Missions Conference

Thursday we went to the evening service at church, as part of their missions conference. It was neat to hear the different men give a report on the works that they are involved in. So once a year, the different missionaries that the church supports, gather together for a week of prayer and reporting and conference.

Chitawe Reformed Baptist Church. If you remember in the video, this was the church that had a handwritten sign on a hut-type of structure.
The pastor Matthew Banda gave a report and spoke through a translator.

Their church has 10 members with a total of about 20 attending. They have a ministry to women and then to the girls of the community that are coming of age.

They have several challenges, the first being that their roof on their building collapsed
The second is that most people cannot read
And the third he mentioned was that most people also during the farming season don’t attend church.

There is a great need for literature tracts in their own tribal language.

They desire to start up some literacy classes as an outreach in their community.

They ask for prayer for growth in numbers but spiritually as well. Prayer for unity as a church, and salvation of the lost.


Sinda Reformed Baptist Church
Pastor German Banda

This church is located in the eastern province in the town of Sinda. The area is divided into 2 sections each having their own chief.
There are 34 members. 5 people were recently baptized and converted as fruit from their door to door evangelism.


Ministry to Ethiopia
Pastor Victor Kenyanza along with Eric Singogo. ( I probably didn’t spell this right)

They went and worked with Addis Kidan Baptist Church, which is an association of about 65 churches.
They are seeking to lay the foundations of the faith in the opportunities they have had to preach and teach the gospel to these charismatic and Arminian churches. They are seeking to have true reformation in doctrine and life.

When they were there last time, he said they could see them warming up to the truth of the Word. They have said this is an unprecedented opportunity to work in Ethiopia among the muslim.
There is a great need for literature in the Aramaic Language.
He mentioned just even how the churches in Zambia got wind of reformed teaching and doctrine through books and literature that was accessible to them in English.

He quoted William Carey at the beginning of his report. “Attempt great things for God…”

When we got home from the meeting Alice and Barbara were cooking dinner. I asked about the nshima she was making and said we would like to try it if they had enough.
Typically Zambians eat dinner much later than we do. So they will have an evening meeting at 6 or so, and then not eat dinner until they get home at 8.

Just this week that has been a bit of a challenge trying to figure out something for dinner and then eat before 5 :15, when we have to leave to go somewhere. So Thursday night we ate oatmeal at 5 and then left. So when we got home they shared dinner with us.

Since it was a true Zambian Dinner, they prepared the pitcher and bowl for us to wash our hands in at the table, and then the meal was served and we ate with our hands. They had Nshima, Chicken with what they would call a relish, ( just a sauce with the chicken) and then a vegetable called rape. Which looks like spinach or collared greens or something like that. A leafy vegetable cooked down with onions and something else in it.


Friday
We heard that the offer to the landlord was accepted on the house we saw. This was great news, and so now on Monday James will go in to look at the contract, with Logan Nyasulu (the realtor from church).
He saw the house with us the second time in the week and said it was a good house, good area and a good price, what it was originally listed at. Then if we got the even lower price offer we asked, that would be a bonus. So we got the bonus! The house has been vacant for a while so it is very overgrown with weeds, tall grass and who knows what else is out there. It looks to have had an order and plan for the garden ( which is what the yard is called) and a walkway path somewhere, but we will see.
The landlord is supposed to be responsible for maintain it and painting it and getting everything in working order again. So James mentioned we’d like to move in by the 8th, but it might be later after that. Once it is “ours” we will have to buy beds and appliances and furniture for the house.

Then after that, we are hopeful to get washer and dryer hookups, ( water and electric to the area) so that we can have that “luxury”. Right now that is one thing I am missing most!
Once the load of clothes were dry from the initial handwashing/ drying experience, then we had to iron the laundry. There is a certain type of bug that could potentially lays its eggs on the clothes that are on the line and then somehow get into your skin. It’s a possibility, not a probability, but I didn’t want to take the chance, since we were already had trouble with the mosquitos. So I started to iron the clothes. Everything. We first had to buy an iron at the store. Once we bought it then I tried to iron a few things and the electrical plugs here at this house do not work well. So it would turn on and off then on again. After a day or two, I realized the most reliable plugs in the house are in the kitchen. So the girls each took a turn ironing and then I did some as well.
I must say it was discouraging because you spend the whole day ( or week even) doing something that normally would get done in an hour.

So tomorrow I will start the laundry again. It is a bit ironic though I must say, because Ironing has never been something I have enjoyed, or even done back home very often.

Friday, James also met with a man in the church that sells cars. He buys them in South Africa, imported from Japan and then drives them back here, and recommended to James a good vehicle. So when we go up to Ndola, or Lord Willing, Namibi or Malawi, or out to the bush in Petauke, we should have reliable transportation.

