We have all seen it. The blog that just sits. This is not 'that blog'. Honest, I lost my power cord somewhere in Africa the day after my last post and just got mentally home enough to consider what to say. I know, I know... lost power cord, somewhere in Africa... a lame excuse. But this time it is the truth. Please forgive.
So, my last post was just after the visit to the dormant hospital. That was hard to witness and I have processed the ideas and had dozens of conversations regarding the possibilities already. A hospital that closes at night because they do not have staff. All the patients are sent home for the night or if they are too sick they are transported to another hospital in Kafue, about 40km away. (Not sure how that is paid for, but know that this little hospital does accept in-kind payment such as chickens, grain or vegetables in exchange for care.) The hospital had a dental chair, not used for a looooong time, because of no staff. The labor and delivery suite door was locked and all the equipment put in storage because it had not been used in such a long time. The need is extremely evident and all around to clearly see. My mind is flooded with the names and faces of friends, colleagues and students and partners that would jump at the opportunity to serve here. Lord, please do that thing you do and use me in any way you see fit to make something happen here. I have prayed it everyday since and will continue. Friends, please pray with me on this one, and btw... if your name is Joey, Paul, Teresa, Regina, Sheila, Robin, Dianna, Kate, Jordan, Michael, Allie, Timmie, Katie, Lydia, Brett, Dan P. or Dan B., and about a dozen others....you might have come to mind as someone that is just perfect for spending some time at this hospital or in the mobile clinic that could potentially come out of this partnership. The mobile clinic effort that we have been developing over the past year has so much potential working out of this location. God, it's all you.
The good-byes at the work site are never fun, and Chipongwe was no different. On Friday afternoon we gave gifts and sang and prayed and took pictures... and said our goodbyes with many promises of returning to work together again. What you can't help, is to take the memory of our friends and co-workers home and tell their stories. They are hard-working people, trying to take care of their families, trying to make ends meet and stay strong when life gets tough. But life is always tough in Africa. There does not seem to be any other way to say it. Life is always tough in Africa. What confounds anyone that visits there is the deep joy, love and reliance on God that permeates every relationship. They seem to have a deeper understanding and deeper value for what is important. God, family... relationships. You can't say hello to a friend without being asked "how is your family?" I can't help myself, and have asked this question several times since returning home. It feels so good to care enough about someone to care about what is important to them. Try it. How is your family?
On Saturday we drove in a bus, with a governor beep-beep-beeping all the way down to Livingstone. Road trip! Good times... sleeping sitting up, eating muffins at a roadside stand, hitting our heads on the roof of the bus a few times and of course... seeing the countryside. I love it.
Our last two days in Livingstone are always one of the highlights of the trip. Of course seeing the Falls, the bridge jumping, the game drive and this year, a sunset on the Zambezi complete with the devil-eyed croc, the hippo playground and the mommy and baby elies! .... are things that we will never forget. But... worship with Pastor Smoke and our Livingstone church is one of my utmost fav times in Africa. The music is like none other and they friendship is so precious to me that I hurt when they hurt. Pastor Smoke is discouraged. He was not feeling well and feared that he had malaria, again. He shared with me his struggles and his frustrations... and I did my best to encourage him with the best pep talk I could muster on the spot. But in my heart, I know that anything I said would be inadequate. This is the Lords work to do in him. Lord, continue to give my friend Smoke everything he needs to love his parish and the passion he will need to continue the work you have for him to do. It is not pastor frustration like money, theology, politics and personality stuff... but real-life stuff like water, food and AIDS. Lord, help my friend and let him know that it is YOU who has called him and YOU who will not forget him.
The 2010 team was without a doubt, unforgettable. Each one with gifts and energy that God turned into wonderful ministry in partnership with our African brothers and sisters. This just never gets old. Two 2011 teams are already in the works. One work team at Chipongwe, including medical and dental projects and one special ops visit to nail down all the details of our Community School Partnership.
God is so good and faithful and patient... to honor us with his presence and provision and protection on so many levels. I remain humbly amazed and awed at the way he works and weaves us into his purpose for his children. He takes something so feeble as our plans, and makes it something even more beautiful than we can ask or imagine... a friendship and a shared love for him that goes deeper than our understanding.
This God is love and love is good.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
God is working in Lukamantano and Chipongwe
We are having an amazing week and I am here with an incredible team. I have heard nearly all the of the team members, at one time or another, talking about the next trip and who they want to bring with them. This is very cool to hear and to imagine the next team.
