Holidays, holidays, holidays!

The title pretty much sums up the week; we celebrated holidays from Monday through Thursday! Monday was Africa's Heroes Day, Tuesday was Zambia's Unity Day, and Wednesday (of course) was America's Independence Day; and while nobody here seems to know what either of the African holidays are all about, they are well celebrated. After a crazy week last week with the team Jessica, Brandi, and I enjoyed some time off, as did all the teachers at Mercy Ministries! Monday night we went outside of the city for a campfire under the stars, Tuesday night we attended a 4th of July cookout at a Baptist missionary couple's house (bush pig, apple pie and watermelon ha!), and again on Thursday we were invited for cookout at a friend's house to celebrate America's Independence day with some fellow Americans!

Thursday, Friday, and this morning we went up to Mercy for a bit. We delivered chitenges we bought at Kamwala, showed friends around, sewed, and played "net ball" with the grade 6 and 7 girls for the first time (it's a cross between basketball and ultimate frisbee - very fun!). Being around those girls is one of my favorite times here! They have an energy about them that I love - they are always joking and laughing and singing, and even though it's mostly in Nyanja and I can't understand what they are saying, I can tell they are having a good time.

Aside from all the festivities, we stayed at home, catching up on sleep and enjoying some down time before out last week.

...our LAST WEEK? What? Time is so weird here. I feel like I just got here, and like I've been here forever at the same time. This last week will be a full one! We are selling at a market tomorrow, and will be up at the school as much as possible doing whatever we can to help Jessica as she transitions out. I have mixed feelings about leaving, as I feel like I'm just now figuring out what I'm doing here and learning the culture and the people. But I also will be very excited to get back to Texas to all the people I love there! Until that time comes, I will enjoy each day to the fullest! Last week, here we come,

Andi ngamula, Andi kwezaka!

Again, sorry for the infrequency :) This past week was super busy and fun - a team of 18 from my home church was here doing a Vacation Bible School for all the kids at Mercy. Last Saturday when they came in we took the team and the Mercy teachers out to Kalimba, a reptile farm, where we looked at snakes and crocs and played volleyball and football. A great time was had by all, and several members of the team (myself included) even got to hold a python!

For the VBS I was basically a floater, and filled in wherever needed; mostly in crafts and music. Music was probably my favorite because not only did we get to teach the kids some new songs, but they would also sing some of their favorite songs in Nyanja (one of the native languages in the area) for us! One of my favorites goes like this...

Andi doba, Andi suka, Andi ngamula, Andi kwezaka!
Toteleni, toteleni, toteleni wamu ya ya ya!
Shanineni, shanineni, shanineni wamu ya ya ya!
Jumpeleni, jumpeleni, jumpeleni wamu ya ya ya!
Yawileni, yawileni, yawileni wamu ya ya ya!

He picked me up, He washed me, He lifts me up, He takes me higher!
Clap, clap, clap forever and ever!
Dance, dance, dance forever and ever!
Jump, jump, jump forever and ever!
Shout, shout, shout forever and ever!

Over all, the week went very well. The team was great, and it was neat to watch them experience Africa and Mercy Ministries (for most it was their first time). The connections and relationships they established during the week were evident when it came time for goodbye's on Friday. It was a sad sight to see, but I was just glad that I don't have to say goodbye to these adorable kids and this great country just yet!

4 weeks in and I still would say what I said in my first entry; no mountains have moved in my life just yet. And they might not, but as I was reminded by my sister this week, that's not always what experiences like this are about. I must treasure every little experience and lesson as a baby step. Honestly, I have spent the last month a little frustrated with my lack of growth. But this is an incredible opportunity, and I need not spend it moping over my life not radically changing. I just need to take it in. As long as I am pursuing the Lord and loving those around me, that's all that matters. For 2 weeks still I get to do these things in Africa, and I intend to make the most of it!

Rolling with the punches

Sorry I’m an awful blogger! These last couple weeks have been busy and not at the same time. The car situation has not improved; in fact it continues to get more complicated and involve more vehicles! It’s pretty ridiculous actually, and I’m not going to attempt to explain it, but apparently this is just the type of thing that is typical in Africa. Jessica says you either laugh or cry. We’re all laughing, but would appreciate prayers for the cars!

