Happy New Year! (with Holiday Photos)

New Year Greetings from Chikankata, rural Zambia! Our long awaited family holiday has just happened after our third year of stay in Zambia. And it was fantastic!! Here are few photos of the happenings during our holiday.

Father and children playing with sun, sea, and sand in the early hours of the morning

Sun set at Sandy Beach Lodge, Siavonga where my family and Lt.Col. Davidson Varghese's family spend most of our time

Out in the dark at night, the candle does not stop burning to light our path

Holiday run! near Chikankata Dam

The foot of Mabetubwe Hills near Chikankata, we park our vehicle and get ready for a climb

Melissa and Marcus are tougher than a father's assumption of them. They are all set to GO!

Rocks everywhere! Chikankata and its surrounding area from Mabetubwe Hills

The summit! Adrenalin flows high after such an achievement

Halfway the summit. A little moment of rest is well deserved. Jennifer, a medical student from UK is one of the team members during the climb!

Relax! This is Sandy Beach, Siavonga, Zambia. The Sandy Beach Lodge is on the banks of one of the largest man-made lake in the world called Lake Kariba, made by diverting waters of the Zambezi River. It's a wonder that while Zambia is a landlocked country they manage to have nice beaches purely out of sheer determination and hard work. The electricity generated by the Dam is even exported to its neighbouring countries. We make our holiday here

I swim again since I last did wayback in 1993 while in Blue Mount School, Behliangchhip, Jampui Hills. And I am glad I still know the basics!

Building sand castles

Row, Row, Row your boat!

Merily, Merily on the sand!

Playing shuttle

Mapuii & Lt. Col. Mariama Varghese. You can see they don't starve and Zambia does them no 'harm'!

Beach run!

Melissa and Marcus proudly display their catch of small fish

Mother and children explore the shoreline

A son has many questions which a mother has to explain

It's my turn to take them around

Eagerly waiting for a boat cruise

And finally it happens! Scary but safe in his father's arms

Lt. Col. Davidson Varghese and his daughter Edna playing a game of Chess. Such a wonderful moment!

Cricket on a beach! Very odd. No spinner (including Muralitharan) will ever succeed in bowling a single spin

Skinning a goat! It's no less challenging than my daily work in the operating room

Stage-setting for an evening Braai! The Colonel and his son Edward seem to subscribe to my suggestions

The Braai actually happens on the shore while the cool breeze blows gently

The"King Crocodile", Marcus names it, as it is the biggest among the crocs we find in the farm. They are in great demand not for their meat but for their skin

The nursery group

Crocodiles everywhere!

No lesser brave than the late Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter!

Good Morning Hippos! One of the early mornings these two hippos came very close to the shore near our cabin. A very good morning for us indeed! We felt lucky

The beds where we rest for the nights after our activity-filled days

Let's get ready for a safari next time!

Duhsakna Kan Dawn, A Man Chhiar Sen Rual Loh

Thilpek dawn hi a nuam, a lawmawmin a hlu. Thilpek min petute chu min hmangaihtu leh min duhsaktute an ni thin a, min duhsakna leh hmangaihna te chu thilpek leh thildang hmangin an lantir thin. Zambia rama kan awm chhung hian a ram mite duhsakna thilpek kan dawng zing ta malh malh khawp mai. A tam ber chu kan damlo enkawlte hnen atangin a ni.

Pa kum 75 mi, an khua thingtlang hmun hla tak atanga thlatin thirsakawr hmanga kan hospital rawn beltu hian tum khat chu Mai pum lian tak mai hi a rawn phur thleng zak a, duhsak takin min pe. Nula pakhat ramhuai zawl at, a serhah arte thisawng thun a, a chawna perek an phum sak, taksa leh thlarau damna chang ta pawh hian vawi khat chu Alu bag khat (kg 10) ama thar ngei hi an khua atangin min rawn ken sak ve ngat a, a hlut dan a dang khawp mai. Ani hian an kohhran chanchinbu chhiar tur min pe bawk.

Kan nupain sa tui kan tih berte zing ami Zoar sa (‘village chicken’ an ti) chu Zambia ramah pawh mite duhsakna zarah kan ei thei ve leh zel a. Kan seilenna Mizo thingtlang khuaa kan tih thin ang thoin anni pawh hian an Zoar hi min rawn pe ve fo ta mai. Kan lawm thin, mahni khua ang mai a ni!

Nau ka chhar sak leh zaichhuah sak nu leh pa thenkhat chuan an lawmzia entir nan an fa hming min sak tir bawk. Mizo hming tha 'Malsawma', 'Rinawma', 'Vohbika' tih hming te hi tun atanga kum 20 hnuah Zambian footballer lar te 'jersy'-ah a chuang a nih pawhin thil awm lo a ni bik lo ang. (Thil theih loh hi a awm si lo a!). Nu leh pa thenkhat ten kan chunga an lawmzia an lantir dan dang leh chu an fa thar piang kha kan hming ang an put tir ve mai thin. Kei pawhin ka hming ang pu mi pahnih chu ka nei ve ta!

Heng an hmangaihna leh duhsakna, an lawmna te an lantir dan mawl te te hian nun a tinuam a, kan khawvel a cheimawi a, thil tha ti turin min nawr kal thin bawk a ni.

Zambia Salvation Army Territorial Congress

(This post contains significant number of photos and may take it longer to appear on the screen, please be patient!!)

A chunga billboard tarlan ang hian Territorial Congress kan neihna hmun hi Zambia leh Zimbabwe ten Kumpinu awpna laka zalenna an sual hun laia thlawhna tum hmun ni thin a ni a. Hmun rai leh thengthaw nuam tak a ni.

Kan General-te nupa Chikankata hmuna kan hmuah thlen ni (19 September 2009) hian Chikankata hmunah mipui kan tam khawp mai. Chikankata main gate pawh Generalte nupa lawm lut turin hawn mai theihin a inkau mek a ni.

Zambia ramah hian Army flag hian zah leh ngaihsan a hlawh khawp mai. Flag mai ni lo, kan chhinchhiahna dang crest leh red shield te hian mite thinlungah thu a sawi thin. Anmahni ngau ngauin awmzia a nei e tihna ni loin, heng kan chhinchhiahna phena kan thil tihte hian mite rilru a hneh zawk a ni e. General hmuah ni pawh hian flag te hi chhuang takin kan pho chhuak leh a ni.


Kan General-te nupa chu Congress-na hmunah hruai thlen an ni a. March kan neih nia mipuite salute an chhang zo, an thla ka laksak lai hian an in pose fuh khawp mai. An bula mite hi kan Territorial Commander Col. John Wainwright te nupa leh Major Richard Gaudion, Private Secretary to the General te an ni.

Nepal Missing: Kan General hian Inrinni zana a thusawinaah tunhnai maia S.A. in rawngbawlna a hawn tharna ram hrang hrang sawiin mipuite min fuih a. Africa khawmualpui atanga tanin-Namibia, Mali, chuatah Middle East - Kuwait-ah, Europe khawmualpui Greece-ah, Asia-ah chuan Mongolia-ah. India Eastern Territory (IET - Mizoram)-in nasa taka kan beihna ram Nepal-a S.A. rawngbawlna hawn thar anih erawh a sawi hmaih tlat mai. Mongolia ram a sawi zawh hian Nepal chungchang hi a sawi turah ka lo ngai a, chuti anih chuan IET chanchin pawh sawi tel ngei turah ka ngai a, nuam ka lo ti lawk! Mongolia ram chinah hian a tawp ta daih mai a, ka hawihil der mai.

A tuk Pathiannia kan hospital an fan laiin a Private Secretary Major Richard Gaudion-a hnenah hemi chungchang hi ka hrilh a. "I lo notice ve a ni maw, General kha han hrilhhriat ka tum laiin a thusawi kha a titawp ta hlauh si a. A Bible hman thin note a ziahna lo zawk a hmang palh a, a hmaih a nih kha, a pawi ka ti khawp mai", tiin thupha chawi titihin min hrilh.

General-te hian march an inspect zo chiah a, Congress Hall lam pan turin an pen chhuak mek a ni.

General hmuak sipaite hian Chikankata khawchhung luhna kawngpui kan luah khat hneh khawp mai.

Chikankata High School naupangte pawhin an theih tawka nalh banner siamin an rawn thawhchhuahpui ve a. Zirlai sangkhat chuang hi an Headmaster Oliver Mwanza hoa an rawn tleh chho mai chu, a thim hian an rawn thim chho mup mup mai a ni!

General hmuah ni hian Officer-te hlei hleiin nuam an ti. Uniform famkim nen, mipate pawh outdoor fatigue, lukhum nen ngat an rawn thawk chhuak a ni.

General a rawn thleng tep a,nghakhlel takin kan thlir mek.

General a rawn thleng ta e. Chikankata Scouts-in hma an rawn hruai a, an tiang nen an ther far mai.

