Muzungu (Gringo being the Spanish equivalent) time is a concept lost to most Africans. So it was really no surprise to us for our 1pm meeting with the chief of Mazembe to start around 3pm and include “the people of the village” equaling over 100 people.

We sat under a large tree which is the African equivalent to Starbucks as a typical meeting place in the late afternoon. It would be the last meeting for Nina and I as we are scheduled to head out tomorrow and although tired from spending the last several hours waiting for the villagers to trickle in, there was sentiment at the thought that this would be our last community meeting. The chief started the meeting by welcoming us and having us introduce ourselves and Taking Back Lives. Two hours later, we were asked to share our vision of the community development program we plan to implement a year from now. So, on the spot with 100s of pairs of foreign eyes looking expectantly at us, rays of sunlight filing through the branches of the tall tree that attempted to provide us shade, and a translator nearby, ready to convert our American-accented English into Chitonga, Nina, Dan, and I explained our vision for the program.

Dan went first. I followed. As I stood and thanked the community for welcoming us, I began to explain the importance of health education in preventing disease as opposed to merely providing treatment. For someone who strongly dislikes public speaking, there was something about the situation that gave me power and ease. As I continued, my moment was soon lost as the translator cut in to remind me “No, no, no. That wont work. You speak short fragments, and I translate”. Slightly embarrassed, I managed to start over and get my point across, slightly less empowered as before.

The response of the community was so eager and so enthusiastic that it felt like it was the perfect conclusion to our experience here over the past month. There have certainly been highs and lows as is typical in Africa, as you go from the joy of seeing how TBL has already had such a positive effect on a community that once felt hopeless, to the frustration of realizing how massive the need is and how limited we are at times to help everyone. But nonetheless, the community of Mazembe continues to bring us hope as we press on to the future of our organization.

As stated, Nina and I will begin our journey back home tomorrow afternoon. However, even as we re-enter our old lives, I'm confident in the fact that we will hold true to what we have been told countless times by the community to “not forget them or their situation”.