Ndola

I left Lusaka on October 1 to head up to Ndola to spend a few weeks here helping at a few different orphanages. My first week here was very relaxing, I was hoping for more work to do, but there was not much to be done this week.  The ministerial college was meeting this week and I spent Wednesday with the Pastors wives and went to a Bible study with them (One was from Chicago and the other from Nebraska).  I enjoyed being able to spend time with other Americans as I was getting settled into Ndola and I was encouraged by their faith and the fellowship I had with them.    Thursday I went to one of the children’s ministries.  It was a home set up for children whose families in need, a few of the children were orphaned, but most of them were staying at the house until their family is financially able to care for them.  Friday I was at home and spent most of the day reading and also was able to enjoy dinner and fellowship with the American Pastor’s and their wives at Kabwe Kabwe’s home. Saturday I went to the youth group that the church here has and Sunday morning I was at Pastor Kabwe’s church for part of the service, but I spent most of the morning with Pastor Kabwe’s wife at the Sunday school she teaches about 20 minutes from the church.   

This week I will be at another orphanage and school, I am not sure of what I’ll be doing, but I am praying that I will be a help there. 

Lord willing I will be in Ndola until October 20, then will be going to Kitwe which is about 40 minutes from Ndola.  I will be staying at a mission’s organization there and working at a disabled orphanage.  I will be there until November 11 then will be back to Lusaka until November 20.  I am really enjoying my time here and am very thankful that God has given me this opportunity to come to Zambia. 

Please continue to pray that the Lord will use me here to be a help and a witness for Him and also please pray that I will find comfort in the Lord and know His presence, often times (especially at night and Sundays) I begin to feel  lonely and homesick. Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and for your prayers!

Week two in Lusaka

Week 2

Saturday I was not feeling well (I think I had a slight fever, had a headache and was feeling dizzy most of the day) so I did not do much, Sunday (the 22) I went to a small church with the Williamsons where James was preaching, this was a very different experience for me! There was a lot of dancing and yelling and very loud and energetic singing and all of the singing was in a different language. The church was very hot, so it was hard to concentrate and I still was not feeling well so I missed most of the sermon standing outside to see if the breeze would make me feel better.

Monday I still was not feeling well so I spent the day at home.  Tuesday I went to the McDonald farm and spent most of the day organizing their library. Wednesday, I was supposed to go to Kabanana, but when I got there, the school was closed for the day, so instead I went to town with Megan and was able to enjoy fellowship with her and was also able to make dinner for the family.  Thursday was another relaxing day, that I was able to spend reading.  Friday I went to Kabanana and also helped Sarah and Megan with a large bake order that they had for the next day, it was good to spend time with them and cook with them!  Saturday I went with Ian and Megan to the Saturday market which is in Lusaka once a month, there are a lot of different homemade crafts and things to see and buy. Overall it was a relaxing week, but a good week. I leave on Monday for Ndola where I will spend the next few weeks.

My encounter with an African rat….

I always make sure I close my door when I’m leaving for a long time to make sure no animals get in my room, but when I got back from the Saturday market, I found my door opened, I was hoping that nothing got in and I didn’t think too much about it. Around seven I was back in my room by myself and heard a strange noise coming from under my bed,  at first I ignored it and just thought it was trash or something moving around because of the fan, but I kept hearing it so I ran into the house to have Ian and Emma check under my bed incase there was something there, after a few minutes they came back and told me there was nothing there so I didn’t have to worry.  I stayed in the house for a while to spend time with the older kids and watch a movie with them and had a really great evening, I went to sleep pretty quickly after I got back to my room, but around 1:30 in the morning I woke up because I heard a strange noise coming from my bookshelves.  I sat up in bed and was shaking trying to imagine what was in my room and realizing that whatever it was I would have to face a lone.   I saw something move across the floor really quickly and only saw the tail so I assumed it was just a lizard since I see those all the time. I decided that since it was just a lizard I could just go back to sleep and not worry about it ( I figured I could just hide under my blanket and that I would be safe) but when I lay back down I felt something hit against my bed and jumped up standing on my bed screaming, I pointed a flashlight towards the foot of the bed and there was a huge rat sitting there staring at me! I don’t think I have ever screamed so loud or been shaking so much, my first instinct was to have my dad come and take care of it like he would if it happened in America, so I picked up my phone and called home and left a message saying there was a rat in my room and I didn’t know what to do, but that didn’t do to much good! I knew I would have to find some way to get rid of the rat on my own, I finally built up the courage to run across my room and try to open the door, but I was shaking and crying so much that it took a little while to unlock it, after I opened the door I ran back to my bed and stood in the middle of it underneath my mosquito net (I thought this was the best way to stay safe from the rat). The rat finally ran out of my room around 2:00, but after that it took me a while to fall back asleep because every noise I heard I thought it might be another rat in my room!!! It was certainly an interesting experience and one that I hope I don’t have to repeat again!!!

