Daily Field Assignments

DFA's occur just about every day during 40/40. This is a time when two participants go out with a Zambian helper to observe and learn culture. DFA topics consist of things like observation skills, what is a missionary?, African health and medicine, funerals, basic biography, witnessing and evangelism, etc. The purpose of these DFA's are not necessarily to share the gospel. Of course, if an opportunity arises we encourage the participants to witness. However, the purpose of the DFA's is for them to learn the right way to witness. They cannnot know how to witness effectively if they don't know the culture and the people. For instance, the first day's assignment is observation skills. They are encouraged to go out into the compound, boma, or village and just observe the people and the culture. They are then to formulate questions and concerns about what they saw, and discuss this with their Zambian helpers. After getting answers to their questions, they are then asked to list what barriers and bridges to the gospel they saw in their observation time. The premise is that we don't know enough, fresh off the plane, to be able to effectively stratagize and reach our people group. We think we know all the answers, but have yet to learn the questions(problems). Another good example is the DFA on basic biography. This teaches them how to meet and greet in an African context. It teaches them the importance of relationships and how to develop them in Africa. All of the DFA's follow a progression towards a gospel presentation. However, by the time they do this the participants have been exposed to the questions that are important to the African heart and have learned an effective way to communicate the gospel in their context.

While in Lusaka they take taxi's or minibuses to reach their area. When we are at bush camp they take this truck into the boma for DFA's. Then as they go into the villages that are close by they walk.

Missionary Kids travel to the village

We have a group of 8 missionary kids(mk's) plus our two children during this session. They have done such a great job adjusting to 40/40 and learning about African culture. On this particular day we traveled to a nearby village. As you can see from the pictures they were able to experience so much in just a couple of hours.

Here is a picture of our mk's plus a lot of kids in the village. We were at the home of Doris Mwanza. She took us around the village and we got to see and experience many new things.

Here the children are playing a game that is similar to what we call "jacks." The difference is you use rocks so they don't bounce. You have to grab the rocks out of the way and then catch your rock before it hits the ground.

Here they are teaching Justin how to play.

This woman showed us how after pounding their maize they have to sift it out the bugs or whatever else may be in there.

The mk's enjoyed a spontaneous, short, football(soccer) game.

Kym holding Madi and Amai Mwanza holding Sarah.

Some local children.

The children really wanted to pet a pig so Kym chased down a baby one.

Local children watching the mk's pump water for the first time.

Here is the trail of kids that followed us where ever we went.

We went into the Baptist Church and found two men playing the drums. Hannah took a turn also.

Byrce did very well too.

Justin and Bryce took a turn dancing along with the others.

This is one of the men we found playing the drums.

An ox cart went by so we stopped to see it pass.

The children leared how to take the corn off the cob and also how to shell groundnuts(peanuts).

Johanna found a little friend.

Walking through the village.

We also had the opportunity to pound the maize. Everyone had a try.

Sarah sure is concentrating on pumping this water!

Madi takes her turn as well.

Children at the water pump.

Here is a picture of some of the pigs we saw. We also saw goats, cows, chickens, and dogs.

Camp Life

12 days ago we left Lusaka and headed east to Petauke. This portion of 40/40 is our bush camp experience. As you can see from the pictures below this is very nice camping, even I can do it for a couple of weeks. During this time the participants do some of the same DFA's(daily field assignments) as they did in Lusaka. This time they are in the boma town and in the village comparing their experiences to their urban time in Lusaka. This has been a great group of participants!

Fequiere washing his own clothes.

Eli pretending to drive.

Here are some of our helpers that would go out with the participants into the boma and to the village to help with their DFA's.

Some opted to wash their own clothes so that they could learn this life skill.

Chris Nalls led us in worship each morning.

Spending time with God each day early in the morning is the best way to get your day going on the right track. Here is Tessa in this picture.

The Nalls family

This was our home for the last 12 days. Our tent was on the left and the kids tent was to the right. In the middle we had a reed mat and a couple of chairs.

Camp

Each morning the participants have "pouch" which is a bible study.

Their Zambian helpers participate also.

Hannah, Madi, and Sarah enjoying the wagon.

One day we killed a pig and cooked it for dinner. Yum!

David washing his hair early one morning.

Michael Allen

Jeff Norton

This is one of the 3 showers for the women. First we had to pump our water. Then we had to lower this bucket(above) and fill with our water. We then hoisted it up using this pulley system. Then voila, we were able to take a shower.

It was quite hot at camp which also made our drinking water hot. Someone came up with the idea to wrap our water containers with burlap and soak them throughout the day. This helped keep our drinking water a bit cool.

Fabe and Eli being pulled in the wagon.

Sarah and Madi with the camp dog, Tiger. Before coming to 40/40 Sarah was very frightened of dogs and other animals. As you can see, she overcame her fear. Praise God!

Bush Camp-Staff

40/40 could not happen without all of the staff that comes alongside of us for the month. We have staff that work in the kitchen-cooking,cleaning, and washing pots and pans. We have nannies who watch our babies. Then we also have camp staff which set up the whole camp before we get there and maintain it day to day. Thanks so much to all of our staff!

I. is our head cook which prayed to receive Christ during our last session. He has changed his name to Ethan. It has been neat to talk to him about how he has grown in just these few months. Please pray especially for him as he travels back to his home country of Zimbabwe.

Here is Rachel(nanny) to the left and Mwaka(kitchen staff) pulling the wagon with Eli and Fabe taking a ride.

Matilda

Matilda cooking over an open fire in very hot temperatures.

Kelvin(left) and Janet L. in the kitchen. Janet came from Malawi to help head up all the kitchen staff. She has done an excellent job! The scales will prove that for sure by the end.

Musonda and Esnart to the right cutting up vegetables for a meal.

Enawis washing dishes.

Apton Mwanza(camp staff) teaching the older mk's how to use a sickle.

Kelvin cutting up a chicken.

Anna(nanny) with Abigail.