Worship, Raindrops and Tears

Another Sunday in Lusaka, and we were off to a different church. The churches that have GEMS Girls’ Clubs, all want us to come and worship with them. This Sunday, it was the Mtendere Pentecostal Holiness Church. Joyce is the Club Coordinator there, we had made arrangements on Friday, for her to come for us this morning. We were hoping this meant by car, because we have been warned multiple times that Mtendere is a very dangerous place and we should not walk there. Mtendere is the largest and most populated compound. The markets in Mtendere are on every street, they are selling everything from the roadside. Some sell from makeshift stands, and some place their wares right on the ground. The streets are narrow as the sellers take up much of the streets selling their wares, they use both sides of the road. You will find clothing, vegetables, fruits, fish, chickens, tires, beds and furniture, anything you can think of to be sold. First there are the vendors on the sides of the roads and in front of them walking in the street are all the shoppers. So the cars and minibuses traveling the very bumpy dirt roads, are zig zagging like ants. I think part of the reasons that we have been told to not walk into Mtendere, is for the fact, it is a very dangerous place to walk and not be hit by a vehicle.



We were quite relieved when we heard a car pull in front of the gate shortly after 8:30. Then the knock on the gate, telling us they were here. It was Joyce and Mr. Phiri, a deacon from her church. The car was a 1993 Toyota and it was scraping the ground and making some very strange noises, but after maneuvering around all the people in the streets of Mtendere, we pulled up to a very nice church. It was one of the nicer churches that I have worshipped at during my stays in Lusaka. We were ushered into the front, we sat on the right side of the church. There were benches on the each side and a large center section. Stephanie was just remarking about the quality of the benches, when someone came and said that we needed to sit in the center section, second from the front. In plastic chairs rather than benches, these chairs are for the Pastor’s and special guests. I guess we are special guests!


They are in the midst of a Sunday School lesson about respect. Stephanie and I have had multiple discussions about respect. It is looked at so much differently here in Zambia, than in North America. We looked at each other, and think maybe this was God’s way, of helping us to understand respect here in Zambia. The teaching went on til 9:00 and then the praise team came forward, and led us in worship and prayer. They had a drummer, keyboard and bass guitar along with nine men and nine women singing. Following the praise and worship, we were told that each of the choirs from the church would be singing for us this morning. Starting with the children’s choir, at about this time Joyce came and tapped Stephanie and said come with me. “Barb, too?” She asked. “No, no, no, just you.” She followed Joyce to the rear of the church. Soon the choir came dancing down the aisle, singing as they came forward. It started with very young girls, maybe five years old, and went all the way up to Stephanie and Joyce. (Stephanie does not appreciate that they think is a young girl here.) They sang and danced until they were in three rows in front. Then Joyce introduced the Children’s Choir and said that Stephan (that’s how they all say Stephanie here) was here to sing and dance with them. Her sister from GEMS. Then she proceeded to tell the congregation that her mother was there also, and it only took a second, but I knew she was referring to me. She called me up and introduced me as her mother, and handed me the mic. OK, I had picked a passage during my quiet time this morning, thinking it would happen like last week at the end of the service, so I would be prepared……but always expect the unexpected in Africa. I was so busy wondering why they call me mother, I never even took my Bible out of my bag. Mother, is it because I am so old, many times here Jan is referred to moma Jan or mum, I think it must be an honor.  At least that is the way I am going to view it.  To be considered Joyce’s sister in Christ, I totally understand, but this a newer concept for me to consider. I bring greetings and thank them for supporting their GEMS club, and thank Joyce for her leadership. Tell them who I am and where I’m from and introduce Stephanie as well. Then before, they rope me to singing and dancing, I return to my seat. The girls sing three more songs, and Stephanie follows their movements so well, stepping and sliding her feet, clapping and moving in sync with them. They dance out of the front, and Steph takes her seat beside me. Next comes a mixed choir of men and women, dancing and singing down the aisle. Next, a men’s group and lastly the women’s choir. After all the choirs are finished, the offering is taken. Then a second offering for missions is collected. Finally it is time for the Pastor’s message. He preaches from I Corinthians about the cross of Christ. After he finishes, he calls the elders and deacons forward, and they are going to celebrate communion. As they uncover the table, I see large glasses and bags of bread. They scoop the bread like wafers into dishes and begin filling the large glasses full almost to the top. First, the elders and deacons take the bread, and then they pass the same glass to each person, all taking a drink, wiping the edge of the glass, and passing it to the next person. Oh dear! All for being careful what we eat and drink in Zambia, how is this going to work.


The pastor asks every other row to turn around, so you facing a brother or sister in Christ. First the bread is served, and you tell each other, Christ gave his life for you. Next comes the juice, and it works the same way, it comes down the row toward me, each person takes a drink, wipes the edge and passes it on. I really felt OK about it! Better than I had imagined I would when I first saw the large glasses and guessed what they would do.


The pastor ended the service, and a deacon came and asked us to join the pastor in his office. There we were served Orange Fanta and flat shortbread cookies. While the pastor asked us lots of questions. When did you arrive? When are you leaving? What are you doing here? What things don’t you like about Zambia? He asked Stephanie if she planned to marry a Zambian. He asked us what our occupations are.  What do we think of Zambia?  and on and on! Between each answer, there were long pauses, as he munched on his cookie and drank his Orange Fanta. We both thought this very interesting. A knock came at the door, and it was the deacon, who had picked us up telling us that he was ready to drive us back. We thanked the pastor and took our leave.


It had become very hot while we were in church, but the deacon said it will rain this afternoon and cool things down a bit. The sky was filled with clouds and there were some dark ones in the distance.


