Experiencing Africa

Preschool Update

2008-02-19T19:33:00.004-06:00

Everything with the preschools is going fantastic! I am so surprised at how amazingly well it has been going. The teacher trainees have been showing up every day and sometimes when we get there, we will find them already teaching! They seem to be realizing the importance of the education of their children and that is wonderful. There is a slight problem, however, and that is the village people. They don't want to be paying the teacher trainee at all. In fact, they laugh at the trainees and tell them they are wasting their time and that they look foolish teaching for free. They are refusing to help them in any way, even though they are sending their children to the preschool. That was to be expected, so none of us are surprised. What we are surprised about is the fact that the teacher trainees are still coming! They said they don't care if they get paid or not, they will still be coming and learning how to teach. We are so amazed and thankful for their attitudes toward the situation at hand. Without even getting discouraged by the other parents, they press on. They want to teach the children and they aren't wanting anything in return. It's so awesome to see!! Maybe in time their attitudes will spread and more and more people will start to take responsibility for their children's education. This could be the beginning of a big change in the Kaonde people.

The bible curriculum I have been teaching to the teachers has been working wonderfully. Every time we complete a lesson together, I go with them to the preschools and show them how to implement it with the children. They seem to be enjoying the new curriculum as they learn how to use it. They are taking pride in the lessons that we finish together and that's important. The children also seem to enjoy it. They know when they see me coming that it's bible story time! They listen intently and participate nicely in the telling of the stories. I love to watch their faces as they listen and learn, absorbing what I tell them. Last week I told them the story of Jesus walking on water and I used hand and body motions I made up which they were to imitate. They REALLY enjoyed that one, and they were smiling and laughing as we did it together. After the story when we were asking questions, they would use the motions while answering. It was so cute to see and we knew it was a good method to help them remember the stories. We also taught them a song to go with the story and they loved it! It does my heart good to see children learning about Jesus and enjoying it. To transform the worldview of a people, you must start with the younger generations.

Never will my prayer life or my relationship with God be the same . . .

2008-01-27T17:11:00.000-06:00

Africa--
Beautiful, yet dangerous
Friendly, yet fierce
Faces are downcast
Eyes brim with tears
Plentiful harvests
Yet some aren't fed
One day sick
The next day dead
Wonderful rain
Brings disease
Working hard
Brings no ease
Praising God
As He takes away
Tired and weary
They end each day
Sickness in sunshine
Sickness in rain
Old women dying
Children in pain
Still there is dancing
Still they laugh
Still they are thankful
for the little they have
Still they come Sunday
And humbly they pray
Still these people
Find a way

These people don't deserve the life they have and bad things happen even when they are faithful, even when they work hard and even when something is meant to be good. It's frustrating and it's hard to watch sometimes. I see people day after day working their finger to the bone to feed their family for that one day. One day of work equals one day of food. One day without work equals one day of hunger.
It never ceases to amaze me when I see children making kites out of plastic sacks and old string, running up and down the roads and laughing happily. They might not have eaten all day, but it's okay because isn't it neat how the wind blows the kites? Isn't life good? It's amazing. It's the same thing when I see poverty-stricken people put their offering in the collection plate or a couple who just lost a child come to church and praise God with all they have. How is this possible? Is this an example of how God is all you need? How God gives people hope and something to look forward to? How true faith really looks? In a way, these people are truly blessed. Nothing stands between them and their love and loyalty to God just as nothing can separate us from His love. It's exactly as it should be, and I have learned a lot from the locals. Never will my prayer life or my relationship with God be the same as it was before coming here and witnessing the commitment these people have to Him. I want to be like that.

Back to school

2008-01-15T18:08:00.000-06:00

January 12, 2008
The holiday is over and school has started back up. The children are anxious as they begin a new year in a new grade. We have a new headmaster here at the Mumena school and we are all praying for a great year for the children. The school here has had its share of problems and at one point toward the end of last year there were 70 children in all different grades to two teachers. Now we have hired more teachers and with the new headmaster, things are looking up! We are excited to see what God can do to get the education here turned around.

Preschool is starting on Monday and we are praying that all goes well. Because of our team strategy of indigenous sustainability, we have put a few stipulations on the villages if they want their preschools to continue. The villages are required to provide a teacher trainee from their village who is to come every morning and began learning how to teach the children. As long as they provide the trainee, we have agreed to provide the trainer and the materials needed for teaching.

