Sweetest Summer Job Ever

Well...my sweetest volunteer job ended alittle while ago and now I'm just back to my regular job.

I am back in Canada. It is a nice feeling to drive my car again...but that might be where the good stops....okay that's dramatic, but I miss Zambia! Of course Regina is comfortable and familiar and there are tons of great people and life is convenient....but it just isn't Africa. I love Africa with all of its inconveniences like road blocks, pot holes, pick pocketers, power outages unairconditioned buildings, and slow internet. Those things are so surface and are barely noticed among the beautiful smiles, kind gestures, frequent hand shakes, boistrous laughs, warm greetings, colourful materials, and sacrificial lives. That is the real Africa.

Africa is about its people and the exemplary lives that they lead. I know that my North American self is easily hung up on surface things. How do I keep my 'Africa attitude' in Canada? I get in a rush, and soon my beloved schedule becomes more important than the people around me each day. How is that possible?

As I have been settling back into life here I have spent much time reflecting on the events of this summer. I find myself just being thankful for many things....
- the opportunity that I had to go and help
- sharing that experience with matthew and alisha (and my dearest Jilly again!)
- the many sweet reunions with dear friends
- my sweet life that i've been blessed with in canada
- that my family isn't sick...and if they were that they would be able to get help
- the people of Zambia that work hard each day to make their country better
- the gracious hospitality that was offered so freely to us
- our christian family that stretches from Regina to Kalomo and beyond...
- for drive-through coffee places...i missed them while I was gone (yeah, that's shallow, I know)
- for laughter with friends

I could go on and on...my reflecting has lasted many hours so far! I think that is when most of my learning is done. In the moment when something is happening I am caught up in it...but in hindsight there is so much insight. I am seeing things from this summer that I didn't see at the time. I am learning about people even though my time with them has come to an end. Yes, this is the beauty of culture. This is the beauty of travel.

Through travel we can experience culture...and the lessons learned from this are invaluable.

Pictures As Promised!

So I am kinda slow at returning to the blogging world! I have been back in Canada for nearly a month....but between moving and school starting I just haven't been online much.

During our last week in Zambia Matthew was able to go with the nurses to the Under Five Clinic. Where mothers bring their babies to be weighed and vaccinated once a month. He was the lucky one who was able to distribute the gifts that my sweet cousins: Soren, Levi, Jensen and Tiara sent for children in Zambia. The kids had given us a bundle from each of them with some of their clothes, a couple of toys, toothbrush/paste, candies, shoes, etc. all tied up with a ribbon! They were perfect gifts of love, from Kids to Kids.

In our previous weeks there we had tried to find a family with kids approximately the same age...but we never did....or if we did, we didn't have the bundles with us!

So we decided that Matthew could take them to clinic
and give a little something to many little ones....
Matthew and Bill weighing babies at Underfive Clinic

The pile of goodies!

Receiving their treats

Group shot with their gifts

A happy mommy!

Thank-you so much Soren, Levi, Jensen and Tiara!
Your thoughfulness was greatly appreciated by many kids in Zambia.

from kids to kids...

Before I left Canada my dear little cousins Soren, Levi, Jensen and Tiara sent blessings to kids in Zambia. They bundled some of their clothes and toys with toothpaste, soap, candies, etc. and asked me to give them to the kids in Zambia.
We tried and tried to find a family with kids just their ages…but we couldn’t find one just like them. So instead we took them to the Under Five Clinic and shared them with many little ones.
I know that they all felt especially blessed today because of the thoughtfulness of those sweet little cousins of mine!

(Pictures to follow when I have a faster internet connection!)

