InReView Part 2

Honest thought: I did get a little nervous once we started Bible study that those few verses would throw someone off and make them not like God. Because, I discovered, when I first read this section I was not in a place to understand its meaning. I was in a place where I was very angry with God. I was mad that Paul would say that my God, who had recently started bringing me close to Him, would abandon people in the manner. My God would never abandon anyone, right, He has never ending patience, right?

Just because He let them do what they wanted, as in, He didn't make them robots to His will, doesn't mean he wasn't waiting earnestly for their return; He, God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, is waiting for you as well.

During the study last Tuesday, my husband mentioned a thought I hadn't come across before; he mentioned that we were the people Paul was referring to in verses 18-32. Uhg, what a feeling; shame, hurt, embarassment, self-pity, anger, pride, humility. I had just been told that I had done something wrong, and wanted nothing more than for it not to be true. With every decision I make, if I am not choosing God over everything else, if I am not cherishing His glory, I am choosing to sin, and, justly so, God's wrath was upon me.

Good news after that? YES! This week, I got the... privledge... to teach on these exact verses. I honestly didn't know where to begin in preparation because I still didn't exactly know what was going on. Until last week, I thought these verses were referring to some people group in particular that had purposefully done something terrible against God. I simply Googled "Romans 1:18-32" and ended up at John Piper. A few sermons and several hours later... wham. Well it was more like, instant wham, and then more wham about every five minutes following.

Rough analogy of the purpose of 18-32: One day, as you think you were minding your own business, someone picks you up and takes you to court. When you get these, the judge says that you are free to go. Well, great. I was free two seconds ago before I was dragged in here. So, thanks?

How are you supposed to be thankful that you are set free when you don't know the charges that brought you before the judge or the punishment that those charged would have incurred? Paul is using the first several chapters of Romans to show the charges against us, prove that they exist, and tell us what our punishment should be. We have all seen the truth of God, and, we have all suppressed it. This truth is so humbling (that we should glorify Him, and not ourselves, and that we should thank Him for everything, and not take credit for ourselves) and so uncomfortable (that we are all flawed, proud, selfish, and rebellious and need of what the Bible calls salvation). This unrighteousness, this supression, this sin, is why God's wrath is against us. We don't have, and will never be able to achieve on our own, the righteousness to have God's favor; that is, we will never be righteous on our own, and therefore will never not want to supress the truth of God, and ergo, we bring God's wrath upon us. Paul continues in these first chapters of Romans to prove that both Jews and Gentiles (those who aren't Jewish) are under the power of sun and are guilty before God.

Oh yes, now to the Good News. The point of saying that you were guilty is to help you understand and cherish the good news that the charges are dropped. Knowing the extent and fairness of the wrath of God because of the condition of your heart and you sin will cause you to undertand, love and share the good news about Christ - the Gospel - that Jesus was God's son who lived, died, and was raised to life to be the sacrifice for our sin.

This is why Christianity is good news for people who know they are sinners and who want to get right with God, walk in fellowship with Him and have eternal life; it is God providing for us in Christ what we can never provide for ourselves, namely, righteousness good enough to have God's favor. And with that righteousness there is no wrath or condemnation on us anymore. God has a great desire to save people from sin and fear and death and judgement. And so God freely gives us the gospel - the good news- if we stop depending on ourselves and start trusting in Him.You can be thankful and joyful before God gives grace to people who hate their pride and are broken because of their sin.

So that is my prayer. That God leads you to repentance, which means that you have a profound change of mind and heart so that you hate sin and hipocrisy and turn to Jesus in humility and faith and say, "You are my only hope". Reading over these verses is not a bad thing; repeated discovery of our own sin brings godly grief which produces repentance and leads to salvation and brings no regret. Trust Him for all the promises of forgiveness and help and life that he brought when He died and was raised. They belong freely to everyone who believes in Him.

InReView Part 1

As of this semester,we have the unbelievable privilege of leading a wonderful group of college-age students near a University. It is named InView after Romans 12:1-2.

In view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.

We have dinner together, sing some praises, and then, at least for this semester, are going to study scripture. My husband was impacted through a study on Romans in college and so we are actually going to go through Romans, a chapter a week. We have a rotating teaching team who will hopefully mediate our group through all of the amazingness that Paul wrote for us.

I do like Romans, and totally believe the Bible. I believe all the stories as truth and believe in living out what they teach. But with some extra honesty added, there are some parts I end up reading over without thinking because I have previously not understood, or didn't want to understand, their meaning. For instance, I was reading Chapter 1 for our first official study and immediately just skimmed over verse 18-32. I have read them before, been very angry at them before, and therefore just skipped past reviewing past strained thoughts and how these thoughts are so very justified. Several hours passed and I wanted to read again, this time thinking what would I say if I was in our group reading over these verses. What questions would I ask? What questions would I think of but not ask? What picture do these verses paint of God and His son?

After delving a bit deeper, I almost suggested that we skip these verses altogether because they weren't necessary. How quaint, a sinner suggesting to skip verses that talk about God detesting sinning. At the moment, all I knew was that they didn't seem to paint a very loving picture of God, and that I had way more questions in my head regarding these verses than I knew what to do with. I began to realize that maybe I should take some time to look back again at these verses, for maybe that place in my life at the time first read was too hectic to ascertain understanding.

I didn't have much time to review them in depth, so I just came to a place where I decided this is one of those sections I will always begrudgingly read and resistantly accept. I even got to a place of resentment towards the people Paul was referring to and wondered why they had turned from God in such a hostile manner. What gives them the right or the desire to do so? But more importantly, why did God let his presence be removed from them? Didn't that just escalate their transgressions? I will tell you, I was half in high-and-mighty status, being a follower of the Way in supposed obiedience, but also half in pity for the lost and hurting souls that God had adandoned.

Quite a Conundrum.

I don't like sharing my sadness. I probably see it as a sign of weakness or failure of some sort. But, if someone said that to me, I would probably think that thought is ludicrous; of course it's okay to be sad. Nevertheless, I don't like people knowing that I'm sad. Or mad. Or wrong. Or doubting some truth. Or struggling. I probably want people to think I do everything right. Some of that I'm sure is just how people are, pride, but some of it is that I want people to think that they can do everything right too. I want people to make the right decisions. I want people to love God, and loving God means that you need to be happy all the time because why would you be sad when you have unspeakable joy.

Well probably because sad things happen in life. I mean, Jesus wept. (And it wasn't because the Bible was thrown across the room, it was because His good friend died.) There is a difference in being sad because sad things happen and being sad because you have no hope. Through all that is going on, I have been made happy because I have hope. A hope that my dad is dancing with Jesus. A hope that he is healed. A hope that one day we will all be together again. However, I don't see my dad everyday or get to hear his original voice again. And that makes me sad. I am sad, yet I have a hope that uplifts me.

It feels like quite a conundrum. Happiness is the midst of sadness. Sadness in the midst of happiness. I feel like it should be one way or the other. I feel like I am doing something wrong sometimes; being sad when I should be happy. I should be happy because my father has his eternal life. I should be happy because God has blessed me with a life filled with memories of my dad. I should be happy because God has brought my family together, and many together in the faith. I should be happy because God gave us resounding peace in the midst of trials. I should be happy because I have so many things still to live for. I should be happy simply because God is God, no matter what else comes of it.

However, I am quite sad. I even feel bad for feeling sad. And like many others, I don't particularly enjoy feeling sad so mostly I just ignore it. I happen to be sad for a number of reasons. But for every reason I am sad, there are about a million things I can distract myself with so as to elude the pain all together. Not to boast, but I have become quite good at this. As I ease out of adolescence, which I still feel apart of even being almost a quarter of century old, I start to see that this isn't a markedly good habit. God wants us to have, and is very explicit in His Word about having, true and overwhelming joy; not continual sadness down a road to despondency and not fleeting happiness that comes from disregard and distractions. But joy. Abundant joy. Though, in all honesty I just don't feel that sometimes, which kind of makes sense and then again kind of doesn't. My unsettled feelings do not mean that I am doubting the existence or love of God, these I know to be true, it just means that I am not all-knowing and don't understand everything, which is normal.

John 10 and 17 tell us that Jesus came and suffered so we would have joy. Romans tells us that the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. All the New Testament tells those that follow Christ to not be surprised when facing trials, but to rejoice and give thanks always. My father passed away just 3 weeks ago. Needless to say, I am upset; but I am just really struggling with personal acceptability of my grief and grief of other things long past. However, through my grief, through my confusion, through my anger, because His lovingkindness is better than life, I will praise Him.

