LION of Zambia blog

I Lost it.

2012-03-05T11:22:00.002-08:00

Grace lost it right after the kids got home from school. We were just finishing up our HOPE Kabanana staff meeting and James had gone to pick up the kids from school. She started acting up earlier in the day and as soon as they got home, there was alot of commotion with the kids and the ladies leaving the house and it was too much for her. Which then in turn was too much for me and I lost it. The kids were finishing their homework, everyone was talking at the same time, asking things all at once, how do you spell.... what is forty nine... Then all of a sudden Grace tried to bite Emma and that was the last straw.

The week has gone well overall some bumps along the way, today being one of them. Jackson and Caleb started school along with Emma and Ian on wednesday. Monday-Wednesday they have long full days and then Thursday and Friday are half days. Caleb has adjusted fine, but then he is more social and outgoing anyways.

Jackson has had some struggles, challenges...OK, tears is what it is. He has cried every day so far. Crying before he goes to school, the first day he basically cried himself to sleep and then as soon as he woke up in the morning he started again. At least once each day since he started, he has cried at school for various reasons. Mrs. Kumwenda, the headmistress and friend said that is normal and he should settle pretty soon.

He is either afraid or worried or not sure what to do next. Today it was because the teacher told him he needed to wear a white t-shirt for PE instead of the red one he had on. I knew he needed a white one but we dont have one yet and so I thought a solid color is better than something written on it. I am sure she said it fine to him, he is just super sensitive and truth be told, has the startings of being a Momma’s boy. Which is partly why this “school experience” could be of benefit to him. And which is entirely why having a dad is a good thing. After the second day of tears Mom would have given in and said, ok thats fine you can stay home. And that wouldn’t necessarily be good for him. Dad says no you will be fine and get in there and do it.

It is not all cultural either. Back in America he was the same way with going to Sunday school class. So I am hoping by the end of this week he will be feeling better. He had a little boy ask him on the first day, “Can I be your friend?” He flatly said , “no”. And that was it. When he told us later we talked to him and then the next day he said no one asked him on that day.

Upon arrival back to our home, the roaches had overtaken our kitchen and mold was growing in my closet. So I could not keep any dishes in the kitchen or hang up any clothes in my closet until both of those issues had been taken care of.
We have had our kitchen cabinets spread out over the tables, freezer and pantry for the last week and clothes all over the bedroom and hanging in other closets.

Friday the bug man came and sprayed the entire house especially the kitchen, which meant that everything was out since then. Slowly I have been making progress in there. I had Ian wipe out all the dead roaches, of which there were ALOT. He read a book on roaches from the Library when we were in Louisville so I told him he could put it in to practice. Saturday I was able to clean out the closet though I know I didn’t remove the problem of the mold, only the surface issue. There must be leaking from the roof down into our closet and then it was closed up for 3 months. There was mold growing on several pairs of shoes. Who knew mold could grown on leather shoes?

Friday I interviewed a new lady to be the maid. It seemed to go well and she was supposed to show up this morning at 7:30. Surprise... She was a no show.
I guess the size of the house and number of people and amount of work there is to do was too much as she was coming back out of “retirement” to work a little. So we must not have been a good candidate for that. But, she did say she would start Monday. Culturally someone is more likely to say they will do something and not do it, then to tell you straight up, “No.” “Or thanks but no thanks”.

So now we are still trying to figure out someone to help. Again, I know I don’t get much sympathy here from my American (stateside, I should say, friends) but for those that want to humor me, you can keep reading.
Our first maid Maureen, worked hard and was great. (We just moved her on to bigger and better things!) The second one was very cheerful but not so great of a worker so we are trying to get someone that works well and we can keep for awhile. It gets a bit stressful sometimes trying to get all these things in place, but I try to remember we have only been back a little over a week.

I have been to the grocery several times but we still don’t seem to have food in the house or meals planned out. The other days I seemed to handle it better but today was not one of them. So my dear husband when to the store to get something and is cooking dinner right now.

I asked if I could help with anything, he said no, go and relax. Do something you enjoy. So I am blogging, in between managing the evening showers for the younger kids.

I need to make out a grocery list and plan for meals for at least the next week. Seems a simple task doesn’t it? I haven’t been able to keep up with the boiling water and filtering so we have had to run to the store when we have had no water. So I feel like I am not managing things very well right now. We all are finally over the jet lag and I actually stayed awake until 9 last night. Still woke up at 5, but that is fine. It is nice to have the hour of quiet before everyone else gets up. I like the idea of getting up early, just never have been very successful at it. But with most of the kids having to be up and ready for school earlier now it has been working well. I have been able to have my quiet times in the morning before the kids get up which has been great, too bad didn’t seem to help me die to myself and not “loose it” today. I am 36 after all. It is to be expected from a 3 year old...

Well there is tomorrow. Thankfully if I loose it again tomorrow and every other day this week, there is still the grace and forgiveness of God. Which I need every day!

In other happy news, James was able to temporarily fix the washing machine so that now you turn it on and it flows freely the cold water to do the laundry. That has been a huge blessing. And, even the shower has come on at full blast. It is AMAZING.
This...

Instead of this...

We went ahead and bought a tv here. We were able to find a reasonably priced one ( for Zambia that is) and we have enjoyed watching the “cosby show” on dvds that we brought back and the kids are once again enjoying the wii that their grandparents bought them before we moved to Africa. So that has been fun.

The Zip line we brought back has been hung up in the yard and the kids are having a blast riding it back and forth between 2 trees in the yard.

All in all, we are "settling nicely" and hoping to get back into a schedule and routine and not "losing it" as often as my 3 year old!

HOME in Zambia

2012-02-27T04:26:00.000-08:00

From London to Lusaka, the flight went so well.
When I left a couple friends were saying in light of the many prayers that were offered up and the specific ones of the Lord doing beyond what we could expect or imagine, they could not wait to hear how well things would go.

So here you go...The flight was not full at all, which meant we were able to spread out and I pulled the “I have alot of kids card” to one of the flight attendants. They said that after take off people could change seats and spread out some. So I asked one of the attendants if we could have several of the seats toward the back for the kids to sleep. She said ok and I am very glad I asked her because as soon as the seat belt light went off and we went back there she was standing by two rows telling others no they couldn’t take these seats.

SO what that meant for us was that we had 7 rows! 4 of the two seater rows in our regular seating and then 2 three seat rows and another two seat row in the back. The kids were so weary that before take off Emma fell asleep, as well as Jackson. Caleb was starting to nod off too! Everyone was able to stretch out and get some sleep if even just an hour or two. By this London to Lusaka flight we had been awake a full day and a half and the Lord just blessed us with this kindness.

We arrived on time into Lusaka where it was warm and sunny. We didn’t have any trouble with the Permit issue, they let us in and had to just pay for James and I and he is to go and start the process to renew the permit this week.

ALL of our bags arrived. This is another great blessing! There were 24 checked bags, 8 rolling carry on suitcases and 8 backpacks. Everything made it.
We loaded up and came home to the house.

I will say it was a bit surreal feeling walking into the house.
We were all happy to be home, but feeling a bit strange too.

I don’t know about most people, but as soon as we get back form a trip we start unpacking. So we started opening bags and boxes to see where things were, if certain items, “made it” and started unpacking. We were attempting to bring a tv back. The prices here are expensive and we got a good deal on one the day after thanksgiving so we thought we would give it a try. Well it arrived, but had a crack in the screen so is black on one half of the screen when we turn it on. There was a puncture in the box so somewhere in transit that must have happened.

Disappointing, but in light of all the things we brought, we have no complaints.
6 laptops ( personal and ministry ones) made it. Picture frames, glass candle holders, small kitchen appliances, christmas ornaments, lots of clothes and shoes, pots and pans, books, CDs, DVD’s..etc

Now we are having to figure out where to put all these things. So we are still unpacking and sorting things out. We had decided to move the kids rooms around so not only are we unpacking but we are clearing things out of closets and drawers too.
Seems like alot, and it is, but rather unpack where they were going to be then have to move things twice we decided to go ahead and do it now.

We are all getting over the jet lag and had a good nights sleep sunday night. Saturday most all of us were awake and 3 am. Several of the kids have allergy issues the last 2 days, so hopefully those will settle down once we readjust to things here.

The kids will start school on wednesday. It will be Jackson and Caleb’s first year in school so I want to make sure they are caught up on sleep before they have to be in the classroom setting.

As we were landing we all commented on how green everything is. The garden is full of corn and we just enjoyed some for lunch today. Limited and Perjuite, our workers were very glad to see us and asked how our trip went and how everyone is “that side”. It was sweet they missed us too.

We were back at church yesterday and it was good to see everyone and hear people telling us they missed us and welcome back. We worshipped at Ibex Hill and it was great to hear the singing and pastor Kasongo preaching. He was ordained as a pastor last month. He was a student at the Copperbelt College so James has especially enjoyed seeing the “fruit” of the College.

The Lord has blessed our travels. Thank you all for praying.
Please continue to pray that we would re-orient back into the culture here, and be joyful in the midst of the frustrating or inconvenient aspects of daily life. (Roaches taking over the kitchen, trying to get internet started again, laundry ) I was commenting to James about how I started a load of laundry and now 5 hours later it is still not finished washing. (Water pressure issues). He jokingly said, “Well you think we should call up British Airways and see if they can book us a flight back?”...
Ok. Point taken, thanks deary.

En Route

2012-02-24T07:36:00.003-08:00

We are waiting in the airport in London. All day. We ate lunch at the Giraffe which is where we ate the last 3 times we have been here. James and I might get one more starbucks drink before we head to our gate in a few more hours.
The kids have been on the internet on webkinz and now are watching a dvd on one of the laptops. Dora, not too exciting for the majority of the kids anymore but it is for Grace, she just took a good nap in her stroller. We have all been trying to catch a little nap as we are spread out in a busy section of the airport. Every 5 minutes the speaker announces which flight is closing and the time. Talk about making the time go slow!

There are Shops all around us, but what is the point of looking, we can not fit another thing into any of our bags. :-)
The Lord was very kind yesterday and everything went great at check-in. We arrived in plenty of time to the Louisville airport. All the luggage was loaded in a 15 passenger van, then all the kids were loaded in another van and all the backpacks and carry-on suitcases in a third vehicle. Our check in went very smoothly and we were not even charged for the 2 oversized and overweight bags! That was great.

One of the challenges going through all the airports is everyone is pulling a suitcase or pushing a stroller. And 6 of the 8 suitcases are the ones that tip over when you let go of them, so every time we stop all the kids bags fall over...Thankfully just now in London we were able to check 5 of the bags through so we only have 3 to keep track of.

We had several friends out to say goodbye to us at the airport. I was talking to a few of them and the younger kids were crawling on the floor under the seats. I said, that's fine with me, I don't even care if Grace is licking the floor as long as everyone is happy!
Well about 10 minutes later I look over and Jackson was licking the arm rest of the chairs we were sitting on.
WHAT???!!!!
I was joking, it wasn't to be taken literally. Funny thing is he did not even hear me saying that. HA! oh well.

Our gate in Chicago was right across from a play area which was such a blessing! We were able to meet my cousin for about an hour before going back to the international flights and earlier in the day we parked ourselves at the end of a baggage claim area near the escalators and elevators and we all took turns with the kids going up and down and running around them. A couple scraped knees, bleeding through their jeans and all in all it was a good thing keeping them busy!

Let's see...what else. I guess this blog is mostly for me today just writing to have something to do! Grace fell asleep on the plane coming here during takeoff and slept until about the last hour or two. That was another blessing.

Thanks for praying!

Twas the night before...

2012-02-22T20:38:00.001-08:00

TAKE OFF
And all through the house, several creatures had been stirring
and making quite a ruckus.
The van was loaded with much care and 24 bags sit waiting,
hoping for no extra bag fares.
Our goodbyes have been said, and we are weary but well-
just can't wait to get home now, but must sit for quite a spell.
16 hours on a plane, and 16 hours in the airports...

Ok I can't take this rhyming any farther.
I was stretching it for those few sentences wasn't I?
I am sure Ian could as he is really good at that kind of thing. We read a book on the founder of Chick-Fil-A ( our favorite place to eat) and I told him to write a poem and he did. It was quite entertaining. But ...
Maybe I am a bit giddy as I am so ready to get home now.

I know the irony of it all is no sooner than we are back I am sure we will be missing things about America again.
The kids and I have talked about this a few times. They are ready to get back as well even though they have enjoyed their time with their friends. I should say all the kids except Grace.
She was laying in bed tonight, arms folded behind her head on the pillow and she was telling me she didn't want to go back to Zambia!

I reminded her of her room, the trampoline, swing and things at the house. But that didn't help.
I am sure in her mind, America means fun, great food, candy every time she is at church from one of our pastors, and lots of attention from other people! She has loved having older kids carrying her around playing with her and catering to her. I think its safe to say between all the people at church, and her grandparents and family she has been spoiled! No wonder she doesn't want to go home. She is still not a American citizen anyway so she has overstayed her welcome, from the American Embassy's point of view...
Since we were delayed with my surgery her visa was not extended so we are hoping not to run into any problems leaving the country. We would appreciate your prayers for that, as well as for James Work visa.

When we left Zambia, he was notified that his work permit/visa had expired and he will need to reapply for one when we return.
Theoretically this should not be a problem, but who knows what will happen when we arrive into Zambia.

We have been blessed to have this extra time here and have felt more encouragement and strengthening from the Lord. We are leaving in a far better state than when we arrived and for that we are very thankful!
I have recovered from the surgeries and am walking fine now and feeling much better.
Our church prayed for us tonight specifically in regards to several different areas of our personal and family life. It was a blessing and we are continually humbled by how much we are loved and cared for and prayed for but so many people!

Our plane leaves tomorrow at 1:30 and we fly to Chicago where we have a 6 and 1/2 hour layover. We then fly eight hours to London where we then have a 8 hour layover before flying 8 more hours into Lusaka.
We should arrive into Lusaka 7 AM Saturday, which would be midnight Friday night here. So anytime you think of us and wanted to shoot up a quick prayer, we would be so glad.

It was great to see some of you while we were back, though I know there were many we didn't get a chance to visit with.
Thanks for supporting us with love and prayers!

Next Post should be from Zambia. That country that just happen to win the Africa Cup of Nations last week! YEAH!!

Rooting for Joy

2012-02-09T20:31:00.000-08:00

Two weeks from right now and we should be cruising at a high altitude above the Atlantic Ocean, beginning our journey back home. I just wanted to write a quick note and ask for prayer as we finish up our time here. Our last couple weeks are packed with last minute things.A few more doctor appointments, visits with friends, one more sermon for James at our home church this coming Sunday, a couple more trips to Target and Walmart and we should be set.
Then there is packing. The weighing of the packed bags, rearranging things so they are at the limit, packing more bags deciding what to leave behind because we can't fit it in, or because we didn't need it in the first place-then reweighing the bags again! 6 of the 24 are good to go. Packed fully and weighing in right around the limit.

Often it is during these times that I get stressed and sadly, irritable and awnry, or is it ownry--either way I don't know how to spell it cause I shouldn't be that anyway! I was telling a friend no matter what, it seems like any trip we plan for and pack for, even when we lived here, I always get tense and stressed the day before and morning of. So, here is where my praying friends can remember me and my family.

We have 2 more weeks. As James tells me, we are getting on that plane with what we have and if things don't make it that is fine, we will be ok. It would be great if these next 2 weeks were a time of joy and peace and happiness. Not of stress and crankiness. The indicators of the last few days would point to the latter. I am rooting for the former and praying for that too. I can root all I want for it but without Jesus giving the grace and strength and joy, I know I won't be very fun to be around! So thanks in advance for your prayers!

Last "Tour"

2012-01-24T12:39:00.001-08:00

Well the time for us to have left for Zambia on our original plans has come and gone. I am still on recovery from the second surgery and James was able to squeeze in one last "tour" of churches in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. Since this was a driving trip he was able to take Sarah and Emma with him for some father-daughter time.

Sunday He was in Greenville, PA at Crossroads Community Church. Pastor Todd Jaussen was out to Zambia this past year and their church has been supportive and interested in continuing to supporting the work.
Today he spoke to a group of Pastors at the Pastors Fraternal in New York. Then this evening he was going to be presenting the work in Zambia to a church in Albany, NY. Tomorrow night ( wednesday ) he will be at the church in Dolgeville, New York. The pastor there, Lenny Byerly is the one that got James connected with Zambia in the first place. So they have a special place with us and the work there. Hopefully it will encourage them to see all that the Lord is doing and has done and that they have a part to play in it! Then Thursday night James will be speaking to Amazing Grace Church in Catskill, NY where a friend Adam Davies pastors.

Friday he and the girls will spend the day and evening in New York City doing something fun.
Then Saturday afternoon he heads over to a church in Montville, NJ. (Trinity Baptist Church). He will be presenting the work in Zambia in the sunday school class and also preaching in the morning service. Then he is scheduled for the evening service at another church in Flemington, NJ that same day. Whose Pastor Alan Dunn also came to Zambia to teach last year.

Please pray for stamina and strength for him as he works hard this week and also for safety traveling. Thank you.

They are expected to come home on Tuesday. I miss them all already and look forward to next week.
My mom has been here this week helping me with the other kids and taking care of me which has been nice!

We just set up a Facebook Page for LION of Zambia and hope to utilize that more this coming year for quick updates and news.
So...look us up!

Re-arranging

2012-01-08T21:19:00.000-08:00

I was bored this evening, laying on the couch with my foot propped up on a bunch of pillows recovering from this first surgery.

Sometimes I like to rearrange the furniture in the living room or bedrooms. But since I can't be lifting heavy things right now, and we are in a rental house, I couldn't move the furniture around. I feel like I am in "nesting mode" big time. No I am not pregnant ( though my vein doctor asked me that twice in the course of just a few weeks) but I am eager to get back home to our house in Zambia and re-organize and rearrange things.
We are talking about switching some of the kids rooms around so the older ones can have a bit more space. And re-decorating.
Well I should just say Decorating.

The first few weeks back visiting in people's homes I was struck by how well decorated homes are. And there is a broad spectrum of course. Many are decorated so nicely and every corner of every wall has something going on. Pictures, artwork, floral arrangements, candles, etc. The list can go on and on. Some are more simply decorated but still decorated. The homes feel warm and inviting. I miss that. I want that for my home.

When we moved over to Zambia we pretty much sold everything we had, saved a few boxes of keepsakes, and sent a small pallet of our things. Things that were toys for the kids, a few pictures, a few linens and a few boxes of kitchen items.
We purged everything. Our blender, food processor, griddle, waffle maker, popcorn popper, ice cream maker, fondue pot...all those things that are fun to have but not necessary. ( We have since bought a few of those things over there. In fact that was my delight last Christmas to get those things which were helpful to have but expensive over there. So I cried when I opened up a griddle! )

Funny story about our fondue pot. I had wanted one and James bought me one once in Washington State. On one of our trips when we lived in Montana. I think it was for our anniversary. I had great dreams of using it, it was a top notch one with a lazy susan that spun around with all the cups to put the dippers in and the sauces. It was really cool.
But like so many things we want that we get, I never used it. Never. Until we got ready to move, then I decided well we moved this from Montana to KY 5 years ago I should at least use it once before we give it away. So we made chocolate turtle fondue for Sarah's birthday. I think James actually made it. We used it and then gave it away to some dear friends.

A few weeks ago we had dinner with those friends. A chocolate fondue was prepared for dessert and served on our fondue set, because she thought surely this had sentimental meaning to us. We laughed when she told us that, but then laughed even harder when she also told us that she had been digging around in her storage closet for all the pieces trying to assemble this since they had not used it in the 2 years they had it! After dessert I told her feel free to give it away!

So purging these things...
Well since we have been back we actually have bought an air popcorn popper and ice cream maker to take back with us!
Still not necessary, but more necessary then they were to use here in America.
Microwave popcorn is like $5 for a box of 2 bags, so we do alot of homemade popcorn for a snack. It can be even more inexpensive and healthier if we don't use any oil to cook it so that is reason for that.

Then as you probably have heard us mention before, the ice cream in Zambia is not very good. Made out of vegetable fat solids oil and things like that. And it is about $7 or $8 for a half gallon. My favorite is Breyers All natural Vanilla Bean Ice cream, and I would always make it a point to read the side aloud to James- pure ingredients. We have tried to make ice cream without a maker and it turns out ok but we will be glad to have a real ice cream maker to try our own pure vanilla.
(Speaking of vanilla we bring over our own pure vanilla extract. not the "vanilla essence" they have over there.) I will admit I am a bit of a snob about baking. For the most part my kids never really got to get "store bought cookies". Why when you can have real fresh homemade cookies? Maybe... because its normal to buy packages of cookies, like most everyone does? I guess they have been deprived!

It is funny how much packaged, convenience food we have bought these few months we are here, just because we can. Velvetta Kraft Cheese and Macaroni, cans of soup, the kids got to pick out a kids meal tv dinner the other day and boy that was exciting for the little ones. It will soon come to an end and we will be eating homemade things again so we are enjoying it while we can.

But I got off track. So I was struck with the decorations and "homey-ness" of making your house your home.
When we set up our home I picked out some nice fabric for curtains and we hung up the 2 pictures that our friend gave us and the vinyl lettering on the walls and 2 candle holders. Then I bought 2 frames that would hold pictures of our dear friends and family. And that was it. Its nice and feels like home but doesn't really give you the warm fuzzies when you come in.
A few rugs in the rooms since it is tile floor throughout and one for the living room. A little more than the basics, but I wouldn't say it was "homey" or "decorated". And that's ok. Its more than any of my friends in Kabanana have. But I have come to realize it is also ok to have some extras. Some things that you like just because you like them and you hang them on your wall because it makes you smile or it cheers you up or it reminds you of home. It serves no purpose or function but you like it and thats ok.

The problem though is that several of the decorative things for your home you can find in Lusaka at Mr. Price Home or Woolworths, are so expensive 3 times at least what you would pay for the same item here. That then makes it hard to buy.
At one point I mentioned wanting a few more picture frames when James was shopping with me last year, so he said just get them. It took quite awhile to pick them out because I knew the cost. I think though that is a good thing to make me more appreciative.

So for Christmas my sweet husband took me to Hobby Lobby. Wow. I had never been in that store. And they were having a sale!
So one duffle bag is already packed and filled with some home items that serve no purpose whatsoever. And I am good with that!

I have read a few blogs and articles recently about the excess of things and the materialism and just the super abundance of possessions Americans in general have. And I totally agree. SO much stuff.
When I see all the nice things here, I sometimes am between 2 extremes.