Siabalumbi VBS

After a quiet weekend around town and the mission we headed to Siabalumbi for our last round of, “The Joy of the Lord is our Strength.” It is unreal that it is all over already!
We had a wonderful few days with that community. The kids were great. Their was singing beautiful. And the spirit was very much alive among us.
Of the three most recent community schools to begin development, they were the last to start by six months, and the first to complete the project! It is unbelievable to look at that place imagine that just a few months ago it was flat, undeveloped potential. I know that many children will now also reach their full potential through the education offered at that school. They were once again so exited to receive their sign and textbooks and celebrated openly and joyfully with us. They had the drums and the dancing going before we arrived on Monday morning. Our first thirty minutes that day involved only: greeting, singing, dancing, cheering and just celebrating! Very cool.
The only regret we have is that we were only able to spend Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings with them and so VBS was done in mini-style. It was still wonderful to spend time with those kids to share some gifts and songs.
I am so blessed to have spent this summer in this place with these people.

Katungu VBS

Our second week of VBS was spent at Katungu Community school. It was an amazing school to work with! I was sick with the flu for Tuesday and Wednesday unfortunately, so I didn’t get a chance to spend as much time there as I did at Simakakata. Monday was an incredible day of celebration though. We celebrated their new school building by unveiling their new school sign. And then we had the privilege of distributing new textbooks for their school. You cannot imagine the cheering, praising, clapping and dancing that was offered because of these books. It was amazing! The parents, headman, and community members gathered for the ceremony and I was honoured to be a part of it. The textbook fundraising back in Canada involved many people from multiple provinces. Mrs. Mbumwae had requested $20, 000CDN for the needed textbooks for her community schools earlier this year. Each person on our team thought that goal was unattainable. But as usual…God’s plan prevailed through many generous people! We arrived with even more than that amount to invest into textbooks for these schools. When we saw the celebration on that first day of VBS, we knew that those textbooks were much more precious to these people than we ever imagined....



Wish you could have been there!

Aggie

I mentioned awhile ago that a very special girl in Zambia is certainly worthy of her own blog. Her name is Agnes.

She comes from near Siampweze (not sure about that spelling…) her mother had passed away when she was about 5 and nobody could care for her. She was found in the village, terribly neglected and malnourished. Her body was the size only of a three year old and her face looked as though it had lived through long decades. Very much like an old woman. She knew no English when she was brought to Rod and Sue Calder and from what anyone could tell…she cared very little to learn it. She spoke to nobody, wouldn’t smile for anything….and you could see hardness in her eyes.
She stole many hearts as we became involved in her life. She had only to accept and trust their love in return...which understandably took time.

Throughout her first year at the orphanage, she overcome the language barrier slowly and soon the relational ones as well. She learned to trust that the people around loved and cared for her and soon the hardness began to melt away. As her diet improved, her distended tummy shrank and the “old-lady” look from her face became young again. But Aggie always seemed to be sick! We couldn’t seem to get her to stop leaking from any one location…when one would clear the other would start. If ever she fell ill….she would leak from everywhere, all at once!
After several rounds of antibiotics, countless trips to the doctor, and some tests we learned that she was HIV+. Imagine that this little body had lived through neglect, extreme malnutrition, loneliness, many infections and was now to be counted among the millions in sub-Saharan Africa with this terrible virus. And all by the age of six! She began treatment shortly after I returned to Canada in 2003. Each picture that I have seen since that time has shown dramatic improvements to her health. It was also discovered in the months that followed that she would have permanent hearing and seeing problems b/c of the infections that lingered prior to her diagnoses. Treatment has made a world of difference in this life! Her body was finally able to grow and heal itself. She has grown in height, her belly shrunk and she has lived basically a normal life for the past several years. She is now a beautiful young girl who attends a special boarding school in Choma for Seeing/Hearing-Impaired students. She proudly showed us around her campus when we took her back one Sunday. She is always a girl of few words, but the smile on her face said it all…not to mention the sweet hugs she passed around before we left her there.

I love this girl.