The teacher trainee from each village is paid monthly according to what the village agrees to pay them. Whether it be maize, rice, mealie meal, or other crops, money, men to help with odd jobs at their home--whatever--that is the circumstance they agree to work under. The villages that agree to this contract with our mission team have to come together as a community and help pay the trainee and keep the preschool going. So far, only two villages have agreed to this. People were interested until they found out there is no foreign money coming in for the teacher trainee, then they pull out. People aren't willing to provide their children with a head start in education if there is no money.

As sad as it is, we are sticking to our guns on this one. If we continue to provide the teachers, the supplies, and the materials needed to have a preschool, they will never learn to do it on their own. This way, they can work at something as a village and learn how to start providing for their children together. They can be proud of their preschool and take pride in something that is THEIRS alone.

We are praying for the two villages that have stepped up to the challenge, knowing that it will be a struggle for them and for us in the beginning. However, as time goes on, things will hopefully start developing and soon maybe other villages will follow their example. This is a process that could take years, but we have to start somewhere! Our prayer is that when our missionaries pull out of this place, these people can continue on their own with everything that has been started and be very productive ON THEIR OWN. I will be going with our preschool teachers (trainers) and helping develop a bible curriculum. We have already started on it, but now I will be helping show them how to implement the material we have put together. All of the lessons that I am showing them how to teach are lessons that stick with our methodology of indigenous, self-sustainability. The locals here can easily put these lessons together using what little they have. Nothing needs to be purchased and no special talents are necessary.

For example, there is one lesson that is done using blocks of wood or bamboo. There is another lesson that simply requires hand motions. Anyone can do them without time-consuming preparations (which none of these villagers can afford to do) or artistic abilities.

Once I teach the trainers how to implement these lessons they, in turn, will teach the trainees not only how to implement them, but also how to create them and use them in different ways with different bible lessons. This is going to be a great way to teach the bible to the preschoolers on a level that they understand. Again, this will take a lot of time to get going, but it will be worth it in the long run when these people can say they did it.

Years from now, what we want to see is the local people that have been involved and learned how to use their resources and their time for their children going out to other villages and teaching them to do the same. It will spread quickly that way and it will help the people of this area to stand on their own two feet rather than having foreign missionaries step in and take over and then leave them no better off than when they came.

There has also been a request for these indigenous bible lessons at a couple of our church plants, so I am preparing presentations to show the people of the churches how the lessons work and give them enough materials to get them started. This will help them to start having Sunday school for the children.

I pray that God works through me and the other teachers to get these things off the ground and show people that it's possible for them to do this without us. It will be good for the children's education and for learning about Jesus, and it will also be good for the adults that are helping because they will build up a whole new confidence. It starts on a small scale but can be spread widely. Please join me in praying for the success of these programs!

In other news, our mission team is learning the importance of accountability. Accountability to each other, to supporting churches, and most importantly, to God. We had a training session on it recently and there are some struggles with the subject. There are many reasons why accountability can be difficult for people and we are working on being accountable NO MATTER WHAT. It's a tough concept to grasp, but we are learning how.

The biggest struggle in cross-cultural mission work is the difference in ethics. When we are approached with a problem we tend to ask, "What is Zambian ethic in this situation? What is American ethic?" What we are challenged to ask, and what would be most beneficial is, "What is Kingdom ethic?" We always refer to the bible.

If we do that, there is no problem with how we come up with solutions. People can question us, but if we tell them it was God who said it, who can argue? It is a system that should be used every day by everyone. I know that it is something I want to continue even after I move back to the States. I challenge everyone to do the same. Talk to God, read the bible, pray. . .it's a system that can't fail, but is often over-looked. Please pray for our mission team as we face struggles and overcome obstacles. It is definitely a learning experience!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-05T12:01:00.000-06:00

As I walked along the side of the main road in Solwezi, Zambia, I noticed the small town was busier than usual because of the holiday. I adjusted my backpack and waited for a pause in the flow of traffic so I could cross the street. People were pushing past me on both sides, jostling me around. I hurried out after a taxi bus whizzed past and made it safely to the other side. Crossing the street is always a challenge here because the cars are on the opposite sides of the road as they are in America and I tend to look the wrong way by habit while crossing. Every time I make it across I send up a silent thanks.

I stepped into a small restaurant and walked up to the counter. There was a man already ordering so I stood behind him to wait my turn. Naders was hot and stuffy, as usual, and I was already beginning to perspire after a few seconds of waiting.

When the man finished and took his food, I stepped up to order. Nader saw me and smiled, "A Shawarma?" he asked, in his Middle Eastern accent. His broad face was glistening with sweat and he leaned on the counter to wait for my answer. There was a fan blowing in the corner of the room, but it did little to help the heat coming from the large stove. "Yes, please. One shwarma and a bottle of water." He nodded and, spinning around, he began to prepare it. I dug into my wallet for a K20,000 and handed it to the young Zambian man at the register.

