 exams. They are doing fine, though I think they are still the only “white kids” in their classes. Rather than being all Zambians there is quite a mix of other nationalities as well. 

They are involved in the youth group at the new church we are attending and that has been a blessing and encouragement to them. It has been refreshing for us all. Its a varied group of people. Americans, (Canadians and Latin Americans included) Zimbabweans, South Africans, Zambians, Europeans, Oceanians (that covers those from australia and new zealand, right? ) Very diversified group. Some missionaries, some expats, nationals...but, they all have a heart for Christ. To love and serve in His name, living out the grace and love of Christ to others. That’s what we need. So we are settling in there. They don’t have a pastor right now, so different men have been preaching. James offered to help and they wanted him to start a series on 1 Peter that he and another guy will be going through. So that has been nice to have him preaching again. 

So the days fly by, we pretty much finish dinner, get the 7 lunches packed for the next day get all the kids settled for the night from 8 to 9 then fall in to bed and start it all over again at 5. 

Sunday is truly our only day of rest as Saturdays are busy with other work and activities. 

Today though our afternoon is free, first time in a month and after some not so great dinners throughout the week we are grilling out James’s awesome hamburgers, Emma’s french fries, Jackson’s fried apples, Corn on the Cob and ice cream blizzards made with Reese’s peanut butter cups that I found this week and homemade vanilla ice cream.  I think we might even swim. Looking forward to the rest. 

The rest of the month and weekends are busy. Friends coming for lunch tomorrow, a group of guys we have had over occasionally over the last couple years but this year we have tried every few months to get together with them. It’s always enjoyable. 

Then next weekend Emma has her school graduation, Grace’s Birthday party then the church in Kabanana is coming to use our pool for a baptismal service. 

Then Emma is having the girls from her class over for a party after they write their final exams. Then the older kids are going away for a youth retreat another weekend. 

But the next 6 hours..their ours. Our family. Some peace and quiet. Well never mind, thats a stretch, more accurately some chaos and noise, but its our chaos and noise. And we don’t have to go anywhere. 

Cafe

Today starts my new job. My first full-time, official, out in public, really gonna do this thing, job.  I wouldn’t have seen myself here a few years ago but here I am and I am excited.

 The Operations Manager / Head Baker at a cafe here in Lusaka.

This job was literally just handed to me. I wasn’t looking for it, but it just came my way. 

And I can see how over the last 4 years the Lord has been slowly preparing me for this. 

We moved here and then a few kids started going to school. Then I started volunteering some of my time to start up and run the orphan work. Then more kids were in school. Then I started a baking business. Then I started helping a friend part time a few days a week, with her baking business. Now all the kids are in school and I can be working full-time outside the home. I am extremely thankful and grateful for all the years (16) that I did stay at home with my kids. I wouldn’t trade it for anything! 

Six months ago when we decided to start our own baking business, James was having coffee with a friend at Blue Moon Cafe. It is an American owned cafe less than a mile from our house. He told his friend, if you know of anyone wanting to buy cakes you should recommend Megan. At the very moment he said that, the owner of the cafe walked by and said, “we need cakes”. 

They became my first routine customer. Every other day I would sell them a cake that they resold at the cafe. This has worked out great over the months. I have had many other ideas for products I could sell them if they were interested. (Cookies, pies, breads, etc). As my baking business has been growing we have “dreamed” of one day having a shop in the same shopping center, similar to this one. 

About a month ago, the owner called me to discuss a bit of a problem we had with the cakes. I had not talked to him since we started supplying the cakes. After the issue was cleared up and it was just a misunderstanding on the workers part, we finished our conversation. He ended by saying, well we really would like to be making our own cakes we just haven’t been able to do that yet. 

So essentially, “soon we won’t need you.”  To which I replied, well hopefully by that time I will have my own shop. 

( A Homemade Pie and Ice Cream Kitchen of Lusaka...rather than Louisville).  

I admit I was a bit quick to reply as if, ‘well fine...I wont need you guys either then...’