Just one short story to give you an idea of how it’s been – we borrowed a friend’s truck on Tuesday to go to a market to buy material for the sewing ministry at the school. Parking is crazy there, as everything is tight and traffic is gridlocked, and as we were pulling away a man in another car signaled for us to pull over. He claimed we ran into his car as we were backing out (we definitely did not – there was a guy that helped us back out and made sure we didn’t hit anything) and was trying to get the police involved. Fortunately it was resolved without police, but it was almost a nasty situation.

Stories like this are in no shortage – apparently transportation is just the flavor of the month. You just learn to roll with the punches here! Patience and flexibility are essential every day here, you never know what will happen.

Last week we were stuck at the house quite a bit due to these car issues, but this week we have been much busier – the team of 18 people from my home church will arrive in the morning! We have borrowed another friend’s car and been preparing for the team’s arrival. In the past I have been on the opposite side of things; I’m usually the one on the plane right now. It has been very interesting to see all of the organization and preparation on this side. Food, transportation, lodging, schedule, among many other things – Jessica has been working very hard. And next week will be the busiest yet!

And now for a few pictures...

This is Dorthy (right), who established and runs Mercy Ministries, and her daughter Edna (left) who works at the school. Both very sweet ladies that I have been blessed to get to know!

A panoramic of perhaps the most beautiful view in all of Lusaka.

On Sundays we sell the products of the school's sewing ministry at a market. Here is our setup, with chitenges bowls, pillow cases, pillows, animals and headbands.

And one for my Crossfit friends - the TRX straps (thanks to Dustin!) I've been using in a tree right outside the house!

See what I see

Apology in advance - internet is VERY slow and expensive (we pay by the GB), so the pictures will be few.  This is a panoramic of the school, Mercy Ministries (all the kids were in class!).

Here you see the sewing room (it is the second door on the left of the first photo) with grade 6 and 7 girls hard at work! And in case you couldn't tell from all the hoods and hats, it's pretty cold here.

I've been able to spend quite a bit of time with these girls! (From the left: Norene, Peggy, Elena, Tamara, Rachel and Rachel)

Brandi teaching the kids songs right outside the school - today they learned "In the Jungle the Lion Sleeps Tonight."

Week 1

 Upon arrival in Lusaka I was told that the first few days would probably be a blur. This proved to be true, with a 7-hour time difference and changes in climate, elevation, schedule and culture – I was just dragging through those first days while my body adjusted. Finally after a week I think I can say I am settling in and getting my bearings.

We (Brandi and I) landed about 6:00AM last Monday after about 28 hours of traveling, and jumped right in! Jessica (my missionary friend here) has been keeping us very busy. We have been up at the community school (Mercy Ministries) every day, where we help sew adorable animals, bags, and pillows from the traditional Zambian fabric chitenges to sell to raise money for the school. Mostly for me this means cutting patterns, ironing, and stuffing. Other than sewing, we just get to hang out with the kids! Last Friday we went to watch the kids play in a football tournament, and I have been able to play with some of the boys at the school. We also helped in one of the classrooms for a bit, and I hope to do that more in the coming weeks – particularly in the special needs class.

We have also been meeting people from all over the world; people who are here with other local ministries, working for embassies, or students doing research in the area, etc. Over the weekend we spent time with a missionary family from Texas who fed us Warthog and Zebra (both of which were delicious), and we even got to spend an evening at the Finnish Ambassador’s house with our Finnish friends!

As far as expectations go, I didn’t really have any! I have never done anything like this before. This is a different place with a different pace than any other trip I have been on. Mission trips and tourist trips I have experienced before have been very much rushed. It’s a constant “go, go, go! We’re only here one week!!”  But that is not the case here. I’m just… living. Living like I would anywhere; no rush, no pressure. Just life! I also have never traveled without a large group; here there are just three of us, and Jessica is basically a local. No tour guide, no leader really. Just three friends doing things together.

These differences are great in many ways: I will be able to learn the culture purely by experience and more thoroughly than I have anywhere else, I get to build relationships, I am given more insight into longer-term missions, and in general I have more freedom and feel less crazy pressure than I have in the past. On the other hand, things like scheduled Bible study and processing time and such are not present. It is necessary for me to be more responsible for myself; I am learning to take my own time to stop and be alone, think through things, write, study and pray. It’s easy to just keep going and never slow down here. I am not having to share in “team time” every day, or having anyone check up on me constantly, so I can get away with it. Once again, it’s just like normal life, and I don’t know why I should treat it any differently when it comes to things like these.

On the whole, no mountains have been moved in my life or anything just yet. I am having a great time beginning to learn the culture and getting to know the people; and I am finding my place in it all. Good thing I have 5 more weeks!