June in Eastern Province: Part Two, Mfuwe & South Luangwa National Park

A typical dwelling in Eastern Province, under a Baobab tree.

Cotton fields--another big export of Zambia

Kamoto RCZ, Rev. Banda's first assigned congregation, near Mfuwe

After a week in Chipata, we then traveled the long dirt road to the village of Mfuwe, which is the gateway to South Luangwa National Park. We conducted a Tutor’s Training in Mfuwe, jointly hosted by the Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ) & United Church of Zambia (UCZ) Churches. We had a small but dedicated group of trainees.

The participants from Mfuwe Reformed Church in Zambia

Inside Mfuwe RCZ

Molly teaching in Mfuwe

Students study outside

A bicycle taxi, a typical site

Molly selling course material out the back of the TEEZ vehicle

Mfuwe was HOT!!! We couldn't believe it was June & "cold season"--it felt like October again! It was also a very "wild" place to stay. Villagers deal constantly with wild animals and we got a little taste of that during our week's stay. Our guesthouse was right on the Luangwa river: a family of baboons was our alarm clock as the young ones would jump on our roof promptly at 6am each morning. We weren't aloud to walk outside without being escorted by a guard due to nightly visitors of hippos and elephants coming through the guest house grounds, who like to munch on the well-watered, green lawn, as most other places were dry by now.

We had one especially exciting night. Our second night in Mfuwe, I was awoken around 1am by loud barking (we later learned this was baboons reacting to a leopard walking through the grounds--just behind our chalet!!) I got up and looked out the window, but didn't see anything. A few moments later, alerted by a sharp little bite, I noticed that a sea of black army ants had entered our room. They were all along the walls and inside our luggage, even climbing up the mosquito net. We were quickly moved to another room to sleep the rest of the night, while they sprayed and got rid of the ants in the room. It was actually pretty lucky that the baboons' barking woke us--I wouldn't want to have been awoken by all those ants biting me in the bed!

A Baboon outside our chalet

Our local hosts helped us set up a game drive through the park. The UCZ Deacon had a well-connected congregation: one late-evening visit to the Warden’s house and a few minutes chatting on stools out the backdoor of an experienced driver, and then Saturday morning we entered the park for free standing in the back of a white 4x4 truck with Rev. Banda, the UCZ Deacon, and the RCZ pastor and his wife. It was a unique and unforgettable way to see one of the best parks in Zambia, and arguably all of Africa. Some favorite quotes heard that day include: “Look! Look! a squirrel!”;“Hippo—that’s good meat”; and Ryan's favorite, "Ooh, elephants, those people give us hell when they break into our houses and steal our food!"

"Squirrel! squirrel!"

Elephants in a marsh

This one felt a little too close for comfort as I was standing in the back of the pickup!

impalas sparing

Chichele Presidential Lodge inside the park (rooms~$650/night)
photos of Current President Rupiah Banda, and past presidents as well

The view from Chichele

Our ride

impala, giraffe, heron & crocodile all in one place

Buffalo skull

Ryan and I also went on a couple more game experiences in the park over the weekend, since this was the only time we would be in the area. We went on a walk one morning, where we learned more about feces than we'd ever thought we'd know, but also got pretty close to some animals too, and learned alot about the ecosystem. We also went on a night drive where we got to see some nocturnal animals, like lions, civets, and bush-babies.

Sunrise over the Luangwa River

hyena on our game walk

walking around South Luangwa NP

Every game walk is accompanied by a certified guide and a ranger (with a gun)

up close to a zebra

Hippo skull

hippo tooth

heron in flight

elephant

a "tower" of giraffe

male giraffe checking out a female

Lioness at night. She made the most amazing, deep, loud, long call to her mate.

Lion at night. We saw these two get into a tiff when the female (who'd undoubtably hunted the kill)
tried to get a bit of meat and the lion roared at her!