I laugh now to think over it. We finished the conversation and I left and 5 minutes later he called me to ask if I was serious, that I wanted my own place someday. I was very serious. 

That was followed by a few weeks of meetings and conversations where I was offered to partner in the company and run the day to day operations of the cafe.  I will be managing the staff, updating the menu, bringing in a whole group of desserts and more choices. Basically I could take it and run with it how I think best. 

I couldn’t imagine how this all would come about so suddenly and unexpectedly...But God. 

So I have worked out a schedule that should work for me and my family and is flexible to be available for them and school and picking kids up etc. I will be mostly hands on and the accounting, marketing, administrative side of things will still be with Bob, the owner. 

The one thing, which was seen to be a bit of a “catch” , was that one of my days in the week I had to work/volunteer at a project that the cafe partners with out in N’gombe compound, called Chikumbuso.

It is a widows and orphans project.

In the compound.  

smile  : )

This was no catch at all, but rather the icing on the cake! 

Cupcakes!

How many did you say?

725.

Seems crazy and it was a bit, but an opportunity to see what we could do.

A woman I met at a bible study heard me say I had a baking business. 

She happened to be the woman in charge of the PTA  at Lusaka International Community School, where James teaches.

They were having a 20th birthday party for the school, and wanted to give each child a cupcake. 

Could I do it, did I want the job? 

No I couldn't on my own but yes I wanted the job. 

AND I had my amazing girls. 

We figured out how many batches we needed to do per day over the next 2 weeks. 

6 batches a day for 5 days. 

Then 3 days of making 8 batches of icing. 

Sarah was awesome. She pretty much made all 725 cupcakes herself. We froze them in ziploc bags and placed them in the deep freezer. There was literally no more room to put anything in there when we were finished. 

After a few days of mixing, the Kitchen Aid just stopped working.

Sarah and I both figured... of course. So I ran to the store to buy a hand mixer (against the advice of my friend Karla..just don't do it, they are cheap and will break). I forgot how small and weak

 those things are. 

We arranged for the electrician to come by the next day and I even told him if he could get it fixed that same day I would give him a whole cake! (I was that desperate).

An hour before he came I tried to use it again and it worked!

I was so thankful. It went out again the next week while I was making the icing and decided it was time to use my nshima spoon. If it can stir the thick lumps of nshima surely it can be used for icing. 

Sarah with her 6 bowls lined up

Since I never make nshima myself, I finally found a good use for my spoon. 

I put the batches of icing in ziploc bags to store which ended up being great since I just cut the edge off the bag and squeezed it directly into the piping bag. 

Armed with our 2 piping bags Emma and I set to work on icing all the cupcakes. 

We took them out of the freezer and iced them frozen. 

Notice the bandanas and head scarf. Nothing worse than eating a cupcake and finding hair.

17 boxes in all. After about 6 hours, with a few breaks in between we were finished. My hands hurt from squeezing the bag but we were finished. 

 I was a bit nervous for how the delivery would go. I fit the boxes in the car and drove slowly and Emma came with me to deliver. Every bump we hit, Emma said, "Mom...the cupcakes."

They all were delivered safely and I will say it was actually very cool to see the whole school walking around with our cupcakes!

Empty

This month we have found new levels of being “empty” on fuel. 

Up until recently I only knew these 4. 

“Empty”- the tank is somewhere below the half full mark and I should fill up. 

“Empty”- The line is hovering on the 1/4 of a tank mark.  I really should fill up soon. 

“Empty”- The line is now on E. 

“Empty”- The line is on E  AND the light has come on. 

But, there’s more... 

“Empty”- The line is on E and the light has come on but I know from past experience I can drive to and from school twice. 

“Empty”-  So I drive to and from school twice and the light is still on and I didn’t know the line could stretch beyond where it is.  

“Empty”- I know I am pushing my luck, the air and radio are off and I just know I will be stopped on the side of the road in a few minutes, BUT, I just dropped a cake off right near the house so I have a little cash now and I can fill up and then take the kids to school.   Great! 

