Last Day at the Mission....

Sunday was our last day at the mission...I was NOT ready to leave....was dreading this day. Several of the Zambians were coming early before church to say goodbyes...really sucked. It was so strange...here we had been going nonstop all week and then...suddenly...it's time to leave. So many emotions were hitting me all at once....I was a mess. Church service was long...but I was just trying to soak it all up...take in everything...I didn't want to forget one moment of this day. I took a ton of snaps...just trying to capture it all....I'm sure people thought I was crazy! I found a seat up front of the tabernacle next to Cody...on the ground...and as soon as I sat down, Barbara found me and sat next to me....then I felt someone tap my shoulder. It was my friend Mary from Lusaka...a girl I had met 2 years ago. She found me....she had seen me walk in the tabernacle and came and found me. It was so good to see her! She had to leave half way through the singing...I am so thankful I got to see her. There was many singing specials that were going on...it became kinda humorous for those of us who were sitting on the ground....we would stand up for one song, then they would say sit down...then someone else would come up and lead another song...stand up again...then sit down...stand up...then sit down...it was fun. During one of the songs these 2 lil guys (probably about 2 or 3 yrs old) were dancing right in front of me....it made my heart smile so big. One of them looked like a lil old man and he was just shuffling around...he was so cute....I know God put them there to put a smile on my face as my heart was already sad knowing I was going to leave this place shortly. I loved watching them. In spite the sadness of knowing I was going to be leaving soon...I really enjoyed the service...seeing all my Zambian friends...then came time to say "goodbye"...I was dreading it. Barbara was first. She had brought me a couple of long spoons used for stirring nshima....it was a precious gift. Elaine and I prayed with her before we said goodbye. K, that was a hard one. Then Kasto, Percos, Brian...the list goes on and on. As Elaine and I were walking back to the mission where everyone was getting ready to board the bus...the tears were just pouring out of my eyes...then Kennedy Kapolo met me on the path and hands me this package...telling me he had made me this gift. I waited to open it till I got on the bus....it was a handmade picture made out of seeds of some sort that had an elephant, a scripture verse and my own signature on it. What an awesome gift....I still can't believe he copied my signature...I was so grateful. As hard as it was to say goodbye's, Bobby helped me gain some perspective on how I was feeling....he shared with me how Scripture says we are to be instant in season and out of season....things will be constantly changing....and I must learn to adjust and change with them. I had no control over having to leave without getting a good chunk of time with my Zambian friends....but I knew I needed to embrace the lessons I had been taught and the ones still to come...it was hard leaving the mission...yet I do know I will return there. Hopefully someday soon!



On the road again!!! We were off for Lusaka...stayed the night there then on to Livingstone the next day. The bus ride was pretty much packed but I did enjoy getting to talk with others and relive the moments and memories that we had just experienced together! We had dinner in Lusaka and a short nights rest before leaving for Livingstone on Monday morning.

Saying Good Bye..

I am writing these blogs from my couch at home in America....and it feels so weird. Weird to be home...and it doesn't really feel like home.

We went without internet for over a week...our journey took us away from the mission and there just wasnt time to email or the ability to in Livingstone. I want to write to conclude this journey on the blog...not really sure if anyone is still reading this or not....but here it goes!

Saturday at the Mission:

Saturday at the mission was a very crazy day....it was "Dignitary Day". What that means is a bunch of dignitaries were coming to visit and to partake in the conference that was concluding on Sunday. We had the opportunity to serve them a meal after the morning service. Kinda cool to be able to say that you met the "Head Chief" of the tribe of the area where we were at. It was a crazy day but I enjoyed it very much...so many ladies and guys helped us out to make it go smoothly. I had been a part of a day like this in the past and I have to say that this day went so much smoother than the time before. It was a good time...but I was glad when it was over. In a way...it was an honor to serve these people. Sarah and I took the washbasin and soap around to them to wash their hands...the picture I saw in that was...the same attitude of service I had for these people....that I didn't even know...I need to have that same attitude of service towards my brothers and sisters in Christ...being willing to wash their hands....(and feet if need be)....and to lower myself before them....reminds me of Philippians 2:3-5..."let each esteem others better than themselves."..."Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:" The heart of a servant...that is what I long for. To serve no matter who is in front of me...and to serve them as if I was serving Christ Himself.

Saturday Baptisms

After serving the dignitaries on Saturday morning...we had the opportunity to go to the Kafulafuta River for Baptisms....this is an experience that I am not quite sure I can put into words...but I will try. Hundreds of Zambians gather at the river for Baptism...those that have made decisions that week to give their life to Christ and some that have made that decision prior come to follow in obedience in baptism. Pastor Grace first shared with everyone the picture of Baptism and how it doesnt save one...it is merely a picture of what has already taken place in their life....then several pastors (American and Zambian) go into the river....yes there are crocs in it....) to baptize....people start walking into the river to be baptized...the coolest part is that when one goes into get baptized...someone usually follows after them and helps them out of the water signifying that they are going to help this person in their walk with Christ...walk the journey with them...it is an incredible experience. Very moving....to see God working in their lives....a cool blessing that day was watching the deaf get baptized....I can't quite put it into words. This is definitely one of those things that you have to see it to know what I mean....here's some pics of that day...

Walking to the Kafulufuta River...

The Deaf getting Baptized...

Pastor Grace Baptizing

I will bring praise!