Once I had my plate and water, I headed outside to sit at a small, plastic table on the sidewalk--it was too hot to eat inside. I scooted my chair up to the table and sat my backpack under my feet. After saying a silent prayer for my lunch, I began to unwrap the shawarma, aware that there were eyes watching my every move.

I tried to ignore the street kids who were kneeling on the ground watching me eat with hopeful eyes. I wanted so badly to help them, but there were too many for me, as I can't just give to one child and not the other. I sat my shawarma down and took a drink of water--their eyes following every movement carefully.

One of the children walked up to the table, a little boy. "Madam, give me bottle," he said, pointing to my water. I told him no and continued eating. He circled in front of my table and stood watching the traffic go by. He was a young boy, probably about eight or nine. He was skinny with a large, swollen belly and was barefooted, despite the filth of the ground.

His faded red shirt was much too large for him and torn in many places and his shorts were completely torn on one side, revealing a bare bottom. His hands and legs were dusted with the light colored dirt, and he had several bald spots on his head because of a fungus common among the poor.

He turned back around to watch me and then walked back over. "Madam, give me bottle." I turned to the side and saw some older street boys watching. I knew if I gave him the bottle, they would beat him and take it away. So, again, I told him no. He walked away, dragging his bare feet so that they made a scuffing noise on the dirty concrete.

I finished my shawarma in a hurry and pushed my plate away. Leaning back, I closed my eyes and let the bright sun hit my face. It was hot today, just as it always was after a big rain. I heard a small noise beside me and opened my eyes to see a small little boy standing there grinning. I often saw this boy when I came to town.

He looked to be about seven and was always smiling. I got the impression that he wasn't quite all there, like maybe he had a mental disability. I smiled, despite myself, and he smiled even bigger. He pointed at my plate where a few pieces of chicken had fallen out of my wrap. I pushed the plate toward him, eyeing the older boys. He grabbed the wrapper and unintentionally sent the chicken pieces flying. There was a big scuffle as four or so boys fought for the dime-sized meat chunks that were now scattered on the ground. Thankfully, he got a piece of it, but it was hardly a bite. I watched painfully as he received a few blows from his fellow street mates. He yelped and ducked, but I could see the satisfaction in his face.

Not wanting to see any more, I stood and took my plate inside and left to go to Shoprite for my groceries. As I walked across the dirt parking lot I came across the same little boy. "Sir, bottle," he said, pointing to the water I was now carrying. I looked around for the older boys and, seeing they were distracted, I quickly handed him the bottle of water. He smiled up at me and I rubbed his head with affection and patted him on the back. I really wanted to take him into my arms and tell him that God loved him and everything would be okay, but I resisted. Even if he understood English, which I doubt, trying to hug him might scare him. He jumped in the air and ran away with it quickly, kicking up dust as he went. I sighed and continued on to the store where I knew I would be in for more street kids.

Their big dark eyes watched as I scanned the shelves for the type of seasoning I wanted. Not finding it I continued down the crowded aisle. Hearing shuffling behind me, I turned to find a few boys right on my heels. They smiled sheepishly as if being caught doing something wrong. They held out their hands in hope of a hand-out and I shook my head. Turning, I walked away feeling horrible. They continued to follow me.

Later I found my hands full and there was not a basket or shopping cart in sight. I sat my things on a stack of fertilizer bags and looked around. I was tired of walking around this crowded store and was ready to leave. Suddenly, a young boy appeared in front of me holding up a basket. I looked at him wearily and then nodded and started putting my items in the basket. He eagerly helped me.

I motioned for him to follow me to the check out and he obeyed. As we stood in line, he held the basket for me, knowing I would pay him for helping me. It seemed to me that he was trying to hide his excitement. Maybe he knew better than to be hopeful. Life had taught him otherwise.

He was a very good-looking boy of about nine. He had big eyes and long dark eyelashes. He was wearing a heavy coat, despite the heat of the store. The sleeves were pushed up and it looked like it might have been white once. The hood was trimmed with fake fur and the zipper was broken.

Under the jacket I could see his caved-in chest that stuck out over a ratty black tank top that was much too big for him. His belly was very swollen--one of the worst I had seen--and it made his coat stick way out in front. Unlike most of the street children, he was wearing shoes and they looked fairly new. I found myself wondering how he had acquired them.

