Country Living in Southern Africa

Meet Colleen Black, follower of Christ, wife, zero waste enthusiast and expat

 

 

 

I have been following Colleen’s inspirational journey since I read about her Zero-waste lifestyle in a Go, Platteland Magazine in 2015.  What a perfect person to start of this Category, celebrating Country People in this month of Plastic-Free July.

Where do you live? I live on a farm near Mazabuka in Zambia

 

 

What did you study or what roads did you take that made you end up where you are now? I didn’t study after I matriculated, I just bumbled and stumbled along, until I eventually met my husband and made God the leader of my life, then it all started falling into place. Life is never easy all the time, but having a relationship with God gives me comfort, strength and motivation to live my best life. His creation blows my mind every day, and I want to do what I can to make sure that we care for it with the way we live.

Tell me a little bit about your daily life. There are so many things that I love to do and I am so grateful to be in the position to be able to do them.  My day is kept busy with all sorts, from managing housework, the vegetable garden, cooking & baking.  We live a 30-minute drive from the nearest shops, so I make and grow as much as I can at home. I get a real kick of sitting down to a meal, knowing it has either been grown or made by myself and is a healthy option with usually, minimal carbon footprint & packaging. I am learning to sew, slowly. I also like to crochet and want to embroider and the latest craze is I have decided I want to distill my own oils.  I am meant to do Pilates at least 3 times a week. I am also meant to go for regular jogs. I dip in an out of Bible studies; currently studying Joshua by Jen Wilkin. Otherwise, I just try to not be rushed off my feet so that I can enjoy my surroundings and have time to do take joy in the simple things, reading, sipping tea, bird watching. My head is usually in so many places all at once, and I come up with so many ideas, that I rarely complete or even start.  But I have learnt to stop beating myself up about it and just enjoy the journey!

 

 

What is your favourite part of living on the farm in Zambia? The space. Every time I look out the window into our garden I just cannot believe this is our home.  Well, it is our home for as long as we have a work permit! I love the climate here in Zambia, everything grows so well.  I also love that I am tucked away from the crowds and bustle of towns. I leave the house once a week.

 

 

Any special story about your life you would like to share?  A special story?  I think my most special story is meeting my husband; we met on an online dating site when a mutual friend recognised my profile and pointed me out to Erik.  We are both from a teeny town on the north coast called Eshowe in South Africa, and our parents, friends and family all knew each other, but somehow, even though I paths should have crossed so many times growing up, we never, ever met each other, until I was 33.  Which I believe is the work of God, because we were such vastly different people before.  Then just as the time was right, God brought me back from England, Erik back from Mozambique, we each signed up to the dating site, and our friends helped it along.  We were engaged within 7 months and married within 11 months! Moral of the story; never give up hope, and trust and believe that God is on your side!

You can follow Colleen’s journey on the following links below:

Website: www.lifelivedsimply.co

Instagram: @alifelivedsimply

Facebook/ Facebookpage: Life Lived Simply

Twitter: @mrscolleenblack