Peter looking like a South African

One quirky things about South Africans is they love wearing these little shorty-shorts (even in public!) - and these funky boot-shoes. Peter was given the gift of the shoes (which are really great)from Skip the proprieter at one of the places we stayed in Cape Town. So he added the rest of the stuff (including the big tummy) for this South African look (including the sunglasses on top of the head!).

New Hairdos....

Since we were in "the big city"(Cape Town) Sophie, Peter and I all decided to get our hair cut (since there aren't very many good hair cutting places in Lusaka). Here's an "after" shot...One funny thing is that since Sophie got her hair cut, she's worn it in a pony tail nearly every day!

Christmas on the Donkey Trail - by Sophie

Well, as you probably know we went on a family vacation to Cape Town, South Africa. I learned many things about being in a developed country but first of all, since it was Christmas, let me tell you my story of this Christmas that I had in Cape Town. We went on the Donkey Trail (pictures of the trail here) from the 22st-25th of December. 

I wasn't really that thrilled about missing everything that we usually do for Christmas and Christmas Eve! My mom said we wouldn't be getting very many presents this year, so I wasn't too happy about that either!

It was Christmas Eve now and i was thinking about what we would do if we were home; well, now we would be getting our Christmas pajamas and be setting out the cookies for Santa but here we are now, sitting by the fire.

As we went to our house for the night and said goodnight to to our friends the Huddles, I looked up and saw the stars. Now I don't really think about them very often i just think that they are very pretty. But they were more than that as I looked at them tonight, they were the stars that led the three wisemen to baby Jesus' manger!

It was late and it was time to go to bed. I lay awake wondering about everything. It seemed like this place we were staying was how I mangined where Jesus was really born. It felt like I was there and we had gone back in time! I gave up on thinking about all the presents and realizing that hey, it isn't about us, it is about him and his birthday tomarrow! We are just celebrating his birthday with him.

That Christmas day was extrodinary! Wow is all I can say! It didn't seem like Christmas at all! We didn't go to California like we always did and visit our relatives, that night, after getting off the Donkey Trail, we just had a dinner at a resturant and then that was it, we just went to bed.

I got over the fact that we didn't really get anything for Christmas but right now we were in Cape Town and I was with my family and that was all that mattered! I was safe and my family was too.

I think we all learned something, well, at least my brother and I did. I'm so lucky that I have experianced this Christmas. I think it will be the most memorable Christmas in my life! Now I know how the Grinch felt! It didn't matter about the presents or the food, the stockings or the pajamas; being with my family was the greatest gift that Jesus has given me!

Well, as you probably know we went on a family vacation to Cape Town, South
Africa. I learned many things about being in a developed country but first
of all, since it was Christmas, let me tell you my story of this Christmas
that I had in Cape Town. We went on the Donkey Trail (pictures of the trail
here) from the 22st-25th of December. I wasn't really that
thrilled about missing everything that we usually do for Christmas and
Christmas Eve! My mom said we wouldn't be getting very much presents and
this year, so I wasn't to happy about that either! It was Christmas Eve now
and i was thinking about what we would do if we were home; well, now we would
be getting our Christmas pajamas and be setting out the cookies for Santa but
here we are now, sitting by the fire. As we went to our house for the night
and said goodnight to to our friends the Huddles, I looked up and saw the
stars. Now I don't really think about them very often i just think that
they are very pretty. But they were more than that as I looked at them tonight, they were the stars that
led the three wisemen to baby Jesus' manger! It was late and it was time to
go to bed. I lay awake wondering about everything. It seemed like this
place we were staying was how I imangined where Jesus was really born. It felt like I was there and we had gone
back in time! I gave up on thinking about all the presents and realizing that
hey, it isn't about us it is about him and his birthday tomarrow! we are just celebrating
his birthday with him. That Christmas day was extrodinary! Wow is all i can
say! It didn't seem like Christmas at all! We didn't go to California like
we always did and visit our relatives, we just had a dinner at a resturant
and then that was it, we just went to bed. I got over the fact that we
didn't really get anything for Christmas but right now we were in Cape Town and I was with
my family and that was all that mattered! I was safe andy family was too. I think we all learned something, well, at least my brother and I but i'm so
lucky that I have experianced this Christmas. I think it will be the most
memerable Christmas in my life! Now I know how the Grinch felt! It didn't
matter about the presents or the food, the stockings or the pajamas; being
with my family was the greatest gift that Jesus has given me!

Cape Town - Dec 14 -30, 2009

As part of our “more experiences, less stuff” movement, we spent Christmas in and around Cape Town for 16 days. The experience was fantastic! We had a great mix of sight seeing, shopping, hiking, beach combing and swimming.

Here are some of our adventures:

A trip to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. I just finished reading “Playing the Enemy” (the book about how Mandela used rugby to help unite a racially divided country), then was fortunate to go to Robben Island, and that night we saw “Invictus” the movie made from Playing the Enemy.

Nelson Mandela's cell B - the cell was tiny, about 7' x 7'. How he remained sane - and forgiving is truely amazing.

Colorful houses in the Bo Kaap area where the Muslim population settled.

We met our good friends fromLusaka, the Huddles to go to the Cape of Good Hope. Here we are at Hout Bay on the way over Chapman's Peak.

On the Cape of Good Hope...felt like the end of the world!

Light house at the end of the point of Good Hope.

The next day we went to Simonstown - and saw penguins...on the beach in Africa!!!

The penguin on the right was molting...

We saw some amazing beaches with beautiful blue, green seas... living in a land-locked country, we found these sights so refreshing!

The Donkey Trail (Dec 22 - 25) was one of our favorite activities, hiking over the Swartberg Pass into the Die Hel in Gamkaskloof. The hike was 26 kms (16 miles), we hiked for 7.5 hours the first day and 7 hours on the second day, the third day was a three hour drive back to the farm where we started.

