The Sweetest Letter!

I received a letter today in the mail that is probably one of the best letters I've ever read. It was from a little girl that heard me speak in Florida and I'd like to share it with you! I hope this blessed you and much as it did me.

Epic

Teaching at a bible study in Zambia

I remember the first time I ever heard a missionary speak. I had just started attending my church while in college and the pastor was sharing a story from his time in Africa. I remember him talking about being broken down on the side of the road for a night and finding leopard tracks around his truck the next morning. My reaction was like everyone else's. "That's an awesome story but people like me don't do things like that."

As I was falling asleep the other night, I was thinking about the meeting I had just come home from. I was given the opportunity to share at a church gathering and spent time sharing about the ministry in Zambia. I was telling lots of stories, from people being healed to encounters with lions. It was while I was laying in bed that I remembered hearing that missionary speak years ago. It struck me how I was now in his place, sharing crazy stories with people.

We never know where God is going to take us when we allow Him to reign in our lives. Now I have my own crazy missionary stories. I'm sure there are many who hear me speak and think the same thing I once did. "That's an awesome story but people like me don't do things like that." These stories are just testimonies of what God is doing through my life. I'm not some crazy, epic person. I'm just simply a girl who said yes to God when He asked her to submit her life to him. And so far it's been epic! :)

Walking Through Memories

One of the main reasons I came home early was to help my mom with cleaning out the garage. Now the garage has always been my dad's 'man cave.' Everything is there is just… dad. One of his many spare pairs of eyeglasses is still hanging above his workbench.

It was overwhelming at first to know where to begin with organizing all of the belongings stored in there. If there was an organizational plan to that garage it was only known by dad! As I've sorted through all of our belongings I've come to a few realizations.

1) My dad was a horder. I don't think he threw anything away that could have the slightest potential of having a use again, even if it would be years later!

2) Our outdoor gear rivals Cabelas.

3) If a zombie apocalypse ever really happens, we're ready in terms of weapons! Gotta love growing up in a family that hunts and fishes. (I may also be a huge fan of The Walking Dead and am still excited over the season premiere!)


My favorite has been finding things that trigger memories from my childhood. Whether it's an old bicycle seat, sled, or even my first tackle box (bright blue with mickey mouse!). I'm not a very sentimental person so I'm not particularly attached to the objects but the memories that they bring up. It's made this entire process a bit more of a joy to go through.

I miss my dad and there's no doubt that that's going to ever change. I miss the missed opportunities I had with him. However I cherish every single memory we have together even more!

Adjustments

In every season we life we have things we need to adjust to. As a missionary I often find coming back home to America a big adjustment. I don't realize how much I've adapted to the Zambian culture until I find myself back home.

There are little things that my family and friends like to point out, my weird accent in particular. My mom pointed out my patience in restaurant the other day when food was taking longer then usual. To me it was still fast service!

Then there's always the first trip to the grocery store or Wal-Mart! The many options can be so overwhelming. An entire aisle for crackers?!

While I was out on a run in my neighborhood the other day, I realized another adjustment. I said hello to a man while I passed him and he looked at my like I had two heads! In Zambia we wave at everyone as we pass! It makes me sad that people don't talk more to each other in America.

I think this is one adjustment I'm going to fight. Our entire walk with Christ is based on relationships. You can never have a relationship with someone if there isn't an initial "hello." Next time you catch yourself passing by someone, take a minute just to say hi. You never know who God is putting in your path!

Desires of My Heart

"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 36:4

Sometimes you don't know the desires of your heart until they suddenly seem impossible. I've been learning that a lot since losing my dad. I didn't realize how much I wanted him to be there for whenever I get married, or even to see him be the grandfather to my children. Those things have just seemed so far into the future that I didn't focus on them. However, when they are now no longer possible, it's hard to accept.

One thing I knew I always wanted though was to stand with my family together in worshipping the Lord. Since Dad is now with Jesus, I thought it was impossible. However, God showed me that it's not.

It all comes down to a deeper revelation of worship. When we worship, we enter into the very presence of God. It's a sweetness that cannot be described properly in words. The Lord showed me recently that when we enter into His presence, we are right there where all those who have gone home before us are. Right where my dad is. So when I worship God, I'm worshipping right alongside my dad. Suddenly heaven doesn't seem so far away.

"With God all things are possible." Matt 19:26

Thoughts on Change

I realized that tomorrow was my original departure date from Africa for my visit home. It's strange to think that I would have been in africa still during these past fews months. I had originally planned to try and surprise my parents by coming home earlier then planned. However, that changed when Dad and I started planning a hunting trip together. We were discussing going deer hunting if I could survive the cold while sitting in a tree stand at sunrise. He was betting that I'd chicken out. He was probably right.

