A Visit to the House of Moses

Today we went to the House of Moses, this is something that Sophie and Mary Leslie have been doing since they came to Zambia. Every Wednesday they head over to the orphanage, and just hold and love babies. They both have their very favorites! Infact, the very first time I went with them I was invited to go, but I could not hold Natasha! Because that is Sophie's special little girl that she just loves on every week. Mary Leslie has a few that she loves to cuddle and hold.

What a priviledge to just be able to go in to the orphanage and love on these little ones.

The precious little hand of Deborah, that I held the entire time!

Here is the cutest smile from little Deborah!  Sophie thinks Natasha is the cutest, I'm not so sure!  I think this little girl stole my heart!  I think I need to bring her home to one of my kids!

Mary Leslie hanging out with the kids on the blankets.

Now do these future momma's look happy?

Or this Grandma?

Does it get any better than this?

All the kids having lunch, they all have their bowl of nshima, which they scoop up with their hands and stuff into their little mouths.  The gal in the back is holding one of the twins I held last time, that has to be 18 months and weighs only 9-10 pounds.  Her twin brother is just in front of the caregivers head, they both need to be fed their nshima.

I have been blessed to be able to hold, and love on these little ones today!

More Club Visits!

Saturday is one of my favorite days of the week!  I get to go and visit some of the GEMS clubs that are meeting in Lusaka.  Catherine arranges which clubs we visit and then she comes to collect me and we head off through the compound.

Kalinglinga is a very large compound!  We started off from the Service Center gate at 10:00 and we walked for over 30 minutes! We headed out past PHC and AFM and kept walking, when we got to the next crossroad we turned left, and then right again.  Soon we were up to Kamloops Road (the one we take to go to Bob and Mary's, the same one the Kalingalinga Post Office is on) we crossed the road and kept going, and going.  Finally we turned and walked along a football (soccer field) and then we turned down an alley and found ourselves at a gate.  This was the house of the club coordinator for Pilgrim Wesleyan.  Her yard was much larger than that of Idah's last Saturday, and totally enclosed with the tall brick walls.  They were all in there small groups working on their lessons. They were all sitting in plastic chairs, in three circles.  I listened and watched as they were teaching, they were doing well.  Catherine had said this club really struggled after Annette's death.  Annette was the club coordinator and ran this club.  The club coordinator is doing well, she is very excited about the club meeting in her yard.  She introduced me to her husband, and I thanked him for allowing the GEMS to meet in their yard.  He said it is OK, it is the work of the Lord.  I gathered the groups together for a club picture and then we were off to the next club. 

Awareness Small Group

Advanced Small Group

Pilgrim Wesleyan GEMS

This would be the Mtendere Baptist club. It being very dangerous to walk into Mtendere, and also being on the extreme western end of Kalingalinga we looked for a cab.  Catherine is just standing on Alick Nkhata Road waving at every car that passes by.  Is this how we catch a cab?  Then she says, maybe we should just take the bus.  Oh great, I don't want to take a bus......been there done that.....don't ever need to do it again!  But it is too far to walk, and so we wait for a bus.  I send up a little prayer, "Lord, please I really don't want to take the bus."  About two minutes later a very nice car drives up and the driver says, "Need a ride?"  I thought so, a mazoongo can't walk near a road without every taxi peeping to see if you want a ride.  We jump in and I am once again awe struck at God's goodness!  Am I ever going to learn that He takes care of his children?  There was Christian music playing!  Thank you Lord!  Catherine speaks to him in nanja and makes all the arrangements. He will drive us to Mtendere Baptist and wait for us and bring us back to the Service Center when we are done!  PTL!

Mtendere is another hard to describe place.  It is also a very large compound, but unlike Kalingalinga only having a few roads, Mtendere has tons of roads, and they are very narrow roads and there are markets set up along both sides of the roads and people bustling up and down the streets. With lots and lots of traffic, cars and minibuses!  It is a crazy place to try to drive.  After weaving our way, through the streets, we end up a the church.  They let us in the gate with the car, and our driver parks.  We get out, the girls are playing games with the sports equipment.  They quickly gather and begin to sing for us.  They say the GEMS aim and sing a few more songs.  I snap some pictures and watch the CIT's leading.  They have some great CIT's!
When it is time for us to go, the club coordinator and another counselor ride back to the Service Center with us.  They have come back to collect the Hand'n'Hand supplies.  The club coordinator works at a school in the administration, so it is very difficult for her to come to the Service Center on weekdays. 

Playing Games

Mtendere Baptist

Catherine and I showed them both, the hot pads, and how to cut the material and braid it.  We gave them instructions and they asked questions.  It seems to be most difficult for them to not braid the hot pads to tightly, so we went over that and I showed them our samples.  They both were excited to try to make one, but they want to bring it by when they are finished to make sure they are doing it correctly.  I said that would be a great thing to do.

Another great morning visiting the GEMS clubs.  It is exciting to see clubs that we haven't been to before really get it!  God is blessing GEMS in Zambia!