One-"That is so ludicrous, and so pampering and absurd". Just browse through the sky mall magazine and you know exactly what I am talking about. Or just look down the aisles at Target ( one of my favorite stores ). "Don't people know how many kids you could send to school or buy a meal for with the money they are using on ..."

Two-"Wow. It is so nice. I really wish I could have that. I really wish my house looked like that." and I am jealous.

Seeing some of these comforts and extravagant things (that people here would not even see as extravagant) does make me jealous. A few times I have had to wrestle with those feelings, just seeing all the nice things. Or worse seeing things that we gave away freely to friends and loved ones as we prepared to move to Africa and thinking, "oh, that was nice. Sure would be nice to have that again".

(But don't worry we are not going to be going around asking for everything back!)

But just the struggles. Then we watch the video we have been showing that summarizes what the Lord is doing in Zambia and I am reminded again why it is so much MORE than worth it. I see the kids faces, all 30 of them that we are directly impacting and it puts these struggles into perspective. I hear the pastors in their own words, thanking the Lord for being able to study and learn how to be a better pastor and I remember it is a privilege to be part of it. And I know that can sound so cliche, when I hear others say it I sometimes think, really ? Do you really feel privileged to be living in a 3rd world country? And I would say YES. When my heart is right, Yes, I do feel the great privilege.

So please pray that my heart stays right. Focused on serving Jesus not myself!

Plans

2012-01-06T14:36:00.000-08:00

We were supposed to be leaving Jan 20th to head back to Zambia.
We have been delayed about a month and will now be heading back towards the end of February. I had surgery this week on some varicose veins that have been giving me trouble and will have surgery on the other leg in another 2 weeks. ( A phlebectemy- if you care for the details. My Dad told me about a video of the procedure on you tube that he saw but I was not so inclined to watch it! For fear of passing out. "and then they just pull the vein right out of there!" Not something I care to see. ) My doctor advised not to fly for about a month after the surgery. 5 years ago I had surgery as well and that seemed to help for the time being. It will continue to be a reoccurring problem over the years but it becomes a "how much can I handle" in regard to pain and discomfort.

I am recovering now at "home" here in Louisville. Again it has been such a blessing from our church here that they have rented us our own place for the time we are here. (Rest for a family of 8 simply can not happen when you are staying in someone else's home.) Since we have a little more time, James is going to be able to visit some churches in New York and New Jersey that were interested in having him come speak about the work we are doing in Zambia. But by January 30th he will be done traveling and have 3 weeks of REST. At least that is the idea. He desperately needs it. I am able to be getting some rest now, with the surgeries so I hope that the recovery will go well and be better than normal as we head back over to Zambia at the end of next month.

The kids are getting antsy and bored so we hope to work on some school work over these next 7 weeks.
We appreciate your prayers. Thank you!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-27T19:24:00.000-08:00

We are in Birmingham Alabama visiting my family for the week.
We are so thankful for the time we have been able to spend here in America with our family and friends.

What time is it and where?

2011-12-10T22:47:00.000-08:00

I just looked at my clock on the computer, it said 5:12AM. Zambia Time. I am here in California where the time is now 10:12PM. But I am thinking back to Kentucky where my children are staying with their grandma and it is 1:12AM. And now as I write I am doing the math in my head and am confused as to why the difference between KY time and Zambia time is only 4 hours when it is supposed to be 6, except for when its daylight savings then its 7, or maybe its the other way around.

Explains almost exactly how I have been feeling this one month that we have been in America.

We arrived, bleary eyed, worn out and emotionally strained. Truth be told, we arrived pretty beaten up from the fight and barely pulling ourselves back across the “line”.

I described it to a few friends, in a spiritual analogy ( though James has a great gift for analogies and illustrations I think this one is pretty good for an amatuer)

I was the small fish in the shrinking African watering hole.
It starts off huge and animals come to drink from far away and stay until it starts to dry up. Soon enough I am that fish sitting flapping around in barely any water. That is how I felt arriving back to America.

Drained and dried up. The Mission field has hardly been romanticized or idealized in my mind, from the beginning. But we also had no idea the stress and strain and drain that presses in on you that then leaves you feeling empty and needing to be filled again and again with God’s Word and the Holy Spirit and with Christian fellowship.

And if you are not filled back up, it doesn’t get better it only gets worse. And you are even more susceptible to the enemy’s attacks. And feel more like giving up and giving in and not staying in the fight.

SO that is where I was. Thankfully one month in and I feel like that water hole is growing slowly. I now can turn around in the water and maybe splash a tiny bit. We have been encouraged with the sweet fellowship and time we are spending with our dear friends and brothers and sisters in the Lord. I have been encouraged by the preaching and just sitting and hearing it without many of the circumstantial distractions and struggles that usually accompany sitting in a Zambian church service. I am encouraged and hopeful that the Lord continue’s to refresh, refuel, rejuvenate, repair and restore us.

The month has gone by fast. After the shock and awe of the first week trying to re-orient ourselves to our own culture and society I would say we are doing fine. The kids are having a great time with their friends and remembering certain things and our “life before Africa”. They have had an “open pass” of sorts to go and be with their friends whenever and soak up as much of that time as well. Especially for the older kids. They need it. Grace has been much more friendly and out-going with everyone then I ever imagined and can be see running around the church with her new friends, stopping to get candy ( sweeties) from Pastor John. Though she is ok with meeting new people she is very quick to tell each new person that she meets or that holds her or talks to her that I am her mommy. She immediately points to me and says, “thats my mommy” and will go through all the family members. She has struggles with the unsettling nature of going to different homes almost every night to meet friends for dinner, but overall for a 3 year old adopted into the family from Zambia now in America for 3 months, she is doing very well.

I have been still trying to keep track of the things I have been buying and who still needs what, alot of clothing items and some kitchen items, linens and other things I still need to buy. It has been overwhelming at times, as I feel like I am in this Y2K , stock up on everything mode.
I have bought the HUGE bags of chocolate chips to bring back, as those are a priority along with the parmesan cheese. Chocolate chip cookies, warm from the oven do wonders. Even in Zambian. Whether it is with zambians, for them or because of them.

We have been eating tortilla chips almost every chance we get and drinking up our root beer ( non alcoholic cola-like drink for my zambian friends who have never heard of it).
Visiting Starbucks for their coffee-less warmed up flavored milk drinks whenever we feel the need and Christmas is the best time to be here for that! We are anticipating hitting a few more of the restaurants on the kids lists. -Chuck E. Cheese and Cracker Barrel being among the top ones.

Lots of doctor appointments have been scheduled and the Lord was very good to us a few weeks ago. I had tried to get an appt with the pediatrician for the kids. Because our insurance is a global coverage I was not confident it would cover the routine physicals. So when I called the office lady said no he is not taking patients without insurance. I almost begged and said we will pay for them just please let us see him. She was very skeptical but called back the next day and said that he was willing to see them, but the catch was that he only had one day available AND he would see them for FREE.

Yes free. We love to hear those words, but think about FREE for 6 children’s doctor visits. That is at least worth $500. And it was very exciting. He even did Grace’s immunizations (which sadly was 5 shots- poor little girl!) for free which saved probably another 50 plus dollars. So we were very thankful and blessed.

Schedule

2011-12-10T12:13:00.001-08:00

James and I are in California right now. I wanted to post his schedule ( or SHED-U-EL as the Zambians would say), of when he will be at which churches. In case you are in the area and wanted to hear the presentation about the different works that we have been involved in while we have been in Zambia. Riverside, California --December 11th. Sacramento, California --December 18th. Mebane, North Carolina and Virginia Beach, Virginia -- January 1st. Nashville, Tennessee --January 8th. There were one or two other places he was hoping to get to during the week and if that works out I will post those later. We are looking forward to seeing many of you!

A friend of mine who also has adopted a child sent me a link to a blog. It was extremely relevant and expressed a lot of the emotions, feelings thoughts etc that adoptive families have experienced. I emailed it to my mom a while ago and she said it was very helpful and moving to read so I wanted to share it with you all. I am not familiar with the writer, so no endorsements just found it was good. You need to read the first post, "After the Airport" before reading the second "How to be the village". http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2011/09/06/after-the-airporthttp://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2011/11/02/how-to-be-the-village

Goodbye

2011-11-25T12:46:00.000-08:00

2 days before we left Zambia we had dinner with our friends the Allens.
I mentioned before that they are moving back to America while we are here. So we said our "goodbyes", and some tears were shed. They leave in one week to head back to America and we will miss them very much when we get home.

Back in the U.S.A.

2011-11-19T15:48:00.001-08:00

We have arrived safely in the USA
We left Zambia thursday morning and when we arrived at the airport, the entire computer systems were down so we could not check in but had to wait in line with our 10 bags for about an hour until it was fixed. We ran into a few snags as we were exiting the country, James's work visa had expired and there was discussion about that as well as needing Grace's adoption documents. She is traveling on a Zambian passport with a US visa stamped in there, but I had packed the documents and did not know where they were. Halfway into the conversation trying to make it by without the documents I found them and the man replied, "of course, this is all we needed".
We arrived into London that evening and were not sure how things would work out with Grace not having a visa for Britain. They kindly allowed her in for the 24 hrs and we then booked a hotel and stayed the night there. We all were able to get a good rest and then had to be back to the airport Friday morning. We arrived in plenty of time got checked in, figured out about the bags that were in transit and then headed to get breakfast at Krispy Kreme! We finished there and headed for the gate. We were stopped at the check point because there was an error with the kids boarding passes. We were then sent back to the desk and were told that we did not have enough time now to work out the problem and catch the plane. We kept asking for them to try and work something out but it was to no avail. So we missed that flight and a few of us girls were a bit emotional…

They found us another flight which had us arriving only 2 hrs later into Louisville and ended up giving us about $100 worth of food vouchers because of their error. That ended up being a blessing as that is what it cost for us to get lunch at the airport. So we boarded the plane headed for Atlanta. We arrived into Atlanta and discovered that they did not have any of our bags. We then had to describe the bags to the agent and get to our connecting flight which was a bit tight. Right as he was asking about the bags Jackson said his stomach was hurting and I envisioned not so pleasant things happening right there in the airport. I ran him to the bathroom and he ended up being ok.
Taking no chances on that one.

We made it to our connection a bit stressed but at least we were there.
We got into louisville at 10pm and were welcomed by about 30 friends from church, there was a real cheer that erupted as we walked in. It was very sweet and embarrassing at the same time.
We spent awhile greeting everyone and getting hugs and then left the airport, with no baggage.

No baggage is a hassle no matter what, but we literally had nothing with us, except for our toothbrushes. Not even pullups for the bed wetters! We were brought to the house, that has been so kindly rented for us while we were here, and crashed. The next day, Saturday we had the choice of a feast for breakfast- waffles, bagels, pop tarts, about 8 different cereals to choose from. Our pantry had been stocked with some of our favorite things that we have missed.
In the afternoon we had an emergency shopping trip to Target, which was highly stressful and overwhelming! In my "dreams" of shopping in Target for the last 2 years, I was calmly, slowly, relaxingly, walking down each aisle just browsing. What actually happened was 8 people racing around trying to find things that fit, things that they liked and things that were within a decent price range, extremely jet lagged and in some cases, cranky too!
I gave the instructions before we got to the store, "one pair of pajamas, one church outfit with shoes, package of socks, underwear, 2 long sleeve shirts and one pair of pants- trousers" ( and yes we do call them trousers now!) We were able to get what we needed, and then thankfully our bags arrived sunday evening.

My mom was able to come for a quick trip up to see us on Sunday for a couple days. She and I were able to spend some time shopping which was still overwhelming. I walked into walmart with her and said, I don't know.. I am so tired and don't know what to do, I just need my mom!" so she was there to help and lead me around the store. I knew there are so many choices here in America but was still overwhelmed and surprised at the options.
30 different choices for tuna fish. I couldn't even decide… I was buying butter today. who knew you cant just buy butter. its butter spread, butter with olive oil, butter with cinnamon, butter thats not really butter, butter that tastes like butter but isn't even butter, light butter, fattening butter, sticks of butter, butter flavored spray… it is maddening!

We have so many things we want to get while we are here and bring back home. I have 4 different lists on scraps of paper. The things in Zambia are so expensive and the quality is not good, so you pay about 3 to 5 times more for an item and it is actually worse quality. The kids need clothes, we have electronic items we were planning on buying, some household items, food items, etc.
Everyone needs a new shoes, the list just goes on. I am trying to pick up things as I see them or remember them and then go ahead and pack them in the bags now so that it is put away. Everytime I bring something home, Grace is interested in it and wants to carry it around or wear it or use it, so I am trying to hide some things from her.

She did AWESOME on the flights. I know many people were praying for her and we were very thankful. She is adjusting well, being very friendly with everyone, but has had some trouble with the girls having their friends over or especially Emma leaving to go to her friends houses. She becomes very upset and a bit possessive of Emma.

We have been able to get together with some dear friends already this week and have enjoyed spending time with them again. We have already had Momma Due's chicken and dumplings, and ice cream. Lots of ice cream! James gave a presentation in Sunday School last week, and will be again reporting on the work this week as well as preaching in the morning and evening service.
We leave on Monday to head to Mississippi to spend a week and a half with James's family for Thanksgiving. We are all looking forward to being "down south" again, and for everyoe to meet Grace!

Visiting America

2011-11-05T04:47:00.001-07:00

We leave the middle of this coming week to go back to America.
For a visit. We have used the phrase, going home often, as well as explaining to those here in Zambia that we are just taking a "holiday" for a few months and then will be back.

They have been glad to hear that we are not planning on staying in America. Yesterday I went with James to the college and Andrew, the college administrator said he was glad to hear James telling people he is going for a visit. Not moving back, but visiting.

That being said, we are excited to be going home for a visit!
The kids have been so excited counting the days down, rolling their little suitcases around the house and carrying their backpacks around.

It will be a long trek back, flying all day to London, then staying the night then flying all night long from London to America then hanging out in a couple airports before we finally reach our destination. If you think of us please pray for safety and good health and for all the kids to travel well, and you can throw in a special prayer for Grace!

It has been a busy week here. Thankfully packing is not a big challenge because we pretty much are only bringing a couple changes of clothes for each and will be buying everything new when we get there. So we have said as long as we have our laptops and electronic things and passports we are good. We can buy everything there and will be!

Our house will be being rented out to some people we met, through a church in AL that are coming over to adopt. I am excited that we can help them out in this regard and they actually arrive on Monday and will be at a nearby lodge for few days until we leave. I will be spending monday taking them all over town to social welfare and the orphanage and grocery store to give them a crash course and familiarize them with the area.

We have a few last minute things to get done with the ministries before we leave, and then also we have some dear friends, the Allens who are moving back to America in December. We have one more chance to get together with them and I am sure there will be some tears shed. They have been such a help and blessing to our family especially when we first moved here. They will be missed.

We look forward to seeing many of you while we are back. We will be in America for about 10 weeks, but It will be a quick trip in one sense, as we have both our families to visit and James will be traveling around to some churches. We will be able to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with our families and then as of right now, plan to come back the end of January.

Our American home church is taking great care of us and setting everything in place for our visit. I am sure that is an overwhelming thing to think about for a family of 8. They have a van ready for us to use and have rented a house for us while we are there. We are so thankful to have that provided for us so we can try to get some rest and have time as a family. It is far more than we deserve!

I am working on a video from the past 2 years with pictures and after James shows it at the churches ( and BEFORE we come back, because the internet is better in America!) I will upload it so that you all can see what all the Lord has done while we have been here.

Thanks for your prayers.

A GREAT Day

2011-10-22T10:37:00.000-07:00

ALL 30 of the kids

Today we had a great day with the HOPE Kabanana kids.
We rented 2 buses and all the children plus Maureen and her children and Fanny and her children came over to spend the day with us. Katryn prepared the lunch for 50 people, Maureen and Fanny coordinated all the children getting to my house, Fanny lead a devotional and I hosted.

This was the first meeting with the 8 new kids. (Maybe we should have told them they are not always this fun!)
The Last time the kids were here was back in April and we were very glad to have them over again. I think next year we will plan again for at least twice in the year to have them all over and then try to have individual kids more often as we are able.

The kids had a blast! I love being able to have them over and see them enjoying themselves so much. I also love to have my kids hang out with the kids. They did a great job helping serve and host as well and that makes my heart so happy. To see Caleb playing alongside Steven, whose whole house is smaller than Caleb's room. Ian and I taught the older boys how to play Marco Polo in the pool. Emma played ping pong with the boys and was right there making bracelets with the girls. Jackson sharing his shorts so another boys could go swim. Sarah making cookies for all of them and helping get drinks and spending time with the girls. Grace fighting with her little friend Jackie. ha ha- and then loving on him too! :-)

Probably my happiest moment of the day was taking the little boys for a swim. Several of them couldn't swim so they all played in the baby pool until they realized I would take them one by one into the big pool. They started off timidly but by the end of the time they were jumping into my arms and then kicking and flailing their arms to swim as I held onto them and we moved around the pool. Steven was absolutely adorable. The tiniest of all our kids and he pumped his arms and even got a running start to jump. And Frank, as soon as he hit the water he was laughing the whole time. Even Joseph, reserved... quiet, troubled Joseph, let me take him around the pool a few times and half way jumped. That was great for him.

Fanny and Maureen both commented on what great fun the kids were having and we were all so thankful for a great day!

Waiting in line for lunch

Patrick

Emmanuel and Christopher

Mwansa, Tisa and Faith

James on the swing

Several of the new kids with Steven, "shh...Don't kubeba"

Ping Pong

Older boys swimming

More fun on the trampoline

Mary (I almost didn't recognize her since the last few times she has only been wearing Hannah Montana nightgown)

Little Boys after their turn swimming

Legos

Playing on the keyboard

Ian talking to Koumba and Philip

Posing for the camera

Girls turn to swim

Emmanuel and Amos

Frank, Enda, James

Faith and Everlyn

Caleb showing the boys the rabbits

Joseph holding the rabbit

Playing ball

Grace and Jack ( Maureen's son )

New Kids

2011-10-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of the new kids we are beginning to sponsor for school next year in Kabanana.

James 10

His cousin Mary 9

With the grandmother

Peggy 10

Steven 7

Peggy and Steven with their mom and siblings

Emmanuel 13

Frank 11

Edna 10

Amos 13

with his sister

HOPE KABANANA Sept/Oct update

2011-10-15T11:56:00.000-07:00

(Even though we are almost half way through October, this is a Sept update.
James has asked me to write one every month and I am a bit behind for this next one.)

SCHOOL
September had the kids starting back for their final term of the school year. Strange to think that Sept back in America kids are just starting their school year but here they are finishing the 3rd term. We had some issues before with kids not even attending school though they were sponsored and being sent to school in some of the cases. At least to date, those kids have been more faithful in school attendance so we are hopeful that they all will finish out the school year well.

One of the girls Barbara is writing her grade 7 exams. When kids are in their exam writing years of school ( grades 7, 9 , 12 ) if they do not pass they can not continue on in school. In Barbara’s case she did not pass last year and so we took her out and put her in a better school and she has been going to tutoring all year but it seems that she has some learning disabilities and so we do not know how she will do this time if she will pass. So you can be praying for her.

HEALTH
We have had more sicknesses with some of the kids, various infections often as a result of the living conditions. For several of these kids it is pretty bad, one family in particular does not even have an outdoor pit toilet so they just go somewhere in the yard. They also have issues with rats and bed bugs so those kids in particular have been more sick recently.

Also among many of the kids they are still not taking care of themselves in regard to basic hygiene. I think this will need to be a continual subject that we address with them.
Also sometime next year I plan to have a health/hygiene class with the guardians. Hopefully if they see the need they will encourage their children in this. But if the guardians don’t think its important to buy soap then how will the kids wash themselves.

END of THE YEAR
We have been able to plan out for the rest of the year and the kids will be having their christmas party in mid November after we leave for America, but while Kat is still here, so that should be a fun time again for them.

Next Saturday all the kids will be coming over for lunch and to swim at our house. They are very excited about that!
Last time they came after we took them all for the HIV testing.

FUTURE PLANS
We have been able to identify and add 8 new kids to the program. They will start their school in January but we are including them in our programs, meetings and church attendance for now. We are all very excited about these kids and are looking forward to getting to know them better and help minister to their families.

We have been trying to add younger kids to the program and those from even “needier” situations. So the ages of these kids range from 7-13. We are in the process of matching these children with sponsors right now.

More on this later...

BUILDING
The church building/classrooms have been completed to the level that they are now meeting for church. That is exciting and we hope to visit them for church in the next few weeks.
They still need to complete doors, windows, flooring, etc but the good thing is that once it is useable they have been eager to use it. Kabwata Baptist Church donated their old pews and so they have already been enjoying having a place of their own.

future classroom for tutoring

"The LORD can take him now then"

2011-10-12T11:52:00.000-07:00

I know many of you that read and follow the blog have been praying for Wisdom Tembo and his mother. Of all the kids he is the most needful healthwise of our prayers.

Last time I blogged (June 27th entry)- “Then God will have disappointed me” about his mothers response to if the Lord did not heal him as we were setting a specific time for prayer and his mother to consider allowing him to be put on the ARV’s.

Since that time, over these past months he has continued to decline in his health and needs to be on the ARV’s last year. I had told his mom that we would be coming back right before the new school year to discuss it further and to take him to the clinic to start the medications. She “agreed” though I knew in her heart she did not agree and she would not agree.

So Fanny and Maureen and I went back to visit her in September. We exchanged our greetings and then got right to the point. She of course would not agree to take him back to the clinic and said outright that if the Lord wants to take him now then he can take him. It was so frustrating to see her response and ultimately her lack of concern for Wisdom.

I even said to her, I can not understand how as a mother you would let your son continue to get sicker and sicker if there was a way that you could help him. She was very apathetic to anything that was said. And quite honestly at this point there was nothing more that can be said. ALL of us have spoken to her and pleaded with her. The clinic workers have come to her home and spoken to her and I think even her older children have talked with her on the matter. But as Fanny said when we were leaving, she is like Pharaoh, her heart is hardened.

As I sat on the tiny stool in her tiny house, with only the light from the outside coming in I looked around. Stacked in the corner was charcoal and supplies and things that were bought for her to start up her own business. (A few hundred dollars worth) Hangings on the wall that were gifts given by sponsors of her children. Her oldest son, now graduated from high school, a teacher and enrolled at the University through the help and work of HOPE Kabanana. All these things made possible by the Lord’s blessing to this family. And she stubbornly refuses to let us help her son, to help him live a longer, productive, healthy life.