Hello everyone!!
Its been a long time since I have been on here…I know Amy has told how busy we are and kept you all updated but I finally have time to share what God has been doing in my life! Wow…I don’t even know where to start…I think I first want to start with a song that God has put on my heart…Its by the group, Hillsong so I encourage you all to find it online and listen to it…I pray it speaks to your hearts as well! Here are the words…
“Desert Song” --Hillsong
This is my prayer in the Desert This is my prayer in the harvest
When all that’s within me feels dry When favor and providence flow
This is my prayer in my hunger and need I know I’m filled to be emptied again
My God is the God who provides The seed I’ve received I will sow
This is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith provided of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flame
I will bring praise, I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice, I will declare
God is my victory and He is here
This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I’ll stand
All my life, In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship
This song has impacted my heart greatly. Before I came to Zambia this time I felt dry and the battles were great many times getting ready for this trip…I have had such an amazing time though and its been a blessing to meet so many new people and unify together to serve God…even though I am tired, God has renewed my heart and mind…this songs theme talks about prayer and God has opened all of our eyes to the power and NEED of prayer at every moment of the day…we have stopped many times during the day to come together and pray…whether with people in the kitchen or others…this place has been bathed in prayer and I know God wants us to carry this back with us to our homes and ministries! No matter what I will bring praise to my Lord and Savior…what a powerful song!
This time has been very different than the first time I came with Encounter. When I came with them, we were gone most of the time in school’s singing…this time I have spent a lot of time in the kitchen as most of you know. I have missed being out with the people too but it has been awesome being the prayer warriors and serving people in whatever way we can! The times I have gone out though, I have made some sweet friendships with people I plan to keep in touch with…
Ok so It was adventure first of all getting here and it felt like we were never going make it….but we did, safe and sound! I got sick the first night and then wasn’t feeling good most of the next day…God was good though and gave me the strength to accomplish what I needed too. Sunday was somewhat relaxing and it was nice to rest a little before the crazy week started…
Every day has had different challenges but I wouldn’t trade any of them…they have bonded this team closer together and many prayers have been answered as I know Amy told you! Tuesday I went to the clinic for the afternoon to help with whatever they needed…the smells were a bit overwhelming at first but once I started helping the doctors I forgot about them…I don’t really like going to the doctor in the first place so going into that clinic to help was a step of faith…I loved it though and I even pulled a tooth…God gave me the strength and I was'nt that nervous or grossed out…I was amazed that I had pulled something out of someone’s body and helped them with a pain that had been hurting for a long time!
I also have seen some friends that I had made before and been able to re-connect with them…The people here are amazing! I am humbled when I hear what they have been through and yet have so much joy in the Lord…!
Also, I don’t know how many of you I told that there is an African Encounter team as a result of when our team came in 2005! I have been able to see them and are supposed to be singing with them before we leave…its so awesome to come back 3 years later and see how God has been using the Encounter team here in Zambia…wow!
So much more has happened that I cant even describe to you right now…but God has been working mightily and we are so grateful for all the prayers of our families and friends!!! We could not do this without everyone working together in the name of Jesus and for His mission!
So…thank you from the bottom of my heart!!! I praise God for all of you and am praying for you….
we3
For His glory,
valerie

A Quick Update

As I am writing this…I am listening to the song…Turn Your Eyes on Jesus….Look full in His Wonderful Face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim…in the Light of His Glory and Grace. I need that reminder today.
First off…I apologize for the lack of blogs and emailing…if you all only knew how crazy it is right here….right now…you would understand! We are all SO VERY TIRED….I don’t even think the word Tired could describe how I feel right now. I am empty…spent…nothing left…but so full of joy. We have worked our fingers to the bone and then turned around and worked some more…everyone here is putting in all they have….spending it all for His Glory. Val and Robin also apologize for the lack of emails…we seriously have not had the time…and when we do…the power is off so we cant use internet….We 3 were up till 3am this morning baking cookies for the Dignitaries that are coming here tomorrow….then turned around and were up at 8 to begin the day…our bodies are weak…but we are learning the true meaning of the verse…”His strength is made perfect in our weakness”….today…I just know that someone back home is praying me through….I was done earlier today….broken….spent up…and just ready to leave….this has been a tough job…I have seen God break me down to my weakest point….then break me down some more….then take His BIG Right Hand…and pick me back up again. Trips like this really show you who you really are….it’s humbling…but it is so cool to watch God and His power overcome your weakness.
I don’t quite know how to recap the last couple of days…they have been full of energy…Lots of cooking…I cannot imagine what it must be like to have a large family….we are cooking, doing laundry, cleaning….helping 35 people all day long….loving every minute of it!
Yesterday was a great day…As soon as prayer time was over we started prepping for lunch…enjoying one another’s company in the kitchen…singing while we worked. After lunch I took my friend Barbara up to the clinic so that the doctors could examine her…I will try to describe the clinic for you…Imagine a concrete building…concrete walls, floors, ceilings…open windows with bars…no airflow…hot and stuffy…half the room is split by a white sheet that separates the medical side from the dental side…on the dental side you have 4 school desk chairs leaning up against a window sill or chalkboard tray and 2 dontated dental chairs…2 tables for the instruments to be laid out on…on the medical side you have 2 really old examining tables…a small shelving system to hold the medications….and a table to hold instruments…you can hear all the people outside talking very loudly…some have waited all week to be seen…there just isn’t enough of the doctors for all the needs…some Zambians are getting impatient because of having to wait (we complain when we have to wait 15 minutes for our doctor’s appt…these people have waited for days and are coming in with problems that they have lived with for years…) so it is pretty much chaotic. I was only in there for 15 minutes and I was getting overwhelmed by the need…I could only imagine how the doctors felt…I came back to the kitchen and got all the ladies and Blake who was helping us out…I told them…we need to pray. Those doctors have so much on them….so we went to the Throne. Mama Catherine was praying with us…when it got to be her turn…I literally broke and fell to my knees….here we all are tired and spent and feeling the burden of the need at the clinic…and what does she do? She starts to sing…”Count your Blessings…Name them One by One….Count your many blessings see what God has done…” Yep…pretty much no words to describe that moment. Slap Slap across the face…His Big Right Hand again. These people have such a perspective on life….one that I am envious of. I will never forget that moment. God forgive me for complaining about anything. I have learned so much from Mama Catherine…this woman is the virtuous woman to me…she exemplifies the strength of Christ….she is a hero to me.
Last night we had an awesome service at the Tabernacle. The message was on Gideon’s 300 men…and the invitation was to join with God…no matter the cost…no matter the pain…and fight this battle with Him. We enjoyed an awesome time of singing with them in the end…captured Val and Robin on stage dancing with the Zambians…I love watching these girls come alive….they have been such a HUGE help and their servant’s hearts are indescribable. We are having an amazing time…growing together…forging the relationships that God has already given us…God is growing us stronger together and we are truly becoming One Team for His Glory. I love these girls!!!
Tonight at our sharing time…one of the medical guys shared how he had given his life and burdens to Christ that night! AMEN HALLELUJAH…PRAISE GOD!!! He answered our prayer! We were all rejoicing! And after our sharing time….one of the medical girls came up to me and asked if she could talk to me later…when we did…it was so awesome….God is really working in her life…we had many things in common and I was able to share with her how God has worked in my life…we talked for several hours….she said that God kept telling her to talk to me since Sunday when I had prayed with her at the altar…and it was very evident why. God is working in this group and we give all the glory to Him!!!
So today I woke up late…due to the late night….and was supposed to work in the clinic again…I went up there feeling very weak…and almost passed out 2 times in the clinic…I know it is due to exhaustion. Elaine, one of the nurses…forced me to go back to bed….and I listened and went back to bed….slept a couple of hours and felt worse when waking up. I really believe that God was just trying to break me down and remind me that I cannot do this without Him…I am nothing with out Him! Several people stopped and prayed with me and for me….Val and I got alone and she just prayed over me…I felt so much better. Again….His strength made perfect in my weakness….we have been cooking all afternoon…getting ready to go make pizza…tonight we are going to celebrate birthdays at dinner….then off to the Tabernacle for service. PLEASE PRAY tomorrow….we will be cooking for 70 people…there is a huge group of Dignitaries coming here to see what is going on….it will be our craziest day yet….we need your prayers! We are so thankful for all your prayers and emails….they help so much to know that people are thinking about us!!!! We send our love to all of you….it may be a couple days before we can get on internet again…Sunday we will be leaving for Livingstone after church….a break we are all ready for. Thank you for praying us through!
His Servant,
Amy

Greetings from Africa!!!!!!

