Kitwe Greater Grace Church New Building Project! <- click to watch video

OUR KEZIA! 4 and a half. Today she comes in the kitchen and says to me - totally randomly: Now i know why i have to go to school! so that when i'm a mama and my children ask me about the gospel of God i can tell them what it is! she is so sweet. yes she drives us nuts, but her heart is so, so tender. I have to get motivated again for home schooling. It's all by faith right? sending a child to school or home schooling them, it's a decision to be made by faith. i told her that mothers and daughters have to hug many times a day, and so she wholeheartedly reminds me of that and hugs and hugs with those big grey-green eyes and smile to her ears...

so this is the car we drive here in Zambia, it's a Spacio, THE car that all taxi drivers drive in kitwe... you might remember me mentioning that. A week or so ago, I went downtown with the girls, parked in front of the main grocery store, wasn't inside more than 15 mn that 2 guys tap on my shoulder and ask if I am driving a Spacio and had parked in front of the store and that I better hurry out because the Police is out there, thinking it's a taxi and are getting ready to 'bust' my car.... By the time I got out there, the police had left and there was a huge crowd of mostly guys all talking at once, letting me know how lucky I was that they were able to convince the police that the car wasn't a taxi, as they were getting ready to puncture my tires and who knows what else... Apparently the police has been working hard lately at 'convincing' taxis to not park in customer spots. I have to say it was my first positive 'mob experience' in Africa. Noone trying to intimidate, or asking for compensation -ie money; we actually all laughed together at the irony of this white lady driving a 'taxi'! Well it's nice to know even pple you don't know are watching your back! ...................................................................................... I asked Benson the other day, how is it that there are pick pockets in many parts of town, but almost every other house has a little table on the street with some type of goods they are selling, with NO one to watch the goods but they don't get stolen?? his answer was 'It's the community. everyone is watching out for each other in the neighborhood'. ...................................................................................... You might remember Kennedy and Chanda from a few weeks back. The building developments on our church land required a night guard and Kennedy was hired for the job!! Praise God! an answer to his and our prayers. Chanda has been ill lately and we haven't seen her in church yet. Her husband told me yesterday that she still attends UCZ (United Church of Zambia) where they used to go to together, but maybe with time she'll start coming out with her husband. We are still in the 'try outs' of a little business idea for her. ...................................................................................... ZAM-CON was really enjoyable for me this year!!! We got to stay at a very decent lodge, along with Renee Beland, Barbara Hill and Istvan Pirgeri aka Pirgi. Seeing all our friends from LUSAKA, SOUTH AFRICA, AMERICA, PHILIPPINES and ETC was soooo refreshing. Here's a quick MOMMY-MOMENT, just as a testimony of the very special leaders we have. It was sunday night, the last night of the conference; ordination, many messages, lots of awesome music etc. But that's only what i was told. I was outside in the dark (and pitch black for a while as the whole property lost power for almost an hour) with the 2 girls, trying to entertain them, keep them from getting hurt and picking up trash to play with and having given up on avoiding their red dirt covered hands and feet. When the session was just about to end, we went in the conference hall and sat in the back, i was exhausted, done with the kids craziness, and just wanted to ask around, has anyone else noticed how long this has been going on for???! yeah. i was not pretty to look at or talk to. All the while, the pastors are up front praying for pple or something of the sort. That's when Jediah appears all clean in his white shirt and tie and let's me know P Scibelli wants the Armans, Speedys and Tanguays on stage to pray for us. I *almost* L O L. I was filthy, upset, stinky and on the verge of disowning my children. Sure i would love to go up on stage right now. Jediah could read those words all over my face i guess because he added: ...by faith? i wanted to say: you did not just play that card on me. He picked up both girls and i just got up and -reluctantly- followed. On the stage we quickly arranged in a semi circle around p scibelli, the Speedys, Micah sleeping on his dad's shoulder, the Arman family, and us. P Scibelli bowed his head to pray for us, one hand on each person on the end of the circle. Now, him bowing his head means you are pretty much looking into his face if you didn't close your eyes- like i didn't -of course. "Father, I thank you for these families..." and right there after those words his face broke in a sob he was trying very hard to hold back. He barely paused for more than 10 seconds but it was clear he fought those tears back reeeeally hard. Well, that's all my stinky crusty heart needed to hear/see, to soften up and be thankful again. Thankful for this man who preached forever tonight, thankful for the red dirt all over my clothes and my kids bodies, thankful for a husband who annoys me with his Faith, thankful for God who shows me how much i have to be thankful for... P Scibelli's heart was all over his face, this leather tanned face, this sometimes harsh italian looking face, all over it you could see care and love. That was an unforgettable face to face with our missions director.