On the first day, the donkeys led the way carrying our food and supplies on the mostly all uphill trail.

Arriving into camp on our first day. There was a beautiful waterfall to welcome us, with cold beers and cokes sitting in the water. Our tents are in the upper left hand corner, eating tent without side panels is in the center. The kids did great hiking - there were times when it was tough going, but they didn't complain at all! What troopers!

One of the joys at the end of our first day of hiking, was this swimming (and bathing) hole. Because we're in the Cape Nature preserve everything is very ecological - including the biodegradable soap and shampoo they gave us.

Protea flowers growing in the wild - and all along our trail!

After our hike, we headed back to Cape Town for our last three days. We spent one day with the Huddles in Betty's Bay playing on some amazingly white sand dunes.

The kids found pieces of linoleum (left behind by other would be boarders) - and tried rather unsuccessfully to sled down the sand.

Peter making a "snow angel"

One day we hiked up Lion's Head which is the small pointy mountain in front of Table Mountain (on the far right below).

One part of the hike up Lions Head had us climbing up chains and metal ladders... no public safety issues here!

View from the top down looking down to Camps Bay.

On the top of Lions Head with Table Mountain behind us.

Looking out over the city

We won't forget our trip to Cape Town - and spending Christmas on a hike, out in the middle of nowhere, away from the usual commercialism...

The shock for us was the amount of choices there were: food, restaurants, shops, items for sale, choice, choice, choice! We felt like real country bumkins coming to the big city - even the Joburg airport was totally fascinating!!

However, talking with the few South Africans we met, there is still a lot of racial tension - and it's a very complicated country with a complicated past - the race issue/apartheid is difficult and it won't be fixed in one generation. There was some frustration mentioned about the racial quotas that are in place - when less competent blacks get jobs over better qualified whites (this was told to me by a white, so its a bit biased).

One woman we met (a retired physician) said that she hoped her children and grandchildren moved out of South Africa because it was too unsafe and she preferred them to live in another country...even though she would stay put since she's retired.

In spite of the beautiful buildings, landscaping, and cleanliness - we were shocked when we drove by the shanty towns! The blacks were all moved to these controlled compounds where there was mile after mile of tiny shacks made up of corrugated roofing or pieces of wood...

We could tell when we were coming up on a shanty town because slowly we would see blacks/coloreds walking on the street!

People hitch hiking: we saw lots of people hitching for a ride (mostly black), but the most unique part was when they also held out dollar bills in their hands!

Passing on the road: they have a wonderful system on two lane roads - if you're coming up on someone, the car in front will pull over onto the (very nice) shoulders - and allow us to pass in the lane. Once you're past, you push your emergency flashers as a way to say thank you!

Cape coloreds: The people were really interesting looking. I felt like I was in LA or NYC. There was a mixture of so many races/colors - black, white, Asian, middle eastern...beautiful people.

Coming back to Zambia: the kids were really excited when we were about to land in Lusaka. They said "we're going home!" I love that they consider Lusaka home... and not just a temporary stop.

And, once we were here, it felt like we were newcomers. Everything seemed new again. We were shocked at the number of people walking in the streets, ladies with baskets of food balanced on their heads with chitenge fabric wrapped around their skirts, the smell of exhaust, babies strapped to women's backs... we experienced a brief moment of culture shock... but in just a few minutes, it felt like home again. We feel blessed to be here - and to be able to have experiences that will change our lives forever.

Blackout:3rd Installment of Sophie's Journal

I was thrilled!! This was like my lucky day! Hannah Montana, Sonny with a Chance, and Wizards of Waverly Place all back to back episodes tonight. I had my popcorn in one hand and my other hand with the remote and my fingers drumming, busy clicking channels. "Finally Hannah Montana is on!!," I said to myself. I was not even half way through when all of a sudden.....BAM!!!!! The power shut off like saying, "you are using to much energy! we cut your power off! have you looked at that new book for English?!"

I sighed, blackouts are just party poopers! My mom was busy getting candles and my dad brought them to the living room. But I realized something as well, we had the lights on, computers typing, ipods playing Christmas music in the background, Peter's ds telling him that Princess Peach was in danger and he should use Mario to defeat Bowser, and lastly, the tv that was blaring the "best of both worlds" from the Hannah Montana episode I was watching.

Why do we use so much power? This blackout would not have happen in Washington since we've never had any power outages in since 11 years!This blackout made me think more about the power we use and how we do take it for granted in the United States. Most Zambians live like this, with no light, power, and a stove to cook their food for dinner. But what if one day, there was no power in lets say Washington? Well, you couldn't work on your computers at work and the electronic coffee maker you always use won't work and on your way to work, you will have to stop by McDonalds and get their (yuck) coffee.

Think about it, we do take power as just a normal everyday thing. Maybe we may run out of power some day; people will lose their jobs, you couldn't fix dinner and you will have to go all out with candles, cook over fires, and just go to work come back, have dinner and go to sleep! No entertainment! Okay maybe I'm exaggerating on that old fashioned stuff but just keep in mind this week and throughout Christmas about the power you are using and if you can cut off a bit of power you are using. you could cut off some of the power by:

Turning off the lights when you go out of the room
Read more books than watch TV!
Only use the computer when you have to
Cut down on using the straighteners and curlers for everyday! just only for special occasions!

Pass this entry on to anybody you feel is using tons of power! We need to act now and save the environment while we can! Act now! Don't wait!

By Sophie Kautz

We Don't Just Use Cars....

I didn't know that World Vision Zambia had a boat until I saw it in the parking lot at the National Office (I think it was getting serviced). The Zambezi River gets so deep in the Western Province that a boat is the quickest and most efficient way to transport staff the project area.