We waited as the line moved slowly and he looked almost proud to be standing in line holding my basket, but at the same time anxious for the line to get moving. I looked ahead to see how much longer we might be standing there. The store was jam packed with people and it was unbearably hot.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and tightened the sweatshirt that hung around my waist. It smelled like feet and bad body odor where we were standing and I was feeling faint. What I wouldn't give for a Wal-Mart. I peered across the store to the other lines and couldn't believe how many people were there. I took note that there was only one other white person in sight.

After we made it through the line and the boy bagged my purchases for me. I took the bag from him and handed him some money. He looked at it with big eyes and though he tried not to, he smiled at me. "Thank you, madam." He said quickly and quietly. I smiled back, "You're welcome."

Later as I stood outside the store waiting for my ride, the boy found me again. "Thank you, madam!" He said again, smiling big. I smiled and nodded. "Have a good new year." He hurried off happily and, for a short moment, I felt good.

That was when I saw him. An older man with a pair of crutches sitting against a pole. He saw me and held out his hand, his sad eyes pleading for me to fill it with something. I sat down against the building, took a chocolate bar out of my bag, and begin to unwrap it.

I didn't come to town very often and I always treated myself to a chocolate bar to keep from getting too homesick. His eyes widened as I broke off a chunk and popped it into my mouth. Taking out a bottle of water, I drank some. He was still watching. I rolled my eyes. I can't enjoy things when someone is watching me who I know has nothing. I was filled with an immense amount of guilt. I stood and walked over to him and placed the candy bar in his hand. He nodded, "Thank you very much madam." I sighed and then did my best to smile warmly, "You're welcome."

I picked up my backpack and sack and started walking off. I turned suddenly and, walking back over to him, I handed him my water. He thanked me again and sat it down beside him on the ground while he finished the chocolate. I was so thirsty. Why did I keep giving my water away?

I walked across the busy parking lot full of the thought of these people who were suffering on a daily basis. Begging for what they needed, fighting to survive. I jumped out of the way as a car honked, narrowly missing me. I shook my head trying to rid the thoughts, but I couldn't. There was nothing I could do about it--there were too many problems to fix. The thought haunted me.
I didn't even feel good about the small things I had done, because it wasn't enough. That old man would still be there tomorrow and the next day and the next day after until finally, he would die. The children . . . who knows what would happen to them? The small amount of money I gave the boy seemed like a fortune to him, but how long would it last? A few days? A week? On top of that, there are hundreds of people living on the street here and even more who are going hungry in their homes. What about them?

I absentmindedly bought some tomatoes from a street vendor and went to sit down and have a drink, again. My heart was, and still is, heavy with these happenings. It happens every time I go to town--everything I just described. What can I do? What can anyone do? I suppose the answer is, as much as they can. Maybe if everyone did as much as they could, it would be enough . . . maybe.

For now, one sure thing we can all do is pray. I am asking that you please join me in doing so. It doesn't seem like much, but it is. It is huge and it can make a big difference in the lives of these people. Pray that they find comfort, peace, and the things they need to live. Pray that they will be helped by people who have more. Pray that they don't give up on life, as hard as it can be for them. Most importantly, pray that they come to know Jesus and His love for them. Pray that it is put on someone's heart to teach them about what they are missing. God can do amazing things if we ask Him. Praise God for the blessings He has given us! We should all be thankful.

Happy New Year!

What's the Problem?

2007-12-07T16:12:00.000-06:00

We are all living in a world where the devil is working. Glorious will be the day when we shall be separated from the evil that he brings.