On Thursday I had the opportunity for a meeting with the director of the Zambian Helpers Society Hospital. The hospital is located across the road from our Chipongwe project. This is a beautiful facility, lacking something very important...staff and patients. The hospital is understaffed and unable to provide the cafe that the community desperately needs. They have a dental chair that has not been used in at least a year. The have a labor and delivery suite that has been emptied of equipment and locked up due to the lack of staffing. This is a wonderful opportunity for us and I am praying that God will lead and guide and we will seek and follow. Trusting God with the details and putting calls out to colleagues... can't wait to see what is next.
We made a visit to the Chipongwe Village, also across the road from our project. This village has very limited resources and no school or water. We see many, many opportunities for us here and look forward to conversations in the future about how we can strengthen this community.
Today we work, visit another clinic and say goodbye to our friends at the work site. We do not look forward to leaving our co-workers that we have worked shoulder to shoulder with all week. These guys are amazing and we love them.
Today is going to be a good day.
On Thursday I had the opportunity for a meeting with the director of the Zambian Helpers Society Hospital. The hospital is located across the road from our Chipongwe project. This is a beautiful facility, lacking something very important...staff and patients. The hospital is understaffed and unable to provide the cafe that the community desperately needs. They have a dental chair that has not been used in at least a year. The have a labor and delivery suite that has been emptied of equipment and locked up due to the lack of staffing. This is a wonderful opportunity for us and I am praying that God will lead and guide and we will seek and follow. Trusting God with the details and putting calls out to colleagues... can't wait to see what is next.
We made a visit to the Chipongwe Village, also across the road from our project. This village has very limited resources and no school or water. We see many, many opportunities for us here and look forward to conversations in the future about how we can strengthen this community.
Today we work, visit another clinic and say goodbye to our friends at the work site. We do not look forward to leaving our co-workers that we have worked shoulder to shoulder with all week. These guys are amazing and we love them.
Today is going to be a good day.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Our school in Kenyama is well
Finally, Wednesday we visited one of my favorite ministries... Kenyama West Church of the Nazarene Community School. We arrived yesterday morning as the kids were coming to school and we were warmly greeted and welcomed by Pastor Benson Mweetwa, his staff and about 300 precious kids.
They wanted to play and hug and hold hands. They sang for us and each teacher on the team was asked to teach a class. It was cool to watch the team teach school in Zambia. How many times in life do you get that opportunity?
The Kenyama West teachers were the same ladies that we met one year ago. They still get paid a small amount, irregularly. The school serves about 300 students in the morning session and 300 students in the afternoon session. One of the teachers, Rose, proudly reported to us that all 16 of her 8th grade students had passed the grade this year. This is hugely significant because 8th grade is the highest basic school level. Beyond 8th grade in Zambia is considered Secondary School and is very expensive. Kenyama West school has big hopes that they will expand their school to 12th grade. We share that hope with them and want to be a part of their growth. Last year it had been 4 months since they were paid. We have known this for one year. It is time to do something about this, and we are ready. Josh and Angie worked to put together our kids profiles for our partnership to ensure that all 9 Nazarene Community Schools across Zambia stay open and prosper. We can't wait to be a part of this effort. If these schools did not exist, these kids would not be able to attend school and they would also not have the one hot meal a day served at the school. This is definitely something we want to be a part of.
The work continued at Chipongwe yesterday and floors and walls are impressive! We worked on the foundation on the extension of the building and several of us hauled 40lb block... all day.
We walked to a little community store today for a cold drink and a cookie. We met the owner, Christine. She is a warm lady and has a huge smile. She is very happy that we can shop in her store everyday and we are very happy to keep it local ;)
I had a very interesting conversation today with Davis. He is a Radiologist that lives in Kafue and commutes to the Zambian Helpers Society Hospital across the road from our Chipongwe project everyday. This hospital is in Lukamantano village.... (another story). He told me of the excommunication of an Archbishop, a possible partnership with South Korea and the present level of care being delivered at the hospital. No staff, no care. It is an interesting situation and I was able to arrange a visit to the hospital today. I am interested to learn more... and see if God is leading us toward a partnership.
It is going to be a good day.
More later...
They wanted to play and hug and hold hands. They sang for us and each teacher on the team was asked to teach a class. It was cool to watch the team teach school in Zambia. How many times in life do you get that opportunity?
