Wright Mission Trip to Zambia and Other Travel

The Dairy is Finished!

2011-04-20T10:22:00.002-05:00

This is a view of the completed milking shed. After the cows have been milked, the milk is delivered to one of the children's homes to be boiled, chilled and served to the kids.

Fishing on Lake Kariba

2011-02-16T07:41:00.000-06:00

Fishing for bream on Lake Kariba is a lot like fishing for sunnies on Lake Sylvia. There are, of course, a few exceptions...We are not accustomed to watching elephants grazing on the shore, nor listening to hippos snort in the shallows behind the boat. We did manage to swap a handfull of worms for some pretty tastey pan fish.
My cousin Cindy and her husband Al Briesmeister (holding the catch) hosted us for our last week in Africa. They teach at the international school in Harare, Zimbabwe, and used their long Valentine weekend to show us around northern Zimbabwe. Lake Kariba is a huge resivoir that offers plenty of natural beauty. I suppose we could have tried some water skiing but we saw crocodiles in every bay so settled for game drives and boating. Our fishing guide filled a bucket with water in the pontoon so we could rinse the worm goo off our fingers without having to dip our hands into the shallows. Good decision.

Chobe Nat. Park; Sunset on the Zambezi

2011-02-09T01:15:00.002-06:00

Chobe National Park in Botswana is a haven for wildlife. The elephant population is reported to be around 150,000. We saw over a hundred of them--some this close. The elephants and hippos frolicked in the Chobe River to cool off. Despite being plenty warm ourselves, we chose not to join them. A sunset cruise on the Zambezi River was a relaxing way to end one of our first days in Livingstone.

Farewell Villages of Hope; Hello Victoria Falls

2011-02-06T03:01:00.000-06:00

Sue and I left Lusaka and Villages of Hope after three weeks of volunteering and enjoying the hospitality of the Scwartz's and kids.

After an early flight and nearly missing the Johannesburg connectioin we are now comfortably residing at the Sunbird Guest House for a long weekend before heading to Harare. Our first stop was Victoria Falls. If you're ever in the area, you don't want to miss it.

Dave and Sue

Tumor surgery and Milk Shed Progress

2011-02-06T02:50:00.000-06:00

We crossed the road to Ibis, the resort/farm where the Village of Hope cows are residing until their new home is ready, and conducted a demonstration of milking procedures to videotape. While we were there I removed a tumor from the third eyelid of one of the Ibis cows.

By the time we left Villages of Hope, the milking shed was nearly finished--complete with its own milkmaid! In the last picture you can see the entrance chute and the milking stanchions on the right.

Hiking to church; Teaching kids to milk

2011-02-06T02:28:00.005-06:00

Sue is walking to church after an all-night rain. Notice the new fashion statement. We Wrights' are cutting edge on all things fashionable!

Dave is teaching a class to the children on the difference between a cow, a pig and a cat. We talked about how a cow can digest plant fiber and the other two cannot. Then we explained all the things that a cow needs to make milk: water, grass, maize, mineral and safe rest. Once the kids identifed all those needs they got to "milk a cow." We filled a plastic glove with water, poked a pin hole in the end of each finger (or teat), and told them to fill their bucket. They can hardly wait for the real thing.

Selecting plants for landscaping the Take Away

2011-01-30T07:31:00.004-06:00

Sue and Kathleen look over the plant selection at a Zambian nursery. They selected twenty-three shrubs and paid $20 U.S.-a bargain anywhere in the world. We'll show a before and after picture of the landscaping project soon.

Soccer, or football, as it is know in Zambia, is a favorite with the kids. They can steal the ball from me in a moment, but then that would not be a challenge for anyone reading this blog.

More progress on the dairy shed

2011-01-30T07:22:00.000-06:00

We began the construction by measuring the general layout. I had to be careful not to confuse my meters and feet. This crew is great to work with. Waesey, (Wesley without the l and a long a) is a competent construction manager who always wears a smile. He's the fellow in the foreground in the first picture and running the drill press in the second. Not only that, Waesey is that rare individual who sees the world the way I do--neat, tidy and probably preoccupied with "what's next." It's remarkable since I had to cross the globe to find another person like that.
We will be attaching the side rails to the posts with 12" bolts so we need to drill a lot of holes. I burnt out one small drill and hope that we didn't do the same to the big drill press. I'll find out Monday.
The bottom view is the way we left the project on Saturday noon. We hope the twenty-foot container that will become the back wall to the milking shed can be moved in place early this week.