Our friends the Allens, have the same type of vehicle and said that they were able to get one that was an Automatic, with Air conditioning and seat belts. So that would be great.
I do not do very well driving a standard. And then to have the added difficulties of driving here in another country I couldn’t see myself driving for awhile. But that was encouraging that they do have sell the automatics. So hopefully he will be able to find one for us.
In any case, it should be another week or two and then we can have our own vehicle and the kids can each have a seat and a seat belt. I was discussing with Stephanie Allen, about the seatbelts and back home that was always a big deal, for me to have the kids in the right car seats and belts, etc.

Then we were heading over to the swimming pool with them on Saturday, a few blocks down the road and the kids all sat in the back of the truck, and having a blast.


Today, we woke up to the kids extremely burnt and blistered and feeling bad from the sun yesterday.
We spent the next couple hours trying to relieve the pain and looking up home remedies for treating sunburn. James ran out to the store to get some things for the kids and by the time he got back, they were felling better and so we decided to go ahead and try to make the morning service. Even now, the Guffey's just stopped by to give us some cream to put on the kids. Brad is a doctor and so he just came over with some cream and looked at Emma. Such an encouragement and blessing. (James got the gate, so he was the gatekeeper tonight, and didn't hear them honking the horn.)

We arrived a bit late, along with others who were late, and were ushered to some seats near the front.
It was very hot inside and not just by my standards. Pastor Mbewe mentioned something about not having the electricity or water today. The church is a large building with lots of ceiling fans and about 4 other fans built into the walls that circulate air as well. Last week we sat right under a fan and it was warmer but comfortable enough. But today it was just hot. Along with the sunburn which makes you feel even hotter. So it was a tough day for that. I told James when we left, and got into the airconditioned vehicle, that I was thankful that it was this week and not last week when we first arrived.

The speaker for the Missions Conference this week was Cees Molenar from Petauke, in the Eastern Province. He and his wife Mirjam have 4 children. He teaches pastors at Covenant College, which is in the bush, outside of Petauke. It was encouraging to hear him preach and to meet his family. They are from the Netherlands and have been in Zambia for 4 years. Those from RBC Lou might remember Brian Devries who is now in Pteoria South Africa. Brian and Cees are friends and studied together back in the states. So it was great to meet them and hear of their work in the rural areas.

After the service today they had a lunch together, which was cooked by the women in the church. So we stayed and ate lunch. The kids did well again today, even though Emma was quite embarrassed to be so burnt and blistery. She learned a few names of some girls that have been friendly to her and sat with them to eat, as well as with the Molenar’s daughter Rhoda.

Sarah was able to talk with some girls today as well, and they were kind to invite her to eat with them too. Ian found a few boys his age and sat with them and found out that they attend the school at the church also. There was a group of little boys that came up to Jackson and Caleb and were talking to them. Then they reached over and were touching their hair. Emma said a few girls did the same to her. She said she didn’t mind, but would like to see what their hair feels like too. So I told her to ask them next time.



After the service as we were leaving a little boy shouted out, “Hey white people…white people…goodbye white people!” And Jackson said, “Good bye friend”. And then told me, “he said I was his friend”.
It was another good day at church, and we have been so encouraged especially this week to see all that the church here is involved in and their vision and work in missions and their heart to reach the lost.

More pictures

Water reserve storage tank.
This one is at the house we are hopefully going to rent.


Lizard on the wall. ian took this one, so he wanted to show it to his friends.


Fabric and paintings for sale at cultural center


Little boy playing at cultural center

Pictures

ZamEverything
They have ZamBeef, ZamMilk, Zamloaf (bread), Zamshu (shoes),


Street Vendors



Selling fruit out the back of a truck


Dirt road off of a main road in Kabwata


Looking out the window after the rain



Right next to the store we bought the bed at was a driving school. And since Terry had just said maybe we need a sign on our car Student driver" I thought we had to take a picture. It was a crazy spot to learn to drive at. Seems like they would start you out somewhere easier, not in downtown traffic.



Store where we bought a bed



Arcades Shopping Center- we seem to be there almost every day, at the bank the grocery the Zain phone store, the internet place, resturants...







Washing the laundry




Playing the drums at the cultural center




James bought a drum




The bracelet Ian bought me for our 15th Anniversary yesterday

Nets, Pills and Prayers

As I mentioned before, the mosquitoes here seem to really like me. The first several days my arms were just eaten up at night. A few of the kids have gotten a few bites, here and there. But we have had much less since having the nets up.

The problem now though, is having the kids stay under the nets. Some of the kids seem to move around in their sleep a lot so the first night, the net came down. The second night it stayed up and they stayed under it mostly. The third night I checked on them about 4 times and they were wrapped up in it a bit, then on the opposite side of the bed, out from under the net, or the fan was blowing the net around.

