From Mind to Page

Last Week… Part 1

Last week was not what I would consider a typical week, although I cherish every moment of it.
On Sunday, Sara, Alisha and I were at Kachele Farm anxiously awaiting the arrival of our dear brothers who were in the final stretch of their long drive from South Africa. Many messages were exchanged between us, Beth in Kabwe, and Dan who was on the road. To say I was excited about seeing them again would be an understatement.
To waste some time we girls goofed around in the empty pool in the backyard while a storm was brewing above us. When the rains finally started to fall Alisha and I ran and danced around while Sara ran for cover. Shortly after going back inside I got one of the messages I was waiting for. The boys had arrived in Kabwe and were only a few hours away!
A while later another message arrived, the crew was now leaving Kabwe and bringing Beth & Ali with them!! Haha, sure we had seen those 2 just one week earlier, but I hadn’t expected to see them for a long time, so that was a special treat.
The three of us ladies worked together to get everything ready for our guests. The final touches were being put on the meal when the power suddenly went out on the farm. Thankfully everything was finished cooking and it was just a matter of figuring out how to keep it all warm until they got there. We used the last bit of daylight to gather the candles and make egg carton holders while praying the outage wouldn’t last long, but this is Africa…
A quick message was sent off to Beth to prepare her for another night without power (poor Ali & Beth have suffered many) and I found out they were about 1/2 an hour away… Anticipation was building…
Finally we heard the truck coming down the lane. I was the first to run outside and wait as patiently as possible for the vehicle to come to a stop, but knowing that it was full of people that mean the world to me made that very difficult! Adam was the first to burst out of the vehicle and come running. Right behind him were Bentley, Dan, Beth, Ali and Sibu. There were hugs all around and Kachele was full of life, although in the dark.
After getting everyone quickly settled into their rooms we all sat down for a candle lit dinner. I was quickly reminded how much these British boys make me laugh as the stories of their driving adventure spilled out. And they all drooled a little as Alisha brought out her infamous baking, which has been sorely missed in SA.
The evening was spent catching up with each other and getting in a little quality time before the early morning would once again take us in separate directions. The power remained off and soon we were without water as well since the pumps weren’t working. Not the ideal situation when 9 people are living in one house but hey, we’re kind of used to it.
One thing is for certain, just a few extra hours with these people I love would rejuvenate and recharge me for the remainder of my time in Zambia. I thank God for the blessing they are in my life. They are my family on this side of the world and I cherish every moment I have with them.
More to come…