Laundry Day

Mondays are work-from-home days for me, and the days I choose to tackle the ridiculous pile of laundry that results from only one week of two people’s lives. Crazy how that happens, huh?

I know we all have our love/hate relationship with laundry, but let me just take a second to educate y’all about our laundry process here to get a glimpse into our life.

First off, we are blessed (oh, so blessed) to have a washing machine here. It’s in our kitchen for plumbing reasons and one load holds around 3 pairs of jeans and a few t-shirts. It’s a petite washer, but a solid one, replacing the muddy grime of rainy season with cleanliness. How sweet it is to be able to throw those clothes in, dump in some powder detergent, and watch that baby spin out all the gunk from the past week.

Maybe that’s why I choose Monday as a laundry day- a fresh start perhaps? Never thought of that before. But I diverge.

Next step: hang drying. We had to purchase a foldout drying rack and pegs (clothes pins) to hang all of our clothes in our backyard. Sure we have the option of using the clothes line shared by all 4 flats but one week of having our undergarments flying in the wind for all to see was one week too many. Thus the purchase of the drying rack in the privacy of our own backyard.

Clothes are hung upside down at the hem as to prevent weird stretching and wrinkling and uneven sun exposure (though I’ve already noticed a nice 90’s style fade sneaking up on some of our t-shirts, but I don’t hate it). This would be the time I could run to the store to pick up a few things, except that it’s rainy season and it can literally start down-pouring any second. So I watch that foldout rack like a newborn baby and grab & run at the first sign of those big raindrops.

Most of the clothes are usually dry within a day so long as the rains hold off. Our rain location is our guest room but it stays pretty humid in the house so that option takes much longer.

So then we fold them up and this blog was pretty pointless right? Wish I could say so.

Then I muster up some extra strength (with the help of dark chocolate, usually) and I flip on the outlet switch for the iron. I pull out the ironing board, and grit my teeth for the journey ahead. I then proceed to iron every.single.item.of.clothing. Yes, even yoga pants and socks and other garments that look just as fine wadded up as they do meticulously ironed. I crank that iron up to the highest heat setting and go over every single seam, every waistband twice.

The first time I ironed our entire load of laundry, I did so pretty lazily. A few swishes of heat here and there. Surely it was only for the crunchiness of the clothes that everyone told me I MUST IRON. But then I started googling. Y’all know what happens when you google- you discover frightening things.

Enter: The Putzi Fly. (http://goafrica.about.com/od/healthandsafety/qt/putzifly.htm)

Those wet clothes blowing in the African breezes and basking in the sun are also the brand new homes of the eggs laid by the Putzi Fly who just so happens to love our damp, fresh-smelling clothes. Eggs laid on the clothes have up to a 2-week period without needing a host. But once Wyatt throws on that t-shirt after work, he’s providing a host to hatch those little eggs… under his skin. Those little wormies burrow into the skin wherever the eggs were laid (they prefer backs, arms, backsides- yikes) and can even grow into full-size maggots. People with these Putzi Fly hatchlings will notice boil-like sores on their bodies.

What’s even grosser to me (than having maggots burrow deep into your skin) is how you get rid of them. You choke them with Vaseline and pop them out like a pimple. The full size worm that was living in your body. How’s that for a loss of appetite? Wanna go even further? Some can even grow inches long before being detected and removed.

Now that is just nasty.

So I iron feeling the immense weight of battle with these little eggs that are so eager to hatch under our skin. I iron with purpose. I iron like I ain’t never ironed before. Because so long as it’s up to me, neither of us are going to pop out any inch-long worms out of our skin anytime soon. We’ve got too much else going on.

If today is your laundry day too, hug your dryer a little tighter. Maybe even shed a little tear of pure joy when that glorious buzzer echoes through your house. Because little did you know, you are immensely blessed with that darling appliance and the lack of skin-burrowing flies in America (or anywhere besides Africa).  Or go ahead, hang-dry your clothes to get that fresh breeze smell and feel, but fold them up with a huge smile across your face knowing some little buggers aren’t hiding in there ready to attack.

Maybe I should’ve titled this blog “Kiss Your Dryer” because that’s certainly what I would’ve done before I left if I knew of the 3-hour ironing process that starts our week off Putzi-free.

Praise Jesus for irons and Google, am I right?!

With Some Dryer-Love,

Amy

Home Sweet Home

So much has happened since our last post, but the most exciting thing of all is this: WE GOT A HOUSE!

After the smoothest lease signing process ever, we almost thought this was too good to be true. We decided to jump on a highly-shown property after viewing it a few weeks back and falling in love with it. The second we walked inside, we could just picture ourselves here. The home was simple yet beautiful. Peaceful. Restful. And somehow just felt like "us," a feeling that we didn't come close to experiencing at any of the other 8+ houses we viewed. Plus, with it being fully furnished, it took quite a load off not having to search around town for the cheapest over-priced imported home goods and furniture (and to be able to afford couch AND a bed on our newlywed budget).