Mulishani :

Greetings from Zambia!!!! I am sorry that I have not been able to blog yet……….this is Zambia!!! I can not even begin to put into words what my heart is feeling…….. I cant put into words what it feels like to wake up each morning in Africa, what it feels like to look into the faces of these wonderful people, what its like to be a part of this amazing team that I know God has hand picked to be here, to see the “body of Christ” working together each member doing what God has asked them to do with there whole heart and then lending a hand to help whatever else needs to be done. Each day has proved to be a chance for me to take a bigger Leap of faith and every time My Savior has asked me to do this………..it is His arms I land in!!!!!!

I was going to try and summarize a “normal” day here in Zambia but then I realized that there is no such thing as a “normal’ day each is special filled with its own share of mountains and valleys!!!!! Each day is a day that the Lord hath made and we are rejoicing and are glad in it!!!!! So far, we try and wake up at 5:30 yeah that has not really happened its more like 7:00 but when you cant fall asleep until 2:30 am ( yeah Jet lag sucks L ) its hard to wake up at 5:30. After I get up I try and find some time to just get alone with God and then we meet at 8:00 for group prayer…….let me just say that God has shown me how powerful prayer really is and I love the times when we all come together and pray, its so awesome!!!!!!! We begin to prepare lunch and dinner, yesterday was physically the hardest day thus far, I know that only through God’s strength was I able to carry on, it was awesome to just fall on my Savior and know that He would and that He did carry me!!!!

There is so much to say, so many stories, so many times of laughter , so many things, all of which done to bring glory and honor to our Savior!!!!!! I do have to share one funny story…….ok so a couple of days ago, I was making dinner and drinks and while we were sitting out at dinner I noticed a small rash on my arm( if you know me I kind of was a little worried) ;) so I went on with dinner and then we had the most awesome time of testimony with all the group and I went and took a shower before bed, I got out of the shower and in the process of getting ready for bed I noticed that my rash was gone!!!!! I began to laugh because I realized that I had made red Kool-Aid for dinner to drink and it had stained my arm!!!!!!! It was so funny, so yes, I had a kool aide rash!!!! He he he

I so much love Zambia, the people, the smell, the sunsets!!!! I have been more tired than I even imagined I could ever be, but found such a strength in God that I have never known before!!!! I cant believe that I have to leave this place I have come to love so much!!!!! I am making the most of every second in Zambia!!!!!! Thank you Lord for allowing me to come!!!!
I love and miss you all back home and I cant wait to see you all and tell all of what God has done!!!!!!!


In Christ
Robin

The Face of Love

Today has been a day of seeing the Face of Love in so many ways. We started the day in prayer…it has been neat to watch more people showing up for these times of prayer. We can really see God’s Spirit uniting our hearts as one team…with one purpose…one mission…to accomplish one goal…for the Only One God!
My day started out in the medical/dental clinic. Something I was greatly looking forward to doing! I was so excited to be outside the gates of the mission and amongst the Zambians. I had told one of the dentist that if he came across an easy tooth to pull…I wanted to pull it! I started cleaning instruments for them and Andy said…hey Amy…I got a couple for you. I pulled 2 teeth on this precious Zambian woman. These people amaze me…the children, the women, the men are so strong…no complaining…so grateful to be relieved of pain. I’m sorry…but my tooth would have to hurt real bad for me to go into a concrete building…sit in a school desk and lean my head up against a window sill or chalkboard tray to get a tooth pulled. In talking with these dentist…they have said that it’s strange because everything they are taught in school is to save the teeth…and here their only option is to pretty much relieve the pain by pulling the teeth. And the people are so grateful. They receive a topical and an injection…no goofy gas though….and they are so grateful. I was so humbled to be a part of it. I had the opportunity to pull another tooth too…along with just assisting the dentist…handing them tools…cleaning their trays when they were done…praying over them and the patients. At one point…one of the dentists, Katie, was struggling pretty bad trying to get a broken tooth out of this dear lady. I could tell she was becoming stressed over it….so I just stood behind her and started praying. She turned around and said…”please pray Amy”…already was! It wasn’t much longer that the tooth came out…she was so relieved and acknowledged God as helping her. That was so cool….I have been praying so much for her along with the others. I really enjoyed my time on the dental side. We were winding things down for lunch and I just hung around to see if there was any thing I could help with. Nona, one of the medical doctors, was helping a precious little 2 year old baby girl….this little girl got too close to the fire, I am sure she was near to keep warm, and had a huge burn on the top of her right foot. She was crying so hard, her momma was doing everything to comfort her…Nona looked at me and asked me to assist her by holding her foot. I grabbed some gloves and held this precious little foot…all the while…the baby was screaming the same word over and over. I asked the translator what she was saying….she was saying “stop, stop, stop!” Nona cleaned it the best she could then bandaged her up. This little baby was so brave. I absolutely loved being in there today…and I hope I get the opportunity to go in there some more this week. I love comforting people that are hurting…both physically and spiritually. It was so awesome to watch this medical team. I sat with them at lunch and they were all pretty much speechless. Nona said she has learned more in the last 2 days than she has in a year of medical school. Here…its real and raw all at the same time. These people are coming in with physical problems that they have lived with for years and are so grateful to have help…we have seen some things that I don’t know if I can even talk about them. It breaks my heart to know that so many people are hurting…I too am speechless.
I was so overwhelmed by the morning I had to go just get alone…sleep was good and refreshing. My heart was overwhelmed, my mind was racing…my body was spent. Please pray for this dental/medical team. They are seeing cases for the first time and I can’t imagine how they must feel. Please pray for their strength. God is working in their lives…and He is doing some big stuff.
Tonight God showed me His Sovereignty in a cool way….Val and I were hanging around after doing all the dishes…service had already started at 7:30 and it was now 8:30, the whole team had already finished helping and were at the tabernacle...we were waiting on Jake to finish eating…the dude eats so much…and I kept thinking…hurry up!!! We are missing the service!…finally…he was done…and we headed up to the tabernacle. Just as we left the mission gate…Joseph and a group of guys were coming through the gate. (Joseph is kinda like the Zambian foreman of the mission) These men had been out all afternoon and most of the evening trying to fix the water pump for the water that the Zambians were using. They were spent. I asked him if they had eaten…nope. So the 4 of us that were together went back and made them a meal…I saw how God orchestrated it…had Jake not of been eating slow…we wouldn’t of ran into these Zambian men. God allowed us all to be a blessing to them….after we prepared their meal…a small group of the team that had been away from the mission showed back up…and we were able to get them fed too…so, God had a plan in all of it. My impatience was only getting in the way. The other cool part about this was Jake and Chris, 2 guys from the medical/dental team, couldn’t wait to get up to the tabernacle to listen….I was planning on staying behind…but since they wanted to go…we all walked up their together! They heard the name of Jesus lifted high!!! We all did! It was good…tonight started the Adult Bible Conference. Many Zambians have begun showing up. Sarah and I walked to the back of the tabernacle…I wanted a different perspective. Most of the time, they have all the Americans sit up front…but I like to be out amongst the people. It was cool to listen from the back of the tabernacle. At one point, I looked down and saw the women in front of us all laid down ready to sleep….along with all the items they will need for this entire week. Humbling. These people have traveled from all over and are content to come, live outside for a week, to hear the Word preached. These women had buckets of cornmeal, lettuce….even their chickens were cooped up in their pen….yep, you know what’s gonna happen to them by the end of the week! Just picture a huge structure made of grass reeds and trees with straw used for the flooring…some parts are covered with grass reeds, some are open air…and picture thousands of Africans sleeping outside, they have nothing but a small blanket…some don’t even have that. They have brought what food they have to feed their families this week…and they are content. There is much singing….all through the night…I was telling Sarah…how cool would it be to go to sleep listening to someone preach the Word live. (I know some do that every week…) But for it to actually be time for bed and to listen to the Word being loudly proclaimed! Sarah and I talked about sleeping outside with them one night this week, if we are allowed to…we’ll see! I think it would be a cool experience! It was a good night!
So, I saw the Face of Love today…in the smile of a child, in the eyes of a doctor that gave glory to God for His help, in the hug of a new friend, in the unity of the Body of Christ….in so many things….in the huge moon of Africa! God is good…I am enjoying my time meeting new people…I am learning so much….I am seeking His Face as to what the next step of my life is…I am so stoked that God loves me and that His plan for my life is so huge! I am enjoying ministering with my roommates….seeing their lives changed too…seeing God stretch them and grow them too….I am blessed to have so many new brothers and sisters in Christ. God is so good!!!
One last story and I will close! So, before I left Robin, Val and I had the opportunity to go present Zambia to the children at Gateway Church VBS. During that night, we had them help us make bracelets to bring to the Zambian children. So, at the beginning of VBS…one of the ladies asked us if we knew if there were any extra beads here at the mission, they wanted to make bracelets for all the kids at VBS and didn’t have enough…so what my God did….He took the 100 bracelets that Gateway Church VBS kids had made and He multiplied them….He allowed them to be used to make 1800 bracelets for these children….how cool is that! Makes me think of that story about the 5 loaves and 2 fishes….God broke, bless and multiplied. My dear friend Stacy sent me the words to a song about this story and it had such an awesome application…God will take our lives…brake them, bless them and then multiply them so we can minister to the multitudes. So, when we find ourselves broken, which I have found myself quite often here, let’s embrace that time…so that He can bless us, and use our brokenness to reach many people that we may have never thought possible that we could reach. It’s all for His Glory!