We have been taking the malaria pills since before we left, as a preventative. We just had our 3rd dose today. I am happy to report there were no tears today! The first time we gave it to the younger kids mixed in dry thick lumpy oatmeal, as that was all I had in the house on the day we were leaving. The second time it was given in orange juice. So today I mixed it in yogurt and Emma ate it fine and Caleb did great with it. Jackson did not even know it was in there. We gave high fives with Caleb and he said, “I didn’t even cry this time”. “ It wasn’t too bad”. So that my friends was a victory!

Supposedly in Lusaka malaria is not prevalent as it is in other parts of the country. It is not good to be on the meds long term so we had thought about taking it for the first month or so and then when we travel out of the city to other areas.
If you do start to show any of the signs of it, they automatically assume you have it, put you on the medication and then confirm with a blood test whether you have it or not.



We can’t see the kids all night long and if they are under the nets or not. We can’t know that every granule of the medicine was mixed in, and not spit back out. We can’t keep ourselves from being bit by the mosquitoes. We can take precautions and seek to prevent things, so that leads to the third word in the title. Prayer. We do what we can but ultimately it is prayer and God’s provision and protection to keep us from getting malaria. So please pray with us about that.

Wednesday

This week there is a Missions prayer retreat at Kabwata Baptist. Monday through Wednesday the men have gathered together for reports and prayer. About 15 pastors attended. 15 church planters , 2 of them are now pastors and their churches are independent of support from KBC. One was Kapambwe Nsenduluka. He is now a missionary pastor in Namibia.. James first met him when he attended the Copperbelt College.
He said to James this week, “ there were 2 experiences that radically changed my ministry and one of them was the teaching that I received at the Copperbelt College.”
James said they are now beginning to think about the possibility of setting up teaching courses similar to the Copperbelt College in Namibia.
This was exciting to hear and wonderful to think of God working in bringing about people in certain places and then the opportunities for the gospel to go forth. There was one man from Malawi as well that we met on Sunday.


We have found a house that we would like to rent and are in the process of negotiating on the details.
It is in a good area close to the church that we plan to attend and be part of, and also about a 5 minute walk from a shopping center, with a grocery store.
We are very thankful to have found this house at a good price in a good location. So I am excited though reserved about the excitement until we are sure about it. Please pray that if this is the right house for us that all the details would be worked out.

We met with another family yesterday from Alabama, that I have been emailing for the past several months. We had a good visit, the kids enjoyed playing and it is so nice to feel welcomed here. As well as being welcomed by the Allens on saturday for a quick visit with them.

The last 2 days have been hot here, and it had not rained. Last night we all had a hard time getting to sleep with the heat. In the day if you are outside it is cooler than in the house, but once it starts getting dark you don’t want to be outside. Because of the mosquitoes, which seem to really like me a lot, we close the windows once it starts getting dark ( no screens on them) and then it gets pretty hot. About 10 or so, I could tell it starting to cool off. Caleb had a rough night of sleep, and this morning we decided to go ahead and buy our first piece of furniture. A bed. We have had 5 kids on 2 beds and so we bought a twin bed for one of the kids to sleep on for now, that we will move with us, hopefully soon.

We are hoping for better rest. It has been a challenge with all the new sounds and places and lights and barking dogs, wrestling kids… It is so peaceful and quiet in the mornings though, when the sun comes up.
So we went downtown to a store that was recommended to us. We actually just went in bought a bed and took it home with us. It went so well, and now tonight we will hope for good rest for all. While we were driving it started raining and pouring. I was glad because I knew it would cool off after that, and now this evening it has been nice. Not like last night. Yesterday I saw it was snowing back home!

When it was raining today, it was as if the city stopped for a few minutes in the pouring rain and then started back up again as we were driving away from the downtown section, it was crazy. People walking everywhere cars doing whatever they wanted, blue minibuses everywhere.

When you drive around town, there are a few major intersections that have people walking around selling things. They will sell anything from Zain talk time minutes for the cell phone, fruit, Scrabble, Monopoly, steering wheel covers, horns to puppy dogs and ducks. The animals was quite a new thing to me, but one guy just walked up and down through the cars holding 3 or 4 puppies. They come right up to your window and stare.

We went to see the house today and met the woman at the house. We were a few minutes early and so we waited and people walking back and forth on the street just seemed to keep staring. 7 white people, and as white as we all are white, fair skinned. And as many as we are, I guess draws the attention. The younger kids like waving to people, but I guess it embarrasses someone else sometimes.


Well Sarah is cooking dinner tonight
and we were just trying to figure out the oven, so I will end for now.
I do have some pictures I will try to post soon.

Monday

We went to the Shoprite today to get real groceries. We had just been going and getting a few things here and there and finally felt like we were able to think and make a plan and get some groceries.

I was initially overwhelmed trying to look at the items, do some math in my head and then say either yes, or no way. I guess in the end if it is something you need, you pay the price. I did notice that many of the bread products and pastries and things like that are very inexpensive compared to America. I guess because they can make it here so therefore it is cheaper. Whereas the things that have been imported are more expensive. Makes sense and then you think about the cheapest things you can buy in America, are usually the things that are not made in the USA, then it doesn’t make sense.

