Coming and Going

As missionaries we see a lot of people come and go in and out of Zambia.  Some are volunteers that come for a couple of weeks and then leave.  Other times we have people come for a couple of years and then when their term is up they head back to the states.  Then we have those who come and invest there lives here in Zambia and stay a long time.  So there is quite the spectrum of people coming and going.  Without fail we always get attached to these people so it is always difficult when they have to leave.  So as you can imagine we don't always enjoy going to the airport because a lot of times it is to say good-bye.  Especially when our boys were leaving to go to Kenya for school-those were the worst days!  Anyway, I wanted to write about a particular time that is especially special for missionaries and one that I got to experience recently at the airport.  We were at the airport welcoming back some of our friends/missionaries who had been on their stateside assignment and were returning to Zambia.  Before they came through the doors some other friends of ours were having their families from the states come on the same flight.  As we are all waiting outside the door you can feel the excitement grow as you know their family is about to walk through the door.  They haven't seen their family in almost two years.  Our friends child was about 11 months when they first came and is now almost 3.  So these grandparents had not seen their grandchild in two years.  Can you imagine??  I'll never forget seeing my friends mother come through that door and her and her daughter hugging and crying for a long time not wanting to let go of each other.  It was simply beautiful.  For those who know me know that I was crying right along with them.  I could feel all the emotion in that moment.  Many people think that as missionaries we sacrifice a lot by living in another country.  We love where we live and feel blessed to have the opportunity to live in another country.  The biggest sacrifice on us is that we do not get to see our families much.  We are so thankful for skype and good enough internet that we can at least talk to them and see them from time to time that way.  But to be able to be face to face and be able to hug and reconnect has got to be amazing.  It is also a sacrifice for our families back in the states to not see us or be a part of their grandkids lives like I know they would like to.  Today would you please pray for missionaries all over the world who are separated from their families in the states for long periods of time. 

II Chronicles 16:9 LB “the eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.”

Friends

 Some of you may recognize these kids from when we lived in Chongwe.  The back two girls are Dorcas and Deborah who are good friends of our daughter Hannah.  This week Hannah had the opportunity to go and spend two different days in Chongwe while Kevin did some preparation work for a volunteer team coming in July.  Dorcas and Deborah did not know Hannah was coming and she said they were so excited that she was there to spend the day with them.  She took her bag with her bible and coloring sheets and told them bible stories just like she used to do.  They went and got ice blocks and she also got to eat nshima and relish with them too.  Hannah has been missing her friends so I'm thankful for this opportunity this week for her to go and play with them.

 While we were in the states Amai Mulenga had another baby in Feb. They named her Hannah.  So now they have 4 children-Dorcas, Deborah, Mapalo, and Hannah.  She is the cutest little baby!

Dorcas carrying her little sister Hannah on her back.

Our Garden

 Since moving to Lusaka we have planted a garden in our back yard since there was already a space set aside for one.  We planted lettuce, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and strawberries.  Above is our garden about 3 weeks ago.

 Anton, our yard worker, is holding our first head of lettuce.  We have enjoyed several heads of lettuce since this first one.

Here is a shot of our garden this past week.  It is neat to see everything growing so fast.

Hannah

 I love this tree in our yard.  For most of the year it provides a lot of shade and has a beautiful flower on it.  It is also a good climbing tree.

Psalm 144:12 LB “May our sons flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants. May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace.”

 in our tire swing

Hannah has wanted to cook/bake this week by herself.  So for the first time ever she cooked dinner all by herself.  She made a hamburger quiche.  It was so good!  Then the next day she made choc. chip cookies.  Yum!

Climbing

Justin loves to go climb mountains when we go out to bush camp during 40/40.  Him and Kevin usually take paint and put their names at the top when they reach it.  Here are some pictures of this last trip.

Psalm 139:3 LB “You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am.”           

Isaiah 55:12 LB “You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!”

Quote from Sir Winston Churchill: “Success is never final. Failure is never fatal. It is courage that counts.”

II Samuel 22:2b-3 “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the strength of thy salvation, and my stronghold, my high tower, my savior, the one who saves me from violence.”

The Soli People and Good News!

“Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Deuteronomy 8:3 

The Soli people are some of the ones that we came to Zambia to work with.  So for the last 10 years we have shared Christ and discipled these people. I believe that God desires for people of every nation, every tribe, and every language to know Him. Before now, the Soli people have never had any book published in their language, whether scripture or otherwise.  They have been too long without the Word of God in the language that they understand best.  Just recently the Soli Bible Translation Project published the Gospel of Mark in the Soli language.  Please pray for this project to be able to continue so that eventually the entire Bible will be in the Soli language.  You can also pray for the many who will receive the Gospel of Mark in Soli to begin to hide God’s Word in their hearts and that their lives will be changed as a result of being able to fully understand His Word in their heart language.

My Birthday

 "O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.  You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar(I love this!) with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD."

 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

 "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

 "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."  (all taken from Psalm 139)

 Betty made me a delicious choc. cake!

Hannah enjoying the hammock at Dwayne and Betty's house.

I did have such a good birthday!  I am so thankful for friends and family and how they are such a blessing to me each day of the year and not just on my birthday.  Thank you to all who sent emails, cards, and prayers my way.  You made me feel special and loved!