Spring Break Teacher's Trip!!

If you are a current or former teacher, come join us on a 10 day trip to make an impact on education in Zambia, Africa.

Susie Sanders, a teacher in Ft Worth, talks about her experience with the community 

schools in Zambia and contrasting them with the schools run by Family Legacy.

Dates:  March 10-20, 2011

Trip includes:

• Large group and small group teacher training

• On-site co-teaching, observing, and student testing at the Lifeway Christian Academies

• Worship service and play time at the Tree of Life Children’s Village

• Shopping at Arcades cultural village

• Bike tour of London

We have 10 spots and the trip will most likely fill up in the next two weeks, so act quickly!  If you or someone you know would be interested in hearing more, please contact Taylor Smith at taylor@familylegacy.com or 214.755.1846 asap!

Zambia Recap Part 13

As we walked away from our first conversation I began to step out of my "visitor" role and really see things for what they are.  All around us was a maze of dwellings, each getting smaller and smaller as we went further and further away from the main road.  I started to see the way the children were looked down upon when they would ask strangers if they could share with them and they were dismissed.  It didn't slow them down one bit.  Here we would over analyze "was it something I said, or didn't say?  Am I cut out for this?  Surely evangelism is for better Christians."  With these children, being shooed away was part of everyday life.

Next we found the home of 3 families all living together in a home with no roof.  They invited our whole group inside and we all crouched on the floor along the walls.  While I readjusted repeatedly to try to get comfortable, I was once again reminded of their familiarity with this kind of life.  They all squatted down on their haunches as they traded off using the Evangecube.  We never saw the families smile, but at the same time we could tell they were appreciative that they were "worth" our time.

Gut wrenching...

While walking away from this home, we found a main thoroughfare and began to walk down it.  I got a quick lesson in Zambian business sense.  A native man pulled up alongside of us and asked me where these children attend school.  I explained that they attend a certain community school and he began to tell me about how his niece was a teacher and really needed a job.  After a minute or so, I realized that he assumed I was the School Master because I was a muzungu (white person)!  I apologized that he was mistaken, and he disappointingly drove off.  I'm still processing that one.

Lets get to work!

This morning I find myself in the Family Legacy office thanking the Lord for the providential ways in which He has led me here.  While submitting my day to His guidance, I've been reflecting on what Day 1 looked like.

First and foremost, this is an office of folks who have a firm calling to do the Lord's work.  There are intermittent moments throughout the day when support letters will be passed around for inspiration, or brainstorming will break out regarding an aspect of the ministry.  I've been blessed to work with Clay Hughey closely over the last few days to strategize opportunities for the future.  He is the individual who is bringing his family to Lusaka, Zambia full time at the end of December.  I've been brought on because we are wired very similarly, thus when our forces combine, brain-hurricanes ensue!  Just kidding (but seriously...)

Last night was very special at our church because we had an opportunity to pray for Clay, his wife Erin, and their 4 kiddos.  An elder at our church, The Village, introduced the Hugheys and the work they would be doing.  As he spoke about Zambia there was an audible gasp when he described the average age as 16 in a country of 12 million.  I swelled with pride (boasting in the work the Lord has, is, and will be doing) as the elder spoke of Family Legacy's mission, and I was so delighted to join over 700 people praying for the Hugheys.

Please join me in prayer for the Hugheys, specifically for these things:

     1.  Monthly support from those whose hearts the Lord has burdened
     2.  General safety from both physical and spiritual attack
     3.  Wisdom for Clay as he works with our native Zambians
     4.  Strength for Erin as she home schools all 4 children
     5.  That Clay and Erin's marriage and parenting will be a proclamation of the gospel
          to the Zambians

The Lord is good and will finish the work He has started for the Hugheys, Family Legacy, and myself.  He is worthy of our worship and of our lives.

Zambia Recap Part 12

Thursday was my very favorite day of Camp LIFE.  All week we had been practicing sharing the gospel with the Evangecube, and we would finally be able to see the kids in action.

We got on busses and traveled to their slum neighborhood, Kanyama.  As I've stated before, Kanyama is known for its extensive witchcraft practice, and a handful of my guys have been directly affected in the form of repeated visions and nightmares.  Kanyama, like many of the other slum neighborhoods, is literally everything outside of the city infrastructure.  I knew we were entering the slum when the pavement ended, and we had to swerve all over the road to avoid potholes that could swallow a car.  The structures closest to the "road" were more stable buildings; concrete block, bars on windows, locked doors, and roofs.  No grass anywhere, but at least the buildings would keep the occupants safe.

We unloaded at the Kanyama 2 CRC (the safe house closest to my kids), and the guys all gathered around to hear their instructions.  We had brought a neat surprise for the guys; in addition to sharing the gospel, these kids who have nothing in this world were going to be able to bless 3 families with a bag of Mealie Meal, a bottle of cooking oil, and a bag of sugar.  The gift was easily a month's income for anyone in that neighborhood!

The symbolism here was that these orphans, whom the general population saw as a burden, were going to be blessing those who show them no care.  I'll let you dig out the symbolism there on your own.

