Sunday, January 25, 2015

Teaching a new dog old tricks

 Many of you know that we got a new lab puppy a couple of months ago.  She has grown so much!  She is very smart too!  She is learning lots of new tricks!
She will go get the frisbee and a ball.

 She will shake.

 She will stay.

 This, she just does on her own.  Not quite sure why she does it but she loves to jump up on Xena's back all the time.

 She follows Xena around everywhere she goes.


 Kevin with Misty and Xena.

 Hannah, Kevin, and Misty

Hannah and Misty

She loves to give kisses!
 

More baby turtles!

 We have found this many baby turtles that came up out of the ground this past week.  We have them in a secluded area now so that the dogs can't get them.
Aren't the precious?

 The one on the left is one that was born last Jan.  The one on the right was born last week.

Here is one we found coming up out of the ground.
Come on out....

Sunday, January 18, 2015

20/20

 For the last couple of weeks we have been helping with 20/20 here in Zambia.  This is a shortened version of 40/40 that we used to do.  20/20 is supposed to be done in the country where the missionaries will serve but we decided that for at least our first one we would do it for our cluster here in Zambia.  So these missionaries who came are all new to Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique.
It was so nice to get to know this first group of participants!

 
 While we were in Lusaka we had help with the kids.  Langiwe and Irene have been nannies for us before in 40/40.  They did  a great job with the kids.

 Jessica had a birthday so we had pizza and cake to celebrate one night.



 One of the debriefings we had at our house.  
Taylor on the swing!



 The kids enjoyed the trampoline!

 Buddy and his mommy, Jessica.

 Hudson and Lily

  Late afternoons and some evenings we played games.

dominoes

 Hudson and his mommy, Lily.

 While in Petauke, this is where we ate 3 meals/day just about every day.  We did slip off to another lodge down the street twice for a change of pace.  

 Kevin and Jeff

While we were in Petauke we didn't have nannies.  Me, Hannah, and Hadassah took care of the kids.
Piper was my buddy this week!

 Hannah and Hudson

 Hadassah and Buddy

 I was able to take Piper to the market and watch this lady make fritas.  We also all enjoyed eating them!

 My friend Zeria who works in the market in Petauke.
It was so good to see her even if just for a few min.

 Hadassah and Buddy

 Hannah and Hudson

 Our whole 20/20 group! (minus Jeff-he was taking the picture)

The Veres Family
 
 The Wolf Family

 Hannah and Hadassah enjoyed spending time with Evie and Cathy-journeygirls in Moz. this week.  This picture is with Evie.

I love this picture!

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Good News!

I talked with Esther this morning about Amai Ngoma's  situation.  Hospice came in to check out the situation and they said they would take her.  When other family members were talked to about this at first they said it was fine.  Then they changed their mind and said it was their responsibility and they would take her in to their home and care for her.  They live in another compound here in Lusaka.  So now Amai Ngoma is out of her home where the drunk relatives were not taking care of her.  That is such a huge praise! The only problem is that now the family members who said they would take care of her are asking for financial help from the palliative care givers.  I'm just thankful that Amai Ngoma is out of that situation now!  I'll try to go visit her in this other compound in a couple of weeks.  We are busy with another program now.  Thanks so much to all who have prayed for this sweet Zambian lady!

Monday, January 5, 2015

A Prayer Answered




The other day a few of us ladies took some used clothes that were donated by other missionaries in Zambia to the seminary students. We also had two suitcases to give away so I had each lady choose a number between 1-30 and the two who were closest won.  One of the women was especially excited about winning.  She said she wanted to share a testimony.  Just yesterday she was praying because her son is going away to boarding school but she didn't know how she was going to pack his things.  Now, God had provided her with this luggage.  Praise God!!

Saturday, January 3, 2015

The story continues....

Sorry I have not updated sooner but sometimes I just can't write about things right away because it is too fresh.  Each day this week something came up preventing us from going back to see Amai Ngoma.  Finally, on Friday it worked out for us to go.  When we arrived we found Amai Ngoma still naked but at least she had a blanket on her.  As soon as we walked in the house we noticed the smell was gone.  Evidently, the church that Amai Ngoma had gone to when she was able found out that she was sick and they came by and cleaned her room.  Then Friday morning they had been back and brought her some food and took her soiled clothes to wash them.  We heard that her niece and nephew had shouted at the church members and told them not to come back.  They didn't want their help unless they were going to help them too(They just brought food for the patient). They also complained saying that when Amai Ngoma went to church she gave money each week and they wanted to know where that money was now.  While we were there they started shouting at us as well telling us to not come back either unless we were going to give them some cement to fix the crack in the wall.  Amai Ngoma started vomiting, her relatives were shouting, so the caregivers said we needed to leave.  We talked about going to the police but the head caregiver recommended that we not because they really couldn't do anything.  So the plan is the care giver will get food from the school each day and take to Amai Ngoma only starting on Monday.  Esther, the head caregiver, had already contacted someone from Gender Based Violence on Wed. but because of the holiday nothing can be done until this coming week.  She will also check in to a hospice care in a nearby compound.  Please continue to pray for Amai Ngoma especially this weekend.  I know how sometimes these things that need to be done take time and time is something she doesn't have if the family continues to not care for her.