Home Sweet Home…

 

Well I remember a time, back in May, when a certain house started being built and like everything in Africa, it always takes longer than it should.  With unintended interruptions, financial slow downs, village builders, and much more, the progress on the house was delayed over the months.  Thankfully with God’s provision, my house is finally compete and livable.  I moved in on the 18th of November and have been getting settled ever since.  It was just a short time I had living in my house before leaving for South Africa, but it was very enjoyable and exciting to have a place to call my own. 

 

God has blessed me with so much in my house…already he has provided furniture for the sitting area, a desk to work at with all my school work, a wardrobe for all my clothes, and a wonderful bunk bed to sleep in at night.  He provided Amber and Gretchen to work along side me in painting all the walls and getting the windows working and putting together the furniture.  Thank you, thank you to them both for all their time and hard work. 

 

 

Lord willing, I will have space for one more single bunk bed and have space for 4 other women to stay when teams come, or friends to visit (wink…wink…nudge…nudge).  Since there is no space in the school for a desk, I will be doing most of my teaching work here at the house and I am excited that the place it so pleasant to spend time in. 

What a joyful blessing!!

 

 

A Vision Comes to Pass

 

 

 

After spending days painting my house, it was now time to move up to the school and paint those walls as well.  The first priority was getting the store room primed and painted so we could get shelves on the walls and then move all the supplies from the library here at camp, up to the school where they all belonged.  Gretchen and I first had to clean all the lime off the walls and then sweep the floors before we could do anything.  Two hours later, we were white as snowmen, but the walls were ready for primer…so we got to work.  At the end of the day, we had most of the school primed (finishing the 20 L we had) and the store room painted as well.  Luckily we were going to town in just a couple days, so we could get more primer and paint color for the rest of the school.  In the next couple of days flew by and once we had the paint, we finished the whole school in just one day.  We put two very nice coats on the walls, cut in around the floor and all the windows as well.  Whew…when it was all said and done, I think I had painted 8 days in a row…my fingers and hands were sore for the following week…hehe.

Over in the store room, the shelves went up and everything got moved into the school.  They are now organized by category (science, math, reading, writing, art, music, building, puzzles, etc.) helping me to see what I need more of and the things that I am good with.  It is safe to say that I think we have enough crayons to last for a few years…

I was so excited to have all the painting completed and the store room stocked, so I could bring in all the furniture that Jako and I had made.  I had a vague idea of where I wanted each “area” to be, but until everything is in there, it’s hard to say.  I currently have the art studio set up, a book nook, a writing center, a table for math and science, a discovery table, and a music center.  There is a large space in the middle, where I plan to make a stage for in the new year and then have an area for dramatic play.  Now that I have everything set up, I just need things to fill each center with (educational toys) and children and it will be perfect!!! 

As with everything else, God had already ordained a young, beautiful woman to be an assistant teacher at the preschool.  She is from Lusaka (the capital of Zambia), has completed grade 9 and started grade 10, speaks impeccable English, is good with children, active in her church, and really enjoys teaching.  Please pray for Stella as she has never formally taught before, but is eager at the opportunity to be a part of something different and to impact the lives of so many children. 

God has provided so much for this school, I pray that the children are blessed to feel His love every single day they come, that they hear and see the gospel frequently throughout the year, that they benefit from God’s blessing of this school, and that they each feel unique and treasured as God has created them to be. 

Please be praying for each of the 80 children who will be attending the MOL Preschool starting in February…this is a  totally new experience for every one of them! 

 

 

Never too Old to Help

 

In the middle of November, we had two wonderful ladies from South Africa come visit us to lend a hand where we needed.  There was one particular unique thing about these women…one was in her 60’s and one was in her 70’s and they worked harder then some of the young, strapping men that come through here. 

 

 

 

 

Sonny, the older one, worked diligently on mended clothes and my couch cushions, taught a bible study, helped Amber in the kitchen and with laundry, looked after Jakob, organized many supplies for the store room of the preschool, shortened Amber’s window curtains, built relationships with the mothers at the house and Charles’ family, and always willing to step in wherever was needed. 

 

 

 

    Marion was a spit fire of a woman…she held nothing back.  Her first morning here she helped finish painting my house, and jumped right in to help me get the school completed in one day.  Marion also journeyed out of the bush with me to take Isaac and Ennie to the hospital, once again.  She helped load supplied and move them to the preschool, she assisted us in putting on doors (for my house and the school), she helped moving furniture in and around my house, cooked many meals for us, cleaned the kitchen regularly, also looked after Jakob (filled him with sweeties) and she even helped Jako with the roof he was working on. 