Loaded up with our gifts and Evangecubes we set out into the community.  I found myself following the kids between buildings, then shacks, as we continued to dive deeper in.  The further we walked away from the main thoroughfare the more desperate the situations of the residents.

My guys approached a woman sitting in front of her home and asked her if they could share what they had been learning at camp.  She obliged and offered myself, my evangelist, and apostle a small stool to sit on.  In a mix of Nyanja and English they shared with this mother of 2 the gospel of Jesus Christ.  She shared with our guys that she was a Christian but that life was very difficult.  Our gift to her was a blessing from God, and she praised Him for it.  How amazing to see orphans acting as agents of the Father's blessing!

After we prayed for her and she thanked us, we pressed further in to find the next family to bless.

We want to meet you

I feel the need to pause and thank everyone who reads this blog, especially those who have committed to help support and pray for us.  Whether you are a new visitor or a regular reader, we'd love to know who you are so we can personally thank you.

If you haven't already, please visit the "sign up for our newsletter" link and leave your information.  Thank you for walking with us as we follow the Lord!!

Zambia Recap Part 11

By Wednesday, we all were getting much more comfortable with each other.  The kids were opening up with us and were thirsty for the gospel.  While Patrick and I spent time with each child individually, Heavy was teaching the boys the evangelism tool Evangecube.

They got it so quickly.  They learned the gospel in both English and Nyanja and were excited to share it with their neighbors.  They would be excited about Thursday's activity, but we couldn't tell them about it yet.

I spent time with Isaac that day, and I saw the healing of the Lord personified.  Isaac lost both of his parents a number of years ago and now lives with his sister.  He is 16 and she is 18.  He helps her sell charcoal on the street and so badly wishes to be in school.  When asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, he said "Uncle T, I want to be a man of God."  Amazing that a young man could have nothing, and yet have everything in Christ.  We are called as Christians to follow the example of Christ and preach the gospel while meeting the needs of the less fortunate.  When I look back at scripture I'm reminded that Jesus did not just forgive sins, but he also provided for physical needs.  We are called to do the same:

The Final Judgment

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,  you did it to me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew 25:31-46

I reference this verse not to guilt trip anyone, but rather to prompt you to check yourself.  We don't serve to get grace; grace by definistion is unearned favor.  We serve because we've been shown grace.

Today, Isaac is well fed and will be attending classes at a Lifeway Christian Academy.  Thanks to the generous commitment of Trey and Brittney Simeone, Isaac is experiencing what the Lord intended for him.

Zambia Recap Part 10

The sermon progression for camp was the acronym J O Y, representing Jesus, Others, You.  The first two days focused on who Jesus was and is.  We focused on His perfect life and the ultimate sacrifice he made, not just dying a gruesome death on a cross, but also the outpouring of God's wrath onto the person of Christ to atone for every time we haven't been obedient to God's instruction.  I have to think they were able to connect in the smallest sense with this concept of wrath on the one who disobeys based on the stories they would tell me about their home lives.

Each day I had about 20 minutes with each kid to find out where they are at in life.  Over time I began to see patterns in their answers based on my line of questioning.  Asking them what they are most afraid of usually brough responses ranging from repeat nightmares, to paternal beatings, to neighbors and family members who practiced witchcraft.  When asked about their home-life, rarely did one comment about both parents.  They all spoke of school and how they would do anything to be able to attend.

One of the most impactful stories was from Hatson, the second blessing time I conducted.  Hatson's father died in 2000 and his mother had passed away in January.  His shoes didn't fit, so his heel hung out the top, and his left hand was disfigured from birth, leaving only 2 fingers.  From the way he cried on my shoulder, it was apparent that he hadn't had someone to open up to and feel safe with in a long time.  Hatson lives with his grandmother who cannot work, and his biggest fear is what will happen to him if she dies.  His fear is validated by the rest of his family disowning him, and refusing to care for him now or in the future.

Hatson is a perfect example of a life Family Legacy is working to restore.  Through the blessings of God, Hatson is now sponsored by Kevin and Lori Smith, and he is receiving 3 meals a day.  He is being discipled by Godly men who look out for his well being, and he is receiving medical treatment.  Through Family Legacy, those who have been blessed by God are able to comfort the physical needs of Hatson.  Hatson sees the sponsorship as a blessing from God, and proof that God has not forgotten him in his time of need.  This is what God meant when He told Abram that he would be blessed to be a blessing.

Please pray today for Hatson's safety, nurishment, health, and spiritual development.  Pray that the Lord will graciously lift the veil and show His face to Hatson.  Pray for peace that passes all understanding.  Amen.

Zambia Recap Part 9

I was standing with my apostle Heavy, and I saw a load of hollering kids beating the sides of the big blue bus through the open windows.  As it slows to a stop the kids stream out with nervous excitement.  It was obvious that they were thrilled to be there, but their guards were definitely up.  We settled into a little football (thats soccer for us Americans) and those walls started coming down quickly.  It was apparent that they were feeling me out in the same way I was them.  They'd kick the ball and look toward me for approval.  If I would laugh, they would stare for a split second then join in.  It didn't take long for us to settle in.