Amy Hayweird

Greetings from Zambia!!!

Hello Everyone…
Just wanted everyone to know that we are all doing well…sorry we haven’t emailed or blogged….also…we aren’t getting all the emails that people have said they are sending…so if we haven’t replied…that is why! This is Zambia!!! The arrival of the team(s) went very well…still a couple bags missing…so please pray! Thank you for all the supplies that were sent! It was like Christmas!!! Thanks Damon for the hats and jacket…I have already passed out many of them…and you should of seen the smiles! Bill and Carolyn….John loved the shoes…He came out today dancing in them…so happy! All of the supplies are definitely appreciated and a HUGE blessing!
Saturday Night there was much electricity in this place…everyone was so excited to have finally made it half way around the world…it was good to see familiar faces!!! Needless to say there wasn’t much sleep that night! Sunday we all went our separate ways to different churches. The girls and I stayed here at Kafulafuta for church…it was another amazing time. I loved watching the faces of those who were experiencing Zambia Church for the first time! Eyes were bright…lots of questions were asked…and Bobby Bonner did an amazing job delivering the Word. God’s Spirit was moving! Hearts were being pricked. The medical/dental team…the girls…Bobby…Lorna and I went to lunch at Pastor Luwawa’s house…I was so proud of Robin..she just dove right in and was eating nshima and nsumbi…(chicken)…and even some rape. I was just smiling at her!!! She has adjusted very well.
Sunday afternoon was nice…Val, Robin and I went for a little walk down the dirt road…it was just good to get away and to catch up with each other. We still can’t believe that we are all here in AFRICA together!!! Adjustments have been good….I went from having a room to myself to sharing with 4 other girls! Just smile!!! (4 other girls with 2 suitcases and a carryon each! ) Just smile!!! It has been interesting and has been going very well! On top of that…8 GIRLS SHARING A BATHROOM!!!!! Good times!!! We are having fun!
We had a HUGE Steak dinner last night. Bobby and Dennis cooked steaks for us on the grill….we had a feast! The newcomers have been very impressed and thankful for the good home cookin they are getting! It has been fun to meet new people…and people that have actually lived in KC for a while…(the medical/dental team). I have really enjoyed learning everyone’s story. We have prayed hard for this group that their lives will be eternally changed from this trip…I know that a lot of them are coming here thinking they are just here for the medical/dental side…yet God IS WORKING!!! We are seeing many prayers answered!!!
Last night after dinner we had a testimony time…it was so refreshing…and the blessings were just pouring out! We heard several stories from the medical/dental team (the ones we have been praying for)…hearts were broken…words were coming out of mouths that were all choked up…I just sat there with tears coming down my face! God hears our prayers…and He is Faithful to answer! WOW! After that time…we all went up to the clinic to help get supplies unloaded and distributed and organized so that they would be ready to go today! Thank God for the medical team that has come!!! I was able to get my back adjusted by one of them and it helped me SO MUCH!!!! Thank You Jesus! I have been in extreme pain here from standing so much and from walking on rocks all day back and forth…God provides! After we were finished…we spent some time praying over the clinic and praying for the team and for the patients that will be coming….it was a great way to end a long day! We then went back to the BIG House…and God continued to open doors…I heard more than one person sharing the Gospel with a couple of the guys…Again…GOD IS WORKING!!! I am believing God that ALL of us are going to go back different and some will go back walking with God for the first time in their life!!! WE give HIM GLORY!!!!!
I FINALLY GOT 8 HOURS OF SLEEP TODAY!!!! WOOHOO!!!! I felt like a new person when I woke up! Sleep is good! The girls and I have been doing different jobs all day today…mostly in the kitchen…Robin had the opportunity to go to the clinic to assist this morning…not quite sure that is her cup of tea…but I am proud of her for trying! Val and I just got back from taking some water and supplies to help out the team. Today…God has shown me so much…and it is coming in little packages…I am not used to being “inside the gates”….but that is where God has me serving this time….today He was showing me…EMBRACE IT! The medical team…they are having the opportunity to be the hands of Jesus this week…touching physically peoples lives…the VBS team…they have the opportunity to be the feet of Jesus…going and dancing and walking with the children…I am so excited…I get to be His knees…I have found that my place is to be the prayer warrior…praying for those that don’t know Christ to come to know Him….praying for physical strength…unity…joy….I have embraced my part in the Body of Christ…and I am loving it! I love being able to just see a need and to offer a glass of ice water…a back rub…a smile…an encouraging word…I love serving behind the scenes. We all have a part in the Body of Christ…and I want to make sure that I do my part well!
I better go for now…gotta get ready to make dinner and we will be going to the tabernacle tonight for the VBS service…thank you all for your prayers, emails….comments on the blog….I am sorry I haven’t been able to reply personally to everyone….my time alone is very limited….I have already been interrupted 3 times since trying to write this….I am so grateful for my support system back home…you all are the best. Dad…I haven’t received any of your emails….mom said you tried to send some….HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY to my precious lil niece Ava Grace…I love you so much….(even though it was yesterday) I love you lil girl…you are greatly missed…I can’t wait to kiss your cheeks!!! Homey…thanks for all the verses…youo have no idea how they have ministered to my heart!…Laci…PRAISE GOD for all He has done in your family…I am still praying for you all! Love to all my family and friends…although I can’t reply to emails..they are SO encouraging and greatly appreciated! It is nice to know that I am missed! I love you all and miss you too!!!
Tell your story…tell it often …tell it well…those who know the Lord have a story to tell!!!! May we spread His fame till ALL know Him! I wanna set the world on fire!
~Amy~

