It's none of my business! Or is it?

⁹ Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. ¹⁰ And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia.Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, ¹¹ and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, ¹² so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. 1 Thess. 4:9-12

“When people ask nosey questions, when they butt into private conversations, and when they give unsolicited advice we would love to say, “Mind your own business”!  How often have you wanted to say this to someone?  Since in Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians he talks about busybodies this may be what he has in mind here.  He wants people to stay out of other people’s business. 

There is a positive side to this also. By minding our own business Paul may be encouraging us to focus our energies on what God has called US to do.  Instead of criticizing what other people aren’t doing, are doing, or should be doing; we are better served by focusing on what God wants us to do.  Instead of being concerned about the rate of spiritual growth in someone else, we should be working on our own spiritual maturity.  We should be developing our own relationship with Jesus Christ.”  -taken from somewhere, just can’t remember where…

“I know we should strive to “mind our own business”.  Do you hear a “but” coming??  But..... what about in instances where we think someone is being abused?  Friday, I went back to check on Amai Ngoma and give her a small loaf of banana bread.  When we arrived it appeared no one was there.  We slipped the door open and entered the dark two bedroom house.  We found Amai Ngoma lying in the small room completely naked just lying on the vinyl flooring I had gotten her.  Of course, the smell was horrible again and flies were everywhere. Small piles of soiled blankets and clothes were in the house but no one had  taking the time to clean them.   Amai Ngoma’s niece came up and was drunk and started crying when she saw us.  Her loud crying woke up her brother who was also drunk in the other room of the house.  They began fighting and he was about to beat her but our caregiver stepped between them and told them to stop.  Thankfully, they listened.  The nephew blamed his sister because there wasn’t any food.  Evidently, the niece stole 10 kwacha(about $1.50) from her husband and she used it to drink beer.  He got mad and beat her.  You could tell from the look of her face that she had been beaten.  Then the husband threw out their remaining mealie meal while he went to look for work  so that no one could have food.  The niece and nephew said that they wished she would just die because when do feed her she eats too much and they just want her house.  So basically, everyone who is supposed to be taking care of Amai Ngoma drinks all the time and they are not caring for her.  The drunk woman gave Amai Ngoma half of the loaf of banana bread and then she kept half for herself because she said she was hungry too.  I was not happy about this but the other caregiver said I should just let it be, so I held my tongue.  As we left,  Amai Ngoma thanked us for the bread and off we went.  We are going back tomorrow to see about helping them clean the house and the clothes.  I really need wisdom as to what to do.  I feel like we need to get the police involved but don’t want to proceed with that unless that is what God wants.  We are also checking into a type of nursing home in another compound that we could encourage them to put Amai Ngoma in so that she can be cared for. Please pray for wisdom on our parts, pray for Amai Ngoma to be taking care of, and pray for the salvation of this household.

James 1:5 says, ^“ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

Christmas 2014!

Merry Christmas!

We want to send you our warmest Christmas wishes today, and pray that you will be filled with joy at the remembrance of the birth of our Lord Jesus. We call the coming of God into the world in human form the “Incarnation” because “God became flesh and dwelt among us.” You are living out that birth of Christ every day as you represent Him in the places you have been called to serve. God so loved the world that He sent His son, and He still so loves the world that He has you where you are to testify to His birth, His life and ultimately His Death and Resurrection. We pray God’s richest blessings on you and your family as you celebrate Christmas, and we pray He will continue to richly bless you this next year as you serve Him, witness for Him, live for Him and “know Him in the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.”

We sure do miss having Zach and Justin with us this year! 

 Our friend, Julie, spent Christmas Eve with us.  

We have our big meal Christmas Eve and then have left overs Christmas Day so I don't have to cook on that day.  We had turkey, ham, mashed potato casserole, carrot souffle, dressing, veg. all casserole, and rolls.

 The Devine's grandsons gave Kevin this hat for Christmas!

 bacon flavor

 Julie and Hannah

 Misty with her Christmas bone.

 Hannah and her presents

 Just about every time I give a present to Hannah I end up using some kind of weird box to wrap it in.  It's kind of fun to watch her face when she takes the paper off.  I didn't really give her band-aids.

 It was a camera.

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Update on Amai Ngoma

This is an update to the post entitled Why?  To read previous post click here

A few days after we took the BGR bucket to Amai Ngoma a few of the caregivers were walking through the compound and saw the young woman who is living with her and she was drunk and trying to sell the soap which had been in the bucket.  When they confronted the young girl she said that there wasn't any charcoal left so they were selling the soap so they could buy charcoal so they could cook.  

 Then this past Sunday we went to church in this compound and for the whole 3 hours we were there the rain poured down.  All during the service I was worried about Amai Ngoma because of the crack in her wall.  I kept picturing her lying there with her walls crumbling down all around her.  As soon as church was over I called my friend Esther to find out if she had heard anything about Amai Ngoma.  She said she would go and check on her.  When she went everything was fine.  The small two room house was still standing.  In the above picture you can see the flooring I got her so that she wouldn't just by lying on the dirt ground and so that it would also be easier to clean after she goes to the bathroom(because she is paralyzed).

Wednesday I called the caregivers and said that we should go and visit Amai Ngoma again.  When we got there we found her lying curled up on the ground with just a sheet over her. The flooring we had brought was gone.   She was cold and wet.  She had not eaten in a while either. 