Dusty Feet

Not until you've walked the dirty, dusty roads in Kalingalinga, Africa can you comprehend how dirty ones feet can get.  Even on the shortest of journeys through the compound.  I walk carefully, lifting my feet so as to not make any additional dust, but to no avail.  After every trip through the compound I head to my bathtub and drop in my feet!  Scrubbing away the ground in dirt from the soles of my feet and between my toes. 

What a task, not only do you drop you sandals at the door, you need to wash your feet!  Sometimes I do this multiple times in the same day.

As I sat on the edge of the tub, this morning, once again washing my dirty feet, I thought of the story from John 13, where Jesus washes the disciples feet.

It is only now after walking these roads, do I get a better picture of what Jesus did.  I'm pretty sure the ground in and around the upper room, was fairly similar to the ground here in Africa.  The disciples feet must have been quite dirty after their trek to Jerusalem. 

John 13:14 -15

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

OK washing my own dirty feet is one thing, but would I really want to wash someone else's dirty feet. These are really dirty feet, caked on dirt, dirt between your toes, ground into the soles of your feet and you take this dirty foot in your lap and wash it.  That is truly serving others!  How many times have I missed an opportunity to serve someone, because I was blinded by not wanting to get dirty or take the extra time or even get involved? 

It doesn't tell me in the scripture that I can pick and choose who I serve, it tells me to be a humble servant and do any menial task for others, so that they will see the love of Christ in me!

Fabric, fabric and more fabric!

Do you have any idea what 8,000 yards of fabric looks like? Me either, but I am starting to see the picture.

Here I am with 1860 yards of fabric!

On Tuesday, I walked to the taxi stop, to get a taxi. As I turn the corner on our road, to the Mtendere Road, I immediately see four guys all running at me. "Taxi, Madam?" "Taxi, Madam, right here Madam." I usually try to look at their cars, and see that they have matching tires, and that there aren't any major spots resulting from a prior collision. Oh, and I look at the guys, and try to figure out if they are nice or not! We've picked up some doozies here! I take the guy with the best looking car, not great, but better than the other ones parked there. I ask how much to Kamwala and back, they always say 80,000 and I always say "No, not more than 70,000!" "OK, OK Madam, you are right!"

I climb into the car and we're off, dodging mini buses, dead dogs, guys on bikes, little kids walking so close to the edge of the road. Oh and then there are the speed bumps everywhere, not to mention potholes! It is definitely a journey!

I tell the driver on the way, that I am going to buy A LOT of fabric. "OK, Madam, that is good." We arrive in Kamwala and there are just no words to describe shopping in Kamwala. Except, busy, crazy, dirty, dusty and crowded. The shops are tiny, and the stuff is everywhere. I've mainly shopped in the fabric stores in Kamwala, but I have gone in search of a few other things and in some of the other shops. If they are selling anything small, it is all behind glass or something similar to chicken wire. You walk into the center of the store, and in the shape of a U on both sides there are large glass windows or wire enclosures, with all their products displayed behind it. You go up to the center of the U- straight back into the store, and a man sits and yells at boys, to get what ever you ask for. If you should decide to buy it, the man tells you how much and you pay him and they hand your item to you over the counter. Oh, then there are the people selling all manner of wares on the sidewalks and street corners. It is a very interesting place!

We pull up in front of the store where I am going to pick up the fabric I ordered on my last visit. I needed 30 rolls of printed cotton, at least 5 rolls of the same design. I also, needed 32 rolls of solid color fabric to go with the prints. That is a total of 62 - 30 yard rolls of fabric. They had the prints all tied into a large gray bag, and after giving them a list of the solid colors I needed they put them into another large gray bag. After I emptied my bag of millions of kwacha, they carried the two large heavy parcels to the waiting taxi. You should have seen the look on the taxi driver's face. I'm sure he was thinking, why did I want to give her a ride! One of the bags filled the back seat, and the second stuck out of the trunk substantially. They tied it in with all manner of cords, and it was not going to fall out, that was for sure. The driver gets into the car, and looks at me, and says. "That is more than A LOT of fabric!" And we were off, the car was scraping, and making noises like it was over burdened and it was! I just prayed we would get back before anything really broke or we had a flat tire. It sounded bad. Remember the speed bumps, oh yeah, much worse when the car is really loaded down. We pulled up to the Service Center, and I uttered a prayer of thanksgiving, that we had made it. We unloaded the car and the trunk, carrying them in a few rolls at a time. There was no way we could lift the full bags, even with three of us!

On Wednesday morning while the girls went to the House of Moses and did some errands I got started on cutting the 30 yard rolls into 7 yard pieces. Each hot pad that they are making takes 3 - 3" strips of fabric 7 yards long.

Two of the samples of hot pads.

                       From the doorway to the wall is 34' and I need each piece cut at 28' or 7 yards.  I am so thankful that the room is this big.  It makes rolling it out and measuring so much easier!  PTL!

End of day two of cutting and folding!