Not all of the changes in my life these past few months have been bad. (If you don't know, I lost my dad in a car accident at the end of August.) I feel like my family has never been closer. We've had a lot more get togethers with my aunts, uncles, and cousins besides just during the holidays. I didn't realize how much I've missed them over the years.

Some things haven't changed though. My heart for the nations hasn't. My vision for the rural villages in Zambia has, in fact, only grown stronger. I find that my passion for the work I'm doing with Overland Missions just erupts when I get to share it with others. It helps keep my focused on what God has called me to do.

Can we avoid change? Can we run from it? Never. However, God gives us the foundation to stand on when we face it- good or bad

If You Could See Me Now

If you could see me now you wouldn't shed a tear. 

Though you may not understand why I'm no longer there. 

Remember my spirit that is the real me because I'm still very

Much alive, I've just been set free, Oh, if you could only see! 

I have beheld our Father's face and I've touched my Savior's

Hand. All of Heaven's angels rejoiced as I entered the promised

Land. Beyond the gates of pearl I've walked on the golden streets. 

I've touched the walls of jasper and dipped my foot in the

Crystal sea. The beauty is beyond words and nothing could

Compare, I've even seen your mansion and someday 

I'll meet you there. Let Jesus be your guide because

His Word will show you the way! So please don't

Cry because we will meet again someday. 

-Author: Patsy Stambaugh Deskins

I found this poem today and it reminded me of dad. Even though I feel his loss so very much in my life, this poem was an amazing reminder of where Dad actually is at this very moment- in the very presence of the Lord. What a beautiful place to be!!

The Little Things

I used to think that the Lord didn’t care about the ‘little’ things in life. You know, those tiny details that sometimes escape our everyday notice. Or the things that we somehow get in our head that is for us to take care of. That they don’t really matter to the Creator of the universe. Maybe you’ve felt the same at some point in your life.

God revealed to me how much He really does care about those little things back in 2007. I was working on our base here in Zambia during hot season at a time when I was the only American on the base. It was probably the hardest 3 months of my life, but a time where I grew the most in the Lord.

I was working on our trucks, of which all broke down at the same time, leaving me as the only mechanic on base. Don’t laugh. ;-) It had been boiling hot for months, I had no clue how to fix the truck (big surprise) and was just absolutely grumpy. Flinging down the tools, I stalked from the warehouse to my tent. In the midst of my toddler-like temper tantrum, God spoke to me. He said “My daughter, what can I do today to make you smile?” His voice was so clear to me that I even looked around to see who was talking. Not seeing a single person, I almost decided that the heat was finally getting to me. However, stepping out in faith, I answered. “Lord, a huge rainstorm would make me smile. I want a break from this heat.” The Lord answered me and told me that it would rain. I was ecstatic! Immediately I thought that I needed to let our workers know in case we needed to move any equipment. However, I looked in the sky and only saw blue. I check the horizons and there wasn’t even a wisp of a cloud. Thinking that maybe it had been my own imagination, I walked into my tent to change out of my oil soaked clothes.

Not 5 minutes later, I emerged from my tent at the sound of a crack of thunder. There over our base was a large, dark cloud. The heavens opened and rain poured down on the base! I knew two things from that moment: Never doubt the voice of the Lord and that the Lord cares about even the small things in our lives. He enjoys making us smile.

One of my ministry leaders in Mahalulu experienced this same revelation the other week. Zambia has been in a drought and most of the streams that usually still have water have run dry. Crispen had planted carrot and onion seedlings, believing the Lord that his water source wouldn’t run dry. By the time the plants were large enough to transplant, the stream was completely dry. He told me that one would have to dig deep into the sand to get to any water. Deciding to shift his garden to a new water source, he concentrated on his onions, leaving the carrots behind until he could prepare the beds for them. A week or so later, the new garden was prepared and the onions were planted. When Crsipen went back for his carrots, he found his dried up stream filled with water. Not just a small amount, the stream was actually flowing with water! There hadn’t been a drop of rain that could have made this possible, only the Lord. Everyone has been looking for ways to survive this drought year and help solve the ‘water issue.’  We sometimes forget that God also has a plan because He cares that Crispen didn’t have water for his plants. It may seem like small to some but I saw the same smile on Crispen’s face as he shared this testimony that was on my own face when the rain poured down outside of my tent. 

Christmas Celebrations

Opening Christmas Presents!

Today was my official first Christmas in Zambia! I was woken up by Nate (one of our volunteers) banging on my door at 6 am yelling "Merry Christmas!" If you know me at all, you know I am NOT a morning person. Perhaps if Nate was 4 years old it would have been cute. Not so cute for a 20 year old. However I was up and we gathered at Jake & Jessi's house to open presents with their two young daughters.  Eating swedish nut bread (my gram's recipe and my fav breakfast for Christmas) and drinking Cinnamon spice coffee, we exchanged gifts and watched the girls open their presents with great joy.