VBS @ Simakakata

Our past week was spent out at Simakakata Community School. We had such a blast with those kids! We had the younger kids in the morning and older in the afternoon. We had about 250-300 kids in total. Our theme is the Joy of the Lord is our Strength.
On Monday our lessons focused on: The Lord Gives You Joy
Tuesday our lessons focused on: The Lord Gives You Strength
Wednesday our lessons focused on: The Lord Protects You
Thursday our lessons focused on: The Lord Rejoices Over You!!

The kids were very active and involved…and they just couldn’t get enough VBS! I however was quite okay to not sing any more Joy songs by the end of the week…I seemed to have been Joy-ed out. But by Monday I was ready to go again!

Sometimes after VBS was finished for the day the kids would gather around and we would offer some sort of “entertainment”….like bubbles, or practicing Tonga words, or singing, or whatever. But one day we were waiting for an especially long time and so Barb and I just decided to get a tarp and sit for a few minutes. In no time at all, we were smothered with kids! We had them sitting all around. Barb’s little friend Eliza was curled up right beside her and repeated every English word she said…with nearly perfect pronunciation! We were amazed and delighted to spend lots of time with that little gal throughout the week. As I was sitting there, I could hear several girls saying in Tonga, “blah…blah…blah its up to you.” I couldn’t understand what the first part was, but the second part was clear. I didn’t know what they were talking about, and then one girl reached out and touched my hair…and then one more….and then one more…and then my head was covered in little hands petting my hair! I guess they were trying to get enough guts to actually touch a white person’s hair. It was so funny! It reminded me of a similar situation that my mom had when she visited here in 2003…she was covered on her head, shoulders and arms!

I am always amazed by the singing everywhere in Zambia but these children were exceptional. They taught us several songs and we were thrilled! They had one song that goes something like:
When we follow Jesus Christ!
When we follow, one by one.
When we follow Jesus Christ
When we follow, one by one.
Then we’ll say, Then we’ll say,
“Allellujah!”

I had way too much fun with this one! I turned it into a massive game of follow the leader, while singing. They are MUCH better at this combo than I am….it wasn’t very long until I was huffing and puffing. But it was so much fun!

At lunch time they would come and sing for us and then we would sing for them. The best part was that they sang my dad’s favourite song from the African Children’s Choir named, “Watoto”! It is called, “Higher, Higher”. The chorus goes:
Let’s push Jesus Higher!
Higher, higher, higher, higher, higher, higher
Let’s push Jesus higher!

I took a video so I can show you when I get home Dad!

We will spend next week at Katungu and the following week at Siabalumbi. I know that this work is good and can see that the kids feel blessed by it and that is why I'm here.

Dube Church of Christ

This morning was church in the village…it felt so good to be back. By back I just mean in a village church in general because I’ve never worshiped with this specific family before. It was so nice to be there. Song leader was Jonathan, Communion man was Matthew, and Preacher man was Mr. Bill. Of course Kadonsi and Nephias came along as our translators. We had a crew on for Sunday School and we had about 30 kids. We talked about ‘true Joy’ and of course had to sing:
I’ve got Joy down in my heart,
Deep, deep, down in my heart!
Spell it!! – J – O – Y down in my heart,
Deep, deep down in my heart!
A classic really. I can see already that this song will be very popular this summer!

There is just something about sitting on a very short bench and singing in another language. Beautiful Chitonga. It is incredible to be around the world and worshipping with other believers. I am so thankful for His great plan for His people to be a family.