It didn’t take me long to realize that there is no quality control where this fabric is produced. Some of the rolls, changed prints right in the middle of the roll, some were really similar and some weren’t even close. Oh and then there were the stains that were in the roll, and spots of oil from the machines, the spots where there is no color, and in some rolls just a hole here and a hole there. Crazy!

At any point in a 30 yard roll, a totally different pattern would appear.

Sometimes, two or three per roll!  Sometimes really close to the first pattern,

sometimes not even the same colors or anything close????

Do these match?

This one went from green to blue and back to green again!

Or the fact that I asked for 12 rolls of yellow, would they all

be the same shade of yellow?  Apparently not!

I began again the first thing Thursday morning. I finished the cutting by about 12:30! Then I needed to organize the colors, and get three coordinating fabrics together for each set of hot pads. That took a couple of more hours. When I was finished I had put on some serious miles, just walking back and forth across the room, rolling out fabric and cutting it, then folding it and starting again! Oh, and then there was my back, I was bending and using muscles that hadn't been challenged like that for a long time if ever! And they were all screaming at me!

That is over 2,000 yards of the 2,760 yards that I've cut!

I am rejoicing!

 Until I remember I have 5,240 yards to go!

The small rolls are the 2 yards leftover on each roll that will

need to be sewn together to make 7 yard pieces.

Another BIG project!

The part of this program that is going to surprise me, even though I am already contemplating it, is how fast this amount of fabric is going to disappear once the ladies arrive on Friday to collect it!

Visiting GEMS Clubs

Saturday morning at about 9:00 Catherine was here to walk with me to some clubs. Yesterday, she said we would visit Mtendere Baptist and Salvation Army. This morning it was King of Glory, Word of Faith, and Come to Jesus. First we walked to Word of Faith, no one there. It was 9:20 and they don’t meet till 10:00. So why did we start off at 9:00? Then we walked to King of Glory, I truly got into the Kalingalinga compound. Catherine took me on many shortcuts; it seemed as if we were going right through people’s yards. But in all reality I think they actually were little alley ways

King of Glory meets in Idah’s yard, if you want to call it that. It is the dirt area that is between her house, the outhouse and a fence of shrubs. There was one bench, and two blue plastic chairs, and an old wooden couch, along with 3 really old soft chairs. One of the counselors walked up and dropped her Bible and books on the soft chair and the dust just flew! Idah told me they use to meet in a public area and every time they went there, there would be other groups having a program and they would be turned away. So they just started meeting here. She showed me her roster; she has 43 Awareness names and 37 Advanced. They began by singing, songs that I am beginning to know and that I can sing along with. They sang one that repeated the phrase God never changes, over and over. It had several verses telling all the ways He never changes, in the summer when it is warm, He never changes. In the winter when it is cold, He never changes. When problems come and problems go, He never changes. Then the double, double song! They all love singing that one.

The King of Glory GEMS singing at their club meeting

What a voice in the compound! To hear these girls all gathered here next to Idah’s house, just singing and praising the Lord! God is being glorified through the girls gathering and their voices raised in song.

Praying for their Sister Club in North America

 

After singing they said the aim, twice. Then Idah, took out the Sister Club prayer poster, and held it up, and they took turns praying for their sister club. When it was time for them to go into their small groups, I gathered them together and took a picture. How I would love for Bob to be able to build them some benches when he is here, but that probably wouldn’t be wise. Although, I think most of the other clubs meet in schools or churches, where they have plenty of benches or desks. I didn’t stay long enough to see how they did their lessons, but when girls are sitting with other littler girls on their laps, how do they color. Even as we were walking away, several other girls were still coming. Oh, and then the boys, they were there and listening and singing and squeezing right in. I think there are boys in every picture of the clubs I took today.

Praying for her Sister Club

The King of Glory GEMS and Counselors

                  The younger Awareness Group

 

The older Awareness Group

                                                              The Advanced GEMS

We left the King of Glory club in Idah’s yard and headed over to Word of Faith!  They were meeting in a different room, on the opposite end of the building where they were meeting when we were there last. It was a bigger room and somewhat brighter. Catherine said these buildings are an orphanage, but I didn’t see any children? How I was blessed, at the amazing difference from my last visit there. I remember walking away with the team, and we all were just sad, because they didn’t have a clue to what to do or how to do it. We later found out that they spoke very little English. Even though they attended training every day, they didn’t understand what we had presented. Now Precious was teaching the Advanced girls, she was speaking in English, she had them reading from scripture, she was writing on the chalk board, and asking them questions, all in English! The two older counselors were working with the Awareness girls and boys! They were all coloring their pages.

Club Coordinator Precious and the Advanced GEMS

One of the BEMS (Boys Everywhere Meeting the Savior)

who so want to be included

Word of Faith GEMS Club

From there we walked to Come to Jesus GEMS club. They meet in the church right behind Pentecostal Holiness Church. As we were walking, we passed Marjory a counselor from Word of Faith, going to her club. She said she was late, but that she had begun to do her wash very early, but the water had been turned off, so they had to go get water from a neighboring compound, for her to finish. We also, passed Maxhilda, a counselor from Apostolic Faith Mission club, and her husband. She was on the way to the clinic; they think she has malaria again. Life is so hard here!