The tough part was not knowing exactly what to do at any given second.  In America we are "time" people, not "event" people.  Almost every American has a clock on their person in some form or fashion at this any every moment; watches, phones, etc.  So we're wired to expect to know eveything that needs to happen and in what order it will.

Most of the rest of the world isn't wired that way.

That being said, I knew I would need to take a lot of initiative and just get to know them.  We went around and had all 15 guys introduce themseves.  Some spoke a little English, although most were very hesitant.  Heavy was terrific in helping me relate with them.  I would realize later in the week that most of them spoke a decent amount of English, they were just embarassed to try it around me.  I would probably be the same exact way in their shoes.

After a big group teaching time and some football we were ready to wrap up the first day.

I didn't really realize how exhausted I was until I jumped in the shower after that first day.  My adrenaline was up all day, the sun was pounding on us, and oh yeah...the air is as thin as Denver.  Sweet.

It was obvious to everyone the weight of what we had begun as we were all sitting around at dinner.  Not a lot of ruckus or joking around, just a real awareness of our task at hand.

I laid in bed that night reflecting on the day, and praying for my guys.  I was burdened for them as I thought about where they were.  Were they fed when they got home?  What is "home" to them?  Were they sleeping on the street that night?  Were they safe?  Did they feel safe?  On and on as I laid awake.

During blessing times over the next 4 days I would learn the tragic realities of those thoughts.

Zambia Recap Part 8

Did anyone see where October went?

I guess I missed it somehow...

Either way I'm hoping my fingers can keep up with my brain because I've been reinvigorated/reenergized by what our great God has been doing in Amanda and I!!  I've got really exciting news about Zambia, but you're just going to have to wait until I wrap up the stories from camp.

I'm not going to lie, part of the delay in this stage has been trying to wrap my brain around how to share adequately with you the feelings and encounters we had over there.  While we were "fully there" with our attention, there is still a slight haze that surrounds our memories, kind of like the dizziness you encounter after a long run (which for me is about one flight of stairs).

We stepped off the counselor shuttle bus early on the Monday morning and there was literally a haze over everything.  As our eyes adjusted we noticed the Zambian leaders praying and worshipping, oblivious of our presence.  We joined in the worship as best we could, still reeling from the excitement/nerves of the task we would soon be engaged in.  I quickly found Heavy, my apostle, and hung close to him.  He told me Patrick was getting some of the kids because he was the Discipleship Leader for the slum my kids were from.  While we waited I enjoyed an hour or so of conversation with Heavy as I tryed to anticipate what I would soon be faced with.  We discussed the age at which our guys would be engaging in sexual relationships.  We discussed what school was like for them, and if they were likely attending on a regular basis.  We discussed what families are like in Zambia.  The conversation continuously pointed me back to a common denominator: this is the devil's playground.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 10:10

It was obvious that Satan had been oppressing these people for lifetimes before I met them.  There was an almost noticeable feeling of discord.  There was no peace.  I knew that my job as an ambassador of Christ would be to show these children a savior who loved them enough to die in their place.  What a weighty task.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

How can I help them understand?  Will they get it?  What analogies will translate?  Will they like me?  Will they feel safe with me?  Will I be able to... Stopped mid-thought, my kids' bus pulled up and spilled.

Here we go...

Orphans in Zambia from Family Legacy on Vimeo.

I'm back and ready to share the last third of our trip with you. Before I do so, I want to share a video that was shown at the Family Legacy 10 Year Celebration Banquet this weekend. It will help you gain perspective and better understand the stories you'll read in the next few weeks.

Enjoy!

A Short Intermission

My apologies for the break in posts; life is catching up to us quickly, no matter how we dodge it!  I will resume posts at the end of next week, but in the meantime please think about sponsoring one of our kids.  These kids will have the opportunity to grow and learn in a healthy environment for just $40 a month.  This is in no way a guilt trip, I simply ask anyone who reads this to thank God for your blessings and consider if He gave you those so you can bless one of these children.

25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,

and one who waters will himself be watered.

Proverbs 11:25

Mwila and Hatson Have Been Sponsored!!

A huge thanks to Lori and Kevin Smith who are sponsoring two of the worst cases we encountered.  With their contribution, Mwila and Hatson will be receiving 3 meals a day, Healthcare, and top-notch Christian education!

To help you understand the importance of this to these children, here's a little bit about them:

Mwila lives with a young aunt who is still in school.  As a result, they have to seek help from another aunt, who has a son who regulary abuses Mwila physically.  As a result, Mwila is being tested for HIV/AIDS.  If tests prove positive, Mwila will receive any necessary ARV treatments to allow her to live a full life thanks to sponsorship.  Also, provision from Family Legacy will discontinue the need for them to visit the other aunt's house.

Hatson lost his father in 2000 and his mother in January of this year.  He is currently living with a grandmother, because he has been disowned by other family members, and she has no source of income.  If something happens to his grandma, he has nowhere to go.  To Hatson, sponsorship means 3 meals a day, school fees paid for, regular healthcare, and the attention of Discipleship Leaders who will keep track of him no matter what happens.

