We thought about how weird it would be to communicate this over the internet, but since you’ve been following along on the blog for years now, we thought we would try to use it one last time to express this last part of our journey together. After 8 years, we have decided to go our separate ways. Most of the story will remain just between the two of us, but we thought it was important to express some things. As always, we are making our own path, and our own rules, through this chapter in our lives. Separating the individuals from the partnership has taken great friendship, understanding and laughter. Looking back, those characteristics were what brought us together in the first place. This mutual decision came this past spring, but it took months to sort out how to do it, and how to tell our families.

Since early June, Jesse has been living in the Buddhist temple where our very good friend Ichi is the caretaker. Lindsay is staying at the house with Sam and Greta. We’re working towards selling the house as early as next spring.

We are endlessly appreciative of our families and closest friends who have loved and supported us all the way through.

Please feel free to contact us through the cell numbers and emails you have.
Lindsay and Jesse

This is the last post for ‘Life at 3021.’

Sam and I took a day trip to the beach out at Assateague Island National Seashore – an island inhabited by ‘wild’ horses. I wasn’t sure I would see any last Friday, but we crossed paths with about 20.

Weekdays are definitely key here – A beach to ourselves!

Finally some one did show up – Annie and her year and half old, Shepherd/Husky mix, Tango. He and Sam played on the beach and in the water all day. This was taken during a rest time. Tango was insistent on digging a bed to sleep in, so he got the harness in hopes he would relax. It worked.

The old man. HA! He could barely keep up with Tango. The waves and sun and sea water were almost too much for Sam, but he hung in there. The waves were a little too rough to get to a place where we could just swim together. I think we’ll take another trip out there in a few weeks, maybe with an overnight at the campground there.

This Sunday, I’ll be presenting my photo story on the Chande Project and Willson Banda, a student at the Chande school. This presentation is the first event in what I hope will be a a very successful fundraising campaign for Chande this year.

The flyer can be downloaded HERE.

Everyone is invited!

What: Photography Presentation about Chande
Where: McLean Baptist Church, 1367 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, Virginia 22101
When: May 17th, 2009 @ 7:30pm

For all of you who I know won’t be able to make it, I’ll be posting my written story on ‘Life at 3021.’ Also, maybe you have an idea for how I could make another presentation in your area. Let me know!

Here are photos from my latest trip. My very good friend Alex went with me and we had the THE best time. We stayed safe, happy and healthy the entire three and a half weeks we were gone. The photos below are highlights from the trip but clearly not everything. If you want to see more of something, leave a comment and I’ll do my best. Enjoy!

This photo was taken in the sandy flood plain of the Selinda Spillway. More on Selinda towards the bottom of this post. (Photo by Alex)

ZAMBIA

This was Lindsay’s second trip to Kitwe, Zambia – Alex’s first. We stayed for five days on the grounds of the Chande Project, an orphanage and school founded by Rev. Patrick Chanda. During the week we were there, we taught a photography workshop and shot photos for a personal project that you will hear more about later. This part of the trip was WAY too short, but jammed with amazingly powerful, and new, experiences for us both.

I remembered this beautiful little girl, Agness, from my last trip.  (Photo by Lindsay)

Part of our time at Chande was spent working on a school project that is a collaboration with a school in Virginia. It’s called the ‘I am’ Project. I was writing on the board in one of the classrooms before showing the photography and writing work from the students’ classmates. I introduced a new (English) word: Unique. Most, if not all, could not tell me the meaning of the word. They understood the meaning, in theory, but in a place where methods and assimilation are one of the few ways to succeed, uniqueness is a distant concept. (Photo by Alex)

Here is I am showing the photo slideshow Alex and I created with the photographs taken by Emmanuel and Sophie, classmates of these sixth and seventh graders. Sophie and Emmanuel made amazing photographs in a very short amount of time. From Emmanuel: “I am a peaceful child. When I grow up, I want to be a peaceful man.” (Photo by Alex)

One of the great things about this visit was the chance to stay out of downtown. The Project has set up an apartment for volunteers with a fully functioning kitchen. It was nice to cook on our own time and not burden our hosts and friends with preparing meals for us. Here is my fairly successful attempt at cooking a whole chicken. I do this regularly at home, and this version wasn’t too far off from what I expected. It’s dressed with lemons and onions, and we ate it will nshima, the local staple that’s very similar to polenta. (Photo by Alex)

