Africa Diary: First Night at Kachele

We arrived at Kachele Farm around mid-afternoon on a Sunday. Named after the large Kachele tree on the property, the beautiful agricultural plot serves as a base for Hands at Work staff and volunteers of the Zambia regional support team (RST) who serve villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and Malawi.

George Snyman, founder of Hands, introduced us to Liz and Weston, who made us feel at home right away with a tour of the main farm house where we would be staying. Seeing that we were still a little hazy from jet lag, our gracious hosts let us retreat to our cosy room to unpack and get our bearings. We unpacked, caught up with Hands at Work’s 40 days of prayer – we were at Day 18 of the series then – and gave thanks for our safe arrival in Zambia. Abe then succumbed to a late afternoon nap as the day waned, with the standing fan blowing into his face. We had released the mosquito net hanging over our bed, so the thin fabric brushed against his face with each gust of wind, causing his nose to twitch as he slumbered. Intermittent thunder rumbled in the distance.

It started to drizzle when we were called out to dinner at Levi and Pragcidens’ house across the courtyard. The tasty aroma of Liz’s cooking welcomed us into the home. In the next two hours, we savored roast chicken, mashed sweet potatoes, and an assortment of local veggies while receiving an enriching crash course in all things Hands from George, Levi (lead of Zambia RST), and his wife Prags. What a privilege it was to sit down and break bread with this humble group of people who have committed their lives to caring for widows and orphans.  

We ran through the warm falling rain again and returned to our net-shrouded bed. The combination of mild claustrophobia and a sense of security from the blood-thirsty creatures made for a snug night’s rest in our new environment.

Africa Diary: Inbound

Two months ago, Abe and I traveled to Zambia and South Africa on a 10-day adventure that changed our lives. A combination of taking this long to process what we experienced and getting swept up in daily life when we regained our footing on U.S. soil explains this delayed account. Our story is now ready to unfold.

In March 2013, we had the privilege of spending time with the staff of Hands at Work, a Christ-centered organization of international and local volunteers committed to serving the most vulnerable in sub-Saharan Africa: the dying, the widows, and the orphans among the poorest of the poor.

Leaving Johannesburg, South Africa

Our inbound journey took us from San Francisco, to New York City, to Johannesburg, and ultimately to the first destination of our trip, Ndola in the Copperbelt province of northern Zambia. I can still vividly recall the stark change in scenery as we peered out our Airlink plane window on that third flight, going from waving good bye to the smooth runway and suburban neighborhoods of Joburg to, two hours later, saying hello to the pot-holed airstrip and tin roofed houses of Ndola.

Arriving in Ndola, Zambia

Landing in Ndola felt a little like going back in time as we descended the rickety stairs from the plane onto the tarmac and rode a bus 100 yards to the immigration office, a single storied building with unrushed and meandering lines. We waited patiently for an hour until our turn finally came, and we paid the $50 each to get visas into Zambia.

A half hour drive from the Ndola Airport brought us to Kachele Farm, a serene retreat located off several dirt roads from the main highway. This would be our home for the next 4 days. And we immediately felt welcomed.