Thank you Father for these children.  Thank you for knowing them well and for stirring the affections of Lori and Kevin to serve them and you.  Please continue to bless these children as they safely grow to know you better.  Amen.

37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Matthew 25:37-40

Zambia Recap Part 7

Taylor has been doing an amazing job documenting our story, and I wanted to join in and share a few of my thoughts along the way too.  He mentioned that on the Sunday before Camp Life we met our two Zambian partners for the week.

The Lord matched me up with my evangelist, Purity...

...and my apostle, Esther.

Meeting our partners on Sunday was our first real taste of Camp Life and the Lord's provision was so apparent from that first moment.  I had experienced ongoing doubt and anxiousness about whether I would "relate" to my girls and co-leaders, but the Lord made it very clear that He was in control and would provide exactly what he thought I needed.  

Purity and I had more things in common than I could count!  She loves to sing, dance, act, and be so silly (my family can surely attest to these similarities!).

She's one of 5 kids and loves spending time with her loud family that loves to laugh!  Her oldest brother, Maximillian, was the pastor at our church service on Sunday and her 2nd oldest brother, Darius (a picture of them below), was an evangelist at Camp too!.  These were just a few of the many things that were so similar about our lives, even though we live in very different places!

The verses that come to mind when I think of Purity are:

"A cheerful heart is good medicine..."  Proverbs 17:22

and

"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come."  Proverbs 31: 25-25

Our group was blessed continually by her cheerful spirit and bright smile.  This girl was cheerful even after waking up at 4:30am so that she and her friends could walk an hour and 45 minutes from their village to camp each morning!  I think, "ugh!  I can't imagine having to do that!" and she saw it as a time to talk and spend time with her dear friends!

Also, the Lord used her constantly to remind me that the He was in control...of every conversation, every word, the timing, how our girls responded to the teaching, etc, etc.  Every time I would even begin to voice a comment like "maybe I should have said ______ instead" or "maybe ______ could have gone better" she would instantly respond back with "the Lord knows!  He doesn't need you to say or do just the perfect thing!  The Lord will work how and when He wants!".  Convicting, but so encouraging!

Here's a snapshot of us during one of our morning pow-wows.  We would chat about and pray for our girls before they came each morning and then regroup and do the same each day when the girls left.

With all the busyness during the day, these were special times where we could get to know each other and hear how the same God was working in different ways in each of our lives.

Purity (left) and Esther (jumping rope on the right)

Esther was much more "subdued", but had such passion for the Lord.  When Purity and I would step away to do "blessing time" with one of our girls, Esther would take over the teaching.  She had such enthusiasm and passion for our girls to know scripture and taught them how to use the EvangeCube  (an evangelism tool) backwards and forwards.  Each morning she would share about her 1am prayer time from the night before.  Every night she would wake up and pray, pray, pray for our girls for an hour and then go back to sleep.  Wow!

The verse that comes to mind when I think of Esther is:

"For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him,"  Matthew 12:34-35

I just had this picture of her heart being so packed with scripture and knowing the Lord's character, that His truth just spewed out of her mouth.  Her prayers were so encouraging to me as she would just pray, pray, pray so fervently and with such passion.

Ahhh!  All that to say, both of these girls were amazing and were such a gift from the Lord that week.  I was so encouraged by them and had so much fun with them!  I miss them, but take joy in knowing I'll see them again someday, if not here on earth, then surely in heaven!

Zambia Recap Part 6

Sunday morning we woke up, put on our church clothes (and a fleece because church would be outside) and walked to the "boma" down the street.  The boma was a thatched open-air building where some Zambian friends of the ministry were holding church service for the Americans.  Preaching, reading scripture, and praying in English made us realize how much intentionality is required for the Zambians to want to pursue God.  I have a hard enough time understanding the complexities of scripture in English on occasion, I can't imagine if I was studying with Nyanja or Bimba text!!

The service was great.  No laser light shows, no concert hall sound systems, just people who loved the Lord getting after it with songs like "Lets Stomp the Devil" which of course had dance motions.

After church we quickly changed clothes and hopped on a bus to an area called Arcades.  Remembering that we are in the capital city, this was a blend of African market and urban retail.  The area has a market in the middle of the parking lot, surrounded by banks, a grocery store, and even a Subway.  No Starbucks though, I guess there are still some areas on this planet where their presence cannot be felt (not to mention, who in Africa would pay 3 days wages for a cup of coffee?  I'm just saying...). 

We ate a burger at Mike's then popped in an internet cafe to send our dads quick Father's Day greetings.  While emailing our families we began to be broken down as we pondered the children we would be ministering to, remembering that so many have no father besides our Father in heaven.  This realization made us all the more thankful.

We circled the market about 37 times while Amanda was picking out a purse.  Thats a joke, but not a far fetched one.  The ladies were actually laughing each time we came by.

We finally found "the perfect one" and loaded up the buses to go to the GO Center.  The acronym "GO" is for Gospel Outreach, the facility rented by Family Legacy to host Camp Life.  This afternoon we would be meeting our Evangelists and Apostles.

Our Evangelists are our right-hand man, our cultural advisors, and our reassurance when conversations or situations got tense.  Our Apostles served the group constantly, kept track of them during blessing times, and tought them the Evangecube, a visual evangelism tool.

My (Taylor) guys were Evangelist Patrick and Apostle Heavy.  Patrick is a year or two older than myself, and Heavy is 36.  Both love Jesus so much, and are real servants to these kids.

Amanda's partners were Esther and Purity, whom she will share more about soon.

We got to know our partners better, and had an opportunity to ask them questions about what our kids go through, and what to expect.  There was a divine connection almost instantly that is remeniscent of what I believe the early church was like.  We had a common bond: Christ and Him glorified.  That was all we needed!

We loaded up once more on the bus and went back to Mulungushi for dinner and our evening ministry project: bagging letters for necklace name tags.  Tomorrow is the first day of CAMP LIFE!!!

Zambia Recap Part 5

Backing up slightly to set the scene for our return trip to Lusaka, shortly after stepping off the bus to Livingstone, Amanda chimed in "what do you think the odds are we could fly back?"  I quickly confirmed, "REALLY good."  The bus trip was very enlightening, but we just stepped off exhausted.  Somewhere between the lack of air conditioning, the patches of non-existant pavement, and the scary bathroom stops we lost all energy.  We emailed Susan, the director's wife, and asked if flying back was a possibility.  Her reply was flight information.  She said about 85% of bus riders fly back (so we're not wimps!!).

Our flight was humorous.  "Security" once again consisted of us simly confirming we didn't have anything scary.  The Lord did come through in a big way though, because there was a weight limit per bag because this flight was a 12 seat puddle jumper.  My bag needed to be at or under 15kg, and it was exactly that.

For the first time I had the opportunity to see out the front windshield of a plane I was flying in.  No need for a loud speaker, and the flight attendant was more in the way than helpful.  1 hour later we bounced down the runway in Lusaka, Zambia.

This time we were rested walking through the airport, and had big smiles when we saw our ride there promptly to pick us up.  We arrived at the Mulungushi Housing Village, a walled/secured community where Family Legacy rents a number of houses for the summer. 

We went by the director's house to pick up the remainder of our luggage, and were dropped off at Villa 13 where the Paces and Storms were already settled in. 

We quickly got to know them all and freashened up a bit before gathering up at the dining hall for our orientation.  We all went around introducing ourselves, then heard a little bit about our schedule for the week.

After dinner we headed back to our villa and passed out, excited about church the next morning.

Readership

I had the exciting moment today to see that our blog has been viewed in 10 countries:

Thank you to all who have been reading our stories!  Keep checking in, because we're about to get into Camp Life.  The Lord did amazing things, and we'll share as much as we can with you.  Expect another post in the next day or so!

Education for Zambia

One of the biggest initiatives that FMLI is engaging in is the education of these children.  Second only to the gospel of Jesus Christ, education will be the tool that helps these kids change their country.

The following is a video shown to the American volunteers.  It highlights 2 girls born the same day; one has the opportunity for education, one doesn't.

The scary thing is that Amanda and I can confrim that this is what it looks like.  We saw it with our own eyes.  Praise the Lord for providing us the resources to give back to his people.

Zambia Recap Part 4

Part of our add-on excursion while at Victoria Falls was a sunset cruise on the Zambezi river just above the falls.  We were on the Lady Livingstone, a huge 3 deck boat with only 6 other people. 

We got on the boat about 1 mile upstream and took it another few miles to the intersection of 4 countries: Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia.  Here we enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and drinks as we watched the sun set. 

Majestic. 

We spent about 30-40 minutes speaking with the host Frederick, and learned a lot about Zambia's history and cultural norms.  He said his sister and her husband passed and that he has a few kids and has now taken over care for her children as well.  He spoke of it as nothing more than his duty.  It was quite admirable the sacrifices he has made to take care of those kids.  He shared with us that he is Taongan in heritage; a tribe that originally migrated from Angola.  This is one of the 3 main tribes now in Zambia.

The next day we got up early and took an open-top safari style Land Rover to the Zambia/Botswana border.  After "customs" we boarded a flat bottom boat with the other 4 people that were going on the photo safari with us and crossed the Zambezi. 

After "customs" on the Botswana side, we were cleared to enter the country.  I put customs in quotations because its anything but secure at border crossings in Africa.  We filled out paperwork on both sides declaring our intent and belongings, but they dont have computer filing systems, so I'm guessing its shoved in a box somewhere never to be seen again.  We also had to be "disinfected" upon entering Botswana because livestock is their main export, and they were worried about foot and mouth disease.  The "disinfection" consisted of us stepping on a towel that was soaked in something like turpentine.  Nice work guys.

We arrived at a resort on the Chobe river in Botswana where we would be departing for our river safari.  Our guide's name was Moses, so insert river parting joke here.  His accent was quite odd, and he said he lived with a family from Chicago in Botswana for a few years.  No further explanation, so no further details.

It was cold on the river.  Actually, it was cold everywhere.  The Africans didn't really know what to think because it was unseasonably cold for them.  I liked it.

We spent the first half of the day checking out hippos, birds, monitor lizards, and nile crocodiles from the water.  We had some rare opportunities such as motoring next to two elephants swimming across to the river to a sandbar to catch up to some older elephants.  Really a neat opportunity!

We sat down for lunch at the resort with the other 4 of our party and suffice it to say, we were in classy company!  I am usually pretty good at picking out international origin, but I was stumped by this family, until I saw they're passports.  They were from Brazil, and Portugese is bizarre.  Thats all I'll say about that.  As we got to know them better we learned that the family was pretty important in they're own walks of life.  For anonymity's sake, I'll say that the Father was a Brazilian attache' to a DC political organization, the daughter is a model, and the boyfriend is a former tennis star (who may or may not have won the French open 3 times and beaten both Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras).  We were a little shell shocked, not to mention the fact that we saw the tennis star on tv that night playing a charity event with Mary Pearce!

The second half of the day was the land safari with our guide B.  That was a lot easier than the name he repeated 3 times to no avail.  The land safari was great.  We saw a lot of the same animals we had seen from the water, but we were up close and personal with them here.  Our guide was a bit brave for my taste, but what the heck we're in Africa right?

We saw tons of elephants, warthogs, giraffes, cape buffalo, and kudu.  No cats, but I think I'm ok with that!

The trip back to the border allowed time for reflection as we drove through Botswana.  Botswana is doing MUCH better than Zambia, which is doing MUCH better than Zimbabwe.  They said its a result of good government with better checks and balances, a strong currency, and a strict immigration policy.  If a person crosses over but doesn't have work they are provided 2 days' food and shelter and sent back home.  Should the US take a clue from Botswana? 

We saw Zambia in a different light when we crossed back over.  We saw what a tough spot the people are in, and we knew the best we could do is show them the hope of the Lord.  In the end is there anything better?!

The next post will highlight our trip back to Lusaka and the beginning of our work with Camp Life.  Stay tuned!

Zambia Recap Part 3

There are few things as strange as waking up in Africa for the first time!  We walked out of our room and all over the grounds there were monkeys, zebras, and giraffes milling around. 

We went and had a big breakfast with fresh squeezed OJ (a staple for us over the next few days), coffee, and African Red Tea.  The food was really good, but also interesting.  You could tell that they were trying to cook western food, but it was always just slightly different than we expected.

I'll attack the next few days' activities a couple of days at a time because in all honesty, a lot of it was a blur at first while we were adjusting to the climate and time difference.

The first day we went to get a peek at the Falls.  The hotel we stayed in was on the National Park grounds, so we had easy walking access to the trails that go around Victoria Falls.  As we approached it on foot for the first time, we started to understand why people had raincoats on.  We were able to see only about 5% of the falls without getting soaked (including the camera).  We snapped some pics and decided to come back at a time that we were more prepared to get drenched.

The really strange thing about the Falls is that you can stand directly accross from it, so all the spray is coming right at you!  I'll share more about that later in the post.

We decided since we had the camera with us that we would just hike around and see what we could see.  A nice Zambian park worker offered to guide us down to the Boiling Pot, 400 ft below.  As we decended it got more and more humid.  Zambia at that time of year is in winter, but with the 24/7/365 mist from the falls, the area is more like a rainforest than savanna.

When we finally reached the bottom we saw where the entire water fall converged and continued the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The hike back up was tiring because we were drenched from sweat caused by the humidity (and our lack of fitness).  When we got back up top we showered up and rested.

We had a lot of opportunity to read while we were there, and I'm very thankful for the opportunity to rest and prepare our hearts and minds for the work we would be doing.  One of the books I read was Bruchko by Bruce Olson.  This book was very empowering because it tells the story of a 19 year old kid who felt the Lord call him to walk blindly into South America to find a murderous tribe called the Motilones.  The story of his time there is riddled with what we would assume are mistakes and bad signs, but the Lord used Bruce's willingness to do His work, and God was glorified because of it.  Great read, pick it up!

The next post will be about our river and land safari in Botswana on and around the Chobe river.

Zambia Recap Part 2

The second leg of our flight was a little tougher than the first. It was still British Airways, and we had the "luxury" of sitting on an exit row by the emergency exit, but the air at 38,000 feet is really, REALLY cold. We froze. Plus we didn't sleep much, because you can only get so much rest in the sitting position. 

The sun was coming up as we circled to land in Lusaka, Zambia and we saw Africa for the first time. The sky is crystal blue, and we saw small trails of smoke coming up from individual cooking/trash fires all over the city. We would later see these up close and realize they arent as charming at ground level. We landed event free and taxied to our "spot" on the tarmac. We walked down the steps and it hit us: we're in Africa! 

The lines were really long for customs, and somehow, though we were one of the first couples inside, Taylor was officially the last person through. With an all paper system you wonder why they bother with receipts, but we needed the receipt so that we could get back into Zambia from Botswana, but you'll hear more about that in a later post.

