Inward Renewal

Lusaka is well into its rainy season now.  The heavy rains, which were supposed to come in late December have now arrived.  They are becoming more predictable now, with daily rains coming at around 14:00 hrs.  The ground has pretty much reached its saturation point and that means that driving gets a lot more interesting.

Most of our missionaries have 4WD because getting in and out of the townships means passing through deep water holes.  Seriously, some of the low spots in the road fill with water threaten to swallow up even the most equipped vehicles.

I took some pictures last week as I drove around.  Notice in the first picture how high the water is coming on the tailpipes of sedans.  This photo was taken on Great East Rd. which is one of Lusaka’s busiest rds.  It’s not unusual to see motorists submerge their exhaust systems completely.

I had to speak at a church in Kanyama, and boy was that journey interesting.  The road into Kanyama felt more like a roller coaster or mud rally than a main road.  Even at Ciyanjano, the creek is roaring.  The bridge is now impassible because the creek has cut out around one side of the bridge.

So far, Lusaka’s townships aren’t experiencing any cholera outbreaks but with the ground reaching saturation point, pit latrines will start filling up and boreholes might be threatened with surface water contamination.  Life here is a delicate balance.  Transportation for locals is fraught with delays, mud and getting drenched.  Most people can’t wait for this time of the year to be over.

But the rains also sustain life here.  The majority of Zambia drains into the mighty Zambezi and Kafue Rivers which course their way throughout the land bringing much need water and fertility.  They are now very full.  The life cycle of many plants and animals here depend on the extremes of knowing plenty and feeling want.