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.