Story #1:
When we were on our way up to the orphan village I passed someone only to see a police officer waving me to the side of the road. As I pulled over I was approached by a woman wearing a police uniform and she told me I was speeding and that I passed where I wasn't supposed to. She told me to go to another policeman to pay him my fines since you are expected to pay on the spot or if you can't then you and your vehicle are taken to the station until you can get money to pay. I tried to get to know the woman a little and be friendly. As she was showing me where to go, I was able to persuade her to let me pay only for the speeding 'ticket'. She told me both were going to cost about 150,000 kwacha ($30) but now with just the speeding ticket it was going to be 65,000 kwacha ($13). I was relieved since I only had 70,000 on me. I found the policeman who was just sitting in the backseat of an unmarked corolla collecting people's money. I told him I was pulled over for speeding and he told me it was going to be 180,000 ($35). I was shocked and I told him that the woman told me 65,000. He then tells me that she gave me the old fee and that 180,000 is the new fee. After a bit of discussion, he allowed me to pay the old fee. So I gave him the 70,000 I had and he was satisfied. For all I know, he could've been making up this new fee. I walked away with no receipt and no record that I was even pulled over. All they wanted was my money but I was glad I didn't have to go to the station.
Story #2:
To begin we left for Lusaka at 5am on Tuesday, the 14th to get to the Moz. Embassy to apply for our visa. Preliminary investigations told us that we could apply for an expedited visa in Malawi that was 1-3 days or take the typical 5 day application. We assumed that it was the same in Zambia. We arrived at the Moz. embassy in Lusaka late Tuesday morning and were told that they only offer the 5 day option. We were assured, though, that we could get the visas at the border so we trusted him. A colleague of ours, B., was able to apply for his in time so he went on Friday to pick his up only to be told that the guy who needs to sign it had gone out of town and will be back on Saturday afternoon. So the Embassy has his passport as he waited for the visa that he needs on Sunday in order to fly to Jo-burg. The guy gave B. his personal number so he could check in to see when the visa was ready. Saturday passes without any word that it has been signed so B. arranges with this guy to meet on Sunday.
Meanwhile, another friend of ours, Z., also applied for a visa with the same Embassy and he needed his passport by Sunday as well to fly to Malawi. We were staying with Z. and he finally got word that the guy who needed to sign had come back at 9pm Saturday night. So he went to pick it up and Bethany went with him. The guy who Z. and B. had been in touch with gave Z. his passport and then asked them if they were traveling with anyone else. Bethany said yes and indicated she knew B. The guy proceeded to give Bethany B.'s passport without checking her ID or anything. To top it off, the guy asked Z. for a ride home since it was 9:30 at night by this time. B. couldn't believe that the guy just gave out his passport to Bethany like that but he was happy to have it in time.
Story #3:
So this past week we went shopping at Shoprite, the local grocery. As we were about to pull out, we saw this big mobile home next to us that was painted and had something about a family traveling painted on it. We briefly greeted them and they told us they were from Switzerland and are in the middle of traveling around the world and they just arrived in Zambia. We told them a good place to stay for the night and left.
As we got home, Bethany felt led to go back and invite them to stay with us since all they needed was a place to park their house on wheels. She and Jenny went to find them and they accepted Bethany's invitation to stay with us and have dinner at our place. So the family was the mom, dad, 2 boys and 2 girls who all spoke French. Only the dad was able to communicate fluently with us in English. So they started their travels on October 22 last year and intend to travel a total of 3 years. They are able to do it since they sold everything they had including their house and gave up their jobs. So far they have gone from Switzerland, to eastern Europe, to Syria, Jordan, then Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and now Zambia. They will go down to South Africa, then ship their vehicle to India and they will fly there to pick it up. They will travel around Asia a bit and then ship the vehicle to the southern tip of South America. From there they will travel through South America and end up in North America. So it is quite a journey they are on and an interesting family to get to know. Through their travels, they intend to find a spot to 'settle' after the 3 years.
We enjoyed getting to know them and sharing our passion for living in Zambia and prayed with them that God would go before them as they continue on their journey. If you're interested you can check out their website at www.sixenroute.com Its all in French, but the pictures tell a lot. Who knows you may run into them in North America and if you have a chance we highly recommend inviting them for a meal!
It is stories like these that make life a constant adventure. And we are reminded by a good friend, "Don't ask 'WHY?' instead ask 'WHY NOT?!?'"
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