What more can be said.

Our meeting was very brief, but the conclusion of the matter was that for now, we will stick to what we said several months ago. He will not be sent to school next year as part of our program.

Sounds pretty harsh in one sense. Is it Wisdom’s fault that his mom will not allow him to be put on ARV’s? No it’s not. Not at all. He loves going to school and attends church faithfully. But he might for a time have to suffer even more and “sit out” as we wait and see what his mom does.

She was fine with us saying that we would not be paying for school then next year, but as we discussed among ourselves, he is still in school, he is still part of the program. She might change her mind come January when all the kids are starting back to school with their new uniforms, shoes, and backpacks.

What I can’t get away from is that without being put on the ARV’s, he is going to die of something sooner rather than later. His CD4 count continues to go down, and it is not as if this is lying dormant in his body, he continues to fight sickness all the time. His mom is herself still in the process of dying. And just maybe by us withholding school for a time she might come to her senses and agree.

Yes, I want him to go to school and get a good education, and I want him to be happy. But more than that I want him to LIVE. And one thing I have learned over the year is that decisions, when it comes to people’s lives are not “foolproof”. There is not a manual that says ‘when you encounter this situation in the orphan ministry in Southern Africa then do this’ ...and it will work every time.

We pray for wisdom, the wisdom from above that is, and then we pray for Wisdom.

A picture is worth

2011-10-12T10:39:00.000-07:00

A thousand words...

Once we get outside the city and into the compounds we are often looked at curiously, or suspiciously.
Last week we were in Chipata, visiting the homes of new orphans. I was taking pictures of the families and their homes and as I was leaving one of the neighbor boys peeked out from behind the gate at me.
I was so glad I had the camera still in hand because this one says alot.

Michael Sata won

2011-09-26T00:02:00.000-07:00

He was the candidate for the opposition party, the Patriotic Front.
When he ran in the elections last time his loss was fairly close.

The former President Rupiah Banda put alot of effort into his campaign this time and as mentioned earlier was buying bikes and handing our chitenges and paving roads etc.

The slogan for Sata was “Don’t Kubeba”, or Donchi Kubeba. Don’t tell.
When Banda’s party hands out all their things, just receive them and don’t tell them you are voting for Sata. It was a great campaign, and they even had a song that they made and played all the time in vehicles driving by, places of business, bars, etc.

Donchi Kubeba, eyi eyi shshhhhh, shshhhh. It was a catchy song with a cool beat and I liked it! Though now that they have won and it is playing everywhere all the time it has lost some of its appeal.

As it seemed that Sata could win, there was concern and question over whether or not Banda would interfere and rig the elections somehow.

Rioting started taking places after the vote later in the week when the results were not coming out quickly and websites were shut down. TV and Radio stations were blacked out and everyone was just waiting.

The fear and concerns were that if Banda won, all the PF supporters would protest and riot and that is when things could have gotten worse and more dangerous.

It was a strange week. Thursday the results were supposed to come out and so businesses were closing down early, people were all racing to the grocery stores before they closed. I mentioned that it felt like when we lived in FL and a hurricane was coming, and everyone was racing around to get home and stay inside.

It was said that they would release the winner after everyone was home and it was late.
So the evening went on and nothing, until about 12:30am then a wild cheer erupted outside and we knew Sata had won. From that point on until the next evening there was noise and excitement and cheering outside, car horns beeping, people shouting, standing out of the window in cars and trucks raising their fists... I have never experienced anything like it before.

To say people were excited is putting it mildly. The inauguration took place Friday afternoon and things were calm once again.

We are very thankful the Lord protected us and the people of Zambia from political unrest and upheaval. I don’t know much about Sata as a man. I have heard some not so good things and then others say good things, so we will have to wait and see.

I have never claimed to be interested in or very knowledgeable of politics so I can’t give any assesment or thoughts on how the country will go. But I did want to let you know a little bit of how the week went.

I miss applesauce

2011-09-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, Riots are taking place in different places of Zambia today, over the elections.
Businesses are closing early for the day as they are anticipating the results.

And kids are starving here in our city.
Other kids are getting high on drugs and sniffing glue and setting fire to things to cause a scene.

People are living on less than $2 a day.
Girls are working in prostitution to get money to pay for food or to provide for their children.

Kids are dying of AIDS.
Men and Women are dying of AIDS or infecting other people with HIV at this very moment.

Babies are crying in the orphanage that I visit just wanting someone to pick them up and hold them and never put them down. Cause when you put them down, they cry and don’t stop. You walk out of the room to the parking lot where your car is and you can still hear their cries.

I drive by beggars on the street and children leading their blind parents around coming up to the vehicles to beg for money.

So much just doesn’t seem right. And yet all this is “normal”.
And I just walked into my kitchen to open up my cookbook and decide what kind of cookies I want to make today.

I saw a recipe for applesauce spice cupcakes. Mmm...that sure sounds good. But unless I want to spend about $7 for one cup of applesauce ( which I have only seen sold a few times) or make my own applesauce from apples that are too expensive, I have to pass on the applesauce cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
I guess I will go for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, (great recipe -Steph McD ) and use the chocolate chips that have been shipped to us from America.

Life is going on around me and I think about a bowl of cold applesauce, maybe even with cinnamon sprinkled on top.

sigh* THIS feels weird

Chipata

2011-09-08T06:02:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I went around to visit some of the guardians and check on how their businesses were doing.

Tisa's mom is selling popcorn and has her own stand. She said that it was going great and that neighbors have even asked what type of "charms" and things she was using for it to go so well.
The Lord is blessing it!

Tisa and her mom

Philips sister

Maureen and Fanny took me to the Chipata Market so we could check on a few of the guardian's businesses.

Chipata Market
I pulled my camera out and this lady wanted me to take her picture

Tisa's mom also has a stand in the market where she sells tomatoes

Just to give you an idea. This is the office at one of the schools that the kids go to.
We are paying the fees for the next term.

Election Time

2011-09-05T06:11:00.000-07:00

September 20th is the election for the new president of Zambia. This is definitely something to be praying about. Zambia is known as a “peaceful nation”, but still we should be praying for the elections to remain peaceful ones.

There have been some riots and a few deaths over the course of these last few months in various parts of the country.

I really am clueless as to who is the best party, candidate etc. But people feel strongly obviously on all sides. SO there is always the potential for violence and danger. In think I have heard that a couple of the party leaders have encouraged violence and doing what it takes for them to win.

There is talk that previous elections had been rigged, so who knows what will come of this one. It has been strange to us Americans to see the campaigning going on. You hear messages being blared from loudspeakers on the back of pick up trucks with men hanging out the sides cheering and shouting things. The day they stated the nominations at the state house, people were sitting on tops of mini buses, driving around with their flags raised.

The current president along with his party the MMD has their slogan, “The time has come”. Well all of a sudden he has been having roads graveled and paved, and has even gone into the compounds giving away free bicycles and chitenges. I was told they are paying people 10 pin ( about 2 dollars ) a day to stand where they have raised their party flags and make sure no one takes them down. He has been the president for a few years now but I guess the time for improving roads and things has only now come. Not 2 years ago. Who cared about it then?

We received a flyer promoting a local area candidate. I read it out loud joking with the kids on Saturday as we had been without “running” water for about 5 days. This man claims he will fix the water issues our area of town is having. We all cheered and said, then we are for sure voting for him! In his Bio, it said he was young, vibrant and matured. The kids asked how someone can be young and matured at the same time...

But on a serious note,
Our American embassy has done a great job keeping us informed and I am very thankful for that. Most recently 2 weeks ago, they sent out an emergency message to my cell phone and email, saying to avoid a certain area in town because a riot had broken out.

While this sounds a bit scary, they have done a good job to cover all the bases with taking precautions. Among that being this part of a note they sent out.

The U.S. Department of State strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid all demonstrations, as even peaceful ones can quickly become unruly, and a foreigner could unwittingly become a victim of harassment or more serious danger. U.S. citizens should stay current with media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times. For U.S. citizens already in Zambia, the U.S. Embassy recommends that you take this opportunity to ensure that passports for all family members are up to date and children have also been documented as U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens should also store sufficient food, water, fuel, and medicine in the event that it becomes necessary to shelter in place. Should the need arise, the Embassy will communicate emergency messages for U.S. citizens via email and SMS for those who have provided contact information.

Thankfully, just last week we were able to get Grace’s visa for coming to America in her Zambian passport. It is dated for right now so if there was an emergency we all are up to date on those things. ( including James’s passport).

So please pray for all the things relating to this election.
Peace, Stability for the country, Safety. And I will throw in here, pray for our parents not to be too worried!

I Have a MAID!

2011-08-31T03:36:00.000-07:00

There I said it.

Twenty months later and I can now say it. House helper, someone who helps me out at home, someone who helps me clean, a worker... those are all ways to identify her, but in the end she is a maid and I have come to the place where I can say that now.

So, do I feel bad that I have a maid? No.
But, I used to not want anyone back home to know that I had a maid.

In America, only the richest people have a maid service come clean or have a maid in their home. But once you get outside the US, most other countries have workers in the home. Even a friend of mine said that her maid had a maid. Many Zambians we know have 2 maids! You can always find someone who needs a job and the cost is minimal to hire them to help you.

But we are missionaries, so we are naturally expected ( by many) to be roughing it! Eating beans and rice every day, sweating away in the hot sun, reading by candlelight, using a pit latrine, cooking over an open fire, drawing water from a well and boiling our own water.

Well thankfully for us and our situation that is not usually the case. Though I know many missionaries live that way. And I know they must need extra measures of grace each day, because I sure need a lot just for the daily life here.

Since we have had major issues with our water these last few months, like several days during the week where it is off, no water- I have no problem whatsoever with everyone knowing I have a maid.

I can not imagine handwashing laundry for 8 people a couple times a week. Some days all she does is wash the laundry by hand, and get buckets of water to wash the dishes in the kitchen throughout the day and that is it.

Some days I am used to there being no water. ( Yesterday. nothing, I was fine with that. )
And not just no hot water, but like you turn the tap on and nothing comes out all day.
Other days it is aggravating like today for instance. ( Not so fine with that)
You just want to wake up and take a hot shower. You turn it on there is a burst of water for one second and then nothing. So you go to the trash can filled with water and start filling it up to put in a pan to boil water. So I turned it on, nothing came and let out a , "AHHH! "

We are just finishing the cold season, so have not wanted to do the cold water bucket baths but am thinking we will be moving toward that soon! I don't really know what is the problem but the landlord has not really cared and the city water people say it is not a problem on their side of things, so who knows.

Anyway, in light of this challenge most recently I am so thankful to have a maid and I don’t mind that everyone knows!

As a side note: I read the book the HELP recently ... very interesting in light of living in a culture where there is a lot of help. When I go to the grocery store or shopping centre I often see a woman trailing behind the “ma’am” in her uniform. The maid uniform. Many times she is caring for the children. I see this most especially among expatriates, I have even seen people grocery shopping and they have their worker ( whether it is the maid or the gardener) pushing the shopping cart and they are pointing to the items on the shelf for someone else to put into the cart. I see that and I want nothing to do with that type of “help”. That is ridiculous. Come on people, you can put your own groceries into the shopping cart!

We have a place we go to occasionally for tea. They have a cool play area for the kids, and every time I am there I see at least one maid or nanny out by the playground watching the kids. Occasionally the kids run back to the mom who is sitting comfortably sipping her tea in the shade and they say something and run back. And that too seems “ over the top” but it reminds me of the book.

I know it is a difference to some degree of culture. The American culture versus the Zambian, the Indian, the Asian... but then it is also a difference in some of the cases, not all because I don’t know the individuals, but a difference of a mindset.
I am better than you are.

Whether it is the businessman or government worker looking at their maid or gardener, or its the man or woman living in the city versus those living in the compounds / shanty towns, or it is the white person looking down at the black person or even the “workers” looking at those that have no job...
Its all the same mindset. I am better, a better human being. I am worth more than you are.

And unfortunately at some time or another in all of our lives, I think it is safe to say, we view people with the wrong mindset. We forget who we are in the eyes of God, and who we were before His grace was put upon us and we think we are better. It might not be looking at Aunt Jemima cooking your pancakes in the kitchen or Mammie watching your kids on the playground while you are sipping tea, but it is all the same.

HOPE KABANANA August update

2011-08-26T05:46:00.000-07:00

The summer months, “or cold season months” for us here, have flown by.
The work continues to grow and expand with the kids.
We were blessed to have Katherine Johnson here for 6 weeks helping in the work.
Then Katryn had a friend Maurice come for 2 weeks and he also was able to spend time with the kids and get to know some of the boys.

The kids have been on school holiday here for the month. They do year round schooling with 3 months on and one month break in between terms. Most of them go back in 2 weeks, for the last term of the year.

GUARDIAN BUSINESS
Katryn has been spearheading and running herself ragged ( in a good way!) with the guardian business start up project. Donations were given to help the guardians of these kids start their own business, so they could become self sufficient. So she along with Maureen and Fanny have been going non stop the last 2 weeks buying and helping the guardians to get all the supplies, whether it be clothing, charcoal, food items, selling popcorn, setting up a barber shop... paying the first 6 months rental for the shops and ntembas that they will be selling the items.

They just finished yesterday and so now it will be Maureen’s responsibility to go and check on the progress of the businesses. I plan to go next week and see several of them and how they are going.

Katryn emailed this:

As of yesterday, we officially finished starting the 10 businesses for our families. It was a long and very tiring process, but it was incredibly powerful to be a part of. I want to again thank each of you for sending whatever gifts you sent and encourage you to continue to uphold these people in prayer.

-Saphira Tachali has a clothing stand and is also selling "talktime" (minutes for the cellphone) in a market near her home. (Everlyn's aunt)

-Justina Daka has a clothing stand in a market called Mandevu Junction. (Joseph, Felix and Nelia's mom)

-Selina Zimba is selling bedsheets, pillowcases and blankets. (Francis, Barbara, Memory and Christian's mom)

-Alice Tembo is selling food (beans, vegetables, fish etc.) and charcoal from a stand she built at her home. (Nathan and Wisdom's mom and Morgan's aunt)

-Elizabeth Zulu has a stand where she is running a barbershop and selling vegetables. She also is selling popcorn and small food items. (Tisa and Faith's mom, Christopher and Harrington's aunt)

-Isaac Mwansa has transformed a room in his home into a full working convenience store. (Kaumba's uncle)

-Susan Mumba is selling food items such as rice, cornmeal, beans and fish from a stand outside her home. (Philip's aunt)

-Eunice Chipepela is selling food items like vegetables, chicken, fish and beans from a stand in a nearby market. (Protasho's mom, Patrick's grandmother)

-Mirriam Nanyangwe is selling clothes in Chipata Market (Geofrey's sister)

-Victoria Chamoa is selling food such as vegetables, beans and rice in Chipata Market. (Kelley's mom)

The pictures can be found in this album-
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.542385284384.2037528.100300199&l=8656852bb9&type=1

BUILDING PROJECT
The building project is going great and everyone is excited and the progress and the hopes that within a month or two it can be useable. They currently are working on the roof.

It will be great to have completed as we start off the new year in January having a meeting place to work out of and Katryn to have her own classroom for the tutoring that she does.

She is adding a few more kids to help with their studies so that now brings her to being there in Kabanana 4 days a week, with one day at home for administrative work.

CHRISTMAS PROJECT
We are waiting on all the “shoeboxes” of christmas gifts from the kids sponsors to be coming in over this next month so we can have them all to distribute around the holidays. If you think of this you can pray for all of them to arrive safely with no problems from customs and the post office.

MISC.
We are beginning to look for more kids to sponsor since we have had requests from people wanting to help. Maureen mainly will be looking for the kids and then we will all go and meet them before we decide. Everyone basically needs help you could say in one sense, but we want to be helping the neediest of the needy. Those that have no other option for help, those who are playing in the garbage heap every time I drive by, because they have nothing else, no school, no future.

This month we had Peter come again to give haircuts to the boys and we just had a lunch yesterday for the kids as well. We like to plan at least one monthly meeting for all the kids and us to get together with them, usually it is over a meal and a short time of devotion and singing.

CHALLENGES
We have had a challenge with some of the kids not attending sunday school and even school. A few months back we wrote up terms of “agreement” for the kids and guardians to know what is provided and what is not. We pay the kids school fees, provide shoes, book bags and school supplies. We also help with medical expenses that arise. The kids are then expected to actually attend church and school.

We had one family situation arise that we have been watching over this whole year.
A sibling group that was not going to school or church. We decided it was time to remove them from the program after many, many warnings to them and to the mother to motivate her kids to attend.

Fanny and I went to the home and sat down with the mother.
We knew that these kids were wasting the money that is being paid for them when there are HUNDREDS of other kids that need help. Though a difficult thing it was time to let them go.

We sat down in the Living room and I spoke some and Maureen then also spoke. We went over again what was expected, the “contract” of sorts that was signed by the kids and the guardian and that they were continually not attending. And we told her that they were being removed from the program.

We pulled out the registry that Maureen has for attendance and the school records and explained again to the mother. She then told us that she sends the kids to church and the last month after we spoke to her she had been sending them to school as well.

Maureen said, right here is the record they are not coming to church. I then asked to bring the kids in to speak with them.

What was found out is that they leave the house when the mother sends them but they either just mess around for a while and then come home or they go to a friend’s church. So the kids had been lying to their mom. She was sending them, she was doing her part to make the kids go to church.

Nelia started smiling when we asked where was she. It was a joke to her. Her mother then informed them that we were removing her and Joseph the younger brother from the program. The oldest Felix would be on a “probabtion” of sorts for this last school term, but if nothing changed he too would be removed at the end of the term.

Tears came. Tears from Nelia, and Joseph and many tears from the mother.

The kids then left the room and the mother began pleading with us.

I don’t think I have ever been in that position before, where humanly speaking I had the authority to reject the mothers pleas and cries or to show mercy and extend one more chance. That if these kids were dropped from the program that was it. Most likely they would never be given another chance to go to a decent school and be helped.

She cried and said she was begging us. I would like to be able to explain accurately how that feels, but I don't think I can. You pray for wisdom, pray to be gracious and humble and then you have to make a decision.

At that point, all my resolve of our meeting earlier with fanny and maureen of, “this is what needs to happen” and ok we have to do this... changed.
In that moment through the tears. But not just because of the tears.

I asked to call the children back in and spoke to them strongly and told them that it was for their mother’s sake that we were going to offer them this last chance. That they should never lie to their mother, That our God shows mercy to us. That God was giving them another chance. I then told the 2 older kids that they have been setting a very bad example for their brother and that he will do whatever they do. I told them that we want to help them not just in school but spiritually as well and that is why we want them to attend the meetings.

In the end the mother thanked us, the children dried their tears and left the room.
The mother said they did not know how serious it was. Regardless of the fact that we had told them it was serious.

In the past I have been so “resolved” at different things that it really would not matter what came out in the discussion once the “principle” I thought was achieved, we go forward. Didn't matter if we found out new information. Things are clear cut. If This happens then this is the result and the outcome. No Matter what. Hold your ground...

I think God, ok, I KNOW God has been teaching me over the year that life is not clear cut. Yes there need to be guidelines and principles in your programs, but you deal with real people, and how many times do I mess up and fail again and again and yet GOD keeps showing me mercy through his son Jesus. I hope I continue to show more mercy and graciousness to everyone.

A lot to pray for, in this work. Thank you for your interest and prayers!

LION of ZAMBIA AUGUST UPDATE

2011-08-26T05:44:00.000-07:00

James's update

Dear Friends,

We thank the Lord for partners back home who uplift us and the work here in prayer! Recently, I was reminded of how important it is to keep everyone praying when I was not allowed into Namibia on a minor technical matter that should not have prevented my entrance. It made me remember we should not take anything for granted and seek the Lord over each detail of our work in this life!

SUMMARY: We are currently involved in three building projects-- two churches and a residence hall for Copperbelt Ministerial College. The Lusaka Ministerial College has moved into its second year, and will begin offering classes on Tuesday evening and Saturday for working students. The orphan ministry has a business start-up project just getting underway now. We have added another church planter who is supported by the ministry, Adamson Shamfuti. Pray for us!

Church Planting:
The past several months have been full of activity as usual. We have added another pastor to those whom we support in spreading the kingdom of God. His name is Adamson Shamfuti, and I have known him since my first visit in 2006. He has about 10 years of experience in the ministry among various baptist churches, and has reformed in his doctrine the last few years. After an internship at our home church here in Lusaka, Kabwata Baptist Church, he went back to the Copperbelt where he has just been made pastor of Lubutu Baptist Church. He joins Marshall Kasongo, Francis Nyati, and Mondesters Hakanyanga as men who are supported from churches in the States through LION of Zambia. We have also been encouraged by the development of Ibex Baptist Church, which is a church plant near us. I've preached there a few times and one of our students from CMC, Kasango Kayombo, is heading up the work and, Lord wiling, should soon be ordained into the ministry there.

Lusaka Ministerial College:
The Lusaka Ministerial College is progressing well and we are looking forward to offering evening and Saturday classes next term starting early September. This will help accommodate the many men who work full time and therefore cannot attend our daytime classes. We have about 20 students right now for the daytime, and look to have another 10 or so coming in September. Also, we've distributed about 10 Kindles to students, loaded with 60 plus books each. This has proven a great and economical way to provide a library for each man. The students have to pay approximately $100, about half the total cost to us for the device. Sponsored students receive them for free. I will be teaching two classes next term. About once a month or more, I go to a church of one of my students and preach there. It has been very encouraging to see the progress they are making in personal and corporate reformation. It is not uncommon to have members of these churches telling me how much they have seen their pastor grow, and how thankful they are for what he is learning. Praise the Lord!

Copperbelt Ministerial College:
The Copperbelt Ministerial College has a lot of fresh faces as well. I was there a few weeks ago with Salvador Gomez, who did an excellent job teaching Christian Ethics. Thank the Lord for sending him! The men warmed to his ministry to them very much. We have about 25 students there, plus another 15 or so who have concluded their courses and are working on papers and assignments . They should finish these things by the end of this year. We hope to have a graduation ceremony in April 2012. The residence hall for the students is under a roof and in the final touches stage. It should be ready for use when students attend the October module, so we're excited about that! It will help the college be self-sustaining since it will function as a lodge when the school is not in session.