First week in Lusaka

Friday, September 13, I left for Zambia. I woke up feeling nervous and excited.  I had an evening flight and was hoping to be able to sleep on the plane so I would feel rested on Saturday and start to get used to life in Zambia; I didn’t end up sleeping very much on the plane so I didn’t do much on Saturday.

   Sunday I was able to go to Kabwata Baptist church, I was greatly blessed to worship with the brethren there and was also able to hear Pastor Mbewe speak from Nehemiah 9 on God’s faithfulness to us even when we are not faithful to Him.  Sunday afternoon I went to Bible study with the Williamsons and taught the 8-13 year old class a lesson on Samuel.  Sunday night I was able to Skype the youth from Louisville and talk to them and pray with them which was a huge and unexpected blessing! I was very thankful for that time!

   Monday I went to the McDonald farm and helped with the baby class (ages 4-12) in the morning; in the afternoon I worked with grades 2&3 (ages 9-15), I helped them with their reading lessons which was a little challenging. Most of them had no interest in learning, but a few really enjoyed it.

Tuesday, I went with Pastor Mbewe’s son, Mwindula to see Hope Kabanana I spent a little time there and also with Fanny and her husband.  I was supposed to observe classes on Wednesday and Friday at Hope so I could begin teaching the baby class (around age 5 I think) on Monday. 

   When I arrived on Wednesday, the teacher was not there so I attempted to teach the baby class…It didn’t go too well, it was mostly me trying to get them to stop crying, and hitting each other and biting each other or to get them to stop standing on the table. 

Thursday I didn’t go to the McDonald farm or to Hope Kabanana and was able to get a little sleep and spend the day reading and relaxing.  The electricity was out a lot of the day and so was the water.  The electricity being out wasn’t that bad, and at first I wasn’t bothered by the water being off, but by the end of the night I realized how thankful I was for water and how much I take it for granted!

   Friday I was back at Hope and the day was much better!  The children behaved much better and I was also more prepared. I had a really great day with them all! They are a fun group of kids to work with and I look forward to working with them over the next couple of weeks before I leave for Ndola!

   Thank you all for the prayers! God has truly blessed me this first week in Zambia! 

Week in England

We arrived in England on Thursday around 11 pm (English time) where Pastor Austin Walker picked us up from the airport to spend the week with him and his wife.  Friday was a relaxing day and we were able to spend time with our friends the Philips which was very nice.  Saturday and Wednesday we spend time in London and had the opportunity to go inside and see Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, the London Eye and the National Archives as well as seeing many other beautiful sights around London.

Sunday Pastor Jeremy Walker spoke in Sunday school on effective evangelism, and my dad spoke on Jesus healing the paralytic man and on Psalm 103.  All of the messages were excellent and very helpful.

Sunday afternoon I was feeling a little lonely and homesick, but in the afternoon I was reading Passion and Purity by Elizabeth Elliot and found these words very encouraging 

-Be Still and Know that He is God. When you are lonely, too much stillness is exactly the thing that seems to be laying waste your soul. Use that stillness to quiet your heart before God. Get to know Him. If He is God, He is still in charge.

-Remember that you are not alone "The Lord, He it is that doth go with thee. He will not fail thee neither forsake thee. Be strong and of good courage" (Duet. 31:8) Jesus promised His disciples "Lo, I am with you always" (Matt 28: 20). Never mind if you cannot feel his presence. He is there, never for one moment forgetting you.

-Give thanks, In times of my greatest loneliness I have been lifted up by the promise of 2 Corinthians 4:17, 18, "For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen" this is something to thank God for. This loneliness itself, which seems a weight, will be far out weighed by glory. 