So we came out with several things to hopefully get us through more than just a day.

As we were eating dinner I told James I felt very Zambian today. I said, I am sweating because it is hot, there are flies in the house, we washed our clothes by hand today, we got flip flops for everyone to wear and we were eating part of the meal with our hands!

So washing was a bit of an experience. There is a sink outside that has a washboard built into the side of it. So the girls helped, and Caleb and Jackson. I realized a few more things in doing this. The guy that invented the washing machine was a great guy. Really smart. I think about how I can scrub a sock that is dirty and still look a bit brown and then at home, all I would do is throw it in the washing machine, ( sometimes the wrong side out) and it comes out clean. What an amazing thing if you stop to think about it.

So we washed the clothes. I think initially it was fun and a neat experience, but I hope the excitement lasts. The other thing I realized is I know why people where flip flops all over. Socks are way to hard to be washing all the time. And it is much easier to wash your feet than socks.

It has been muddy some, because of the rains, and the kids have had a great time playing in the tree, but it has meant a lot more dirty clothes. So I thought if they all have to help wash than maybe they will think about what they are wearing to play outside. (or maybe not, but either way it is nice to have the help!)

The other event for the day is that while James was gone this evening at a missions prayer meeting, Emma got stuck in the bathroom. The handles on the doors are fairly cheap so the first night here, we broke one handle off of the bedroom door. Then today the handle was broken off from the bathroom door.
So Emma went in to take a shower and when she was done, tried to leave the bathroom and couldn’t.
Thankfully she didn’t panic. There are bars on the windows so going out the window was not an option.
Sarah was sweet and ran around to the other side to talk to her.

I walked to the back of the property to Alice’s house ( the house helper) and asked for her help. She came and got the night guard and her friend Barbara that also stays out here. So the three of them were all talking in Nyanja to each other and they got a kitchen butcher knife out to unscrew the handle. They worked on it for a while, Ian got a screwdriver out to see if they would want to use that but they didn’t. Then they came back with a machete. They took the handle off and then needed the keys, so Sarah then ran back around with the keys for us, since they were in the bathroom. We waited a little bit and they all commented on “Cheap labor”. That was the one thing I did understand and then the guard told me that Barbara went to go get another original handle for the door and he was able to put that on for a minute and open the door. Emma was free. Alice hugged her and laughed and then I hugged her. She said she was fine and it was a little bit fun.

We have plans to look at a house tomorrow. You can keep praying that we would find one, and then also that our house in KY would sell. I also plan to meet another family that I have communicated with over email this past year. They live down across the street from us. We met the Allens on Saturday and the kids had a good time starting to get to know them. Here is their blog www.aliveinafrica.com
We had spent some time with them in July when we were here, and they have been a great help as well in preparing to come.

James was able to secure his work permit today after quite the process only he has to stop by again with all of our passports to get a stamp in them as well.

Saturday and Sunday

Thank you for all the emails and comments. I do want to email people soon, but are just starting to get back online sort of, with very limited capabilities. So hang on and thanks for sending us notes!




We are still adjusting well, and have been very thankful for our transition time in London. It was great to meet the people there and see the church that we have prayed for and heard about for many years.

Seems like the worst of the jet lag was experienced there and we have been surprised at how we have felt well and resting and adjusting to the new time here. Though my computer still is on Kentucky time. James asked me if I wanted to change it. I told him not yet. I want to know what time it is, and what people are doing.



Saturday

The water went off for a couple of hours in the morning thankfully right at the end of baths.
It turned back on right before we were getting ready to head out to the shopping center, so the timing was great. We then went to the shopping center and went to the internet café for a little bit. We were there a while and had been the day before as well and the kids were getting restless, so I took them over to get an ice cream cone. We waited there while James finished and then we decided to get temporary internet access with a USB modem. (Like we had at home). This way we can have access where we are staying until we move and decide if we want to get something more permanent. It is very limited though, and a bit pricey too. So that took quite a while to get set up, so we waited some more.

We accomplished several things on Saturday, but it was also a good reminder of things taking a longer time, and not just working out how we expect they will, or on the timetable we would like. Even laundry for example. It was washed by Alice, the house helper that looks after the home here, but it took 2 days for it to dry on the line. So what would be done in 2 hours with a washer and dryer took 2 and a half days.
We tried to look at a house, but the realtor we called on a certain house said she didn’t know if it was still available, she’d have to look it up on the internet. We told her we had just seen it still listed on the internet. We waited, and did not hear back so we assumed we would not hear. We called later in the day and she said maybe Monday we could see it. It is just a minute down the road from where we are staying now.

Today at church we met a man that works in real estate and he will help us as well in looking for a home.
So maybe this week we will be able to see a few houses.