 

These women came here to see what is doing here through Amber and Jako, but I don’t think they ever thought God would use them in such big ways to bless what He has started.  I never thought they would work so hard, or be so willing to get things done…they really helped us finish many projects that had been hanging over our heads and eased the days going into preparation to leave. 

I just love these unexpected blessings in life!!  God is so good…

 

Isaac Still Needs Your Prayers…

 

For all of you following the story of Isaac, I have another update for you.  As you know, last month we had a scare with Isaac being so ill, we had to rush him to the hospital (3 hours away) and thankfully God performed a miracle and saved the little guy.  He has been doing so well, eating several times a day and going from 2.6 kg to 4.2 kg.  One night this past month, Isaac was having diarrhea, vomiting, and unable to sleep.   Knowing how quickly a little baby can go from bad to worse, we decided to be cautious and take him to the hospital right away.  We went to the same place, 3 hours away and again they admitted Isaac.  Since it was his second time back, in such a short time, the doctors think that he has been exposed to HIV and most likely is infected with the virus.  He was in the hospital for 4 days before they released him…this was the second time they have tried to take blood to check his HIV status, and they were unable to see anything, so they have to wait until he is 6 months.  When babies are HIV positive, they struggle to survive the slightest cold and illness, so please be praying for his health.  Ennie is doing a wonderful job caring for him and is making sure that he is kept warm and healthy as best as she can, but we know that ultimately God is the only one who can ensure his safety and wellbeing.  I trust that God still has great plans for this one and that he will be protecting Isaac through anything that comes his way. 

If baby Isaac crosses your mind, please say a little prayer for him; pray for his health and growth, pray for Ennie (the mother caring for him), and pray that if Isaac has the virus, that God will remove it from his body and restore it, so that he can grow up to be a big, healthy, wonderful boy! 

 

 

Thank you all so much for your prayers and love of God’s children all the way on the other side of the world!!

A Couple Steps Backward…A Few Steps Forward

 

As with everything in Africa, it seems noting goes according to plan, so it is pointless to even make a plan…hehe.  Most of you know that we started building the school back in April/May when I first arrived here in Zambia.  In theory, the building should have been finished in June when the team came to put on the roof; however, we had many struggles with our builder.  The original builder did an awful job leveling the window frames, the floors, and the plastering on the walls…in addition to a continuous lack of presence at the site.  Since his work was not up to par, we had to tear out all the windows and the floor and hire another builder to fix everything.  Thankfully God allowed a qualified builder to come and make time to fix everything and make it the way it should be.  Lomi has been working hard the past couple weeks trying to renovate the school building preparing it for paint and usability. 

One afternoon while he and his men were working, a small tornado came through and ripped off half the school roof.  The wind took the roof and flipped it over onto the back half of the roof, as if turning the page of a book.  When we got back from town, we couldn’t believe our eyes.  After spending several days and nights up on that roof leveling it, securing it, it was all we could do to keep form getting discouraged.  With everything else going on around camp, we thought it best to hire Lomi to fix it.  Well he thought it would be possible to get men from the community together to lift up the roof and flip it back over and then secure it with wire.  Willing to try anything, we gather men from the community and the wench on the Land Rover and headed up to the school house.  After several tried, we realized the roof was just to heavy and that wouldn’t work.  Thankfully God already had a plan…in that moment, the men in the community offered to get together the following Monday to fix the roof for us.  Praise God!! 

Praise God that the community it uniting for their children's sake and giving of their time and talents for the project.  They started fixing it this past Monday and hope to have all the roof sheets nailed back on by the end of Wednesday.  Lomi plans to then start the floor on Thursday and by Friday, Lord willing, the school house will be complete, ready for a front door :o)

 

Once the school building is complete, the classroom needs to be filled with shelves and educational toys.  We have had several donations from the teams and others that God has sent us over the summer, and hopefully still more to come!  Our library is full of art supplies, musical instruments, math cubes, glue, pencils, crayons, and more for the children once the school opens.  A good classroom always has shelves to put all these educational tools out on display for the children…so for most of the month, we have been working very hard and making that happen. 

 

Easily I had a vision of small shelves, book shelves, tables, cubbies, a stage, and even a grass hut kitchen, but I never dreamed the process would include so many steps.  I want to share this process with you, not that you will sympathize with all the hard work that went into this furniture, however, that you will appreciate how easy it would be for you where you are!!!