I have learned so many things as I live and work in Zambia. I know that when I leave this place I will come back to America a changed person. I will never look at life the way I used to and I am glad. I know it sounds cliché to say, “It’s a different world here!” but it really is. I am amazed daily at the differences of living here and living in the States. I am constantly being reminded of how luxurious life once was for me and I didn’t even realize it. I am always thinking of things that I took very much advantage of and only now that I don’t have them, I notice and appreciate them.
I am recommending to everyone a trip to a third-world country. If you haven’t been to one, you really need to go. Even on a short visit, you will gain immeasurable insight on how life is for a large percentage of the world’s population. If you have been to one, you know what I mean. I always want to take pictures of everything I see and experience so I may show people back home, but I know it’s not the same for them to see a photograph as it is for me to see the real thing.
I don’t want to go on and on about the poverty here because I know you have all heard it before. You’ve seen commercials about the orphans without shoes and read the pamphlets about how little it really takes to feed an African family. You know it’s here. I used to watch those commercials, too and often found myself feeling pity on them, but not really understanding the extent of it. It really hits me now that I am here. However, I don’t want to tell you about that. I don’t want to talk about looking out my window in the morning to see village children digging in my trash looking for food or things that they consider treasures. I don’t want to talk about the preschoolers that walk long distances barefoot to get to school, or the man I saw lying in a hospital bed whose legs were as thin as my wrists, or the child we had to rush to the clinic because his entire body was swollen due to malnutrition. I don’t want to talk about those things, because you already know about them.
There are so many things about Africa that make it different besides those issues you are used to hearing about. I have been introduced the cruelness of this world and am becoming more and more familiar with it as the days pass. My prayer list for this people is getting so long that each night it takes me more and more time to finish. When I look around me I see many issues that need to be addressed and taken care of. In fact, they are so numerous that I often feel overwhelmed at the fact that they most likely won’t ever be changed. Not all of them.
One major obstacle for people and a cause for many deaths is the lack of medical care facilities. The nearest clinic to our center is over 70 km away. We have often found when people make it there, they are then referred to a place where there needs can be met because that clinic lacks the know-how, the equipment and many other things necessary for proper care-giving. The places they are referred to are very far away. Many people in the villages die in childbirth, of snakebites, malaria--things that are easily treated once in the right care. Sometimes they die on the way to the hospital and sometimes they are so deep in the bush, they don’t even get that far.
A large part of this problem is due to lack of education. We have a certified nurse onboard with us and she is constantly in disbelief with some of the problems presented to her. We want to inform people of ways that they can be healthier and avoid so much sickness, but they are so far behind that it often seems like an uphill battle. Some people get it and some are not as fast to catch on. The issue is that in their worldview, they become fatalists, which means they believe that whatever is happening to them can’t be stopped because it’s fate. Here is an example to help you understand: There was a village of people that were all getting sick and many were dying. A missionary doctor came to their village and found that there was a dead goat in the bottom of their well. He said, “You have a dead goat in your well!!” They all said, “Yeah. . . ?” They knew the goat was down there, yet they continued using the water for bathing, cooking, drinking and cleaning. They made absolutely no connection to the fact that there was a decaying corpse of an animal in their water. They believed it was fate. Whether it be witchcraft, punishment, or the devil himself, there was nothing they could do to stop it.
This, obviously, is a large obstacle to overcome. We have many classes on healthy living and give out books on eating balanced meals and keeping your drinking water clean and so on. Germs don’t exist to them. They don’t have the cognitive domain to understand that. Disease is caused by germs and bacteria and can be cured and often prevented. Why are so many people dying of AIDS? It’s fate.
I don’t know how any of that makes you feel, but it really disturbs me. I sometimes think, “Oh, wouldn’t that be great to come and build a big hospital right here?” But then, who would come? Who would understand that they can go there with their sickness and get help? Who would rather go to a witch doctor. Who thinks that their baby girl has been bewitched so they have nothing to do but watch her die? It’s so hard to know where to start. It’s hard to see our progress from day to day. These people, that I have come to love very deeply, need more health education. It seems simple, and is compared to what some people think is needed over here.
It starts with the children. In preschool we talk about brushing teeth, keeping hair clean, bathing every day, eating vegetables, etc. They were all given tooth brushes and when they were asked where their tooth brushes were after a month, half of them had either, broken them, lost them, or had parents take them for themselves. Every day the teacher I work with checks them to see if they have bathed and cleaned their fingernails. It’s so important to learn these things and we want to start young so they can develop these habits over time. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like I am doing much until I look at the bigger picture. You gotta start somewhere!
We need your prayers for our efforts here. There is so much work to be done and not enough people to do it. It will take years for any changes to be really noticed to the outside and that’s too long. So many people will die in that time. I wasn’t originally trying to recruit anyone, but if you thought there was nothing you could do if you came to Africa, you were wrong. If you know how to take a bath and take care of your health needs then you are a prime candidate. Come on down! J Thank you everyone for your continuous prayers and support. I am so thankful for everything that is happening here and I am thankful to God and other who have made it possible for me to be a small part. Praise be to God.

I will try to update more often—sorry about that!

Life Lessons

2007-10-10T03:20:00.000-06:00

1. Don’t take everything personally, but use every situation as an opportunity to learn something about yourself.

2. Every day is a good day, only attitudes are bad.

3. Something good can be found in every situation.

4. Having to face challenges is God’s way of telling us we’re strong.

5. A 3rd world country is the easiest place to find your weaknesses, but the best place to find your strengths.

6. Always. . .
Use your hands to work for the Lord,
Use your voice to glorify the Lord,
Use your heart to love the Lord, and
Use your life to show the Lord

7. No matter how little a person has, if they have God they have everything they need.

8. The Bible is the best book I’ve ever read.

9. No matter where you’re from everyone laughs the same and everyone cries the same.

10. Be thankful for what you have.

11. God can use me in situations that seem to have no purpose.

12. Trusting in the Lord is the best thing I can do for myself.

These Are the Moments. . .

