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.