We were about out of food, and Siwali didn’t come in on Saturday, so we didn’t get to the grocery store. We had talked before church about a walk to Debonaire’s for pizza after church. When we got back we changed our clothes and headed out hoping to beat the rains. We got to Debonaire’s ordered our pizza and decided on an outdoor table. We had just sat down when it started to rain, and it came down in buckets! Then suddenly it was hailing with the rain, how strange to see hail in Zambia. We had the perfect table, we were under the roofs overhang and the rain was not bothering us at all. Our pizza came we ate it, and the rain stopped. We head out and begin our walk back, we are about half way, near the corner of Kudo Road when the rain starts again in earnest, we take shelter with our umbrellas up against the wall of one of the homes. The water is rising at our feet, and the pizza box slips out of Steph's hand, as I am digging in my bag to get the camera to capture this moment.  Several taxis’ want to come to our aid, but we are reluctant to ride with anyone we don’t know. We wave them on, the rain lets up a little and we think we can make it to the Petroda station. Not so much, the rain begins again, and dowses us, we are soaked, the wind is blowing, the rain is hitting us all over, and we trudge on. We stop at Petroda and wait it out, soon it lets up, and we finish our walk without any more rain. In  fact, no more rain the whole afternoon!

This is just before Steph drops the pizza box.  I took it by accident, trying to hold the umbrella, get the camera out and take our picture.

We look way to good, considering we are backed against the wall with our umbrellas, getting soaked!  And turning away all the requests of men wanting to come to our aid!

After we are back, dried out and relaxing on this Sunday afternoon, there is a knock at the gate, one of the counselors is coming for more labels and thread for her potholders.  I give her what she needs.  She begins to walk out, and stops, looking back, says she is in need of prayers.  She tells us that her niece who she is caring for since her sister has passed a few month ago, has not been feeling well.  She had taken her to the clinic yesterday, her niece is named Beauty, she has tested positive for AIDS.  She says she is to young, and needs time to grow. I assure Margie of our prayers for Beauty. 

Margie was one of the ladies who was here for prayer time on Friday, and as I watched her beg the Lord to shine His love and mercy, care and protection on GEMS, she blessed me so.  Now it is my time to beg the Lord to send His healing mercies down on Beauty and for peace and grace for her Aunt Margie, as she care for her. To pray as fervantly for Beauty and all the other suffering children, as Margie does for GEMS!  God is continuing to open my eyes, that I might see, how I might reach out to others.  I ask for your prayers for Beauty and Margie, too.

When I think of all we are doing it makes me smile and feel like lives are being touched and changed here in Zambia because of GEMS, but then when I hear these stories, the tears well up within me and I wonder can it ever really change.  Will there ever be less death and suffering among the children here?  I pray that it will be so.

Today was a day of worship, I so enjoyed the music and choirs at the church. I think about the times when my Pastor begins a morning of worship with the words "As Christians gather all over the world today."  They ring true with a deeper meaning for me.  While my family is still sleeping, I have been worshipping with brothers and sisters in Christ here in Zambia.  I also enjoy, how the Zambian people truly worship, with their whole beings with no regard to the clock. And the rain, it was OK too. It is the tears welling up within, make the biggest impact on today.

Visiting Clubs and Visiting Kids

How is it that I always feel more blessings here than I do when I'm at home? Why isn't my heart touched and blessed by the things in my club, am I to busy to notice? Am I so busy flying here and there, trying to get everything done and done a certain way, that I miss a lot of blessings? I think so!  The slower pace, not having to manage all my stuff,  and fly all over the place.  On this trip,  I am feeling quite blessed to have internet most of the time, that is when we have power.  I've been able to skype Bob, Melissa and see and talk to the kids and Rob and Mary too.  Sure makes being across the ocean not seem so far away.







Yesterday after prayers, Maxhilda the Club Coordinator at Apostolic Faith Mission in Klingalinga told me her club meets at 8 hours - 10 hours. I told her I would be there. When I shared with Stephanie over breakfast, that I should leave to walk from here at about 7:50, she laughed. "No, you don't need to go that early, no one will be there. That is the time they say, but I have found every time they give me a time, they come about 30 minutes later." Hummm! OK, I'll wait until about 8:10 to start off.






As I walk along the dirt streets of the compound, I am thankful that the rains have dried up over the past three days. The streets are dry and there is not much dust blowing. A dirty plastic bag comes scooting along the dirt and I step over it. Each person, I pass looks rather strangely at me, what is a monzongu doing walking the streets of our compound? They all greet me when I smile and say "Good Morning!"






I arrive at the church, it is now 8:20 and it is all locked, and no one is around. That is OK; I sit down on the step near the door, that leads to the pastor’s home, which is connected to the church, and wait. The area where the church is seems quite unique to me. Even though I have been here multiple times.  This time I have time to ponder the setting.  There are five finished churches and one unfinished church, all very close to one another. As I sit I can see three other churches. One of the churches is a Seventh Day Adventist Church where they are having services, already this morning. I listen to the singing, the melodies I recognize the words are in a native dialect. I hum along, and sing the words I remember. He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock.

                            The view of some of other churches from the step where I am waiting.



I watch as a car comes between two of the churches, it is barely inching forward, and sounds like it has lost its transmission. It inches to the open pathway toward the road,  turns in backwards and begins backing up and moves along at a fairly good speed. He proceeded unto the road and backed away from me. Interesting!






I watch as young girls come to the church and fill buckets and tubs with water and carry them away. I want to take their pictures, but don't feel that I should. Just a few feet from me they set down their water, and ask why I am here. I tell them I am waiting for the GEMS Club to begin. They ask, to come to GEMS do you have to pay? I tell them no, they say they want to come back.






