God is very busy in Mukamba these days…since the volunteers started coming at the end of May they haven’t stopped. We have had very little weeks with no visitors serving with us out here in the bush. The most recent blessing of people started about a month ago with some friends from the states and all over the world:
Steve Rainwater: A wonderful servant who has been coming here since 2006, helping Mission of Love in whatever season God has had them in. This year with Jako’s back injury, the Lord burdened his heart to come for a couple months to try and help Jako knock out his to-do list. Steve is finding that things don’t always go as planned and work seems to take a lot longer when you are four hours from anywhere with parts! He has been a huge blessing in finishing up the outside space at the preschool, fixing vehicles, moving furniture, building nik-naks, and so on. We love his joyful heart and passion of living for Christ.
Kara Breniser: A bright and beautiful spirited girl…Kara is such a delight to have around camp. In between her studying and examinations, she had decided to give God two months of her life out here in Zambia. She came with the heart and mind to help out wherever is needed. So far she has been a huge blessing to Amber caring for Jeremiah and often creating scrumptious meals in the kitchen. Kara enjoys her time with the children at the orphanage helping with house mom training, tutoring for the children, developmental milestones for the toddlers, play dates, and anything else she can get her hands on. She will be with us until the middle of October when she heads back to the states to get certified as a PTA.
Olivia Kamm: Olivia just finished her degree at FSU in early childhood education and felt God calling her to Zambia to use all that He has blessed her with. She arrived with Kara and Travis and plans to be here for one year helping out with the moms and children at the orphanage. Olivia has already proved to be extremely knowledgeable in child development and successful at implementing new ways for the moms to relate to their toddlers and older children. She has started a weekly Bible study with the moms to encourage them always to seek after Christ and strive to be the same example to their children. In addition, Olivia has started a tutoring program for all the older children, works one on one with the moms to assist with early childhood development, organized story times and play dates with all the children, helps plan and teach Sunday school at the local church, and helps out around camp with our daily living. We are so excited that she will be able to continue all her work for at least a year and the whole community has welcomed her with open arms.
Travis Enget: Fresh out of high school, Travis took a big leap of faith coming to Africa for a year instead of going off to college right away. Travis is Amber and Jako’s nephew and hasn’t been out here for a few years. I saw the light and joy in his eyes when he landed in Livingstone excited to see all the work God has accomplished since he was last here. He plans to help Jako with all his projects for camp, the orphanage, and the school. Currently he has been very diligent working to take apart an older vehicle so Jako can use the engine to build a new, stronger generator for camp life. Travis has a servants heart and is always willing to so anything you ask of him. It will be nice to have more man power around here, and I know Amber and Jako are excited to share a year of life and ministry with family!
Zoe & Nerida: On our way back from the women’s conference in town, we stumbled upon to beautiful ladies from New Zealand. It just so happens that they have been looking for an orphanage to volunteer at for 8 weeks in their Africa journey. Four years ago, Zoe had visited Zambia and volunteered at an orphanage just outside of Livingstone and God placed it on her heart to do it again. So in June, her and Neri took off for Africa and have been traveling all around until they landed in Zambia. They came out with use a month ago and still have a month left here in Mukamba. They both are educated in early childhood education and have been a huge blessing to me at the school and Olivia with all her programs running at the orphanage. They are such a delight to have around always willing to lend a helping hand cooking, cleaning, painting, sanding, moving furniture, tutoring, teaching, documentation, and anything else they can get their hands on. Jako appreciates the friendly banter about rugby and we all appreciate the fellowship and friendship we have gained. From here they will travel north deeper into Africa and then end up in England for a couple years…if they cross your mind, please pray for their safe travels and adventures ahead!
Kalomo Crew: For a brief moment we had fellow missionaries out for a visit and their interns. The interns came out a few days early to experience the bush and the ministry we do here on a daily basis. Taylor, Ethan, and Abby (the interns) jumped right in and prepared the orphanage garden for cement boxes Jako wants to install 
to save water and allow the vegetables to grow better. After preparations the boys went to work mixing concrete and molding the beds…they almost finished two of them in the short time they were here. Abby was a blessing coming to school one morning to help the children complete their shade project and also with our trash clean up service project in the community. Last Saturday their ministry (Africa’s Child) came to visit and pick them up to bring them back to Kalomo. Christa was able to test all the children at the orphanage for iron and other things, while the rest of the crew walked around and admired all that God had done in this past year. It’s always a blessing to share and rejoice in God’s work…we hope they don’t wait another year before visiting again, but we often fellowship on our trips to town!!
Carla & Friends: Just after we said good bye to our Kalomo friends, Carla (a long term partner with MOL) brought a group of middle school girls, from South Africa, out here to be with us for two weeks. Most of the girls have never been to Zambia, much less living in the bush without their daily comforts. They have been a huge help with dinner prep and spending time with Jakob and Jeremiah. The boys love having them around and spend almost the whole day with them. The girls hope to help with the orphanage children during bible studies, tutoring, and training moments, as well as, at the preschool. Carla will join her team going out to other villages in Zambia at the end of the first week, while the girls will remain for two weeks, meeting up with that team on their way back to South Africa.
I am not sure what the future holds, but at this rate we are going to need more lodging out here for all our support and help! Thank you to everyone who has sacrificed for the sake of the gospel and God’s calling to go out to the nations…we are so blessed by it all!
“It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:13
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