The Bible says that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord….and he delighted in his way…I saw that verse to be very true today. Sleep is still not what it used to be…I am beginning to think it is way overrated. It is definitely not my friend this trip…and it has definitely been the grace of God that has carried this weary body around all day long.
I got up early this morning…had some good quiet time with the Lord…gave Kevin a haircut…and went to the Big House for our prayer time. I am gonna miss these prayer times so much…but I am gonna take what I have learned from them and use the lessons learned back home…be ready friends…we are gonna pray!!! I have seen what I have missed out on my not taking the time to pray with my family and friends…that MUST CHANGE!!! Do you realize that when we pray…we are entering the very throne room of God….ok….just in case you didn’t catch that…WE ENTER THE THRONE ROOM OF GOD…WE GO STRAIGHT TO HIS PRESENCE! I don’t know about you…but that is the only place I want to be. So once more today…we entered into His presence…and it was incredible. I crawled right up in His lap and He was just holding on to me…I told Him how I couldn’t find the words to say what was on my heart in that moment…so overwhelmed by Him…all He has done...all He is showing me…so thankful to be His daughter….so grateful for the Cross of Calvary and the blood that was shed for me by Jesus….I was completely awestruck by my Savior and my God. We have seen God answer so many prayers…we have seen hearts change….joy restored…there is a spark here…and for those of you that know my favorite song…”I wanna set the world on fire…until it’s burning bright for You…it’s everything that I desire…can I be the one You use…” God is definitely burning the wind of His Spirit on this place…there are small embers everywhere that are catching that wind and slowly coming on fire…we believe that God has the power to take the fire inside of us here and use it to start a world wide fire of people that are passionate about what Christ has done for them….will you join us? Will you take what you have been given and spark a fire in someone else to want to know Christ today??? Ok….I’ll change the subject…but the prayer time has been awesome!!!! I cannot stress that enough!
In my prayer I had asked God to order our steps today…if there was somewhere we needed to be that took us away from the duties at hand…I prayed He would do it…well...He did! I walked back to my room to get my chapstick of all things…love chapstick…and was told that I had a visitor at the door….BARBARA!!! Man…I have waited so long to see her….this is a lady that I met back in 2005. She had come to the mission one day…had walked a long way to get there, just to ask for prayer…she was very sick at the time and I wont go into her story…you can ask me later…but she was very sick and had many issues and just wanted prayer…I will never forget that day…Becky Bonner had come to a small group of us and asked if we had anything to help her with…we all pulled together and gave her food, clothes…money…medicine and best of all were able to spend time in prayer with her. Barbara’s heart and mine were connected from that point on. I have loved all the time I have had in the past to spend time with her…we have so many memories…I have walked to her village…spent time in her church….traveled to another village with her to teach a ladies conference…had some true fellowship with her…so you must know all that to know why I was so excited to see her. We just stood on that porch and cried and hugged…I invited her in to give her some letters I had for her…which brought more tears…we were crying so much…broken by hurts from the past, yet healed all at the same time…it got to the point that we couldn’t even talk to each other…we just sat on the bed and held one another…and somewhere inside I found the words to choke out a prayer to God…thanking Him for this dear precious sister in Christ. She brightened my day…we both grew a bit closer to our Savior and walked away healed and refreshed. I praise God for this woman…she is strength…faith…love…joy….she reminds me of Jesus…He is written all over her face. Thanks God for ordering my steps this morning!
After seeing Barbara..back to the kitchen! Once again…my steps were ordered….and I answered the door again…the Zambians come to the door and knock…then wait for you to answer it…this time it was my good friend Kasto…He came to the mission to greet Dick Jarvis…and me. How humbling…he traveled there and I was on his list of people he was coming to see…it was so good to catch up with him. He pastors the deaf in Luanshya…he has gotten married since my last trip here…and has a baby girl. I can’t wait to see them and meet them next week. What an awesome blessing!
I did a lot of baking today in preparation for the teams arrival…the first group got here this afternoon…I am so stoked about meeting new people…learning their stories and learning from their lives. We had a good time getting to know them…there are people from all over the states here…and 17 more are arriving tomorrow!!! Including Robin and Val!!! Yeah!!!
This was a great day…and I am so happy to report that! I am learning so much here…enjoying my time with God…listening as He speaks…being still….taking in every moment…letting Him lead…sitting at His feet.
One more thing…tonight after dinner a group of Zambians came to the door…they were all here working to get the tabernacle (the structure that will house the conference next week) built. They were planning on working till midnight…I asked Kevin if they had eaten…nope. I can’t handle that. I asked if we could take them some food…we were all on the same page. It was so humbling and rewarding to bring them food. The only part I don’t like about it is I felt like we were just bringing them our leftovers. We are so spoiled. Do they ever get a meal like what we had just prepared for the team that had arrived. I would love to cook up a huge feast for these precious people…the guys were so appreciative of their meal…eating every bite. ..the lesson I learned in that was…Don’t bring God the leftovers…He deserves the best I have to give. I know that the men appreciated the leftovers…but I so wish they could have been there at the beginning of the meal…having the best when it came out of the oven…I want to give God my best every day…not my leftovers.

People that have eternally impacted my life today...