My God, why have you left me by myself?
Why is my help far away?
I am crying out in agony!
My God!
I cry out for help all day long.
You do not answer.
I cry out all through the night.
You send me no peace.
But you are the Holy God!
The praise of Israel is like a throne for you.
Our fathers trusted in you.
They trusted in you and you made them safe.
They cried out to you and you saved them.
They trusted in you and you did not disappoint them.
There I will go to the altar of God,
to God—the source of all my joy.
Why am I discouraged? Why so sad?
I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again - my Savior and my God!
Though you do not now see him,
you believe in him, rejoicing with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Psalms 22 & 43, 1 Peter



You have to start somewhere.

My dad's oldest sister was with us at the hospital and at home from Wednesday the 16th to the funeral on the 26th. I have never seen such servant-heartedness. Even though I would say we are a fairly close family, I still didn't know her that well. She sent us a very encouraging email, stating that she had been encouraged by our dedication to God and that it has been a healing for her pain.

My parents did take us to church when we were growing up; we went to all the activities, sang in the choir, went to camp, went on missions trips, had small groups, and attended Sunday morning, evening and Wednesday evening services. However, I would say I did not give my life to God, believe in His son, Jesus, as the Christ, and obey His commands, until my freshmen year of college. I was even baptized, twice, at my church when I was in elementary and middle school. It's not that difficult to understand the analogies and the metaphors in the Bible, especially when you are taught it since birth. Understanding does not equal belief. And even saying you believe does not equal faith and obedience in the Way of Christ. I became a believer, a follower, one who listens, searches, asks, knocks, speaks, obeys, and shares, many years after I was baptized. From all the places I have read in scripture, this is not how it works. You believe, repent and then you are baptized. I don't want to take away from what God may have been/was doing, however, I know for certain that no matter how much I knew and understood, I was not a believer and follower of God and His son the Christ at that point. But, since that point, about 5 years ago, I have wanted to get baptized but have run into some road blocks of confusion, stubornness, and even fear of others' opnions. We revisited the idea right after we got married while attending a church near our house. We talked about it for a while and then the busyness of life distracted us. It has come up recently and last week I decided (well, I was more pursuaded and enthused by the Spirit) that I want to be baptized in the faith. A sermon we heard visiting my mom this past Sunday affirmed these thoughts.

But I digress. I mentioned this part of my testimony because although we were brought up going to church and were raised to have "good morals", my family, through no purposeful fault of anyone, never really spoke openly about faith. My brother or I prayed the "God is good God is great" prayer before dinner until I left for college, and that was about it. Praying, reading the scriptures, encouraging others, listening to God, telling others about the love of Christ, and being guided by the Spirit was not apart of my life whatsoever until my college years. And even then it was, and still is, a slow intertwining and relinquishing my own nature to that of Christ's. I have been a Christian, or a follower of the Way, for over 5 years but that doesn't mean I am not still learning and seeking out answers. We got to share the last several weeks as a testimony to a small group of people that we meet with regularly; we shared about what God had done and is still doing. Several of the attendees have not been Christians for very long or are not very vocal about their faith. I feel like they think the way we see God and speak about God is unreachable for them. That is the reason why I explain this. I had to start somewhere. I didn't always speak my mind about God, I didn't always let God encourage my spirit, I didn't always know scripture and apply it to my life. Many things that are apart of my life today weren't even apart of my life last year. It is a constant growth and depth of understanding and trust in Christ. We all started as babies, learning how to crawl and walk and talk, but now we can jump and drive and read and teach; we all started as unbelievers and those who did not follow, but through reading, asking, praying, talking, thinking, and searching God will bring us closer to Him and His Spirit will guide our hearts and our paths.

I do not want to lessen the testimony of God in the past several weeks, but it was not in of my own power that I turned to God and received His peace in the midst of trials. It did feel somewhat 'normal' for me to do so, because if I believe in God and in the power of His Son, where else would I turn? But it wasn't like I knew what prayer to pray, scripture to read, things to tell my family, and consistant thought that God would heal my dad. All I knew was that I wanted my dad to live, I wanted him to be healed by God (through a miricale or my God guiding the doctors), I wanted my mom to know everything was going to be alright either way, and I wanted to know that everything was going to be alright either way. What I wanted above all teetered between my dad being okay and God's will being done. I knew God's will would be accomplished, but I know and believe in the scriptures where it says to pray and God will answer, and I believe in God's healing powers (literally, not just healing in heaven), even after death. I am still uncertain what they mean exactly, because I know there are verses where people "changed" God's mind through prayer in Exodus 32 and many verses saying that if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer (Matthew 21), however, my dad was not healed in the way that we asked. But Isaiah quotes God, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

I do not have the big picture. I have full faith in God that this circumstance will further His Kingdom and Glory. I don't want to say that because it means that my family and I now have to walk a painful path. But Christ never promised a painless path, He actually told us we should not be surprised when we face hardships, but He did promise to be with us always, even to the end of the age.

I have unanswered prayers

I have trouble I wish wasn't there

And I have asked a thousand ways

That you would take my pain away

I am trying to understand

How to walk this weary land

Make straight the paths that crooked lie

Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking, heaven stands

When my heart is breaking

I never leave your hands

When you walked upon the earth

You healed the broken, lost and hurt

I know you hate to see me cry

One day you will set all things right

When my world is shaking, heaven stands

When my heart is breaking

I never leave your hands

Your hands that shaped the world

Are holding me

They hold me still

-Your Hands, JJ Heller

Joy comes in the morning.

I figured I would try to, or at least want to, post every day once I decided I wanted to try to start this blogging thing. Things always work out differently than you expect. The morning after my last post, a minute from work, I got a call from my brother that my dad was transferred into the ICU.

Just typing it still gives me a shock.

Dad had called Monday evening to say he wasn't feeling well and had gone to the doctor that afternoon; his speech sounded like he was half asleep. I called mom the next day to see how things were going but she was already making her way into the hospital. I asked if I should come down but she insisted that the doctor said he would be fine and that I should come down this weekend when he would be feeling better. I am not one for trying to change the past but I wish I did go down right then. I had put together a Webinar for work that I was leading and had been practicing for weeks and wanted to see it through the next day. Funny though, my dad would have done the same thing; as much as I am not a career focused person, he was. Needless to day, as soon as I got the call Wednesday morning, I called my husband and we left for the longest three hour drive I have had to date.

My mom, brother, sister-n-law, and my mom's best friend were already there when we arrived. Except for a few hours here and there, we would be constant companions for the next two weeks. My mom had waited until I arrived to give us all an update. She said that she flat out asked the doctor if he would come out of whatever it is that he had and the doctor had told her that my dad would come out of it, or at least there is no reason why he wouldn't. That made us all rest easier and I even scolded myself for being so dramatic. When we got ready to go into his room a little later my mom warned my that he looks worse than he is. I have never seen a room more filled with machines and beeps and cords. The beeps, however aggrivating at first, became the signs of life that we eventually found security in, and definitly missed when they stopped. He was breathing really heavily and was pretty out of it. I told him that I was glad I was here, and he said, almost incoherantly, that he was glad I was there too.

Although I could repeat everything that happened the next week, I will save myself the heartache for now and sum it up. The more bad news we heard, the more we held on to Christ. Every piece of bad news was just more fuel on the fire of hoping in what miracle God would perform. I would estimate that we had around 1,000 people around the globe, and around the clock, praying for my father and my family. It seemed like all of facebook was lighting up with prayers for my dad. We prayed for him in his room, read the Bible to him, prayed together as a family around him and in the waiting room. I have never seen most of my family (all the extendeds showed up later in the week, around 13 more) ever even open up a Bible or talk about God, let alone be so dedicated to scripture and prayer. It was sure a sight to see that I was so thankful for during that time but also so thankful that we all got to experience together.

Philippians 4 says 'Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.' I have read that verse and even sang the song about a million times, but truly experiencing the peace of God is a gift I would pray for everyone to have. My family and I felt our brothers and sisters' prayers. Literally felt them. Through the uncertainty and sadness, my family was uplifted. There are no words to describe this feeling, this hope that I have, it truly transcends all understanding. And for that peace for my family and myself, I sing praise to God.