When we got to Come to Jesus, they were just getting into their small groups. Again the church is very dark inside and difficult to see. There was just one counselor and one CIT. The other counselor was ill this morning. I had them come outside for a group picture.

Come to Jesus GEMS Club

As I passed by PHC I snapped a few pictures of the small GEMS groups meeting there. They use several CIT’s and they are doing a great job of teaching. They are encouraging and praising the girls when they know the answers to the questions. That club always makes me smile!

Pentecostal Holiness  Awareness GEMS

PHC Awareness GEMS

Oh how I rejoiced in my morning. A club that the team didn’t think would have a chance was going above all my expectations. A club that doesn’t have a place to meet gathers in the counselor’s small side yard. A club using their CIT’s allowing them to teach the younger girls and watching how far they’ve come since being a GEM themselves. To hear them say how GEMS has changed their lives! The CIT’s will be the women someday who lead GEMS in Zambia! A simply amazing, God blessed morning! Can’t wait until next week, to see what God has to show me!

A Glimpse of Heaven!

Miracle Life Family Church

I got to see a glimpse of heaven here on earth today! Today was the dedication of the new church building for Miracle Life Family Church. The church had been meeting in an old nightclub right next to Arcades Mall, for the last nine years.


The new church is not finished yet, but the lease had run out on the old building, and so they moved there a week ago. The church is amazing, but it is definitely part of a huge construction zone yet. As we walked up to the church the wind was blowing the dust everywhere, as there isn’t any grass, tar or sidewalks. The new sanctuary holds 2,200 people. It is a huge mega church, especially here in Zambia.

The service began with a flag ceremony where they had 26 flags, carried into the sanctuary by a person from that country, in their native dress. The first flag was from Zambia, the second was the Christian flag, and then country after country unfurled until there were 26 flags across the front of the sanctuary. Just a small glimpse of heaven, we are here in Zambia worshiping with people from 25 other countries. I thought of the verse from Philippians 2:10 & 11. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Here we are in Zambia worshiping together, singing and praising the name of Jesus together. Just a glimpse of what heaven will be like, when we are there with all our brothers and sisters from every tribe and every nation! Amen, Hallelujah, AMEN!

The Sanctuary after the service.

13 of the 26 Flags from 25 countries represented in worship

at Miracle Life Family Church.

The Foyer

How Big is My God?

How Big is Your God?


I have been wondering lately, just how big is my God? As I walked from club to club on Saturday, walking through the compound, that thought came into my mind. The people I saw walking around in the compound have such difficult lives.

The mother’s carrying their babies on their backs, with large baskets on their heads, filled with bananas or avocados while they dodge children running and screaming. Young children watching other young children, some who can’t be more than eight years old carrying babies around, bouncing and keeping them from crying. As I walked, I passed one of the GEMS counselors, and her husband who were walking to the health clinic, because she is not feeling well. They think she has malaria. I meet another GEMS counselor, who is late for her club meeting, because she was doing her wash, and then the water was off. So they had to carry the water from across the compound, to finish her wash.

These people struggle with just the simple things, which I so take for granted. The things that were bothering me don’t even faze them. They don’t seem to even notice that the dust and dirt are blowing in their faces, and all around. Their nostrils aren’t assaulted by the smells of burning rubbish, or the smell of urine floating from under the doors of the outhouses we pass. They don’t seem to notice the garbage, everywhere on the streets and in the ditches. They don’t notice a man yelling at a woman, or a woman pulling along a small child by the arm, who is screaming. Is this child being hurt or is he just mad? They don’t even look up as the cars pass by and honk, hoping that the mazoongo (white women) will need a cab?

Then I begin to wonder, how big is there God? Do they complain as much as I do, about the little things that bother me? I can complain so quickly about the dust, the smells, the things I miss from home, from chocolate chips to being able to brush my teeth without bottled water, and having a great shower with real water pressure. How big is my God? And how disappointed he must be with me, when He has given me more than most Zambians can even imagine and still I complain.

My God is so BIG! He has called me to Zambia, to train and teach the women to lead GEMS clubs. He has opened my eyes to so many things that I so took for granted before coming here. I know there are more than I could possibly list, but here are two that are on my heart today. He has opened my eyes to see that my grandchildren who are born in clean sterile hospitals with all the best medical care and doctors with equipment to monitor heartbeats and deliver the best possible care, are so blessed! I had never thought about mothers being scared to death to have their babies, because if something goes wrong, they die or the baby dies. Or they are taken to the hospital and die there. 70% of people who go into a Zambian hospital do not come out alive. He has allowed me to see, babies who are starving that are brought to the House of Moses, will now have a chance to grow and thrive. Have I ever seen a child in the US with legs about the size of my thumbs? No never!

How big is your God?

What a difference a week makes!

It was a week ago yesterday, that we brought Sophie to the hospital.  A week I don't ever care to repeat!  I knew that there would be lots of things on my plate here in Zambia, but this was one that I  hadn't even had cross my mind!  Because you just don't go to the hospital when you are in Zambia!