Dick Jarvis
Dick arrived here at the mission yesterday…jet lagged but smiling. Dick and his wife are coming to Zambia to be missionaries to the deaf. His wife plans to join him here in September…he has bought a one way ticket. That to me is so cool. I didn’t get to talk to him much yesterday as he was settling in and catching up with his Zambian friends. Tonight he joined Dennis, Sue, Cody, Sarah and I for a time of prayer. He first shared his story with us. WOW! This man is 68 and has yes to God to give his life to be a missionary….SIXTY EIGHT. Most people at this stage in their life are thinking only of themselves and what retirement holds for them. He is so passionate about obeying God and answering His call…even when that means giving up retirement and enjoying the comforts that it brings. Nope…instead…he is going to have some huge rewards in Heaven…his eyes are on eternity, and not on the temporal…I want so bad to be like him. He has taught sign language for over 20 years and 3 years ago said yes to God’s call to come to Zambia to minister to the deaf community that are forgotten and neglected at times. I asked him what his wife said when he told her…she was willing and ready to come. To hear him talk about the deaf people and pray over them was huge. His heart is huge, selfless and committed to the One Who gave His all for him. SIXTY EIGHT…I just can’t get over that….I pray that if I am still alive then, that I would be found serving God in whatever capacity He has called me to…wherever…whatever…no matter what the cost. Dick and his wife area the example of what it means to say yes to God. Just visiting with him tonight impacted me so greatly….I am so sick and tired of focusing on the temporal…it’s time that the focus of my heart must be on Eternity and eternity alone. Time is short…Jesus return is very soon…what will be said of my life in the end?
Percos
I was cleaning my room today in preparation for the team coming in tomorrow…and someone knocked on the door…then I heard whistling…I thought it was maybe one of the other Americans…Zambians don’t usually whistle. Nope…it was my dear friend Percos…and I handed him a pretty big surprise by answering the door. He was so shocked to see me here….this guy is so Christ like. I look at Him and I see Jesus…all over him. His smile will brighten any day. He sure brightened mine! He asked all about my family and friends back home. After he left I got to thinking about the state of his heart. The reason for his coming to the mission today…to get his support money…the journey to get there…either walked from Luanshya…about 15 minutes by car ride…or had to pay for transport….just to get his support…which I can assure you is not much by our standards…and then there he stands at the door…whistling while he was patiently waiting. These people get it….real joy. We definitely don’t get it…I don’t anyway….I am slowly learning.
Dennis
I have seen from Dennis on this trip that actions speak louder than words….this man serves from the bottom of his heart and does it without words…He has found ways every day to bring a smile…joy…a blessing to all of our lives. Today…he once more went to town 3rd day in a row now…just to get items we keep running out of…and today…he got us girls a special prize. I had told him that I loved this bag that Sarah had gotten in the market in Kitwe…he showed back up with 10 of them…so proud that he had gotten a better deal than Sarah had….he knew how much I liked them…and wanted as many as he could talk the guy out of for the least amount of money. He is always there for a hug…a smile…a prayer…an encouraging word…I am so thankful to walk this journey with him and his wife Sue…
Sue
This woman…she amazes me…her strength in the midst of her physical weakness. Today…I saw her hurting physically and yet she stopped what she was doing to sing and dance with Catherine and Felicia…the joy that was written all over her face was contagious. She doesn’t let her physical illness keep her down….I never hear her complain…she never stops…and she serves with a smile on her face. She has taught me how to serve Jesus with a happy heart. I am so thankful I get to serve Jesus with her. She is a sweet dear friend to me and she has taught me today that there are no limitations when Jesus is in your life…He overcomes them all. If we let Him!
Catherine
Mama Catherine…so much to say. She faithfully serves and works at the mission…once again…all these people that have impacted my life….well…I’ll just be nice and say that they are all over 50 except for Cody and Sarah.…and they are on the mission field…serving. Catherine….she walks to the mission every day…I have walked to her home before…it’s not just a couple blocks away…she walks to and from every day…works her bum off all day…singing…smiling…so happy to have a job to be able to provide for her family….and she goes home and serves her family. She amazes me. She was singing all day today. Praising Jesus in the midst of the smallest chore. She was so tickled that I gave her a beater to lick from the brownies I was making…when was the last time you got excited about licking the brownie batter??? Her joy is so simple…I want that. I felt so humbled…she is so grateful for the smallest thing…a glass of water. She impacted me today…just as she does every day…I pray God uses me to be Jesus to her…the same way she is to me.
Felicia
Wow…where to begin. Her son was bit by a dog yesterday…was taken to the hospital…and due to no transport…she hadn’t even been able to see him yet…and yet today she is singing as she is too working on the simplest task...ironing….it was very obvious where her faith stood…in her Savior…and that He was doing His job in her life…being her Comforter. I was able to pray with the two of them at lunch…and I just lost it…crying like a baby…I was so broken…I want to be a servant of Christ just like these ladies are. I can’t even put into words right now how they impacted me today…
Cody
Jesus found Cody this year here in Zambia, he accepted Christ…and is not looking back…his life has been changed…he is so full of zeal…I love to hear him pray…he just talks straight to God…no filter…no pre thought up prayer…just him and God…and he keeps thanking Him for His big right hand…how it smacks him down when he needs it…and then It picks him back up all in the same time. I can’t get that out of my head. And tonight I experienced what he’s been saying….I needed to be smacked down a bit…I let some things frustrate me…and was just in a funk…I got away from the group…spent some alone time with God…and His great right hand…brought me down…and then later tonight…Dick, Dennis, Sue, Cody and I spent some awesome time in prayer together…and I felt it…His Great Right Hand picked me right back up…brushed me off…forgave me…and set me back on the path. It was awesome…amazing…what a Mighty God we serve! God keeps using Cody to impact my life. He loves Jesus…with ALL his heart. I want to love and pursue God in the same way Cody has been demonstrating to all of us.
Sarah
Her main passion right now…she wants to write out Scripture and make sure that everyone has a new one on their bed every day….that’s 30 verses a day for 10 days…and she is determined to do it…and has asked me to help her. I want to be that passionate about spreading God’s Word to all I come in contact with. Do I get that excited about the Word? And about sharing it with others? She has taught me so much…she has impacted me.

If you can’t tell…this day has been impactful….One thing I have learned…we impact people every day with what we say…what we do…how we represent or don’t represent Christ….who will you impact today….and what kind of impression will you leave on their life?? Will their life be eternally changed because you made a difference….I’ll close with one of my favorite quotes…

”Live in such a way that those who know you but don’t know Christ will come to know Christ because they know you.”

Things I love about Zambia...