-Refuse self-pity. Refuse it absolutely. It is a deadly thing with power to destroy you. Turn your thoughts to Christ who has already carried your griefs and sorrows.

-Accept loneliness. It is one stage and only one stage, on a journey that brings you to God. It will not always last.

-Offer up your loneliness to God, as the little boy offered to Jesus his five loaves and two fishes. God can transform it for the good of others. 

-Do something for somebody else. No matter who or where you are, there is something you can do, somebody who needs you. Pray that you may be an instrument of God's peace, that where there is loneliness you may bring joy." 

Monday we spent with Pastor Austin and Mrs. Walker at Arundel, which was a beautiful little town with a very nice and impressive castle. We also drove around Brighton.

Tuesday, Alissa Walker and two of her children and I went to Highclere Castle which is where the TV show Downton Abbey is filmed.  I really enjoyed the time with Alissa and loved seeing the castle.  The grounds were beautiful and the house was lovely. 

Thursday, we went with Pastor Jeremy Walker and Chibesa to see different church history sights and to hear Pastor Jeremy speak on Matthew Henry.  We saw the birthplace of Charles H Spurgeon, the church where he was converted and where he was baptized.  We also saw churches where Andrew Fuller, John Owens, Jeremiah Burrow and John Roger preached and taught.  The day was very educational and enjoyable.

Update (August 26, 2013)

As I am getting closer and closer to the departure date, I am filled with excitement, but am also nervous about going.   While at church on Sunday I realized that it would be my last Sunday service there until November, I have traveled many times, but never for such a long period of time.  I was struck with thankfulness that I have grown up in such an amazing church that has been blessed by God and where I know and love everyone and am very blessed by them. It will be strange to leave this church family that I have been apart of for such a long time.  

It will aslo be hard to be away from my house and family for so long, there has never been a time in my life where I haven't been able to call one of my parents or siblings to talk or to ask advice from. This will be hard for me, because my family is some of my closest friends and helpers in life.

I leave for England with my dad on September 5 and will stay in England visiting a few places around the country before I leave for Zambia.  I leave for Zambia on September 13. I do not fully know what to expect while I am in Zambia. I plan on working mostly with the orphanage, but whatever God has in store for me it is my prayer that I will be a help and a light for Christ to all that I come into contact with.

 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world (James 1:27)

 

 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.(Matthew 5:13-16)

 

 



Why I am going

Ever since I got back from my missions trip from the Dominican Republic, I knew I wanted to do more work on the mission field. I prayed that God would give me opportunities to do that. In summer 2012 I started to pray more seriously about going to Zambia. My original plan was to leave soon after graduation and return in early August, but then I realized that I would be done with school so I started to pray about staying for longer. I didn't tell my parents that plan at first, but when I did they were open to the idea.

I was thrilled that my parents were open to the idea of me staying longer, and since I decided to stay for a few months I told my parent I would pay for my entire ticket.....little did I know how much it would cost. I started out with about $30 in my jar of money for Zambia. I remember talking to a friend about how I was worried that I wouldn't be able to raise the money I would need. My friend told me not to worry, because if it was Gods plan for me to go to Zambia, I would get there. From that point on, I started to pray differently and started to rely on God more, before that I wasn't trusting Him enough. Soon after I had that conversation with the friend, money was pouring in. I did a bake sale and raised $150, and most of that money came by donations from people who found out why I was raising money. A few pastors also donated $202 when they found out what my goal was. I also started to babysit more than I ever have.

Another problem, was who I would fly over with. Once again, I asked God that he would send someone who also had the desire to go to Zambia. Within the next few days, I got a message on Facebook from a friend who knew of someone going to Zambia around the same time I wanted to go, and I was told I could go with them.

It has been amazing to see how God is answering one prayer after another an He continues to open the doors for me to go to Zambia.

As I get more money for the ticket, I start to get more and more excited about leaving. Some days it doesn't feel real that in a few months, I will be leaving the place that I have always known as home and be living in a new place for a short time. It doesn't seem real that all the people who have been supporting me all the way won't be a phone call away. There will be change in my life, I'm sure that when I get there it will be different then I expected, but better than I expected. I can't wait to see what God has on store for me and what He will have me do.

"Also, I heard the voice of The Lord saying, 'whom shall I send and who will go for us?' Then I said 'Here am I l! Send me.'" (Isaiah 6:8)