Though my family and friends were praying for a miracle healing that we could all see, my father went to be with Jesus on Sunday, January 20th, 2 weeks before his 56th birthday. The one thing I was holding on to from the beginning was this verse I read about 5 years ago. At the time, it struck me so odd and actually made me a bit angry. It is a story of 3 guys who refused to bow down to an idol set up by the king. The punishment was being thrown into a furnace of fire. When the king told them to bow down or die, they replied: "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from your majesty's hand. but even if he does ot, we want you to know that we will not servce your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." They would still worship a God who didn't save you, even when we was able?!?! That thought still pops in my head sometimes when I reminiss about hard times in my life. But then I remember that no matter what situations I face here on earth, God has saved me. He sent His Son to die for me, to die to save me, though I had done nothing but bash His name.

Let me make one thing very clear; my father is healed. He has a more perfect healing than I can have or could try to imagine. I am sad only because I can no longer make new memories with my dad. I praise God for bringing my family members closer to Him, one by one over the last 15 years, so that in the past weeks, we can all rely on Him and be mutually encouraged in our faiths and encourage those who have not yet trusted in the Lord. I praise God for the peace I cannot explain that He has given my family and me and that I have been able to share this peace in the midst of anguish with others.

A righteous man who walks in his integrity— how blessed are his sons and daughters after him. He has fought a good fight, he has finished the course, and he has kept the faith. There is laid up for him a crown of justice, which the Lord, the just judge, will render to him in that day: and not only to him, but to them also that love His coming.
The LORD my GOD will swallow up death in victory; He will wipe away tears from off all faces. He has turned for me my mourning into dancing; He has taken away my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my soul may sing praise to Him and not be silent. O LORD my GOD, I will give thanks to You forever.

–Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, 2 Timothy.

Abridged Update

          This blog started in 2009 when a new friend and I traveled to Zambia, Africa. The many things I learned in Mongu could not fit into any amount of blogging. Thankfully, it will be forever part of my story, and so I continue from where I left off as a Junior at Virginia Tech.

            I graduated with a B.A. and a B.S. in the Spring of 2011. My (then) new friend became my sister-n-law a few weeks later. After a month of living with our parents went by, my hubbie and I moved to Northern Virginia to start another adventure together.

            The first mountain we climbed was a mix between shock and separation anxiety. The ascent was caused from an unexpected, and seemingly rough, dive into the full-time working world. My first job was teaching at a private pre-school. Most days I felt like crying right along with the children when the parents dropped them off. And some days I did. We missed Blacksburg, which had become our home; we missed our BCM church community, which had become even more than a family; and we missed the freedom of college; which allowed us more than ample time to be together, whenever.  

             However much it felt like Everest, reminiscing about last summer seems more like a movie that you get way too into. I remember all the memories and feelings, but they are, at present, no longer mine. And for that we can all praise God.  

            After close to two years of being a wife, alumni, and worktress, I can say that passing time is a mystery. Settling in to what it looks like to be all of aforementioned, really just takes time. And practice. And prayer. And help. And patience. And grace. And flexibility. What I learned, and am still learning, is that, through anything and everything, we should face life with God and joy. Depression, anxiety, stress, worry, anger, distress, frustration, and uncontentment have all been part of this and other adventures. Even still, how much more enjoyable could it have been, how much more could I have learned, how many more positive memories could I have expierenced, how many more things could I have seen, how many more people could I have loved, with my face on the ground in prayer, lifting it up in peace, and living in abundant joy.  

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

~Colossains 3

Encha Makuas!

So first off to Clarissa: even seeing that you posted cuz i asked started me crying then the last bit just killed me so thanks jerk. I miss sharing.. EVERYTHING with you EVERY SECOND of EVERY DAY but maybe this time apart will be good for us, hahaha :) it made me realize we have too many things that only we can laugh about, i laugh so much to myself im probably coming off as a loony to these new people in Joburg.

Either way, the whole ride home from the airport (which ended up being and hour more than needed since we missed the exit) after droppin Clarissa off Bershin and Joel wouldnt stop asking if i missed her and if i was sad. Thats basically what anyone asked who had met us both so i wasnt allowed to stop thinkin about her. I even kept introducing myself as 'we' and saying 'we did this and that in Zambia' and theyd all give me a weird look cuz i was standing alone so then i had to explain the whole Clarissa thing again. The rest of thursday I hung out with the woman/wife/mom we stayed with then picked up her daughter and son from school and got our 'American' dinner from the BP petrol station which was actually delish. Then I accompanied them to the church for 2 hours of worship practice.

Friday I accompanied Tony to his work at the jewlry store in the city. His secretary Mishka showed me around the market for a bit then had to leave so I walked up and down bardering for some things then saw an old cathedral and sat at LaVassa Italian coffee shop till Tony was off. He then showed me around the beaches in Capetown and the offices of Home of Hope where we had volunteere. We stopped by Jo Slovo which is one of the informal settlements left over from the apartide and saw the building of the new Creshe. For now they hold it in a small church and when i went in there were about 25 kids all sleeping side by side sharing blankets for nap time. We went to Campellos for lunch also.

amped to have a kiff time

I was given strict instructions from Carlie to update the blog upon my return to the states. And so for her, here I go:

This past week in Cape Town, we volunteered 2 days at Home of Hope. Tuesday we spent all day at the home and played with the toddlers and babies in the morning. There are about 4 girls from Ireland currently serving at the home so we were able to help them and get to know them in our brief time at the home. When the older kids got home from school, Carlie again spent hours with them helping with their homework. The babies were sleeping again so I played with some of the other kids outside. We spent the day just mainly hanging out with the kids and getting to know them. The cracked us up and we had a great time just playing with them.

Wednesday was spent with Kelly and Vuyo (2 of our friends from the Table View church) as they took us around Cape Town. We started off by going to the Origins coffee shop, which has been rated as the best coffee in Africa. The barista brought us 3 different kinds of coffee so we sampled them all before deciding which coffee we liked the best. Carlie and I both purchased some of the coffee too, because it was really good (their house blend is voted number 6 in the world). Afterward they took us to Camps Bay which is the richer area of Cape Town along a really nice beach. The week before we arrived in Cape Town there was pretty bad flooding from the rains, so there were still some remnants from the flooding. It was still a gorgeous beach though. We also stopped at Sinful for some ice cream. Several people had mentioned the ice cream shop as a must-see while in Cape Town so we had to get some. After seeing Camps Bay we briefly stopped at the Fire and Ice hotel, which is a themed hotel. For instance, there's the stage fright bathroom where you're surrounded by mirrors and pictures of people gapping and pointing at you. The long drop bathroom appears like you're on scaffolding with the city below you. It's really hilarious and really well done. Afterwards we stopped at another coffee shop in town to get some coffee and scones. Kelly and Vuyo were shocked to hear we had never had a scone with jam and whipped cream before so we had to get some. The day was a day full of sight-seeing and eating and it was really fun to spend the time with them. Wednesday evening we went with the de Klerks to Jason and Nicole's school for a talent show. There were probably over 40 acts who did different dances and singing. The kids ranged in ages from elementary to the high schoolers and many of them were really talented. It was a really good time and we were surprised to see a lot of the church kids there, as well as some performing.

Thursday morning we were able to help with SALT's women's ministry. They open the church for 2 hours every Thursday and women are able to come and get help in getting jobs. The volunteers open a file on each woman and write down their basic information. Once a month the women are able to receive a food parcel and the following week they receive a bag of clothing. Each woman is followed for 3 months and the volunteers counsel them and help them to get employment and such. Kind-of like implementing the whole idea of rather than giving a person a fish and feeding them for a day, teach a person to fish and you feed them for a lifetime. Carlie and I mainly observed the interviews and it was heartbreaking to hear their stories. I was surprised to see that the majority of the women coming in were younger than me with several children of their own. One woman was 23 and broke down crying because she was unable to provide for her little sisters. It was really hard to see all this. In a place like Cape Town, where there is so much affluence, it's hard to see the poverty. And there really is a lot of it. I found a big difference in seeing the poverty in Zambia versus in Cape Town because in Zambia you expect it and most everyone is like that. However, in a place like Cape Town it doesn't seem like it should be that way when so many people are well-off. Table View AOG, however, is doing amazing things to help those who are struggling. I've been so encouraged at how committed the church is to help those in need. They're truly doing amazing things in Cape Town and God is definitely at work in might ways!

