Coming Home!

The past few weeks have been crazy busy but great. We had a "Come Back Alive" class in which we had to stay out in the middle of no where over night and build our own shelter and fire. We ate burnt rice for dinner.Also, during the class the team had to kill a chicken and goat. To be honest it was awful, I couldn't even watch. We also had a "Bush Cooking" class and we had to kill a chicken for dinner and cook over a fire for the week. We also completed a "Sector Management" project. This project is the research you would need to do before going into a new unreached area. It includes the strategy you would use to reach and disciple the people. It was very interesting and a lot of fun.
Last week we went on our final expedition. We returned to the Mukuni chiefdom. However we were in a different area that was further out than lats time. We drove for around 3 hours on bumpy, unpaved roads to get there. We set up camp outside the village school. It was extremely hot the entire time we were there. While we were there we did hut to hut ministry, children's ministry, and we also showed the "Jesus" film.
We had our AMT graduation Saturday. We will be flying out Tuesday. We are so excited about going back home and seeing family and friends. We are so thankful for all that God has taught us during our time here. In so many ways being here was not what we expected. However, we are confident that it was exactly where God wanted us and exactly what we needed.  God's Word has been especially precious to us since being here in Zambia. We are also so thankful for people who have continually encouraged us and covered us in prayer. We are looking forward to Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for. We thank God for his faithfulness and his grace that strengthened us through this whole process.

True Prosperity

This week has proven to be our best week since coming to Africa.  Our second expedition was very fruitful and rewarding.  There were over 123 salvations with several healings and deliverances.  I was so eager to get back out in the bush among the people and continue unleashing the Kingdom of God.  We know that His Kingdom crushes all other kingdoms and His government is what humanity needs the most.  He created us and made us for His own pleasure, so without Him we are most miserable and dysfunctional. 

Colossians 1:15-16

                “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him.”

 John Piper says, “The reason missions exists is because worship doesn’t.”  God longs for the nations to know Him, love Him, and worship Him in Spirit and Truth.  This is the chief end of man.  The nations must know their purpose or else they will remain colorless.  Man was created for God.  God alone is the only one who can meet our deepest longings.  So we reach this conclusion, God is longing for us and we (mankind) are longing for Him.  God and man meet, when Jesus and faith collide.  This is the message of Romans 10:9, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”  And this is the message that must be declared throughout the whole earth.  These are the words that we shout from the rooftops.   Through Jesus, the pure spotless Lamb of God, both the heart of God and the heart of man are satisfied.  We have witnessed this in America, Asia, and now in Africa.  Humanity needed a Savior, the Father desired restoration, and the Son answered the yearnings of all.  Because of Jesus, salvation has come and unbroken fellowship is now a reality.  Let us not forget that the Gospel still means… God’s story… Good News!

                This is the news that we published during our expedition.  We preached the beauty of Jesus in huts, under trees, in gardens, and right outside of our bush kitchen.  As we preached, I was reminded of just how irrestible Jesus is!  The Zambians open their hearts as we preached the Bread of Life and became satisfied.  Matthew 5:6 tell us, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied.”  Jesus is enough (more than enough)!  Rich or poor, African or American, young or old Jesus is all we need.  Sounds simple, but it is simply that simple.  We must not complicate life because it all goes back to Jesus.  For in Him we live, move and have our being. 

                This truth was magnified this past week in the bush.  As we were ministering to about 15 people in one village, a man began to raise his voice asking questions.  We entertained his questions.  He was upset at God for not answering his prayers.  He continued to share that he had been asking God to prosper him and it hadn’t happen.  The man was very concerned because now he is up in years and felt that prosperity would never occur for him.  I began to ask the man what he considered prosperity to look like.  Of course, he said houses, cars, and clothes.  I told him that houses will get old, cars will break down, and clothes will wear out.  As our eyes locked, I said “It is not what a man possesses externally that makes him rich or poor, but what he possesses internally that determines true poverty or prosperity.”

Matthew 6:20-21

                “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

                I began to explain the Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Value found in Matthew 13:44-45 from both perspectives; what Jesus did and what man must do.  Jesus gave everything, valuing us beyond comprehension.  We, upon being touched by Jesus, should consider everything rubbish in comparison to Him.  Then I was able to explain the story of Deion Sanders the American football star to him.  Deion’s story is about having everything a man could want (houses, cars, clothes, etc.) but still being empty and miserable.  Early one morning, he was driving home thinking about the emptiness of his soul and attempted to commit suicide by driving his car off the interstate.  Deion would go on to testify that only Jesus can satisfy; making someone truly rich.   

Jesus is the greatest treasure!  Nothing compares to knowing Him.  He alone should be our portion and reward.  I mean tell me what is better, having blessings or having the One who blesses?  Being in love with the Savior and embracing the gift of redemption is the most priceless treasure the world will ever know.  Unbroken fellowship with the Creator should be our greatest ambition and passion, but is it?  No matter what part of the world you find yourself in, most people are driven by the external.  Humanity is buying into the lie.  Even many Christians are striving for the tangible.  The Church and the world need a wakeup call.  True prosperity is about what a man possesses internally.  We must set our affections and ambitions on the Lord and His will being done on earth as it is in Heaven.  Currently, Americans spend more money on coffee each year than reaching the nations with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  If Jesus is truly enough, then we must live like it and use our resources to raise the volume of this message in every nation including our very own:

2 Corinthians 5:21                            

                “For our sake He (God) made Him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

My prayer is that God would help us (the Church) understand true prosperity.  For when we receive this glorious revelation, selflessness will become the normal among believers.  It is not about the things seen, but those things unseen.  The only thing we can take with us to heaven are souls!  Let’s invest in the eternal not the external!

