Seven!

Levi turned seven years old today.  He started the day off early with his presents.

We went to a movie around 11:45am and then returned to start preparing his choice of food for his birthday supper.  He chose fried chicken, potato salad, green bean bundles and freshly squeezed lemonade.

For dessert, he chose Monster Cookie Dough Cupcakes.

Please pray that this year will be the year that Levi accepts Christ as his Savior.

Just a vapor

This is a true story that our night guard just told us last night.  He was walking to work on the side of the road.  He was walking about 6 feet behind two men who were walking in front of him.  The two men in front of him were talking with each other as they walked down the road.  Suddenly, a mini bus/taxi - like the one pictured above - lost control, brushed our guard's shoulder as it left the road and killed the two men in front of him.  How incredible is that?!  In just a split second, those two men lost their life.  It was almost as if death had brushed by our guard before it hit the other men. 

Oh people - our life is like a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow.  James 4:14 says, "Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring.  What is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."  Friends, make this day count for Jesus.  Don't waste another minute.  Don't waste another opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with that person.  In a second, that opportunity could be gone forever.

Beautiful Broken

Ah, what we didn't know then that we do know now.  This picture was taken just before we left the States in 2009.  We were heading to Zambia to be church planters/evangelists among the Lozi people who lived in the Western Province.  

How the Lord has changed us since that day, and I'm so grateful that He has.  

Just a few things that we have learned:

• We have learned how to be at the end of ourselves and reach desperately for the Lord and to find Him faithful every. single. time.  We never really fully experienced this privilege while living in the States.  In the States, we had almost no need to desperately cling to the Lord for our everything.  There was always a hospital nearby, always cell phone service, always family to help us, always electricity, always somebody to come fix whatever would have the audacity to actually break or not work, always a church family to surround us, always a place to buy whatever I could ever dream of needing, always a myriad selection of delicious restaurants to dine in, always great roads to drive on, always fuel at the gas stations and so on.  You get the picture.  
• We have learned to never take for granted our safety and health.  Living in a third world country makes you so very vigilant of your safety and so very grateful for every day that we are healthy.  We have prayed for healing when we were out in the bush, knowing that the Lord was in control and trusting that he would heal us.  We stop to pray when we take long trips, actually we did this in the States too, but here we have come to the realization that so many things can and have happened on these roads - so we have learned to rely upon the Lord's protection as we drive.
• I keep almost every bottle or container that I have used.  It is hard to get over the fact that this container, used zip lock bag or glass bottle could be used again for something.  I even brought back to Zambia an empty 64 oz. juice bottle from our Stateside Assignment (furlough).  And, yes, I have used it several times as I make some type of drink to take somewhere. :)
• We have learned that nothing can be done without prayer.  I stand amazed at the incredible freedom that we have to commune with the King of Kings every minute of every day.  Prayer is the true work of every missionary, and really the true work of every single thing.
•  I have learned how to smash bugs with my bare hands.  I actually could have done without this skill but, believe me, it has been necessary more than once. 
• We have seen the power of the gospel transform lives.  Please know that the Lord transforms lives wherever you are, no matter what.  It is always the same saving grace and it is always stunning.  It is just astounding to watch someone turn their back on witchcraft and embrace the Lord whole heartedly.  

So, these are just a few thoughts on how our lives have changed and for the best.  This was kind of an impromptu post as I was looking through some of our old pictures.  

The Lord has so much more in store for each of us than we can even imagine.  It doesn't take moving to Africa to find it.  All you have to do is be obedient to what the Lord has called you to do.  It really is that easy.  The road will be difficult as He refines you but oh, it is so worth it.  

Maybe in a few years, you will also be looking back on who you were and be so grateful for what the Lord has done in your life.  It really is a beautiful brokeness.

A lot of work and a little bit of play...

At the end of March, the whole family drove to Malawi to attend two different meetings.  It took 2 days to get there but it was worth it when we arrived.  This beautiful hotel was situated on Lake Malawi (no swimming in the lake because of bilharzia, hippos and crocodiles) but the kids had a blast in the pool.  I know that some of you might be saying..."It's too bad that you are suffering for Jesus".  So far, this is the first time that we have been able to spend time at a hotel such as this - so once in five years is not so bad....  We really did have meetings most all day with just a few breaks for the kids to play in the pool.

Above is the view from my window.

 The kids had a blast at the pool - the few times that they had time to get in.

The View

Last year, I began reading Ann Voskamp's 1000 Gifts.  Honestly, I was desperate to find joy in my current location, life and ministry.  The Lord really spoke to me through the musings of Ann. So, I decided to begin to count all the blessings that the Lord sends me each and every day.  One of the first ones that I noticed was this view from my bed.

As we live on the corner of two very busy streets in Lusaka, I was surprised to notice that as I sat on my bed in the mornings to do my Quiet Time, I could not see any power lines or buildings or billboards or any other 'city' type things from this perspective.  I loved it!  All I could see was the beautiful green trees that were on the other side of our wall.  It may not seem like much but it really is quite a blessing to me almost every morning as I sit with the Lord.