Following the women's ministry, Carlie and Joel took me to the airport and I caught my flight home. I spent the next day and half traveling back to the States. It got to be really boring traveling all by myself, but it is good to be home (I must say that I was excited to get back to warm weather after freezing in Cape Town for a week). It's wierd not spending every moment with Carlie, though. She will be remain in Cape Town until Sunday morning and then spend two days in Johannesburg with a friend before coming home on Tuesday.

I want to share part of an entry from my journal in closing:
This trip has been so much more than I ever dreamed. I told a lot of people that I had thought this trip would be the hardest thing for me. Being away from my home and comforts for so long seemed so difficult. However, it has been nothing of the sort. The first 2 days were a little rough, however, going to bed one night while lying on my cot I had prayed that I'd enjoy my trip to the fullest. God answered that prayer in a way I never could have imagined. The past 6 weeks I have not been homesick at all. I was genuinely happy and enjoying life every moment. That could only be attributed to God. He is doing amazing things in Zambia and South Africa. And it was exciting to be apart of it for a time. The people I've met, despite many of them in their youth, are so genuinely passionate about God. They are earnestly desiring to seek and serve Him in everything they do. They have inspired me more than they'll ever know. I hold them all in my heart. My life has forever been changed.
The trip never would been the same without Carlie. She balanced me and encouraged me. She inspired me with her faith. She was the best teammate I ever could have asked for and I am so thankful for her. Despite having only met her twice prior to the trip, we became instant friends and I know we will remain that way. I miss her already and will forever love her.

Thank you to all for your prayers and support for both of us. Continue to pray for Carlie as she finishes her journey. Thank you! You all are amazing!!









The amazing Victoria Falls! To the locals it's known as Mosi O Tunya, or the Smoke that Thunders.




























The beautiful Cape Town with views of Table Mountain and from the top!

from Mongu to Livingstone to Capetown

It's been awhile since our last post so there is quite a bit to catch up on.

Last Sunday was our last day in Mongu. We spent the morning at church. Carlie sang in the choir again and I helped a bit with Kids Church. Another team from Liberty University had arrived so they were leading Kids Church so we were thankfully able to attend some of both of the services for the last time (I hadn't sat in on a service since the first Sunday so it was nice to hear Paul preach again). On the way home from church we booked our bus tickets for Lusaka and then headed back to the base for a braai (barbeque) with the young adult group. The braai was the perfect way to spend our last day with everyone. We had become really close to several of the young adults so it was really fun to be able to spend time with them, eating, talking and playing volleyball. But it was also extremely hard to say good-bye. It probably took like a half an hour to say good-bye. The rest of the evening was then spent packing up, hanging out with the missionaries and saying good-bye. Our bus for Lusaka left at 11:00pm so we spent the night on the bus traveling. We arrived at sunrise and immediately got on a bus bound for Livingstone.

Carlie, Lubasi, and I arrived in Livingstone Monday evening so we hung out at our campground that evening. We saw several hippo and a lot of babboons from the patio along the stream. Tuesday we spent several hours at Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls is called Mosi O Tunya in Zambia, meaning Smoke that Thunders. From miles away you can actually see a massive cloud coming from the falls. Running around the falls we got absolutely drenched. The falls are amazing! There are no words to describe how beautiful it is. It is definitely a wonder of the world! We spent some time at the Zimbabwe/Zambia border and watched some bungee jumpers. Unfortunately we did not bungee jumping because we didn't have time. We went on a dinner cruise that evening and saw some more hippo and a crocodile. We were really amped to see some elephants, but unfortunately we didn't see a single one. Wednesday morning we went for a breakfast buffet at a nice hotel near the falls and while driving in we saw 3 giraffe and a whole herd of zebra. We were super close to them too! It was really cool and made up for the lack of elephants the evening before. We then left Livingstone and headed back to Lusaka Wednesday afternoon. The bus rides were not enjoyable at all. They were extremely uncomfortable and hot and the buses stop a lot so it takes forever to travel. We spent Wednesday night at a close friends of Lubasi's house. They actually run a home for orphan children so the house was quite full. They were extremely hospitable and friendly though and for the first time in 5 1/2 weeks we slept on a real bed.

Thursday morning, after spending sometime at the mall in Lusaka, we headed to the airport. It was really hard to leave Zambia. I definitely bawled. Carlie had made plans to head directly to Capetown, South Africa; however, I was still unsure if I could change my plane ticket and extend my stay. Arriving in Johannsburg, I ran to Virgin Atlantic and asked to change my flight, ran to Mango airlines and asked to book a flight to Capetown, waited anxiously on stand-by to make Carlie's flight, made Carlie's flight and then ran to check my bags and make it to the terminal in time. I only had about an hour to do all that, but with Carlie's flight delayed, I was able to make it. During all of that Carlie was waiting at the gate anxiously pacing back and forth so it was quite a surprise to her when I tapped her from behind. We made quite a scene! It was the craziest and most nerve-wracking thing I've done, but it made for quite an adventuresome birthday. We celebrated my birthday then by sharing a chocolate cookie and Tab soda. I started the day crying because of leaving Zambia and then ended it by crying because I made it to Capetown.

Now in Capetown we have been greatly taken care of by our friends from Table View. Everyone has been so fabulous and incredibly hospitable. We have beds to sleep in and a shower without spiders and filter coffee to drink! We spent the weekend sight-seeing around Capetown. We went up Table Mountain (you'll have to look up Capetown and see the massive mountain in the middle of the city) and hung out at Waterfront and watched kite surfers at the beach. We also attended 3 different services at the Table View church. We finally were able to experience what all the Table View team members and missionaries have been talking about since we arrived in Zambia. It's been really cool. It's also been so incredible to visit with our friends once again.

This week we are helping out at Home of Hope, an orphanage for abused and neglected children. Many of the children in the home have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and/or HIV/AIDS. It's really heart-breaking to see. They are really well taken care of there and it's exciting to see what God is doing. Carlie spent hours helping some of the kids with their homework and I was able to talk with some of the leaders on behavioral interventions for the kids. We're also going to spend some time working with Pauline who runs SALT, Table View's community outreach program. This church is really doing amazing things for their community.

While here we spent 2 nights with Tarryn, 2 nights with Ashliegh and we are now spending time with de Klerks. They are all absolutely wonderful people. It's been such a blessing to be able to visit here in Capetown. Everyone insisted that you cannot go to Africa without going to Capetown so here we are.

I apologize that I am not nearly as detailed as Carlie, but I think you got a little picture on what we're doing here. We can't wait to see you all soon and tell you all of our stories in length and in detail!!

Always,.
Clarissa

Mwamonanomba! {check it out! ~Bemba}

Completely forgot to mention previously how freakin sweet sick nasty awesome the South African team is/was. They work so well together and were super friendly and welcoming to us. They fed us soem nights when we hadnt even thought about what we were going to prepare cuz we were so busy and they continued to give us love and support and friendship and fires and smores the whole 2 weeks they were here. They left early Friday for livingston and I miss them so stinkin much. By the end of our trip here we have seen 10 teams/groups of people come in and work and leave. It gets so crazy around here sometimes, but I just love all of the excitement and getting to know so many people from different places.

Monday we woke up bright and early at 6 and headed out. It was Clarissa and I, the Tableview South African team, then our interpreters Vasco, Webi, Moses, Elija, Isiah, Antone, Alice, Josephine (who told me every other minute that she wanted me to be her in law:)). To get to our campsite you must drive towards Lusaka on a fairly paved road then past some huts then a bunch of nothing then turn off onto a gravel roal then turn off onto a pothole filled dirt road then pass some more huts then turn left directly into the bushes. Some villagers immediately came to the clearing to greet us and dug us a long-drop. The kids had made stunning bracelets andheadbands out of folding chip-bag paper together. They also had a game similar to jacks but made with these beans you find falling off of trees everywhere, and I was so bad I lost every time and the kids kept laughing at me cuz I coulndt catch on at all. After unpacking tents we had scrumptious peanut butter sandwhiches then formed into small teams of 4 or 5 and headed out into the village. We basically walked around looking for houses that were occupied so we could chat with them invite them to the gathering that night. We met several teachers for the small basic school that Muwawa provided and then a grandmother who didnt know how old she was but only that she was born the year of some not-so-famous king. We sat on mats with her in the dirt amidst her 18 grandchildren and Peter (the Korean sent from his American home to start a church in South Africa) told them stories about Jesus. It was so incredible being apart of spreading the gospel to such a not-reached group.

