Author Archives: Zags in Zambezi

To be perfectly blunt, I’m not sure what I’m not afraid of. I don’t do well with big bodies of water. I don’t like bridges. I am not a fan of flying or being in small confined spaces. I have … Continue reading →

When someone passes away in Zambia, it is tradition for a group of women to gather and mourn together. This mourning is hallowed and haunting: it takes the form of loud, sharp cries sung together in one voice. I stumbled … Continue reading →

I plunged my hands into the 25-liter bucket of cold, sticky oochi mixed with honeycomb and scooped as much as I could into the filtration system (another 25-liter bucket with a corrugated base resting on top of a larger empty … Continue reading →

Walking down an unfamiliar road, two of the Katie’s and I follow anxiously behind Mrs. Phiri, our homestay mom, as she welcomes us into her family’s home. She shows us to the sitting room and invites us to take a … Continue reading →

SNAP!! SNAP!! The children yell once they realize what the black box hanging off my shoulder is. “SNAP AND GIVE” they scream, referring to a Polaroid camera they assume based on the size and shape of my camera. Every time … Continue reading →

“Ed team, let’s roll!” It is 8:55 am, and we have just finished a breakfast that most likely consisted of bananas and oochi that was enjoyed over good conversation, reflection, and a reading of the previous day’s blog. We gather … Continue reading →

  My time here in Zambezi has been a mixture of sand, dirt, water, and cement. Each moment I look at this place I see the sandy roads, the dirt of the ditches they are digging in the market and … Continue reading →

The past two weeks here have been wonderfully challenging. The community members I have met are full of strength, wisdom and immense determination. Our Gonzaga team is bright, compassionate and relational. I am in awe of this place for many … Continue reading →

Every morning around 6am, I receive an unintended wakeup call in our cozy, yellow room. No, this wakeup call is not the rooster that crows every 30 seconds; Rather, it is the relentless honking that I hear on the distant, … Continue reading →

“What will you leave me when you go?” When I wake up every morning at the convent, there are a few things that I can always count on experiencing. I will have a moment of anxiety as I try to … Continue reading →