Finding a Pot of Gold

Just when I think I'm too tired with my day job and running to keep up with the increasing demands of working with the Rainbow, (the aspiring Zambian newspaper I wrote about here), I find this post on Derrick's Facebook wall:

Hi Brandon Currie, it was great to have you in Zambia. The Rainbow Newspaper Limited is humbled by your expertise in communication and human rights. Please, keep it burning as we need a just society. This is great. Please we (Rainbow family) and I, (Derrick Sinjela) in particular are greatly inspired by your acumen. We shall send a copy of our third edition soon. Merry Xmas and a Profitable and interactive 2009. In line with our motto: "Promoting Diversity in News Coverage', we are glad that you came to Zambia and made us proud.

Regards, Derrick Sinjela-Editor-in-Chief

That was obviously written a few months back and was in no way sent to me, written on my wall or tagged - I wouldn't have have found it at all if I been on Derrick's profile page looking at pictures (see above). While he was obviously effusive in praising my "acumen", the fact that he would write something like that, not knowing if I'd ever even read it, is incredibly humbling.

Derrick, a journalist who's worked unfathomably hard to become the editor of his own newspaper, has a lot to be proud of in a place where few reporters can hold their heads high. If I've helped him to realize that, then I did a lot better of a job in Lusaka then I first thought.