General hi Zambia rama an cham chhung zawngin President's Office-in Diplomatic Security Police (DSP) te a escort-tir a. A kalna apiangah DSP motor-te hian a hma hruaiin a hnung a dawl zel a ni.

Naupangten salute an pe a, Generalte nupa hian naupangte hi hmuh nuam an ti hle niin ka hria.

A Remchang: Congress Hall leh buk (tent) tam tak hi Elephant grass hmanga sak a ni a, a chungte hi ruahpui vanawn dawng atan chuan duhthu sam lo mahse, nisa vawl vawl lak atang chuan min chhan ve khawp mai. A remchanna dang pakhat leh chu inkhawm zat chhiar a awlsam. Usher-te kha inkhawm ban apiangin kawngkaah an lo ding a, a chhuak apiangin kan hall bang hi kan thliak hmawk mai a, usher-te kutah kan hlan a. Usher-te hian mihring chhiar loin hun thawl tha an neihah kan bang/di thliah kha an lo chhiar tawh mai thin a ni.

Territorial Band-te hian mawi takin Congress hun chhung zawng hla min rem sak a, uniform pawh an nei nalhin an smart khawp mai.

Zambian culture-ah hian lam hi an uar hle a, a mawng hem zawnga lam chi an ni lehnghal. Hei hi Congress Hall lamtual zau tak chu a ni a. A zau hle nain songster-te hla rem tura an rawn chhuak tak tak hi chu an leng ngai mang lo. Songster member hi an tam sa thin bakah a phur phur hian an rawn zawm ta thin a!

Junior soldier songters pawh mawi taka zaiin an rawn lam a. Zambia Territory hian Junior soldier an ngahin an nei tha takmeuh a ni. Heti hi anih avang hian S.A. hmathlir a eng hleah ka ngai a. Pathianni Thianghlima Inkhawmah General hian mi 50 chuang Sipai puitlingah a lawmlut nghe nghe. Chikankata Corps pawhin tum khat chu a rualin nausen 75 hlanna a nei tawh bawk.

Territorial Youth songster zai turin an rawn zai/lam chhuak mek. Zaipawl hi an thuthmun atanga rawn kalin an rawn zai ringawt lo a, hla puitling pakhat sain an rawn zai-lam chhuak ngei ngei tur a ni. Chumi hnuah zai tak takin a zui a. An haw lam pawh an zai-lam haw ngei ngei bawk. Chuti anih chuan hla pathum hu zel an sa tihna a ni a, inkhawm hi a rei lo thei thin lo. Mahse a ninawm ngai lo.

Congress hun chhung zawng hian Soweto, South Africa atangin songster member 40 chuang an rawn tel ve a, zaia rawngbawlna benglut tak neiin malsawmna tam tak an rawn thlen. An songster leader hi senior ve tawh tak, inpe em em mai a ni a. Ka hmuh apiangin Pu Joseph Vaikhuma (of Nigeria) min tehkhin tir thin. An uniform hi an inhmeh ka ti khawp mai.

Thu Ka Sawi Ve: Congress chhung hian thusawina hun min pe ve a. Zirtawpni tlai Men's Fellowship-ah "Men, HIV & AIDS: Challenging Men to be Responsible" tih thupui hmangin ka sawi. Chitumbi Corps Hall kawtah kan TC hoin thutna rem chhuakin Officer leh patling tak tak 500 rual zingah ka zirlai anih bakah ka subject tuina ber hmanga thu ka sawi chu nuam ka ti ve khawp mai. Ka thahnem ngaih tluk zetin ka tawng min leh saktu Mr Hangoma hian thahnem a ngai a, anmahni cultural context nena inmil thlap, an hriatthiam theih zawng tak turin min leh sak niin ka hria. Congress hun chhung zawng hian "Doc, your lecture/speech was very powerful", tiin compliments ka dawng chamchi mai. A tla tha ve viau niin ka ngai ta.

Ka thusawi ngaithlatu thutna chang ve lo thenkhatte. Motor kan hunna piah mai hi motor kawngpui a ni a, tin, a bul maiah hian 'tavern' a awm bawk a, khawlaia teihawi satliah te pawhin min rawn zawm ve zel a, kan tam ve khawp mai.

Hei hi Congress-na hmuna Chikankata Corps chawlhbuk hung pawn ta zawk a ni a. Hetiang hian Corps tinin hmun bik kan nei theuh a, ei leh in, riahna pawh mahni hmun theuhah tih zel a ni. Mipaho zawng hmun khatah, hmeichhe ho zawng hmun dangah (nupa pawh riah dun phal a ni lo) a hrangin riah a ni thin.