Sophie was released finally on Saturday afternoon.  She was so glad to be back home!  Being in a ward is not a restful place to be, and some of the doctor's could have used a course in bedside manners.  When in the middle of the night they walk into the room and flip on the overhead lights, blind you and then begin asking you all sorts of questions, as you are trying to sort out what is happening.  Mary Leslie had stayed with her throughout her stay, and neither one came home looking very rested.  Over their first 36 hours at home they slept 27 hours.

On Monday, Sophie and I returned to the hospital for a check up.  They did another set of labs and they all came back very good!  We were rejoicing!  Now to just get her to eat, that wasn't something that either Mary Leslie or I had been able to do.  She would say something sounded good, and we would go to work preparing it, she'd take one bite and push it away.  By Tuesday night she was eating a little of this and a little of that, and by Wednesday night, she ate as much as I did!  Now we were truly rejoicing!

After last week, being about as low as you can go!  This week is on a high!  Things are happening, ministry is going forward, girls are giggling and laughing!  God is so good!  We are rejoicing in God's goodness!

Today the girls walked to Kablonga, had lunch at new restaurant there and spent the afternoon together with the Lord!  I went to the bank this morning and then out shopping this afternoon!  I bought 4,000,000 kwacha worth of fabrics for the Hand'n'Hand program!  And that is just a drop in the bucket of what we need!

Tonight, we sat and talked after dinner!  Laughing and telling stories of past Zambian experiences and all the things we are learning about Zambian culture!  What a difference a week makes!  We are rejoicing in our health in new ways!  Praising God for His goodness and healing mercies on us!  Thanking Him for what lies ahead! God is good all the time!  All the time God is good!

Sophie's in the Hospital

I posted on FaceBook that on Wednesday, we took Sophie to the hospital.  But I should also post here for those who don't use FB to know what is happening.

I'll start with Tuesday, at 10 hours the women come for English classes. Sophie is teaching the more advanced women, who speak quite well, but need help with spelling and grammar. And Mary is teaching the women who speak the least and understand very little. They begin at 10 hours, but the students began arriving at 9 hours! It is just crazy here! Early or late, never on time! But we are invoking our new policy, anyone arriving more than 30 minutes (we usually go 45) is not admitted in the gate. We hope this helps get them here on time. We’ll see!


While they were doing their classes, I worked on some of the printing stuff, I added up all of the books that are still needed and checked all the Ndola numbers.

At noon we had left over pasta, and I worked on the Hand’n’Hand project. Catherine and I are going to Kamwala on Thursday to price fabric. Tomorrow I am going with Bob to Chongwe and then to the printing places to see about additional quotes.

Tuesday is BOGO Pizza night, so we had them delivered. Annika (an Every Orphan's Hope 6 month intern) joined us and we had a great evening of fellowship.
May 19, 2010 Wednesday

Bob and I were able to Skype first thing this morning. He leaves his computer on, and when I get up I call him, and he wakes up and we talk for 30 minutes, sharing about each others day. It is usually around 1:00- 1:30am his time.

Bob Sendgikoski  (our building contractor for the Esther School) was here to pick me up at 8:00 we headed first out to Chongwe. He wanted to show me something, I thought it was that the teacher’s house was totally finished, but it wasn’t that. He would like to move the elementary building and the pre-school building over a little and wondered what I thought. We walked the property again; they have begun clearing the brush and are making a road to bring in stones and materials for the beginning of the building these two buildings. It makes sense to me to move it; I’m not sure why it is such a big deal and that he wanted me to see it. He said so I can explain it to Jan, women to women!  The best part of the morning was getting to walk through the house, it is ALMOST finished, they are missing a few of the ceiling fans, they were back ordered. They were mopping the floors getting them ready for paint. The bathroom showers had been tiled. All the tools and equipment had been moved out! And some of the guys were cleaning up outside. They hope to start making bricks on Monday for the new school buildings.

The kitchen in the teacher's house with the lights hung.

The tiled shower, only needs the rod for the shower curtain.

The Great Room for gathering.  Notice the three

white boxes on the wall, those are electical outlets

powered by the solar panels.  What is being plugged

into these outlets?  Phones of the Zambian workers!

The electric is divided into different circuits for different

kinds of electricity.  These are for phones and computers.

There is a circuit for lights and fans, and separate ones

for appliances and curling irons, the real electric grabbers.

