Today was
quite the day! Ministry is going great - and God is really working in
this team. We have the opportunity this year to work with schools and
ministries that we have never worked with before - so it is great to see God
using our students to reach into new areas of Lusaka. Today however
included working with two familiar ministries, so I will let the students do
the talking.
There is
also an update from our teacher Hershey - he is having a great impact as he
leads the educational portion of our trip. Yesterday three teachers
accepted Christ at the end of the day!
If any of
you who are reading this are early risers - pray for us between 4AM and 8AM
tomorrow. During those hours, our students are going to be partnered with
Campus Crusade staff going door to door at the University of Zambia sharing
their testimonies!
Now - on
to the three updates from Sarah Hall, Trevor VanAsselt and Hershey Card.
(Parents and friends, be encouraged to comment on the blogs, I am reading the
comments to the students!)
---
Hi guys,
it’s Sarah! Today was an awesome day, but at the same time, so
draining. The coolest thing is to see how God puts energy in us all day
to see his work be done. Our first stop was at a combined
school/orphanage. It was a really great way to start the day. There
was a lot of game playing, dancing and smiles.
We then
went into the city to a small gated complex that was in a back ally that was
used as a service ally for broken down cars. It was very dingy and had a
small food shack that served 3 things - nshima, goats, and relish.
Behind
the wall was a small room that held a room filled with homeless boys from the
streets. All were between the ages of 13-20. I had the opportunity
to go to the room where we prepared the food. It was a small dark room
that was VERY dark. All of the players were on the ground as food was
dropped in. I am very blessed to see how it felt to prepare, then to help
give the food out to these boys. This was a very emotionally draining
moment for the entire team.
Our last
stop was a home called Matthew 25 ministries. This is a small home ran by
one woman. Even though her house is so small, she felt led by God to
bring in children who had no home. She had 16 children between the ages
of 2-21 who all call her mom. She took care of all of them including
herself by faith alone. She truly inspired me. To just live life
by faith seems so hard, but she has put her trust in the Lord, and has AMAZING
faith. All fo the kids were sitting around us, including one girl I
noticed instantly whose name was Rose. She was so shy, but had the best
smile ever. She stayed with me the whole time were were there, just
sitting on my lap and putting her head down. When we were told it was
time to go, it was so hard to say good bye - I wanted to take her home with us.
As hard as it was to leave, they will always be in my prayers.
Today was
amazing, but very tiring. I am so blessed to be here in Zambia, and I am
taking in every moment. Continue to pray - and thank you for your
prayers and support. I love you family!
-Sarah
P.S.
SHELBS I loved your letter!! Zambia says HI!
----
Muli
Bwanji! It’s Trevor here! Our group day began with us driving over
to an orphanage named Balm of Giliad. When we arrived the children were
singing and dancing for us. They also shared poems and Bible
readings. We then spent the next couple of hours playing games and
singing songs with the kids. I immediately felt led to spend time with
one particular kid. His eyes did not work together, and he had the
greatest smile. God has always given me a heart for children with special
needs. I am embarrassed to say that I could not understand his
name. He was five or six years old despite the fact that he told me he
was 10 on one occasion and 30 on another. This kid played soccer like a
champ, because he would just tackle the other kids, it was hilarious!
This was the happiest kid I had ever met, and it was so awesome to have the
opportunity to share God’s love with him.
Also
while we were still there they were digging a large whole to fill with
fertilizer and grow agriculture so that these kids could be self sufficient in
their adulthood as well as learning about nature. I love serving God
through physical labor, it’s a gift God has given me and it has always been a
blessing to use it for his glory. The ground was almost all rock, so it
was difficult for them to dig. It was cool to help them out as well as
share with those watching along the way. It was difficult to say good
bye, but I knew were were heading to a feeding ministry, so I was ready to go
serve the street children.
We
arrived at the building where we would be feeding them - there were over 50
homeless boys there - many of them wasted or high, the majority of them younger
than me. I am going to try and paint a picture of what happens next, but
it is something that words cannot describe. Part of me is angry at God
that something like this could happen, but I know for those who believe, their
treasures will be in heaven. Many of the children had slept in drainage
gutters filled with piles of trash the night before, their clothes were covered
in filth. I was tearing up as we were packed tightly in a small room.
We sang a
few songs then Jack called me into the front of the room to share my
testimony. I love sharing my testimony, because I know how powerful it
is. I have seen God use it in ways that I can’t even describe. This
was different though - I had to tell a group of children who have NOTHING how
depressed and hopeless I was before I knew Christ. I had been blessed
with so much, yet I was blind to it all. I guess it is just proof that
material will never fill that God shaped hole in our hearts. My prayer is
that God used my testimony to use just one kid think twice about there being a
God who loves them.
Then a
boy named Sam spoke how he was once a street boy just like them. He
decided to live for Christ and put his trust in Him. He then met a pastor
who helped to give him an education. Now Sam is entering college and
making a life for himself. Jehovah Jireh - God provides! Now THAT
is a POWERFUL TESTIMONY. So cool!