Kitwe GGWO, church pple

It rained all day on Thursday, so the construction work on the church's new plot of land was interrupted. perfect! jediah came home earlier than planned, we hopped in the car and set off to visit Kennedy and Chanda, a young couple who visited last sunday. Jediah had met him on outreach abt a month prior to that. as we got closer to their house, we came to what was basically a lake right in the middle of the road. it was clear the car wouldn't make it through. we parked there and finished on foot using a shortcut as Kennedy was leading the way. Through someone's backyard, then between 2 outhouses, ground covered in trash, slippery slopes, finally arriving in a yard- little house made up of 2 side by side rooms (each room for 1 family...), 2 mangoe trees, an old bench, lots of puddles, a few patches of sweet potatoes plants growing, clothes hanging on a long line across the yard. 3 chairs are borrowed from the neighbor, an old t shirt to whipe them down and we sit with our guests. Lili and kezia are already running after the chickens, picking up old mangoes and splashing in mud puddles. I purposely decide not to look, 'all of this is washable' I try to convince myself. Right away, this young couple's difficult situation becomes evident. I am so touched by their lives, I woke up early this morning thinking abt them and praying for wisdom. After Kennedy lost both his parents last year, they moved to Kitwe in hopes of better lives. It has been 7 months now of no work, no money, no relatives around to help (this is huge in Zambia) rent not payed, and often going to bed at night with no food... Their faces are so sweet even as they tell of their misery. Their 4 yr old son warms up to the girls. Chickens are flying as high as they can. CHANDA and I talk abt some small 'business' opportunities. The most realistic one is selling food at the corner of her street. Fritas (zambian doughnuts), popcorn, crackers... those have low starting costs and I told her I might be able to help her with it. Using caution in situations like that is probably the wisest thing to do. There are so many needs everywhere, we could be doing this all day and not have enough time with a lifetime. But my heart is deeply touched and I can't deny it. KENNEDY hops in the car with us to show us the way out and makes a statement that almost brought tears to my eyes. Of all my years in Africa, I've never heard a husband talk like that of his wife, especially being in the situation they're in. He said: "I have to say one thing abt my wife, she doesn't ask for the things that other people have, she is very patient..." You would have to know this culture to know how touching this is. Charles is a faithful disciple in our church who makes and sells crackers to retailers for a living. I think selling those would be a great start for Chanda. We'll start with KR 50 ($10) worth of crackers, abt 25 little packs and see if she can sell them fast enough to be profitable for their family. Yesterday a big quantity of wood and cement was delivered on the church property and a night guard was needed to guaranty they would still be there in the morning. Kennedy was asked to fill the job for the next 3 days! Praise God, God is already answering my prayers and giving him work. He's a taxi driver but without a license, noone will let him drive their car in Kitwe. We will look into how much that costs. Please pray for them, we have encouraged them to put God first and to see what He will do. I am excited to be part of their lives someway or another.

SPECIAL THANKS

... to the most faithful and edifying follower of our blog/lives! Rachael Umstead your comments are always SO uplifting, don't stop.