The Kenyama West teachers were the same ladies that we met one year ago. They still get paid a small amount, irregularly. The school serves about 300 students in the morning session and 300 students in the afternoon session. One of the teachers, Rose, proudly reported to us that all 16 of her 8th grade students had passed the grade this year. This is hugely significant because 8th grade is the highest basic school level. Beyond 8th grade in Zambia is considered Secondary School and is very expensive. Kenyama West school has big hopes that they will expand their school to 12th grade. We share that hope with them and want to be a part of their growth. Last year it had been 4 months since they were paid. We have known this for one year. It is time to do something about this, and we are ready. Josh and Angie worked to put together our kids profiles for our partnership to ensure that all 9 Nazarene Community Schools across Zambia stay open and prosper. We can't wait to be a part of this effort. If these schools did not exist, these kids would not be able to attend school and they would also not have the one hot meal a day served at the school. This is definitely something we want to be a part of.
The work continued at Chipongwe yesterday and floors and walls are impressive! We worked on the foundation on the extension of the building and several of us hauled 40lb block... all day.
We walked to a little community store today for a cold drink and a cookie. We met the owner, Christine. She is a warm lady and has a huge smile. She is very happy that we can shop in her store everyday and we are very happy to keep it local ;)
I had a very interesting conversation today with Davis. He is a Radiologist that lives in Kafue and commutes to the Zambian Helpers Society Hospital across the road from our Chipongwe project everyday. This hospital is in Lukamantano village.... (another story). He told me of the excommunication of an Archbishop, a possible partnership with South Korea and the present level of care being delivered at the hospital. No staff, no care. It is an interesting situation and I was able to arrange a visit to the hospital today. I am interested to learn more... and see if God is leading us toward a partnership.
It is going to be a good day.
More later...
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
YAPYA and such...
I can't believe it is already Wednesday!
Once again, the week is flying by.
Church on Sunday at Mapepe Church of the Nazarene was A-Mazing! They can sing. nuf said.
This is known as a the 'pipe church'... because the pews are pipes. Pastor Victor is young and energetic and has an amazing warm smile. We happened to be there on Pastor Appreciation Day and watch the procession of gifts. The process was also a gift :)
They had to extend the offering to raise the full district budget. They were $52,000 kwacha short. We were so happy to help them meet their budget. This was about $12. You know we did that!
We could not work on Sunday, so we had to shop. It is so fun to see the markets and buy for those at home. Hope and Gavin will be sporting some nice little dreds with beads the next time you see them, thanks to a couple of awesomely cute hats I found. Can't wait to see them.
Oh yeah, on Sunday...OUR LUGGAGE ARRIVED! That was cool too.
Monday was our first day at the work site. No words for the amount of progress that has happened in one year. Pictures soon, and an loooooong explanation of why this is so evidently God working.
Paparazzi Josh arrived safely, with luggage and we were all glad to see him. Can't wait to see what he sees.
Tuesday was another super productive work day at Chipongwe. We took a group over to Mapepe Compound to play with kids in the morning and another group in the afternoon. I will never forget Andrew teaching the kids 189 ways to say bubbles. He is such a teacher, and it was so fun to watch the team love on kids and be loved by them.
We had a meeting downtown with the NYI Field Coordinator and an amazing new partner at YAPYA. God is making a wonderful connection and we can't wait to see what comes of this.
The team has gelled and we are making memories that will change us forever.
More later.
From Zambia, with Love....
Once again, the week is flying by.
Church on Sunday at Mapepe Church of the Nazarene was A-Mazing! They can sing. nuf said.
This is known as a the 'pipe church'... because the pews are pipes. Pastor Victor is young and energetic and has an amazing warm smile. We happened to be there on Pastor Appreciation Day and watch the procession of gifts. The process was also a gift :)
They had to extend the offering to raise the full district budget. They were $52,000 kwacha short. We were so happy to help them meet their budget. This was about $12. You know we did that!
We could not work on Sunday, so we had to shop. It is so fun to see the markets and buy for those at home. Hope and Gavin will be sporting some nice little dreds with beads the next time you see them, thanks to a couple of awesomely cute hats I found. Can't wait to see them.
Oh yeah, on Sunday...OUR LUGGAGE ARRIVED! That was cool too.
Monday was our first day at the work site. No words for the amount of progress that has happened in one year. Pictures soon, and an loooooong explanation of why this is so evidently God working.
Paparazzi Josh arrived safely, with luggage and we were all glad to see him. Can't wait to see what he sees.
Tuesday was another super productive work day at Chipongwe. We took a group over to Mapepe Compound to play with kids in the morning and another group in the afternoon. I will never forget Andrew teaching the kids 189 ways to say bubbles. He is such a teacher, and it was so fun to watch the team love on kids and be loved by them.
We had a meeting downtown with the NYI Field Coordinator and an amazing new partner at YAPYA. God is making a wonderful connection and we can't wait to see what comes of this.
The team has gelled and we are making memories that will change us forever.
More later.
From Zambia, with Love....
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