The church here had only been planted a few weeks before we arrived and our project was to actually start the building process and invite more people. We did manage to get several poles up with the help of the locals by Wednesday afternoon. Came back together for dinner and then the bonfire started at 730ish and we danced and sung in Lozi for so long. They were so excited to be around eachother and everyone was joyfully singing and dancing with everyone else. We had about 120 people which included several mobs of crazy children. Bradley shared the story about Joshua and the walls coming down but had all of the children and some adults running around the fire in circles blowing fake trumpets and had all the villagers screaming on the last day... it was such a sight to see! After we had several, maybe 20 or so, people come up for prayer and healing of ailments. We ended up singing a little afterwards but its very dark and people live very far away so mostly people left.

7am Tuesday morning we had delicious oatmeal and then headed out in our same groups, mine including Lubasi, Jose, Clarissa, and Peter. This time we went straight for the fields and offered to work along side or for the people. Peter picked potatoes, and Jose, Lubasi and I ended up using some hoes to break up dirt which ended up being super hard and sweatfilled work. But it was a really great witness to be able to just tell the people to rest for a while and enjoy the day. One of the girls I took the place of was 14 and she had joined her friend who had 3 children and was about 20 or so. They said you had to start working at age 5 if you didnt go to school. Crazy, hey? Then we moved on and helped a lady get water from the river to her garden which was about 10 rows long. Then we did that for 3 more families. It seemed so old fashioned and what you see in movies but we really just took some crappy broken buckets, dunked them into the river, and carried them to the plants and poured it out. Because we had so many people it didnt take too long but I cant imagine doing this everyday with just 1 or 2 helpers. Africa Works is an organization that came in a few years ago to teach them these things and how to plant, before that most of the people sat around either making beer or doing nothing.

After this we headed back in for leftover speggetti for lunch and then right back out past the fields we worked in to the other side of a small river which we had to cross. The only part of the river that had a bridge was the very middle because it was too deep to walk on. So Dani and Clarissa go helped to the bridge carried by Peter and Jose and the carried off to the other side as well. We found one of Josephine's friends (one of our interpreters from Hope church) and visited her in her home. There were 4 small houses around hers which were all filled with her children and grandchildren. Then we walked a while down the river and talked to some more people farming and met this one guy who had a water pump that looked like a stair-stepper connected to a hose which is how he watered the far away parts of his garden. But it cost 2.5 million kwacha so he is quite in debt now but hopefully this will help in the the future. By now we have a small following of village children who had obviously never seen Makua before because i tried to greet them and they all ran away. Most kids here would back up or run away or scream or even cry the first time you tried to get near them which was quite hilarious for us. We met another grandfather who had 4 houses surrounding his house and they were all filled with his children and grandchildren. HIs houses bricks had been dug up only hundred feet away where we had come into Muwawa (which is the same stuff the dig up to use for orads in Mongu) but were made in 1962 and his house was built in 1980 or something crazy like that. Peter bought some eggs from one of them and then we walked about 30 minutes back to our campsite.

There ended up being a lot of kids hanging around our site so Bradley and Louis found some sticks and string and made us a volleyball netish thing and they kids went crazy for it. Which was a load off because before this we were playing a game where they throw it to you and you have to hit it as hard as you can with your head, and I kept missing. But it was fun just playing with them even though all we could say to eachother was 'good' and 'sorry' when we hit eachother. What I really like about the culture is that even if you didnt hurt the person and they just fell on their own, everyone still says sorry. How cute! We had some nice Afrikaans borovorse and Lozi nshima for dinner then started the fire again at 8. We had about 100 people show up again. After the stories some villagers gave testimonies on healings the night before but still more came, about 30, for healings. Some came with stomach problems and walked out saying they were instantly healed. Still some were tested blind or only seeing a few feet in front of them and then walked away being able to see far away! Then others hobbled over and we saw earlier that day couldnt lift their feel then actually danced away towards the fire! Oh the power of prayer and healings. What a great and miraculous God we serve!

The headmaster of the school allowed us to visit so Wednesday morning Tarryn wrote us a great skit for Clarissa, Jason, Dani, Lubasi, myself, Jose and Tarryn to be in telling a story about pharoah and Moses. Vasco, Alice, Peter, Josephine, Elija and joined as well. Isaiah helped interpret and Lubasi started us off in worship. The kids at first were grade 5-9. After, we sang them a song and they loved it and kept asking for one more. They only go until about 12 then everyone comes to eat and thegrade 1-4 comes in at 230 when we came back and did everything again. The younger ones were so much more enthusiatic about the songs and the skit and then at us teaching them new ones. It is like you are a movie star going into this placebecuase they all come up afterwards to say encha and shake your hand. When traveling back to the campsite, Tarryn and Ashleigh had most of the entire class following them singing 'Ke mulana mulana wamalana' which is 'he is king, king of kings' all the way through the village. Some of the 7-9th grade girls showed up at the campsite a little later and I after going through as much introductory thigns as we could do in English, I got Isiah to come intepret for me. I never realized the culture gap until after I tried to tell them a finny story and halfway through I realized it wasnt funny so I had them tell me stories. They told of a man whose family was hungry so he went to the forest and sang to a tree but ate all the food it gave him until the son follwed him out then the next day the son and wife ate all of the trees fruit. But while they were telling it they were all bursting out into laughter. The next story was about a fork and a kaluloo but a bit inappropirate expecially for such young girls, but it just shows the differences in our cultures. We had bioled condensed milk with chocolate for desert which was some of the best sweet stuff ive ever tasted. The bonfire started at 8 again and we had a massive group of kids but since the holiday was over many people had to start working again so they were tired and our numbers were less ' than 80. But after Marc and Moses' story we had an alter call and about 30 adults and children were saved! Praise God so many were added to the family!

Thursday morning, our clothes and faces are now black from the sand and we have run out of coffee and chocolate so luckily we start packing up to head back to civilization. Many children and adults came to sit around for hours since 7am watching us pack and load up our stuff. Some of the kids tried to sing the pharoah songwe taught them which was super presh and others traded axes and hoes for SiLozi Bibles. When we arrived back at Mutoya after taking a few wrong roads (its okay Louis, everyone does it even with their gps right in front of them:)) and the orphan school was still running so we went down there and got a big welcome back hugs from teacher Margret and most of our students. The new American team from Liberty had also arrived and was helping to distract the children. We finally got to take showers, some of us for almost an hour *cough Tavo cough*. Hung out, made more beads, went to the last prayer meeting (still need to be able to meet with the enduna over muwawa without paying him 1.6 million kwacha before he kicks us out of the village.)

Friday we woke up for our last day of orpahn school. Everyone was in fight and whine mode but it was so relaxing and fun playing with them, teaching them new songs, acting out our Bible story time which we should have done from the beginning cuz it was so much fun even just for me. I cut shapes out of potatoes and we painted with them. Since they were already painted I also had them handprint my shirt which was even fun for the older lady Joyce who usually cooks proaige for us. We mostly played on the jungle gym which is still a big hit since it was finished and we opened it last week. Then little Mike got in trouble for hitting Nyumbe because Nyumbe was almost choking me to climb up my back and so Mike was protecting me. If I end up with him in my carry on back to American, dont be too surprised cuz it was hard to say bye and see him go out the gate that last time. Did the final lamenations, then taught the American girls how to do the beads, then went to Jess and James for a delicious dinner of steak and of course borovorse with potato/butternut/carrot side and some strange green goop pudding for dessert.

This morning we slept into a late aweome 815 and then prepared for leading the youth later on. It was a very relaxing morning because most everyone went out on the boat trip at the harbor. We played the trainwreck game during youth after Anthea taught an art lesson using charcoal. Then Clarissa and I taught about how awesome it is to be apart of a youth group and loving one another, accountability, encouragement and bearing eachothers burdens. The Liberty team shared some testimonies then performed a sweet skit something like the 'Everything' skit which the kids liked. We had some fellowship after and then LU team was all giving Lozi names by one of the youths Faith. Worship practice was fun and exciting as always and 2 Americans stayed to also sing with us. Please keep praying for the worship team because they are still very new to music and working together with intruemnts and voice keys and may get a bit frustrated with eeachother at times. Back to Mutoya to get our last load of laundry off the line and have a great spegetti and pudding and rusk and coffee dinner with Jess and James. Clarissa watched a movie with Monica and Lihanna and Shontell and I watched some other movie. I will defintiely miss all of the youth, they were very upset that we were leaving and a I have a feeling it may get emotional sometime tomorrow. Even during dinner I started tearing up because everything was just so good here.