… waking up and being able to say…”I’m in Africa!”
…not having a time schedule every morning
…starting the day by praying with my brothers and sisters in Christ
…bad days
…good days
…singing at the top of my lungs while cooking
…grocery store trips that take all day…and require traveling to 3 different towns…
…police checkpoints all along the way
…waiting in line at the grocery store for a half an hour just to check out
…learning patience (see above)
…not being able to find everything you need at one store and having to go to 2 others just to get brown sugar.
…Cadburys chocolate!!!
…shopping at the market and having fun with the Zambians.
…seeing Zambians smile back when you smile at them.
…coca cola light
…making Zambians laugh just because I am a stupid muzungu! (white person)
…singing to the cashier at the grocery store…
…cooking dinner in the dark…no power
…star bakery rolls.
…drive through market stands-again…being laughed at by the Zambians cause we paid way too much for oranges and sweet potatoes!
…beautiful chitenga material…(skirts)
…hanging out with friends…being real and vulnerable.
…Dennis and Sue Anderson
…having God wake me up!
…quiet time
…alone time
…trying to get started preparing after 2 day trips to the store only to find that you still don’t have all you need and will have to wait another day….another trip to town.
…stillness
…being interrupted from the busyness of the day to go greet a dear friend (Edgar) and meet his new wife and son.
…cooking
…baking
…peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on star bakery rolls
…power
…no power…(God allowed the power to go off right in the middle of baking today…This is Zambia!)
…generated power that is allowed to run so the bread could finish baking…
…no power…that allowed us some time to rest and pray together…I love these prayer times….God meets with us!
…walks on the dirt road with Sarah
…Sarah showing me how to “slash” the grass…(cut)
…almost getting slashed in the head by Sarah…
…openness
…preparing for all the guests that will be here in 2 days.
…making the mission feel like home for the guest that are arriving soon.
…catching up with an old friend…Lorna
…children smiling and greeting us on the dirt road walk.
…emails
…music
…Catherine…my African mum
…POWER!!! And the ability it brings to cook dinner!
…meatloaf, homemade mac and cheez…green beans!!!
…teamwork
…Christian brotherly/sisterly love
…the presence of God.
I hope this gives some insight on my last 2 days here. So much continues to go on around me and there is becoming less alone time as we approach the teams arrival on Friday and Saturday…then the real fun begins!
God taught me 2 amazing lessons today…
1. The mission is important…I am not.
With so much happening since I have been here….God reminded me of this today. He asked me simply to accomplish the mission of why I am here and that is to serve the teams that are coming real soon and to serve as unto Jesus…that was my focus today…to serve and to prepare as if I was doing it for Christ. I had a blast serving.
2. Power…don’t live life without it!
If you couldn’t tell by the above…power is needed. Stop and think about all that you do on a daily, hourly, minute by minute basis that requires power. Everything shut down today when the power went off. No more baking/cooking…no flushing toilets…no washing dishes or clothes…no internet…no emails….just silence and a pause…rest. It couldn’t of come at a better time. Someone was having a difficult moment so we again…stopped and prayed. God was right there in our midst. It was awesome…I believe that God allowed the power to go off so that we could just pause and pray. Prayer has been HUGE this trip and I am learning so much about it. It’s our connection with the God of this universe…it is fellowship with Him and with the body of Christ…it is healing…it is uniting…it is cleansing…it is crucial! Thanks God for turning off the power….so…when it did come back on…it was like ants scurrying around…you should of seen the way we all were hurrying to get dinner cooked. As I was washing dishes…I was thinking out loud the lessons I had learned about the power going off…1st One must be connected to the power source…(we were disconnected.) Our power source is God Himself…and once one is connected…the power is always there...the question is am I connected? 2nd Power here is needed for flushing toilets…washing dishes/clothes…cleaning…God’s power in our lives cleanses us…gets the crap out of our lives…allows us to be clean before Him. 3rd…Accomplishing our mission today required power usage…Accomplishing God’s mission for my life demands that I be moving in His power alone…I cannot do it on my own.

I WILL PRAISE YOU IN THIS STORM...

Who ever invented blogging…they were a genius. It has been so good for me to journal at the end of my day on here….I look forward to it at night…to just recap all God has done. I need to do this at home too. It helps to remember and solidify the journey we all are on. I was thinking today how things seem different here, yet in reality, they are no different in some areas. This post is going to be straight from my heart…no filter…J
Today …well…it pretty much sucked from the beginning…yep ya heard what I said…it was a crappy day. Do you know how good it feels to say that. I am sure I am not making my mother proud by using those words…but it is the truth from my heart, sorry mom…I know you did not raise me to talk that way. (it has gotten better…keep reading) This journey…as well as the journey of life that we are all on is not easy…there are no guarantees that every day will be sunshine…and today was definitely a storm. I am glad to have the experience once again of real life on the mission field. It is not your glorified 2 week mission trip that one would normally experience here. It is just that REAL LIFE!
Sarah and I (my new friend from Decatur, AL ) were supposed to get up at 5:30 to walk to Kafubu River with Cody ( my new friend from KC). Well..that didn’t happen. We decided to sleep in…Cody went on by himself. When we finally got up around 8 am…we both were just completely down. Neither of us had slept well…I had a migraine…and we had promised the others here that we would make waffles for them this morning….as we began preparing Sarah and I were like…this day really sucks and it just began…we both were in a funk…so we stopped what we were doing in the kitchen and just began praying…the burdens shifted a bit…although they weren’t completely lifted. As she was cooking the waffles…I decided to check email. (For those of you who care…I have been checking email in the morning and responding in the evening…so I don’t use the internet too much).
My first email was from Laci…about her son being in a motorcycle accident….wasn’t prepared for that one. My next email was from my mother about a lady in their church that had committed suicide…I was kinda scared to open the next one…more bad news….I just shut the computer and escaped the kitchen and went to my room in the other house. I fell straight to my knees by my bed and just cried out to God…Sarah must have been listening to the Holy Spirit cause she was right on my heels and joined me in prayer. We both were just praying and crying out to God…asking Him to change this day. To lift the oppression we were feeling. That time of prayer was so healing.
We went back to the house for breakfast…it just seemed like everyone was in a funk…what is going on??? Then it was time for prayer meeting…man…we need these times in the morning…why don’t we do this at home?….I challenge all of you that are taking the time to read this blog…get on your knees with your loved ones and PRAY….do this daily…it will rock your world and change your life…seriously. We have been doing this every day and let me tell ya….God is meeting with us…He is changing us….He is reviving us…He is unifying us….His presence is so real. If you don’t do this…you are missing out. What does it take?…time….what have we been given?….time. Use it!!! The prayer meeting lasted over an hour…was there work to be done?…yes…did it matter in light of eternity??? NOPE! Prayer is so much more important…all the busyness…it will always be there….now NOW is the time to pray! Our Burdens were lifted…shifted….and thrown out at this time. We all walked away changed. The whole attitude of the day changed. And ya know what? All the work and then some was accomplished today for the preparation of the teams. God is SO GOOD!
Sarah and I worked on getting rooms ready…making beds…cleaning…sorting…we even made a banner to welcome the thousands of Zambians that will be coming next week. It was a good afternoon. I got to see my friends Brian K. and Edgar and Collins today. God gave me time to speak with them and encourage them to keep pressing on for the things that are eternal. It was so good to see them.
This afternoon Cody, Sarah and I walked to Mpemba’s Store to get some bread….Joseph and Mary Mpemba were home and Mary invited Sarah and I in…while Cody was visiting with Joseph…It was good to visit with her and encourage her and pray with her. She just lost her brother last week and I know God took us there today to just lift her up. She is a very dear friend to me. I see Jesus all over her face.
After leaving the Mpemba’s Cody hitched a ride with Kevin..who was coming back from picking up Laura (another missionary here) so Sarah and I decided to walk back to the mission…taking a detour to just have some girl talk. It was so encouraging and good to just share with each other the journey God has brought us on and how He has used the ups and downs of life to mold us into who He wants us to be. We have much in common and it was so uplifting and refreshing to share life with her. Our walk was like a cold glass of water on a hot day…although the day here was pretty cold! (Robin and Val..be sure to pack a sweatshirt!!!) We were late helping for dinner…we got to talking so much! (I feel like all I do is eat here!)
Cody cooked dinner tonight…it was amazing… best spaghetti I have had in a real long time! We all hung out tonight watching the 24 series…everyone has gone to bed now…I must be going too. We are gonna get up and walk to the Kafubu River and watch the sunrise tomorrow…then it is off to Ndola to Grocery Shop! It will be a long day!!!!
Thank you all for your encouraging feedback on the blog and all the emails…you have no idea how much it ministers to me to have email and comments…keep em coming!!!!!
God is good…all the time…and all the time…God is Good….I will praise You in this storm…and I will lift my hands…for You are Who You are…no matter where I am…and every tear I’ve cried…You’ve held in Your hands…You’ve never left my side…and though my heart is torn…I WILL PRAISE YOU IN THIS STORM.
~Amy~