About 8:40 Catherine, one of the counselors arrives, with several girls following. They unlock the door to the church and head to the front pew. They begin singing, as more and more girls come in. At about 9 hours I think everyone must be here, and I show them the video that our girls made for them. They loved to see our girls singing and doing the motions. They laughed and giggled, and said just like us they sing and dance. Some of our girls recorded messages for them and they liked them very much. They gathered together and sang one more song, and then broke into their classes, two classes of advanced  girls one older girls and one younger, and one larger group of awareness girls. The leaders that were teaching were all new counselors at training in April, and they were doing a very good job.

The girls as they arrive

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                                                                             Unlocking the churches padlock.

                                       The girls reading the letters from their Sister Club at CCRC

                                                 An advanced group with their leader

Our Sister Club

Club Coordinator from our Sister Club - Maxhilda

 

About 9:30 Stephanie popped in on her way to Pentecostal Holiness to do some videotaping of the CIT's teaching there. She also wanted to interview the CIT's and hear how GEMS has changed their lives. At 11 hours all the girls at our Sister club gathered for a photo or they would say a snap. The number had doubled since I thought they must be all there. Then they were on their way.

 



I walked across the dirt between AFM Church and PHC and observed the teaching there. All the classes were being taught by CIT's with oversight from Catherine and Beatrice. These girls are the GEMS Clubs of the future! What great girls. I listen as Stephanie interviews them one at a time, and am blessed by how God has used GEMS to change their lives.

Getrude teaching her advanced class

                               Mirrium passing out the coloring sheets to the awareness class

A few things are the same in both countries

 


Just before noon, the PH girls all gather inside, and sing and recite the GEMS aim. Then they are dismissed.






Stephanie and I pack up the cameras and start our walk back to the GEMS office.






About 1:30 we head over to the house.  The House that GEMS Built,  the children and mommas are busy planting maze. They say it will grow very fast now that it is the rainy season. The sky is threatening rain, and there is thunder and lightning in the distance.

We meet with the kids inside the house; they all greet us with hugs. Even the children from the other duplex all come to greet us, and gather on the floor around our feet. We ask about school, Lisa shows me a card, that she got for graduating from first grade yesterday. She was very proud. I ask Dixon and Clement, if they remembered what they asked me to bring next time! Huge grins cross their faces and they say "atlas!" I said "yes" and that I have brought some for both houses. I get them out to rounds of clapping! They immediately want to know where we live and begin paging through the books. Three of the boys sit in the corner and study the books. Stephanie and some of the other children look at the other atlas.  What small things bring such joy to this family. I share letters that were sent for them, and they read them and share them with the other children from the other house.

The boys with the new atlases

Stephanie showing them about Africa

Playing a game on the porch, notice the garden in the background

Homemade checkerboard and checkers

Now it is time to play games and outside we go, it is just sprinkling a little, so let the games begin. The children look so happy, and love to have Stephanie there playing with them. Fun times for almost everyone. One of the boys from the other house is HIV positive and he is very thin and tired. He does seem somewhat stronger, than he did on our August trip. He is getting medicine now that he didn't get before he came into the orphan home. He watches as the children play games. The older boys are playing checkers with a piece of wood with colored boxes for a board, and bottle caps for the checkers. They are very good! I'm sure I wouldn't stand a chance against them.

Playing a relay game!

After about an hour outdoors, the sky is getting darker and the raindrops bigger, so we tell them it is time for us to go. Again, hugs and squeezes of love from all the children. We assure them that we will see them again soon. They wave goodbye as we step through the gate and begin our walk back.






I knew going into this day, it would be great! Once again God has blessed me beyond measure, I can't think of adequate words to really express how GEMS is changing lives and making a difference in the lives of both girls and counselors here in Zambia. As well as in North America, it is growing bigger hearts in the girls there as well.  There is a hope and a future for these girls and it is just so exciting to be a very small part of it. I praise God for this day!

Thanksgivings and Blessings

Oh how we take things for granted. How often are you thankful for the spin dry cycle on your dryer? How about for electric mixers, maybe even a big Kitchen Aid one?



This morning I began my day doing laundry. Been here a week, and needed to do laundry! You know how you love those big thick, plush towels after your bath....ever think about washing them in a tub on the floor and then wringing them out by hand? I think my next choice might be an older, thinner more worn one. As I wrung out the washed items, my arms ached. What a wimp I am! Finally, got the load on the line and thought I need to be more thankful for some of the things I so take for granted at home. Be thankful for washers and the spin dry cycle:)

Next project of the morning. Making banana bread for the counselors to sample when they come at 14 hours for Prayer & Bible study with Catherine. We thought they could make sweet breads, banana, pumpkin and zucchini, those items are plentiful here. The ladies could bake them and then take them to the markets and sell them. There are just a few things that stand in our way. Some of the ingredients, I haven't been able to find here. The pumpkin would have to be precooked before adding to the bread recipes. Measuring.....we reach in a cupboard or drawer and have wet measuring cups, dry measuring cups, measuring spoons, how do they measure?  I am guessing with there hands. So, how do I convert my recipes from 3 cups to 3 handfuls of flour or a teaspoon of salt might equal 1/8 palm of salt? What makes me think a handful would equal a cup, more experimenting.  Be thankful for measuring cups:)


Well, once again I think about what they have or should I say don't have here! I've brought bread pans, but what do they mix in. All I have here is a pot, and that is probably all they have also. I begin to add my ingredients to the pan. This is when the mix master comes to mind, as I start to stir and mix. With each additional ingredient it takes a little more energy. I remember how quickly the lumps disappear under the rapidly turning beaters at home. Not the same, as I stir and stir and still see lumps. The recipe is complete, pans greased and oven converted from Celsius to Fahrenheit. For your information - 350 degrees F is 176 degrees C. I place the bread in the oven and begin to ponder how this will work over the counselors braziers. A brazier is similar to our charcoal grills. It is a round cylinder with holes in it, there is no grill on which to set the pans, they are set right on the coals, nor are there covers to keep the heat baking around the pans. Humm?? How will this work. If the counselors enjoy my offering today, next week Catherine and I will experiment with how the baking can be done.