We went outside to decide what we should do.  We found the flooring and all her blankets, clothes, and some sheets on the ground all balled up.  They were soiled and there wasn't any more washing powder.  We walked down to a small market and bought some more food and charcoal and brought back to the young girl to make some food for Amai Ngoma.  I stood outside and talked to the nephew and the young girl about how they should be caring for their aunt and not wasting money on beer.  They just laughed and said they didn't drink beer.  Everyone around said they were lying and that they did drink. I told the man he should at least try to get a job or some piece work.  He said he couldn't because he had syphilis.  He won't go to the doctor over it either.  I shared the gospel with them.  The nephew said he wanted to make a change in his life but did not when given an opportunity to.  I challenged him to read the book of John and ask God to reveal Himself to him each time that he reads.  I told him I would be coming back next week to find out what God was showing him through His Word. 

Then we gathered up the bundle of wet and soiled things and put them in a big wash basin and drove to a small creek(what they called it).  Then Matilda and Mary hand washed the patients soiled clothes and blankets in this water.  These women are volunteers! I was so very encouraged to see their servant hearts as they did this act of kindness for Amai Ngoma.

 I don't think there is water in this spot the whole year.  Probably it is just here because of the rain.  

 

I hope that you can tell from the picture just how muddy this water is.  This is where they were washing the things.

 

 There was trash everywhere. The smell was horrible!

 Would you want to wash your clothes here?

This is also the pathway which children take from school to home.  

As you can imagine I'm beside myself through all of this.

We went back to the small house and the food was ready.  We found the young girl and older man(the nephew) to Amai Ngoma eating a large portion of food outside.  Which by the way, the girl had already eaten that morning and so had the man but they had not fed Amai Ngoma.  They use whatever money they have or trade things so that they can drink beer. Meanwhile, Amai Ngoma is being neglected, lying hungry, cold, and wet on the floor!  We did go inside the house and saw that they had giving Amai Ngoma some food and she was eating.  She was very thankful.  She said if we had not come by she would not be having this good food. 

As we were leaving we encouraged the two relatives to take care of their aunt one more time and said we would come back next week.  They did not even say thank you as we were leaving. 

The caregiver stayed behind to hang up the clothes and bedding on the line so that it could dry.  The two relatives just kept on eating.  

I was appalled! My heart hurt for this helpless old woman.  Please pray for these family members to take care of Amai Ngoma.  Besides being paralyzed she could be a healthy woman if they would just feed her and take care of her.

Lottie Moon

Because we don’t have to raise support you will rarely see us writing asking you to give financially. However, at this time of the year Southern Baptists give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering in their churches. We have been able to serve in Zambia for the last 17 years because you have faithfully been giving in your churches. Thank you so much for your yearly sacrifice so we can go and share Christ with those who need to hear the gospel.

If you would like to support the work of our organization around the world by giving financially, please click here.  Feel free to include "in honor of "Kevin and Suzie Rodgers" in the "tribute information" section.  This does not increase our salary; however, it does allow you to personalize your gift and our organization can more accurately understand who our partners are and the methods they use for giving. 

Here is  a video we made for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering if you would like to use it in your churches.

click on: Thank you for giving-short video

Bible School Graduation

Saturday we went to Chongwe for their Bible School Graduation.  These 13 students have been studying for 3 years.  It was an exciting day! Enjoy these fun pictures of our day!

 The graduates walking in.

They even decorated for the special occasion.

 This is where the board of governors, chairman of the Great East Road Assoc, some pastors, the executive secretary of the Baptist Fellowship, and Kevin(guest speaker) sat.

 The choir singing.  The choir leader was very animated and did a great job leading the choir.

 Kevin preaching

 The students getting their diploma and a bible.

 This is our friend, Loveness, who was graduating.  

 Tito sharing about Bible School.

 The graduates with all the others.

 Loveness with her friends and family.

 

 This man is the pastor of a church where  Kevin use to teach TEE at.

 

 Kevin with the Kamanga's.

 Me and Kevin with Loveness

  

It was so fun to see friends I use to work alongside of.

 

Rain!

We have been wanting/needing rain for quite a few weeks.  We had a few small showers that lasted about 10 min each but we have been holding out for some good rain which would really soak the ground and cool things off.  The last couple of days we have had some of that kind of rain.  I think it is even supposed to continue this week.  The picture above was taken right outside our house.  That ditch it probably about 5 ft deep and as you can tell it is full of water.  In fact, yesterday, it got so high from the rain that it flooded over on to the road and left all the trash from the ditch up on our road.
Please pray that the rains would be just what is needed this year for peoples fields/crops to do well.

Hannah is 14!

14 years ago Hannah was born in to our family. We are so thankful God gave her to us to love, care for, and raise.  

 

 

 Below are some pictures from her day.

Breakfast in bed

 Joseph, our friend who works for us poured water on Hannah.  This is a Zambian tradition which Hannah was looking forward to.

 

14 years old!

 

 I took her, Hadassah, Julie, and Kayla to lunch at Kilimanjaro.

 

 This is a recess cup cake.  It was yummy!

 present time

skyping with Gram and Papa

 

Happy Birthday Hannah!  You are beautiful inside and out!