It’s Thursday night, and we made it out the door, you know, one of these days where meltdowns just don’t seem to stop -shoes are nowhere to be found, bruises around every corner, wife is stressed out and husband is grumpy. (sorry honey :-) Being ‘missionaries’ makes nothing better. Being a follower of Christ does. And so for us, saving Grace is in the form of the words on the calendar “Visitation Day’. So we make it out the door, sit in the car, a little tensed, but soon the giggles spark and we fly over the potholes, and try to remember to drive on the left side of the road, but only if that’s the better side of the road of course. Jediah has to yell into the phone: -We are on our way, but where did you say you are? -I’m on the bus, going through Chimwemwe! I’m coming just now! Chimwemwe… one of the largest compounds of Zambia! Aie! This could take a long time. Oh well, we’re now parked on the side of the road, eating JIGGIES - little individual bags of puffed corn, 500 KWACHAS each, and sipping on carefully boiled and filtered water. Jediah met Matthews a few days ago on that same corner. We want to meet his wife and family, know where he lives, here in BUCHI, the very populated but not so popular area where Greater Grace Kitwe just acquired land and started building a men’s dorm and a foundation to put a tent up for church meetings. The sun is slowly going down, JIGGIES are almost gone, little hands and feet in back seat are getting antsy, we’re watching people as they walk by, some staring back at us, others oblivious to us MUZUNGUS sitting in the car. The vehicle we own is the very type of car used for all the taxis in Kitwe! One way to go a bit incognito  Thank God for a husband who starts commenting on the humorous culturally different images walking and driving in front of us. Suddenly a car stops in front of us and out of it emerges 2 girls one of which can barely stand, she takes one step and collapses on the hood of our car. The men back in the car are very amused. It’s such a sad scene. The drunk girl’s girlfriend is not willing to tell us how she got so drunk but seems in a hurry to take her away. A few steps and she’s on the dusty ground throwing up. Kezia, 4 years old, is watching from the backseat, asking questions, perplexed. Alcohol in Zambia is a strange phenomenon, nobody thinks anything of it. There are bars at every corner in this area. Drinking is absolutely normal and acceptable. Finally Matthews calls, he won’t make it any time soon. It’s dark now anyways and not so safe for us to be out here after sundown. So we have done nothing, but then again, is it about that? Our family was at the right place, at the right time. We would have killed each other anyways had we stayed home. This afternoon, remembering her Sunday school lesson about building on a rock, Kezia exclaims: ‘That girl the other night, she was not standing on the rock…’ To the point. I’m so grateful to be building our family –though in very insignificant ways at times- on the Rock, here, there, at home, overseas, anywhere.

HERE WE COME AGAIN ZAMBIA!!

We just got our return to Zambia tickets! Praise God! Though we only bought one way tickets it was still a large sum, and we are so thankful on this pre-thanksgiving particularly- that we were able to purchase them! we will be leaving on a thursday december 20th! Stopping in France (since we were already scheduled to stop in europe) and will spend Christmas with my sweet sister Melody and her amazing family.

MELODY AND P> BEAUGARD ADANLEDJI

and their adorably delicious FABIEN, 4 & ALYCIA, 1 They are missionaries in France. Please keep them in your prayers! France is less than 1% evangelical. that's right, not even 1%!! A week after that Jediah will head over to Lusaka, Zambia while i stay in france with the girls another couple weeks. The plan is that he will land in Lusaka, probably stay with team members for a night or two, rent a truck and a driver, load up the truck with our belongings, and head up north -abt 6 hrs- and move in our new 'miracle house', in KITWE where the Speedy family has been living for 4 years. So the countdown has started, technically 2 weeks to pack the house, then our wish is to find a place to move into for our last few days here. This should enable us to vacate our place properly and move anything we are storing away -still looking for a place for that- during those last days. SOME GOOD MEMORIES FROM LAST YEAR:

2 days in MAINE

lovely family time in the middle of a whirlwind visit to friends in massachussetts; Scott and Kristine Desmarais, and the awesome 'Elevate' group; Sarah and Toby Gerraghty and their sweet Cameron and Isabella; and the surprise celebration for P Morrison's 25 years as Pastor of the church in 'Wostah'

WE'RE STILL IN BALTIMORE!

.. and what a great place to be 'stuck' for a lil while longer. Below are photos of amazing friends we have been blessed to spend time with. Jesse and Kendra Beaty are the parents of Randy 4, Naphtaly 3, Eden 2 and Valor almost 1 -and foster parents for Nicolas, whom they hope to adopt.

One day we all piled up in their 15 passenger van and headed for VA where Jesse's family lives. His mom and 2 sisters spoiled us that week end and we had sweet times of fellowship. Here, playing Carcassonne...! The heat is on! [ps. do not play this game if you do not LOOOOVE competition. i'm just sayin :P]

This is a family of 7 children who were missionaries to China for 20 years!! I know better than to idealize missionaries - they're/we're just humans- but these pple are truly inspiring. Jesse and Kendra have plans to take their family to a foreign land someday in the near future. Amen to living by faith and taking families on adventures with God!

LIVING ON THE EDGE OF SANITY, YET WISER THAN THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD...