MYCEPA's "Grand Opening"

Yesterday we split into three groups. The four of us, myself, Dad, Hilary and David S, went to Lusaka as you heard. David F, Myra, Catherine, Rita and Joan went to the girls' school at Chipembe that David and Myra's church supports. They had a lovely day and came back bearing gifts and joy from a school which has been educating young women for 100 years. Carolyn, Marion and Jan went to MYCEPA to help set up for today's grand opening. They definitely drew the short straw. 

We returned last night to find them anxious that not only was the opening not ready, but the clinic was not finished! Work had been delayed so much that there was just a framework where there should have been a fully equipped CP clinic. The decision was made that the ceremony today should just be an awareness and progress event, so with willing hands we all set to work. Except for Dad, who is still in Lusaka pulling teeth. He probably had an easier time of it than us! We arrived to find a red tarpaulin in a field and not much else. 90 people were turning up in 5 1/2 hours and we had no shelter, no food, and no seating. Myra was quickly dispatched to 'find some chickens' and came back 5 hours later with all the fixings for a brilliant braai (Zambian BBQ). 

The lovely ladies of the braai.

In the interim we wrestled with a 30x40m tarpaulin covered in possibly chicken poo in high winds. Which we didn't end up using. The idea was that this would provide cover for our important guests, while the MYCEPA kids and their parents could be comfortable in a gazebo to one side. Sadly, it smelled of chicken poo and took 9 of us to unfold it, so there was no way it was going to be suitable. After we abandoned that plan and went to plan Q - possibly; we have many plans - we started putting up the tents kindly lent to us by Fringilla lodge. These large army tents were more than adequate for the assorted dignitaries who started trickling in around half an hour after kick-off.

Setting up the army tents. Why do balloons always make things festive? These were ones we found in a container. Joan thought they were ones sent over two years before, so we had balloon roulette, taking the chance that they would blow up as we blew them up.

I learned something today. I had been told about African time keeping, but never fully appreciated it until today. Time is an illusion here, to a greater extent than Ford Prefect could ever comprehend. We gave the starting time as 14:00, but we didn't start until 15:00. The event was to be two hours of speeches, music and performances but only lasted 20 minutes. Everyone seemed to enjoy the free food though.

Ladies queueing for the braai. The lady in blue was very enthusiastic!

We left the clean up for Esther and her workers, I'm afraid, but we were exhausted from setting up and wrestling tarpaulin. You know those parachute games you used to play at preschool? This was nothing like that.

When we got back to Fringilla we all had a grateful beer and tiny bananas which you can buy at the side of the road, before having a wee tour of the farm here. All the food they serve in the dining room is grown and slaughtered on site so it is super fresh and delicious, and we had a look around before dinner. This country is really beautiful.

Also pigs.

P.S. We're heading out into the wilderness tomorrow, so there will probably be some radio silence until we come back into the world. The NPAC twitter feed might still be functional occasionally, so check @PoliceAidConvoys (Mum, get Bethany to show you).