Seeing Growth

I just heard the most amazing report this morning and wanted to share it with all of you. Last week, Pastor Dragan and I had to cancel our weekly meeting in Mahalulu; he had caught the stomach bug that was going around. Apparently the people in Mahalulu didn't want to miss the meeting so Wilson, the man we've been training to be the zone manager in that area, led the bible study. Not only did he show his own initiative to lead the study but he's been going out several times a week doing door to door ministry. This is such an amazing report because it shows such growth in these men and women that we've been pouring into since June. I feel like a proud mama!!

Dragan and I will be there on Thursday, as per our usual ministry schedule, and I cannot wait to hear the testimonies and just share in how excited I am for what the Lord is doing in their lives.

New Roommate

I have a new roommate in my chalet here at Rapid 14 base. His name is Tyrone and he's a baboon spider, a relative to the tarantula. The photo isn't of him but looks the same. I accidently walked in on him in the shower yesterday. He needs to learn to lock the door! When I came back with my posse and a really big stick, he was gone and thankfully hasn't returned yet. Normally I don't have any issues with spiders. Lots of them eat mosquitos so we have a great relationship. However, there was no way I wanted to wake up to this thing crawling on me in the middle of the night. Since he's not dead, we came up with a plan B. My bed is now completely surrounded in a mosquito net. I usually wait as long as I can to put the net up since they're really hot to sleep under. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. The warm weather brings out the strangest insects and creatures here in Zambia. Last year were giant scorpions. This year seems to be the year of the spider. Oh the adventures we have!

Weather Change

This morning I woke up with this thought: "I'm not cold!" It's the first morning I've actually noticed that the frigid, winter weather here in Zambia was gone. There's a fine line between cold and hot season, and today may be the day we've crossed it. As the afternoon has progressed, long sleeves and pants were quickly changed into shorts and tank tops. There have been other signs of the upcoming hot season over the last week or two. The sky has been hazy from dust storms and bush fires, but the intense colors of the sunsets have only increased. Also, my garden seems to have started growing again after the long, winter sleep. No matter what, there's no escaping the heat. I can't bring myself to embrace this weather but experience tells me to grin and bear it until the blessed rains arrive in November. Until then it's lots of water and whatever shade you can find!

Cabbage Mishaps

On Friday evening, myself, two volunteers, and our zone manager Crispen had an overnight in Ndele village. Every friday morning, we hold a bible study in Ndele and wanted to take this chance to build a stronger relationship with the people. Just before sunset, the ladies were gathered, chopping cabbage for our evening supper. Becca and I grabbed our knives and went to join them. I must say that these women are excellent cooks. As soon as we sat down and began asking them about how to chop, the giggles began. In this culture, every woman knows how to make nshima and relish (i.e. cabbage). It's what makes you a good wife and mother. About 5 minutes into our chopping experience, I sliced my finger and it started to bleed. The women laughed and told me that my hands were "too soft" and that I needed "elephant skin." They then showed me their rough, callused hands, comparing them to my smooth, soft skin. My knife was quickly taken away; it was clear that I was fired from the job of chopping vegtables. Becca didn't last much longer as they fired her for chopping the cabbage into too large of pieces. We might not make great village cooks but the time spent with the people was absolutely amazing.

Mangos & Cod Liver Oil

This morning I headed out to Ndele Village for our weekly bible study. We meet under a mango tree in Kennedy's garden (pictures coming soon). This was actually my first time leading the bible study, so we spent the time really getting to know one another. I shared my testimony about what the Lord's done in my life and encouraged them to not view themselves "according to the flesh". Several others then opened up and shared several testimonies from what the Lord has done in their lives. Many had come to the Lord through healing, admitting to once trusting in "traditional medicine" but found that only the Lord is our healer. It was amazing! Kennedy also asked for prayer for the bible study to grow to include everyone in the village. I absolutely love his heart.

After we were done with the teaching, one woman, Katherine, said

they needed more vitamins. Some of you may remember that last year we had 5 containers full of vitamins that we distributed. Suddenly everyone was sharing about how much the vitamins have helped them. Then Katherine continued saying that she loves the cod liver oil. In fact, she not only takes it as medicine but also puts it on her skin and hair. She smiled brightly as she shared this, exclaiming how cod liver oil not only makes you strong but also gives you beautiful skin and hair. I had to hold in my laugh as I heard this. I can't imagine using cod liver oil as a conditioner or lotion but it's good to know that if you enjoy fish smells, it's a great option. :)

Bush Trekking

Last week, Pastor Dragan and I were driving to Mahalulu Village to meet with the pastor there. A few weeks prior, we had shown the Jesus Film there and wanted to follow up with the churches there. When we reached Pastor Thomas' home, we found that he was working out in his garden. His son jumped into the truck to guide us, assuring us that the "road" was passable. Several minutes later I soon realized this was going to be quit a journey. We crossed rivers, drove through people's yards, and down paths that were barely even footpaths. We finally reached a point where the truck could go no farther. Parking it under a tree, we set off on foot for another 30 minutes, I almost lost my balance in a river, before arriving at the garden. The surprise and joy on Pastor Thomas' face made that long trek worth it. He was so blessed that we could come all that way just to encourage him. These rural pastor easily get discouraged because they often feel inadequate to preach the Gospel due to lack of training. They also have no one else really speaking into their lives and encouraging them. This is why Overland Missions doesn't start our own churches but work alongside those that already exist. I'm excited to say that Mahalulu will be our first location for the new believers class that I'll be leading and training local leaders to teach in other villages.

Home

Right now I'm sitting in my "gingerbread house" on the rapid 14 base in Livingstone, Zambia. The door is open, letting the cool breeze flow through the house and the setting sun is filling the sky with the most vibrant red, orange, and purple colors. I'm home and it feels amazing!

I arrived on saturday and have been unpacking, reorganizing, and settling back into life here at the base. I arrived later then in the past and right in the midst of our busy season. There's an expedition in, amt is going full speed, and lots of staff and volunteers are working hard in meeting the spiritual and physical needs of the rural villages.

I started teaching gps & navigation to the amt class today. The class runs for this week, which gives me time to get my truck ready for the villages. Next week starts the new ministry I'll be doing in the Mukuni kingdom of zambia. It's located right here in the southern province of zambia and an area I'm very familiar with. I've arranged for language lessons to start as I continue learning Tonga. Over the last 5 years I've been able to pick up on some basics but have a desire to become as fluent as I can over the next 17 months. I'll keep you all updated as this adventure continues. Blessings!