We headed back into town, Bob was going to take me to a couple of more printers, for quotes on the books we need. We went to two different places that he knew of, both which do digital printing but not on paper, one was on vinyl and the other on canvas. So we decided to go back to Associated Printers where I got the first quote, BUT I didn’t remember where it was. Siwale was driving, and I wasn’t thinking that I’d need to remember just how to find it again. I knew the area, but didn’t have a clue to what street it was on. We had asked at the second digital printing place we stopped at, and they gave Bob directions. We could not find it, we went to right where they said, across from the Honda dealer, but it wasn’t there. I asked Bob to call Siwale, but he said Zambians don’t give directions. "The guys just sent us across from the Honda dealer remember!" When Siwale and I had gone early last week, we had made several stops and I just couldn’t remember how we got there. I did know how we found it, we had stopped at a printing place on Cairo Road, and they directed us from there. So….Bob and I went back to that place, I could find that one, and then they gave Bob directions. Bob wasn’t so sure, but as soon as we turned on one road I remembered going there. I remembered where to turn and we found it. We parked the car, and where walking up to the building when Bob’s phone rang. I had left mine back at the Service Center. Duh!  He said the call was for me. So I took the phone, it was Mary Leslie; she said Sophie was very sick and she didn’t know what to do.When we arrived Sophie was in a sweatshirt and sweatpants, and had two heavy fleece blankets on her, she was trembling and shaking. I went and found Bob and we agreed she needs to be seen by a doctor.  Bob knew of a hospital where he had been taken and was cared for well.  They took her right to an examination room and told me I needed to go back and give them her information.
We went back down to the room where they had taken her it was a ward with 4 beds on one wall, and only one other bed had a small child in it. We were so thankful, that they began working on her immediately and she didn’t have to wait long for the doctor. He came and told us he believed it was food poisoning, but they wouldn’t be sure until the lab tests came back. He also said the blood work would show if it was malaria. Because they are here for such a long time, they are not taking the malaria pills. When he said food poisoning, I thought but we all ate pizza last night, and only Sophie is ill. But then I thought, we all had our own pizza’s, so that we have lots of left over’s. Both Sophie and I  had a veggie but still it was different pizzas. Bob and I continued to wait in the hall, going in every 30 minutes or so, to check on her and see if her labs had come back yet. Bob and I headed back home to get her some things she needed. While we were gathering up the things that Mary Leslie had asked for, Mary Leslie called and said they were going to admit her. They didn’t have the labs back yet, but they wanted to keep her for the next 24 hours. Bob and I headed back to the hospital and just as we walked into the room, which now had someone in all four of the beds. The doctor was reading her lab work. They started her on an antibiotic before we left the room. We waited another 30 minutes and went back in, she had some color in her face, and her lips were once again pink.  The nurse came and said they were waiting for a bed in the ward, before they could move her. Bob had to be home before 5:00, so we left and he brought me home.  Mary Leslie will stay the night with her at the hospital. Bob and Mary Sendgikoski are going to dinner, just across the street from the hospital, so will check in on her tonight.

I came home, put the left over pizza in the trash and made myself some vegetables for supper, beans, carrots and a potato. Just as I finished my dinner, the power went out and has been out now for over an hour already. Glad my computer has good battery backup, but I’m sure it is running low now.

What a day, first rejoicing in the Esther School house, and being able to see it again. See the progress beginning on the next building site. To driving around downtown Lusaka looking for a printer I don’t a clue where it is. To rushing home to find such a sick Sophie, I know she was the sickest person, I have ever seen in all my years of being a mom. Praying we were doing the right thing, bringing her to a Zambian hospital. She needed the fluids when we got her there, and had them within 30-45 minutes after our arrival.

I am just so thankful that I was out with Bob this morning. That he had a vehicle to take her to the hospital with, that he knew what hospital to go to and that he was there to offer support. Nothing in Zambia ever goes as we think it will. I am so thankful today God was there walking with us each step of the way! PTL! Just like He does every day, but when you’ve been through a day like this you know you could not do it in your own power!

When I was there yesterday afternoon,(Thursday) they  were still giving her fluids and antibiotics by IV. 

 If you can imagine some of the hospitals you see in movies of the late 1940's and early 1950's and that is what I would compare this one to.  Mary Leslie says she is receiving good care.  Just not all the technology and services that we're use to!  Visiting hours are strictly maintained.  You don't get in if it isn't visiting hours.  I know that because I tried! And I was denied!

Attitude Adjustment

Usually when I’m in Zambia, I feel so close to the Lord. I am so dependent on Him for everything every day! Maybe it is because of the extended period of time, that I am struggling with the same feelings I have at home. The feelings that tell me I am entitled to certain things, and that I need certain things to ensure my happiness and well being.

Some of my feelings may stem from having had it really well here. The first two weeks the team was here, we didn’t have one power outage. We had the water go off each night at 8:00, but we knew that going in and we compensated for that. The week after the team left, we had several water issues, where the water would be out for a couple of days, and we compensated for that as well. Making sure that we always had jugs to flush toilets and wash up with. Now this week, we are having power outages in the daytime, off for an hour or two, back on for 10 minutes and off again for an hour or two. In the evenings it has also been going out for several hours, usually just after 18 hours here. Last night it didn’t come back on until sometime in the middle of the night.

When the power goes out the internet goes out as well. Besides those times, the internet comes and goes as it pleases. Being the winter season, there are days when it is very windy. On those days the internet is very sporadic.

It may also have to do with having been alone here alot lately. I really like some of my own alone time, always have and sure I always will. With the girls being gone last Saturday and Sunday night, I was really good with that. Then since Sophie was hospitalized on Wednesday, I’ve been alone. Which in itself does not create a problem? I am not at all afraid staying here we have a good guard every night. The part that gets to me is having no power for hours on end. I’ve read every book I brought, and what do you do in the dark for hours at a time by yourself?