“Empty”- I have done all the above, and then I pull up to the filling station and they are out of fuel.  They are EMPTY. 

Now I am feeling it and a bit panicky. If the fuel station doesn’t have any, then what?

There is only one option. Keep driving to the one half way between our house and school. I drive there only to find that they are empty too.  

I gotta keep going now so I drive to school, drop the kids off on the edge of the school grounds so they can walk to class and I head straight to the next available station. 

They have fuel. A huge sigh of relief and quick prayer thanking God that we made it. 

I get 50 kwacha worth of gas ($10- a little over a gallon!) and drive home. It’s still on empty. 

Empty with the light on.  :) 

Chicken Day

I pulled my hair up and into a bun. It would still have looked nice down even though this was the day after I washed my hair. I am still getting used to not washing it every day. But I knew that my hair is a magnet for smells, and this morning of all days I certainly did not want to add to the “attraction” that was already there. 

Chicken day. Limited had found some buyers for our newly started chicken venture. After 6 weeks of buying feed every few days, the kids and James feeding and watering them on the weekends, wrestling them back into their pen when they escaped, challenges for the kids doing their chicken chores, and a host of other unpleasant duties,  they were ready for selling.  There was a plan that was pieced together at the last minute, having to switching things around and rig something up...so in other words, we had a Zambian plan! 

If we weren’t there early enough in the morning they would go and buy the chickens from someone else. 

Perjuite would arrive early and load up all the chickens in the back of the Prado. I would then drive the kids to school and turn around and meet Limited with the chickens just 3 minutes from the school to sell them. 

Last night the kids were a bit leary of riding to school with chickens in the back of the car. 80 of them. Who wouldn’t be?  So James made a joke about it and started singing a rap like song about low riding with our chickens. It was quite funny. 

So this morning, of course Perjuite didnt show up on time and Limited called me from where he was supposed to meet me. I asked if he could come all the way to the house on his bike in 20 minutes. He said he would try. But the thing is I knew I could count on him. He is dependable. So he hurried, dodging traffic and he said his heart was still racing. He made it in time, helped finish load up the chickens with Perjuite who had just arrived and Caleb stood by with his backpack on, counting chickens as they put them into the car. 

They finished, the kids were waiting by the front gate, they all hopped in and we took off. I let the girls sit together in the front seat and it was a good thing because as I was driving one of the chickens squeezed his head around the back seat and ended up with Limited and the two boys in the middle row. Thankfully, He picked it up and threw it behind him into the other chickens. 

We got to school a few minutes late, which might have been a good thing and I parked far enough away that not many would see the chickens in the back of the car, though the windows were all down they might have heard them and smelled them. 

I hopped out of the car and hit the dust and feathers off the kids uniforms and told them I loved them and thanks for being good sports about it all!  Eh, they were fine. 

Even though the girls covered their noses with tissues the whole drive to school, I can’t say I blame them. We passed a truck going the opposite direction carrying pigs. I said well guys, it could be worse we could have pigs in the car!  Emma seemed to think that would have still been better.

We got to the side of the market where they were waiting for the chickens. Individual ladies that had their own stalls for selling chickens. As soon as we pulled up, about 5 people came to the car and Limited opened the back door. Then it seems as all “chickens broke loose”,  about 8 of them escaped, under the car, walking toward me as the onlooker, heading across the dirt road, and there was really no way I was going to pick that chicken up.  The “buyers” started grabbing chickens and carrying them to their pens just a few feet away from the car. It became chaotic as they all took them, would weigh them just buy holding them, put certain ones back, take other ones etc.This went on for a little while, and then a disagreement broke out between a few of them to something unrelated to us and our chickens but that added to the confusion. 

A few chickens climbed into the middle seat and one of them pooped right there on the seat.  I tried to gauge what they were saying, getting the gist of it, even though it was in nyanja.  A few times I said something to Limited and he just said “Wait”... 

