Another Amazing Day at Mutala

We divided our efforts on Wednesday, and spent time focused on two areas, church construction and education.  David and Mary Beth treated boards with creosote so the men could build rafters for the church building.  Sherry and I continued to work with teachers.  I asked everyone to tell me a story they wanted me to share, so I will try to retell those and illustrate with pictures.

David thoroughly enjoyed the labor of the day.  He managed to ruin his border-war t-shirt by wiping his stained hands on the bottom of the shirt, but he said he didn't mind, because KU lost that game anyway.  David spent all morning applying creosote to the boards that would become rafters for the church building.  He said that he really enjoyed that time visiting with Oscar, because Oscar is fun to talk to and he makes everyone laugh.  Incidentally, Oscar wore dress clothes and managed to remain spotless.  The temperature was cool, so David didn't get too hot.  It was a perfect day for him.

Mary Beth's story for the day is really the story of a 7th grade girl, Emelda who maybe 13 or 14 years old.  She will probably never pass grade 7 because the exams are in English, and although she is bright, she has not had much education, so she is very far behind.  When we arrived on Wednesday morning, Ruhtt noticed that Emelda had applied powder to her face, and Ruhtt sent her to wash.  Ruhtt explained to us that girls did this when they were looking for a husband.  Emelda attached herself to Mary Beth on Monday, and Mary Beth had many opportunities to observe Emelda interact with others.  Emelda is a natural leader; unfortunately she is leading in the wrong direction.  Emelda requested Mary Beth's address, and MB also wrote a note, encouraging Emelda to use her leadership qualities to lead people to Jesus.  I love the way God puts just the right people together at just the right time.  Mary Beth was the perfect person to encourage Emelda, and plant the seed of Jesus in her heart.  Now we will pray for someone else to water that seed, and for God to give the increase.

Sherry had an incredible day.  She had the rare opportunity to experience what teaching is all about.  On Monday, Sherry noticed that neither the students nor the teachers had any fun, so she set out to convert them to the idea that learning is fun.  She encouraged them to smile and praise one another.  Her enthusiasm is the best model of positive behavior support I have ever seen.  Sherry also noticed that many of the students in 6th and 7th grade did not know basic math facts.  She asked me if we could make flash cards for them.  I was willing, but we were both thrilled to learn that the flash cards were available at the school --- no one knew how to use them.  Sherry taught the teachers how to use the flash cards, by explaining and modeling, and together they designed a game for the children where they could practice the facts. Sherry also showed the teachers how to let the students lead the games, so the practice could be held in smaller groups with student leaders. Bit by bit,  the game evolved and improved until the Zambia teachers were interjecting their own idea.  Sherry was on cloud nine, and I wanted to hire her as an Instructional Coach.  I'd love it if I could get the kind of response from teachers that Sherry did.

My story is just a reflection.  While Mary Beth was serving lunch to David and Oscar, she was giving them the choice of different apples. David was saying he didn't care, but Mary Beth wanted him to choose.  Oscar said, "There are so many choices, soon you will be asking what kind of water to choose."  Little does Oscar know that people in North America make that choice many times each day.  Just prior to lunch, during a meeting with the teachers, I asked them why they had become teachers.  They laughed at me and said this was a funny question.  Finally, two people answered; one became a teacher because of her mother; one became a teacher because her sponsor could only afford a teacher's education, not one for a nurse.  This is a significant difference between North Americans and Zambians; we just have so many more choices than our Zambian friends. 

Thank you for your comments, especially, Devona, our most faithful responder.  We'd love to hear from more of you either by email.  We are so thankful to be the ambassadors from the generous people of Southside and beyond, to these grateful people of Zambia.  God is doing great things here, and we are so thankful to be a part of His work.

Babies Everywhere!