2007-09-12T17:19:00.000-06:00

It seems that there is more for me to tell you than there is time in which to tell you. I am experiencing far too much to be able to fit everything into this space that I have. Then again, perhaps even if my time and space were unlimited, I would still never have the ability to make you fully understand what it is truly like for me. . .
The past week or so has been full of it's ups and downs, as every week is. The good things that happened outweigh the not so good things by far, as they always do. The preschool program has been amazing! The local villages have been beyond receptive to our new school and are very eager for their children to become involved. This program has been limited to children of ages four, five and six because our resources are limited, but I am hoping that someday we might be able to expand beyond that. As of Thursday, our numbers peaked at forty-two children! That's a lot of kids! It is most encouraging to see their willingness to participate and learn. It almost brings me to tears every morning when I ride up on my bike to see them all eagerly awaiting my arrival, nearly falling off their benches with anticipation.
We have, however, hit a slight and most unfortunate snag. The young man whom I was training, Fremont, has been called up to work in the mine. This is something he has been waiting for, and it is very good news for him, but we had no idea it would be so soon. It has left me without a teacher and interpreter. I went to the children this morning to tell them the news. Someone from the church was supposed to meet me there to interpret, but no one showed up. After singing with the children for a while, there was nothing left that I could do without an interpreter. So, I told all 30-some kids to follow me. I walked them up the road to the roadside and bought them all a piece of bubble-gum. They were very excited! :) Then, not knowing what else to do, I told them, "Mukeye kikwipilo kesha." Which means, "You should come to the church tomorrow." That's all I knew to say, and I figured we would take it from there. We parted ways as everyone headed to their villages. Later I saw the man who was supposed to meet me to interpret and he went and told all the parents to take the rest of this week off from preschool and hopefully we will have a teacher by next Monday. I walked some of the kids home and met their parents. They were so excited to introduce me to their moms and dads and their parents were very excited to see me. It was a good day. We are searching desperately for a new teacher, though, and praying hard.
As long as I live, I will never forget walking down the road with over thirty preschoolers following me. I was packing one on my back and had five holding on to each hand. The rest of them were stumbling over themselves trying to get close to me. I was thinking about this later that day and I was trying to figure out how I could re-capture it so I could share it with everyone. There is no picture, no video, and there are definitely no words that will ever show people what it was like and how it made me feel inside. I found myself talking to God about it last night in prayer, because he is the only one who was there with me. I kept saying, "Oh, I loved it when. . ." or "Remember how she smiled after. . . ?" I can picture God nodding and smiling right along with me and I am forever thankful that he is here for me to share these things with. These are the moments that I wish I could pause and hold onto forever. These are the moments that I want to share with all of you. These are the moments that I live for.

Every day is a miracle. . .

2007-09-06T15:56:00.000-06:00

Hello, all! Things are going very well here in Mumena! I wish you all could be here to see God as clearly as I am able to. As I work with the people and all of the children, I am filled with a joy that I thought I would never know. God is truly amazing in the way he works things out according to his purpose.
I started the preschool this week, on Monday, and it is going well.The first day was good, but not many children showed up because of communication problems. That, unfortunately, is not uncommon as we try to put things together. We worked it out, however, and on the second day we had about 35 children! It was wonderful! They are so eager to learn and so full of life and energy that I am just amazed. They all took the time to bathe and put on their nicest clothes to come to school. It made me very proud to see such enthusiasm, not just from them, but from their parents as well. If this works out, it can be a very good thing for the community. The children are sharp and are catching on to my teaching much quicker than I originally thought they would. I am incredibly excited about that!
The children have shown me so many things and taught me so much without even trying to or knowing that they were. Language is not as big of a barrier as some would think, or as I thought at first. It can be frustrating when you are trying to communicate something and nothing is getting across to you or to the person with whom you are talking. However, it has been a blessing to be with these children and not know what they're saying. Often times I can tell what they want or need just through their actions or facial expressions. Today I was sitting on the ground watching them play at break time and a little girl came up to me and smiled (I love the fact that smiling is the same in both languages). She grabbed a hold of my hand and just stood next to me, looking into my eyes. I pulled her onto my lap and she laughed (which is also the same) and seemed very excited to be so near to me. There were a few other girls who followed her lead and came over to sit with me. They were touching my hair and my arms and my clothes and saying things that I couldn't understand. I could, however, feel their desire to be held and loved. I could hear in their voices that I was making a huge impression just in this moment that could seem so small to someone else.
After class none of the children wanted to leave. They all wanted to stay and hold my hands and touch my skin and tell me the few words they know in English. I will never forget today as I stood there looking down at them. All 35 of them were holding onto some part of me whether it be my arms or my hands or my clothes. Their big black eyes were looking up at me with questioning gazes. They were all smiling, showing their white teeth, and their little black fingers were moving up and down my arms as they inspected me. It's as if they wanted to see what I felt like. They are learning to trust me one step at a time and it is truly an experience that I will hold onto for the rest of my days.
I have been here almost two months and have already learned so many things from these people. They are loving, kind, gentle, and eager to please. They make do with what they have (which is near to nothing) and they keep on going day after day. They never question why they don't have more and they seem very content. They are hard workers and very strong. The women spend most of their days hauling water from the well to their homes so that their children can bathe, and so they can cook and clean. They get up early in the morning to heat their coals so their children can have a hot breakfast. They are up late at night trying to finish their day's work. They do their laundry by hand, they cook everything over a fire, they hand-wash their dishes and bathe their children. They sew their clothes, clean their homes, butcher their own chickens and pigs for dinner. They have an average of 4-5 children per family, and more if a mother dies. There is one lady here who takes care of all her nieces and nephews on top of her own children. There are almost 20 of them! Yet, she manages.
They do very well and the only thing they are missing is hope. They don't have any hope for a future or any hope of coming out of poverty. There is no hope. You can see it in their eyes and hear it when they speak. In fact, I have often wondered to myself what exactly keeps these people going? What motivates them to keep on keepin' on? That is where I come in and the rest of the missionary families. We are here to teach them of hope. There is a God who loves them unendingly and wants them to live forever with him. There will be no suffering! No AIDS! No hauling water for baths! There will be no tears, no mistreatment, no lies. There will be no disease, no sickness and no dying. This is a message that gives them hope and gives them somethingto live for. When we go to church I love to sit back and watch their facial expressions as they hear the message. I love to watch them clap and sing from their hearts about a God who is coming back for them someday. It's almost unreal that I am able to see these things first-hand. It's like every day is a miracle. Every smile, every laugh, every song, every baptism. The angels in heaven are surely rejoicing every hour that we spend here seeking and saving the lost.
That is how the ministry here is going. That is what it is like for me here every day. That is why I wanted to come and do what we are doing.

More on the work in Mumena

2007-08-17T16:06:00.000-06:00

Things here in Mumena are going great so far! God is blessing all of the work we've been doing. I am starting to feel very at home, here. The preschools we are starting are right on schedule for the first week of September, and I am getting anxious to start. To get the children from the area used to me, I have been going to two different villages and teaching them about God and telling them stories from the bible. They seem to be very receptive to me and they are all very excited about being taught by a "muzungu" or "white person". I love to teach them and watch them hear these things for the first time. It is truly a blessing to be here and be a part of the Kingdom work!
On the side I have been putting together Sunday school lessons that can be taught using materials in the area. Once I get them all put together, I will be going around to different churches and presenting the material so that they can teach their own children. We are also leaving them enough materials to get started. They are the ones asking for the material and that is a good thing! It means they are ready to start taking part in their churches, and that's a huge step.
I have one bible study going with a young girl (18) in the next village (I have an interpreter--she speaks very little English), but it's hard to know when she is going to show up to learn. When she does come, she seems to be very interested. I've found that often times out here, they are too busy working, hauling water, and doing other various chores, to make time for education and bible studies. I am tutoring a young Zambian girl in her schooling. She is seven and very behind on reading. She comes every morning and we work on her letters. Yesterday she didn't come, but I did see her walking back and forth with a bucket of water on her head and her baby brother tied on her back. My heart went out to her because she is so young to be working so hard. She is so small and looked even smaller underneath the heavy bucket. That's how it is out here, though. That's life for these children and their parents.
This has certainly been eye-opening for me and I will never forget some of the things I have seen. Please pray for our work here and hopefully all of the small things we do will come together to make a big change. Thank you for your support and prayers. God is definitely omnipotent! Praise Him.