Construction Has Started!

2011-01-30T07:03:00.000-06:00

The materials arrived last Thursday evening and construction began Friday morning. The pictures describe the action better than I can. The shipping containers hold the tools; The plans are discussed and the lot is cleared. Villages of Hope has a back hoe and a bush hog mower, which makes the project move at a pretty good clip.

Plans, teaching and bed-time

2011-01-26T09:59:00.000-06:00

Sue wanted to make sure that she did not have to take any credit for this drafting job. I drew all the plans in a spiral notebook, with multiple views and an attempt to convert from feet to meters accurately. The next picture shows Sue teaching a class showing the kids how they can help to design their school court yard. We visited one of the cottages last night and read the kids a Dr. Suess bed-time story.
Both of us remain helathy and continue to enjoy our stay. Benedict celebrated his 65th birthday today by going into Lusaka with Kathleen and Sena. He is taking his retirement pretty seriously! Another good role model.
Dave

Designing a 2-cow Milking Parlor

2011-01-26T09:26:00.002-06:00

We've not had good internet connections since the storm last week took out electricity at the house overnight and the internet for several days. I'll post these comments and try to post pictures later if I can urge the computer to cooperate.
I have spent the last week designing a two-stall milking parlor for their small herd of Jersey cows. They will arrive once we get appropriate housing and milking facilities. I made up a bill of materials and talked to the carpenter who will be doing most of the construction. They are going into Lusaka tomorrow to purchase the supplies so will hope to begin cponstruction next week. I told them there was no point in having me with them because all it would do is raise the price. "For you, sir, we have a special price." For Mzungas (white guys) the price is often double!
Today I toured part of the Golden Valley Argricultural Research Trust to get some ideas of how to keep the cows alive through the dry season, which will begin in about two months. There is plenty of lush grass now, but we could use an agronomist to help sort out the options for winter forage fare. I'm learning a lot--hopefully more than enough to be just dangerous.
I'll post this and try again with pictures.
Dave

Progress

2011-01-20T08:39:00.002-06:00

I met with the Chimwemwe (means happy) Ladies yesterday. They are making paper bead necklaces and having a bible study.

We are making progress! Your generous donations are soon to be converted into milk for kids. Dave and Benedict willl start construction very soon on the dairy milking shed and treatment area, as the plans are nearing completion. I am going to teach a unit on landscaping using the school courtyard as our subject and incorporate planting requirements. The kids will share their hopes and ideas for the space.

2011-01-19T07:50:00.001-06:00

Dave visited the neighboring dairy and saw firsthand the high-tech milking procedure common to Zambia. We are gathering ideas to implement at Villages of Hope. As we expected, milk production is very low--in this case 2-4 liters per day per cow--mainly because of marginal nutrition. We expect to soon lay out plans for the dairy and will experiment with making silage and drying good quality hay for use in the coming dry season.

Sue had a "four degrees of separation" (not even six!) experience yesterday. Our host, Kathleen introduced me to Anita Leopold who is here with her husband, a new manager/pastor/dairy specialist for the Villages. People wear many hats here. Anita mentioned that she previously lived in Microsnesia before she married Dick. I asked her if she knew Rick and Cindy Hermes from our church, and she exclaimed that yes, she had helped to teach them about missions work there! Minda, Kathleen, Anita, Sue - all the way around the world!

I am touring a local nursery right now to see how big landscaping plants get here. They are all tropicals and our "houseplants" - great fun to use in design. They are about $1 -$50 each - so much less than at home. I am designing for the front of the take-away resturant, the vegetable store, and the school. The kids are going to design the school courtyard with me. I am so intrigued to hear their input! More later, Dave, and Sue

New teacher at Villages of Hope!

2011-01-17T12:12:00.000-06:00

Sue and I have had a couple of miracles already: Every flight was on time and every one of our bags arrived in Zambia! We made it into the Lusaka airport around 9:00 p.m. and were tucked into bed about two hours later. Sue visited the school today and met their newest teacher who is shown in the photo on the right.
Dave toured the grounds and took a drive to the nearby village of Fringilla with Benedict and one of their friends who was under the weather. He had been feverish for a couple of days and was worried he had malaria. Dr. Mutalli examined him, performed a test for malaria (which fortunately was negative), and sold him a bag full of antibiotics and other meds. We stopped in at the office to settle up the bill before we left--65,000 Kwacha. Sounds like a lot until you find out that the exchange rate is 4,600 Kwacha per dollar. Total cost of the medical care was about $13.00...more good news to follow.
Dave

Packing

2011-01-13T16:12:00.001-06:00

We didn't think it would all fit: veterinary and landscaping supplies, school t-shirts, notepads, pencils, children's vitamins, etc. But when we weighed the allowed bags and had more room, we found a few more school supplies to fill the corners. Five pounds to spare! We'll keep you all posted on our progress eastward. -Sue

Donations exceed $15,000!

2010-12-31T14:30:00.001-06:00

Your generosity overwhelms us! As of January 13, friends and relatives have contributed more than $15,000 toward All Kids Can Learn, International. This is truly an amazing response. It will give the dairy project at Villages of Hope an excellent financial foundation.

When we visited with Kathleen and Benedict they told us that four children had suffered fractured bones--most likely because of a calcium deficiency in their diets. One-half liter of milk per day would go a long way to solving this problem. Milk in Zambia sells for $6.00 per gallon, which translates into about 80 cents per child per day. With sixty children soon to be in residence, that turns into an added expense of $1,440 per month.

Our hope is to set up a dairy that will provide at least this much milk for the children on a regular basis. We think it is feasible. Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Met Hosts

2010-12-11T21:11:00.004-06:00

We met with Schwartz's and developed several ideas to facilitate the dairy project. I may landscape a couple of buildings while I'm there to improve the grounds for visitors researching this first village with the intention of starting more. Sixteen more approved children await admittance - our extra gifts may enable this. -Sue

Getting Ready

2010-11-28T13:19:00.003-06:00

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to our trip so far! We are deeply touched by the response we have gotten. The itinerary and tickets for our departure on January 15 are in hand, and we have been researching agricultural issues in Zambia. We are meeting with Schwartz's tomorrow to get more details on the dairy project. So exciting! -Sue and Dave

Mission Trip to Zambia-January 2011

2010-10-24T16:41:00.003-05:00

Sue and I are headed back to Africa. We are volunteering at "Villages of Hope", an orphanage dedicated to helping some of the 1.1 million orphans who have been left without parents due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic that has ravaged southern Africa. We have been invited to assist them in setting up a dairy, a project that will not only provide nutrition to the village, but will offer opportunities for employment. Learn more about the organization, "All Kids Can Learn, International" (http://www.akcli.org/).

Tanzania in 1999

2010-10-01T20:00:00.000-05:00

A short term mission trip to Tanzania gave me my first international veterinary experience. I assisted a veterinarian in his work with the Maasai, harvested talapia from a newly constructed fish pond, and taught a class in cattle reproduction. I found that living and working with the people was far more rewarding than visiting as a tourist. Although I didn't come down with any exotic diseases while I was there, I did catch the travel bug and have been laid up for weeks at a time trying to manage it. Dave

Tanzania Maasai 1999

2010-09-30T19:11:00.000-05:00

Maasai Warrior

Spear-throwing Contest

Maasai children

Demonstrating a physical exam

Suturing a laceration on a cow attacked by a lion

Tanzania Fish Farming 1999

2010-09-29T18:00:00.000-05:00

This well-manged fish pond provides a Tanzanian family with a diet rich in protein and supplemental income. Dennis Murnak, has been in Tanzania for more than twenty years as a missionary who teaches fish farming practices. He has expanded his work in neighboring African countries. I stayed with Dennis and his family for part of my visit. This pond is situated beneath the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley near Arusha.