So before 9 hours, my arms are worn, tired, weak and flabby! The strength of these women blesses me so, how hard they have to work just for the basics of which I so take for granted.


My next thanksgiving comes as I take the finished bread out of the oven. I have to quickly cover it with a clean dish towel, to keep the flies from sitting on it. They loved the smell as it wafted in the air.  It brought them all inside this morning, there are so many, I could say hundreds, and I don't think, I'd be exaggerating much.  I think back to home where we have screens on our windows and doors, and voice a prayer of thanksgiving for them.  I am also very thankful for the flyswatter that Kathy emailed me to bring:)

I go from thansgivings to blessings, the counselors here bless me so much. The ladies have a meeting at 14 hours (2:00) and they begin arriving before 11 hours, saying they want to work on their potholders. Catherine takes her place at the machine, Joyce, Emely and Catherine (from AFM-Klingalinga) take there places on the floor and begin pinning the potholders together. While I am doing a little housekeeping, sweeping and getting ready for the ladies later today. The women begin to sing as they are working! They have the most beautiful harmony, one beginning and leading and the others joining in. I stop and listen and feel glory bumps running up and down my arms. How they praise God with their voices and bless me as I listen in.

OK, so I thought I was blessed earlier, when the ladies were singing.  Has anyone had what I call glory bumps?  They are goose bumps that touch your heart and soul.  I've had them over and over all afternoon.  At 14 hours the counselors that were here began to pray, there were five of them.  One shares a topic for prayer, then they burst into song, and then into prayer over all different areas of the GEMS ministry.  They started out asking God to bind the devil and keep him away from the GEMS Service Center and the GEMS Clubs.  They are all praying out loud, standing with hands upraised, kneeling, on their knees with their faces to the floor begging God for protection.  They continue as more counselors arrive and join in, with each new petition, a new counselor shares it with the others and they sing and pray for those requests.  They pray for the GEMS team!  Double glory bumps!  They pray for the churches who have GEMS clubs, the club cooridnators,  the counselors, the CIT's, the girls, and so much more.  They are praying for well over an hour and a half on behalf of GEMS!  As I sat and listened tears of joy ran down my cheeks.  Oh how I was blessed by their fervant devotion to pray for the ministry.

When they were finished, there were eleven counselors present.  I explained that I had made some banana bread for them to try.  Banana bread?? they ask?  Never have they heard of anything like that.  They said they have heard of banana cake but never a bread. After I serve them,  they are saying "yum,yum" and "yes, yes" they like it very much. 

I explain about micro-financing, that we would supply them with the first batch of ingredients.  When  they have gone to market, and sold the bread, they will have to save money from  the profits, to purchase the next batch of supplies themselves and give 10% back to GEMS, the rest is theirs to keep.  As I finish,  Catherine translates what I have just explained to those who do not speak English as well.  The only word that I recognize is the word tithe.  And the counselors all nod and say "yes, yes, that is how it will be."

Now, I need you all to be praying!  Catherine and I are going to experiment as to how the women  can bake the bread on their braziers.  That is on our schedule for next Tuesday morning.  It is so difficult, everything I think would work, is North American, and not available to them.  Please pray that God shows us a way, for this to happen. I'd hate to disappoint them after seeing such excitement for what they call the program.  Be thankful for your ovens.

Such a day of praise and blessing with thanksgivings.  God is good!  All the time!

A Day at Chaminuka!

As I left home and headed off to Zambia, I felt bad not being with my family on Thanksgiving Day, even though this is the year that my children all go to the other side of the family. I would not be able to spend the day with Bob, and knew it would just be another day of PB &J!  Boy was I wrong, that isn’t even close to the day that I experienced today. Soon after I arrived Stephanie began talking about what we would do special before we left for home, she has been here since October 1 and so she in the countdown phase, I haven’t hit that yet, cause I just arrived. Well, she began with wanting to ride an elephant. Catherine had told her of a place where we could go to ride elephants. Oh boy, not sure I have ever had a desire to ride an elephant, but I am game for just about anything, so I told her to check it out. She went online and found out it was no longer available near Lusaka. She also checked on a few other places she found on the internet, but most were quite a distance from Lusaka. Humm….what should we do, we had both been to Chaminuka before, but it was a pleasurable experience each time and it is just over an hour away, not really that distance, but the last 25km are poor, poor dirt roads. So we travel very slowly.

