Airplane

That is what is on my mind.

I do not want to seem as though I have not enjoyed myself here, only to express how happy I will be to see friends and family again. I would like to go over some of the things that I have seen and learned over the past five months.

1. Baboons are not nice
2. I like open fields without walls
3. I wish that all were as friendly and respectful as most Zambians are
4. Everyone should see Vic Falls, awesome and humbling
5. Leadership is a gift, not everyone has it. (This will be amended to say that good leadership is rare and though it can be taught it requires training and effort, thanks Uncle Bill)
6. Jimmy Eat World makes long walks to the post office easy
7. The animals and plants here are fantastically different
8. Appreciate solemnity every once and a while
9. God is good no matter your geography
10. It is supposed to be cool at Christmas
11. Sunday is supposed to be the second day of the weekend
12. U.S. beef and Mexican food hold a very special place in my heart
13. Thankful for my amazingly supportive family
14. It is a short list detailing things that Zambians will not eat
15. I miss my church back in CS
16. Riding in the mini buses has destroyed my sense of 'personal space'
17. 'Right of Way' only counts if both parties understand it
18. What the heck were they thinking when they paved the first roundabout?
19. Despite being trashed by the people nature finds a way to make a landscape breathtaking
20. Living some where and visiting some where are two very different things

Yesterday evening on the to the Mexican food place we also ran over a man. Joseph slammed the brakes and I, sitting in the passengers seat (left side, still weird), locked eyes with a guy that I was pretty sure we would be taking to the hospital. He was toasted and stumbled back into a ditch where I assume we probably spent the night. Not a bad idea, likely the safest option for that fella.

Katy, Kahler and I made it to the Sunday Market today where I picked a few things for you folks back home. We ran into a couple of people that Katy knows fairly well that are associated with the Baptist Mission Zambia (BMZ) and ate lunch at the Mint Cafe. Pretty tasty place, I got French Toast and ended up munching on Clair's salad that she couldn't finish. I didn't have too much trouble.

Did a little shopping at Spar though, there was not too much that I needed as I am headed out very soon. Got in Roy's beat to death cab and headed back for the flats. Roy is a funny character, he is a Rasta with ganja leaves all over his station wagon cab that can't have more than 100km left before it gives up the ghost.

Got back to the flats, took a little nap and listened to a sermon online about Godly leadership in the I Peter 5:1-4 concerning elders. Part on my reason for number fifteen above. I miss being a part of a church like Grace. I am thankful that I have access to the teaching still even all the way over here. Might have also played a part in number five as well. Being a good leader is not always/ever easy. Without the proper priority hierarchy and by that I mean without placing bringing glory to God on top you will fail even if it looks like you might have succeeded here.

Oh! 21. Don't ever take free refills for-granted

I leave here in two days, it is still a little too heavy for me to wrap my mind around just yet. Can't wait to see you all or that sweet Texas countryside! I miss you guys. All is so very well