Kabanana Orphan Ministry:
Construction on the Faith Baptist Church building in Kabanana (Lusaka) is just reaching roof level and will hopefully soon be under roof. It is bigger than originally planned, so it will easily seat the present church members and have plenty of room to bring in others from the "highways and bi-ways" of the area. This building will serve during the week as a base of operations for the Kabanana orphan ministry. Katryn Belke will use it for the weekly tutoring of some of the kids that need extra help, and it will also host the different meetings we have with children and guardians. Speaking of guardians, we are in the final week of a business start-up project for the guardians of the children we sponsor. Please do pray that the Lord will bless this effort to help these families become financially independent! You can read a lot more about what goes on in this part of the ministry on Megan's blog or Katryn's blog and the e-mail updates.

Williamson Family:
The family is excitedly looking forward to going back to the states for a couple of months from November to January. We will be able to visit our families over the holidays, our home church, and some of the sister churches as well. The kids are doing well in school, and Grace especially seems to be finally settling into the routine craziness that is our home. James preaches most Lord's Days lately, teaches classes always, and manages the colleges and projects. Megan is teaching Caleb and Jackson (5 and 7 years old), and also overseeing the workers and work of the orphan ministry. A couple of the kids have been pretty homesick lately, and could use your prayers as well. As well, my wife and I often feel the need and desire to be closer to the Lord, especially when we see all that is on our plates to do in the home and in the ministry. We would appreciate your prayers for that!

Thanks so much for remembering us, and may the Lord's grace be upon you in abundance through Christ our Savior.

James Williamson
LION of Zambia
Lusaka, Zambia

Namibia Trip?

2011-08-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

Post by James

“This is not the US Embassy!” “You can read English-- what does that say?!” “No... you get a blanket if you have done a crime.” “Wait here and we will get someone to escort you to the toilet.” These are a few of the many things I never expected to hear upon attempting to enter Namibia recently.

I was traveling from Lusaka to Winhoeke, the capital of Namibia, in order to link up with Rich Barcellos and John DiVito, who were the first visitors from the States to teach for us in this newly forming college. Though I wouldn’t be teaching, I was traveling to welcome Rich and John, to help with logistics of the module, and especially to sit down with the leaders there to discuss plans related to the college for next year.

Having had a nice smooth journey from Lusaka, and a brief stop-over in the airport of Johannesburg, I was walking into the airport fully expecting to check through with no problem and meet Buddy Bahun, who had come there to pick me up. Little did I know while standing in the line that in just a few minutes, a nightmare of a night would start!

Everything began to unravel when I stood before the immigration officer and handed her my passport. “You don’t have enough pages!” she said. “Well, there is room here, and here and here.” I showed her some places where she could stamp the visa. “You will need to stand aside.” So, I stood to the side while others filtered through the lines, apparently with plenty of pages for the officer to stamp. They processed the whole plane and then the supervisor for immigration came and began to talk to me. She said the same thing: “You don’t have enough pages. Why are you traveling on a full passport?” I pointed out the pages in the back for amendments, etc, as one place with lots of room. “You can’t read English? You can’t tell what that says? It’s for amendments, not visa stamps.” “OK, but Zambia stamped this page, and South Africa stamped that one” I said, pointing to two such amendment pages. “Are you saying we are supposed to follow their procedures? Do you think we are Zambia or South Africa?” Then, I explained I was just saying that other countries used the pages.

Besides, I told her, there is room on several of my visa pages for their stamp. In fact, the previous time I traveled was TO NAMIBIA, and they stamped me then. She kept saying throughout our discussion, “Where? Show me where I can stamp?” I would turn to the pages where there was room, and she would just turn away as if she didn’t see them. I started thinking to myself, “Has someone been a real jerk to her today? I’ve never been treated so rudely by an immigration officer in my life! Has an American soured her attitude earlier and now I’m paying for it?

I explained that I knew my passport was getting full and had even checked with my embassy in Lusaka before leaving, and they were going to get me some more pages after I came back. But in the meantime it was OK to use the passport, they explained. A few minutes later, she said, “Your embassy told you not to travel and you travelled anyway.” A total twisting of what I said. Several times, the same kind of thing happened. In fact, one of the times she said to show her where there was room, I turned to page 14, where there was space for both of the stamps they issue. She held the stamp over the space, where it clearly covered, and then pulled the stamp up again. “See-- it fit. You had it right there. Just press down!”

She kept trying to provoke me by saying things like, “This is not the US Embassy,” or “Can’t you read English,” etc. She then took out a fuzzy copied form which she filled out and asked me to sign. “What does it say?” “That you don’t have room for a visa stamp.”  “I can’t sign that-- it’s not true,” I said. “Fine-- I will just write ‘refused to sign,’” which she promptly did. Once it was clear she was determined to detain me and not let me enter the country, I told her I was getting nothing from Namibia and wasn’t being paid there. I was only there as a volunteer to help with their education. And her refusal to allow me to enter was only harming her own country. “So I should sacrifice because you’re here for a good cause?!” “Sure” I said. That didn’t help! She would move from one desk to another, and then I would follow her, trying to persuade her to let me in, and also trying to keep up with what is happening. “Sir, you are annoying me! Stop following me around! Go over there and sit down!” Not wanting to provoke her further, I went and sat and waited.

Finally, she came back to me and said “Follow me!” I came around the corner and there was Buddy, ready to pick me up. He was smiling as if to say, “Finally! Great!” I looked at him saying, “No-- not great!” When I got to him I told him what was happening. He tried to talk to me, but was interrupted by her: “Who are YOU!?” Buddy said he was here to pick me up. But she said, “No, he’s not coming into the country.” I tried to talk with Buddy and figure out something to do, but she said, “SIR! Come on; I have other things to attend to. Come with me!”

Taking premature leave of Buddy, I followed until she came to a security scanning area with about five or six policemen standing around. She gave my passport and some papers to them, and disappeared. Now, I was in the custody of the police. Any attempts to get out of the situation now were over. I was stuck here for the night. I didn’t have a Namibian phone account, so my phone wouldn’t work. I couldn’t get an internet signal. I asked to use the phone, but they said, “No, we can’t do that.”

I realized the police were not the ones who put me in this situation and it would do no good being upset with them. I was just an inconvenience to them. I had gotten my bag back with a few changes of clothes, and was shown a small office. “This is where you will sleep.” They took me inside. It was about 8x8 feet square. There was a small table not big enough to lay on, and a rolling office chair. It was an office for these same police so it had a lot of keys on the wall.

I had arrived at 6:30 PM and now it was probably 8:30 or so. The police were all chatting in the local language mixed with some English here and there. I had the door open at first and occasionally would ask a question about what was going to happen to me next, but no one seemed to know anything. Soon, however, a captain or something arrived and he said I needed to close the door. So, it was a jail cell after all, I guess.

They were cooking and eating food next door, but no food or water was given to me that night or in the morning before leaving. They refused to allow me to call my wife and let her know my predicament. Later in the night, about 11pm, I opened the door to ask one of the officers for a blanket. The previous shift had given a small space heater, but it only worked for my feet, and that very little. The term “space” in reference to this heater indicated about six inches around the front screen of this weak device.

I had laid out my trousers on the floor because it was cold tile. I kept my jacket on because of the cold, and also my shoes, but still was too cold to feel comfortable to sleep. I asked again for a blanket. This time, the man said, “No blankets here. If you commit a crime, we take you to the station. There, they have beds and blankets.” “So, you give blankets and beds to criminals, and you make non-criminals sleep on the tile floor in cold season?” What could he say? “I understand your situation, sir.” “So you have been deported trying to enter a country?” “No. But sleeping on the floor...” OK, fair enough.

His boss came by a bit later and I asked again about a blanket and got the same kind of answer. I asked for a reed mat or anything to make the floor more bearable. “Even if I was a visitor in the village, they would give me a reed mat to sleep on.” No sympathy there!

The next few hours were sheer misery. I would shiver and shuffle around trying to find a way to sleep, knowing I would pay later in the week for missing a whole night of shut-eye. But every hour or so, someone opened the door. Since this was the key room, there was always something they needed. And they always flipped the light on to find them. A couple of times in the night, new officers would arrive. I guess I was a spectacle, because they would open the door and peer down at this pitiful excuse for a human being lying on the floor of their office!

In addition, about three times I needed to go to the bathroom. I had to ask to go (humiliating in itself), and then be accompanied by a policeman who stood there at the bathroom while I went. Maybe they were afraid I was going to swallow one of their keys and try to escape! At any rate, it was the only time I got to leave the little cubicle office. The rest of the time was just a long night of trying to do the impossible-- get sleep on a cold floor while being regularly interrupted by police officers charged to keep you detained until you are shipped back home.

About 5:00 in the morning, a woman opened the door and flipped the light on. “Why are you here?” I explained my situation. She thumbed through my passport. “But there is room here, and here, and here” she said. Tell me about it! I thought. I agreed and said it didn’t make sense. She said, “You need to get up.” Am I going somewhere? No. She just wanted me to be awake and up at 5 am!

I waited another three hours, reading and praying and trying to have a morning routine. Sometime later in the evening before I figured I should try to get some spiritual good out of this. What might the Lord be teaching me? And these guys were all people I could at least try to have a good attitude around and treat well and not be a “bad detainee,” whatever that entailed.

Close to 8am, a new officer from Immigration came in with a chipper, “How was your night!?” Or something like that. I was shocked. “Not so good” was all I could muster. She took me to the Air Namibia desk to get my ticket back home. They asked where I was coming from. Lusaka. “We don’t have any flights there until tomorrow, and we can’t keep you here another night.” Finally, something we both agreed on-- they don’t want me there, and I don’t want to be there!

“We can send you back to Johannesburg, and you can enter the country there and then find a flight back home.” “But you guys have said that my passport is invalid. If that is the case, how will I be accepted into South Africa.” “They have their own procedures.” I had to press a little further to make the point, and expressed concern that they wouldn’t allow me in. She assured me they would. And I left it at that, knowing they would since the “problem” with my passport was not as big as the supervisor the night before had made it.

After getting everything set, I flew out that morning back to Johannesburg. I went through their immigration with not so much as a peep from the officer, who simply stamped my passport and waved me on.
My friends the Marslands had a public holiday off for that day, so it worked out to spend most of the day with them before flying back to Lusaka that evening. This was the one bright spot in the whole ordeal. I had really looked forward to catching up with them on Thursday evening after a few days in Namibia, but it ended up I got longer with both of them this way than I would have otherwise. The Lord’s timing is perfect!

That evening, Megan received one tired puppy at the airport. I had encountered one of the rudest people I can remember meeting in some time. I had stayed overnight without water, food, a blanket, or even a phone call to the outside world. I had the humiliation of going to the bathroom under guard, and being peered at by guards as the only thing interesting on the long and boring night shift. I had been unceremoniously shipped back to where I came from, having failed to even spend an hour with the brothers I was hoping to enjoy the week with. And I was tired out of my mind to the point that I just dropped into bed when I finally reached there Tuesday night.

Experiences like that make you think about life and where things are headed and what you should be doing. There was a lot that crossed my mind over those two days which I hope I don’t forget. Some of the lessons were very private and personal. But one that I feel I could share with anyone is that it just reminds us to always pray and take nothing for granted. We can’t so much as take a step without the Lord going before us to prepare the way, and holding us up so that we do not fall. And we truly never know what a day will bring forth. There’s not a day we don’t need him for what we might end up facing. And there’s not a day that He is not with us, helping us through whatever crazy situations we might meet with on the way in this life.

LGWM School for the orphans and Vulnerable children

2011-08-14T13:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago the Ladies for the Hope Kabanana and I visited the school at the church Living Gospel World Mission where Nsangu Phiri ( a student of James's ) pastors.

It was very encouraging to see the work they are doing with orphans and vulnerable children!
Nsangu and his wife several years ago took in a few orphans into their family.
Then they started sponsoring kids that live with their guardians and started a school for them and other needy kids in the area. The sponsored kids receive a meal while at school, and the other kids bring their own food to school.

He and his wife sold their land and home to build the church that they use during the week for the school.

It might sound like they have alot of resources but they don't at all, they just followed what they knew God had put on their heart and are living each day trusting God to provide what they need.

They have 3 teachers that teach the kids and these are all volunteers from within their church. Nsangu was telling us that occasionally if they get 20 pin ( about 4 dollars) extra in the offering that they will then try to pay their teachers every now and then. But they have no salary or anything they can depend on.

Same thing with supplies for the school. If they are able they can buy some chalk every now and then or some extra food for the kids.

The amazing thing I was so glad to see was that they are doing what they can without help from other churches or "westerners".

The separation for the classrooms was made out of mealie bags sewn together. One class needed a teacher so the classes were combined with the older kids.

We were encouraged to get ideas and learn from them and see if maybe the Lord would have us to start a school or something similar once we are able to get settled into the new building.

Katherine Johnson was with us and as we were leaving she was able to encourage him by telling him he reminded her of George Muller. She then told the story of how he gathered all the orphans to the table to pray and thank God for the food , even though they didn't have any, but that they lived daily just trusting for God to provide their needs.
The kids gathered to pray and thank God and shortly after a man knocked on the door and told George that his bread truck had broken down and it was all going to spoil and did he have use for all the bread?

He was encouraged to hear the story and then later the next week we gave him a biography of George Muller to read and to be encouraged by.

here are some pictures of the classrooms and the kids

Video of Grace's first year

2011-08-10T15:28:00.000-07:00

I put together a video of pictures from Grace's first year with us.
One year ago today we brought her home from the orphanage!

Grace's one year GOTCHA! from megan Williamson on Vimeo.

(song by Matthew West "one less" )

Grace's One Year GOTCHA

2011-08-10T14:52:00.000-07:00

One year ago TODAY, we brought Grace home.
I don’t even really know where to begin with this post, but have had thoughts floating around in my head for quite awhile so this one might be more like a "journal entry"

She has become our daughter and is part of our family now. I would like to say the road has been smooth and an easy ride, and what dreams are made of. But to be honest it has been quite the opposite.

She has been well loved by every member of the family, and is such an integral part of us. But it has not been without its difficulties for sure.

Since we got her when she was 21 months, I knew there would be some adjustment times and challenges related to her having essentially lived her whole life in an orphanage. But I think it still caught us off guard. Maybe the first few months she was in a state of shock, but then after a certain point she became more comfortable and the “honeymoon” was over.

Over the course of the year we have learned to read some of her “cues” in terms of trying to understand why she is acting a certain way.
For example, the kids are all outside playing, and then they just come inside leaving her alone and an all out PANIC screaming begins. Once I explained to them, you can’t just leave her alone if you were all together, they have tried to understand as well.

For months the way she would wake up in the morning is by screaming, “Mommy! , Mommy! where are you?” And she would continue until we went in to get her.

She shares a room with Jackson and if he wakes up and leaves the room while she is still in her crib, she immediately starts to scream and cry. Fear of being alone I think.

So the hardest thing to work through has been her screams. Screaming when she is insecure, screaming when she is scared, and then just the normal 2 year old I want my way and I did not get my way screaming!

The difficulty is when there is alot of screaming for different reasons, you get worn out and tired and you just want it to stop. And you are not always sharp on determining what the cause is and why.

The latter, just not getting her way screams are easier to handle in one sense. She has something she’s not supposed to have, I take it away, she screams, I tell her no, and then it is just an obedience/attitude issue that can be dealt with.

But how after a year do you make a child feel secure when they are still insecure?

We have alot of people that have come through, maybe 10 different visitors in the last year that have stayed with us. I have found a pattern that once they leave it takes Grace awhile before she feels comfortable and secure again. Same thing if the kids are home from school on break for a week or a month. She seems more stressed and then it takes her about a week to get back to “normal” - whatever that is for her and for our family.

So it is harder to make her feel secure. It is also harder when we live in a culture that generally give in to the kids and get them whatever they want just so they don’t cry or be unhappy.

I have had several times where Grace is with me at church or store or something and she is crying because she can’t have something, or because she has to stay on my back and others have told me, “she wants to get down, she is crying wanting to get down. “ To which I say, “ Yes, I know she does, but I don’t want her to get down.” This usually doesn’t go over well. But any cries are usually responded to by giving the child what they want. For example, kids are fighting over a toy and you give one the toy and the other a sweet just so they each have something, or so the one crying will stop the crying.

I saw this in the orphanage one day before we got Grace. She was playing with a piece of a metal pipe. I then took it away and she threw an all out tantrum. She would not stop crying, and me still being new to her was not exactly sure at that point what to do because then several workers came out asked why she was crying and just said, well give her what she wants.

So you would think that only 17 months of this type of “parenting” at the orphanage, wouldn’t take that long to undo, would it? I naively thought, just a couple months and everything would be fine.

But maybe it takes 17 months to undo? I don’t know.

Many days somewhere in the middle of this past year were very difficult. I became frustrated and irritated and angry. Does that make me a bad mother?
Yes, Absolutely.

A few times this year I have had a fleeting thought when I am in the thick of the screams and emotional turmoil, of wow, what have we done in bringing her into our home?
Does that make me a bad mother? Absolutely.

Am I ok with knowing that I am a bad mother sometimes...? Yes I am.

Would I have said that one year ago. Never. Not Ever.

Would I have held my ground thinking I never get impatient or angry with my kids? Yes I would have and I would have still been proud.

In a strange sense, now I feel better knowing I am not the perfect mother. I never will be.

Sometimes God uses different circumstances in our lives to show us how much MORE of Christ and of grace, God’s GRACE we need to make it each day.

So those have been the hard lessons that I hope we or I have been learning this year.

But for the good stuff.

Grace is a charmer. She is adorable. She has had an explosion of her language and is saying everything and talking up a storm. She likes to play with all the toys now and plays on her own as well. She no longer panics and screams when she sees a doll or an animal. That is progress.

She used to cry when other people (OK-- just the black Zambians!) would come and talk to her. Now she chats away with people at the grocery store, before they even ask her she points to me and says, “my mommy!”

We have realized she very much likes and needs a routine. Sometimes we can give her that, other times we can’t and she has to learn to be OK with that. That too is a learning process.

I have been so thankful and amazed at how patient and loving the other kids have been with her, they truly have embraced her as their sister. One year later and they still fight over who gets to get her out of her crib when she wakes up in the morning!

She is very polite. Saying thank you when ever you give her something. The sweetest thing being whenever any of us give her a kiss or a hug, she immediately says, “Thank you!” and then kisses us back.

After she screams to get out of bed in the morning, she likes to lay down in bed with me and the other kids sometimes and snuggle. She will wrap her arms really tight around us and say, “nuggle nuggle nuggle”.

As I have gone to visit local orphanages over this past year since we have had her, I always come home with a renewed sense of understanding and patience for my daughter.

Sometimes I think about the difference, out of all the 6 kids we have been blessed with, and even though we can say we “planned” all the other ones ( actually get asked that question sometimes...) she is the only one that we “chose”. That we went to an office, asked about kids, were given a list of names and ages of kids that were available and based on what we were looking for, a girl under 2, she was the only one.
Certainly made it easier for the “choosing” part. But we went and met her and then had the “choice” do we want to adopt her. YES we did want to.

And we are SO thankful that we did. But it is just strange sometimes to think about the “choosing” part.

And it is strange to think about how at times, she can, like all of our kids, act in a way that shows an ungratefulness. And how my mind works, -- she is ungrateful when we have brought her in to our family given her a home, love and “saved her” from a life in an orphanage.

Now those of us that are christians immediately should feel our hearts understand that.
God has “saved us” and brought us into His family, not because anything good we have done, but because of Christ. And we can be so ungrateful and unthankful and get grumpy and have a bad attitude about things so often!

Definitely reminds us of ourselves.

So this year has been one of learning and understanding our daughter, but also more of ourselves. Here’s to many more years as a family learning, understanding and loving each other, all of us and hopefully a lot less screaming in the years to come. :-)

Bus Station

2011-07-24T22:55:00.000-07:00

I dropped James and Pastor Gomez off at the bus station today in town. They were heading up to the copperbelt for the next module. We were coming from church so we had all 9 of us plus 3 suitcases and 2 backpacks in the car.
It was quite the experience.

Last time James went to Ndola on the bus he had to wait 5+ hours sitting on the bus here in Lusaka.
He had been told which bus to look for that leaves on the scheduled time. But they lied to him about the bus. So he sat and waited until it filled up, so 5 hours later he was on the road.
He even said that they bus company will pay people off the street to come and sit on the bus and make it "look" like it is filling up only for them all to slowly get off one by one and you see (after your ticket has been bought) that there is still no one on the bus heading that direction and you have to wait some more.

So this time he wanted to be sure before they bought the tickets and hauled all the luggage out.
So we pulled into the bus stop and then had 3 guys chasing the car. "Zambia-Malawi?", "Lusaka-Livingstone?" and then he threw out a few other names. No, No, No.
James kept shaking his head and then found a place to stop and pull over. He hopped out, I got into the driver's seat and then waited.

He found the right bus, came back for his wallet to buy the tickets. He then said I could park the car and he would find us to get the luggage.
So I saw the car park area and then about 4 different guys proceeded to direct me to an empty parking space. Right in front of a huge lot of eggs that were being packed into boxes to carry on the bus.

Then we started to be harassed by the guys. Can they wash my car. No. Can they at least wipe my windows. No. Can I give them money. No. Can I buy them some food. No.
Then they went over to Pastor Gomez window and were saying, "Yes Boss. please, we can wash the car…" Then back to my side of the car, "Mama…we have never seen people like you…"
So as the Zambians would say at this point, and "Blah blah blah". They were more aggressive even without making eye contact that I decided to back out of the parking space and move closer to where James and all the buses were.

This of course made them mad because they after all had "helped me" to find a place to park.
As I found a place near the buses to stop I saw James coming over so Pastor Gomez and I got out and he took some of the luggage with him and I waited with the rest.
I saw the ice cream man driving his bicycle by so I got something for the kids as I was standing by the car with the bags. Pastor Gomez stayed by the bus, and James came back to get the bags. Then a man with an orange vest came over and asked me could I not read the sign. "What sign?". The one painted on the wall of a shop behind me that said no parking, 30,000 K fine.
I told him, I was not parking just unloading the bags and then I collected my change and the ice cream bars for the kids. He seemed ok with my response, that basically I wasn't paying and I was leaving now anyway. So literally as the man handed me my 5,000 change for the ice cream James came to get the stuff, then a boy and a blind man came over begging for money, the orange vest man said I could at least buy him an ice cream and then James gave me a hug as he left. I quickly opened the car door gave the kids the stuff, and walked around to the other side of the car which then the guys with the parking spot that wanted to wash my car came over to where I was and said, "You are starving me. I am hungry. Buy me some food. " To which I replied, no I am not starving. He said yes I know, but you are starving me. I meant to say I am not starving you, but It came out I am not starving. Which then sounded really dumb because yeah he knows and I know that I am not starving!