As we sat and cut potholders on Wednesday, the sun had come out, and we were enjoying seeing something besides rain. We got to thinking, if we waited until the end of our trip (which is what we usually have done, it is supposed to be raining 24/7. We got out our schedule, the days that work best are Mondays and Thursdays, because that is when the counselors have other programs and don’t come to the GEMS Service Center. We are really are busy on weekends visiting clubs and worshipping. So….seeing the weather on my yahoo page said it was to be sunny on Thursday (today) we thought lets go on a day when it is to be nice weather. We checked with Siwali and he said it would be good for him to drive us. Steph called and inquired of prices and events, game drives, horseback game drives, boat cruises and it was just as expensive to do all three, as it was to do just a game drive and lunch. I wasn’t so sure about the horseback riding, but that was Stephs replacement for not being able to ride an elephant. I thought an elephant or a horse, I’ll take the horse, it has to have been 25 years or more since I was on a horse, but once again, I’m game for just about anything, so why not! We gave Siwali money for gas before he knocked off on Wednesday afternoon, (another long story about fuel shortages, sometimes early in the day there just isn’t any gas, and you get in lines at the fueling stations and wait.) We told him we would like to leave at 7 hours in the morning. I was concerned that after the recent rains the roads would be worse than before, but not so they were much better than our previous trips.

We arrived at Chaminuka at about 8:15 and were served morning beverages. At promptly 9 hours off we went for our game drive, Collin was our guide and he was so knowledgeable about all the animals. Explaining many things to us about each different animal we saw. We saw lions and hyenas, elephants from a distance, many kudos, antelope, ditka, impala, then we came around a corner and there were three giraffes! Giraffes just happened to be both Steph and my favorites! We got very close to them, and climbed from the truck and took tons of pictures of them. Flat Hunter was very excited to get his picture taken with the giraffes. Giraffes are very curious and this was a bachelor herd (all male) so there were no young. When young are present, they are very protective and you cannot get that close. We took lots of pictures before we moved on to see zebras, warthogs, and many more species of antelope and deer. We were back at the lodge by 11 hours and saw our horses waiting!

 Oh boy, here goes nothing. I am praying this horse likes me and is very gentle! We are given helmets to wear??? Oh dear, why are helmets necessary? OK, you can do this, the guide helps me to mount and says “you are experienced, you have ridden before?” I say “Yes” with not much confidence. My horse is named Beauty! We stand and wait, for the guide to help Steph mount, and off we go. There are no saddle horns to hang on to, just hold the front of the saddle. Oh boy! Here goes nothing! As we are beginning, the guide asks questions, like where are you from and what brings you to Zambia. I share with him about GEMS and we ride on. He looks back and asks how I am doing, I reply “Fine.” Then he asks how I learned to ride horses. I explain that my brother has always had horses, but I am sure I haven’t been on a horse in maybe 25 years. He says I am doing well. Then he asks Steph the same questions. We ride on, very nice gentle horses and a great guide. We see many birds close up; we see more of the kudos and impalas, and monkeys. We ride for an hour before returning to the lodge. It was good, and I would do it again, really quiet and peaceful as you try to take in all of God’s beautiful creation.

Then we are served soft drinks with ice, and are told lunch will be at 13 hours. We are seated at a table for two, and smell the outdoor grilles preparing our feast. The food was simply delicious and we tried several new things, eggplant, fried and in a sauce, many different vegetables. There was a great pasta dish, potatoes, a rice dish, salads and our choices of meat were pork ribs, chicken and impala. The impala was very good, so tender and very tasty. There were desserts and multiple types of cheese from their very own cheese factory.


They were very gracious and served Siwali lunch also. He smiled at us as he filled his plate and headed to a private dining room with other Chaminuka staff.


After lunch we went for our boat cruise. Steph was slightly disappointed that we had not seen the elephants close up. She asked the guide if there was any chance we would see elephants on the boat cruise. He said he was sure we would, because it was a very warm day and they like to come to the lake and cool down at mid day! Hooray! She was beaming! We drive to the boat launch, and as we are driving up, I see the elephants across the lake, Steph squeals with delight. We motor across to be in the water, in our fiberglass boat.  The guide brings us very close to where they are eating the trees at the water’s edge. Our guide is very cautious, he brings us quite close, but as soon as the elephants start to move, we back away. He tells us elephants are very good swimmers, and could swim the length of the lake without any problem. Then as the elephant continues to eat we move in closer and back away. We stop at a little island, but it is really a termite hill and we take pictures of us with the elephants in the back ground. Steph does her usual jumping theme. I just stand and pose, that is good for me, my feet firmly planted on the ground.

The elephant’s start their trek back along the water’s edge, we motor along and continue to take multiple photos. Soon, we are motoring around the lake and seeing lots of birds, and fowl that live in the area around the lake.


We return to the lodge and find Siwali napping, after his hearty lunch. He is excited at all we’ve seen. We begin our drive out the long Chaminuka driveway, as we are rounding one of the curves, there are the elephants again. We are very close, Steph asks Siwali to stop so we can get MORE pictures. Now we are really close. The elephants have keepers who walk with them all around the game area. This is because the elephants cause so much damage and are so destructive to the vegetation. The keepers only allow them to eat in certain areas, as they reach up with their trunks and just break off branches that are the size of my arm. Chew them up and grab another one. So here we are climbing out of the car, snapping pictures. The keeper says come over here, close and see the elephant. So we go really close and he takes our pictures and then I call to Siwali and ask him if he would like his picture with an elephant, he smiles and says “Oh, yes, Madam!” I take several snaps of him and the elephant. We climb into the car rejoicing at how good God is to give us this extra opportunity to see these magnificent creatures.

On the remainder of the drive out we see so many more animals, all of the different kinds of deer and antelope. Siwali just oohs and ahs, each time we see more. We also see a large black mamba snake; it is dead in the road. But Steph takes many more snaps of it for her brother Darrin.


What an amazing day! God allowed for us to enjoy. How we reveled in His creation, both the land and animals. The beautiful clear blue sky, gentle breeze and good food. This will be a Thanksgiving I will never forget!

The Work Continues!

