Livingstone, Zambia | Africa, Europe, Russia / Siberia! Well done KLR!
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Posted on 31/07/2010	by Lodie
Ek het in Livingstone, Zambië, aangekom. Dis my laaste stop in Zambië. Skielik is die huis nie meer ver nie.
Ek het gister een van die hoogtepunte van my reis beleef. Donderdag op pad Choma toe het ek ‘n Coke en ‘n deegdingetjie in Monze gekoop om te eet. Mense het kom kennis maak en ek het ‘n paar van my kaartjies uitgegee. Donderdagaand het ‘n uitnodiging per sms gekom om mense in ‘n klein dorpie ver van die hoofpad af rigting Karibameer toe te gaan besoek. Ek het besluit om Vrydag terug te ry en die mense te gaan besoek.
Die pad was sleg, die natuurskoon mooi. Ek was gister so net voor 12 daar. Die huisie is hartlik ingerig maar is klein. Asbesdak.
Gistermiddag het ons ver gaan stap. Dit was mooi, wintermooi. Toe kom die verrassing. Gisteraand het hul kerk ‘n bidbyeenkoms gehad by die mense se huis. Dit was geskeduleer vir 21:00 uur. Houtbanke is van êrens gebring en in die agterplaas gepak. ‘n Vuur is aangepak want dit was ‘n koue wintersaand. Toe begin die mense opdaag, veral jongmense. Daar is gesing en gebid en getuienisse gelewer. Tussendeur het ‘n groot emmer brood en en emmer tee aangekom. Dis in die middel neergesit, geseën, en toe het elkeen 5 snye brood kon neem en tee.
Ek het dikwels na die halwe maan gekyk. Venus was op ‘n stadium naby aan die maan. Dit was ‘n hartsvoorreg om in donker Afrika in ‘n donker dorpie onder ‘n donker hemel van soveel Christene omring te wees wat ge-worship, gesing en gedans het. Ek het van dit afgeneem op video en wil dit met die ete op 18 September wys.
Maar iets het my gepla. Hoe kry mense wat arm is en MIN het dit reg om met soveel geloof te glo dat dinge sal beter word en dan blymoedig te sing en dans en bid en met stralende gesigte hulle opnuut aan God toe te wy, terwyl in die meeste tradisionele (wit) kerke in Suid-Afrika ….
Ek hoef nie die sin te voltooi nie. Ek weet net ek wil die vreugde op daardie gesigte van gisteraand nooit vergeet nie.
Toe die leier die byeenkoms stop, het ek saam met die ander gekla. Ek het op my horlosie gekyk. Dit was toe twee-uur vanoggend.
Ek is so bevoorreg.
Luangwa: Die barbers was gerook en gedroog / Luangwa: The catfish were smoked and dried.
Gelukkig is daar genoeg ander kos om te koop / Fortunately there is enough other food to buy.
Die tsetsevlieg beampte het met sy net eenkeer om die KLR geloop om te kyk of daar nie tsetsevlieë op was nie, toe kon ek weer ry / Funny moment. The tsetse fly offical walked once around the KLR to check that there were no tsetse flies sitting on the bike. After that we could ride on.
My kampplek net suid van Lusaka / My camping site just south of Lusaka.
Die bord na my wonderlike sonkamer in Choma / The sign board to my wonderful sunny room in Choma.
Tot nou toe was dit die enigste dier wat aan die uitdaging se vereistes (byna) voldoen het / Until now that was the only animal that (nearly) complied to the regulations of the callenge.
Ek was verstom. In Zambië in die diepte bos kyk hulle Sewende Laan en ken ook die karakters! / I was so surprised. In the deepest bush they were watching the soap Sewende Laan, and they knew all the characters!
Een van die groot hoogtepunte / One of the highlights of my long ride home.
Today I arrived in Livingstone, Zambia. It is going to be my last stop in Zambia. Suddenly home isn’t that far any more.
Yesterday I had the privilege to experience something that probably will be the highlight of my long ride home. On Thursday sometime during the day I stopped in Monze to buy a Coke and something to eat. People came over to greet me. Some asked for my contact details. I gave out some business cards. On Thursday night I received an sms from one of them, an invitation to come and visit them. They lived in a village quite far from the main road direction Lake Kariba. I decided to turn back and go and visit them on Friday.
The road was bad but the nature stunning. I arrived there just before 12. The house was plain, small, but it was a home. One could feel the warmth.
During the afternoon we went for a long walk. It was so peaceful and beautiful, typical winter charm. Then the surprise. That evening there would be a prayer meeting of their church at the home of my hosts. It was scheduled for 21:00. Wooden benches were brought from somewhere and packed in the back yard. A fire was lit as it is was a cold winter evening. Then the people started arriving, mainly young working people. Everyone started singing, praying, worshipping and testifying on personal experiences. Later a huge container with tea and another with sliced bread were brought in. It was placed in the middle, and after it was blessed everyone could take 5 slices of bread and tea.
Often I looked up to the moon. At a time Venus was quite close to the moon. It was such a privilege to be in dark Africa in a small dark village under a dark African sky and surrounded by so many happy worshipping Christians that were dancing and singing and praying. I shot some video footage, of which I will show some that night of 18 September during the dinner.
But something was bothering me. How do poor people that have so LITTLE manage to believe that everything will get better and then sing and pray with so much joy on their faces and in their hearts and committing themselves again to God, while in so many traditional (white) churches in South Africa …
I don’t need to complete that sentence. I will never forget the joy on those faces while they were worshipping.
With the other was disappointed when the leader brought the prayer meeting to an end. I looked on my watch. It was 2 in the morning.
I am a most privileged person.