Driving has been an adventure. James is doing well with it though. Tonight was a challenge as it had just gotten dark and we were on the way home and it was raining hard.
Earlier in the day we were driving to church. It took extra time since we were looking at the map and then figuring out the roads, etc. Then on the way home we were told of a faster route. James said there are lots of things to keep in mind when you are driving, but first he said, I need to make sure I am going the right way down the road, second don’t Crash, then watch out for which way to go through and around the round abouts, and then lastly try to figure out where you are going.

We have been borrowing pastor Mbewe’s truck that has an extended cab. So whenever we drive around we have been putting all the kids in the row behind the front. And though not ideal for the long term, we have been so thankful to have a vehicle we can use while we are looking to buy one. The church has a van that they took to get fixed so maybe if we are not able to get one soon, we can use that one until. But in the meantime, it makes us have the “feel” of everyone squishing in together.

The kids have enjoyed playing outside, and yesterday they spent quite a while up in a huge tree, that does seem to be an awesome climbing tree. They found 3 large snails and were making a home for them. We left later in the day and it rained really hard and then turned muddy so they did not go back out to check on the snails, though they asked about them often. I think they were swept away in the rain but then they found some more later. So maybe that is on their agenda for tomorrow.

Today we went to church. It was nice to do something familiar. Wake up eat breakfast and go to church.
We went to Kabwata Baptist Church. They have children’s Sunday school classes along with the other classes. So the kids all went to class. I went with the 2 little guys and stayed with them the whole time. It worked out well as they had a large class, ( 30 kids) and a few other mothers and women were there also. Caleb was most apprehensive but did fine once we were inside. The class walked over to look at a map of the world. The teacher showed them Africa and pointed to Zambia and asked, “where do we live?”. “Where are we?”. No one answered. Then Caleb said, ZAMBIA!
Of course he knew, we have been talking about it for a year. It was kind of funny though since he was the foreigner answering the question. I guess we don’t emphasize to our little ones, we live in America.
After the lesson, which was about Jesus fleeing to Egypt as a baby, which is why we were looking at the map, then they colored a picture. ( another familiarity) Only thing was I didn’t bring the Smarties!


After the evening service they walk out the door and each person comes and stands next to the next person and you shake hands with everyone and then stand next to the last person and then the line keeps going, saying hello and shaking hands. I’ll have to get a picture sometime.

I saw lots of pictures in my mind today but didn’t feel comfortable taking them. So I will have to catch them later.

It was encouraging to be at church, and it was a good day. Pastor Mbewe preached in the morning and then another elder preached in the evening. The have an afternoon/evening service at 4:00. Or 16:00.

I was remembering to the last time I was here at church in Zambia and it was a very hard emotional day. The hardest of the days when we visited. I was trying to sing, James was up at the front getting ready to preach and I started crying a bit, and couldn’t sing. I thought to get up and go to the back, when I was pointed out “from the pulpit” as here is Megan and they are planning to move here.
At that moment I knew I couldn’t leave and would have to try and stifle the tears and emotions.
Not a good day. Just the struggles of realizing and thinking through our leaving our home church and family, being overtired, overwhelmed and missing my children.

But today, It was a delight to be here with all of the children, together as a family. Trusting the Lord to care for our every need and knowing His goodness to us, His children. And feeling like here, for now, in Zambia is where God wants us to be.

In Zambia

I am trying to type up this post now, while James went out to get phones and money exchanged.
When he returns we plan to go back out to an internet café to post this and check mail, etc.
Then we will have a full day of shopping, running errands and possibly trying to check out a house or two. We’ll see what we are able to get to.

We arrived safely, yesterday morning in Zambia, right on schedule at 6:30 AM. We left London at 6:30 PM. We were delighted to see that the plane was not full and there was extra room to spread out, but also that there was the “in flight” movie selections.

I had played up big that you can even watch movies on the plane to the children. When we flew to Africa on delta they had a huge selection of movies for kids, ones that they would be allowed to watch.
When we flew to London, they only had a few “kids” movies that ran at certain times. So I think the kids were disappointed because there was not even one that they could watch. So when we got on this plane and they could at least choose from about 4 different things whenever they wanted, they were especially glad. It is those little things that make a difference sometimes.
So they all enjoyed that.

They were able to get a little rest on the plane and when we landed the sun was shining and it was warm here in Lusaka. Very different, as when we took off from London, that very day we had been walking and driving through freshly falling snow!

Getting through the customs and collecting all the baggage, again went extremely well. Better than expected, and we know that too is an answer to prayer!

We were greet by Pastor Mbewe and Bruce and Vehlia Button. They are white south Africans that recently moved up here for Bruce to work and teach with the Soverign Grace Theological Seminary.

They later invited us over to dinner and have been very kind and gracious to us in welcoming us here as well. They have 4 daughters. Ages 11-18.

We loaded up all the luggage in 2 vehicles and then split up as well and came directly to the house that the Lord has provided us to use while we are looking for our own place to rent. That too was another blessing, to be able to get here quickly and start to settle in.

Pastor Mbewe took James to the grocery so he could buy water and some breakfast. The kids were all hungry and very thirsty as well. Right before they left, Caleb got a little bit sick to his stomach and just threw up a tiny bit. I honestly think it was due to activity and thirst rather than the stomach flu, as he has been fine immediately after and since that time. (praise the Lord!) He was in the very back of the vehicle and it was quite warm.

Thankfully James got home with water and very happily told us that he had found Special K Red Berries, Yogurt, milk, bread, and…Farfalle pasta! Also known as Bow tie pasta. Which is one of the kids favorite foods. With butter and parmesan. So he then found some parmesan and butter to go with it as well.

Later, in looking at the receipt he realized how much several of those items were. 2-3 times more than what we would pay at our stores, which we generally knew. But the cereal was 5 something a box! We rarely would buy cereal over 3 dollars a box, and liked to buy it around 2 something a box.
The parmesan for a small block of it, was $17. $17!
James said that he was so happy to find something he knew would make us happy and was under the influence of jet lag and not sleeping for a day. So, when we go back today, we will shop for the good prices. At any rate, whenever we cook that meal I know we will savor it and enjoy it!

We were able to buy a few small electric things in London, because we knew they were much cheaper and they use the same electrical outlets ( hair clippers and a hair dryer) We also managed to buy 4 pillows and a new duffle bag for pretty cheap and packed all that up to bring as well.

Jackson wanted me to let Ray and Ryle know that we are at Zambia!

So we spent the afternoon unpacking some things, rearranging things so all the books were in one place and all the medicines, put all the winter clothes and coats away in a suitcase together. And James and I were able to get a nap along with Jackson. The other kids didn’t take one, which was fine as they slept great last night!

We had a few not so good days of Jet lag in London and the kids still awake or waking up at midnight and 2 and 3 AM. One night the boys were hungry so we ate pop tarts we had brought from home, in the bed. Then the girls were still up at 1:30 AM and so they were eating some as well. (that treat didn’t last long. I usually bring a box when we travel, not because they travel well or are nutritious, but they seem to hit the right spot when you are hungry and worn out from traveling)

There is a woman named Alice that looks after the place here, and she was cooking rice and beans around lunchtime yesterday. We realized that she was cooking for us, and she asked if we were hungry.
We sat down to eat, and all enjoyed our first “Zambian meal” together of beans and rice.

Shortly after arriving here at the house, the boys and Emma were all finding bugs and snails and other creepy crawly things. They really enjoyed being outside yesterday and Emma was glad to be shoe-less walking around in the yard. The boys found their sandals and Sarah Cat her flip flops, which many people wear over here. We also found all the shorts for the boys and summery skirts for the girls and I. Most of the women wear skirts here.
Many of the homes have large “gardens” or yards as what we call them. So there is still plenty of room right now where we are for the kids to run and roam. The homes are all surrounded by very tall concrete walls. They typical employ someone else as well as a gardener and he opens the gate when cars drive up and honk the horn.

Since James went out this morning, the boys ran in a few minutes after to tell me that maybe Daddy is back, because they saw the gardener walking over to the gate. Well they soon realized he was not opening the gate but just doing some work by it. A little disappointed I think.

We went to the Buttons home last night for dinner. Vehlia cooked a lasagna which was very good, though would be different from the types of lasganas we make back home. We prayed together and then started serving the kids. Caleb got his plate and sat down. I went back to get another plate and came back to the table and Caleb had fallen asleep, with his head propped up on his hand right by his food. It was so cute, he was exhausted. We started to take him to the living room to get a nap on the couch but he woke up and decided to stick around and eat. After dinner Ian was sitting on the couch and he fell asleep a few minutes right there. We ate and then decided to leave pretty soon and get the kids home to bed.
Once we got everyone home and in the bed, someone came knocking on the door, and we had some visitors stop by. I said hello and the man introduced his wife and children to me and then I went to go get James. I said, “We have visitors and you should probably know who they are”, so it ends up it was one of the men that has been at the modules and lives here and was actually at the airport to help with the bags. Ndonji’s brother. We know Ndonji from the video of Zambia, that we have seen many many times over the course of the year. We just watched it again in London at the church in Crawley.

When we landed in Zambia, I looked at James and said, “To quote Rick Kelly, WELCOME…to Zambia!”
Which is what he says at the beginning of the video. Then Ian and james together said “Zambia is located in the heart of Southern Africa. Bordered by…” and they went on to quote a few lines of the video. SO Rick, we were think of you as we landed in Zambia, and we felt very welcomed!

Kasango Kayumbo offered to help in finding a place to live. Which was providential he had stopped by because at the Buttons we were just talking about having people here in the church help in getting things like that settled, since foreingers can so easily be assumed to have endless stores of money. He knows of a couple places for rent that he might take us to see tomorrow.

Then this morning James talked to Seke to see what we were looking for in a vehicle and a man from their church is in South Africa now and might be able to find a vehicle down there for us. It think that is his line of work. So we will see…

Prayer Meeting

I just got back from a ladies prayer meeting for missionary families, with a focus on the wives. What an encouragment it was to be part of the meeting and to be being prayed for. I was asked to give a few specific requests and explain a little of what we will be doing.

Though just a handful of women, the Lord met with us, and it is a delight to be added to the list along with these other women that I have prayed for in similar meetings for many years.

It has been a blessing to know that people have been praying for us, and to have emails distributed for prayer for us as well. It is an extra sweetness to be part of one of those meetings!

We certainly have felt upheld by the Lord and know it is answer to many others prayers. Thank you

I have been reading over a section in scripture for the last few weeks and praying for the Lord to work it into my life and I shared the passage tonight. In God's Providence, 2 or 3 times others have written these verse in a card for me or in a note!

Ephesians 3: 14-21
For this reason I bow my knee before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and heighth and depth,and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever . Amen

To be strengthen by the Spirit, having Christ dwelling in me and knowing the love of Christ! Isn't that what we all desire? If we have that, we are ready to serve Christ in whatever he calls us to.

Good news

Good News!
We just found out our accomodations upon arriving in Lusaka.
We will be staying in a 3 bedroom house that belongs to a relative of Pastor Conrad Mbewe. We drove by the house when we were there in the summer, when Pastor Mbewe was preparing to take us to the airport. We met the woman whose home it was and I remember now her telling us, "anytime" you need to use the home.

What an answer to prayer! Even this morning, I was thinking about how the Lord goes before us. We have felt that much already in being here in London, of how things have been working out.

I have been concerned about where we will be staying when we arrive until we can find a home to rent. I think I mentioned that to several people as well. I was praying this morning for God to go before us into Zambia and be preparing the way for us, and the immediate need of just finding a place to stay in temporarily.
The Lord has answered that prayer!

Even where the home is located is near where Pastor Kalifungwa lives along with 3 other missionary families that we have been in contact with over the past year. One of which we visited this summer.
Even that we saw the house, is a kindness of the Lord to me.

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Today we spent the morning sleeping, after being awake some in the middle of the night. I was glad that all except Ian slept most of the morning and were able to get some good rest. Ian was the first one awake and enjoyed spending time talking with Dr. Philips. For those of you that know Ian and know Dr. Philips, we thought that would have been a good match!

We were all awake for some breakfast at noon. We then went over to Pastor Jeremy and Alissa Walkers home to spend the afternoon with them and their 2 little boys.

We are back here again, the kids are down to sleep ( though I still hear them...) and James is studying. He is preaching tomorrow morning and talking about the work in Zambia in the Sunday School hour. In God's Perfect Providence, a Zambian couple and their 3 children attend their church. I am especially eager to have the kids meet their children tomorrow.

Hope you all have a good Lord's Day tomorrow

Arrived in London

We arrived safely in London, about an hour later than scheduled. The flight went very well and all the kids did great. Most all the kids and James were able to sleep a little on the plane. However, I don't ever seem to be able to do that.
We went through customs which was the easiest yet of any country we have been to, and headed to the baggage claim. In Chicago we had checked our remaining 7 carryon suitcases that we had all rolled through Louisville and onto the tram in Chicago. That was such a blessing! Since we were on the missionary fare we were allowed 3 pieces of checked bags once we were on the actual carrier and not the connecting flight to Chicago. So from that point on we only had to keep track of 7 people and 7 backpacks.

So we found the baggage claim in London and I took the 3 younger kids off to the side and we sat down with all the backpacks. James Sarah and Ian went to get baggage carts ( they were free to use, which was great!) and then they started getting all the luggage. It ALL was there, with no problems and no delays. I was amazed at how smoothly it went. It could not have gone any better. So we gathered it all, took a minute to pray and give thanks to the Lord, and then James and I and Sarah and Ian all wheeled a cart out as Emma walked between us holding the boys hands.

So whoever was thinking to pray for our luggage THANK YOU!

We are in London staying with the Philips. Pastor Jeremy Walker rented a Van for us to all fit in and have all the luggage in. They even had car seats for Caleb and Jackson. So he met us right as we walked out, and neatly loaded all the luggage and us in one Van.

It is a blessing to be staying here as they have 4 rooms and a bathroom all for us to use upstairs. Which means every one has a bed, and can sleep comfortable.

We just finished lunch and we are all taking a little nap, so we can make it through the day.

Thank you all for your prayers and encouragments

Luggage

Thought you might like to see a picture of all the luggage! 14 checked bags. 7 rolling carryons and 7 backpacks!

We are loading it up now. The Dues came to bring us donuts for breakfasts.
We ran out ot time for haircuts for the boys so Trenda cut their hair after breakfast, w hile we were getting other things done. And then Larry ( a pharmacist) helped me get the kids malaria capsules open and sprinkled on oatmeal.
next time pudding or applesauce or yogurt...without them knowing.

Alot of goodbyes this week. We got alot done at the end, and have been blessed with many coming after us to clean up and finish things at the house.

Thank you all for your prayers.

Who are we?

Sunday evening we were commissioned by our church to be sent out as missionaries to Zambia. It was a blessed day. It was very emotional and tearful and wearying, but good. We have received so much love and support and prayers by so many people, and it really causes us to think, “Who are we?” that we would be loved so much. That so many people would give of their time and energy to help us. That we would have a church family that cares for us as they do.
We know it is a direct expression of God’s love and care for us.

Pastor Jim preached the 3 messages for the day and then in the evening, after the preaching he had our family come up to the front where we sat while we were given a “charge” by Pastor Stephen Gambill.
Then our elders and deacons and other men represented from sister churches gathered around us to lay hands on us and pray.

It was quite an awesome thing. To be sitting there and have 12 men praying for us, earnestly seeking the Father on our behalf. It has been such a joy and comfort to know that we were being “Sent Out”. That we were (and are) brought before the Father, to be filled with the Spirit and leaning only on Christ!

After the prayers we stayed up front and our brothers and sisters in Christ came to say goodbye. Our hearts were overcome with such emotion, of sadness, thankfulness and anticipation of what we are being sent out to do. There were many tears and sorrows. We left church that evening, very worn out, and emotionally weary and spent!

Our time is drawing to an end and our bags are almost done being packed. We have been in this process for a year, and we are ready to get there and begin whatever “new normal” will be.

Please pray for us to have the physical and emotional strength to get through these next several days and weeks. And that we would have some time of rest. And that we would not just “get through them” but work together as a family with love, showing much kindness.

We sang this song at church in the evening, and though I couldn’t sing it all the way through, it was a delight to think on the words and hear our church singing it! My friend Heather had referred me to it, when I had just gotten back from Zambia in the summer and was quite overwhelmed. It was a blessing to sing it through many tears.


Speed thy servants, Saviour, speed them;
Thou art Lord of winds and waves;
They were bound, but thou hast freed them;
Now they go to free the slaves:
Be thou with them,
'Tis thine arm alone that saves.

Friends, and home, and all forsaking,
Lord they go at thy command,
As their stay thy promise taking,
While they traverse sea and land:
O be with them;
Lead them safely by the hand.

When they reach the land of strangers,
And the prospect dark appears,
Nothing seen but toils and dangers,
Nothing felt but doubts and fears,
Be thou with them,
Hear their sighs and count their tears.

Where no fruit appears to cheer them,
And they seem to toil in vain,
Then in mercy, Lord, draw near them,
Then their sinking hopes sustain:
Thus supported,
Let their zeal revive again.

In the midst of opposition
Let them trust, O Lord, in thee;
When success attends their mission,
Let thy servants humbler be:
Never leave them
Till thy face in heav'n they see.

A New Year

In preparation for moving to Zambia, last year we accumulated several books. The subject matter ranged from Africa, Orphans, AIDS, transitioning to another culture, raising children abroad, missionaries, etc...

I read several of them, but at some point becoming overwhelmed, realized that reading all these books, though fine in themselves, was not going to "really" help me prepare for the move.




So sometime in the middle of the year, I stopped reading them altogether.

I have found that apart from my Bible,


The most helpful book this year, for my own growth, encouragment, and stirring of my heart and soul was this book.

I have quoted it a few times over the year and I thought I packed it a month or so ago. I found it again and was delighted. It seems at just the right times, I pick it up and the Lord uses it to encourage me.
It is a short book. Set up in 52 "chapters" of 2-3 pages each. And it just has snipets and quotes on various things that draw your heart closer to the Lord. So you don't even have to read a chapter just a few sentences here and there and it is more than filling.

I read something yesterday and thought this was a good summary of what I want to desire for the new year!

"I want to live in the Love of God, for God, enjoying God, glorifying God,
and every day able to tell what new discovery I have made in the fulness of Christ."
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Same chapter...
"Those who have real love to Christ always wish they had more"

"Of all thing beware of a cold heart"

"Christ will not let anything interfere with your love for Him. He says, 'I am all for you, and you must be all for Me' "



Then I was listening to this song yesterday called Empty Me, by Jeremy Camp and thought it too fit well with what I want my heart to want.


Holy fire,
burn away
my desire,
for anything

That is not of You,
and is of me.
Lord I want more of You,
and less of me

Empty me, empty me
Fill, won't You fill me
with You, with You.

I do want much less of me and more of Christ this year!