Thenkhat chuan hetiang hian supermarket atanga an lei puanin an rawn thawhchhuahpui mai bawk a. A remchang viau tho mai.

Hei hi Lusaka (national capital) citadel ho chawlhbuk a ni a, a lian tha hem hem viau nain an leng meuh lo chu a ni . An 'Aizawl Temple Corps' ve ngang an ni a.

Congress hmun tuala han teihawi vel pawh a thawven thlak khawp mai.

Helai hi chu kan posh street ang ve deuh a ni a, thalaiten nuam an ti khawp mai.

The 'Flag' is held high everywhere.

General Ek In: Hetianga mipui tam punkhawmna mai bakah, riah khawmna leh eihona hunah hi chuan sanitation lam pawh uluk a ngai hle a. Pit latrine tha tak hmun tam takah siam a ni a, zun leh ek thlahdah an awm lo. A chunga mi hi chu inthiarna hmun tha bik, kan General-te nupa tana siam a ni a, running water a awm ngat bakah, bang leh chung tha tak neiin tala-a kalh a ni bawk a. India rama kan VIP te Black Cat commando ten an veng ang deuhin kan General inthiarna hmun hi Black Dog-in a veng ngat a nih hi!! Kan General-te nupa hian an hmang tangkai ta em tih erawh ka hre ta lo.

Chikankata Hospital leh SAMF tangkawpin a hmunah Clinic an hung bawk a. Congress hun chhung hian inentir za tam fe an awm, kan nurse leh Clinical Officer ten thahnemngai takin an thawk a ni.

Ambulance service tha tak buatsaih a ni bawk a, emergency case a awmin hospital lamah phurh thlen an ni thin.

Mahni Corps theuh tana ei leh in siamtu Home League member-te an buai thei khawp mai. Hei hi kan Corps ei/in siamna hmun a ni a, hemi ni Pathianni hian arsa min hmehpui dawn a ni. Tui khawp ang le!

" Nshima" (Vaimim dip chhum ban) tel lo hi chuan chaw eiah an inngai meuh thin lo a. Hei tunah pawh thahnemngai takin an chawh leh sauh sauh hi. Hetiang nute hi chhungkuaa malsawmna tam tak thlentu an ni.

Congress palai hi kan kim khawp a, pasalthate an lo awm nawk ni tur a ni, hei Corps pakhat chuan tum khata an eisen bak Sakhi sa an pho ro der der mai. A chhumna tur meihawl, sikri leh tui pawh a bula hi a awm nghal e!

Anni hi chawei kham hlim an ni a, an puar hmel euh euh khawp mai. Chawhnu inkhawm lo awm tur hi muthlu loa an tluan ka ring meuh lo e!

The Congress concluded at 1400 hours Zambian time on Sunday 20th September 2009. A Home Leaguer walked past the deserted Congress Hall on the wall of which was a billboard displaying our beloved international leaders General Shaw Clifton and Commissioner Helen Clifton, who came all the way from London to Zambia to be with us and be like one of us.

IS in General Puarak-ah a Rawn Hmang: Keini chhungkaw bik chuan kan International Secretary (IS-South Asia) Commissioner Lalkiamlova leh Commissioner Lalhlimpuii te nupa duhsakna leh awmpuina chu, Congress hun chhung zawng hian kan dawng bawk a. Kan General hi 'puarak'-ah rawn hmangin lehkhathawn duhawm tak leh kan fate lawm thil min rawn thawn a. Heng thilte hi Private Secretary to the General-in min hlan tawh hnuah, kan General ngei hian, "In IS hnen atanga envelope kan rawn ken kha i dawng em?" tiin min zawt leh bawk a ni.

Dal leh Cricket: Kan Indian pui Lt.Col. Davidson Varghese, Secretary for Business Administration te pawh an chhungkuain an rawn tel a, kan lo mikhual a. Paratha-te siamin Curry leh Dal te nen kan chawmkawi kual thei a. Hun tawt tak karah Cricket match hnih khat vel kan khel hman hram bawk a, a nuam ve khawp mai.

IET Nge Nge: Sawi lan leh ka duh chu, hospital tour kan neihpui tum hian kan General hian heta kan rawngbawlpuite zingah Mizoram/India Eastern Territory S.A. te rawngbawl dan tha a tihzia leh a ngaihsan zia a sawi lang kauh mai a. A dik reng a ni, Chikankata leh Zambia Territory pum pawh hian India Eastern Territory sipaite hnen atang hian zirlai tam tak chhar tur a nei ve ngei ang.