Susan, the director of Family Legacy met us at the airport door. She said the airport was the best spot to exchange our money, so K1,000,000 ($200) later, we were on a FMLI bus headed to the bus station.

For this next section it is important to review the timetable leading up to this moment: 10 hour flight, 8 hour layover that included navigating Heathrow Airport and the Underground network, 12 hour frozen flight to Lusaka, a couple of hours in line at the customs office, and now the icing on the cake, an 8 hour public bus ride through rural Africa!!! God bless Susan for her help, because Lord only knows where we'd be right now if she hadn't physically put us on the bus! She reserved us the front 2 seats on the highest level bus (TV, air conditioning, only 2 stops) but that bus didn't show up. They also had sold our same seats to 2 other couples. Its almost like they sold as much as they could, then tried to fix it just enough to get moving and hopefully come out on top. With Susan's persistence we found ourselves in the front seat of a non-air conditioned bus which intended to make about 7 stops on the way to Livingstone, Zambia. I used the restroom at one stop, Amanda (God Bless her) didn't go at all because she was worried someone would take our bags or that she would get left by the bus (both very real possibilities!). About 2 hours before our destination the road got very spotty, and we off-roaded the last 100 km or so.

But then we saw the "smoke" of Mosi oa Tunya, Victoria Falls, and we were finally there!

The next post will pick back up after the world's BEST shower (because we hadn't had one in over 48 hours) and a day and a half of sleep.

Zambia Recap Part 1

Muli bwangi!

We are back, rested, and still processing our two weeks in Zambia. First and foremost, thank you to all who prayed for us during our trip. Your prayers were felt and appreciated!

Over the next couple of weeks we will be posting stories and pictures from Zambia. It all starts with getting there…

We left Dallas June 12th around 5:30 pm. My sister Lindsay and her 6 month old Tanner graciously brought us to the airport in her husband’s truck, which had a bed FULL of luggage totaling 9 bags. The flight was on-time; no problems with customs or baggage. Our bags were all under 48 pounds, so no extra fees. Thank God! While in the airport at Terminal D the US was playing England in the first game of the group stages for the world cup. At this point I thought “oh cool, I’m glad I got to see this before I got to Africa”. Little did I realize how much soccer fanaticism I would see over the next couple of weeks!

But that’s a tangent, I’ll get back to our trip. We flew British Airways, which let me tell you is just lovely (to borrow a commonly heard phrase). Good food, all the drinks we wanted/needed, and they upgraded my seat to middle class so I would have more leg room. I love the Brits!

We settled in without a care, and 10 ours later we landed at Heathrow in London. It was 8:30 am London time, but 3:30 am Dallas time. We had a 10 hour layover, so we ran into town to see it as quickly as possible.

We got freshened up in the airport, and caught the Underground into London. It took about an hour, but we made it to the Notting Hill Gate station just in time to meet our bike tour group. Our tour lasted 4 hours and went through the Royal Park system.

We saw Kensington Palace, Albert Memorial, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, and many more sights.

There were about 20 people in our group, and we got to know a great couple from Florida named Ray and Shawna.

After the tour we grabbed coffee at Starbucks (the last one we saw until we returned to London) and headed back to Heathrow for our 7:30 pm flight.

We're Home!

We're back home after an amazing trip!

We arrived safely back in Dallas around 3:30pm this afternoon.  Thank you to everyone that was praying for us as we traveled!  It is 9pm now, but seeing as it is 4am Zambia-time, we're going to head to bed so that we can get up and head back to work tomorrow.

Thanks for all of your countless prayers!  

Many details and pictures to come once we're rested up!

Where Are We?

3:40 PM

Arrive Dallas DFW

Where Are We?

11:40 AM Local Time

Board British Airways Flight 193

London Heathrow to Dallas DFW

Where Are We?

5:50 PM Local Time

Arrive London Heathrow

Layover until 11:40 AM Local Time tomorrow

Where Are We?

8:35 AM Local Time

Board British Airways Flight 254

Lusaka Zambia to London Heathrow

Where Are We?

6:20 AM Local Time

Arrive Lusaka Zambia

Where Are We?

7:05 PM Local Time

Board British Airways Flight 255

London Heathrow to Lusaka Zambia

Where Are We?

8:40 AM Local Time

Arrive London Heathrow

Layover until 7:05 PM Local Time

Where Are We?

5:35 PM

Board British Airways Flight 192

Dallas DFW to London Heathrow

It's "go" time!

Hello from the airport!  Taylor's sister and our sweetie nephew, Tanner dropped us off and gave us one last hug just a few minutes ago.  It's been a busy last few days, but we are finally checked in and ready to board; what a relief!  With just under 300 lbs of luggage, the check in was amazingly smooth and quick.  Thank you for all the ways each of you have offered support as we've been gearing up.  Over the next 48 hours, please be praying specifically for safe travels and that all of our supplies, etc meet us in Zambia.

Our 1st stop is London, which could prove interesting since we are watching the US and and England battle it out in the World Cup as I type.

Either way, here we go!

Packing

1:03 am and we're still packing.  Maybe we'll get some sleep sometime during our 28 hours in motion!