But that is the first time that "line" was used on me. That because I didn't buy him something or give him something, I was starving him. hmm.

SO I moved as quickly as I could to the other side of the car which had 2 other guys standing there, one asking for ice cream and the other one said, "Where is my hug?" ( I guess he had seen me hug James goodbye). "Please mama give me a hug too, before I die! "
I ignored him and jumped in the car ( pretty literally) locked the doors and (tried ) to speed away.

Well evidentially the bus station is one way. So I didn't know that and started driving back the way we came. To which more guys were motioning with their hands, shouting at me and other things. When I realized what they were saying I turned around, but not before the orange vested man and his buddy came over to the car. I unrolled the window a crack and then He told me there was a fine for driving the wrong way. Absurd! Just out to get me and my money. So I rolled up the window and did something I haven't really done much. maybe ever.I drove away. Fast.

I mean a bit crazily…Like the people all standing around were watching, and I was so ready to be out of there. My goal once we dropped James off was to just get out quick and without anymore harassment, or people asking for anything. I made it to the entrance way and got behind a big bus pulling out of the station. I saw in my rear view mirror the 2 orange vest guys running toward my car. I squeezed between the bus and another car and then drove on the shoulder until I reached the main road. Just as the bus started turning onto the road, you know how huge and slow those things are, I decided to make a go for it and jumped out as he was pulling out. I made it safely after I quickly dodged the oncoming car in the other lane that was slowing down for the bus anyway.

So the kids cheered as we made it out of that place!
They didn't hear the comment about the hug so I was relaying that to them as we drove home.
When I told them he said, Give me a hug before I die, one of them said, …"Well then, die away!"... considering it was a creepy guy who we didn't know AND it was my teenage daughter that made the comment. She was right on. Good response sweetie.

Pictures from Ndola Sunday School

2011-07-23T05:43:00.000-07:00

I sat next to this girl in the sunday school class. She was beautiful and her eyes seemed to have alot behind them...

Ndola Trip

2011-07-15T01:41:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Katryn, Katherine, Maureen and I drove up to Ndola to check on the kids up there.
We had a group meeting planned for Saturay. It went very well. Katherine taught the kids a bible lesson and then we played games, sang some songs, had a health class in which we then divided into girls and boys. Lister the Zambian woman that works with the kids up there and I took the boys and Katherine and Katryn and Maureen talked with the girls.

Basic hygenie issues were discussed, washing yourself, wiping yourself, taking care of your skin, etc. as well as HIV/AIDS.

Katherine brought a craft for the kids to make the visors and they seemed to have fun with that.
We had lunch of a roll, banana and mahaeu a mealie drink that is nutritious for them but unfortunatly we westerners usually find it tastes disgusting.

We also passed out some clothes for the kids which was purchased with money given as a donation and then another church did an "underwear project" and bought them for each sponsored kids and sent them over with Katherine. Surprisingly many kids don't have more than a pair or two , don't change them or clean them and so they were excited with new undies!

Here are some pics...

Red rover

Lunch time

KABANANA Group meeting

2011-07-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday we had a group meeting with the kids in Kabanana.
We had lunch, a bible study, brief health class and went over some "terms of agreement" for the program.
It all went very well. Katherine and Katryn organized and prepared the lunch meal. Then Katherine led the devotional and taught the kids 3 things related to taking care of themselves.
Washing their hands, Keeping their skin clean and proper "toileting" (for lack of a better term).

These basic things really need to still be taught and emphasized with the kids. The sad thing is how you don't think about how poverty plays into all these things sometimes.

We teach our kids at home, wash your hands with soap. Use toilet paper and wipe yourself.
Well what if you had no soap...What if you had no toilet tissue...
These aren't just "what if's" but reality here for these kids.
SO she taught them those things then the question came what if we don't have tissue. Then what do we do.
hmm. good question. Then what. So Katherine tried to answer those things but really you find yourself at a loss for what to say. Newspaper. Cut up an old chitenge and use strips of that cloth...
I don't know.

Katherine did well and it has been good to see her getting involved with the kids and getting to know them some and interacting with them.

We will be going up to the copperbelt next and she will be teaching similar things to the kids up there.
Thankfully the church in Mebane helped us with an "underwear project" and sent over packages of new ones for all of the sponsored kids. The boys in KAB received theirs last weekend and they were very happy.
Amazing how new underwear can bring happiness!

Maureen stirring the nshima

Serving the lunch

Katherine teaching

The kids plus some extra friends and muzungus

Hebrew Module

2011-07-03T11:14:00.000-07:00

Pastor Ron Baines from Maine has been here for the past week.
He is teaching Hebrew to the students at Lusaka Ministerial College.
It is a 2 week "crash course". So far it is going well.
He arrived last friday taught all this past week and is teaching tomorrow through Friday as well.

James said, the guys are really enjoying it and getting alot out of the class and Ron is doing a great job teaching.

A couple guys practicing their letters in the sand

Then God will have disappointed me...

2011-06-27T05:57:00.000-07:00

There are some things said that should just never be said. But I think its because we forget who we are and who God is. We are the created ones and He is the Creator.

We forget that, and we think we are something when we are nothing. It might not take on the same forms in all of us, but in the end it is always pride.

Last week I went to visit Mrs. Tembo. The mother of Wisdom the boy we sponsor in Kabanana who is HIV positive. For many months now, others have been trying to encourage her to let us start him on the ARV’s. The medicine that could very well prolong his life and help him to lead a healthy life.

Maureen, Fanny and Katryn have all been to see her on the matter a couple times.
A social worker and nurse from the local health clinic have also gone to visit the home and meet with her. The hope was that she was ignorant of how these drugs, sometimes termed the “Lazarus effect”, could help her son. The very one who came from her womb (most likely with the disease). Since these various meetings she has told the others she has “closed the chapter” and has run off the workers from the clinic-not to come back again.

I had not been to see her in quite some time and I had not yet spoken to her about it.
Maureen and Katherine went along with me. Mrs. Tembo can understand English but usually speaks back in Bemba so Maureen was translating what she said back to me.

We discussed how the family was, the kids at school, Nathan’s new job as a teacher and how big Memory’s baby is getting. Then I asked her about Wisdom.

Through a long conversation she still was holding fast to her thoughts on his not needing medicine and when he is older than he can decide. God has already healed him, she said. God says I will heal all your sicknesses and diseases, so we have to have faith that God has already healed Wisdom. Katherine brought up a good point and said what if we started him on the Arv’s and she could see how he does.

SO that brought me to ask if we started in July and continued to pray for Wisdom but also put him on the drugs, could we take that time until December and see how he did.

She said, no why don’t we all pray for him from now until December. I then told her that we ALL had been praying for him, for 9 months- Maureen, Fanny, Katryn, myself, AND a couple hundred other people in America. My church back home, Katherine said her church back home and many others.

Instead of being thankful that a boy in Africa has gotten the prayers of so many saints around the world, she told me that all of those praying then do not have enough Faith!

I would like to say I couldn’t believe it but sadly I could. The “gospel” that is preached and taught here is often the one of prosperity, health and wealth. Not the true gospel.

She has bought into the lie that if she has enough faith Wisdom will be healed. I tried to tell her that than it is dependent on her “work” of praying. That became clearer the more we talked but it didn’t seem to make any difference.

I explained that we love her family and Wisdom and we have sought to help them in many things over the last year that we have known them. She knew that to be true and I told her it is frustrating then when we know how to help and she will not let us. I told her this was not a “muzungu” thing, but as the nurses and doctors here have tried to explain the benefit to starting the medications.

She was not wanting to come to any conclusion so I propsed that we take the time between now and when the next school term starts, and we go to pay Wisdom’s school fees to help him in school, that we pray for him. Then at the end of August, we take him back for another CD4 count and see where he is and then start treatment if he needs it.

She “halfway” agreed and said if he is still sick, then we can do whatever we want with him because “God will have disappointed me”.
I repeated what she said, “Then GOD will have disappointed you?”
What about all the times We disappoint God every time we sin...God does not disappoint us. “ There is even a song that many people sing here, “I have never seen the Lord disappointing me...” She resigned herself to yes, HE will have disappointed me.

There was a little more discussion, but pretty much that was where things were left. Who knows if when we take him back in August she will agree, ( I am not holding my breath on that one ) but we still need to keep praying for him and the family please.

Morgan was in and out of the room as we were speaking and later when he came along to walk with us somewhere, I told him we care about Wisdom and he said yes he knew that. Then we talked briefly about the ARV’s and Wisdom and how come he has it and not me, Morgan asked. I told him that possibly his mom got it after he was born and then passed it on to his younger brother. But the sad reality here is that because of whatever cultural things, often kids that get it from their moms will not be told that is how they got it. SO they are left confused and wondering what “bad thing” they did to get this disease.

That really angers me sometimes, because here you have a boy who is confused as to why he has this disease, than he hears his mom argue against getting treatment for him, she herself is dying of AIDS, and she says when he is older then he can decide on his own.

Her “faith” also about a month ago, had her drive her son away from the home because he was bringing a curse upon their home with this disease. He left home at night crying and stayed over at the Chirwa’s house. She told him this was all his fault and there was this demonic activity because of him.

This is incredibly sad to see, but at the same time it shows why James’s work here with training Pastors in the Bible, is so vital and important. We are seeing the consequences of false teaching and the damaging effects on people’s lives, right here among the children and families that we are working with. It’s all connected.

Another pair of hands

2011-06-22T03:15:00.001-07:00

We have Katherine Johnston from Mebane North Carolina here with us. She arrived on Wednesday and will be staying 6 weeks. She came to help out with the orphan ministry. She is a nursing student and will be helping tutor the kids with Kat during the week and we plan to have a few group meetings with the kids where she can teach them hygiene and a bible study.

We will also be traveling up to Ndola later and meeting with the kids up there.
Please pray for her time to go well while she is here. It is a blessing to have her and we want to use her to the fullest while she is here!

(Here they are separating the bale of clothing we bought for the kids in Ndola )

An outsiders perspective

2011-06-16T12:39:00.000-07:00

Pastor Jeremy Walker wrote a report on his time in Zambia on his blog
I thought it might be helpful to read from another person's perspective.
It was a blessing to have him here and I am thankful he agreed to let me "share" his writings.

He wrote about it in 3 parts.
The link for the first one is below and from there you can find the other ones.
( Again I apologize for not being able to "link it" with the click... have to cut and paste)

http://eardstapa.wordpress.com/2011/05/23/zambia-arrival-and-first-lords-day/

The Rollercoaster

2011-06-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

Today I happened to get the opportunity to ride on a roller coaster.
I would like to say its been quite some time since I have been on one, but unfortunately this kind, the emotional rollercoaster is one I get on often!

Last Friday we dropped Anthony at the airport and on Saturday we took Patrick and Protasho home. The morning started out fine and I was eager to have a “normal “ day.
Maureen was planning to come by at 9 hrs and the two boys from Bauleni were also supposed to come and meet her.

So one of the boys, Chanda, the original boy showed up and the other didn’t. Maureen and I started talking to him trying to find out more of his home situation and where his parents are exactly. He told us that he and his cousin stayed with their grandmother and she could not walk so they spend their days begging for food.

Their mother and father live in Kapiri and the boys have not heard from them since they left. We found out what we could about school when he was last there, and the grandmother. I then printed out some profile forms and Maureen was planning to go with Chanda to the Grandmother’s home and find out about possibly helping to get them in school.

We also discussed the need to then supply them with some food each month since the “work” of begging that the boys do will stop because they will be in school all day.
it is a sad reality but even with the kids in Kabanana we have come to be helping provide food for the families especially that have older boys and they were the source of income for the home.

So after Maureen and I discussed this we were prepared to look into the matter. I got a small amount of money to give her to go and see what needs they had. Each time the boys have come they have not eaten for that day, which is very common among those living in poverty here.

I gave him some eggs a bannana and a glass of milk for breakfast and when he finished Maureen gathered her things and they were starting off. Just before he got up from his seat, he started speaking in Nyanja to me telling me that he has no place to stay. I couldn’t understand so Maureen started translating and asking him questions.

He told us that he really didn’t have a grandmother and that the other boy Emmanuel encouraged him to lie and make up that story. The reality was that he and Emmanuel sleep in a ntemba each night without blankets or anything and they are on the street.

We asked how this happened and he told us that they started off as a family to go to town and get a bus to Kapiri. The boys were lingering looking at the large shiny buses and the mother kept walking and they got lost. The Father had stayed back and was meeting them later. Most likely what Maureen was figuring was that the mother once the boys were lost thought they probably went back to the dad but by the time they got home to the dad he wasn’t there and didn’t know the boys had been separated and so they were lost and left behind. And no one had ever come looking for them. They said before Christmas this happened.

Maureen and I just looked at each other and couldn’t believe it! It was so heartbreaking to think of them 11, and 13, sleeping outside alone. A ntemba is a shack that people sell things out of. Usually the only covering around the structure is mealie or concrete bags.

I then told him, we want to help you but you need to be honest with us. And we asked if anything else was different. he said no.

We then had to regroup. I went in to talk with james a while and then came back and we tried to then ask as many questions as we could about the family before they moved away. Where did they stay, where did he go to school, what happened when he went back to his house and the parents were gone, what did the neighbors say.???

We then decided to drive him back to his old house and see what the neighbors knew or what we could learn about him from anyone. Someone had to know him.

We drove to the house. I stayed in the car and Fanny talked with the neighbors. Apparently everyone there was new and the only one that would have remembered him was not there. Quite a spectacle was made and about 30 people soon were gathering around. I looked out the window and Chanda had tears rolling down his face.

I could only imagine how sad and hard that would be, to be separated form your family then to come back to your home only to find that no one knows you. No one can link you to your family. My heart broke for him. He got into the car with Maureen and I told him I was sorry.

We drove away and then were stopped by a man in a suit trying to look all official carrying a paper and a pen. He asked us what were we doing here and he was in charge of this village and so anything such as a lost child was his concern.

We could tell his concern was in the Muzungu that had driven into the compound and we tried to quickly get out of that situation. Maureen answered a few questions and then finally I said, we came to visit and now we are leaving and then drove away.

We then decided to go to the catholic parish where he said he had received food from one of the women that worked there. The women was not there today but would be back tomorrow. I asked about the “Bauleni Street Kids Project”, whose sign just happened to be at this very place. We were taken into a nice office where we met a “sister” from Europe that quite honestly I had to do a double take to know that she indeed was a “sister”.

I started asking her about the street kids project. turns out it is not for street kids at all, but they have never been allowed to change the name because of the politics with the archdiocese. In actuality it is a school and project for disabled kids.

After we discussed it a little she started enquiring about the boy. Then 3 more people came into the office asking questions. The same things we had been asking. The last women to come in though had an idea. If he really is from Bauleni, lets ask kids in the school ( of over 200 kids) if they know anything about him.

That was a great idea. The first classroom we went into a couple kids recognized him just as someone that walks the streets alone.
The next classroom about 3 or 4 kids said they knew him. One boy said he saw his DAD beating him the other day because he had stolen something. Then another girl said she knew where he stayed. mmhmm.

The headteacher then said that she could go with us to take us where he stayed.
We all got in the car, quite puzzled. Chanda said nothing, though he started to refute what the kids were saying in the classroom earlier. We drove in silence until we were near his house based on the girls directions. I asked Maureen if he had anything to say. “We are almost there” is what he said. We parked and walked over to the house, then drawing about a crowd of 20 or so kids and adults. We spoke with a woman who was a “grandmother” to him and she told us about his real grandmother that lived in the outskirts of Bauleni, and she told us that he steals things and a few days ago he gathered his things and ran away from his dad and that is the only time he sleeps in a ntemba. When he has been naughty and runs away.

We thanked the woman and the girl for helping us and at that point Maureen and I decided the trail could end there. We drove the girl back to school with Chanda in the car. We parked, she got out and went back to school and we sat there a few minutes.

I asked Chanda, Why did you lie to us? Silence. No response. He fidgeted with the door handle and I could see he was about to bolt out of the car. Maureen talked to him a few minutes and then he said he didn’t steal. I told him we couldn’t believe him because he had lied to us. He remained quiet and then I asked Maureen to speak to him about the Lord and how he needed Christ’s forgiveness.

He remained silent and then asked if he could go now. Yes. Maureen had told him, he could have possibly had help with school, but now he can’t, and he can’t even come back to our house begging for food because we know his story now. And we know his lies, and we know a tiny part of the truth.

No grandmother bitten by a snake. No parents in Kapiri. No brother that was left behind and that sleeps with him on the street each night. Emmanuel was just a friend. A friend that partnered in the lies and that was “smart enough” not to show up today when the lies were being exposed. No being lost and separated from your family at the bus stop.

He closed the car door and turned slightly to look back as he started walking away form the car. And I saw the tears again. Tears streaming down his cheeks. He wiped them with his filthy arm and shirt and kept walking, halfway turning to look back every now and then.

Maureen and I sat a few minutes and then drove away. When we passed by where he was, we found him sitting under a tree looking at us blankly.
So young to be telling such lies.

It still is a really sad situation. But not for the same reasons that I thought it was sad last week, or at 9:30 or at 10:30 this morning as the story was changing. Not sad because he was abandoned and is all alone, not sad because he is freezing at night sleeping on the street, but sad because of the choices he is making. That even when given the opportunity to “come clean” with his story so to speak and be helped, he kept weaving his web of lies.

Who knows what his home life is like. I don’t think we will ever know. But as Maureen and I talked, I told her we need to remember 2 things. One, this is the reason we look into the situation and find out as much as we can about each child we take on and support. And two, just because we were lied to and led on a chase today and really for the last few weeks, it doesn’t mean the next time we have an opportunity to help or look into helping that we don’t do it because we think, “well you remember what happened last time...”

We still are to have our hearts moved and go out to helping the vulnerable and needy children. That is clear. And who knows what the Lord was doing in the boy and in us today, but we know it is for all of our good. Maybe it will make the boy stop to think. I am hopeful that his tears were coming out of a guilty conscience that can be made right if he goes to the Lord.

I know it made me stop and think today...OK...am I ready and willing to go and do whatever the Lord might be leading. I might have my quiet agenda for my day (or life) but when the Lord brings someone across your path you have to answer the question in whatever area, what am I going to do with this now?

That too then compounded the emotions on this the rollercoaster. Not just specifically for the boy, but in relation to my own heart and life. It wasn’t a fun thrilling ride today. You get to the end of it and you feel kind of “empty” inside. It’s Hard to describe, maybe because you were made to have your heart go out and you now feel vulnerable because you were lied to. Maybe because there is almost this adrenaline rush (in a healthy way) when you are finding things out, praying for wisdom, discussing things and are trying to work through difficult situations and decide things you never thought you would have to decide and you get to the end and it stops so abruptly. And the ride’s over.

Kabanana Building Project

2011-06-13T11:06:00.000-07:00

The orphan work we do is in partnership with Faith Baptist Church in Kabanana. Faith Baptist is a church plant under KBC.

LION of Zambia is funding the majority of this building project, so if you are interested in contributing to it, please do!

The building will be classrooms that during the week will be used for the orphan ministry and on Sundays will be used for the church. There will also be a kitchen and toilet/shower rooms.

We are very excited that this project is now underway, because it will be such a help to the orphan work.
We will be able to have group meetings there, Kat will be able to tutor the kids there ( rather than in Fanny and Maureen's homes) we will be able to prepare meals for the kids and have a safe place for them to come to during the day.

Having the toilet and showers will also be great as many of the kids need much help in learning basic hygeine and we will have a place where they can come and bathe.
We also plan to use part of the church plot to cultivate a garden and have the kids help work in that.

Several of the boys have been helping work on Saturdays in the beginning part of preparing the foundation. Hauling water from quite a ways away to make the concrete.
When Anthony ( a man from our church was here last week, he spent a day helping with the construction laborers. ( Thus the muzungu in the pictures below)

Here are some pictures. It might not seem exciting to you all, but we are VERY excited, because once we have a place from which to work out of, the opportunities and ideas are numerous.

The church plot
The classroom building structure is going up on the back of the property.

From the building looking toward the road

The classroom block

Where the toilet and showers will be

Wednesday

2011-06-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

I had Maureen come to the house today so we could catch up on how the kids in Kabanana are doing , speak more to Patrick and Protasho and also I had hoped the 2 boys from Bauleni that came by the few times would be back. I had told them to come today but the day has come and gone and they never showed up. I was planning to have Maureen go to their home and speak with the grandmother and find out more of their situation. But that will have to wait for another time.

It was still a good day. We were able to speak to Protasho and Patrick for about an hour about their home situation, family, etc. I think it went really well and I am so thankful for the opportunity we have had to have them here in our home. I think they felt like they were comfortable enough to talk some even as they fidgeted with things and it was apparent that it was hard to discuss some things. I asked them a few questions but then Maureen just followed their lead in what they were wanting to talk about.

First though I asked them to tell her what we did on Saturday and protasho's face lit up he gave a huge grin and then started reeling in Nyanja about how good the day was. ( I was able to pick that much up). That was such a delight to see and hear. I knew they had fun but to see him remembering it and talking about it. Then they talked about last night we ate pizza and he had ice cream for the very first time. "It was very nice" he said.
We took them to a play place with a playground and a jumping castle and they had a blast! It was so fun to watch them.

We found out today that they used to live in kapiri, but moved 4 years ago. Their mom and their stepdad quarreled all the time and so she finally ended up leaving and moving away. Since that time she has had a problem drinking and getting drunk all the time. Protasho said she is a good woman when she is not drunk. Problem is as Patrick said, she can't Not drink. She is verbally abusive, says hateful mean things to the boys when she is drunk and will send them out of the house whenever she wants. She used to "entertain" men in her home often. Recently the stepdad and her have gotten back together and so the stream of men coming in has not been as it once was. The stepdad drinks as well and he too gets very mean and says things about the boys not being his and kicking them out of the house.

When they leave the home they usually go stay with a friend Mutale. Come to find out they actually only spent one night alone outside. ( That is still one too many, but the story has become more clearer).

Protasho does piece work (odd jobs) mostly fetching and carrying water for people. When we asked about his extended family, relatives that could possibly take them in there was really no viable option. He explained the situations with older sister or auntie, all of which have "chased" away his younger sister Maggie. Which means that they certainly would not be welcoming of two more boys into their home.