We spent the morning visiting the different orphan care facilities in the area. Seven Fountains Orphan Care is sponsored by Zambia Mission Fund-Canada, and it is the home of Rod and Sue Calder, their three children and any number of orphans up to age 2. Some of you will remember Baby Treenia who arrived when I was here last year. She is now almost a year old, and she is a chunk! I’ve never seen such a fat baby in my whole life. Treenia is a bit delayed developmentally, but she may catch up because of the care and attention she receives. I feel so blessed to have seen how well this child is doing because people are joining God in His work. We also visited Eric’s House, which is run by Roy and Kathi Merrit, and the Haven 1, 2 and 3. Kathi gave us a tour, and she also gave us the numbers of children, but I stopped adding after 70. It is really hard to digest the reality that so many children are orphaned or abandoned by family circumstances, yet the environment of cleanliness and care these children receive in these orphan care facilities is truly a work of God. Who knows what God has in store for these children as they grow up?!

In the late afternoon, we returned to Mutala for our second Bible Study session with the community and the teachers. The crowd was small due to a funeral in the area. David and Sherry partnered to teach the adults while Mary Beth and I worked with the children. What a thrill to hear the children quote scripture and answer questions about who God is and how He blesses us!

Thanks for your comments and your prayers. We feel so blessed to be the ambassadors God has chosen to be here at this time.  I would love to be able to post more pictures, but the internet is very slow here, and often unreliable.  I will keep trying. --- Martha

Monday at Mutala

Our day started early so we could finish breakfast before Mrs. Mbumwae picked us up at 6:40 for our first day at Mutala. We attended chapel, and God gave us a new song. Here are the simple words with a powerful message:

“Come and see, oh-oh; come and see; Come and see what the Lord has done. Lord, we lift up Your name, higher; Oh,Jehovah, Alpha, Omega; We lift up Your name, higher.”

I so wish you could hear the voices of the children singing this song. We are trying to learn it, and our Zambian friends are patient teachers. This is when I long to have Celeste’s gift for hearing a melody and being able to sing it immediately.

We spent the morning in the classrooms partnering with teachers, and the first-timers really learned a lot about how education is done in Zambia. The desire to “fix” the system burns strong, but that is not the solution. The best we can do is model good instructional practices, and we pray that God will place the desire to teach to His glory in the heart of every teacher.

From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. we helped with the construction of the church building. We carried bricks, shoveled fill-dirt, cleaned up the construction site, and filled in the trench around the foundation. The bricklayers completed the upper level, and soon they will be ready for the rafters. The teachers predict that next Sunday’s worship will take place in the new building. We will see; we return for Bible study tomorrow afternoon and can check the progress.

We shared a meal and conversation with the men who are doing the construction, and I met the 84 year old grandmother of one of the men. His name is Gift, and he cares for his grandma, who bore 12 children, but only one is still living. She is a beautiful woman, and her warm greeting on Sunday blessed us. She returned today for Bible Study, and her presence encouraged us all.

The afternoon Bible study began shortly after 4:00, and there were many, many children, but only a few adults. Sherry and Mary Beth taught the children, and David gave the lesson to the adults. I held the visual aids and wrapped up the lesson at the end. David did a great job, and this evening, he worked on ways to enhance tomorrow’s lesson.

We experienced our first power outage just as it was time to prepare supper. Fortunately, Sue Krogsgaard had cooked a chicken and made potato salad, so we feasted on that and sliced cucumbers and fresh buns. We estimated how long the power would be out. I lost by 15 minutes; Sue and Mathias guessed correctly, because the power came back on at 7:30. So, we had our evening devotional and prepared for tomorrow.

There really are not words to describe all the ways God has blessed us and shown Himself to us today. The others have gone to bed, so I will list a few of the things God did for me today: led me to serve the learning disabled children in the 4th grade class; gave me the laughter of the children when I practiced my Tonga words; showed me more fully the hearts of my companions; provided opportunity for physical labor that demonstrated partnership with the Mutala church; let me experience David’s lesson and see the power God gave Him to share the truth of the message; showed me the faithful witness of an 84 year old woman. It’s been another great day in Zambia.