Pitching in to Net the Fish

Sorting the Harvest

Tilapia, the most common fish raised in Tanzania

Honduras 2001

2010-09-27T20:36:00.000-05:00

This is a client meeting Honduran style. Sue travelled with me on this trip, which was coordinated by Christian Veterinary Mission. We stayed with a veterinary missionary and his wife in the remote Miskito region and then toured rarnches near the capital of Tegucigulpa. This short-term "shuttle mission" enabled us to meet the local people and understand their culture far more than a trip as a conventional tourist.

Making necklaces from rain forest seeds

Honduran children with malnutrition and parasites

2008 Postings from New Zealand

2008-01-30T01:15:00.003-06:00

A Brown Trout hides out along the bank of the Mataura River in Gore, frustrating the fly fisherman who trudged upstream empty-handed.

Sue looks for evidence of glow worms where we saw them sparkling the night before. The luminescent larval stage of the fungus gnat finds this creekbank in Dolamore Park a perfect home to trap its prey of unsuspecting insects.

Battalions of bleating sheep occupy these fields that surround the Southern city of Gore. They sang us to sleep the night we camped below this overlook.

This is our kind of bungy jump! A few years ago this would have been the highlight of an international experience for our boys.

Last Weekend with Eric in New Zealand

2008-01-20T00:58:00.000-06:00

We celebrated our last evening hosting Eric with a seafood dinner in Queenstown. Note the short pants and sunburn as you cope with below zero temps at home. Is that an expression of gloating you see on my face?

Chard Farm Winery as viewed from Highway 6 north of Arrowtown: We chose this winery because most people would not brave the gravel access road on the cliff's edge to get to it. Always take the road less travelled--far less competition.

Wine tasting at Chard Farm: Their oak-cured Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were specialties of the house. Eric purchased several bottles to take home. I doubt ours will last that long.

Adventures with Eric

2008-01-20T00:33:00.000-06:00

Eric hangs on in the wind at Stirling Point on the edge of Bluff. Antarctica is only a stone's throw away!

The view looking down the far side of Mt. Burns.

Even I made it to the top of Mt. Burns at the Borland Saddle. The wind was viscious but exciting.

Return to Milford Sound

2008-01-09T12:31:00.000-06:00

This past weekend we returned to Milford Sound to share the sights with Eric.

As usual, Eric takes an unconventional approach to Lake Marion.

Another view of Lake Marion--from the Key Summit on the Routeburn Track.

Eric arrives in New Zealand

2008-01-06T02:15:00.000-06:00

Eric arrived on New Year's Day to stay with us for three weeks. He stretches his legs on the top of Mt. Burns after his thirteen-hour flight. We lunched on the top of this windswept peak overlooking Borland Saddle. If the gas tank had not flirted with the red empty line, I would have enjoyed it more. The only good news is that it was all downhill from here!

Clumps of tussock grass kept us company as we both leaned into the wind atop Mt. Burns.

Eric and I waded on the beach with Monkey Island in the background.

Fox Glacier

2007-12-24T17:49:00.001-06:00

Fox Glacier was our ultimate destination the weekend of December 22-23. The face of this glacier is receding faster than my brother's hairline! I'm afraid Al Gore's ranting about global warming is legitimate.

We set up camp under moonlight on the shores of Lake Wanaka Friday night. These campgrounds are much like the National Forest Campgrounds in the States--limited services; find a spot for a tent; cheap--$6 per person per night.

Boundary Creek Campground on Saturday morning hosted scattered campers and a few tenacious midges. We have enjoyed the tenting--the weather has cooperated every weekend!

A sea lion on Waipapa Point kept Sue company on her midweek day trip. Notice his majestic mane.

Stewart Island

2007-12-17T12:24:00.000-06:00

After a rainy introduction to Stewart Island Friday night, Saturday cooperated with perfect weather for a five-hour tramp to Ryan's Creek and Kaipipi Bay (pictured above).

Oban is the only town on Stewart Island but it has several bays harboring sailboats, water taxis, and fishing vessels.

Sue and I stepped onto a deserted beach on Ulva Island thinking we had discovered a pair of the elusive Kiwi birds. We were duped. These are the far more common Weka, described as "cheeky" because of their tendency to invade your lunch.

