A long over due update

I know it’s been a while since I’ve written a nice long update, but I figured as now was as good a time as any, especially since our internet is down and I basically can’t do any work today I thought I’d send you all a little email.

Well the last few months have been crazy busy. I’m feeling pretty comfortable here, so there doesn’t seem like there is too much to update people on. Here are some of the things that have happened (in no particular order):

• 1 new roommate – Her name is Stacey. She’s from North Carolina, 26, worked in DC for a few years after college, and we’re getting along really well.

• Holiday Inn – who new the Holiday Inn could be upscale??? Well here in Zambia, the Holiday Inn is a pretty swanky place that a lot of business people stay at. Stacey and I have become great friends with the general manager and his wife and he has graciously allowed us to use the hotel’s pool whenever we want and has offered us a standing invitation to the Wednesday night business cocktail hour. It’s a great time to meet people from all over the world and I often find myself interacting with people I never thought I would meet. Just the other night I found myself at a dinner party with 2 South Africans (the ones who manage the Holiday Inn), the Ambassador to the Irish embassy in Zambia, a Danish man here on business, a Venezuelan here doing business research, and a middle-aged southern man from Georgia here establishing a water purification company discussing racism and politics in post-apartheid South Africa. To say it was interesting would be an understatement.

• HOT! – It is unbelievably hot here. Sometimes I feel like my face is going to melt off. But praise be to God who never gives us more than we can handle. About two weeks ago we got an air conditioner installed in our office to keep the new computers from melting. This of course has the added benefit from keeping me from dieing of hear exhaustion and getting super cranky when it’s almost 100 degrees in the office.

• Cool stuff at work – the last few months have also produced a few cool happenings at work too. The most notable is that our office here was able to assist in the arrest of a pastor and owner of a local orphanage who was suspected of molesting and raping at least 5 young girls. We were able to secure the appropriate testimony and evidence from the girls to have him arrested and removed from the orphanage. He is now on trial and we are anxiously awaiting his conviction. We’ve been able to gain a lot of credibility and publicity because of the success we’ve had in securing the perpetrators arrest and have since received a number of statutory rape referrals, including the rape of a 2 year old girl. Although it is extremely disturbing to hear of these cases, I’m really glad that we are able to intervene and advocate on behalf of these young victims.

• Fun Trip – this weekend Stacey, my friends Helen (from the UK) and Ingo (from Namibia), and I drove down to the Kariba Dam in the Southern Province and spent the day sweating in the hot hot hot sun and taking in the beautiful scenery. It was over 100 degrees down there but we had a great time getting harassed and almost shot by the check point police for taking pictures, buying some crazy straw hats, almost hitting a guinea foul who decided to cross the road at the last minute, swimming in the pool at one of the local lodges, and using our drivers licenses and business cards to get across the border into Zimbabwe. It was a fun little road time. It was so hazy that we could barely see the other side of the lake…if I didn’t focus my eyes too hard it was almost like I wasn’t in a landlocked country. I’ll try to put up some picks on my blog sometime soon.

• Zambian Immigration – basically is the bane of my existence. Go to http://yourmominzambia.blogspot.com to read Stacey’s wonderful rants about how corrupt, inefficient, and archaic the entire system is. They made Stacey cry and almost made me loose my religion a few times. It’s been two weeks and my Temporary Permit still hasn’t been renewed yet…let’s pray I don’t get deported.

Well, I think that’s all I have for you all now. Remember, you can check my blog at http://courtneyconner.blogspot.com for mini updates and fun things. Let me know what’s going on in your lives.

Update on Mary...

A little while back I wrote about Mary, a former IJM client who’s property was restored. Well, Mary has been doing amazing! She has now opened two market stalls, bought a deep freezer to expand her business, and purchased some building materials to renovate her home. This week, Mary was able to attended a training session held at our office so that she can now advocate in her community and assist others who have been in her position by referring them to IJM. It’s been so exciting to she how much progress she has made and the ways she is improving her life and that of her family.

V. Monologues

Believe it or not, last night I saw the Vagina Monologues…in ZAMBIA!!!! I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it for myself. In a country where we have a difficult time even scheduling workshops to teach people about gender-based and sexual violence because of the stigma that revolves discussing such issues, I was shocked to learn that the Monologues were coming to Lusaka for the second year in a row. Not only was the show sold out, but in typical Zambian style, it was very interactive…with people talking back to the characters during their monologues. To say it was interesting would be an understatement. After seeing the Monologues, I can’t wait to see the Madonna tribute concert later this month!