Almost a month into this Global Challenge journey and we have come as far as Zambia. We are comletely isolated from civilisation
and stay at the FCE training facility deep
inside the bush next to the local villages.
Now, the travel up to Zambia was a mission of its own and definitely the road less travelled. It was set as a challenge to each of the individual teams with the following objectives:
-Get to Zambia (FCE base near Ndola) in the shortest possible time
-Take a photo of the Victoria Falls
-Take a picture of as many of the Big Five as possible
-Raise R2000
-Spend the least amount of money on the journey.
We left Pretoria, Alabanza on the 22nd January (where we as team has only met each other a week before ) and went into
Pretoria to start raising the R2000. Late afternoon we have left Pretoria with about R1600 raised and were on our way to
Botswana. We decided to travel via Gaberone (Botswana) to Livingstone (Zambia) , visit the Victoria Falls and then
continue north to Ndola via Lusaka.
Two taxis further we ended up in Zeerusts (close to the Botswana border) after spending the night at Rustenburg, sleeping
in a taxi at the taxirank. At Zeerust we raised another R800 and are really gratefull for the inhabitants' generousity. This
brought the total amount raised by our team to R2400. At about 2pm 23rd January we got a lift out of Zeerust all the way to Gabarone with a big interlink truck.
At Gabarone we took the
overnight train to Francistown for about R40pp. From Francistown the next means of transport was a
25 seater minibus to the Botswana/Zambia border. This is a 7 hour drive and with 25 people and their luggage it can and does
become a bit crowded. It was also on this 'ride' that we saw our only Big Five animal, an elephant, and managed to get a picture of it.
After crossing the Zambian border we just had enough time for a quick team photo and a moment of admiration for the beauty of the
Vic falls as we had to catch the last bus of the day from Livingstone to Lusaka and we made it with just 10 minutes to spare. At Lusaka
we changed busses and were in the final stretch to Ndola. Another taxi and a hitch in the back of a Land Rover and we arrived at
the FCE base in Masaiti. This was Friday 25th January about 2pm, being on the road for almost
3 days with minimum sleep, food and bath, but non the less in good spirit. We were the
3rd team to arrive.
What is FCE? (Foundation for Cross Cultural Edudation)
FCE is a mission organisation with the primary goal to make disciples of Jesus Christ by means of edudation and training. People are also
trained in skills which they can use both in the mission fields and as a means of earning a living. FCE has permanent training centres throughout
Africa and the villages around the training centres are the areas or ministry.
We will be in Zambia (FCE) till the 8th of March when we will go back to South Africa for two days of rest (10-12 March) before we continue the journey to China.
Love
Hector