Here it goes…

Step 1:  Buy 24 planks of wood

Step 2:  Have the wood transported 2 hours into the bush

Step 3:  Plane each piece of lumber (5 meters long) to the same   size (20 mm)

Step 4:  Cut each plank down in smaller pieces for the various shelves

Step 5:  Take the cut pieces and run them through the table saw to make the sides relatively straight

Step 6:  Glue two planks together to make them wide enough for shelves/cubbies

Step 7:  Wait 1-2 hours and glue more planks together

Step 8:  Cut the glued planks to the correct width (so that all pieces are equal size)

Step 9:  Run them through the planer again (since all have bowed)

Step 10:  Cut each piece to the correct length

Step 11:  Using the router, prepare all edges and shelves to be attached

Step 12:  Drill holes through the wood

Step 13:  Screw the screws in

Step 14:  Fix anything that broke or didn’t work

Step 15:  Admire the finished piece of furniture

Step 16:  Repeat steps 3-15 for every piece of furniture

 

As you can see, this project is keeping us quite busy!  We have finished all the shelves for the school and two of the art tables.  We still have two more work tables to build, a sensory table, a grass hut kitchen, and a stage.  Then we need to sand them and varnish them before they will be ready for use at the school!!  If you are free in the next couple of weeks, please come on out and help…hehe!!  Please pray that we are able to invite men/women from the community to help in this endeavor and to continue our relationships with them, building them up to better their own community being Christ to one another!

 

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

 

In the middle of the month, Amber, Jako, Jakob, and I were blessed with a trip to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.  Amber and Jako had not been to Zimbabwe for 7 years and I had never been, so we thought it would be a great idea, especially to get out of the bush for a week to rest and rejuvenate ourselves.  When you live in your ministry, it is easy to keep pouring out day after day, but some times you get too busy to fill yourself back up to the point where you are physically and spiritually dry.  Once you reach that point, it is very hard to be effective in modeling the behavior of Christ to those around you and to love them the same.  So weeks away, throughout the year are highly encouraged…

This week came in a month that has been physically draining…getting up at 6 am and working well into the night.  To wake up in the morning and not have an agenda for the day was the best feeling, words cannot even describe the joy in that moment.  To be able to spend hours in Scripture, or a good book, or in silence, in solitude does wonders for the soul.  And that is exactly what we did for the week either at the lodge, or by the pool.  We also did a short game drive in our own vehicle, visited Victoria Falls, and went to dinner at the famous Boma, where we enjoyed game meat from all around us.  It was a great holiday and we are forever grateful for the opportunity to go there and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. 

Below are some photos from the week…I hope you enjoy!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Children Are Coming

 

On October 1st and 15th, I had parents and children coming from villages all around us to register their children for the preschool program.  In Zambia, the school year runs from January-December and I plan to run the preschool program in accordance with their system.  This way, as the children graduate from the preschool program, they will pick up with Grade 1 as soon as holiday break is completed.  With the advice from others who run preschools in the bush, I have decided to delay opening until February 1, to have a couple extra weeks to prepare the program after the holidays.  I was anticipating having two classes, one M,W,F and one on T,R, running the program for half the day…this would free up the afternoons for planning and preparation, teacher training, and other community activities.  Well after my first day of registration, I knew I was going to have to change something, and fast.  I had over 50 children sign up on that first day between the ages of 3 and 6.  Quickly I decided to have and AM program and a PM program.  Since older children can learn better than younger children in the afternoons, I have the 3-4’s coming in the AM and the 5-6’ coming in the afternoons.  Setting the program up this way allows me to have 4 classes accommodating 20 children per class.  Not to my surprise, the program completely filled up within an hour of the second day of registration and there were still more parents waiting with their children.  So we had them fill out forms and ordered them according to their place in line putting them on a waiting list…if February comes and families don’t pay their school fees, or children do not show up, than I will be able to give out those spots to these families who really want in the program.  My heart broke when I had to turn people away, but I pray that God knows what he is doing and He will make a way for the children to be involved at some point before their formal education begins. 

 

 

Please begin praying for each of these children…that their parents are wise with their money so that they can pay the fees, that their parents will allow them to come everyday they have class, that they are open to new experiences, that the program will help them think for themselves and become confident in who God has made them to be, that they learn and experience the love of Christ while they are at school, and that they can just be kids and have fun with one another. 

Isaac Update

“Thank You For Your Prayers…”

 

Just look at the little guy…in just a week and a half he has gotten so big.  The staff at the hospital decided to keep him for a total of 6 days making sure that Isaac was out of danger.  Since he has been home, he doesn’t stop eating.  Before he could barely make any noises, his cries sounded like the chirping of a little bird, but now when he is hungry everyone knows about it.  The older children are helping to take very good care of him and the other babies we have at the orphanage.  He is more alert and active then ever, enjoying the company of the mother’s at the house.  We will continue to pray that Isaac stays healthy as he puts on more weight and begins to develop his fine and gross motor skills.  He is going to be a big, healthy boy :o)