We didn't share any photos with anyone as we raced against someone who wanted to scoop up all 3 vacant flats (including ours). This mystery house was destined to be ours, and we are so very glad that it is (at least for the next 6 months)!

Our home is an answer to many, many prayers. For the first time since we got married, we are able to unpack our bags without a leaving date looming over our heads. We can buy bulky things. We can decorate as we'd like. This house is our home, and for that we are so very thankful. We signed the lease exactly one month after landing here in Lusaka. Though I'd like to say I've always trusted Jesus 100% in the waiting season, I haven't. But looking back I can choose Truth over my emotional turmoil these past few weeks and know that this house wasn't provided for us a minute too late, that Jesus was working in and through us for our benefit even in the waiting season. But man, are we sure glad to be here! Getting the keys in hand made the praises all the more real as we worshipped God for providing rain in a desert, for gracing us with the desire of our hearts- a home. If we would've found a place just 2 days after we arrived, that would've been great and all. But we are thankful that God is now glorified all the more in making a way where there appeared to be none.

So without further adieu, here is our home! It's tucked away in a compound with lush landscaping, gardens surrounding a gazebo, and even a high-quality carpentry business as artisans create home furnishings for people of Lusaka, starting with the furnishings in our own home. We are crazy about local businesses and appreciating artisans, so it's a fun treat to get to witness this program on our compound. Our house is one of four flats for rent on this property. We're tucked away off a very busy street, but only hear sounds of birds singing and crickets chirping in the evenings. So far there aren't any other tenants in the flats, so we're enjoying the ultimate peace and quiet as we settle into our little place. That's probably way more detailed than you ever wanted/needed to know, but so many factors went into deciding on this place and I just wanted to share all the perks I could so you, too, can praise God for His provision in this way.

Now for the photos...

The dreamy drive to our compound

Our Home! Flat #3

This sucker came fully furnished and that is just the best.

Little knick-knacks from America finally made it out of the suitcases to help a house feel more like our home, though mostly all candles for those 3-nights-a-week scheduled power outages. But at least they look nice!

We are greatly looking forward to many, many laughs and great chats around this table with dear friends from Ng'ombe and all around town. 

A washing machine! And the most awesome cutting board from Amy's brother, Mark. 

Our backyard (Sorry, we don't quite understand what all that white stuff is in the photos y'all have been posting lately)

Your room ;)

Some of the beautiful carpentry in our home made by the artisans who work on our compound

Thank goodness for Ziploc Vacuum Bags to bring our own decorative pillows & comforter to make our room really ours

Yes, we did take a photo in most every room when we got the keys. Bathrooms and cabinets have never been more exciting.

It's pretty wild to think that we just signed a 6+ month lease on a house in the middle of Africa, but it makes it all the more real, and we're so happy for that. Now we're able to get settled, establish a normal life routine and plant our roots after quite the gypsy season of life. Amy hasn't lived in one place for more than 5 months in over 2 years, so the settling down is so very good. 

So, the real question/issue now- who wants to be the first to visit? Our guest room is waiting... :)

Love to you all, 

A&W

The Almost 4-Week Update

We realize an almost-4-week update is a pretty lame excuse to blog, but we wanted to take advantage of a free evening to catch y'all up to pace with all that we've been doing here in this nation across the ocean.

First off, we cannot believe that time is flying so quickly! Days seem long yet we're almost a month into our Zambian life. It's been a challenging, joyful, stressful, emotional, sanctifying, and blessed time so far.

We wish we could show you photos of our little ZamNest, but we're actually still in a temporary housing situation trying to work it all out. The whole housing issue has been perhaps the most challenging thing for us so far, as our desire from the start has been to settle into a place of our own and call Zambia home. We've found it difficult to feel planted here when 5 of our suitcases are still packed where we left them after arriving home from the airport, but we are trusting God's timing and provision in it all. We know that He is preparing a home for us. We know that His timing is never late. And we know that His power is greater than any scheme to discourage us. Now I have to admit that we don't always feel all of those things, but we're sure learning a lot about patience and contentment wherever we are. If y'all wanted to keep praying, that would be so great.

As far as daily life goes, we're enjoying figuring out what the Bardis do for fun, how we can unwind from a crazy day, how to cook every meal from scratch, you know, the typical newlywed things. We just don't get the luxury of freezer meals should we want a night off from cooking like Emeril. We've come to realize that movies provide us a nice, healthy escape from the things outside this house that seem to weigh so heavily on us most days.