Last post for a while. We will head to the services in the morning and then buy our bus tickets then hopefully hang with Mutinita and Onella and Lulu again to get icecream then head to Mutoya for a bry with the young adults, share our testimonies, fellowship, then at 10ish we should be heading out for Lusaka. Then we will bus to Livingstone and we should arrive there sometime in the early afternoon able to see some sights before nightfall. Tuesday we will have all day to visit then sleep and head back out to Lusaka Wednesday morning. We will stay close to the airport Wednesday night and head out on our plane Thursday afternoon for Joburg.

So much has happened and I still cant comprehend that it has already been 5 weeks in Zambia. It has become so much like home and comfortable. So many things have been started and will be continued and I am so excited to hear about how everyone and everything has grown after we leave. Praise God forever!

Our Redeemer Lives!!
Colossians 1:13-14!!

Nuzwelay-hundi! {I am just fine!}

{Dit Like Lecka! 'it looks good' in Africaans}
okay so quick recap before we head out..

it has been A-FIPPIN-MAZING seeing the children at the orphan school grow an develop even over the past few weeks. Moonga could not even trace the number 1 nor would she speak or smile or come to us for hugs or finish her small plate of poriage but now she has completed Clarissas art projects (including cutting!) all on her own, she speaks in full sentances, mimics our words, and even came back for seconds of poriage! Tarryn even heard her count all the way to 26 without pressure or help. I think it was the highlight of all of our weeks. I nearly cried when Kalumbu (who is a new student who hasnt been able to even look at anyone) drew 1's on her own for a bit! We were all chatting about how its crazy that these are the things that are making our days.. even when Moonga or caren backtalk us or say no is envigarating because they are knowing what they want, understandin things and asserting their opinion.

Speaking of Tarryn... Another south African team arrived with 15 people including the senior pastor and wife of Tableview church. Tarryn and Ashliegh and me an clarissa were immediately best of friends and the both heped us out in the orphan school last week, Ashigh with Clarissa mostly documenting every moment with her super awesome camera, and Tarryn with me and the tiny kiddies reading them stories, playing games and giving them losts of loooove. Dave is loving the help of some of the boys Dino, Jason, Mark, Vuyo, Joel and then some adults Tony, Louis, Jaques to keep building on to the new house. With the help of Jenny, Kathy, Kelly and the other girls we made over 130 beaded bookmarks for the ladies meeting this Saturday. Jill and Allister left us on Friday day which was sad and also left us the beading class but which we have grown to love and anticipate their hours laughter. Lubasi loved having Vuyo and Kelly having worship team practice everyday at Mutoya and at community hall. They brought new instruments for Hope church here and Jason and Joel taught many of the guys how to play guitar and drums which they miraculously picked up in just a weeks time and one even played on the new keyboard in service this morning. Speaking of service.. I didnt have a ride last Saturday after youth so I had to stay and watch worship practice which ended up being a super blessing because it was so amazing listening to them and then I stayed this week and they let me practice with the other girls so this morning I helped lead worship this morning! It was so crazy amazing fun to be in the midst of the Lozis all worshipping the same God, and they even told me to stay for the second service to sing in Lozi (which fortunately we had sung Lozi songs at the ladies meeting so I wasnt completely lost)!

The beading for the ladies is becoming a big hit. We have gotten to know many of the women in the church through this ministry and have seen them at meetings, church, and even around in Mongu. They laugh alot, but are serious and work hard making paper beads and varishing them to make into homemade bracelts and necklaces. The vision for this came from Marinette to use art to raise money for the upcoming Village of Hope (google it!) but that the funding for thi project wouldnt come in all through handouts but to get the women of the church who have no jobs to make them included in helping orphans, feel accomplished, get a skill, and get a percentage of the funds. Its so exciting! The ladies meeting on Saturday was a little nervewrecking for all of us planning it but so well worth it. There were so many new faces beccause the ladies invite their friends. Many of them that I met ended up even at church the next day! PLease keep praying for these ladies. Because the church meets at a community hall which also provies housing, many people who are just milling aroun or visiting workers are also invited to church and have found new meaning and hope and purpose and laughter in their lives in Mongu!

So many more things have happened and there are so many details of peoples lives that have bee tuched and changed and bettered from the effects of God through Hope Church and all the missionaries here! Its still unbelievable how comfortable we are both here and how much we have fallen in love with the adults and the youth and the children! Bright and early we will head off to Muwawa which is a very rural village about an hour away. We will sleep like 5 to a tent an cook over a fire and have babywipeshowers until thursday... finally the Africa experience we expeted. We will be building relationships, telling stories, and building the actual church building!

God is good, all the time and all the time GOD IS GOOD
and nothing is impossible for those who believe!

keep praying for these wonderful people, for their families, for healing, and for a spirit-filling of all the Mongu people!
love!
Carlie

Pictures!!

The children at the orphan school. They come from the neighboring villages and are very vulnerable.

The orphan school at the mission.

Some of the kids at school - Mufuka, Jemimah, and Panda.

Our homes away from homes.
Clarissa's tent is on the left and Carlie's in on the right.

The access road to the Mutoya mission base. It's quite sandy and you need a 4x4 vehicle to drive it. The view in the background is what we get to look at everyday.

During our boat trip down the Zambezi River, all the people ran to the shore waving and shouting "Makua, makua," meaning white person.

On The Toot!

and so Chantal says the South African saying goes, on the toot means to be very busy and on the go which seems to be our everyday from sunup to sundown. but has been such a blessing to stay so busy in such a place!

Sunday we led both sunday school services so we did not get to see either service but as we heard the second service was in complete SiLozi and not translated like last week was super crazy awesome! Everyone had the nicest things to say about it. Jones, the man we helped with the bad leg, came for his first time. We chatted a bit with him and a few others after the services over some provided coffee and tea and even managed to learn some more of the local language. We waited after a while outside of the country lodge (where church is held for now) and heard the guards talking about mukua (so we knew they were talking about us) and waited for Mutinta an Onella, two girls from the youth group we meet with, to walk down. They finally arrived and they took us own to the town hospital through some streets and then to OK2 Restaurant where we sat and chatted a bit. They were having quite a bad day because one of their friends was found in a river in Koama on Friday who they had known since primary school. We ran over to buy some buisuits (cookies with creme) and then arrived back at country lodge just in time to watch Facing the Giants with the young adult homecell. After finding two taxis for the way back to base we stopped to fetch more buiscuits an while hanging out in LInas house, i ended up eating most of them and had quite a tummy ache the next morning. But that turned out to be a few days sickness.

Monday we went to the orphan school and then we were getting ready to start the first weeks of art class with ladies from church. But apparently I looked a little disheveled and Marinette and company suggested I take a nap which I welcomed. Clarissa stayed busy with the art class (which is for ladies of the church with no jobs and very little money) and then we went to the OK restaurant to have our final hang out time with the fellas. They went to Muwawa for most of the day but we all met up to go to eat. We had a lovely time and then loaded Chris and Ivan to Lusaka for their trip home. It was very sad to see them go, they provided much entertainent and great american company. I still didnt feel well so we declined for coffee an went to bed as soon as we arrived back on base at like 22 hours.

Tuesday it was quite weird not waking up the boys for breakfast or hearing them around the camp but I was still sick so I got up with Clarissa then retired back to the tent after Jill gave me some hydrate. Later she checked on me with buscuits, and then a few hours later with some jelly (jello). She was very kind to keep looking after me! It was lovely being looked after so kindly all the way in Zambia! Clarissa CRAZY kept busy ALL day. She ran her two older classes at the orphan school, then lunch all by her lonesome, then we took laundry up to Jess' which mostly she took care of, then went back to do the art classes again, then back up several times to hang up our laundry and put more in then hang up again. We went to jess' and Clarissa and her had veggie burgers loaded with so many things. We sat up with Chantal an chatted with her family for a time making assessmet charts for the next day but I had a bad headache so we retired early again about 22:30.