When Mary came home yesterday, she left out a movie for me to watch. Out of Africa,  I was so looking forward to watching that last night. Then the power coming and going so much yesterday, my computer battery didn’t have a chance to be fully charged. So when the power went out, I thought I’d have at least 1 ½ hours of battery, so I put the movie in and watched the first 20 minutes, and it was gone, dead battery That was it, it is 6:30 and it is totally dark, I have nothing to read, no one to talk to. Just sit in the dark and feel sorry for myself. And let me assure you, I did!

At 8:00 I headed to bed, why not? What else am I to do? During the night I woke up and saw that the power was back!

After I let the guard out at 6, I tried the internet; this is my time to Skype Bob. Nothing! Plugged and unplugged, booted and rebooted, nothing! Grrrr! I had my breakfast, tried the internet, nothing! I took my bath (hoping that the water and power stay on tonight, because I don’t have a blow dryer to dry my hair if I wash in the mornings.) Tried the internet again, nothing! Grrrr! I picked up my Bible and My Utmost for His Highest; put a chair just inside the gate to the veranda, out of the wind. The sun was not quite up to over the outside walls yet. I opened Oswald up to May 21. Having God’s “Unreasonable” Faith is the title. The scripture is from Matthew 6:33 Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Oswald writes – The great concern of our lives is not the kingdom of God but how we are going to take care of ourselves to live. Jesus reversed the order by telling us to get the right relationship with God first, maintaining it as the primary concern of our lives, and never to place our concern on taking care of the other things of life. OK, Lord can you get in more in my face than that?

I went to the scripture and read from Matthew 6. I read first the NIV and then the Message. The very last verse from the Message “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” Matthew 6:34 OK, Lord thank you for reminding me that not having power, water or the internet isn’t the worst things I could be doing without.

I sat and began to pray, it was a little chilly, but it was OK. I asked God’s forgiveness from my selfish, self-centered wants. As I was praying the sun broke over the wall that protects us from danger and theft. It began warming the top of my head. It felt so good, just like God’s love warming my mind, with thoughts of Him and His love for me. As I continued in prayer the sun went higher and started warming my mid section with its rays. It gave me a renewed peace, of God’s “Sonshine” warming my heart. The sun’s rays continued on warming my hands. Oh how I praise and thank you Lord for this sensation of how you fill me with your "Sonshine" every day of my life. May my hands be used today, to be your hands, filled with your love. Finally, I felt the warmth all the way down to my feet. Guide my feet today Lord, lead me and let me follow obediently after you where ever I am go.

I was in awe of how good God was to fill me with the “Sonshine” of His love, and to let me so feel His presence in my life.

What does it matter if I have power, water or internet? Life goes on without those earthly things, but I have the power of God’s Love, the water of His baptism and the internet to His heart, every day of my life as long as I seek first the kingdom of God! Halleluiah! Amen!

PS....when I finished and went back to my computer the internet was on!  What an amazing good God, who even cares about if I get to Skype Bob at home!  Thank you, Jesus!  May your "Sonshine" fill the lives of all your children today!

My Fourth Sunday in Africa!

This was an unusual day! This was my first full day of being alone, without my housemates. I was up at 6 to let the guard out! Woke up at 5 worrying that I’d over sleep and he’d have to pound on the door to wake me up, but then fell back to sleep just before the alarm sounded at 6. Decided to go to the 11:00 service today, Miracle Life Family Church has three morning services, and I thought if I went to the late service it would break up my day some. Today was the last Sunday in the rented church building, which was a tavern and disco before. Miracle Life has been renting there for the last six years, next Sunday we will meet in the new building.


The Pastor is an American, and I enjoy his messages. He preaches very American, but the church is filled with mostly Africans, some Asians and a few whites. The service is more similar to our services. We have a half an hour of praise and worship, then about 15 minutes of announcements. The message is usually about 45 minutes. The service lasts 1 ½ hours, by having multiple services, they can’t go past that time.

I do miss the true African churches; I love how they worship in those churches. I do not miss being the guest of honor and having to speak and bring greetings each time I attend. Nor do I miss them announcing how much the offering was today, because of the generosity of our American visitors. That is embarrassing! I would rather bless someone without it being announced!

After church I returned home and called Bob on skype, he was driving Melissa through Tennessee in the pouring rain. He said they were still making good time. When they stop tonight, he will continue on in the rental truck, hoping to be home late tonight. He was so surprised that I could call his cell phone from Africa! He didn’t know who I was! Oops, maybe I’ve been gone to long!

I really can’t believe that I have been here for over 4 weeks already. And 4 weeks from tomorrow Bob will fly out to experience Zambia and bring me home! We’ve reached the half way mark! Hooray!

Ida and Dixon (from the house that GEMS built) stopped in this afternoon. They wanted to say hello and wonder when I will be coming to visit them. We got to see them while the team was here, we had a birthday party for all 32 of the kids in all the Kalingalinga houses. There are four houses with 8 children each. I haven’t been to the house that GEMS built to visit since the team left.