Countdown

I find it difficult to convey the feelings we have as we run our last errands and pack 300 pounds of luggage. In a turn of irony its like storm before calm. With great anticipation we look forward to seeing God work in mighty ways, but we have no frame of reference to know what that means. We anticipate broken hearts, reconciliation, and growth in both those we are serving and ourselves.

While preparing for our departure, it has been a struggle not to think of Africa as a project. It’s very easy to believe that we can save these people, and thus a superiority complex is almost inevitable.

I was humbled this morning by a conversation about the African people. Less technology, less money, less health, less hope, less potential logically equals inferiority from a Western perspective. If not careful we can fall into a mind frame that we need to make them more like us. But Christ blows that concept up.

"but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”                                                                          

Matthew 20:26-28

If you look at the perceived relationship of importance by world standards between Africans and Americans, and apply the same relationship to mankind and Christ, how can we have any reaction other than humility?

These next two weeks we ask that you remember us in your prayers. We ask for prayers for the lives we will encounter, for the gospel to spread like wildfire, and for our own sanctification as we learn more and more what laying down our lives looks like. Check back for prayer requests and move statuses throughout the week. We can’t wait to share with you how our great God is making His name known!

Health and Safety

Immunizations

There are a slew of diseases that we don’t face here in America that we could encounter while in Zambia. Hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and polio are all still present in Africa, and some immunizations will be required for our travels.

The most common immunizations are:

• Hepatitis A
• Meningococcal meningitis
• Rabies
• Typhoid

Malaria

Since we will be spending some time away from the city in the bush, malaria is also a potential problem.  There is no vaccine for malaria, however common sense and minimal medication is very effective. Of 2 common anti-malarial medications, it is recommended to us to take Malarone, not Lariam. Malarone is a daily pill, thus is in lower doses. Lariam is a once a week pill, and has side effects including nightmares and hallucinations. We will be avoiding the latter!

Besides medication, long sleeves and pants are a great deterrent considering that Malaria is transmitted via the Anopheles mosquito. Our trip will be in the Zambian winter, so mosquito nets will be sufficient during the dry season.

Water

According to the CDC, the water is safe to drink in Zambia, but bottled water will always be available for us.

FLMI in Zambia

Family Legacy has communicated with us that they have had very few situations regarding health and safety over the last 9 years.  With the exception of sinus infections and allergies, the precautions that have been advised to us will be sufficient for our safety.

For all intents and purposes though, our health and safety ultimately lie in God's hands, so we have nothing to fear!

Zambian Phrases

Here is a sampling of some of the basic interactions we will be having in the native language of Nyanja:

Muli bwanji – How are you?

Bwino – I am fine.

Bwino, bwanji? – I am fine. How are you?

Mwaoka bwanji? – How is your morning?

Mwachoma bwanji? – How is your afternoon?

Goni bwino? – How is your evening?

Zi komo – Thank you.

Zi komo kwam bili – Thank you very much.

Tiza oana mayilo – See you tomorrow.

Tibwella – We’re coming.

Teinda pa… - Let’s go to…

Bwella – Come (one person)

Bwellani – Come (everyone)

Abusa – Pastor

Muzungu – White person

Lelo – Today

Mayilo – Tomorrow

Ufuna ma sweet? – Do you want sweets?

Nikukonda – I love you.

Mumvela – Listen

Wanvela? – Do you understand? (one person)

Mwamvela? – Do you understand? (everyone)

Iwe – You (one person)

Imwe – You (everyone)

Vina – Dance

Jumpa – Jump

Ncali pansi – Sit down

Zina yako ndiwe ndani? – What is your name?

Mulungu – God

Ambuye – Lord

Yesu akukonda – Jesus loves you.

Yesu akukondani – Jesus loves you all.

Tulemi totela – We praise you.

Wildlife

Most of the traditional wildlife one would expect in Africa is present in Zambia. In South Luangwa you will find huge hippopotamus and crocodile populations, as well as Cape Buffalo.

Away from the rivers, the grasslands support a variety of grazers: zebras, impalas, pukus, waterbucks, bushbucks, duikers and klipspringers.

Where there are grazers, there are predators. Lions, leopards, hyenas and cheetahs are common.

The really exciting ones are all there too. Elephants, giraffes and rhinos are common. They are protected from most animal predators by their size, and human predators by the establishment of national parks.

Victoria Falls

I know what you're thinking, and no this is not a scene from Avatar!

This is Victoria Falls, know by the locals as Mosi-oa-Tunya (the Smoke that Thunders). This waterfall is the worlds largest sheet of falling water with a width of 5,604 ft. For those counting its over a mile wide!

The first recorded European to view the falls was David Livingstone, a Scottish missionary who named it in honor of Queen Victoria. He wrote, "No one can imagine the beauty of the view from anything witnessed in England. It had never been seen before by European eyes; but scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight."

Touche' Dr. Livingstone.

Victoria falls is almost the southernmost point in Zambia, about a 7 hour bus ride from Lusaka. Located on the Zambezi River, it is the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

This will be our first stop on our trip as we "de-westernize" and prepare our hearts for the much need work in Lusaka.