Wednesday we woke up to go about 30 minutes away to Namushekede orphan school with Chantal. We arrived and there was no teacher and few children so we went to visit the tiny cute market. The school was held in a church builing made of bamboo and straw. The teacher never arrived so Clarissa started assessing the children with Irene the interpreters help. They knew little to no conversational English so i walked around and we mostly just starred at eachother until one started drawing in the sand. So I got down with her an drew letters and pointed for her to do so and soon enough all the other children were gathered writting in the sand copying the letters and numbers i was making then I just said a letter or number and they were draw it. I cant believe I had a whole school day just in the sand. By the time Chantal got back from her meeting the other kids had gotten out from other primary schools around the village and heard there were mukua so they also came to watch. One informed us that the teacher had not been there for the past 3 days so that is why there were so few children an also that the person who makes their porraige had also not been there since the previous Friday. Apart from this upset, this school is a commuity project made so that if all the mukua left the school would not collapse, but we do work along side them to provide some support and manegerial help. We arrived back and prepared for art class again but most of that time I ended up finally connecting on the phone with MY MUM! then caught a ride to the leadership meeting with zander and linda. The power is still out at the community hall so most of the meeting was held by two lantern lights. All of the missionarys who live on the base were invited to the van collers for bry dinner after the meeting of lasangua, boravorst, steakish, and butterrolls (of which i ate quite too much because all I had eated was a few crackers the past days).

Thursday we woke up and im actually still a bit sick but I cant stand just sitting around doing nothing so i went to school and i think the movement actually helped a bit and by lunch I was fuly prepared to gorge myself. I caught a ride with Shontell (ive been spelling it wrong this whole time) to shoprite and picked up some healthy food for me and the woman so we can finally start getting some good stuff in us so we can stay upbeat. While we were there, some other americans came in too and i couldnt help but to stare. We said we were real zambians now cuz we just stopped an watched the new mukuas shop around. haha. Then we helped Jill and the ladies do another art class of making beads out of newspaper an making beautiful paintings on cloth. The profits of these will go to the village of hope orphan community. We are beginning to grow quite fond of seeing them and their children everyday and see them create and laughing when they called us our Lozi names Longuwey and Enungey. Juliet an declan have also joined us to make some art while its here. Then I went uphill and we are going to keep lihannas cats fed and grass watered while she and the others are away in Fuo (i opened my big mouth the Jess and we will be watering her sand grass too, haha). Clarissa finished the bindings for the needed books while i lamenated some more (which we have been doing in our 'spare time' after lunch before art classes for a weeks time). These giant flip books will be heading out to the way out bush where people do not know how to read or even know what a pen is. So they will be left with them and used as the village Bible as of sorts because they are just pictures of different stories of the Bible. We headed to Jess' then to cut some more art stuff that will help the people remember what she has told them because they cant just open up their Bible to remember the stories since they cant read. While clarissa and james finished typing up exams for the pastors at the training center, I watched jess make our supper. Everything it consisted of was something i had never had; maggi noodles (similar to ramaan), sweet chili sauce, pizza herbs, milk and mayo dressing, baby marrow, butternut, and then strong peach juice. They were taking so long so she just kept adding toppings. It was funny of note!

The pastors at the training center are leaving tomorrow for their own villages, most of which are hours away. It will be so quite without them having class and breakfast and lunch and dinner and sleeping all around us. We interviewed each of them in between lamenating and whatever else on tuesday and got to know then quite a bit better. One of them had 7 children and another has 9! They also gave us names, Mbyoti (blessings) for Clarissa and Sepo (hope) for me. They keep asking us when we will come back..

I am very excited to be giving the orphan school children donated beanie hats in the morning because when they come in it is very early and very chilly and they are mostly almost shivering because they have little cover. Also Lihanna gave us the body soap, laundry detergent, and vaseline that we give them at the end of every month. Tomorrow will be like Christmas! It is crazy but these kids are almost taking over my mind. I missed them too much to stay away another day. Tuesay when i didnt show i was heading down to get some water and one of my students was climbing the hill to leave and saw me, came running saying something in Lozi, jumped up for a hug and waved his picture he colored at me, and it pretty much made my day. Then Monday when it was free play time Mukubuta who has difficulty doing most things on task or anything school related that we encourage, like even coloring or counting to 5, came to sit on my lap, and just free drew in my notebook which she always refuses to do. then turned my notebook over and without me saying anything started counting the dots all the way up to 20 which we were sure she couldnt past 8! I was so surprised i yelled for teacher Margret to come and give her some praise. Even though today she wouldnt not listen to anything i asked. ohhh kids. :)

Right now we are busy making 140 invitations for a ladies get together July 4th (be praying that many show up and loving fellowship is had). Later we will be making about 50 mens invitations for the same day with the theme of 'men as heads of the household' with the thought of bringing many in with that but then showing them they most also be servants as well (also be praying many show up and learning is had). Tomorrow we will hopefully finish some namecards we actually havent started yet and clean out and prepare all the tents for the van Collers home church Table View team coming in onn Saturday from Capetown.

yeah.. so... very much so on the toot. but incredible thankful for it!
God is working some crazy things in Western Province!

thanks for the prayers.
love!

Carlie

Beautiful views. Amazing people.

So its officially been a week plus some since we have arrived in Zambia but it feels like weve been apart of this project for years. It is so easy to fit into the peoples lives and feel immediately like a family here. Monday we went to the harbour and went on a boat ride up one of the estuarys of the Zambezi with Linda, Ivan, the 4 person team from Capetown and guided by Pastor Teddy from a nearby village. We always feel like celebrities when we go anywhere, but especially riding up the middle of the river the people would all wave and the children would chase the boat from shore shouting 'Mukua! Mukua!' (which is a nice term for 'white'). We drove to the palace where the king of the Lozi people resides during the dry season. We walked through the museum which explained a little of the Lozi culture and the parade that takes place during the transfer of the king in which the people have to turn their back when he passes by. There is also a rumor we heard that the king holds a donkeys tail at all times and whoever is the holder of the tail is the king.

Tuesday we went to the orphan school from 8 in the morning until 13 hours (1 o'clock) then Lubasi took us into the town in Mongu to meet with Vivian who helps lead the youth group at Hope Church. We visited her in her office in the NAPSA building and threw ideas around about what to do with the youth. We decided that each month there will be a party with cake and drinks for those whose birhtday it was, and we actually just finished making a chocolate sponge cake for this afternoon; and we will be creating a dance to the 'Everyday' praise song to perform on a Sunday. Then Lubasi took us roaming around the town and we had cold drinks for an hour talking about his future plans at Cyclone, which is something people do a lot for hang out time. We walked a while down some street to meet Pastor Alex who had influenced him a lot and then down another street to see his church and meet his daughter. We called our regular taxi driver and when we arrived back at Mutoya the electricity had gone out again all over the base so we were invited to join for a dinner over the fire at the bottom with the Capetown team. Oom Pete and his wife made us borovorst which means 'farmers sausage' in Africaans (one the langauges in South Africa). I was a bit afraid at first but it was so delicious I went back for seconds on a roll with chutney. It was so much fun to just hang out with some of the missionaries who live here and share stories.

Wednesday we went to the orphan school again and were on our own for 2 hours while the regular teachers attended a meeting and my kindergarden Kudus made shakers out of leftover bubble bottles and rocks. Then after our usual lunch of Provita crackers, honey, peanut butter and jam and half an apple we helped Jess hammer nails into pipes that were going to be filled with rice and made into rain sticks for the art projects that Clarissa's grade 1 swallows create the next day. We attended the leadership meeting at communuity hall in town which had about 30 members from the church. Paul taught on the cycle that friends and church members go through when building relationships and ownership. This was the first night we had to make dinner on our own. We through some pasta and herbs together and heated up some tomato paste for Clarissa, Ivan and myself while we watched the Passion movie they played for the pastor training center students. Then we came up to Marinettes and met the new Tableview Capetown team of Allister and his wife Jill and made invitations for a party we were throwing for one of the girls at school. After a while of laughing and chatting, Chris from Arkansas finally arrived. He is a junior at UCA, which just so happens to be the same school that Ivan is a senior at. Small world!