Dirty, Dusty, & Delighted

[this was written Friday, July 21, 2006]
Today was a day of lifting, lifting and more lifting. It was all for a good cause though, because we were unloading supplies from the container. It finally arrived….two months behind schedule…but it arrived just the same! We were so happy to hear that it was about 30 minutes away from the mission when we arrived back here on Thursday evening. It was late, so it wasn’t off loaded until the next morning. After an organizational meeting at the guesthouse (my old house from 2002!) we were off to Seven Fountains to collect 2 lorries full of boxes. They were filled with supplies for the schools and we have at least one more lorry-full of shoes and t-shirts to take to the schools. We were able to find all of the Teacher’s, Steping Stones’, and VBS materials that were shipped this past February. It was some serious team work, but we got it done and we are all feeling quite organized and ready to begin out work.
I am really excited to get to Simakakata on Monday to begin VBS! Our theme is the, ‘Joy of the Lord is my Strength’….I know that we will certainly be in for some joyful singing from these kids! Actually, I must admit that as I think about this theme…I may have very little experience at living it out. The more time I spend in Africa the further convicted I am that our material blessings actually hinder true J-O-Y. There is a song that we will sing with the kids at VBS that says:
J - O - Y, J - O – Y
This is what it means:
Jesus first,
Yourself last, and
Others in between!

Is this really my focus? It is just way to easy to let myself be first, my life and things second, and Jesus and others in between. I don’t want my life to look like that. His plan for true Joy is just so much….bigger. I have seen some very happy people here who are also generous beyond comprehension. My friend even adopted a child when she has no family, no career, but just said, “I had to have her...” Wow. I guess it really is that simple to love.

I continue to be amazed by the lessons to be learned in this place. I came wanting to give and to help….but somehow I seem to always be given and blessed more in return. May you also find this happening in your life where you are today.

Some sweet faces!

Story at bed time is the routine....way too much fun!

Elise finding her feet!

Having a swing!!

Our past two weeks have been spent at Seven Fountains Farm. We aimed to help out wherever possible while here…and there were many opportunities to do so! This orphan home is the first structure on the new property purchased by Zambia Mission Fund-Canada. Before this farm all projects were done over at Namwianga Mission, which is the neighbouring property to this new farm. In 2002/03 I lived at Namwianga and worked with many projects under ZMF-C, including the original orphan home: The Haven.

Rod and Sue Calder moved with their family from there over to this new orphan home: Seven Fountains Orphan Home and we have enjoyed our time with them very much!

As if these faces don’t make you want to join us over here right now!

Josh, Daniel, Matt, Lish, and Lulu

Our past two weeks have been spent at Seven Fountains Farm. We aimed to help out wherever possible while here…and there were many opportunities to do so! This orphan home is the first structure on the new property purchased by Zambia Mission Fund-Canada. Before this farm all projects were done over at Namwianga Mission, which is the neighbouring property to this new farm. In 2002/03 I lived at Namwianga and worked with many projects under ZMF-C, including the original orphan home: The Haven.

Rod and Sue Calder moved with their family from there over to this new orphan home: Seven Fountains Orphan Home and we have enjoyed our time with them very much!

We have just picked up the Education Team from the airport. We are spending the next couple of days at a campsite planning and gather supplies. We will head to Namwianga on Thursday to begin our work there.

If you have been reading regularly...thank you! I'll try to post more pictures soon!

In Brief...

