God Bless our manager Fredrick in Mongu. Fredrick speaks 4 languages and understands 5 so I am sure it is hard to keep them all straight when writing.
I received some pictures of the 10 new banana trees he planted and as our only way, yet again- as the Internet is so slow it is painful to use on a computer,- to communicate is via Whatsapp and this is the message exchange between the two of us that followed. We have our own short forms for words to save space and airtime when sending messages.
Fredrick: ” Hie Joe, I’ve planted ten plants of banana’s & thirty more to be planted later. I will send a pct for ten.”
Joanne: ” Cool thx”
Fredrick: ” Surely I did three days ago, & a nursery bed for red onion this is a week ago also”
NOTE RED ONION IS RARE THERE SO WE ARE GROWING CROPS THAT ARE NEW TO THE PEOPLE OF BAROTSELAND.
Joanne: ” Thx’s so much for planting & keeping me informed. I write a blog every 2 wks & was wondering what to write about so thx.”
Fredrick: ” I will keep updating”.
Joanne: ” Great thx. I will wait to get the pics before I write the blog about what u have planted.”
Fredrick: ” Gud I will send tomorrow”
Joanne: No rush. When u have time.” ” Go to sleep” THIS WAS 1AM HIS TIME.
THE NEXT DAY I RECEIVED THESE PICTURES.
Joanne: ” Very nice. Thx”
Fredrick: U ar wel come madam.”
Joanne: ” Where did you get them? I guess you had to buy?”
Fredrick: ” No I didn’t buy this ten, maybe for next one, even though am not sure that I will buy for next thirty.”
Joanne: ” Did some one give to u?”
Fredrick: ” Yes madam.”
Joanne: ” Who?”
Fredrick: ” Is this who or why?”
Joanne: ” Who gave banana plants & why too if u like.”
Fredrick: ” Bananas from three different pipo.?”
Joanne: ” ok so why did 3 people give u banana trees? Did u give them seeds in exchange?” I would like to write this in the blog so I need the back story.”
Fredrick: ” For sure, two of them ar our partner, one is not just young brother of his I had send u a pck some time back who I gave seeds for paper & beens.”
Joanne: ” Please help me understand. Do u mean the farmer who’s father was the first to plant winter wheat in Barotseland? What do u mean gave seeds for paper?”
Fredrick: ” For winter maize, yes I gave the boy paper.”
Joanne: ” Writing paper? What paper?”
Fredrick: ” seed papers”
Joanne: ” What are seed papers? ”
Fredrick: ” Green paper seeds”
Joanne: ” U mean green pepper seeds. LOL.
Fredrick: ” kkkk haaa, Lol.
I actually called Fredrick on Whatsapp right after that exchange and we had a good laugh!
I did also confirm that this is the young farmer who we exchanged vegetable seeds for the banana plants.
I am so happy the community is coming together and helping each other! It’s working!
This is Fredrick trying on a coat my husband Carl sent over for him!
