16:00-23:00
We left Livingstone in a hurry, doing some last-minute haggling and scarfing fast-food chicken and fries in the bus-van. Since our concert at the Sun Hotel was cancelled the night before, Richmond scheduled another concert for 18:00 today in Choma. None of us were really looking forward to it. We were all tired from the game drive, the falls, and the market, having gone non-stop since 7 in the morning. The fact that we were late didn't help our nerves either. By the time we made it to Choma Secondary School, we were behind schedule by over half an hour. Even in Zambian time, our tardiness made us feel rushed and agitated. To add to the tension, the power had gone out at the school; our only light came from a bunch of LED lanters that Richmond had strung up, barely enough for the musicians to read their music. After quickly cobbling together a concert order, we began our concert.
This could have been the beginning of a bad night, but things have a wonderful way of simply working out on this trip. By the end of the frist song all of the tension and anxiety had melted away. The time didn't matter anymore; the music had taken over. Even the lighting situation, which was a hassle at first, lent a feeling of beauty and intimacy, as if this were a concert by candlelight. Everyone from both the team and the academy performed well, I for one playing one of the best sax solos of my life. By the end, the audience was eager to give a standing ovation, and many thanked us personally once it had all concluded. What we had begun as a stressful evening became the most joyous of our stay in Zambia, and there could have been no better way to spend our last one here. We spent the last hours of the night debriefing as a team, reflecting on what we had seen, done, and what we are to do once we arrive home.
For more information about Poetice International, its ministry in Zambia, and updates on this trip be sure to check www.poetice.com and follow @livepoetice on twitter.
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