Everyday Life in Zambia

I cannot help but notice how different the culture is here, not only from the states but also from what I expected. I find myself enamored by things that are common everyday practices. Allow me to fill you on a few.

Today, Bonnie & I went to the Zambia’s annual Trade Fair with Bonnie’s friend Lucky and her children Metah, Thomas & Henry. They are a lovely family and anticipate hanging out with them more. While at the Trade Fair, there are hundreds of vendors from all over Africa selling whatever it is they are known for. Before checking out the vendors, we stopped to watch a mini-concert. It was being put on to encourage the public to peacefully vote in the upcoming election. Heading the show was a well-known musician. While standing there, he called up about 6 young girls – I’d say about 14, 15, maybe 16. He then held a competition to see who could dance the best. Then these young girls started shaking the bodies, particularly their hips and their bottoms, all over the place and the people watching began cheering. I was surprised and felt as though I shouldn’t be watching. Come to find out – what we’d consider promiscuous in the states is common here in Zambia. The girls were not looked at as sensual. It has boggled my mind how much are views are shaped by the society we live in.

Ironically, the girls on the stage were dancing to Christian music being sung in Bemba (the native language of Ndola). It is crazy to me how typical it is to see books about Christianity in every store, pictures of Jesus and signs like this in a taxi:
(Trust me, this taxi needed to be covered in the blood of Jesus; I was surprised we made it home alive. ☺) You also hear Christian songs on the radio of stores and in taxis, as well as see stickers such as “Praise God”, “Riding for Jesus” on the front of buses. My fear is that although Zambia has proclaimed itself a Christian nation, that much of the practices of followers of Christ are being neglected. I am not here to judge, though. I can only pray that the Lord would impact their lives in a way that would glorify him. All I know is that we serve a God of many nations – and I am learning how diverse that is everyday.

A few other things:
1) There is a “bride price” for the groom to pay the bride’s father before being bale to marry. The bride price is determined by the parents’ according to how worthy they find their daughter (beauty, education, etc.).
2) In the states, we’d consider a woman’s chest to be immodest; here, a woman’s thighs are considered particularly attractive. So wearing a dress about your knee or even wearing shorts is considered very immodest. In fact, in some parts of town, it is common for an older man to cut a woman’s clothing off and beat her if she is dressed immodestly.
3) Here, it is very uncommon for children to talk disrespectfully to their parents or adults in general. My housemate, Swazi, was saying that her main view (and much of Africa’s) of America ‘s teenagers was their wild and crazy lifestyle. Today, she met an American teenager (about 14) on fire for God and she was surprised. For passion at such a young age is not common here, nor is it common of her thoughts of America. As I thought about it more, I assumed her misconception has probably come from her view of America via Hollywood. This saddens me.
4) Bus rides are most interesting. Imagine a 10 passenger van, but a few feet shorter and a lot of feet shorter and thinner. Now imagine shoving 25 people in that van. That’s the typical transportation here, unless you are taking a taxi. But even with a taxi (as you saw in the above picture), the rules of the road are not strictly enforced.
5) The time is "military time". Six o'clock in the evening here is known as "Eighteen".
6) Lunch is at 14 (or 2pm) and dinner is at 1930 (or 730pm).

Their culture stops me in my tracks everyday and keeps me awake at night. I find myself not being able to properly take in all the things that are coming into my mind. Please pray for me to make the most of each day. I find myself missing home more and more each day, and at the same time wanting to experience more and more of Zambia.