Now, of course, I could still hear the traffic but - oh what a view! 

Another thing that makes me happy is my quilt on my bed.  I looked forever, it seems, when we were in the States for something that both Jeff and I liked.  I think I finally wore Jeff down with the myriad of options that he finally just agreed on something.... :)  My previous quilt was darker colors with a few lights thrown in and I really wanted something lighter and brighter.  And I'm glad that I did because it makes me feel cheery.

Oh the places we've been...

Another day at Chamba Valley Kids' Club has come and gone.  

We almost didn't make it back home, though..... Yes, seriously.  

I could tell on the way out that it had recently rained.  We hit a few rough and muddy patches on the way there and even a stretch of deep, muddy furrows but I put the truck in four wheel drive low and we passed through them without much drama.  It was on the way back that the real stuff happened.  They made a detour before rainy season that kind of snakes back and forth alongside the old road.  I'm guessing that they plan to tarmac it (black top for you North American folks).  

So I came to a place where I had two choices and I could see at least two vehicles stuck in the mud in front of me, so I took chose the right side and just as I got on that road, I could see a lorrie (delivery type truck) deeply embedded in the mud.  

I turned around to try to go out a different way that I had never really been but another truck passed me and the South African guy said that he had unstuck the lorrie - so I turned back around to go the way that looked horrible but at least I was familiar with the road.  I put the vehicle once again in four wheel drive low, praying out loud the whole way and resolved to get 'er done.  

I'm telling you, it was worth crying over - it was so horrible.  I am more than grateful to the Lord for getting us through because it was even rough on my four wheel drive truck (in LOW).  We were rocking and rolling, sometimes sideways, through that mud!  Really, you would have to see it to believe it.  Who wants to come?!  

So I made it home to show you some more pictures of these beautiful ebony children!

Below is my translator, Salome.  My Lozi that I learned for over a year and lived with for two more years is no good here.  Here around Lusaka, the language is Nyanja.  Salome is helping me with the kids and teaching me a few words along the way.  Yes, I am brave to put a picture of myself completely sans makeup - but that's real life over here..... :) 

Below is Laxon.  HE (yes, you read that right) would grin at me every time I glanced at him.  

So beautiful!

These three girls are some of the oldest girls that come almost every Wednesday.  They speak passalbe English and like to interact with Hadassah.  They almost always know the answers to my questions and I make them answer in English. :)

From left to right is Hadassah, Sarah, Mary and Ruth who is holding Abigail.  I'm not sure who the littlest girl is.  She jumped in the picture.  

So, I would so appreciate your prayers each Wednesday as we trek out to Chamba Valley to share Jesus with these kids.  We are on the road usually about 3:30pm - 4pm, our time so that would be 7:30-8am CST.  

Whatever it takes to get there....

Every Wednesday, the kids and I drive about 30 minutes to Chamba Valley Baptist Church to share Jesus with a bunch of great kids.  The tarmac ends and the dirt begins about 15 minutes into the trip.  With the rains, the dirt road has become mud.  At places the mud has dried into deep furrows.  And still, there are those places that makes my heart pound and my hands sweat (literally).  There I go down that road, alone with my three kids - trying to conquer those murky mud holes that could keep us from sharing Jesus with 'my' kids.  At least, that is how I see them...

Last week, there were three bad spots.  The week before that, I got stuck in one of them for just a few minutes. As my heart sank, I was whispering prayers as I put our truck in 4 wheel drive low and thankfully, was able to back up out of the pit.  

But I digress - today, the road was better and I got my hopes up a bit.  Then I saw it.  It was a big one that was really two with a small island in between them.  About 5 guys were standing on the other side of the water, just watching me.  I stopped, put the truck in 4 wheel drive LOW, praying the whole way, and...we got through it!  You know it was bad when those guys watching started cheering for me as I made it through that mud pit.  So, below is the evidence of a day of doing whatever it takes to share Jesus with the children of Chamba Valley.

As the Zambian children have begun a new school year, these past two weeks we have had the lowest attendance that we have had since beginning last August.  But for me, every one counts.  I love seeing their beautiful faces as they learned about Elijah on Mount Carmel and that God is more powerful than 850 prophets of Baal.  Then they worked on the memory verse from Psalm 121:2 - "My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth."

Favorite Books of 2013

If you know me, you know that I am a reader.  I read exclusively Christian fiction/Non-fiction.  I have some favorite books that I want to share with you.  Not sure they are really the very favorite of 2013, as the title says, but they are at least the ones that I can think of right now...

What were some of your favorites?

Hello 2014!

Yes, time has flown by without many updates from me last year.  2013 was a difficult year for me.  As we moved from the bush to the city, I honestly couldn't think of much to share on here.  Our ministry totally changed and I was slow in accepting what the Lord had for us.  It truly took me about a year to really fall into our new normal.  I have not arrived yet but I want to let you in on the journey a little more.  It is hard to be open and honest here but I am going to try to do better.  I started this blog to help keep the grandparents and family updated with picture of my children but I really hope to do MORE this year - more stories, more pictures, more depth, more honesty, more prayers....