After so enjoying the sunshine yesterday, we were so excited to see it shining in the windows as we woke up this morning! The first thing we do in the morning, is to release the night guard. He can't leave until we come out and close the gate behind him, so I hurried out just after 6:30 to let him out. Soon there after, Siwali arrived for the day. He begins sweeping all the areas around the house, and putting the grounds in order. We have our breakfast, and enjoy our our quiet time, while the sun streams into the windows. Catherine arrives first, and begins cutting more fabric into 8" strips, then I cut the 8" strips into squares. Today, I opt to sit at a table with a chair, and cut that way, my back just doesn't do sitting on the floor.As I grab the scissors, the first thing I notice is the three spots on my fingers where the scissors had rubbed yesterday, off to the zip lock bag with my first aid supplies and find the band aids! Now that I have all the sore spots covered, I grab the scissors and begin cutting and cutting and cutting! The ladies begin to arrive, today Annette is at the machine, and Emely is positioned back on the floor, pinning together more potholders. Siwali takes the broken machine, that we got the part for yesterday, out into the porch area and begins to fix it. I see him come in and get a hammer, and then I hear repeated banging, as he is pounding on a part of the machine. a few minutes later he calls to Catherine to come and see if he has it fixed. She checks it out, and it is better, but not fixed. He again does more pounding, and she returns at his call. Yes, we hear the smooth gentle sound of the machine working as it should. He returns that machine and begins working on the second machine that froze up yesterday, while the ladies were sewing, and soon is calling to Catherine to come and try. Again we hear the smooth gentle sound. He returns that machine to its place. We are so thankful that he could fix both machines. Maxhilda comes, bringing with her 100 completed potholders. Sharing that she had received a call and her mother is very ill in Chongwe, so she would not be able to sew today. We thanked her for bringing her potholders, and sent her off with prayers for her mother's health. Soon a young gal comes and helps Annette, Annette sews and she sits in the corner of the room, between the wall and the sewing machine and takes the finished potholders and turns each one right side out. We finish cutting all the fabric and the ladies work again, until after 4:30 today, and when they leave all the fabric is gone, and they are wondering when there will be more! Steph and I have a little leftover chicken cut up in some vegetables, and serve it over spagetti with Italian dressing. Thanks Kathy for the great idea, it was so good! We settle down to a quiet evening, reading and listening to music. No potholders to work on tonight!

Amazing Zambian Women

Today, began with no electric Stephanie was quite bummed, she really needs her morning wake up coffee. I just peeled my orange and ate it with a piece of bread and peanut butter. She said she thought she’d hold out for a cup of hot coffee later and went to do her morning devotions. As she ended her devotions, she prayed that she might just have a cup of hot coffee. Within seconds of her amen…..the power was on, she heated the water, made her coffee and hot oatmeal, and before she could sit down to eat it…..the power was gone again! How she rejoiced at her answered prayer, that God would be so good to grant her hot coffee and oatmeal!
Soon after 8 hours Catherine arrived, and then shortly thereafter, the counselors started coming in, ready to work on more potholders. First, were Emely and Annette, next two counselors from Word of Faith, then Joyce from Mtendere PHC and Maxhilda. We have enough done to fill all the orders for the current sale, but it is an ongoing project and they need to continue to make more. I explained to them, that there is no rush this time, no push to get a certain amount done while I am here. Just for them to keep working away at them. Well, I’m not sure what part they didn’t understand, but they worked just as hard as if there was a deadline. Almost fighting over the piles of cut pieces, that will make 100 more potholders per pile. Maxhilda sat at the machine and sewed, she and Emely have a system. Maxhilda sews all the potholders on the machine, while Emely pins the potholders together for Maxhilda, then as she finishes them, Emely turns them all right side out. So today, Maxhilda sewed 300 potholders, 100 for Emely and 200 for her club. The women, other than Maxhilda at the machine, sit on the hard tile floor and work away, sometimes chatting in Nyanja and sometimes asking us questions about the US and Canada, about our families and our traditions. They sat on the floor from 8:30 -5:30 working away, they wouldn’t leave until Maxhilda got all 300 sewn! While they were working on their potholders, I was cutting, trying to stay ahead of them. My body isn’t at all like theirs, even though some of them aren’t much younger than I, I learned today. I had to take a cushion from one of the chairs, to put under my knees while I cut the fabric into 8” strips, and then I sat on the cushion while I cut them into 8” squares, I could not keep up, they were like amazing moving machines. At 5:30 when the ladies left, Stephanie and I were starved, we had as did they, work right through lunch. They take no breaks, have no drinks or treats they just work! We popped our supper in the oven, prayed that the power would stay on long enough to get it cooked.
Today was the first day since I arrived that it did not rain once. So we took our laundry which we had been trying to dry since Saturday, off from the lines I had strung throughout the back bedroom and put it back on the line outside in the sun. It had started to smell the very wet, dry, wet smell, after having been on the outdoor lines for days, getting repeatedly wet with each shower. Hanging in the bedroom overnight, some of it was almost dry, the thicker towels still had a ways to go, but hanging back out in the sunshine baked the nasty smell out of most everything, and tonight it is folded and put away. I know Kathy B is thinking, those were most of my clothes, they really are fine and smell quite fresh! But it wouldn’t hurt to throw a can of Febreeze in the suitcase next April
While Stephanie was taking the clothes off the line, she noticed that Alice our neighbor was selling a deep fried treat. After missing lunch and being totally whipped, she thought it would be a great pre-dinner treat. We made ourselves a cup of tea and sat and enjoyed our treat together. It is the small things here in Africa that bring us such joy.

