Now I call this development

What I am talking about is what you see in the
photo above.
So what, is in the picture? It is the first coffee
shop in the village and that's what I call development.
It isn't Starbucks but that's ok. It is a lot less expensive
and I know it sounds crazy, but the coffee is just as
good.
For this village where there are virtually more shebeens
(bars) than people, it is a breath of fresh air. To see
something that doesn't revolve around an over
abundance of alcohol consumption, is tremendous.
This humble coffee shop doesn't solve all those problems
but it is a change in the business as usual.
The coffee costs 5 cents USD and it reminds me of the
time the time I returned from 2 years in El Salvador.
In El Sal it was 8 or 9 cents for a coffee and upon
arriving at the airport in Atlanta, I proceeded to a Starbucks
(I think it was) or at least a coffee selling business.
Almost passed out when they charged me $3.75 for the same
5 and 9 cents coffees respectably.
A thought comes to mind and that is that we may be isolated
in the bush but we're probably closer to civilized pricing.
The lady in the picture is named Elizabeth and she is also the
person who makes bread in a hole in the ground. She is
a hard working single mother of 5 and I respect her
initiative to work.
One problem that permeates the village is the alcoholics who
hang around all day and basically try to control (guilt trip) or
beg the people into giving them money or anything.
Those people hang around the coffee shop also and the best
way to describe them is ... VULTURES. Yup, just like the
real birds. They sit there and wait for the people whom actually
work to make the money then they swoop in with their begging
rap for the people's money.
I give the vultures fatherly advice ... work. I even know that
word in the local languages ... in Thimbukushu it is yirughana
and in Khwedam it is djaodi.
Despite having to fend off two legged vultures, it is good to see
that there is something other than alcohol and that there may
glimpses of a change in habits.
But as a coffee drinker I call this big time development, now
I wonder if there will be any ice cream stands coming soon.