Like the sunburn? Washing dishes was best done outside for two reasons: it was blazing hot inside and the sink was too small. It was nice to know that a full sink of dishes really can be cleaned with about 2 gallons of water. (Photo by Alex)

After 4pm, we were behind the gate of the Chande Project compound – just us and a guard. What else would you expect us to do with great light outside? (Photo by Lindsay)

This is Fanny with her two kids – Andrew and Agnes. Fanny is a good friend of mine. She and I met last time when I was Zambia and it was wonderful to catch up with her, hear her sing and visit with her family. (Photo by Lindsay)

This is Willson Banda. He is an orphan and currently supported and educated by the Chande Project. We photographed his life. Those photographs will be on display soon, accommpanied by a presentation and fundraising campaign for Chande. Details to come. (Photo by Lindsay)

Almost every night in Kitwe this is what we looked like. Tucked in for the night in our twin beds under mosquito nets. (Photo by Lindsay)

CAPE TOWN

This part of the trip lasted 3 days. We flew from Kitwe through Johannesburg and into Cape Town in one day. About five hours of flying, with some airport time in the middle. We spent the first day at one of the most beautiful beaches we’ve ever seen, had one of the top three dinners we’ve ever had in our lives, acted like tourists when we drove down the coast to see penguins, oceans joining and quaint towns, and went to the top of Table Mountain. This was vacation at it’s best.

Our hotel room in Cape Town. We stayed in Mouille Point, within walking distance of the V&A Waterfront. Laundry and breakfast happening on our first morning in Cape Town. Breakfast pizza! (Photo by Lindsay)

Here we are on our way home after a day at Camps Bay, a beach district just outside the city. The water was very cold, about 65F – but that didn’t stop us, or the surfers. (Photo by Lindsay)

We hired a driver for the day to take us down the coast of the cape peninsula. First stop was Muizenberg and the Indian Ocean. Here’s Alex shooting video of the flat beach and surfers enjoying the beautiful day. (Photo by Lindsay)

Cape Town was Alex’s idea from the start, but she didn’t have to twist my arm. As for the activities, my only requirement was to put my feet in the Indian Ocean. Regrettably, we didn’t plan for swimming this day, but I still accommplished my goal. The water was significantly warmer than Atlantic the day before. (Photo by Alex)

Snails slip across the beach at Muizenberg. (Photo by Lindsay)

I like snails – but really anything that lives in shell. This little guy did not like having his photo taken. (Photo by Alex)

Bathhouses available for rent at Muizenberg beach on the eastern coast of the cape peninsula. (Photo by Lindsay)

An African Penguin at Boulders, South Africa – about 3,000 live in this colony. When the Dutch settled in South Africa in the 1600s the meat from the adults was part of the settlers’ diets and penguin eggs were considered a delicacy until the 20th century until numbers began to decline. Numbering a tenth of their originally documented size, the birds are now protected. (Photo by Lindsay)

The Atlantic Ocean crashes into the peninsula rocks at Cape Point. (Photo by Lindsay)

Alex shoots the junction of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans at Cape Point, 12,451 km (7,793miles) from New York City. (Photo by Lindsay)

We stayed out at the point for about 45 minutes – shooting photos and enjoying the beautiful weather. (Photo by Lindsay)

The worst part of going up Table Mountain is getting there. You have to take the cableway all the way to the top. The car holds 65 people and has open windows – oh, yeah – and the floor turns providing a 360 degree for all the riders. Terrifying for Lindsay because she is afraid of heights. Terrifying for Alex because of the clastrophobia. We can’t believe we paid money for that! (Photo by Lindsay)

From the top of table mountain, with Cape Town in the distance below. What a view! (Photo by Lindsay)

If this overlook existed in the U.S., there would be a railing. (Photo by kind stranger)

BOTSWANA

And here’s the real work part. We traveled into a remote area of Botswana to a plush reserve called Selinda to work for 10 days with local kids teaching photography and love for the environment. That’s right – I said work! The most difficult part of this portion of the trip was the small plane and sand landing strip. The best part was making amazing news friends and working with cheerful and talented kids.

Here I am listening to the pilot of our mosquito-sized plane that I chartered for us into and out of the reserve. We’re meeting him and he’s telling us about the flight, what to expect, emergency procedures, blah blah… I follow up with, “How many hours of flight time have you logged?” He said some number that I can’t remember and then he said, “Does that make you feel better?” “No,” I replied, probably with the same face shown here. (Photo by Lynn)

Our team for camp – Susan, Lindsay, Alex, Brian, Lynn and Karine. (Photo by Humphrey Gumpo)

First day at Selinda. I really wasn’t trying to pose, but it makes a nice photo. Gotta love camera people, always taking photos of each other.  (Photo by Lynn)

Our accommodations were luxurious. You might be able to infer from the light that there is also no roof over her head. (Photo by Lindsay)

Here’s Pierce (our team named him that because of the hole in his ear). He’s a 30 year old elephant that liked to hang around our camp. He’s on his own for a while, until he gets up the guts to challenge a bigger guy. He also seemed attracted to the vegetation around the tents that Alex and I slept in. Nice.(Photo by Alex)

Each night the staff would make their way back to our camp area through the bush. We were always looking for animals. (Photo by Lindsay)

The goal for our first day at camp was to establish a consistent power supply. We were successful, but sorting out a generator and transformers in the dark by candlelight and small floods is not easy. (Photo by Alex)

Here I am in the classroom at camp, talking to the kids about self portraits. Those photos are usually my favorite of all the images they make. (Photo by Lynn Johnson)

Two boys from the yellow team, Keso and Pinox. They were always laughing and having a great time together. They’re also really great photographers. (Photo by Lindsay)

The feet of the yellow team – the kids and Alex – as they look through their edit on a laptop. (Photo by Lindsay)

This is Yellow Hornbill (Zazoo from the Lion King). These birds make a lot of noise and they were always lurking around camp. (Photo by Lindsay)

This little guy was hangin’ out on a tree near the camp. I used my friend, and colleague, Helena’s macro lens. He’s about the size of a quarter. (Photo by Lindsay)

This is ‘Mama Kea’ – she is the manager for the camp that we lived in called Lechwe. She’s worked at Selinda for over 20 years. She’s an incredible host and manager… we miss her. (Photo by Lindsay)

It rained for 5 days straight but we were all smiles… most of the time. (Photo by Lynn)

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I wrote this to my parents when I was traveling home – “It is the most amazing feeling to live in these weeks that feel like a micro-lifetime. Then walking away from it because I have to go home, back to my life. I’ve been trying to digest what I am supposed to be learning from this part of my life. I think it’s that powerful and thoughtful relationships can be made in seconds, and that they can be strong enough to carry you through life. And walking away is just a way of looking at my entire life. That feelings and emotions and people will come and go, and it’s not bad, and it’s not over. Just a wonderful exercise in treating every moment as precious and fleeting.”

Swiss chard – which seems hardy enough, and protected enough on the side of the house to grow year in and year out.

Dandelion blossoms – batter and fried… what could be better?

We’ve completely skipped over digesting and reporting from Zambia. To write a short blog post could never do it justice. A full report will come at a later date, most likely in coordination with a public presentation state side.

Alex and I have had The Most phenomenal week and half here in Africa. The last two days have been spent in Cape Town. This holiday has been rejuvinating and surpassed all expectations for beauty, food, landscape and rest. We’ve spent a the beautiful Clifton beach and ate an AMAZING dinner with the best waitron, Jack (pronounced “Jake”) at the V&A Waterfront.

Yesterday, we hired Simon, a Capetonian taxi driver, to drive us along the entire coastline of the cape peninsula. We stopped at small colonial/surfing towns. We waded in the Indian Ocean and then journeyed to the Cape of Good Hope. We hiked the steep, three quarters of a mile lighthouse trail, to the terminus of the African continent, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet and are said to not mix one drop. Outstanding.

The a combined view of the Indian Ocean and the town of Muizenberg from the beach.

A colony of 3,000 African penguins at ‘Boulders’ – just south of Simon’s Town.

The view from the Atlantic side of the Cape – facing the Americas.

Sun-scorched and happy.

Hours away from work mode, we are taking a leisurely morning to make this update, enjoy good coffee, pack and explore Table Mountain. This evening, we fly back to Johannesburg for a night. Then into Botswana Wednesday morning. The order of experiences during this trip has been ideal. First a week of spiritual service, two days of rest and now, onto my mission, a week of opening the minds of children to the value of the world around them and their place in it.

What an amazing day! What a busy day too! Alex and I started off the day at 7am. I made scrambled eggs, toast and coffee. (Alex says, “mmm” from her mosquito-netted bed as I read this back to her.) At 8, we snapped some images of the upper school students beginning their day. Some were working on algebra and others on current events in southern Africa. Around 9, Diannes arrived and we set off for the school in Wusakili. The pre-school age children were learning anatomy, and sang, “Heads, shoulders, knees and toes…” At 11am, we started the photography workshop.

Chande and Graham Road, a school in Northern Virginia, are working on a collaborative identity project that includes writing and visual illustrations. Part of our time here is for working with Chande students to make photographs that could accompany the writings that are being created by students at both schools. Today we worked with Pauline, Lenox and Caphas – three incredibly intelligent, funny and thoughtful children. In their writing exercise they expressed their personal happiness in life, their desire to help their communities and how important their faith is in their lives. Here are some excerpts from their thoughts:

“I am handsome all the time. If I am handsome, people will love me.”

“I want to be a nurse because I want to help sick people. There are many sick people in my village.”

“Sometimes your friend will need food. And she will come to you and you give her food. Then one day, you will be hungry. And she will feed you.”

I have the best job… EVER.

After working with these three for 3 hours, Diannes drove us into town. Alex wanted to buy some shatenge fabric to have a skirt made by the sewing ladies, and we needed some more water and food in our apartment. This time around, and maybe because we are women, and because I asked, they are allowing us to prepare our own food. There is a fully stocked kitchen and with a small refrigerator and apartment-sized range and oven combo. They had made some baked chicken for us that was in the fridge and we ate that along with nshima. Today, we received a lesson in how to make the local staple. It’s like a heavy polenta or cream of wheat and you eat it with a stew or sauce. For dinner, I shredded the chicken and added it to sautéed onions and green peppers. Very tasty.

This evening Alex and I made an audio slideshow of the photographs and writings that the 3 young photographers shot today. Tomorrow, they’ll read their writings and be recognized in front of their class, and we’ll present the slideshow.

Also tomorrow, I’m meeting with my photography subject Wilson Banda. I hope to get to know him better and spend as much time with him over the next couple of days.

The flight to Ndola was packed. One hundred travelers, some local, most not, landed at the gateless airport. Standing at the customs counter the somewhat confused agent asked, “You are staying in Chamboli?”

“Yes. We are staying with my friend, Rev. Patrick Chanda,” I smiled. He smiled back, and handed me my passport.

Our bags arrived at Ndola, as promised. It was quite a relief.
Upon existing the airport, my eyes scanned the small crowd, but ba Chanda was not there. I had told Alex that the only thing I was sure of in advance of this week was that the pastor would there to pick us up. We took a seat and glanced at each other, “You know, anything can happen on the way somewhere,” I said. Five minutes later a shiny white SUV raced into the parking lot and ba Chanda and ba Vivian popped out and charged their way over to us. It was a joyful greeting. They both look so well and happy, despite current struggles. The delay was for good reason. Ba Chanda was making sure his son Joshua made it to the clinic to be tested and treated for Malaria – his second child in a month to come down with the disease.

As predicted, we went on a tour of Kitwe. First to Ndeke Township – where the Chande project is headquartered. It’s also where we are staying for the week. Ba Chanda walked us through the school, pointing out updates to the building since I had seen it last. Most noticeable was the presence of students and he introduced us to each class. They all respond to questions in unison, “Good afternoon, sir… We are well, thank you. How are you?… Thank you, sir.” The upper school, grade 6 and up, now has class in this building. There are physical changes too with new stucco and painted exterior, window trim and the furnished volunteer apartment that we are occupying.

We made our way to Wusakili, passing the copper slag mountain and the coffin shop. Diannes was with us since we left Ndeke, and we pulled up to the Wusakili school building. The younger children in their green and white uniforms were so cute. I recognized certain children almost instantly. The daughter of the head mistress, ba Silvia, was near the entrance. Grace, a young girl with Down syndrome was lingering near the driveway, alone. The same routine – ba Chanda took the two of us around to each classroom to introduce us, saying, “Do you remember the people who came from Washington, DC, and they taught you to play the small flutes?” The acknowledging grins and gleaming eyes in response were humbling.