Fabric Shopping in Kamwala

We awoke still rejoicing! Stephanie for her cup of hot coffee, and me for a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. (I brought my electric juicer from home.) After a hot breakfast, Catherine came and Siwali took us to Kamwala. There is just no American way to describe Kamwala! It is a large business district, with hundreds of very small shops all crowed with people. Very dirty, the dust is usually blowing, not today because of all the rain, though! Instead the entire roads are covered in water. Siwali drives right up on to the sidewalk, so that we can get out of the car without having to wade in the very deep muddy water that is everywhere. We have tried to capture Kamwala on film, but have learned that the people there DO NOT like their pictures taken. If Siwali sees a camera he says put it away if you want to keep it.
We entered the fabric store, where we have purchased hundreds of dollars of fabric, three treadle sewing machines and all the supplies for the counselors to make over 10,000 potholders. We are met with big smiles as Mr. Patel greets me and inquires about the team. We select 14 more 15 meter pieces of African fabric, and 4 large rolls of black fabric. We inquire about a part that is broken on one of the treadle machines, and are given the part. With that we say good-bye and return to the car. We make one more stop, at the only large department store in all of Zambia. The store is called GAME and it is in a small mall area, called Manda Hill. They are adding on to this mall, so the parking is a nightmare, Siwali lets us out and says he will meet us back here when we are finished shopping.
We return to the Service Center and begin the HUGE project of cutting all the fabric into 8” squares. Everything is done on the floor, and I am very thankful for the nice tile floors in the service center. We work together, Catherine, Stephanie and I for the entire afternoon, stopping only for the only lunch we know in Africa PB&J’s! The power has been on for the entire day, and we are worried it will go out this evening, but it doesn’t and we make our dinner, eat with lights instead of candles and check our emails. Shortly after 7 pm the power does go out, and we look at each other with sad faces, light the candles and find the lantern and flashlights. But, it was a very short outage, maybe 20 minutes and we were back in the light! Stephanie put the movie The Changeling into her computer and we sit and watch, while we pin potholders together. Another day and we rejoice as we head off to bed.

Worship Zambian Style

This morning we awoke much to our disappointment, no power, again. If any of you know me well, you would know I would not be happy going to church without being able to curl my hair, after having washed it with cold water on Saturday night. As I was fretting over this deal, I remembered I had left a butane curling iron here on one my previous trips. I dug through the box and found it, found a fuel cartridge and turned it on. It got somewhat warm, but never even close to hot. But…..it did smooth out some of the bumps and hairs sticking in every direction. This would have to do, put your pride in your pocket and get ready for church!
We went to Living Rock Church, where one of our 48 GEMS clubs meets. At 7:15 one of the GEMS CIT’s (counselor in training) knocked at our gate. She was coming to walk with us to church. It was raining very hard as we started off, I had brought a small folding umbrella that I used. Stephanie had nothing, but our CIT Cathy, was using a chitanga for her umbrella and shared with Stephanie. A chitanga is two meter piece of African fabric that the Zambian women use for everything. They cover their skirts with them to keep off the dust or rain, they carry their babies in them, they wrap them on their heads enabling them to carry packages on their heads, and they use them to carry things in. The chitanga is a very versatile piece of clothing for them. Today, I saw the chitanga being used as an umbrella!
I followed behind the girls, being very careful to watch every step, not to slip into the mud or walk where the water was the deepest. We arrived at the church just a little before 7:30. The church was empty, except for four men sitting in the front two rows, having a Bible study. We were ushered in and sat in the row behind the men, they continued on like we were not there. Shortly after we arrived several other people arrived and sat across from us near the front of the church and they had another Bible study going. All the Zambian churches I have attended are just one room, the sanctuary. So each group is talking loudly so they can hear each other, but the sound carries across the small room and it is difficult for me to catch anything that is being discussed. The Bible study goes on until shortly after 8 hours when the praise team begins to sing. They have drums and a keyboard, with four men and six women leading the worship. They sing, dance, pray and worship for well over a half hour. Then the offering is received and the pastor begins preaching. I was very excited that he spoke English and didn’t have a translator for the local dialect. The African pastors tend to shout, even with microphones and then when the service is translated, the translator shouts, and it is a little overwhelming for us North American visitors. This pastor did not need the microphone, he was very loud. After a two hour sermon, a gentleman comes forward to give announcements. The first is to ask the visitors to stand. Stephanie and I stand along with a few other scattered people. They welcome us and thank us for coming and are told we may be seated. The next thing he says, as the pastor’s wife is whispering into his ear, is that they are very happy to have members of the GEMS Girls’ Club team with them, and would we please come and bring a greeting. Stephanie looked at me and said, “You go girl! “ I brought greetings and thanked them for supporting their GEMS clubs and recognized their club coordinator and introduced myself and Stephanie, and headed for our seats. Now you have to remember how I was not happy with my hair that morning, and I find myself standing on the pulpit speaking to the congregation! How like the Lord to work on my pride! There were just a few more announcements and it was after 10:30 when we were ushered out of the church, it was still sprinkling, but we were told to stand in a line, and every person, man, women and child came out of the church and shook our hands, then joined the line and so by the time the church emptied the line circled the standing mud puddles and wrapped to the side of the church. OK, we are thinking, let’s go. Oh no, we ushered back into the church and seated with a group of other visitors. We are all served a glass of juice, Stephanie gives me the look! What do we do, we only drink bottled water when we are here, and we are both fairly certain that this juice was made with the local tap water. I smile reassuring at Stephanie and take the first drink. Silently praying, please Lord, don’t let us get sick. It would be considered very rude of us by Zambian culture to refuse such a gracious gift. We are encouraged to come and worship with them again and thanked for coming. Finally we depart the church, and head back to the Service Center, to still no power.
We are thinking about family. No one knows I have arrived safely; my last communication with home was from the London airport two days before. Stephanie had not blogged or emailed home since Wednesday, before the power went out. She knew her computer battery was totally dead, I knew mine was low, but thought it would be worth it to walk the couple miles to a small restaurant where there is internet access and hot food! Pizza to be exact! The rain had let up for the time being, so off we hiked! When we got there it was not easy to access the internet, when we had been there before it had been free, now after making several attempts, I learned I needed to purchase minutes. While Stephanie is ordering our pizza, I buy internet time, then I try to get on, it isn’t working. Finally Stephanie asks why we are having so much trouble, they tell us what to try. Hooray! We are connecting and then the screen goes black and the battery is dead. We ask if we can plug into one of their outlets, and the reply is “no!” Soon our pizza arrives and we totally enjoy and savor every bite. Being careful to save room for an ice cream cone for dessert! We are feeling very satisfied, as we head back toward home, carrying our leftover pizza and knowing that will be our meal later in the day. We are also thinking that maybe by the time we get back we will have power. We are wrong, still no power!
Later in the afternoon, Catherine and Getrude stop by to welcome me. Catherine said she just couldn’t wait until tomorrow to come and say hello. We are telling her about the power outage, and she says that she will stop at another GEMS counselor Maxhilda’s home on her way home, and ask if they have power, she too lives in Helen Kaunda. The outage was only in Helen Kaunda, not in Klingalinga or Mtendere our neighboring compounds on both sides of us. Catherine said she would ask Maxhilda’s husband to call Zesco (the power company) and complain for us. While I continued to visit with Catherine, Stephanie headed back to Living Rock Church to interview the CIT’s working with their GEMS club that afternoon. After Catherine heads off, I settle back into a chair outdoors, it isn’t really sunny, but it isn’t raining and it is much brighter outside to read. About an hour and half later Stephanie returns and she said she saw a Zesco truck near here, working on a transformer. Within the hour we had power, there was much rejoicing! Warmed up pizza for supper, warm baths and internet connections were made. Skyping home to Canada and to Michigan! When you have power the world doesn’t seem so big or you so far away! We went to bed rejoicing and praising God for power!