We then
fed the kids and gave them a new shirt as many threw their old shirts in the
trash. One kid took off the beaten OPC Adventureland shirt that we gave
out at the same home LAST YEAR. Each kid only had one shirt, and they wanted
more, but we couldn’t give them more. One kid at the end of the line did
not get a shirt - so Ben Landry took his shirt off and gave it to him.
Ben wore this kid’s dirty shirt onto the bus - it was one of the most selfless
things I have ever seen - it was so cool!
What an
awesome day serving the Lord. It was incredibly emotional, but none of
our lives will ever be the same. God Bless!
---
Hi all, Hershey here, reporting to you about
our first two days working with the
wonderful teachers of the Lusaka area schools. First of all, I want to say
I am blessed to be working with a great group of students and staff of
707. I truly feel they have carried me to the classroom each day, God has
given me the encouragement and strength to stand in a foreign land and
speak of the truth of education in my life as a teacher in Farmington.
After the great blessing of working with these passionate teachers, I am
once again embraced by this wonderful group that symbolically carries me
home and honestly cares about how my day went. So, I just want to
thank you for the sacrifice each of you has made in sending one of your
precious family members to this beautiful country.
The schools we are visiting are private
schools and usually either for profit or non-profit. The teachers have various educational backgrounds, some have
not been to a University but are trying to gain enough money to go. They
have cherished the supplies and handouts we have brought them. I am
speaking with each group of teachers for three to four hours and am able to
bring to them different successes and failures that I have experienced with
teaching and learning styles. We also talk about different strategies that
might help us in teaching along with chatting about "best practices"
in education. One of the more fun discussions I like having with the teachers
involves creating an individual mission statement. I think so many people
either do not have a mission statement or they lose focus of what their
original mission was. I am guilty of this! I finally posted my statement in my
classroom so I would be more accountable by my students and every time I see
it! Yikes!!
Here are two mission statements that were
written by teachers I visited;
"...To impart knowledge and skills to my
pupils for self-reliance in society
through hardworking."
"My desire is to redeem a poor Zambian
child from the claims of poverty and all
forms of vulnerability so that they can
in-turn transform the communities in which
they live."
And lastly I would like to say a BIG HI to my
beautiful family; Amy, Benji, Ali and K.C. and thank them for letting me travel
to this beautiful country and work with the wonderful, giving people of Zambia!
Thank you for your support and Love.
I Love You and miss you!!!
There are soooo many experiences worth
bringing to you - I am sure you will hear them eventually! That is all for
now.
-Hershey
We are lifting you so high up in prayer that you should feel like you are up in the clouds!! What wonderful work you are doing!! Continue to spread God's love and joy to all the Zambians for all of us back home!! (We love you Spencer)! The Millers
ReplyDeletehello in Zambia! I am praying for all of you! I really enjoy reading your stories and reports each and every day. they never fail to bring a smile to my face! I hope all is well, i will continue praying! Love you all, Adrian Hart
ReplyDeleteTrevor - It's so great to hear from you! It sounds like you guys are really having an influence on the Zambian people that will impact them for eternity. We are praying that God will continue to strengthen and encourage you and the team. We miss and love you! Dad, Mom and Bryce
ReplyDeleteI teared up reading this post. I am so happy for the experiences you all are having (as I well know they changed my life) and that you are all allowing God to use you in such awesome ways! I am praying for you all an can't wait to hear about the trip when you get back!
ReplyDeleteTrevor - you painted an awesome picture of "the boys under the bridge". That day in 09 + 11 had the biggest impact on me and I am glad to hear that you guys went back and are being impacted by it as well!
I love you all!
Lauren Crabill
Thank you all so much for the posts! It is so great to hear how it's going so quickly. And yes, God will continue to give you the strength and energy to do his will. You all are such a blessing...and an inspiration. We are praying for you all! Kelsey, we love you and miss you! Love, The Lewinskis XOXO
ReplyDeletePhil 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength
Another amazing day! You guys are an inspiration to all of us back home who are praying for you. It is wonderful to read of the work you are doing. The Lord is impacting you and all the Zambians you are getting to meet. You will have memories forever. You represent all that is good. Be bold, be strong and know that you are loved! The Harveys XXX
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the daily updates. We are not with you physically but spiritually we are with you as you share Gods love with the Zambian people. We miss you and pray for Gods direction and protection. Lots of love. We miss you Lauren. The Syversons.
ReplyDeleteAlthough we miss you here, we know that it is God's will that all of you be in Zambia right now spreading His word. Your postings each day keep us informed about your special work in Africa, and inspires us back home to do our part. Keep safe, keep healthy, and know that we miss and love you all.
ReplyDeleteGod rocks and you guys are His band! Love it! Can't wait to hear more!
ReplyDeleteBen,
ReplyDeleteI know you are having the time of your life, and are so happy in Zambia serving Gods' children. Your physiacal Therapist called and said you can now move your arm up forward an additional 30 degrees (to 150 now) and turn your arm out an aditional 30 degrees (to 50 degrees now). We love you, son. Mom
Daniel,
ReplyDeleteWe are so thrilled to see how you allowed the Holy Spirit to do the work and bring God the glory. He is strongest when we are weak, and you showed that with your willingness to let God speak through you. We can't wait to hear all the stories. We will continue to pray for you. May your walk be ever so much closer because of this experience.
Love Mom, Dad and your sibs