The Road to Kaputa

Early Monday morning we began our journey up the Great North Road. This would be our third trip out of Lusaka on this road but our destination would prove to be quite different. We traveled with our supervisor Dwayne and his wife Betty. The first 4 hours of our journey was all quite familar, with the exception of passing our truck along the side of the road. You remember our truck. The one I wrote of last time when we were securing materails for the home in Isoka. Yes it did leave last Monday with our materials and a crew of 6 builders. Three hours out of town it was stopped at a weigh station for being overweight, basiclly we had to bail it out. Another 30k down the road it broke down and the driver returned to Lusaka for parts. After 2 days (with the crew stranded with the truck) the driver returned with a mechanic. Once again they were off to Isoka, for another 30k anyway. Yes once again it broke down. You guessed it, another trip to Lusaka, except by now it was the weekend and we would have to wait until Monday for the parts. We had a volunteer who was working on the home drive to meet the truck and resue most of the crew. Hence we met the truck the next Monday still on the side of the road with yet again one more problem. We were grateful to hear it finally arrived at the home on Tuesday.

Back to our trip. We arrive in Mansa the first evening about 6:30, actually later than we had hoped due to darkness setting in about 6:00. We check into our Motel, not exactly a Hampton. Dimly lit, stuffed with furniture with little room to walk, a gold bath tub, full size bed with the head and foot about 6 inches higher then the middle, oh yes the customary misquito net hanging above. We met for dinner in the restaurant, we were the only customers. Actually it was quite good Chicken and chips (fries). We retired to our rooms for bed in hope of an early start. Cyndi and I managed to get some sleep even though she was glued to my side from concern of those little crawling things (spiders).

I was up first Tuesday and attempted a bath. Funny thing was each time I ran the water I noticed these little black specks all in the bottom of the tub. I finally realized it was flaking from the pipes as the water ran to fill the bath. Oh well small thing to overcome. After some toast we headed up the road once again in search of Kaputa. Dwayne shared with us to his knowledge we were part of a minority, the four of us were the first of our mission to travel this road. Two others who are a part of the family here had been into Kaputa another way a couple years ago to explore the possiblity of sending workers there.

Our views began to change as we traveled along side two large lakes and through fishing village after fishing village. Most of the homes are about 12 x 12 block walls with thatched roofs. The blocks are formed from clay with some grass added. They form them, dry them, and put them in a pit, then cover them with earth. Inside a fire has been built to fire the brick. Some will only be thatched walls with the same grass roofs. We rarely drive any distance without encountering Zambians of all ages walking down the side of the road. It is easy to recognize the approaching of the next village as the roadside becomes more crowded with barefeet.

It is about 11:00 on Tuesday, we drive off of the tarmac and begin the last 150k on gravel roads. Intially it is quite smooth, but soon it becomes very rough and filled with large holes which slows our speed and becomes an obsticale course. About noon we stop for some lunch. We stopped, right in the road, lowered the tail gate and ate our lunch. We did have one truck full of nationals drive by and greet us.

Finally about 3:30 we arrived in Kaputa. It is a small community of a few shops, and a few homes. They have power from a generator between 5:00 am and midnight. Basiclly outside the shopping area and the homes it becomes a large village. We checked into our Guest House. We were pleasantly surprised. It appeared to be recently built, small seperate bungalos. Each had a bed, a small refrigerator, and bath. Oh, where is the bath, and the toilet? It is not really a bath but a seperate area to bath with the bucket of water they will bring you, and the toilet is that pit out back. I have been asking God to stretch us, Cyndi said I can leave her out of my prayers. That night when they brought our bath water it had been warmed, but was brackish and we later saw it had come from the bottom of a barrell. It was some what of a long night.

As I spent some time alone with the Lord the next morning He spoke to me very plainly about my world of comfort. I was humbled to realize while I slept in a bed alone with my wife, with electricity at least some of the night, and cool cokes and water within arms reach, there were hundreds all around me sleeping in a hut of the same size with an entire family, probably on a dirt floor, probably in the same clothes they had worn all week. The scriptures spoke to me in a new way that day.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.... Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need. Phil. 4

Our new day went well, Tuesday afternoon we had a divine appointment with John. We were searching for some previous contacts whom we thought might have some homes for rent. Cyndi greeted a national man, muli shani, (how are you). He was impressed she was attempting to learn his language and ask why she was here (of course there were only 4 white faces around and we were a bit conspicious). She shared our desire to find some homes for rent and summond me to join her. John informed us he might could help us the next morning. Long story short he introduced us to a man who was building a new duplex! A duplex in a village of huts, God is good. We need two homes for two families. This will allow us to suppliment their needs such as generator and water in a more efficent way and give them support of one another in a very remote area.

We ask you to join us in praying for the new missionaries coming to live in Kaputa. It is a very remote area and will be very challenging. Pray for the work we hope to begin there and most of all for the people God wants to reach in that area.

We left for Lusaka later that day stopping once again in Mansa at the same hotel with the gold tubs. This time we felt like we were at the Hilton.