Hello All!

All is dark and the only water is coming from the sky!
I have arrived in Lusaka and I am starting out with many new experiences! I came in on the third day of no water or power, in the compound where the GEMS Service Center is. We (Steph & I) were pretty sure that it would be on tonight, because the power has never been off for such a long period of time that we have experienced. But that was not the case! So thankful for the new lantern I brought, it gives off a lot more light than the candles do.

We arrived in Lusaka on time, but our landing was aborted just before touch down because of a thunder shower, we circled the airport at about 12-15 miles out for the next 45 minutes, and finally were able to land about 7:20. Siwali and Stephanie were there waiting
The roads that are normally swarming with people walking here and there were filled with women and children carrying buckets, jars, yellow bottles, and bowls all in search of water. The compounds have been out of water since Thursday. Small boys carrying two bottles, ladies balancing water in bowls on their heads, never spilling a drop! Two young girls walk carrying a very large open container between them. All in search of something we never even think about, we touch the tap and the water pours forth, cold, hot or just right! Be thankful for water!
After delivering all my stuff to the Service Center, Siwali took me to the Bureau of Exchange to change American dollars into kwacha. Came back and unpacked, and the Steph and I walked to Pentecostal Holiness GEMS club. We listened to a young counselor tell the lesson of Joseph.
As we walked back, I thought about how different things look, this being the rainy season.

This is my first experience during the rainy season, not only are there puddles everywhere in the dirt roads, in some spots the road totally washes away. The small amount of grass that is here is really green. The ditches are filled with muddy water, and all the garbage is floating. The water and mud are unbelievable! And the rains come and go, it will be sun shining, and the next thing you know the rain is coming down in buckets, and then back to sunshine. I think it did that 5 or 6 times during the day. Then about 7pm it started raining and rained for several hours. Thanks for the shoes, Mary, so far the mud hasn’t come over the top…….

After lunch of peanut butter and jelly, I took a little nap, and then worked on reorganizing the closets of potholder materials and supplies. About 4:00, Steph and I got out the brazier, and thought we would cook some once frozen chicken for dinner, so we wouldn’t have to throw it out. We needed help from Siwali to get the fire going, he said he can do it with two matches, couldn’t tell you how many we used and we still weren’t successful, but Siwali was! When we asked how he knew, he said that he had grown up in a village and everyone in the villages knows how to start the charcoal. Charcoal is harvested from the forests where they burn out tree roots until it turns into charcoal. Next time you picnic with charcoal give thanks for lighter fluid
How do you cook 5 chicken legs on a brazier? We decided to put a bit of oil in the bottom of a pan, put the chicken legs in, covered them with some, chopped bell pepper and tomatoes. There is no grill or cover, which means there is no way to regulate the heat. The pan sits directly on the coals. So our chicken began to smell really good in just a few minutes, the next time we checked it, the inside bottom of the pan was black and the chicken was burning. So we carefully turned it over and over, until it was done. The vegetables, yeah, not so much, burned to a crisp, but they did add a great flavor to the chicken. So we each had 2 ½ chicken legs, and topped it off with popcorn done in less than 2 minutes over the coals. That was our first dinner together, by candle light! We were so hoping the power would come back on so we could take warm baths before bed. After we did dishes, with water we heated on the brazier, we each grabbed a flashlight and a candle and settled down to read. After reading until I couldn’t keep my eyes open, we headed off to bed. Took a cold bath and went to bed praying that tomorrow the power comes back on.