Protasho had a twin brother. This brother died when he was young and since that time for whatever the reason, the younger sister Maggie has been his "twin". Or that is what they have told people. I really don't know why the mother would tell them to make this story up, but that is what it is.

When we asked, what if we could find a family in the church that they go to, that would take them in, Protasho replied that he didn't think his mother would let them go. A holiday is one thing, but to go permanently wouldn't happen.
He does the fetching of their water and the cooking for the family, especially when the mom is drunk which again he said is every day.

It was heartbreaking to see them sitting there talking about their life, what is normal to them -things that no child should ever have to think about, worry about or even sit and discuss with someone else. How their mom treats them, to see the them stare off into the distance, look down, fidget and speak about their mom. How they have not even missed her, how they don't want to go back…

When I was teaching Protasho on Monday I noticed him squinting while copying words for handwriting. The paper he was looking at was right in front of him. So I later asked him about his eyes, and did it seem fuzzy, etc.
When Maureen came today we asked him some more questions and he mentioned that he had a white spot in the center of his pupil on his right eye, and that it "pained him" when he was outside in the sun.
So I took him to an optometrist. A real one. I could have gone to the local clinic, sat there all day , then been referred to another clinic or the hospital in town then referred somewhere else, and on and on. So we went to the local optometrist that I would go to if I needed an exam and the exam part was free.

We walked in and sat down. An indian woman ( as in from INDIA) was the doctor. She called us back to the room. I motioned for Protasho to come with me and he sat in the chair and they turned off the lights and she started speaking to him in english. "What is the problem?". I stopped her right there and then explained what I knew of the problem and asked her if she spoke nyanja. No. Then she said well you already explained the situation so lets just continue. I asked her if we could bring in the man at the desk that spoke nyanja to translate. She said ok and called him in. He then translated the steps and what she needed him to do. Chin here, forehead here, look this way..etc
Then she told me that he had oppositing in his right eye. I really had no clue what she was saying on top of not being able to even understand her english. She proceeded to say there's nothing to do so lets move on to the left eye and see. I really almost thought to ask the man to translate for me, then realized that might seem offensive to ask him to translate her english into english so I could understand. Did make me realize though that I am comfortable with the "Zambian english" and I get it. ( Moreso than chinese english or indian english)

So they then asked him to read the letters on the chart.
Normally for a 14, almost 15 year old boy this would be the easiest part of the exam.
It wasn't. They asked me what grade he was in, and I explained he is being tutored and not yet in school.
he knows most of the letters but not clear enough and in that situation to say them to know how his eyesight is.

Then they asked if he could read numbers. He said yes and so they scrolled down to the numbers part of the screen. Putting different lenses and asking which one was clearer and to read them again.
I can only imagine how stressful and strange this must have been to him. I get stressed trying to decide which one, A or B, lens 1 or 2, is clearer. Add to that the heavy contraption-like "glasses" that they were putting on his face and placing the lenses on.

After all that was finished I again asked the woman what she meant about the right eye "oppositing".
He can't even see out of his right eye. He must have had an injury or even dust to his eye that scratched around years ago and that eye can not reflect the rays of light and it causes him pain when it is bright and sunny outside.
So she explained to me that his left eye is weak and with glasses worn all day every day it should get stronger but he needs to continually wear them also to protect his eye, because that left one is all he has.

I asked her about the "oppositing" and she said that the only thing that could be done is a cornea transplant, which obviously can't happen. So hopefully over time his one "good" eye will get better so he can see clearer again.

We picked out some frames and the man spoke in nyanja to him.
It was sad to see the lack of empathy and care from the woman doctor, when she realized he didn't know English and he was not "educated". I could feel it and I can say I HATE it.
Almost makes me want to go back and ask for the translater for her english...

When we got back to the house, I asked him to explain to Maureen what the dr. said to make sure he understood. He didn't quite catch it all because he thought he only had to wear them until 12 noon each day.
I then could see he was not happy and was thinking he was not going to wear them. I then explained to Maureen that the glasses were expensive and so I want him to make sure he wears them. Well something got lost in translation and then he was worried about the expense. I told him no, I don't care about the money, I just want you to know that you need to wear them and take care of them. Then I explained how it would feel awkward at first but then after a while you will like wearing them because you will be able to see so much better.

So, we go tomorrow to pick the spectacles up ( that is what they call them ) and then we will see how it goes.
My hope is that he will really wear them all the time. I told him he looked "smart" in them, which means smart as we would say it and then also "handsome or cool"- so doubly smart!

2 week holiday

2011-05-30T00:55:00.000-07:00

We have 2 boys from Kabanana Patrick and Protasho staying with us for 2 weeks. This is a "holiday" for them, away from their home and an exteded time of schooling with Kat and crash course in English. (We don't speak Nyanja!)

Katryn recently mentioned these boys on her blog. These are the ones she tutors 3 times a week. Protasho is 14 and did not even know how to read or write or speak English. Patrick is 11. Kat is doing a great job teaching them and they are doing very well learning.

Their mom is a drunk, works at a bar and frequently brings men home with her.
Most recently, they had moved to a one room place and so now on occasion she kicks the boys out at night to sleep outside, without their blankets that we bought and gave to them, so that she can use them and entertain her men.

It is cold here at night now and to think of these boys being alone outside because of their mother's treatment of them is just not acceptable. She has been known also to leave and go out of town for a few weeks and leave them along at home without any food.

We had been thinking of occasionally having the sibling groups from different families of the kids we sponsor to come stay with us over a weekend or for a holiday so they can be part of a family and see how parents, siblings, etc are to interact with each other. We have a bedroom in the little house outside that we can use for hosting kids when we need to.

So we have these boys here for 2 weeks. We asked the mom for permission to have them come stay with us and she agreed.
So after this time, they will go back home. Then maybe later we will ask again and see if they can stay with someone else even, and we hope over time the mother gets used to the idea of them being gone and then will allow them to move into a more suitable living arrangements.

As James and I talked about them coming, I was concerned that they would be here 2 weeks, and then it would be harder for them to go home.
-To go from sleeping in a warm bed, to no bed.
(Can you imagine what it would be like at 11 and 14 to put on new pajamas and get under the covers and sleep in a bed for the very first time?)
-Eating 3 meals a day and snacks, back to maybe eating one meal a day.
-Having clean clothes to wear and being able to bathe properly to wearing the same dirty clothes for a week or more.
-Sitting down with the family to eat dinner, read the bible and pray together, reading books before bed and getting "tucked in", back to wandering around at night alone.

So what do you do?
I don't know.
We have similar problems with other kids we sponsor. What they need most is to get out from the home environments they are in and be in a more stable setting.
But whether the best option or not, we decided to give them a "break".
A "holiday" with a family.

New clothes for church

Patrick being silly

Brushing teeth

Just a few

2011-05-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

There are so many needy kids all around us.
We can not help all of them, we can not even help most of them, but we can help a few. We know that God brings certain people along our path and it is those that we then have a choice to help or not.

Saturday a little boy Chanda 11 yrs. old knocked at our gate begging for food. We gathered some things and Ian handed it to him. Ian told me he had a huge smile when he saw the eggs.
Suunday we drove home from church and the little boy was sitting at the gate. Filthy in rags with no shoes. We let him come in to the yard and play football for a bit with the kids. I talked to him a little and found out he had not had breakfast so I gave him something to eat and a glass of milk. We gathered eggplants from the garden and then I sent him home with that and some rice. I told him to come back on Thursday to play if he wanted.

Today he came with his brother/cousin Immanuel who is 13 yrs. old and looks about 8 yrs.
Here is their story. It has become a familiar one.
The 2 boys stay with their grandmother. Their mothers live in Kapiri and works on a farm. The grandmother owns her own 2 room place and has no income. She was bitten by a snake and now has to walk with crutches and has been immobilized in some form due to the snake bite. The 2 boys go around during the days begging for food and piece work.
Chanda's mother left one day when he was out playing and took his sister ( now 6 yrs.) along with her to go work on a farm in Kapiri. She has never come back.
Chanda has Never been to school.

Immanuel has been to school but stopped at grade 5. They have an uncle that lives in the same area that brings some food over when he is able.

I had Enock translate for me today and was able to find out all these things.
They had not eaten at all today either ( by 3:00) so I made tham a Peanut Butter sandwich gave them a banana and milk and a cookie. They played awhile with the boys outside while I looked for some clothes to give them.

I found 2 pairs of Ian's sandals that he had outgrown, and was able to get a clean pair of clothes with underwear for each of them. Then I took them to the shower room outside and explained about using the shampoo for the hair and opened a new bar of soap and gave them a washcloth and said wash really good.

I can only imagine how good that must feel when you are so very dirty.

They took a really long time in the shower! They were in there laughing and I just heard the water going and going. Ian knocked on the door a few times to ask if they were done.
Finally after quite a long time the boy stuck his head out the window and yelled DONE!
So I said ok, now dry off and made the motions of patting my arms with a towel and then pretended to put on trousers. They got the idea.

They put their clothes on and came out and I helped them adjust the waist band so it fit better.
Then I gave them each a tooth brush and little tube of toothpaste and brought them to the sink and explained about brushing. They brushed and brushed. Then I said spit. They didn't understand so then I made the noise, ( oh so ladylike! ha) and then they spit. Immanuel had been holding it all in for quite awhile.

Then Chanda rinsed his off and put toothpaste on again and started again. I laughed and explained that you only need to do it once. Then we put their toothbrushes in a bag and their dirty clothes and extra pair of underpants.
I remembered how everyone uses a lot of lotion here so gave them some lotion and they lathered that all over them even their heads.
When they finished I took them to the mirror and showed them how handsome they looked!

They looked like different kids.

They left with a bag of tomatoes and bread and I told them to come back on Wednesday and maybe we could have some piece work for them to do.

I would love to be able to get both of these boys into school. They live nearby and I will be praying about how to help these kids. Enock made the comment to me that this is where the street kids come from.
These very boys just like many of "our boys" in Kabanana, are prime "candidates" for boys that end up on the street. Stealing, doing drugs, just trying to survive.

What if we could intercept that. Not for all of them, not even for many of them. But just for a few. We could be the ones that stand in between them and the streets.

(Chanda age 11, Immanuel age 13)

CMC Hostels Project

2011-05-23T02:41:00.000-07:00

Here are the latest pictures of the CMC Hostels Project.
They are hopeful that by the next module in July they will be ready to be used by the pastors when they come for the class.
This will be a great help to the church as the congregation is small and it has become quite a challenge to host 30+ men for a week every quarter.
It will also give the pastors more time together for fellowship and encouragement during the week!

CMC April 2011 Module

2011-05-23T02:24:00.000-07:00

Pastor Alan Dunn from New Jersey and Pastor Jeremy Walker from England came to teach the April Module in the Copperbelt.

The class was the largest one yet, and things went very well.
This was the last class for the students that started into the college 4 years ago. They will write their final comprehensive exam in September and then there should be a graduation in the spring of next year.

Jeremy teaching

Alan teaching

Each Lecturer is given an appreciation gift. It usually is a chitenge shirt, and here I think maybe some sandals were given for the wife as well. (Least I hope Pastor Dunn isn't walking around in those this summer, they look just like a beaded pair I have!)

Alan Dunn, Kabwe Kabwe and Jeremy Walker

Orphan Work

2011-05-18T10:54:00.000-07:00

Working with the orphans is an emotionally challenging job . Recently the needs, and difficulties of our kids have increased and seem to be overwhelming. One of the women (now employed in the orphan ministry) Katryn Belke wrote a blog post about some of the children we are working with in Kabanana and their stories.

Here is the link:

(well I wasn't able to link it I don't know why) here is the web address then.

www.kat-ndazyoka.blogspot.com

Driving through Choma

2011-05-12T08:55:00.000-07:00

Driving back from Livingstone we passed through Choma where there was a large gathering of people awaiting someone important. Kids were climbed up on buildings and electric towers to get a good view. We stopped to ask one boy and he said the President is coming. We asked if it was RB (President Rupiah Banda) and he said no it's HH. He is the leader of the opposition party that is running to become president in the election. People were lined up all along the road and some even dressed in tribal wear and carrying spears.

As we were driving just outside of Choma we saw a motorcade of vehicles, with loudspeakers and then a fancy mercedes benz and we figured we had just passed HH himself!

Then as we got closer to Lusaka we saw something I have not seen yet in Zambia, but of course it was not surprising. When you have seen Cow heads being unloaded from a car trunk into a wheelbarrow to sell in Chipata, I don't think much more could surprise me. But this was like a little farm on wheels.
A blue mini bus was towing a trailer and at first I just saw the chicken on top. Then as we drove past ( and the picture is bad from snapping it through the window) I saw not only did they have chicken, but also pigs and goats and ducks! all in this trailer attached to the mini bus.

Then as we were leaving Victoria Falls, I took a picture of the Zesco station.
If you look at the skyline on the right you will see 3 tall trees that "blend in" with the other trees and scenery.
This is the first time I have seen this in Zambia, where they created the electric towers to look like trees.
James said they do that in Namibia. I am sure it has everything to do with the fact that alot of important and wealthy people fly into Zambia to see Victoria Falls and they want everything to look nice. It did make it much nicer, especially as it is right across from where you pull out of the park.

Unfortunately though as we left the beauty of the falls and drove past where we had pulled off earlier another day to see the river before it goes into the falls we saw a group of 3 young people standing on top of the picnic table chucking empty glass beer bottles into the river. They were laughing hysterically and watching as each one made its way out into the middle of the river. We drove past and had we not been soaking wet I probably would have gotten out of the car but as it was I just rolled down my window and said, "What? " "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? " Why?

I am sure the why was...because its cool and we are young and acting foolish. Why not? ( and as a side note I don't think my getting out of the car would have mattered anyway and really what more could I have said? Except maybe, hey! this is your own country, why are you trashing it like that? )

Since my question stopped them in mid air holding a bottle to throw in they just stared at me for a minute I gave them a look like "come on!" Then they just started laughing and waiting for us to leave. Maybe they thought it was even cool since they were throwing Mosi bottles in. Who knows. But it was a bit disappointing coming from the beauty we saw and then to see just a few minutes later people throwing trash into the falls.

I know this happens back home alot and everywhere. It just seems like littering is so common here. I have been with friends and they finish a drink and just roll down the window and throw the bottle on the ground. You will be driving behind a bus and people are just throwing stuff out the window. Still not quite used to it and the thing is that everywhere you walk there is trash on the ground. Zambia is a pretty country if people took better care of it it would be even nicer. Every day on the way to school we drive past a area with nice trees and a big sign, Don't litter written in both English and Nyanja. Thing is its the biggest trash pile I have seen outside of the compounds.

Safari in Livingstone

2011-05-04T09:50:00.000-07:00

While we were in Livingstone we went on a game drive.
We saw a few animals, the usual monkeys, baboons ( Grace's first full sentence...Momma I see a babbon!- with Emma's prompting) few zebras, giraffe, impalas, warthogs, wildebeats, one elephant from a distance, and a water monitor lizard.

The best part though was getting to see one of the only 7 rhinos in Zambia.
They are guarded and we asked about seeing them so a guard hopped in our vehicle and we drove out and then had to get out of the car and walk quietly in a single line out to see the rhino. it was sleeping under the tree. Caleb said it was scary!
I thought it was pretty cool.

The kids looking at the rhino. It is in the distance under the tree.

Manda Hill Day

2011-05-04T05:39:00.000-07:00

I took Grace with me this morning to Manda Hill ( the most western shopping center in Zambia ) to do some shopping.

Several little interesting things happened so I thought, hey why not blog about it since I havent done something on the every day stuff in a while.

These are just random observations, happenings, conversations from the day.

A few related to Gracie. Beyond the normal stares, smiles, surprised looks as they see her in a chitenge on my back.

We went to check our parcels at the counter and the guy there was asking about Grace. Whose was she, he didn't believe me when I said she was mine. So then after I explained we adopted her he gave the response that I have heard many times...Well you should adopt me! Why didn't you adopt me? . I ignored it a minute then he asked again and finally I said, well you were not sitting crying in an orphanage for a family...were you? Then when I came back out to retrieve the parcels he asked again, so when are you adopting me. I told him he looked like he was doing quite well and even had a job, to which he replied "well looks can be deceiving sometimes..."

Then in the store another woman stopped me to ask who she was, she was nice about it and "approved" in her own way and asked me a few questions. It really seems more strange and unusual for a white person living in Africa to adopt a black child than it is to see a white family with a truly African child in America.

Then as we were checking out at the register the lady bagging the groceries was very friendly talking to Grace and me and then at one point said, "You are a missionary, right? " I think maybe muzungu woman + black daughter + living in Zambia = Missionary ??? Not sure, just a guess on her thinking.

It has started getting cooler here which is really nice. But you see some strange combinations. A young woman with a sleeveless tank top type of shirt and she was wearing a fleece scarf, not just for decoration but it was tight around her neck keeping that part of her warm.

In Shoprite a young muzungu lady telling her mother, (read it with an attitude) "uh...They just don't have that great of a selection of Cat food/treats here." - to which I thought, yeah I'm just amazed that they have a whole aisle of food/ things devoted to dogs and cats. I mean we are in Africa, I don't know hardly any Africans that have cats and dogs in their house for that matter.

And truth be told, I am a cat hater.
You either love them or hate them and now that I am far enough away from any friends that have cats I can say that without anyone getting upset at me. (Hopefully)
So I was feeling no sympathy what so ever for her little fluffy not having the creme dela creme cat treats!

But for me, it was a great day at Shoprite. I found frozen blueberries again! It has been a year since I last saw them there. So we had run out, though just yesterday a friend sent us 2 big bags of dried blueberries so that was great!
I stocked up on the frozen ones and we are back in the blueberry business. muffins, pies, cakes...smoothies, in our yogurt.
I took about half of these (14 boxes) leaving some for others.( and I couldn't afford to buy all of them)

Then every few months or so they have a certain juice "secrets of the Valley" that is our most favorite juice here. It doesn't seem to stay long but they had that as well today. I took the last four they had.

The only disappointment for the day was I saw this chip plate for sale, with a picture of tortilla chips on it, only to be reminded that no store in Zambia sells real tortilla chips. And that is a bummer...

Then Grace and I got lunch and while I was finishing eating, a little boy sitting at a table across the way from us threw up all over. Poor guy. Poor parents. (been there more times than I would like to remember)
poor nandos worker that had to clean it up. Poor customers...who couldn't necessarily finish their lunch...well... ok... I think it was just me, because everyone else seemed clueless, including Grace who happily finished the rest of my french fries because I couldn't.

So that was our morning!

Victoria Falls

2011-05-04T05:27:00.000-07:00

Last week we took a much needed family break to go and see Victoria Falls.
With the rainy season almost ending this was a great time to see it and it really was awesome!

Mosi-oa-tunya
The smoke that thunders. What the Falls are referred to sometimes.
From a far distance the mist rising actually looks like smoke

This was an awesome view, the falls are in the back distance and you can see the mist rising and the water falling between the two ridges.

We walked around on a path to see them from the distance. We were up really high and no guard rails, so the 3 older kids all had a "buddy" that they had to hold on to no matter what!

In the back is the bridge we walked over close to the falls.

My most favorite part was walking across the bridge. The mist and water coming off the falls was like walking through a downpour! It was so fun. The first day I took the 4 kids while James stayed with the two young ones. I think I loved it so much because we were all just laughing and screaming together!

but then the second day we all went together and came back across, soaked!

Looking at falls

Seeing a double rainbow was pretty neat

Caleb told James this was his most favorite vacation. Great ! Especially since we were there on his birthday.
The 4 older kids hiked down to the bottom of the falls at the boiling pot where it all swirls together. James said Caleb was the first one back up when they finished the hike.

Water

2011-04-20T01:07:00.000-07:00

Water is a very basic thing. Something we can so easily take for granted.
Since moving here I have never been so thankful for hot running water.

For about the first 6-8 months, we had major issues with our water. We didn't have hot water consistently.
For some time, we had hot water in the sinks but not the showers. Then we didn't even have hot water in the sinks. So several times, especially in the cold season we had to boil pots of water on the stove and then take it to the bath tub dump it in, go back and boil more. With 7 people this was quite the process and task just to get clean with hot water.

Then we had issues with our water pressure. When we finally had consistent hot water, then there would be no pressure. We would start the shower with a drizzle and then at times it would stop completely then a minute or two later it would start back again to the drizzle. We are once again having issues with the pressure, at times even going to take a shower and nothing comes out.

I have mentioned to a few people that I have never prayed more about water than in the shower, this past year. Praying for a good attitude when the water is not what we would like. Then praying and thanking God when it was.

This past week we were at a friend's house preparing lunch for the orphans. Where she lives, they only have water turned on 3 times a day, for an hour each time. So at her house though she has sinks and faucets, most of the time the water is taken out of a tub then poured into basins. Just washing your hands after cutting up the chicken, rinsing vegetables off.... the list can go on and on of how many times you go to turn the water on and its not there.

Then imagine every day when the water turns on, having the task of re filling every bucket, tub and basin to use for that day.
Quite alot of work.

I see that situation and it makes me thankful we HAVE running water all the time.

My friend talks about her situation and says she is thankful the water comes to her house, 3 times a day.

Because many other neighbors don't have that. They have to walk a short distance to fetch their water from a running tap wether it is a few "blocks down" from where they live.

And I imagine those people look at their situation of having to walk a short distance to turn the faucet on and get water out and they can see, at least all we have to do is turn it on. Others have to walk even longer distances to then pump their water out of the well.

Everywhere we go, every day people are walking with buckets to get water.
Just think about something we take for granted that has to be a major thought and action of your life every day. Going to get water. Every time I drive to Kabanana and head through Chipata I see at least one or two men rolling barrels of water.
Kids start early and as much as they can carry they too are involved in getting the water each day. Whether it is just a milk jug, or a basin they too are carrying.

I think about all those things and then look in my yard at the two huge storage tanks that we have to store water. City water comes right into the tanks which then comes directly to my faucet and is held there until we need it.
So, in the event that the water is turned off, we still have several days worth of water.

and it makes me think... why are we so blessed with WATER?

Hair cuts for all the boys!

2011-04-18T10:30:00.001-07:00

Today we got the boys in Kabanana free haircuts. They all were needing them.
The guy that cuts my hair, Peter had told me once about a time he and some of his friends went and cut hair for kids at an orphanage, and how great that was. When we were talking about the boys needing hair cuts, I thought why don't I ask him.
So I did and he said sure! So today was his day off and he came and cut the boys hair. We met at Fanny's house and he started cutting, after the 5th boy the power went out! I went to get my clippers out of the car that I had brought along just in case we needed an extra pair and it had enough charge to almost finish one of the boys. But than that too ran out.