Our afternoon was spent with wonderful friends from town as we shared a large, and delicious lunch. My parents then called me using facetime for a video chat. I was able to watch them open the presents I sent. I love technology! To make it even better, I did a video chat with my entire family (aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents). It was so great to see their faces but it made me a bit more homesick then I already was. However, it's been a great Christmas and I'm looking forward to the upcoming New Year!

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas Songs

driving through Nsongwe Village

I had a revelation while driving to town the other day. Have you ever noticed how many Christmas songs talk about snow and cold? White Christmas came on my ipod and I was singing along, but then I looked at my surrounding. There has never been a white christmas in zambia. Instead it's a very green Christmas. Growing up in Chicago, Christmas is cold and usually white. However, Christmas is during the summer for half of the world- Zambia included. While my family and friends back in Chicago are hoping for a white christmas, Jake, Jessi, and I are hoping for a wet Christmas. With the rains comes cooler temperatures. Dry days here are above 100 deg F- not exactly like the Christmases "I used to know." But what makes Christmas? Is it the snow and cold? Family traditions? Presents under the tree? Sure, I love all of the joys of Christmas but let's never forget our true joy: the birth of our Savior. So whether or not your Christmas this year is white, know that the true source of our joy is in Him. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Traditions

Every family has their own Christmas traditions. They're what we've grown up with, what we associate the holiday season with. It can be certain foods, midnight church services, Christmas carols, etc. You don't really realize how unique, and even how important they are to you until you're away from your family on Christmas for the first time.

This is my first year staying through rainy season (obviously also through Christmas) here in Zambia. The base is quiet, with only myself and another family making up the "foreign" staff. Jessi and I have been planning Christmas by combining all of our favorite traditions together. The first one has been the great cookie bake. Now my mom usually bakes the christmas cookies, while my sister, brother, dad, and I "help" as the taste testers. However, Mom isn't here so Jessi and I pulled together all of our favorite recipes (thanks, Mom, for sending the recipes for my favorite cookies!) and spent an entire day baking cookies. We started our baking day by laying out a game plan. After a short discussion of whether we should half the recipes or not (deciding on not) we starting the baking spree. By dinner time we had made about 20 dozen cookies. For 3 adults and 2 young kids. That's a lot of cookies!! Did we get carried away? Sure! The good part about all these cookies is now we have lots to share with our zambian and missionary friends here. There's nothing like the taste of your favorite, childhood Christmas cookie to make you feel a bit more connected to home despite the thousands of miles of separation. 

The Mass Exodus

If you sit still all you can hear are the sounds of the birds, the wind, and some sounds of construction here on the base. The masses have left the base and just a few of us staff remain here at Rapid 14 base. Over the next few weeks, only 3 of us will remain here for the entire rainy season. As I type this, dark clouds are rolling in and thunder is echoing in the near distance. It looks like rainy season is finally picking up! There are pros and cons to this. It's finally a break in the intense heat we've had for months. It's also great for the villages since they're farmers and need the rains to begin planting their maize (corn) crops. The con is that is makes driving on the roads very hard. To reach the villages, we're driving on dirt roads and crossing riverbeds. With the rain it turns the dirt into mud and clay and fills the riverbeds, cutting off our paths to get to these villages. Even though ministry does slow down, there's still plenty to do. I'll still have one of my bible studies running in the villages since the road should be passable most days. Being a missionary also means that you wear many hats. With most of the staff back in the States, the 3 of us remaining have taken on the responsibilities of running the base. I'll be in charge of food and kitchen duties for not only us but our workers. This season will also let me focus on language studies, bible school (been needing to finish the certificate course for awhile now), and preparing teaching materials for the village bible studies for next year.  No matter what season here in Zambia, life is never boring. I'm looking forward to blogging more and introducing you all to life here as a missionary! Blessings!! 

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!

Question 10

"What has been the most powerful thing you've seen God do while ministering in the villages?"

It's hard to narrow this down to one thing because God has done so much in the lives of the people in the villages that I've been to. However, the first testimony that comes to mind happened a couple of years ago. We were holding a women's conference in Nyawa Village- Zambia. About halfway through the 2nd day of the conference, an old woman shuffled into the church and sat at the back. During the break, she came up to us and through an interpreter share her story. Her name was Sophia and she lived in one of the surrounding villages. She had heard about the women's conference but feared she wouldn't be able to walk the distance. Her feet had been in pain for years, so bad that she could only move around her home. However, her desire for the Lord was far greater then her pain. She walked, using a long stick as a cane, for several hours to reach the conference. Sophia then asked us to pray for her. As we did, she said she felt fire rush through her feet and the pain was completely gone. She had tried everything before this day- clinics as well as the witchdoctor. Nothing had worked until she turned to Christ. Her life was completely changed!