tonite in lusaka (yes, our hotel has a business center, and i’ll be back in this hotel sunday and monday nights also), we had dinner with a half dozen of the world vision zambia staff. i was once again blown away by their humility and graciousness (two things we americans just completely SUCK at). the assistant director of operations — basically, the guy in charge of the 7 communities that receive funding from the US — asked me, “how can be help you better?” i felt like a gnat.

a tall brilliant man named Sikapale (seek-a-pahl-eh), the director of operations for all of WV zambia, talked to our little group for a bit. he said two particular quotes that i had to get down here:

we have a saying in africa that you can’t pick lice with one finger. we need you to help us, to partner with us.

and, in reference to the difference of building schools (something we’ve done with one life revolution funds), which make it possible for girls to go to school (boys too, but girls are the first to get cut, since families won’t normally go to the trouble of sending a girl to a more distant school):

when you educate a woman, you educate a nation.

mmm. good stuff.