We thank you so much for your comments and your emails; they encourage us. Your prayers are being answered in so many ways – we are well and full of energy; God is supplying our every need; people are hearing His Word and receiving it; we are growing in faith and in spirit. Twalumba menege.

Sunday's surprises

Worship with the Christians at Mutala was “indescribable and passionate”, according to David, “loud, with incredible singing”, according to Sherry, “dramatic” for Mary Beth and highly emotional for me. Shepherd’s sermon on fellowship struck a chord, the singing always brings tears, and then being able to participate in the blessing of partnership between Southside Church of Christ and Mutala Church of Christ on the building project really filled my heart.

Other impressions included the men who knelt in prayer for a young man who confessed sins and asked for prayers of encouragement; the singing groups who presented music at the end of the service; and Ruhtt’s encouragement to the church for the way they have worked so hard to build the church building to almost the rafters in such a short time.

After lunch, Ruhtt took us to the Kalomo Hospital to visit the sick and give clothes to the children. The pitiful situation left quite an impression. The patients must bring their own blankets and sheets, but many of them did not even have a mattress to lay on. We met the clinic officer, Richard, who arranged for a nurse to come and explain what illness each of the children had, so we could pray specifically for them. Pneumonia, dehydration, snake bite, and poisoning, topped the list. We all felt disappointed that we had not brought more toddler and children clothing. We did not have anything to give the last boy who had a distended belly for an undetermined reason; the hospital staff was sending him to a larger hospital to have is condition investigated. The whole experience created unforgettable memories for each of us.

I experienced something today that I have never before experienced in Zambia -- it rained! Not sprinkled, not drizzled, but poured rain. The rainy season is usually finished by the end of March or first of April. When rains come too late, the maize is ruined. During the downpour this afternoon, people scrambled to cover the bags of maize with tarps.

We worshiped this evening with the church at Namwianga Mission. Mary Beth estimated there were 300 under the age of 30 and only 12-15 were white. Three young people were baptized in a trough near the guest house where we are staying. The crowd was so huge that we couldn’t get close, but Breanna managed to get a video. Shepherd reminded everyone that the angels in heaven are rejoicing.

It’s been another amazing day.

On to Kalomo

We spent the entire day packing, shopping, and traveling to Namwianga. Richard Krogsgaard and our new friend, Breanna, arrived right on Zam-time, one hour later than the appointed time. We didn’t mind; it meant we saw the baboons. If Richard had been on time, we would have missed them. We loaded 15 bags, (one bag is still missing), through the window of the Coaster bus, and added our recent purchases to protected places on the seats. Fortunately, adequate seating remained for the 7 passengers. We stopped at Shoppe Rite in town to buy groceries and to pick up Sue Calder who was shopping for the Harding Medical Team, who also have a program at the mission. While we waited for all the shoppers, I noticed a familiar face coming toward the bus. I was thrilled to see Christiana Mueller coming my way. I stepped out of the bus to greet her, and tears of joy flowed for both of us. I am so thankful to be reunited with friends, and the reunions are just beginning!

The road from Livingstone to Kalomo is 120 kilometers long; 50 of those kilometers are still under construction, so a detour is required on a dusty, bumpy road. 50 kph is the fastest speed, so the trip took almost 3 hours. It was a good time to visit with Sue Calder, and for the newcomers to see the sights along the way -- road markets, small villages, bicycle travelers, women carrying water on their heads, children carrying smaller children on their backs. Finally, we reached Namwianga, and Sue Krogsgaard greet us warmly -- another sweet reunion for me.

First order of business was unpacking. We sorted through the contents of all the bags and organized them into types so we could pack for each day’s outing. Next, we organized our own belongings; it was wonderful to have drawers to hold our clothes and other essential items. Sue called us for supper, and we feasted on rice, mutton stew, corn and cucumber salad. The fellowship was marvelous, especially because we were joined by Shepherd and Rhutt later in the meal. Our discussion turned to the plan for Sunday, and whether or not David would be preaching. He was relieved to hear that Shepherd would be giving the sermon, and that he would not have any duties the first Sunday.