Not IN Briefs!! haha! lame, I know...But just in case you wanted to know, the Chitonga word for undergarmets is: Bomba.
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We are with Ruhtt and Shepherd at their internet cafe...it is lovely here. We are all sitting by the computer and we are thinking of points of interest from the past few days. We've mostly stayed at Seven Fountains Farm so most will be about those darling children!
- Matthew has a Lizard in his room....but its okay, they've bonded now
- Dumulu says, "Auntamala is hot."
- Stephanie AND Tina peed on Alisha - great.
- We chopped veggies and baked for 200 Americans on the Medical Mission - wow
- Hotmail isn't working for Lish and Matt....container isn't here since may....no luggage, still in London??? But this IS africa and things just take longer
- Had a dance party with LuLu, Stephanie, and Chibo - such cute moves
- Jack had a splinter, took two days to get out !
- Bedtime tucking in is WONDERFUL. "Snug as a bug ina rug....sleep tight...see you in the morning sweet one...."
- Matt and Lish feel like they've walked the entire Sahara desert. Wimps.
- Tamara drives them nuts b/c she knows TOO many people and if you didn't know....likes to talk just a bit!
- Jennifer made Alisha a Chitenge as a welcome gift.
- Matthew had a beard!!!
- Matthew is UNCLE and Alisha is AUNTIE....and Tamara is TamaLa or Madam again :)
- No Nshima yet....Tamara is impatient....LOVE THAT STUFF!
- Aggie went back to school :( we'll pick her up on Friday!!
- Matthew wants to take Demulu and Chibo home.....sweet faces!!
- Stephie asks for gum 99 times a day
- Stephie wears her shirt on her head like long hair...all the time. no kidding
- Pop comes in glass bottles
- Roads aren't really roads....more like goat trails
- An american said that everyone is calling us Canadians the Chinooks. What??????? We were truly stumped. Rod suggests that he meant to say Canuck. strange.
- Sue works HARD!!!!!!!
- Cecilia has gone with school to track
- Canadian team comes soon!!
- Mastercard and credit union doesn't work here - Matt is not impressed.
- We sang in CHITONGA at church!!
- Tamara is remembering new Tonga words everyday

All in all, we have many laughs everyday and are so thankful to be here. Thanks for reading! Sorry if there are spelling errors in this...we are in a rush.

HELLO FROM THE THREE OF US!

Loving It!

We are sitting in the new Internet Cafe in Kalomo. What an excellent addition to Kalomo! So Modern and nice. Ruhtt and Shepherd, a missionary couple own it and this who complex is nice. There is a take away restaurant, a gym, a butcher shop, ICE CREAM, and other stations. So nice to have this convenience so close!

Seven Fountain's Farm is such a nice set up. Aggie and Jack were PRICELESS when I first arrived at the farm. Big smiles and hugs. SWEET! I just love these kids. They were both glued to my arm or leg for the first hour or so...Fine with me! Shortly after arriving the power went out... true Zam experience.

Yesterday was the day of GREETINGS. It was way too much fun. We started at the Clinic and visited people at the Secondary school (my neighbours when I lived here!), the hurses of course at the clinic, My dear friend Jennifer at Wasawange (who escorted us all over the place), Cecilia at the HAVEN (the orphan home I worked in when I lived here), then around to some old friends in Eureka and then walked a couple KM up to my friends hut by Mutala. By then we were pooped so we headed back tired and thirsty. So, so good to reconnect...there are still amy many more to see but that was a great start! After supper I had the blessing of tucking in those little darlings at the Seven fountains....but not before tripping down memory lane with Emily, Dan, Josh, Twaambo, Cecilia, and Jack. Jack started the whole thing by saying, "Auntamala, that day you put me in my room....I didn't do anything!" HAHAHA! I laughed so hard I cried! I don't rememeber what day he is talking about...but clearly he does. Oh what kid. I guess we didn't get to the bottom of whatever situation that was!

Today we are off to under five clinic with the nurses! I am pumped!!!!!! Definately on of my favourite things to do. We are going to Swart and Yusa farm which is especially neat since I have met the the son of the people who own Yusa farm. He lives in Regina with his wife and children...so I will have to take 'greetings' to his mom. We will weigh and measure babies to be sure that they are growing well. If they are malnurished they will recieve a portion of HEPS (High Energy Protein Supplement). The nurses will also administer the appropriate vaccinations to the children. It will be a great day...and a great first time Zam-experience for Alisha and Matthew.

I LOVE this place and these people so, so much.

I am blessed to be here. May you also be wherever you are at today!

Safe and Sound

We are here! Our flights were great...my travel partners were pretty sleepy though ;)

In London we did the double decker open top tour...it was great! I definately crashed though and slept through a large chunk of the tour....at least we weren't on a walking tour!

