A Day in the Life: Jennifer & Rudia

On the last trip to Zambia, we wanted to find out what types of homes the children that are helped in our Enfys projects live in.  This is a snapshot of what Jennifer and Rudia, two of the mothers, showed us about their daily life.  We hope to be a witness for Christ and a positive influence in the lives of this family through the Christian programing offered through Enfys.

Jennifer and Rudia

If there is an equivalent to a village within a village, Jennifer and Rudia reside on it in Murundu. Jennifer is the mother of eight children- ranging from eight to twenty-three-years-old. Rudia, Jennifer's eldest daughter, is the mother of four children who also reside with their grandmother. Walking on to the property is comparable to a Zambian version of the Stately Oaks plantation from "Gone With the Wind." Built in 2002, the plot consists of three buildings and a covered, outdoor kitchen. 

Jennifer's property also contains a well, which Jennifer and her family share with other locals. Neighbors come round daily to gather water and socialize- Even before our group entered the front yard, the grounds were buzzing with activity. There were villagers at the well, two girls working in the outdoor kitchen and children everywhere, while Jennifer and Rudia stood ready to welcome Megan and I with giant smiles.

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Jennifer is regarded as the leader of the home. She went to school through grade seven and went on to marry at 17. Her husband left the family fifteen years ago. He travelled to Lusaka, Zambia's capital, while Jennifer stayed behind to raise the children. It is obvious that Rudia has also taken on a leadership role for the family. With four kids of her own, Rudia was left by her husband as well and chose, like her mother, to stay behind with the children. Now these two women support the family on their own- by selling charcoal and beer.

The beer production brings in most of the family's income. They sell a local sweet beer that must be fermented for seven days. The large pots pattern their kitchen floor and they look upon them with pride. This legal beer sells well, but the women still need another income, so they also sell charcoal and work for pay on a local farm during peak season.

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Past the kitchen, Jennifer's hallway is partially blocked by a large bag of maize, which will last the large family almost a month. Just past the bag of maize is the main house bedroom where both Jennifer and Rudia sleep. There is no mosquito net. Across the hall is a second bedroom where four of the younger girls sleep on a packed dirt floor below a line of clothing that holds the family's clothes off the floor. The hallway then juts and opens up to the outdoor kitchen, which holds a stove and large amount of space for cooking. Unlike any other homes we saw, Jennifer's home had doors complete with locks and keys. A huge amenity in this area and probably vital for protection of their fermenting beer. 

Enfys is impacting the health of this community by supplying the well located at this home with chlorine tablets to help prevent disease and illness to any who draw water.  

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