Sunday...

It's hard to believe that I left home almost a week ago....the days run together here! Time is not important...and I rarely look at the clock! Every morning I wake up and I think..."I just woke up in Africa!" how cool is that? I bet not many of you could say that!!! Well, some of you could! :)

This morning...Cody, Sarah and I got up at 6am to go and watch the sunrise. It was butt freezing cold...no joke! We were shivering...I know...IN AFRICA! I had my flannel pj's on and a sweatshirt and I was still cold! But, it was worth it. Sunrises and sunsets in Zambia are the best! (sorry I can't post pics...takes to much internet!) I have some great pics...ask me about them when I get home! It was really cool to sit out on the bleachers in front of the school and watch as the sun rose over my favorite flat topped trees...yes..the kind you see in the movies about Africa! God's glory is amazing! Cody and Sarah shared from the Word some things God had been showing them. What an awesome day to start the morning! Oh yah...we had cinnamon rolls and coffee with us too! :) The sun was blood red as it was rising...and it was HUGE! The sky around it was orange and pink and yellow...it was amazing and left me speechless. I find it interesting that every time I go to type the word "sun" in this post....my fingers want to type "son"...The sun this morning definitely reminded me of The Son...Jesus Christ! The red reminded me of the blood that He shed for me on the Cross...the glory and brillance of it...how it blinded me as I looked at it...so many parrallels to The Son! We have said we are gonna get up early as much as possible while we are still here...these times are precious! Cody made us breakfast after our time outside the gates. Yummy!

We then met for our morning prayer meeting. I love these times...I can see how God is using them to unite us. I love the brokenness and vulnerability that come from them....we all walk away changed! God meets with us and it is good. So good. I will cherish these times too!

After prayer meeting we had a couple hours till church. I loved it...I had some awesome quiet time with the Lord...just me and Him...and the puppies that wouldn't leave me alone! I enjoyed this day so much...can you tell?

Dennis, Sue, Cody and I went to church at Kafulafuta...here at the mission. Church is supposed to start at 11...doesn't always...but TIZ...this is Zambia! First...there is a ton of singing and dancing...which I love! My 2 favorite groups sang....the guys...Jehovah Jireh...(Jon David...they were asking about you!) and the ladies group....man, I wish I could sing like them! I leaned over to Sue and said..."why did they get the good voices?" I sure hope I get a voice like theirs when I get to Heaven! Dennis delivered a great message about "What are you wearing?" putting on vs. putting off. It was a great church service! I enjoyed seeing alot of old friends! I love surprising them...not many knew I was here! We went to Pastor L. house for lunch...chicken...nshima...cabbage. Just as yummy as I remember it being! Again...this was a good day!

This afternoon we continued preparing for when the teams arrive...made dinner...and then after dinner...Cody cleared a spot on a termite hill that Sarah, Cody and I went to to watch the sunset! Again...awesome awesome AWESOME! This has been a good day!

If there is one thing I have learned today..that is Worship. Worship is something we do constantly...just are we worshipping the right thing? My prayer today has been....God...let me see You in everything...and when I see You...let me respond in worship to You.

My hands are tired...and so is my body...I am saying good night to all...thanks for your prayers!

~Amy~

Random Thoughts...

Today my mind is filled with random thoughts. Much has been accomplished since arriving here...and there is still much to be accomplished! Yesterday, Dennis, Sue, Cody and I went to Kitwe and Luanshya to buy groceries. Well...we started to buy groceries...it takes alot to get groceries here! It definitely makes me thankful that I can just get in my car...drive to the store and almost always find what I need. 3 stores later here...we still didn't get everything we needed. So that will mean another trip on Tuesday, because Monday is a holiday here...not sure what holiday! It was an all day adventure, complete with a lunch trip to Mona Lisa's!!! Mmmmyummy!!! Last night we all ate dinner together and then had a "movie night" together. It was good to just relax a bit. I am enjoying seeing my old friends...everyday I see someone else!

On a funny note...usually when I come back...I have put on some weight...and they usually comment..."oh Amy...you are so fat!"...which is a compliment cause if you have meat on your bones..you are blessed..and healthy! So, this time..they are ALL saying...."Amy...you are slim...you have lost weight!"....which to me is a good thing....but to them...they think I am sick! Funny how things are different in different cultures!

This morning I slept in!!! Woohoo! When I got up...I felt very weak. Weak in many areas. Many thoughts and emotions have been running through my head while I have been here. I was thankful when Dennis suggested us all praying together this morning. I broke as Cody began praying. Very humbled and overwhelmed to be here. I know God is going to accomplish something huge in the next couple of weeks. The opposition has been great...but the Victory has already been won! We had an awesome time in prayer...tears were flowing...hearts were broken...and I know we all walked away from that time with our burdens lifted and our mission clear. It was much needed and I am so thankful for it! I believe that that was something we all needed and we were all united because of it!

Today has been very quiet at the mission...many are gone away. It has been nice though. We are baking some stuff...boiling water...hanging out. Very nice day.

I know this post is kind of random...I am enjoying my time here...I have many memories here and it has been good to relive some of them. I was thinking today about how many lives have come to know Christ at this mission...how many lives have walked away from here changed...including mine...and how many more lives are going to be impacted in the coming weeks. God is at work and I am so humbled and grateful to be a part of it!

Thanks for all the prayers...the emails...I need them and appreciate them more than I can tell you! There will be more to come!!!

Gotta go...I'm cooking dinner tonight!

love to all

~Amy~