Stay tuned for more...

Christmas 2013....and a reminder

Just wanted to share a few photos from our early Christmas morning.  

 Stockings are always the first gifts to open....

The gifts....

and the leftovers.... and yes, all this is still there 5 hours later.....

Getting ready to have a wonderful Christmas meal with just our family.

Missing our families in the USA....

It's not too late to give even a bit more to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.  

All we have is because you give...

Five Minute Friday (on Saturday) - Fly

Wow - well, here goes nothing.  I'm starting to get very disillusioned with the internet lately.  I can't seem to find anything that I really find uplifting.  As a result, I've started to look to some of these girls' blogs that I find through different methods.  Girls (or ladies, really) that are trying to get it right.  Trying to find the wings to soar; to fly.  We have recently made a huge life change.  And it has grounded me.  I can't remember the last time I felt I could fly.  I want to soar with wings like eagles.  I want to be lifted from this new life we have embraced.  So many day, I feel that I cannot even look up; let alone, fly with feet off the ground.  Oh, but I am learning to fly again.  I am learning to do some things that I am not used to do and this post is definitely one of them.  Ministry has changed for us and therefore, I have not posted much on my blog.  I really want to use this blog to soar on the love that the Lord has given me and point others to fly along with me.  May it be so, dear Lord….

This post is part of a Friday link up over at Lisa-Jo Baker.  Go and see more links that are happening over there.

Blue, Green, Purple and Hello Kitty!

Just a few pictures to show Zoe's birthday party yesterday.  We had a fellow missionary family (=friends) over for blue cupcakes, green icing and purple ice cream.  We are so thankful for Zoe!

Chamba Valley Baptist Church Kids' Ministry

Every Wednesday, the kids and I drive about 30 minutes to Chamba Valley Baptist Church.  This area is technically still in Lusaka but amazingly, far enough down a dirt road that it very much reminds me of Lukulu.  There is no industrialization out here.  

The kids have one of their summer breaks for the month of August, so this crowd of kids is far less than we have been having.  The kids go to school in shifts because there are more kids than rooms at the school.  So most of these kids were the younger group.  

I love working with these children and am so blessed to have the chance to be a small part of their lives.  Life has changed so much for us since moving to Lusaka - in most every way.  I have a different ministry here in Lusaka but am so grateful that the Lord has given me a bit of Lukulu back in the beautiful faces of these children.  Thank you, Lord!

 Above and below - Games time before the Bible Storying...

 Below - just a few of the kids inside the church after the Bible Story on Abraham and Sarah.

4,383 Days = ...

...12 years!  Happy Birthday, Hadassah!

Hadassah chose a Caramel Nut Brownie Torte for her birthday cake.

We were so glad to have great friends to celebrate with...

Presents....

As part of her birthday (which by the way is tomorrow, July 28th), she got her hair cut the way that she wanted and blown dry...

Time does fly...

The Biggest Part of a Missionary's Life...

It's not tracking through the jungle in the steaming heat,

It's not eating shish-kabob made of monkey meat,

It's not cutting up python with your pocket knife,

That makes the biggest part of a missionary's life.

But it's hoping that your kids will just take a nap,

While you're trying to find a church with a hand-drawn map.

It's raising your kids from the front seat of your car,

While you're driving down the road trying to figure out just where you are.

It's not cruising down the river in a dug-out log.

It's not being guest of honor where they're serving dog.

It's not shooting the breeze in Swahili with the old Zulu.

But it's getting rid of things that you've had for years,

While you try to pack a barrel through a blur of tears.

It's saying good-bye to Grandma just one more time,

While you're sitting at the airport just pretending you're feeling fine.

It's not wearing funny clothes in a foreign land.

It's not speaking jungle-ease like the natives can.

It's not even baptizing thousands in a single day,

Or always getting what you wanted every single time you pray.

But it's going to other people that you've come to know,

And rejoicing in the Lord as you see them grow.

It's thanking the Lord for all that He has done.

And then it's going home on furlough when you feel like you've just begun.

Yes, it's going to other people that you've come to know,

And rejoicing in the Lord as you see them grow.

It's thanking the Lord for all that He has done.

And then it's going home on furlough when you feel like you've just begun.

Yes, that's the biggest part of a missionary's life.

(Not my original - not sure who wrote this)

Job 1:21

The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; 

blessed be the name of the Lord. 

So true, but sometimes it just hurts....

Psalm 34:18 - From our last few days in Lukulu...

He’s too big to be carried.  Yet - there he was – securely tied in a discordantly colorful sitenge on a male relative’s back.  You know it’s bad when a man is carrying an older child on his back.  The child looked to be about 10 years old with his head held at an odd angle and his eyes rolled back into his head.  He is on the way to the hospital and honestly, he may not come back.  It looks like it could be cerebral malaria. Sickness and death; pain and loss are every day occurrences here but it never gets easier.  My tears fall as I see him loaded into our truck so Jeff can take him and his father to the hospital.  So heartbreaking… All I can do is pray… yet the Lord sees and the Lord knows.

The LORD is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  Psalm 34:18