We then decided to check at Maureen's place and her power was still on so we loaded up the other boys that hadn't got their hair cut and drove there to finish the cuts. We were very thankful her power was on. It just reminded me how many things we can take for granted. We had the boys, had the supplies, had the guy to cut hair and then no power...

Several of the boys usually go when they have money and for less than a dollar can get a cut at a "shop" in the compound. But as Peter was explaining often those places don't take hygiene and health considerations and care for cleaning the clippers and sanitizing them and the boys heads after each cut. So often ringworm is spread as a result of getting their hair cut.

One boy couldn't afford a hair cut so had concocted a home remedy of a relaxer chemical and applied that to his hair. It then left sores and places where the acid burned his head.

They all looked great afterwards with their "clean shaven" look. We have some handsome boys. It was neat to see them look in the mirror afterwards and smile, knowing they looked good.

Peter cutting Nathan's hair

The older boys comparing chin hairs.

Morgan

Protasho

Joseph Daka

Christopher

Patrick

Harrington

Another loss - AGAIN

2011-04-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

More sad news...

Bonaventure Lkwesa's wife died this week as well.
Bonaventure is another student here at Lusaka Ministerial College.

His wife was in a car accident on Thursday evening and was then taken to a rural clinic where no one knew who she was and there was no power. So it was not until Saturday that Bonaventure found out she had died and where she was.
The funeral then was on Sunday.

another loss

2011-04-15T23:19:00.000-07:00

Please pray for Francis Nyati and his family.
He is a student of James's in the Copperbelt. He pastors a church in Ndola.

His wife just died.
I know they all would appreciate your prayers.
Thank you.

Lunch

2011-04-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

The kids in Kabanana are on school holiday this month so we have planned extra activities and times to get together with them. Earlier this week Katryn spent the day with just the girls, doing "girly stuff" -painting nails, talking, playing with dolls...
Then today we made lunch for the kids and all ate together.
Nshima, fried chicken, eggplant, rape ( which is like collard greens) and soup.

The kids seemed to enjoy the food and the time together.

I thought this was funny, all the boys were hanging out on the side of the car. At one point before we started eating I walked over and said hi and Morgan asked if I wanted to join them, so they all slid down and I sat on the side of the car with them. They all were picking leaves off the bush tearing them up and throwing them down, funny but I instinctively did the same thing without even thinking about it.

They were asking me different questions, about the family and kids, everything they wanted to know about the car and then what sports I liked to play. So then I was asking them about their favorite team which almost all of them said Manchester. 2 boys said Barcelona. They then were each giving me a new word in Nyanja to learn and asking about what kinds of music I liked. Then I was asking them their favorite Zambian song so they sang a couple words, and I still didn't recognize it so they stopped, but Wisdom was not too embarrased and he started singing it out!

As we were getting ready to leave a few of the boys that were needing new shoes were given them today.
And when we ( at least Americans I will say ) say we need new shoes, it often means we would like another pair of shoes to match another new outfit we just bought, or the styles are changing and we "need" new shoes, or I have had these for 2 years and even though there are no holes anywhere in them, we still "need" a new pair. But here, when someone needs new shoes, their foot is literally falling out the sides of the shoes and out the bottom as the sole is flapping up or they only have flip flops to wear and those are breaking or they walk barefoot everywhere. They are the ones that NEED shoes.

I remember when we first started sponsor one of the kids, he had to have school shoes to go to school. The first time I met him he so much wanted to be at school he was wearing shoes that were at least 3 or 4 times too small and the seams were ripping at the back and the shoe was folded down and he was essentially walking funny and wearing them like slippers.

So the word NEED you begin to see more clearly in the light of people around you and it definitely takes on the truest meaning of the word.

It was so sweet to see them so happy and thankful. One of the 4 boys, Protasho's shoes were not the right size so even though he tried to make them work and I know he was so disappointed, we told him Monday he would have a bigger size.

A huge disappointment today came in relation to taking Wisdom to get started on his ARV's. As I have mentioned before he is HIV positive and every other week seems to be sick with something. We tested him last year and found out he was positive. We then took him for his CD4 count and the clinic stalled and ended up loosing the results. Time passed and we took him again to another clinic and they too lost the results. This most recent clinic gave us his results and we took him to another clinic 2 weeks ago to get started on the ARV's. We arrived late in the afternoon and even though they were still open they would not see him and told us to come back. So today was finally the day that he would be started on the ARV's.
His count is low and he is in desperate need ( real NEED ) of medicine. Katryn Maureen and Fanny went to get him and when they arrived his mother was adamant that he would not begin any treatment for the HIV.

She herself has HIV ( gave it to Wisdom) and is actually in the last stages dying of AIDS. She is in denial though and will not take medicine herself and will not allow Wisdom to take it. In the past she has stated that she should just be praying for God to heal her and that it is wrong to take medicine. Evidentially now she is even saying that no medicine ( not even tylenol ) should be used. So we all were so saddened to hear this and upset by the mother's actions that are denying her son the right to medical care for the disease.

Monday a counselor from the clinic is planning to accompany Kat and Maureen and try to talk to the mother. Please pray that God would work in this situation and the mother would allow him to be treated. Wisdom is such a sweet boy, anyone that meets him would see that right away and we want him to be around with us for a long time!

Namibia

2011-04-13T09:41:00.000-07:00

James is in Namibia right now.
I asked him to write and explain what he is doing there this week.

Four years ago (July 2007), Zambian pastors and some pastors from the US cooperated to launch a training program for pastors in the Copperbelt region of Zambia, called Copperbelt Ministerial College. It meets one week per quarter. During that week, two classes are taught. One of the students from this college, Kapambwe Nsenduluka, is presently a missionary pastor in Namibia. Having benefitted from the training of CMC, he asked whether we could give some help for starting a similar program in Namibia. I visited in October 2010, and met with a group of pastors representing some of the Baptist churches here, and presented a vision for training and offered help for how they could begin a school here. The pastors asked that we help supply lecturers and other support for ministerial training.

So, this week is the first "module" for training pastors. I am teaching a course about the centrality of the Gospel and its relationship to the Law, which is called Legalism, Lawlessness, and the Gospel of Grace, and Isaac Makashinyi is teaching Christian Ethics, with an emphasis on its application to the African context. I am here as much to help see the first module through and assist the local coordinator (Buddy Bahun) as I am to teach the course. This module is a sort of "trial run" with only a few students, after which they should have a good idea of how to handle all the scheduling and logistics required to make the module work. So, we hope that the next module should have many more students. Still, it has been nice to have a small and intimate setting with a handful of guys to begin. Things are going very well thus far, and we're thankful to the Lord for His help in getting off to a good start.

KFC

2011-04-06T01:34:00.000-07:00

Ian to one of the workers at the newly opened KFC at the Manda Hill mall:
" Hello, how are you? do you know what KFC stands for?"
-"No, I just started here. "
Ian: "Oh, ok".

It stands for Kentucky Fried Chicken ya'll !
(Not Kamwala Fried Chicken as a few people at his school told him...kamwala is an area in lusaka)

The very state in America that we are from!
In fact the colonel's wife, Claudia Sanders has her dinner house in our beloved Shelbyville.

We went there last night for dinner. The menu is very basic, chicken, coleslaw, french fries, mashed potatoes and....
you guessed it, nshima!
Where else in the world can you get a kfc meal with a side of nshima.

LGWM Singing Video

2011-04-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

Living Gospel World Mission from megan Williamson on Vimeo.

Living Gospel World Mission

2011-03-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

We went to one of James's students church yesterday. James was invited to preach there. We all went along with him, and even though it is always challenging for us all to go, and it makes for a long hard day with the little ones, it is always a blessing.

We were brought into the church to the very front row with the "good chairs" reserved for our whole family.
Bringing 6 kids into the front row of any church is a bit overwhelming but we are getting used to it now and with the exception of Grace having to go out frequently the other kids did great.

I stood in the back with Grace for awhile and realized this here is the training ground for something I have always wondered. How can adults in Zambia sit so long for church services and not even move or shift around in their seat every 3 minutes like I do?

About 50 children were seated on hard uneven benches from about 8:30 until 12:30. As I watched them squirming a bit and getting restless at 11:00 , as I too was restless and had only come at 10:00, it dawned on me they learn when they are this young. It is expected of them to sit here and they learn it. So all the kids were in the back and all the adults in the front of the church.

This church was a bit interesting in that during the preaching they had 3 men going back and forth bringing drinks of mealy which is like a liquidy porridge for everyone to drink during the service. Probably for many, especially the kids that were there this was their breakfast. They had about 8 to 10 cups and would just use them over and over for each person going up and down the rows until everyone had had a drink.

The singing was beautiful and I have a video that I hope to upload at some point. They had each group represented, the men, women, youth and children and they each came singing down the aisle up to the front for their turn to sing 2 songs together.

After James preached and we greeted everyone in the church then they brought us to the pastors office to have lunch and a drink. They had brought 8 bottles of water out on a platter to where we were seated at the beginning of the service for our family. That was so kind and a "treat".

They treated us so well and it is humbling how us visiting there, simply because we are muzungus, we are the visitors and because James is a preacher and the prinicpal/ teacher at the college. This gets much respect and differential treatment.

As we were preparing to go Pastor Phiri told James that he can not describe in the english language in words what this has meant to him, his visiting and preaching at his church. What his going to the college has meant.
He said, What you have done means so much to me and my ministry…It is hard when you are alone and teaching things. He mentioned how when you are alone preaching you feel isolated, but going to the college and learning and then having James preach the same things Pastor Phiri has been preaching, just was a huge encouragement to him.

The message he preached had personally ministered to Pastor Phiri and he was very thankful
At one point he said something about "you have given me more than if you would have given me a million US dollars. "

The college and the classes for these men are making a difference in their ministries and their lives and that was a great encouragement to see!

They prepared lunch for our family and the two elders.
Pastor Phiri and James

I served the food up. It was spaghetti noodles with a sauce of green beans and tomatoes to put over it. Then there was chicken. I was not sure what was in the container until I opened it to serve and laying right on top were 2 chicken feet, with toes and all! I was a bit surprised and had to compose myself because looking at toes really did me in. I found some other parts of the chicken under neath and served those to my family and then served the feet and another piece of meat to the 2 pastors. I figured they were used to eating them.

As we were getting ready to leave Pastor Phiri pulled out a bag of green maize to give as a gift along with a envelope of a offering that was taken ( consisting of about $28) and then he pulled out a chicken. This is a great sign of appreciation and we told them thank you very much. The feet were bound and since James had received the bag of maize I was the one that had my hands free mometarily. This is the first time we have received a chicken as a gift, and I think he was motioning for me to take it. I am not positive but James quickly asked if he could carry it to the car for us and then Emma took it to the trunk.
But first we stopped to take a picture.

LOVE

2011-03-26T02:24:00.000-07:00

It's been over 2 weeks since I blogged. I can't really tell you anything new and exciting of our ministries that is going on right now or even any Africa life stuff right now. But I thought I could share what is going on inside me and my heart.
Something to read and think about at least if you have been checking the blog and there has been nothing…and maybe it will encourage someone else who feels like they are struggling more than usual through this life as well!

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. it does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong doing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Now a lot of us for a lot of our lives read this passage and are taken back to a wedding ceremony, candles , flowers, pretty lights…. Ahh, LOVE. How wonderful is love and how sweet this passage is in scripture and how encouraging, LOVE.

Well I read it this week and wept. And I am not talking tears of happiness and joy. Tears of sorrow and conviction. Tears of a knife was put to my heart as I have seen how much I don't LOVE.

You fall in love with someone and truly do love them and commit to spend the rest of your life with them and say you will do anything for them. Then you grow in your love for them and years down the road it is much deeper and stronger and you look back and think, I thought I loved them then, but I really love them now! My love now for my spouse is nothing compared to the love I thought I had for them back in the beginning.

And you continue to grow in your love and it becomes much more special and meaningful because of how much your spouse endures and puts up with from you. How much they forgive you. Over and over again. Day after Day.
And you know they love you deeper than before because of how they forgive you and continue to LOVE you.
This is such a blessed gift. To have your love grow in this way.

But it is a painful gift too. A sanctifying gift. No one wants to be hurt by their spouse and no one wants to hurt their spouse. But it happens. And in marriage, seems like all the time, the one you love the most and are most comfortable with and are the free-est with is often the one you hurt the most. Crazy, I know.

But there is real love. And I know that only those who know and love Christ and who know Christ loves them and forgives them freely can really LOVE at all.

LOVE is a powerful thing.

When I look at my husband's LOVE for me I see Christ's LOVE for me.
What an awesome thing to be able to be the one that shows the Love of God the Father and the Love of Christ to another person!

Life can be very hard. Things pressing in on you from all sides. Stress in your life like you have never known before
and attacks of the enemy like you have never known before. Weariness and tiredness sets in and in the midst of all these things we are still to LOVE.

Sadly to say in the midst of all these things I have not LOVED.

And let me just say I was going to title this blog PRIDE.
Because it is PRIDE in my heart that years ago made me think I never struggle with anger and depression and other things. I could look at others and see those struggles and then think, Well I have different struggles but really those have never been my issues. And feel a sense of pride that at least "those sins" are not my areas.

But let me tell you, when you think that…Knowledge puffs up but Pride goes before a fall.
You are about to see it in your own life. And when you least expect it!
The Lord allows us to be pressed down at times and squished and we see what squirts out. And it is not pretty.

So as I read the passage of love and wept I thought:

I have not been patient and kind.
I have envied and boasted;
I have been arrogant and rude.
I have insisted on my own way;
I have been irritable;
I have not bore all things,
I have not believed the best in all things,
I have not had hope in all things,
And I certainly have not endured all things.
I have Failed. ( Love never fails!)

So rather than being encouraged and feeling cheery and fluffy about love, I was feeling broken.
You know it is bad enough to read through the scripture and see something about yourself and come to terms with it. But when you read over a list and you can pretty much say, Yep..this whole entire thing is totally not me right now. that is pretty depressing! And "breaking".

But we know what God does with brokenness and that is where the encouragement comes. We may fail miserably again and again. BUT GOD.

So though I see so many failings lately and that what is coming out in times of hardship and stress is ugliness and not the sweet aroma of Christ, I have hope that in seeing this more clearly and wanting to be the sweet aroma, God helping me, I will be more and more transformed into the image of Christ. And I am so thankful that His LOVE is perfect towards us!

LMC Pastors Seminar

2011-03-10T09:39:00.000-08:00

The class

Randy Pizzino teaching on "the Holy Spirit"

Todd Jaussen teaching, "Christ centered life and ministry"

Randy eating nshima for lunch with the men

Todd teaching the men

More Heavenly Springs

2011-03-10T00:17:00.000-08:00

About a year ago I mentioned a book I was reading that was encouraging.
2 years later I am still going through the book, over and over.
I might have written a few of these quotes before, but the Lord has freshly encouraged me with these things again.

Still highly recommending the book to everyone. "Heavenly Springs" by Andrew Bonar
These are just random thoughts he wrote.

"Lift our eyes heavenward.
Earthward is bad enough, but inward is dreadful.
Lift us heavenward to where Jesus sits on the right hand of God."

"The nearer you come to Him the better, for you will then be farther from the world, and the world will have less power over you."

"It is a good thing angels were not sent to preach to us. I would go far to hear an angel preach, but I don't think I would get much good from his sermon. I would come away thinking of his beautiful words and his persuasive tongue, but perhaps saying, "It is all very well for that angel to talk about the miry clay, but he does not know how stiff it is; he never was in it!"

"When Israel reached the other side of the red sea, how surprised they must have been. No river flowing like the Nile flowing through the land, no palmtrees heavy laden with dates, no gardeners of cucumbers and melons! What was to become of them?
They were to learn that God could take them other ways and other means to lead them onward. He took from them all visible means of support, and then He stepped in with the wondrous manna from the skies. When the Lord takes away from His people anything that they used to have, He does not mean to make them unhappy. He wants to make them happy in another way. He gives them Manna instead of bread. Corn is never called 'the bread of the mighty', but manna is. "

"When you begin to pray always get into this position, leaning on His bosom. Don't pray to someone far off. Don't pray even to someone in the same room."

"The blessing we pray for may not come at once, but it is on its way. Sometimes the Lord keeps us waiting long, because He likes to keep us in His presence."

" May we stand on the shore of that ocean into which our sins have been cast, and see them sink to the depths, out of sight, and the sea calm and peaceful over them, the sunshine playing on it, the sunshine of Your love and Your favor. "

"Christ needed the storm on the Lake of Galilee that He might show how His single word could quiet it. He needed a troubled conscience that He might show how His atoning blood could calm and quiet it. And he needed a great and guilty sinner in order to show the power of the atonement and the riches of His grace."

"We go forward, praising You for all past mercies and trusting You for every step of the Way"

GOD Answers PRAYER!

2011-03-05T10:33:00.000-08:00

GOD has been so GOOD

We took our 22 Kabanana kids to the clinic today to get tested for HIV.
We had prepared and talked with them and prayed much for this day. Many people were praying this week in preparation for this day.

We all met at Fanny's house at 8 hrs. We had hired a bus to take most of us and Katryn also drove.
We got to the clinic and then the kids waited and one at a time they came in and told them their name and age and then they did the finger prick to take their blood. The kids all did great!

We waited afterwards for the results . God was so kind and merciful.
We took 22 kids. We knew 2 of them were HIV POSITIVE. We were nervous as to what the results would be.
ALL other kids , ALL were NEGATIVE!!!!!
God answered ours and many others prayers!

waiting at clinic

Then we came to our house to have pizza and cookies with the kids and a fun afternoon together.
The kids played football, swam, and also enjoyed riding on the scooters.
I have never made 10 pizzas at once before! The kids all seemed to enjoy it and for many I think this was their first time eating pizza!

Todd Jaussen talking with boys

Then Randy Pizzino gave a short devotional and we sand 3 songs in the local language with the children.
(We only know about 3, so we picked those!)

(many of these pictures were taken by Katryn...want to give credit where credit is due)

Shopping Zambia style

2011-03-01T11:01:00.000-08:00

Once a month there is a Saturday Craft Fair Market where people gather to sell their crafts and vendors sell good food. Lots of expats go there and it is something fun to do once a month

We usually by pass the crafts and head to the book table and the junk table.
We have been able to find some books here and this week the junk table had brand new shoes.

Shoes! They had Crocs and Old Navy flip flops and slippers from Walmart. ( It was so nice to see those names again!)
We paid twice as much for the flip flops as the prices listed on the tag. 2 pairs for $5 old navy and then we paid $7 for one pair!
It was nice to get some new shoes for the kids.

thanks for praying

2011-03-01T10:55:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note wanted to thank everyone for praying for us.
We have known the strengthening of the Lord this week and are encouraged.
Please keep praying!
Thanks

A Roaring Lion

2011-02-21T11:47:00.000-08:00

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour."
( 1 Peter 5:8)

We have felt the prowling and roaring of the lion lately. Our enemy.

As we look back over the year- we think about all that God has done. There are now 15-20 men who weekly are hearing the Word and being trained to be pastors. These men one year ago were not even being trained.
There are now 20 orphans that were not being cared for, or going to school that now have someone who cares about them and is helping them. We see how much the Lord has done in one year directly through our work here. His work is going forth and we have rejoiced at the opportunities the Lord has opened up.

As we ended the year and began a new one though, we know in a real and felt sense that our enemy is seeking to devour us. Though difficult to expose our burdens and issues, we are in need of prayer and that is why we share this.

The enemy is seeking to depress us and whisper lies in our ears. He is seeking to frustrate us and discourage us and is seeking to devour our marriage.

We are seeking the Lord in prayer, and ask that you pray specifically for us. We are fighting back but he has been prowling and trying hard.

As we were sent out, we were reminded that we now have an even bigger target for the enemy on our backs so to speak. We were also told by others that your marriage will be tested on the field.

We have experienced both of these things.
James and I love each other dearly and are committed for life to each other. Period. (And Since I am writing the blog I can honestly say, he is the best husband a woman could ask for. Period! ) We are fighting against the enemy and not each other but it is a real fight.
We were hopeful and most likely pridefully trusting in our own blessed 15 years of marriage to "make it" and grow stronger on the field here in Africa. But we have felt the emotional strain and struggles personally and together and that has made for some difficult months. Sin is always involved and I know for me, I can easily focus on my needs and wants and become selfish to what everyone else is needing and feeling.

Another verse in 1 Peter- 4:8
"Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins".
We are seeking daily to fervently love one another and praying that the Lord, sees us through this challenging time.

We are already seeing the Lord's hand working through these things and are trusting that in the end it is making us more Christ-like. Because even though Satan is at work, and our own sinful hearts are involved, we know God is at work as well. But it is a REAL spiritual Warfare. We are in the battlefield and at times we are laying on the ground. Please pray for us.

I know for James as well he has had a lot to handle trying to help me in my own emotional times. I don't quite know what a nervous breakdown is, but he thinks I was close to having one a few months ago. And while I have been struggling, he had taken up so much at home and trying to help me through my own difficult times , keeping the family going that he was drained himself just with my own issues. Let alone having to deal with his own challenges…

Sometimes just the weight of all that has gone on in one year hits us and is draining. 2 of our children hospitalized in a 3rd world country, 1 child adopted and trying to transition into the home, emotional strain and stress, overwhelming responsibilities with ministry and home at times….Still trying to fit in to a totally different culture unlike anything you have ever experienced. Missing the close ties and relationships with our church family and our own families.
Many of these things at the time they were happening were hard, but it seemed like we pressed on through it until we reached the end of the year and it was like as if it all happened at once and it came crashing on us.

We know many of you have prayed for us and upheld us through several different trials and transitions over the year.
We are so thankful for your prayers and ask that you pray with more knowledge now.

CMC Building project

2011-02-19T09:56:00.000-08:00

The Copperbelt College has begun to work on their hostels building project. A generous donation was given to this project and the work is being completed in installments.
The plan is for the students to be able to stay at these hostels during the modules and then the hostels will be rented out during non school times and the money made will be used to help the cost of the college

Pictured: Kasango Kayombo, Mondesters Hakanyaga, Kabwe Kabwe, James, Marshall Katongo,
Mondesters and Marshall are both church planters that are being supported through LION of Zambia.

EMMA'S BRAIDS

2011-02-19T06:10:00.000-08:00

Emma had her hair braided a few weeks ago. It looked really cute.
We took the braids out this week.
Sarah wants to go next and Grace is in more need than anyone to have her hair done.