So after the commotion and confusion when all was said and done everyone had the number of chickens they wanted to buy, in their pens and then I went to each of them and counted the chickens and told them what they owed me. They all paid and it all worked out, but the process was certainly an experience. 

And sadly one chicken died. Ha!  Well they all were about to die soon after they were carried home live in a plastic bag with their head sticking out, or taken on the bus home for dinner. 

But I think they thought I was pretty dumb because they tried to get me to give them the dead chicken for free. Then when that didnt work, it was 10 pin.  I give you 10 pin..less than half the price. I told them no, I will just take it home and we will eat it. 

But I didn’t tell them that I will never be touching the bird. I will let Limited carry it, then pluck the feathers off and gut it out and give it to Catherine who will then skin it and put it nicely in a ziploc bag and then hand it to me to put into the freezer. 

And that is exactly what happened. To 12 other chickens today that are now nicely placed into my freezer. 

Caleb had a blast watching them and then proudly showed me the chicken head that he was carrying around on a plate. Which he then also showed to Emma and her friend and Grace and later  I heard that he brought it into the house and Sarah got to be part of the experience as well. 

Hmm. Boys! He then asked for the feet. I was in the outside kitchen organizing and he and Jackson sat behind the fence near the car talking about their chicken heads and feet.  They kindly put them behind their backs when I walked over their way, then they took them back out after I passed by. 

The workers finished with their part of the slaughtering and left the chicken bodies on a mat on the ground outside for Catherine to take over. Flies were starting to swarm around. I brought over a table and then we put them on top of the table outside. 

Just about this time the stray cat that comes around at night to our house, showed up and I could just hear Catherine screaming in the distance at the cat to get away from the chicken but more so I think it was to get away from her!

The cat used to be our neighbors but then they moved and so we had heard that the cat just wanders around. We have not had a problem with mice/rats of which I have been SO THANKFUL. So we think this cat has something to do with that, the kids even saw a dead one in the yard near the garden today. 

A bit stressful all the chicken work today but overall still a good day. 

The kids are happy. 

I was able to get all the clothes together that we had in storage for the kids in Kabanana and Lawrence will be coming by to collect them tomorrow. I was thinking as I was going through all their stuff, that we are very blessed not only to have the children that we have, but that they have clothing to wear. Then I thought of the kids in Kabanana and smiled that every time I would see them all as a group there was always several of them wearing something that used to be one of my kids. And that made me happy and still makes me happy today as I was preparing the next batch of clothes. 

Means so much more knowing where it goes, than just throwing it in a box at goodwill. 

Fine to do, just different now. Then I was thinking of some of the baby clothes from Grace and my older clothes and thought about some of the poor ladies that come to church and maybe I should save them and give them some as well. 

When I finally arrived at work today I stopped to talk to Auntie Yvonne. She helps make the bread and does house work as well. She had a little girl with her today so I asked her if that was her daughter. She said no, its her granddaughter. She was fairly shy and sat there on the step holding a doll. I talked to her but she didnt say much. 

She is 2 and her mom just took off. She had to drop out of school when she got pregnant and had the baby, and I think she stayed home for awhile with the baby but then she just took off and hasn’t come back. 

So sad. Later in the conversation it came up that she, the grandmother,  is only 35. 

But it is just taken in stride. It happens, its part of life. 

After work I said goodbye to Anna and her doll, Tina. 

Then I drove out the gate and waved to Elvis, the boy that was keeping the gate today. 

I headed to school to pick up the kids. I drove past all the piles of trash, people walking, dust flying in through the windows of my car and I could feel the grit in my teeth all of a sudden. I passed the rusted out junky frame of the minibus that has sat in the same exact spot for at least 3 and a half years. Its just a road mark on the way to school which used to be an eye sore and bother me. 

It doesn’t anymore. 

Unfortunately I don't have pictures of the chickens in the car. That would have been good, so you will just have to imagine you are there and what that would have been like...

After the 80 chickens in the back of the car, this was made to fit on TOP of the car.  :-)