The not-so-typical newlywed things are there too. Like trying to learn how to drive on the opposite side of the road during rainy season for Wyatt. Or acclimating him to local foods like nshima (a maize-based mix between grits and mashed potatoes, but with no flavor whatsoever) and goat meat stew. And Amy taking on some compound roads learning 4 different routes to the Chikondi Community Center as each route keeps getting washed out and flooded, and her little Rav can only manage so much. (She keeps rain boots in the trunk should she need to push one of these times) And trying to develop our ZamAmerican accents so we can actually communicate with folks in the compound areas. Oh, and trying to figure out how to keep our dates original when there are only about 8 options of restaurants and our budget is a bit tight. Lastly, how to grocery shop when olive oil costs $30 and no amount of meal planning can prepare you for the day that chicken or milk are just "finished" (gone/out of stock/off the meal plan).

Despite all these little quirks and lessons, we're really enjoying it. We love connecting with the friends we've made over past trips. We're trying to be patient with ourselves to find our ZamBesties, reminding ourselves that the process of finding life-long, going-deep friends takes months, even years no matter where you live. We have settled into a church, South City Church, and love everything about it, especially the fact that evening services just began and it meets at a coffee shop. And that it's one consistent place where we can be refreshed and refilled in the presence of God.

Wyatt began his time with Family Legacy by paying school fees for the sponsored children in compounds across Lusaka. Each school fee is paid in person with a hand-written receipt, so Wyatt's assistance with this was surely appreciated. He enjoyed getting to see so many different parts of Lusaka and connecting with FLMI's Zambian staff. He's now working under another American staff guy here, scheduling food deliveries for all of the houses and schools in their program, as well as overseeing some other operations here. His favorite part so far has been connecting with the Zambians he's worked with so far, learning their stories and about Zambian culture.

Amy dove back into her role with Clothed in Hope with the ladies so excited to have her back. She goes to the Chikondi Community Center 3-4 times a week to be present during the training classes and take care of lots of projects, like launching the new Baking/Cooking program, dog training, ordering new shelves and cabinets to get organized, and so much more. The ladies are in the middle of sampling various products to edit and choose which ones to send to the US for our Spring/Summer collection. Lots of brainpower and creativity goes into each product development, and it's a fun process to be a part of. Though all of the babies at CCC cry when they see Amy, she still holds onto the hope that someday they won't find her presence frightening. Clothed in Hope is just about to celebrate their 3 year anniversary on the 21st, so it's a special season of reflecting back to God's faithfulness, guidance and provision, looking ahead to all that's to come- abundantly more than anyone could ask for or imagine.

We're currently searching for hobbies. We feel it'll be a great way to meet some potential BFFs and just help us maintain a healthy lifestyle that isn't always marked by us being some oddball outsiders who make Zambian babies cry. We've considered joining a gym (but can't afford that one quite yet), exercising outside once the rainy season passes, picking up some random musical instrument, seeking out some local Trivia or Poetry nights, sewing/drawing/all things artsy, and we've even considered (in moments of hobby-desperation) to start filming our own mini series. You can be glad that last idea didn't quite come to reality.

If y'all have any ideas for ZamHobbies, scratch-made meals, housing options 6,000 miles away, or know of any potential ZamBesties, we are totally open to your contributions and so very grateful for them.

In a season of lots of transition, stressors, feeling awkward, and unknown, it sure is a good thing we like each other. :) God really blessed us in giving us each other. And we sure are grateful for y'alls prayers and for checking in on us on the fun days and the especially difficult days. And for listening to our crazy when you have no context for understanding such crazy. Y'all are the best. We'll be sure to eat some nshima and goat for you this week (and by we, I mean Wyatt).

Love y'all,
A&W

Our Second Family

To 6 of Elina’s kids and 2 of her grandkids, we are affectionately known as Uncle Wyatt and Auntie Amy. Though this is a cultural norm, the whole Uncle/Auntie thing, we really feel like the Uncle and Aunt to these kids.

So what do you do with your nieces and nephews on a Saturday? You spoil them. We surprised some of the kids at Elina’s house with a trip to a new gelato stand just down the road. To say everyone was pumped would indeed be an understatement. Jona and Langi, the dynamic duo 7 year olds, tried on multiple outfits for their day out. Shakiwe brushed her hair and put on a beautiful black satin skirt. Grace ironed her white jeans and Jona’s final shirt.

We all piled in the miniature Rav 4 to head down the street, a treat in itself to ride in Auntie Amy’s “motocar,” especially when she lets the younger boys take time driving into the gate while sitting on her lap. Gelato was ordered, shirts got messy, and these kids were the quietest we’ve ever seen them. We took that as a sign of a successful trip. Langi used a napkin for the first time and politely cleaned up while giggling. Jona took multiple trips to the ice cream cone shaped trashcan out of pure awe.

It was just the best. We are so blessed to live life with these kids and witness them grow up into incredible little people. We are grateful to be Uncle Wyatt and Auntie Amy, here for the long haul. We may not take trips to the gelato stand every weekend, but we are here for them and love them to pieces.

There wasn’t a program. This wasn’t really planned. We weren’t looking for some outcome or to teach a lesson. We just went to love and received abundant love in return. We are family, and that is a true joy.

Enjoy a few photos from our gelato outing!

Jona & Langi, dynamic duo

Love,

A&W