Invercargill Weekend

2007-12-12T02:29:00.001-06:00

The roses are in full bloom at Queens Park in the heart of Invercargill. We feel bad for the rest of you suffering with below zero temperatures.

Bluff is the southernmost point of New Zealand and is the stepping-off point to the South Pole. The ferry to Stewart Island departs from Bluff and has our reservation for the weekend of December 15.

Harness racing at Ascott Racecourse is a favorite pasttime of Standardbred owners in Southland. I served as the racecourse vet on Friday afternoon.

Milford Sound and surrounding area

2007-12-02T02:21:00.000-06:00

A cruise tour of Milford Sound featured Mitre Peak, Mount Pembroke, seals and cascading waterfalls. After a rain over a thousand temporary waterfalls appear from the cliffs but retreat within a half hour.

We hiked up to Gertrude Saddle Saturday afternoon with a glorious view of the valley below. The track was well-marked until it was obstructed by snow fields. After that it was guess and by gosh to the top.

A trek up to Marian Lake was rewarded with a refreshing plunge and more spectacular scenery. The turquoise water was as bracing as Lake Superior.

Weekend to Dunedin, Otago Peninsula, Catlins

2007-11-25T01:36:00.000-06:00

A community of seals lounged on the rocks below Nugget Point Lighthouse. The babies looked like mice in a nest when we spied on them with our binoculars.

This weekend we drove to Dunedin, a city on the east coast known for its architecture. The ornate train station above opened in 1906 and offers rustic rail tours along the coast. We chose to stick with our wee Honda Civic that allowed us to explore the Otago Peninsula and beyond.

Sue and I camped on Otago Peninsula Saturday night and ventured out to Taiaroa Head (left) where we watched Royal Albatross nest. The albatross boasts a wing-span of nearly ten feet! At dusk, about 140 Blue Penguins, the smallest penguins on earth, waddled up the beach below to feed their young who were tucked into rabbit-hole nests along the hillside.

Work and Play in NZ

2007-11-22T01:25:00.000-06:00

Our friend, Richard LaBute, needs to add this yellow-eyed penguin to his collection of exotic pets. I promise that if he gets one, I'll figure out how to neuter it.

Sue captured this picture of sea lions on Waipapa Point on Thanksgiving Day. It's about 30 miles southeast of Invercargill.

I continue to pay my way through life with my left arm. I am ultrasounding a mare with Grant Sim, a ruddy-faced character who has been breeding mares since I was in diapers. I just want everyone to know that I actually do work here. Manure is the same all around the world.

Skipper's Road Camping

2007-11-17T23:43:00.000-06:00

Look carefully on the ledge that they call a road to find our Honda Civic clinging to the cliff as we crawled along for an hour and a half before finding the campground listed in our guidebook.

The single-lane suspension bridge right out of Indiana Jones was our last hurdle before arriving at an old mining town historical site. Camping was allowed for $14 for the two of us.

This site looked like the Garden of Eden when we pulled in late in the afternoon. We had the place entirely to ourselves, which made it even more special. It turned out to be a perfect adventure with a gorgeous view.

Queenstown--Tourist Mecca of the South Island

2007-11-17T23:20:00.000-06:00

Kiwis like extreme sports like parasailing. I think it's because if they get injured the government will pay for their medical bills. We didn't try it but I'll bet the boys won't be able to pass up the experience when they visit in a couple of months!

This weekend we traveled north to Queenstown. We were too cheap to ride the gondola but hiked up the backside switchbacks and were rewarded with this view of the city and Lake Wakatipu.

Home Sweet Home

2007-11-15T01:06:00.000-06:00

We are fortunate to have rented this "wee" home that is fully furnished. We moved in last Sunday night, unpacked all of our things in 20 minutes, and were pretty much settled in. Heat is a rare commodity in Invercargill. All the homes are kept pretty frosty, so it was a real treat to find that Melanie, our landlord (and vet technician), had turned on the electric blanket for our first night!

Surgery on a colt

2007-11-15T00:12:00.000-06:00

Brendon and his staff have anesthetized this colt in the padded recovery room. The surgery suite is in the background. The colt has an inguinal hernea that will be repaired, and he'll be neutered while he's on the table. He is winched onto a padded table for the actual surgery, then attached to the gas anesthetic machine and prepped for surgery. He made an uneventful recovery and went home the next day.