Thursday we woke up again to the sound of the pastors harmonizing 'Kemulana' and went to the orphan school and my group made drums out of the used tin cans and plastic bags (notice that this weeks theme is sound?), then had our usual lunch without the boys because they went to weld and fix cars and other such man stuff. We caught a ride into town with Allister and Dave who were going to get the wood for the new jungle gym they are building for the school children! We met up with Josephine who we met the previous week at prayer meeting. After chatting a while and eating African poloni we walked and rode back to her home which consisted of some connecting cement rooms with a tin roof full of doves. She bought us cold drinks and left and we chatted with her 18 year old son Steve about his life. Then he escorted us on our second ever minibus ride to the corner before Shoprite. Then we walked down to shoprite where he had gone to. He felt bad because he misunderstood where we wanted to go so he escorted us around the store, pushed our cart, unloaded our bags and then carried them. We bought him a soda and he arranged our minibus ride back to Mutoya and even protected us from the crazy guy who hangs around Shoprite. We met up with Lihanna, put our bags away then headed out early with her to do her nurse duties with someone in town who has had a swollen leg coming and going for 13 years now. None of his previous attempts for help worked so now he doesnt even clean and protect it, so she dressed the swollen but deteriorated leg and gave him deworming medicine because it was too expensive for him to buy. The we gave him a ride to where we have church at the community lodge. We attended the prayer meeting and prayed for all of the churches in the provinces in Western Zambia of which there are quite a few but some are weak and still need lots of help which is why the people here do so many week long outreaches to the different villages. The four of us Americans with Lubasi joining ate at Lihanna's a delicious Africaans dish that started with a 'b'. We chatted over coffee-hotchocolate mix and watched a tiny bit of the Bourne identity but everyone was falling asleep so we retired to our tents for the night. Chris and Ivan already work so well with eachother and are full of jokes (my favorite is the one about throwing lizzards on people) and laughter.

Friday we almost didnt have the party because birthday girl, Queen, has been sick for 3 days, but she showed up a little after school started so Marinette quickly baked a cake while we hurried to wrap her present and decorate the tent school with balloons and signs. The kids played musical chairs and limbo before we sat them down and the pink marshmello coconut cake arrived just in time. Queen had obviously never opened a present before, even turning 5, because she had no idea what to do so we and one fo the girl missionary children, Juliet, helped her and then put the new necklace and rings on her. Friday is sports day so we had some competing loudness songs like 'This is the Day' and 'We love Jesus, yes we do, we love Jesus, how 'bout you' which was so amazing to hear shouted over the surrounding villages, then they just played around the rest of the day. We chatted with the new couple, then journaled and emailed, then Melonie (who cooks all of the pastors meals) taught me how to make shima which Clarissa and I ate with some leftover soup. I finally took a shower after a few days of being tackled into the sand by the kids. Later we figured out how to make crape-like pancakes and tomato paste mince because the boys decided to ditch the idea of cooking hamburgers over the fire. They had got smores makings earlier so they made a fire while we cooked in the allpurpose kitchen. We sat by the fire with Lubasi joining later and eat mince pancakes, cinnoman sugar pancakes, and then a butt load of smores. We worshiped a bit and then had prayer for us as a team. It was so lovely speaking out and praising God overtop of the villagers next door who were making a racket as well like usual. I think we all want to start doing this every night. We all chatted for a bit afterwards and the boys ended up moving cots in together because their tents were so big alone. Oh boys and their slumber parties. :)

Saturday is a lot of needed rest day. Slept in till 8:30 then ate breakfast together and after some preparation finally started baking the cake for the youth today which smells wonderful and now were going to get some leftover mince and pasta lunch!
Pictures possibly coming soon.

The community here is just outstanding. Wow again to you God!

Carlie and Clarissa

Hakuna-Matata!

as told by one of our friends, the wonderful phrase from Lion King is actually in the local SiLozi language and does mean 'no worries' and they use it quite often! Meeting all of the missionary couples that live in the Mutoya compound has been such a blessing. Each brings their unique gifts to the project. Paul pastors and his wife Marinette markets for the project and raises their two kids; Zander heads and builds the well projects in the rural villages and his wife Linda cares for incoming teams; Dave heads building projects and his wife Chantal is on the worship team, schooling, helps community projects nearby and caring for her three kids; James preaches, heads bible school and his wife Jess teaches art and helps wiht the orphan school and both of them head the young-adult home cell group; Lihanna is the nurse and helps medically; Laubasi does everything including leading the youth group, is on the worship team, translating for the pastor training and doing all kinds of running around and networking; and Steven and Margret are the teachers for the orphan school. The team that resides here is so wonderful and helpful and cheerful and connected and so full of the Spirit. It is such a blessing to see them work together to build up this community in Mongu.

All of them will head out to different villages spordically to spread the gospel for about a week at a time. James preached this morning about 30 minutes away in Muwawa, a team came back from about 6 hours away, and a team at the end of the month (hopefully including us) will travel 15 hours to Fua. Clarissa and I are falling right into place here and feel like we have been here for forever. We help teach different ages at the orphan school in the morning, attend both Hope church services (which were full of energy and passion) and help lead the sunday school, attend the youth group and the young adult home cell. Each has its own surprises and blessings from the local people. Hopefully we will start meeting townspeople and start going there more to meet them in their homes.

We have been quite spoiled as far as food goes. We are supposed to cook for ourselves but have only made sandwhiches for lunch the past two afternoons. We are usually chatting during lunches or dinners and are invited. Marinette invited us for homemade 'pizza' with her lovely family before they went to finish a video and we watched a movie with jess while her kids slept. We has wraps with Jess and James the other night and chatted about everthing and then ended up singing childrens songs for hours tryin to think of new ideas for sunday school. Then tonight we got a surprise last minute invite from Linda and Zander for pancakes and mince along with Ivan who stayed behind from the previous Chi Alpha team. The bugs arent so bad but we still have yet to see animals besides cows on the flood plain and cats and dogs running around in our compound. The view from the road or the van Collers house is one of the most beautiful things ive ever seen. The night sky as well is too gorgeous for words. Hopefully we will remember to get our camera out one of these days to capture it for yall!

I love it here. Seriously woah. and yay God for sending us!
Carlie

WE HAVE ARRIVED!

On Monday, June 8 Carlie and I met up at Dulles Airport. Both of our parents and Adam waved us off as we walked through security. From Dulles we flew on a baby-filled airplane to London. On the flight we were immediately submerged into the English culture as all the flight attendants were British (we lost it when one asked us for our "rubbish"). After arriving in London, it took us an hour to figure out how to leave the airport. However we did eventually find the tube and left to explore London. As it turns out London is not nearly as big as one would assume. It took us merely an hour to visit Buckingham Palace (we saw the guards through the gates), Westminister Abbey, and Big Ben. We also ate some pancakes (after exchanging money to pounds) overlooking the River Thames and the Congress building and spoke to Constabile Chris. We were both exhausted so we headed back to the airport and slept. From London we had an 8-hour flight to Nairobi, Kenya and then from there a 3-hour flight to Lusaka, Zambia. We actually saw Mt. Kilamanjaro from our airplane window. It was really easy getting through customs and security and London and we were immediately greeted by our cab driver, Boisy. He was gracious enough to help us get money changed to Kwacha and then drove us to the bus station. Zambians are extremely helpful and friendly and so we were swarmed by 6-7 bus station workers as soon as we arrived and almost led Carlie away to a different bus. Boisy helped us purchase our tickets and made sure that we were sitting in our seats before he left. He also let us borrow his phone to call Marinette which was great to finally hear her voice. We finally left the bus station and headed to Mongu after an hour of being solicited by all the Zambians roaming around. The bus was full of people (we were the only white people on the bus) and it made several stops along the way (we were never quite sure if we were at Mongu yet). Zambia is a beautiful country to say the least. Unfortunately we didn't see any animals while traveling. The bus ride took about 7 hours and we arrove in Mongu at 10:00pm (it was really dark when we finally got here). Paul met us at the bus station and we drove 10-15 minutes to Mutoya, the mission compound. Marinette fed us some curry beef and rice dinner and Jess showed us our accomadations. We both have a tent to sleep in and we both have cots to sleep on (what a surprise, Hallelujah!). Actually there are 3 goats here that have made their homes on our porches. We were able to sleep horizontally for the first time in 3 days, unfortunately we slept in and were late for our first breakfast date. Today, Thursday, we have been busy meeting the different missionary couples who work here and they have told us all that they do. I think we will be very busy helping with their orphan school and with their children's ministries. People are genuinely friendly and helpful. We also drove in to town to buy our food. This place has far exceeded our expectations and we are excited to see what the next 6 week hold for us. We will hopefully be able to shower for the first time since leaving sometime this afternoon.

Just a note, I didn't experience any motion sickness in all the looong days of traveling. My only sickness has come from being congested and my stomach being upset.

Clarissa, with many details by Carlie