Out in the fields

“Just turn right, there” Teddy said as he directed the car to head into a grassy, potentially swampy, field with no apparent path in view. Today Marco took us to meet a sweet, charming old lady called Eusabia (70+ which is pretty remarkable in Zambia) who had been his cleaner, cook and surrogate mother/grandmother when he had spent two years living in a rural community called Chikuni; a village around 90 minutes south of Mazabuka. She is also Teddy’s mother-in-law and the guard at Marco’s home. The cluster of four homes (1-2 room buildings) and other constructions to keep goats, pigs and chickens were in the middle of nowhere, and surrounded by fields of maize. An accurate reflection of rural life in Zambia, though the family with their crops and animals are probably in a better situation than many others. Our visit was being honoured by the slaughtering of one of the family’s goats for lunch. Before the meal Teddy proudly showed us some the crops that he had planted, whilst Marco and Lucia (switching on their work, agriculture brains) gave him marks out of ten for his efforts. The goat was served alongside nshima, onions, relish and green vegetables; simple but tasty. In return we handed over a few provisions with promises of further support if asked for. Despite some of the frustrations of working here, the welcome, warmth and friendship offered by the people that I meet makes me forget those troubles.