Taking out the braids

Looking up

2011-02-16T05:10:00.000-08:00

I was telling my friend Heather that I could probably count the number of times over a year that I have actually looked up into the sky at the clouds. Probably no more than 10 times in a whole year.

Something as simple as looking up, and you see beauty. And yet I go so long without even looking at the sky. Why?
This is a spiritual analogy.

We were out in the peace of nature yesterday and I enjoyed the beauty around us and looked up and saw all the clouds.

And last week I was taking pictures of some flowers and things when James and I were on our trip and I got one of a butterfly in a flower.

Beauty is all around us, and I must look up to Jesus more!

Isubilo (HOPE) Kabanana

2011-01-31T10:39:00.000-08:00

Saturday we had our first monthly meeting with the kids.
This meeting was especially geared to teaching the kids about HIV and the importance of getting tested.
Katryn also gave a devotional and then we had invited A woman named Loveness who works in child counseling for HIV at a local clinic. She explained several things to the kids and was a great help. We were very thankful the meeting went well with the kids.
Please pray for wisdom and for all the details to be worked out for taking the kids this month to get tested.

Kids of HOPE Kabanana

the women of HOPE Kabanana
Megan, Fanny Chirwa, Maureen Mulenga, Katryn Belke

Auntie Love speaking to the children

The kids listening

We passed out cookies for a snack

Protasho and Patrick's house (new children we are helping)
the one room on the left is their house

One of the schools where the children attend
Justin Kabwe

Troy School

Maureen with her family
(youngest to oldest- Jack, Richard, Mwansa, James)

PICTURES from around Kabanana

Kids on a see-saw at school

Kids playing in the trash
(A friend wrote me earlier and said that even though it is sad, at least the kids are PLAYING- there is something normal in them playing)

Girl by the side of the road

We walked by this dead dog stuffed in a mealie sack

Zaxby's in Zambia!

2011-01-27T12:31:00.000-08:00

Our dear friend Heather is here visiting from Louisville. She arrived 2 weeks ago and has about 3 more weeks she will be here with us. It has been a blessing to have her here and she is helping school the little boys for these weeks and being an encouragement to me.

She was so thoughtful and brought a taste of home with her.
Our little town of Shelbyville had a Zaxby's ( chicken place) that our family went to frequently. --especially when they had their kids eat free promo for a little while. Until it changed to kids eat for less. Maybe our crew of 5 kids then made them change their promotion!

So she went there and got the zax sauce, even some napkins (serviettes) and then brought over panko bread crumbs and a recipe to cook chicken fingers for us. We ate it tonight and it was delicious! It really was. A taste of home. I think they were even better than the zaxby's chicken, but the sauce made it extra special!

Why the blog silence?

2011-01-24T13:00:00.000-08:00

It has been over a month since I have really blogged. I know many of you all read it to find out what is going on over here and how we are doing. A few have mentioned they have missed reading the blog.
So I am hoping to start back writing and posting but thought my first one should be, "Why the silence". So this is a honest, how it really is blog post.
Right now, today it is fine. Or as Zambians say, "I am just ok". When I hear that I think "well just ok" that means not doing that well. But to them it means everything is fine. So today, I am doing well.
But the past few months were some difficult months for me.
I have felt discouraged, overwhelmed, burdened down, stressed, drained, and emotionally fragile just to name a few!
Life had become one big responsibility that I woke up to every morning and went to bed with every night. So much work to do, so many needs in my own home and all around us.
People everywhere all the time. This is normal to my African friends, but it is not normal to me. I am hoping it is more normal now than it was last year, but it still stresses me out sometimes.

We had our house helper Maureen's family living with her in the one room house on the back of the property.
We had invited her to bring her kids back home to stay with her since they were farmed out with other relatives for school when she was unemployed. So, in August her 2 kids joined her and Jack making 4 in the room. This was fun for our kids but highly stressful for me because it meant at any given moment I look outside and wonder who is in our yard or what are my boys getting into or why is someone elses baby crying, or at any given moment of the day one of the children would arrive at the door to come and see Maureen while she was working and life was ( still is) always unpredictable. Visitors would just walk in through the gate to see her and I would wonder who is this coming to my house and what do they want. December added Maureen's last son James to the mix and though it was very happy for them all to be reunited, it was yet another person living here. We knew it was temporary until Maureen moved to Kabanana to work full-time with the orphan ministry, but many days had me feeling like I could not wait until that moment. She is now settled in her own place and she is just as happy as I am!

As I read over that last part, that is where the Honesty comes in. Does that sound like a "missionary heart", or a christian heart for that matter? Waiting until someone leaves so you can have some sense of peace and order once again? Well that is how I felt.

I felt like I needed space, and if you cant feel like you have space in your own home, where can it be?
Even now, because each day there are 6 little sets of ears listening to james and I, and potentially 4 adults ( Enock, Ruth- the new house helper, Katryn and Heather) we often go walk around the yard when we want to talk privately. There is no where else it seems.

The pressures and business of the holiday season with the orphan christmas parties were added work and though enjoyable and something I looked forward to all year, by the time it came to travel up to Ndola I just did not feel like going. So I feel like in a sense as soon as that last party happened, Mid december I checked out emotionally and responsibility wise for a little bit from the orphan work. Thankfully I am eager to jump back in and give the direction and decisions needed for the ministry, but a break was needed.
The last 2 times I have walked around in Kabanana this month and talked with the kids, my heart has warmed again and I have been happy to be there wanting to see these kids helped. I am excited at what this year will hold for these kids and us as we seek to minister to them and serve them.

Home responsibilities were stressful. Though a great,huge, answer to many many prayers, blessing--- was the addition of Grace to our family, it has also been an added amount of work and stress for these initial months.
She was not given any discipline for almost 2 years and was given into whenever she cried and screamed.
Her screaming is a daily, sometimes erupting hourly thing right now. Screaming because she did not get what she wanted, screaming because she wants to do something and it is not allowed, Screaming because someone walked out of the house and she didn't go with them, ….the list goes on and on. It has been a challenge to have a patient heart in the midst of ear piercing chaotic screams, and to faithfully and consistently deal with her on the matter. That is the number one thing we are working on with her. In the early months it was getting her used to all the kids and James and having her go to them too and not just me all the time. Thankfully she does not bite the other kids as often as she did when she first came home, but that too was an issue we worked through ( and still are.) Many things still in her from her "everyone for themselves" life in the orphanage. So we have been working through some of those issues.
She is a charmer, full of life and personality, vigor and excitement. When she is not screaming and mad, she is so happy, laughing and getting along well with everyone. ( I guess we all can be this way sometimes…) We love her dearly and are so thankful for her! Just like everything that we do there are blessings and great parts and challenges as well.

So my -mommy meter- was being maxed out and I was often short with the kids and James and irritable over little things that should not have been a big deal, but I made them into something huge. Sad to say.

Spiritually I felt like I was growing distant from the Lord though going through the motions as often as I could of spending time with God. Life adjustments always happen when we add another child to the home, it seems to take a bit of time to iron out the wrinkles of schedules and sleep patterns and when is the best time for devotions, etc.
Since Grace was new into the home and not many churches here have nursery ( or cresh as it is called) many Sundays were spent walking around outside with her tied to my back and thinking I am certainly not getting anything out of the preaching right now. One Sunday in Ndola which happened to be when Jim, Mark Chanski and Rick were there , I lost it.
James was preaching at another church in the area as well as Pastor Jim. Pastor Chanski was preaching where all the kids and I were and Rick was just coming in from another church where he had been. It was the evening service and I took most all the kids out to the car and they were just playing climbing around in the car because I could not carry Grace on my back anymore and she needed to get down. Rick walked up just arriving and asked how it was going, and made a comment about the nursery being in the car. *A needed explanation here. Rick and his dear wife ( my sweet friend) April have 7 children, many of similar ages. Rick is the "nursery deacon" and the guy that loves kids. *
I half way smiled and then started crying. He immediately offered to watch the kids and I told him thanks but no this was his first sunday in Africa I couldn't have him outside watching my kids. He asked one more time and I gave in, sobbing! But where was he going to take all the kids? He ended up driving around ( first time on the other side of the road no less) for an hour with the kids. I was not sure how Grace was even going to do, but he told me if she starts screaming we will just all join in with her!
He left with the kids and I walked back into church and sat quietly and listened to the great preaching that God had prepared for me for such a time as this from Pastor Chanski! I remember getting teary-eyed because I so much needed to hear the Word and it was speaking directly to me. The Lord was kind to provide that for me!

November and December James was scheduled to preach at different churches and so that time was challenging as well, wanting so much to hear him ( God has given him great gifts to preach!) but being out of the service for my "season" in life. Thankfully in recent days we have been able to take turns when he is not preaching, with caring for Grace as we are working on her learning to stay in church. Emma and Sarah as well have been helping in this regard.

These of course are also the holiday months when all family and friends are gathering together, so I know emotions were heightened during this time as well. Then we also now just this week reached the one year mark. One year ago we arrived in Zambia. That certainly gives reasons for reflection and consideration as well.

All these things do not even take into consideration the sheer difficulty of living life in Africa. There is no way to describe or explain how this is, my African friends ( who are reading) this is not meant to put down this country in any way, it is just the realization that life is Hard. Unless you ( africans, americans, europeans) have lived in both places you never will know or understand, no matter how many visits to a country or things you have read, there is just no way of entering into that unless you experience it yourself.

At one point in December I was talking with James about how it is just so hard. ( more than talking, crying and weeping I will say) I told him that I wanted to go back home to our house on Tatum Road ( 5 acres in the country, no people around except the occasional neighbor on a horse) and live there, our old life just for a month. I just wanted to go back to how things were, just for a month and then come back to Africa. I want to be here, but the difficulties and the sadness and missing how things were comes in over me sometimes and the place where I remember the most comfort was our house and life there in Shelbyville.
We were comfortable. Very comfortable.
But my heart is here as well and in recent days I have had a refreshed desire to continue to seek to minister to and love people here, and I am thankful for that.

Another over arching thing that we have begun to realize is how much of our lives are lived with an eye to what will people, supporters, friends, and family members think about this or that. This can be very stressful and burdensome. It is not the way to live.
We are to live our lives for one person, the Lord Jesus Christ. We have often put weights upon ourselves that God does not intend for us to have and have focused on rules and laws and not on God's Grace to us.
God is so gracious. His love is so full. Why do we worry about how something will be viewed? There is freedom in Christ!
The life lived for Christ is to be one of Joy. And this is what I / we have realized is often missing when we focus in on all the things that are our responsibilities, duties and the like. We are to enjoy this life that God has given to us.

So I am back blogging. What has changed. Some things and then nothing as well.
Hopefully, our perspective. What is our life about. What is to be our disposition throughout our life? A heartfelt love and devotion to Christ, loving others, and Joy in Christ and in this life.
The challenges are all the same. The difficulties and life here are the same.
But practically, for me James has encouraged me in doing some things different for right now. Taking some time each week to go and get a break away from the responsibilities at home. This is something he encouraged me to do many months back but again I felt I just couldn't for whatever reason. Now I know I need it.
Exercise. A true de-stresser. I have been able to go to a local gym to exercise 4 to 5 times a week and that has been so helpful.
Date night. Once a week some time for James and I to go out together. The more things we have going on in our lives the more needful this is. We are blessed now with Sarah old enough to stay home but even moreso what makes me comfortable is having a night guard we can trust if anything should come up while we are out.
Periodic holidays away. We were able to take a vacation at the end of the year and it was so needed. When we arrived back we had an email from a friend who is also a pastor, urging us strongly to continue to make time at least 3-4 times a year to just get away for a break otherwise as he was telling James you will burn out and become ineffective.
That is so true. So we hope to do that this year as well.

I am still seeking to draw near to Christ. I get glimpses and my desires head in that direction and I am seeking to spend the time, but I will not say I am there yet. So you can pray for that for me.

I am slowly getting back to the routine, but now you at least know why I have not been able to respond to emails, or blogged lately. Here is hoping and praying the Lord continues to sustain us for 2011. Thank you for your prayers for us as a family and specifically for me.

Please pray

2011-01-16T11:40:00.000-08:00

James got another sad call today from one of his students in Ndola.
The son of Ettynot Sabuni died this week. He was 26 years old.

Please pray for the family.

This is a picture of Pastor Sabuni.

New school year

2011-01-09T11:43:00.000-08:00

We are gearing up for the new school year. It starts tomorrow for both the kids we sponsor in Ndola and in Kabanana as well as our own kids.
On the home front, Emma is going to school along with Ian and Sarah Catherine and the little boys will be doing school at home again. Emma is thrilled and can not wait for the morning.

In Kabanana there has been much work done these last few weeks by Maureen ( who has started full time now ) and Katryn.
Maureen helped us to identify 8 new children and we hope to be adding a few more as well. Some of these kids live in Chipata which is the neighboring community and our goal this year has been to enroll all of the kids into better schools.
This has meant that the ladies have been visiting schools and seeking to find places for the various children at different grade levels.

We are excited as we begin this new year at the possibilities with the children. Our Kabanana kids are the main focus of the orphan ministry this year as we are seeking to develop these kids in the way that we can do with weekly interaction.

Katryn will be tutoring the kids 2-3 times a week. This will take some time for her to work out the schedules, but has already been given permission from some of the schools to take the kids early one day each to work with them.
This is so important, since most of the kids are behind in school, being older for their grades because they have not been able to attend school for lack of money.

We also are planning to hold montlhy meetings with all the kids together.
the first meeting this month will be on explaining HIV and talking to the kids about a few health issues because we will be following up a couple weeks later to get all of the kids tested.

This will be a challenge, but we want to know their status and we thought it best if everyone is going together and no one is singled out.

We will then be meeting with these guardians periodically as well.
There is so much to do and the needs are so many. There are So many kids that need help to pay for school and to be able to go to school.

Please pray with us that the Lord will continue to provide the money so that we can send the kids to school.

I went up there this week and we walked around chipata, meeting the kids and then paying for one of the schools.
As we sat in the office of the school, which is no larger than a bedroom closet, Katryn, Maureen and I sat squished together on 2 chairs, sweat dripping on all of us. I looked around at the concrete walls, the dimness of the whole school and just realized what a surreal moment.

We all have these, moments of , "I can't believe here I am doing such and such...in Africa!"
This school is better than some of the other schools the kids have been in, but when you look at it, from Western eyes, you would be surprised to think it is a school with children 4 yrs up to 7th grade.

It has been about a month since I was there last and at the end of this year I will be honest and say I was very stressed and overwhelmed. Not just with the orphan ministry but with everything! So I have had these few weeks "off" so to speak and they have been refreshing. As I walked around the dirt roads, saying hello to kids and people as we walked by, I smiled to myself and remembered, I do love to be here! I do love to work with these kids. As heartbreaking as it is and stressful at times, I want to continue to help them and I am looking forward to the impact we can have in the lives of the kids here in 2011.

Zambia Year end update

2010-12-26T11:00:00.000-08:00

James's update

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas from Zambia! We thank the Lord for the privilege of serving him in Lusaka, Zambia, and for the blessing of having so many friends and family prayerfully supporting the work here. The various works are going on well, which has caused us to rejoice in God’s great kindness to us.
Since there is so much to cover, I thought I would give you a brief summary, and then attach a more detailed newsletter. So, the summary is as follows:

HIGHLIGHTS
-The Lord provided for us to start a new college in Lusaka for local pastors in poorer areas. It’s called Lusaka Ministerial College
-The college in the Copperbelt grew in attendance to about 35 students, and the Lord has provided money for us to build hostels for when the students come for training
-The Lord opened the door to start a new orphan ministry work in a shanty town area of Lusaka called Kabanana. Presently, we have 11 kids being supported there, and hope to have 10-15 more over the coming year.
-The Lord led us to a little girl who needed a home, and we have now adopted her by His grace.
-The Lord upheld us all year long through various difficulties of adjusting to life here, starting to learn the culture, and dealing with scary sickness like Malaria.
-The Lord answered many prayers along the way for help to make it, comfort for homesickness, and provision for the work,

GOALS/PLANS FOR 2011
-to complete the building project for the college in the Copperbelt by mid-year and see the students begin staying there
-to build a ministry center for at least one of the two orphan ministry projects in Ndola or here in Kabanana
-to celebrate the first graduating class of Copperbelt Ministerial College after four years of module courses!
-to get all of our audio/video courses and notes from the last few years online and accessible for free, and available cheaply in printed form for distribution here in Africa
-to add two additional church planters whom we will be supporting starting this January, and hopefully a third by the end of the year
-to add at least 10-15 kids here in Kabanana to the orphan sponsorship program—and others as the Lord provides
-to develop a much closer relationship with the kids under our care, so that their spiritual, physical and emotional needs are more fully met
-to get to know the lives, families and churches of our current students in Lusaka and, Lord willing, mentor them in their growth in Christ

SPECIAL PROJECTS
Many of you have asked about specific ways in which you can contribute to the work. Here are a few ways you can contribute directly to something and receive feedback on the gift you have given.

Monthly orphan sponsorship: $35 per month to provide for the food, clothing, and school fees for a child
Monthly ministry student sponsorship: $75 per month to provide a scholarship for a pastor training with us; this amount includes his books for each term.
Yearly church planter support: $6000/year if you (as a church or individual) want to support a church planter.
One time gift: $200 to buy a Kindle and load it with books for a pastor
One time gift: $25,000 to pay for the basic construction costs of a ministry center and/or a small church in the needy areas of Zambia

You can reply in email or contact the deacons of our home church (RBC Louisville) for more information on these things.

PRAYER REQUESTS
-Our spiritual health. It is taxing laboring in a new and foreign context, and juggling a LOT of responsibilities. It is not just a cliché to say we need prayer to stay close to Christ. Everything else is secondary to our relationship to Him, so pray it is strong and growing.
-Insight for effective ministry. Pray we have wisdom to discern legitimate needs and to minister to the orphans and pastors with whom we work in a way that connects with them and does the most good with the resources our gracious God has entrusted to us.
-Pray for the children we’re sponsoring—especially pray for a lasting spiritual impact and that like our Savior they would grow “in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52).
-Pray for our pastors -Some of our pastors are paying a price for preaching the “new” things they’re hearing at our school, instead of feeding the people with the deadly prosperity gospel they get on TV. Others are rarely paid for their labors and need help to put food on the table. Remember these students before the Lord our Provider.

I was reading E.M. Bounds on prayer the other day (a very challenging and convicting book!). He had this to say regarding how we look at our lives, and the passing of time:
“Men and women, ‘we must hurry.’ That was the great word of William Chalmers Burns in Scotland as he thought of the shortness of time. Buy up the opportunities of the week that lies ahead. It will never return.”
This is so true. Money may return, healthy may return, but time? It never returns. It is always passing. May we redeem these precious weeks and hours in living close to Christ, and carrying out His works in a world that is quickly passing away.

Grace to you in Christ Jesus,

James and Megan Williamson

Visit to Grace's Orphanage

2010-12-22T06:41:00.000-08:00

We went this morning back to Grace's orphanage to give the kids cookies and play with them a few minutes.
Since we have been there last one more little girl is getting a home. There currently are 18 children.

The whole family came including Grace. We were not sure how she would do, but she did great. It seemed as if she didn't even recognize the place. Possibly since she had just shifted and was only at this orphanage for about 2 months before we got her.
But she was fine and even talked to a few of the little ones and looked at books too.

After we passed out the cookies we asked to read the books to the kids. Thankfully they were still there and they took out a pile and we read books to the kids. They seemed very happy when the books came out.

Grace is standing behind me just watching the kids.
She was one of these kids just a few short months ago, now she has a family. Amazing.

When Grace moved up to this new orphanage she moved with 4 other kids. One other girl was adopted the same time as her and then one boy moved to the SOS Village which has group homes for the children and the other 2 remain.
Here is a picture of Grace and the 2 boys that have remained without a home. Mattiliso is on my lap, and is a sweetie and then Gabriel is the other boy, also a sweet little one.

Life is a vapor

2010-12-18T09:20:00.000-08:00

Please pray for the Peter Banda Family
One of their girls was hit by a car today and died right there on the spot.

Here is a picture to go with the names. (I don't know which girl in the picture)

Peter is a student of James's at the Lusaka Ministerial College.

James just read today that after HIV/AIDS and Malaria, the next most common cause of death in Zambia is from such traffic accidents with pedestrians. It is so very sad.

I know this dear family would appreciate your prayers. Thank you.

Ian's Song

2010-12-18T04:42:00.000-08:00

This is for Robert Elliot and his buddies.

Ian's Song from megan Williamson on Vimeo.

Ian wrote this song this year and sang it for Pastor Elliot when he was here and Robert wanted his friends to hear it.
Enjoy!

A KABANANA CHRISTMAS

2010-12-18T02:13:00.000-08:00

Thursday we celebrated Christmas with our Kabanana Kids.
It was a fun party. We met at Fanny's home and had a similar program. We feel even closer to these kids and like they are "ours" since we have started this ministry and the work with the kids.

It is exciting and so fun to see others receive gifts, as one boy put it, "like we have never received before".
Fanny said this christmas is unlike any other that they have had.

Sobering to think that a ziploc bag filled with some basics such as deodorant, ( which the kids didn't know how to use, or even what it was), toothbrushes, toothpaste, pens, notebooks, t-shirts, hats, books, and a few piece of costume jewelry --that these items make it a christmas unlike any other. Every day items that we get our kids throughout the year and without even them asking us... and essentially what we were hearing is that this is the best christmas ever! hmm..something to think about.

Here are some pictures. (unfortunately 2 kids were not there, similar to the party in Kawama a few kids were not there.--We have asked to get pictures when they are given the gifts and we will pass those along individually to their sponsors)

Singing with the kids

I brought along a book, "Frosty the Snowman" to read to the kids and first had to explain what snow is!

The goodies

Eating snacks

Milk!

THE GIFTS!

DAKA family
Nelia

Joseph

Felix (Chola)

Wisdom Tembo

with brother Morgan

Memory Tembo with her baby

Nathan Tembo

Francis Mbare
This boy is one of the sweetest. He had written his sponsors and asked for a bible. When asked what the favorite thing in his bag was, he replied his BIBLE. now he has his very OWN bible.
He wants to be a preacher when he grows up.

Christian holding his picture of sponsors
We have never seen him smile as much as he did today. It was so nice.
(we now know it is in him!)

Barbara

All the kids were so happy. Thank you to their sponsors for taking the time to fill the bags and give them gifts.