After dishes and evening devotional, we were happy to lay our heads down. Thus ends our first day at Namwianga. ---- Martha

The Market and Mosi-oa-tunya

After breakfast on Friday, we hired a taxi to take us to the market and pick us up at the museum before transporting us to and from Victoria Falls.  Each of us has our own market story to tell, but over all we agree that the market is a unique and exhausting experience.  David learned the value of a name.  Sherry learned the value of a pen and a hair bow.  Mary Beth had a memorable conversation with a woman who was reading her Bible.  I played with a child and she didn't cry.  We supported the Zambians much more than we planned by trading our kwacha for their goods.  It was a great morning.

Victoria Falls was hidden by the mist, but this is what it would have looked like had we been able to see it.

It is truly an amazing sight and even what we did see filled us with the wonder of God's power.  You can read more about this beautiful place at the website below:
http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/activities/documents/activity-575-15.pdf.

One of the things I learned that I had always wondered is that animals do get swept over the falls.  Our guide reported that 4 hippos and 3 crocodiles met their doom during the previous rainy season.  He also told the story of how he witnessed a man be swept over the falls when the man was jumping across an expanse during a guided walk across to Livingstone Island.

As we were exiting the falls, God gave us an extra blessing.  Earlier, I had noticed a Zambian man who was wearing two very expensive SLR cameras around his neck.  He was waiting for us where we turned in our raincoats, and he wanted to sell us a DVD of Victoria Falls.  He gave me his best sales pitch, and I thought it would be a nice gift for my companions who had never seen, and might never see the falls as I have.  So, I made the purchase, and we continued our conversation.  I can't remember what I said to prompt his comment, but he volunteered that he attends the Palm Grove Church of Christ nearby.  We talked about people we know in common and about an upcoming meeting for area churches.  I wrote my email address in his book, and I hope to stay in contact with this young man who is using his talents to support himself and his wife, (also named Sherry).

Our day ended with showers sans spider, another wonderful meal at Maramba River Lodge, and a phone call from Shepherd to arrange transport to Namwianga.

We are rested, renewed and ready to go to work.  ---- Martha

Livingstone

The plane landed 5 minutes ahead of schedule at 12:40 on May 27, 2010.  We took the appropriate photographs, and made our way inside to buy the visas we needed.  We could see the baggage circling the baggage claim, and the salmon colored ties -- thanks Mom -- made our bags easy to spot.  11 of the 12 bags arrived, so we had to claim lost luggage.  We loaded the 11 bags on the cart, and Letiwe was there to greet us as we exited baggage claim.  It was a sweet reunion for me.  While I went to file the report for lost luggage, Letiewe, David, Sherry and Mary Beth piled all the bags in Letiwe's van.  Fortunately there was still room for me.  We changed dollars to kwacha at the Bureau of Exchange, stopped at Shoppe Rite to buy water, and then landed at Maramba River Lodge shortly after 3:30.  Letiwe made sure we were all settled before she left, and we made sure what time she would pick us up on June 14 for our end of mission holiday. 

Exploring, visiting, evening meal and staying awake occuppied us until we could turn in for the night.  We were serenaded by tree frogs all through supper; we agreed that they sound like wooden windchimes.  David said that he had shooed one of the little creatures out of his chalet earlier. He reported that it was quite colorful.

Mary Beth, Sherry and I had an unwelcomed companion in the shower as we each took our turn.  A large, "hairy" spider didn't seem to mind the water.  I was glad she stayed put, (we decided to name her "Sally"), but we all would have preferred that she find her own shower.

We awakened this morning to the sound of hippos barking, and they entertained us during our "English" breakfast of cheese, meat, fruit, granola, yogurt and tea.

Twalumba (thank you) for the prayers.  God is answering each and every one.  We'd love to hear from you, so send us an email or post a comment.  ---- Martha