BGR Buckets

Richard is HIV positive and has TB.  When we went to visit him this week he could not even get up to greet us because he was so weak.  As he shared with us about how he was feeling he said that the nights were the worst time.  He felt cold and alone.  Thankfully, we just happened to have brought him a blanket that a church in America had made.  We shared with him how God was always with him even during the night when he seemed all alone.  He did say he was a believer so we just tried to encourage him as he walks through these diseases.  We also were able to give him a BGR bucket.  Although he didn't smile much he was very thankful for all the things in the bucket that will make him feel more comfortable. Please pray for Richard as he has just begun the TB medicine a few weeks ago and still has a long ways to go.  There are so many like Richard all over Zambia.  At least he has hope but so many others live with these diseases and have no hope.  Pray for opportunities to share Christ with these who are so near death before it is too late.

Annual Cluster Meeting-2013

Last week we had our annual cluster meeting with all the imb missionaries serving in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia.  A volunteer team came from SC to help with all our mk's.  We had such a good time of worship and fellowship!  Enjoy the pictures.

 

 Me and my friend Joy.  I sure will miss her!  She left for the states yesterday.

 

 Lauren, Lily, and Easton with Hannah

 Me with the Helgren kids

 group hug

 

 Brad led us in worship each day. As you can see he was very talented. He played the guitar, tamborine, and drum all at the same time!

 We had a special prayer time for each of our teams.  We went around to different prayer stations and prayed for each family and ministry.

 One afternoon we were able to go on a cruise on the Lake.

Hannah and her good friend Evie

 Dwayne and Betty

 Justin

 Lesley and Kenny

 Mary and Van

 Amy and Mike

 River Belle

Sky and Country

 The boat stopped for a while so those who wanted to jump in the lake where crocs and hippos swim could do that.  I stayed on the boat but there were many who took a dip!

 Justin

 Isn't this beautiful?

 Hannah with her little friend Karissa.

 Our family on the cruise.

 Ricky and Niki led the volunteer team from SC.  It was so good to see them again.  They use to serve at our guest house in Lusaka.

 Susan and Jim

 Billy and Sara and Tracey and Lee

 Each morning we had some of our new missionaries share their testimonies.  

Chris and Laura Beth 

 Heather, Lee, and Staci

 It is never fun saying good-bye.  Our friends the Helgrens left this week...

 and the Packs leave in May.

 On the last night we have a program where the kids share some things that they have learned during the week.  They shared several songs with us.

 We had a time where we recognized these 4 who are graduating this year.  We gave them and Oswald Chambers devotional book.

Anna Marie, Troy, Matthew, and Justin

 We also had a time where we recognized our mk's who had been on the mission field.  There were several younger ones who celebrated being on the field for 5 years and then Justin for 15 years!

 Our family in front of the Lake.

 Kevin and Justin

Me and Kevin

 

me and Justin

Many children in Lusaka go to bed each night feeling hungry.  Praise God for a feeding program at one local community school that makes sure they get at least a bowl of porridge each day Monday-Friday.  Some have spoons to eat with while others use pencils or rulers.  Several will only eat a portion of it and save the rest of their bowl to take home to share with other family members.  Can you imagine sending your child to bed at night knowing they had not been able to eat a meal?  There are many throughout Africa who are just like these kids, perhaps, not even getting one meal a day.  Please pray! 

 We had a volunteer team which came to help at our cluster meeting last week.  Afterwards, they stayed a few days longer so that they can do some more ministry and go to Victoria Falls.

The team was able to go to this community school and help teach and feed the kids.  They were such a blessing to over 500 kids!

 Linda is 65 years old and she wanted to help make the porridge.  

 Catherine

 Some of the kids lined up to get their bowl of porridge.

Mackenzie, 16 years old, from SC serves porridge alongside of Linda.  You're never to young or old to serve the Lord!

Trash Your Idols

An idol is anything that you are obsessed with and can't get out of your mind.  Idols aren't just little wooden figurines or golden cows.  They are things you believe will make you happy or relieve your pain or fear.  An idol tries to take the place of God by offering you some kind of hope.
Idols will run your life and steal your happiness.  If you have anything in your life that you are obsessed with, then you have idol trouble.  Is there anything that if asked to give up right now, you couldn't?  If you do, then you have an idol.
If you want freedom from the things that seem to control you then all you need to do is to call them what they are, false gods, and then refuse to worship them.  That means get them out of your life.  God is more powerful than any other god you could find.  But he won't ever remove these idols without your permission because he wants you to agree with him and call your idol and idol and for you to choose to walk away.  You have the power through Christ to be idol free.  When you do, you will find an abundance of true happiness.  Let's get rid of those idols!

An Aroma of Chirst

 

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.  For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."  2 Cor. 2:14-15

Are you an aroma of Christ?  Can people you know tell that you have been sitting at the Master's feet?  When you become a Christian, being an aroma of Christ doesn't automatically happen.  You can't fake it.  Every time, you'll be found out.  That's the unique thing about an aroma.  Either you have it or you don't.  You can only get it one way-by absorbing it from the source.  Our source is Jesus Christ!  We are to abide in Christ so that we begin to be transformed into His image.  Then we begin to look like Him, sound like Him and even "smell" like Him.  Yes, we will be imperfect; we will make mistakes; we will fail; we may even go through times in which we don't feel very close to God.  But we can rest assured that if we continue to sit at His feet, He is able to bring glory to His name through us wherever we are-whether in our marriage, with our kids, among non-believers, and in the church.  He can receive glory if we are to Him an aroma of Christ-filled with the knowledge of Him.