Enjoying my Sabbath and preparing for the week ahead. Blessings to all.

Water and Wind

Water and Wind


What do you think of when you think of water? My first thoughts go to Lake Michigan and walking along the shore and feeling the water rush through my toes. When I think of water at home, I think of a great forceful shower on my head, all the hot, warm or cold water I could ever want.

What do I think of when I think of water in Zambia? Make sure you bathe before 8pm or the water is turned off. Oh, and then it is turned off whenever they (not sure who they are) feel the need to. It has been off since about 10:00 yesterday morning. But we are prepared, we have a basin of water in the tub, at least we can wash our feet before bed. We have jugs in each bathroom to flush the toilets. Oh, and we have a sink full of dishes that can’t be done until it comes back on. When we cook, we use bottled water, so we are good there! Glad I did my laundry first thing yesterday morning, before it went off.

It makes you so thankful when you have water. Even when the force from the faucet is puny. So much so, that you wonder if you can get all the shampoo out of your hair. Oh, and then regulating the water temp, it takes about 4 minutes to get the hot water coming, and then if you add cold to it, it immediately cools the hot water off so much that you freeze. You spend most of your bathing time trying to regulate the water temperature to be not to cold or to hot! But I am so thankful there is water, most of the time! We’ve had more trouble this time with the water going off, than with the electric! PTL! We’ve only been in the dark two nights and not for more than 20-40 minutes each time! PTL!

What do you think of when you think of wind in Michigan! Once again, my thoughts turn to the beach where there is usually a breeze coming in off Lake Michigan. Ever been to the beach, when it whips the sand into your face, hair and all the folds of your skin? If you picture that, you can picture walking down the road in Kalingalinga. The wind whips the dirt (not sand) into your face, hair and all the folds of your skin. I never leave the house without my sunglasses mostly to protect my eyes from all the dust. The rainy season, just ended in April, and now it will be dry until next November. Already the dry ground is spewing the dust in every direction. Into the houses, cars and unto the people! It’s a crazy thing! It has been very windy here the past few days. Siwale says it is early this year, to be so windy already. The wind also effects our internet connection, when it is blowing we can’t get our reception. Oh the joys of Zambia!

Give Thanks for Screens!

Today, I cleaned my bedroom and bathroom. It had been a week, and there is no way to describe the dirt and dust that comes into the houses here. I think only Lia can understand, because she lived in South Africa and I don’t think it is any different there than here. The windows are open from when you get up, until sun set. There are no screens, have you ever been thankful for screens, if not, do be thankful for screens! They keep out the flies, mosquitoes, and some of the dust and stuff blowing through the air. I swept under the beds, there are three beds in my room, and I couldn’t believe all the dirt I collected! It is crazy that it could be so bad in just one week, with just one person walking in and out of the room.
 
 

The dirt from one week in my bedroom!

When you get ready to prepare a meal, you always wipe off the counters before you take out any food. And even if you totally wiped them down after the last meal, your rag will be brown with dust. And we seldom open any windows in the kitchen, because it brings in the flies even worse. But the dust still gets on every surface.

Today marks a new experience for me. From noon on I will be home alone for the next few days. The girls, Sophie and Mary have gone away for a few days to spend time talking to the Lord. It can be difficult here, because living in the GEMS Service Center, even though we post our hours when we are open, there are always counselors passing through. Either from areas outside of Lusaka who need to pick up some supplies, or counselors from the area who just want to bring us greetings. Then there are the random knocks on the gate, of men and women seeking employment. There are more now since we put up the GEMS sign outside the gate. There are the neighborhood children who just want to come and see the mazoongos (white people.) Or neighbors who don’t have water and usually get it from the local well, which is monitored by someone they hire to turn it off and on. But when our water is out, so is the water from the public well. For the people here who don’t have running water in their homes (and there are many) they pay a fee, and twice each day at 6 hours and 15 hours the water is turned on and they can get their containers filled. If the water comes back on at 7 hours they know that they won't be able to get any until 15 hours and then it may be out again. So when th know the water has come back on, they will come knocking at our gate so they can fill their containers without having to wait until the well is turned on later in the day. Not to mention the men who come seeking wives, and wanting to see if Mary and Sophie, are interested in marriage.

Thus the girls wanted to get away and spend time with God, without interruption, seeking His direction, on their ministry here. I am good with being alone. I feel very safe. First there is the gate, and then every door and window is covered with rebar grilles, and there are I think somewhere around 5 or 6 padlocks between me and the outside. At night we have a night guard who comes at 18 hours (it is just getting dark then) and we let him out at 6 each morning. He sits outside all night; I would think he must be totally chilled by morning.

My Room

                                                               No one is getting in through here!

The front door with all the slide bolts and padlock.  It has just one on it now, but you could have three!

                         The veranda gate just outside the front door with its slide bolts and padlocks.

The main gate with its two padlocks,

I don't think I could be any safer!