I have to admit that I had great hope of seeing Memory. I was checking off the grades as we were introduced… the last was Grade 4. Lillian is their teacher and she I greeted each other. My eyes wandered and there she was, standing and staring at me with one other girl. “Memory,” I said. Lillian said something about being surprised that I remembered her name. The sounds of 100 children clamoring in the room fell silent in my head. I couldn’t stop looking at her. I knelt down to her level and she walked over to me. I wanted to ask her so many things… How are you? Do you know more English now? What is your favorite subject? What is your story? Who do you live with? What is your favorite color? Are you happy? Anything. But I couldn’t. My eyes welled up and my throat locked, as they are now… I don’t know why she means so much to me. I’m sure she doesn’t know either. I had to stand and walk away. Alex and Lillian had no idea what was going on. Memory probably thinks I’m a complete weirdo now. I guess I’ll try again tomorrow.

After a 17-hour flight Alex and I landed in Johannesburg. She’s on deadline for work and cramming to edit and publish a video… time is running out. We leave tomorrow morning, early, for Zambia. Once again, I’ve been slammed with baggage issues. This time, the airline checked my bag all the way to the final destination… except, I’m not there yet. I hope to be reunited with it tomorrow… shopping for clothes in Kitwe, Zambia, is not as much fun as New Delhi.

Not expecting to have contact for a week once I land in Zambia. Will post as soon as I can.

I’m traveling again – tomorrow. This time, back to Africa. First a week in Zambia, then 4 days of pure fun and relaxation in Cape Town. I’ll end my trip in Botswana, working with young people from rural villages in a photography camp at Selinda Reserve. I’ll post photos here when I can, then a report when I return the week of March 16th.

‘Life at 3021’ didn’t exist the last time I went to Africa. So let me fill you in…

I’m affected personally and spiritually when I travel at home and abroad, and I thank my family for planting the seeds of humility and sensitivity in me that I may meet these people and places with an open mind and heart. In 2007 I traveled to Zambia with 16 others from my church to Kitwe, near the Congo border, to work with teachers and begin a music program at the Chande School. That trip brought me in Africa for the first time, and was an experience that I truly thought I might never experience again.

The Chande School is the education arm of the Chande Project, a mission of Rev. Patrick Chanda. The school educates about 400 children, from pre-K – 12th grade. 1 in 6 adults in Zambia are infected with HIV, and with life expectancy at 38, children are orphaned and left with little hope for the future. And school is tuition based in Zambia, so children of those who cannot afford it are left behind. Chande brings hope, education and support to children in need in Kitwe and surrounding areas. By providing a tuition-free education, the Chande teachers and staff are trying to end the cycle of poverty and bring new hope to a struggling community. Pastor Chanda’s vision for Chande is grand. He wants to build an all-inclusive village for the orphans, where up to 12 children of various ages live with a housemother, and learn and grow as family of 13. They would have their own house and garden – where the basics of how to live a life are taught to them that they may have a more solid foundation for life for when they move on to adulthood. Currently, only the school building stands on the acreage. In my opinion, Chande is at a pivotal point. The homes need to be built but a brick-making machine needs to be purchased. The teachers, dedicated as they are to this mission, could be paid higher salaries at the government schools. And, the children, the reason for it all, are in need of sponsorship and support for their lives and education.

My first photographs of Chande were affected by the presence of my fellow missioners. This time, I’m coming in quietly, with my friend Alex. Together, we’ll photograph the school and the life of one or two children – were they live, how they travel to school, their hopes and dreams and how they survive. I’ll be there for only one week, but I hope the outcome of this week, a portfolio of images and stories, will have a great impact on Chande. I’ll use these images to help find new, and reinvigorate current, funding sources. I’ve made a pledge to Chande – to raise $15,000 by the end of 2009 to benefit Chande – to help my friend move closer to his mission. Maybe you’d like to help – if so, let’s talk when I return.

(October 10, 2007 – The Grade 2 girls were waiting for class to begin on the front steps of the Chande School. After asking their names and getting soft, indistinguishable answers, especially from this young girl pictured here, I went over to her and asked her to write her name in my journal. She wrote MEMORY in all caps in perfect print and covered her mouth as she smiled back to me. There is something in her eyes that I connected to. Indeed, she has never left my thoughts, my memory, since we met. I hope I see her again.)