Dentistry veterinary style

2007-11-11T03:03:00.000-06:00

Brendon, the practiced owner, is performing a power float on this Pasofino owned by Shania Twain. She imported a handfull of mares to graze on the 20,000 acres of lakeside property she picked up a couple of years ago. It caused a bit of a stir when she fenced off the lake access which is generally owned by all New Zealanders. With the arrival of spring, the breeding season is underway so we scanned this mare and four of her herdmates before sending them back home. They were all open but cycling normally so we'll get to see them agian later in the season. Dave

Southern Veterinary Centre

2007-11-11T02:51:00.000-06:00

This is the Southern Veterinary Centre where I'll be going to work for the next several months. Two equine vets, one dairy vet, one small animal vet, and I base out of this building. There are several box stalls out back, a garage with stocks, a padded stall for general anesthesia, and a surgery suite. As you can imagine some of the rooms serve multiple purposes. Last Friday, a C-section was being performed in the large animal surgery suite to allow regular appointments in the exam/small animal surgery area. Plans are underway for expansion! Dave

Arrival NZ

2007-11-08T14:05:00.000-06:00

Sue writes: Hello from Invercargill! We have arrived and will be living in this cute little completely "kitted out" house for our 4 month stay: 37 Bullar St, Invercargill, New Zealand (yup that's the whole address!) The wagon is Dave's work vehicle. The house is owned by an 84 year old woman who just went to a nursing home for her heart and back troubles. I'm looking forward to weeding and planting some flowers for her. Our neighborhood is just off the downtown but feels suburban, and is close to the vet clinic.

The practice will be very interesting for Dave as the owner and our host is an accomplished equine surgeon. He has a fairly simple but funtional surgery and stabling facility to do in-house operations.

I'm loving the explorations of this fantastic country. The people are cordial, helpful, industrious, and kind. This town is not a tourist destination as it is quite chilly and windy, but it is near several intriguing locations we will explore. There are many parks here though, and one is enormous, Queen's park just off the city centre. It's filled with rose gardens, ponds, allees of trees - patterned after the royal English gardens. The leaves have just come out and the tulips, daffodils, and rhododendrons are in bloom. The ducklings are tiny. Just the small things are fascinating like what's in the grocery store and how people use words and phrases differently. We had to order a "flat white" yesterday for coffee - two shots of espresso with hot milk... I think.

Food in general is simple, unspicy fare- roasted lamb, potatoes, carrots, zuccini, chicken in a mild tomato sauce and desserts tend to be crispy or firm and not very sweet - good for the beltline! Our hosts have fed us well - we were treated to a New Zealand pavlova the other night - a creme filled merengue topped with kiwi fruit, strawberries, and shaved chocolate - delicious! We will stay at the Bell's beautiful country home until Saturday or Sunday when our rental house will be ready. They have two delightful daughters ages 11 and 12 who have provided interesting conversation and entertainment.

Write to us here or at our email address. We love to hear from you!

New Zealand Departure

2007-10-06T20:01:00.000-05:00

Sue and I are excited about this oppportunity to work as a veterinarian in New Zealand, to explore the fiords and mountains of the southern island, and to immerse ourselves in the local culture. We depart on November 3 for Los Angeles where we will visit our sons, Tristan and Eric, and continue on to New Zealand two days later. The flight from LA is nearly thirteen hours but I am sure it will go fast. You see, it will already be tomorrow in NZ when we step on the plane in LA! Dave

Bolivia 2002

2007-10-04T21:08:00.000-05:00

The mysteries inside a cow's rectum are worldwide. Everyone wants to know, "Is she pregnant, doc?" Their second question is, "Why do I get so many bulls?" I was invited to Bolivia to assist with a seminar on dairy reproduction where I helped to answer the first question but, as usual, was stumped by the last one. Dr. Bill and Heidi Janecke, Christian Veterinary Mission fieldworkers, hosted me on this trip and introduced me to a number of local producers.

Milking 240 cows by hand!

Bolivian cattle