It was wonderful to be greeted at the airport by Rod and Sue. What great people! It would have been absolutely perfect if our luggage had arrived :( Oh well....I was thinking ahead and packed lots of clothes in my carry on. At this point I don't even care that its not here...I'm too distracted by the smells, sights, sounds and people around me.

Lovely.

Off to a land that I love...

My blogging record thus far has been nothing short of pitiful...but here I am, for another shot at it. Guess I am just easing into this fad rather than jumping in with both feet.
The reason I started blogging in the first place was to prepare for blogging about my summer in Zambia, Africa....I had planned to share my previous Zambian experience in 2002-2003 with blogland to give some background before heading out again this summer....but basically I never got around to it.

So here is the short story:
-Lived at Namwianga Mission from 2002-2003 -
LOVED IT! LOVED THE PEOPLE, LOVED THE WORK, LOVED THE CLIMATE, LOVED THE FRUIT (not the bugs). LOVED IT ALL!
-I have lived, breathed, talked, dreamed, planned, lived Zambia ever since returning to Canada
-I am now blessed to return this summer!

Matthew, Alisha and I will travel ahead of the Education Team (departing tomorrow) to work with Rod and Sue Calder in their orphanage for 2.5 weeks, and also reconnect with people/work that I was involved with in 2002/03 . It will be wonderful! I am especially blessed to be able to share it with two of the most special people in my life...they will finally see this place and people I have nattered on and on about for nearly 3 years. It will be great to see them experience it all for the first time.

After our time with the Calders at Seven Fountains Farm, we will stay over at Nawianga Mission and work with a group of Canadian Teachers, Nurses and regular Joes that make up the Education Team 2006. We are a part of the VBS crew that will do a week long program at 3 different rural community schools as well as other random works including, a day-long Purity workshop that address many of the issues surrounding HIV/AIDS prevention and Awareness. The teachers will work with Zambian teachers in professional development type ways as they share teacher strategies. The Nurses will work with community leaders to train them in the Stepping Stones program which will enable them to conduct similar workshops in their viallages to teach HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness. It will be so good! Here are some pictures to help make it all seem more REAL as I write this summer. I will attempt to post some current pictures at some point...but internet use might be sketchy...so we'll see how it works out.

Please take time to bring this work before our Father this summer. Many lives will be touched and He is the one who knows the time and place for that to happen.
Pray that our team may be used to His glory!

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aaahhhh...Thanks God for BEAUTY.














This was my most special baby, Eunice. This was taken shortly after she arrived at the orphanage and she is looking much better than when she arrived. Today she is thriving under the care of her Zambian family that adopted her in 2003.














This is John Boy...he was just a few months old when I was there....he is all grown up now and very happy with his new family!









Agnes is a treat! She deserves her own blog someday to tell her story...if I don't get to it this summer, remind me in the fall. She is such a fighter and has lived through some tough life circumstances. Rod and Sue take great care of this little sweetie.















The Calder family! SUCH a fun household...can't wait to be a part of it again...














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Thanks for reading. May you be blessed today!

Small in a BIG world

I emailed this picture awhile ago, and I just found it again while looking through some stuff on my computer.
http://www.freemaninstitute.com/sunsetearth.htm
After I saw this the first time I was dumbfounded by how vast God's creation is. Each person is so small in the big picture, and yet so important to Him.
This picture is just one tiny piece of earth....when we compare this one corner of earth, with the entire globe...even it is small. And when we compare Earth with the rest of the galaxy - EARTH is even small!
Those 'huge' city lights are so small in the picture...but up close millions of people live and work there.....everyday. Compare those 'tiny' lights to the vast expanse of the Sahara dessert....abosutely amazing.

Take minute to feel small in this creation, and know that you are held with love in the creator's hand.

Here I Am!

I have really enjoyed this whole Blog trend that has developed recently. Reading others' blogs has given me a glimpse into my friends' struggles, personalities, ideals and humour that otherwise we may never have talked about.
I think its about time I made this more of a two-way street!