It has been an intense 24 days. Time has flown by and much has happened…here are some of the highlights (and “low-lights)…
 |
| The Vision Team at Victoria Falls (one of the perks of our job!) |
Our first team to arrive came into Livingstone on May 20. The “Vision Team” led by Karl Eastlack, had 2 pastors and 4 church members (all from South Dakota). We were able to take them to 2 villages awaiting partnership from US churches (Chimbo and Maunga) and one village that has been in the Village Parntership (VP) program since last year (Sialubala). Our visits there were both sad and hopeful as we toured the communities, heard of their struggles and dreams and saw how they live daily life.
 |
| The small girl in the green shirt and purple skirt is my "snuggler" |
While we were visiting Sialubala, there was time to sit around with the community while we were waiting for lunch to be ready. It was hot that day, so I (Erin) ended up taking shelter in the shade of the church roof with many of the other village women. I saw this little girl walking toward me. She sat down by me and did something I never thought would happen in Zambia…she snuggled up right next to me. She held a small piece of sucker in her hand that she would occasionally pop in and out of her mouth and had this deep, sickly cough that will never leave my mind. Needless to say, I wanted to bring her home and get her healthy so she could grow into a beautiful, healthy woman.
 |
| Jamie & Emily working on the Hammermills |
One day after the Vision Team arrived, Jon decided it was time to go to the doctor as he had not been feeling well for a number of days…the doctor confirmed that Jon had malaria. He gave Jon the meds he would need, they talked a little about sports, and Jon left. The malaria didn’t leave, though, for over 2 weeks. He is finally feeling back to normal!
One day after the Vision Team left, we were on our way to Livingstone again to pick up 2 young ladies who would be building small, hand-powered hammermills for villages who don’t have access to one. Hammermills grind up dried corn so that Zambians can make their staple food – nshima. About 9 days of hard work later, one mill was delivered to a village and 2 are waiting to be finished.
 |
| Countryside home visit |
Two days before the hammermill team left, our third team, Countryside (from South Dakota) arrived in Lusaka. This church has been partnering in Zambia for a number of years and were able to celebrate 2 village graduations from the Community Orphan Trust program. I (Erin) was also able to experience my first village overnight in Bulyambeba with this fine group of people (still being sick, Jon missed out, but got to go see his buddy, Dr Jain, again). A four hour drive into the bush with a big bus, trailer attached, enough corn meal to feed the village 3 times over and, of course, a french roaster with Starbucks coffee for the morning made this trip one that I will never forget.
 |
| Tracy from Countryside receiving thanks for the gift of a blanket |
From the women of a village trying to teach me to make nshima (my arms are not quite strong enough for that yet) to home visits with orphans and people living with HIV/AIDS – my heart was overwhelmed with:
Gratefulness -for new friends, the many blessings in my life, and good coffee :);
Sadness – for the children we met who no longer have parents, for the parents we met with HIV/AIDS who have passed that disease on to some of their children and
Hope – because we trust that God is bigger than the disease and poverty that is a part of our lives; because we see people who have a heart for the “poor and oppressed” with each team that we meet; and because of the transformation that is
happening in villages we have the privilege of visiting.
No comments:
Post a Comment