Mumena Update

2007-08-05T22:09:00.000-06:00

Hello, all! Everything here in Mumena, Zambia is going great! I am learning so much about the culture and how to teach the bible cross-culturally. I have attended a few training classes and it is all so interesting, yet challenging. Plans to start a preschool for one of the villages is coming along and we are planning to start in September. Everything we create here we want to be self-sustaining once we leave. Because of that, I will be training a local to teach the preschool and eventually take over. The children don't speak English so I have to have an interpretor, but I have already learned a great deal of Kaonde--their native language. Our goal is to teach them the bible along with all the basic knowledge that preschoolers need when they enter school. We want them to be able to speak English, also.
On top of that I am planning on starting a few one-on-one bible studies with the women in this area and there are a couple of other children's ministry projects that are in the works. I will update more on those as we go.
One thing that has become very clear to me as I spend more time with these people is that Americans as a whole have forgotten what's important in life and I love the simplicity out here--it is so refreshing. It's not as convenient, but it doesn't matter. They don't have any concept of time here and it's a big change for me, but I already like it. I love the people, too. They are friendly, caring, and so eager to learn about our loving LORD.
God is great and his blessings continue to pour out as we work in His name. Praise Him for He is GOOD!

In his arms I fly

2007-07-08T12:26:00.000-06:00

I am finally on my way!!!!! It seemed like this day would never come and here it is. I made it to Dallas and am now at the airport waiting for the flight that will take me to London. Everyone has probably heard about the car bombings there and all the going-ons, and I just want to ask for your prayers to make it through security okay and get on my flight to Zambia in time. I am sure that everything will be fine, but it helps to know that people are praying for me. God hasn't failed me yet and he certainly won't start now. Thank you for your prayers and support that have helped me get this far. Soon you will be able to see the amazing things that God can do through me! Keep checking for news because it will be coming!!

2007-06-29T11:25:00.000-06:00

After hours of packing, I finally got everything in!!

Time To Go!

2007-06-29T11:09:00.001-06:00

Wow. It's finally here. I am leaving New Mexico in a couple of hours to start my incredible journey. I will spend about a week on the coast and then I am headed to Africa. I can't believe it's finally here! Packing proved to be more of a challenge than I had originally thought, but I finally fit everything into two 50 lb. bags and two carry-ons--that takes talent! I had to leave a couple of things behind that I wanted to take, but I didn't really need. Time to simplify my life. I am very excited to get started on my trip and I praise God, for he is good!!

Here goes!

2007-06-25T21:16:00.000-06:00

I have started packing for my trip! I am so excited to be this close to leaving. It seems like the wait has been forever, but I am sure it will be worth it! There are so many things that I have to pack for a trip like this and it has been a lengthy process getting everything ready. Every time I start to get things together I remember something else that I need. I will be glad when I am done! Of course, I would like to remember everything that I need. Once I get to Africa there are many things that will be hard to come by or I won't be able to find them at all. I can't imagine life without Wal Mart, but I guess I will get used to it! :) As usual, God has been with me every step of the way and I am so thankful, for without him it would be impossible!

God of Wonders

2007-05-31T22:53:00.000-06:00

It's so weird to be away from my friends and my church family. I feel sad when I think of Conway--the place I had come to call home. I find it very strange that my calling to serve in Zambia means making so many sacrifices and saying so many good-byes. It seems that doing the right thing should make life easier, though I know the very opposite is often true. In this case, leaving is probably the hardest thing I have ever done, yet I am doing it by choice because it is pleasing to God and it is exactly what he has planned for me. I can take comfort in this as well as in knowing that my family and friends in Conway will be my family and friends forever; even after this life is through. I pray that God eases my pain and blesses this time I have with my parents and other family and friends in New Mexico before I take the big leap and move across the ocean to the unknown. I also praise God for all that he has done for me as I continue to plan this trip of faith. I am so blessed. He truly is a God of wonders, isn't he?

Moving Right Along

2007-05-16T12:20:00.000-06:00

Well, I went and recieved MORE shots yesterday in preperation for my trip to Africa. It wasn't bad, though. I am now vaccinated from Polio and Chicken Pox as well as a number of other diseases. It is getting close to moving time and the closer it gets, the more antsy I am to leave. I have been waiting so long for this and now I just want to go. I will be moving in with my parents in less than two weeks, thus leaving my home in Conway. I shall miss everyone in Arkansas greatly, but it is just a step in the direction of Africa--my ultimate destination--therefore I can't be too sad. The Lord continues to bless me everyday and for that I am grateful as well as excited to be able to serve Him in this way.

His Blessings Pour Out

2007-05-02T23:39:00.000-06:00

I am so amazed at the power of the Lord. He is accomplishing so many things in my life right now and everything for my trip seems to be just falling into place. It's exciting to be confident that I am exactly where I should be right now preparing to do exactly what I have been called to do. God never ceases to amaze me!

Getting Ready

2007-05-02T09:02:00.000-06:00

It’s a little over two months before I will be leaving for Africa!! I am going to be living there for about a year and I am totally stoked! I can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store for me there. I have been preparing for this trip for quite some time and am becoming a tad antsy to leave. I must say that it will be a bittersweet departure. . .