2 Corinthians 4:18

                “As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.  For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Expedition 2-Part 2

This is a continuation from that last blog posted about our 2^nd expedition.

Tuesday and Wednesday we drove to villages that were further out from where we were staying. We encouraged believers and led those who were not saved to the Lord. Most if, not all the people in this area have gardens. When we went to their huts to minister to them, a lot of times they were out watering their gardens. So before or after we sat down and talked with them, we helped them water their garden. They water their gardens every two days. The main crop that they plant is rape. (The only thing I can really compare it to is collard greens.) It is a staple in their diet. They eat it as a “relish” with nshima.  They also grow cabbage and onions. They use buckets to water their gardens. It is HARD work. They said it would usually take about 12-13 hours to do this. It is the women who primarily water the gardens. Our team was able to water a garden in about one hour. This was a huge blessing to them. We loved being able to help.

The first person that my group talked to was a woman in her 50’s. We first helped her water her garden for about an hour. Then we took a break and sat down under a straw shelter and began talking with her. We asked her if she knew about Jesus. She said yes that she had been to church when she was a young girl. She said she hadn’t been going to church lately though. We have found that most of the people here do know about Jesus but many of them don’t know what it means to be saved or how to be saved. As we were talking with her, her niece and brother came by and sat down and listened also. The woman told us that she had a hard life and many times she wondered what her purpose was and thought “why don’t I just die.” We shared with her how God had created mankind to love us and to have relationship with us. I told her that God had not forgotten about her and I told her the scripture “Precious are the thoughts that He thinks towards us.” We encouraged her and told her that God had a purpose and a plan for her life. We led both of the women to pray for salvation. It was awesome! They seemed very encouraged and glad that we had stopped by.

Our next stop was with a young family. There were 5 children. Another couple and their kids came over when they saw us. They were already believers. We told them we had come to encourage them in their faith and share the Word of God with them. They told one of their children to go get their Bible. We shared with them for an hour or two. Before we left, we asked if there was anything we could pray with them about. One of the men said he had a headache. His wife asked us to prayer for her about temptation. I walked over to her so that I could really talk to her and I began to encourage her that God would give her the strength to resist temptation. I told her that God loved her and he was going to help her overcome this. It was so precious that she opened up to us like that. It was obvious that she really wanted to do the right thing and please the Lord. We prayed for her and afterwards she thanked us and was smiling. It was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.  She was so grateful that we had taken the time to talk and pray with her. It’s so awesome that God sent us to there to minister to them.

Our last day of ministry we had a “conference” at our campsite. It started at 10:30a.m. and lasted until about 5:00p.m. Each person on our team had the opportunity to speak. The focus was discipleship. The topics ranged from raising your children to love the Lord to being a light to unbelievers to living a godly life.  Between the speakers we would sing songs. Around 1:30 we took a break for lunch and shared a meal with them. They were responsible for bringing relish (which is rape and cabbage) and we provided the nshima. The men and women do not sit together so we split up into groups of 5. Each group had a bowl of nshima and relish. There were no plates or silverware. In the Zambian culture the women sit on the ground and the men sit in chairs. It was a very interesting experience. Once the conference was over we packed up and headed back to the base.

Zambia has a rainy season and a dry season. We have been in the dry season. Towards the end of the dry season it gets really hot. Most of the missionaries here go back home to the U.S. during the rainy season because it makes the roads impassable, which makes ministry impossible. The whole time we have been here it has not rained, until last week. Gradually the winds have been picking up especially at night. Sometimes the winds get so strong at night, I feel like our tent is literally going to blow away. The rainy season normally does not start until the end of October, however it is starting early this year. While we were in the bush it rained once. I was relieved to find out the tents we use in the bush keep the rain out. We were told that it stormed pretty badly at the base while we were gone and there was hail the size of golf balls. When we first arrived we never saw clouds, but now clouds are becoming more common. It has been extremely hot the last few days. We were spoiled the last couple of weeks with unusually cool weather for this time of year.

Hillsong South Africa worship tour came to Livingstone. Overland Missions was one of the main contacts and sponsors so we got to help with the event. The concert was great. The Zambians loved it! A lot of people came and there were several salvations. 

This week we have been in more training. In the morning we are doing workshop. Workshop is anything from welding to woodworking. Our project for this week has been building a water tower for a well here at the base. It has been a lot of fun. In the afternoon we have Preaching 101. Thank you all for praying for us. We can feel your prayers. When things are challenging we draw strength in knowing so many people are praying for us.

I listened to this Jesus Culture song on our ipod this morning, “My strength in life is I am Yours. My soul delights because I am Yours. Your will on earth, is all I’m living for! Jesus, I glorify. Jesus, my love is yours! You are my heart’s desire. I live to know you more!” How true is that? Our strength comes from knowing we are His! He is for us! He is with us! He loves us! He wants what is best for us! We can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us! There is nothing like knowing Him, loving Him, and serving Him!

Expedition 2-Part 1

Last Sunday we left on our second expedition. This time we went to the Mukuni kingdom. (Each “city” is called a kingdom. Within the kingdom there are “villages”, which basically means a group of huts.  Each kingdom has a chief or headman.) Mukuni was only about 2 hours away, so a lot closer than the last place we went to.

The church that we worked with there was so excited about us coming. When we arrived in the truck people came out to meet us. We set up camp right down the road from the church and the headman’s hut.  The church had a “bathroom” that the girls were allowed to use so we had a “long drop” instead of a field like last time. So we were very thankful for that.

The first day of ministry most of the girls stayed back at the campsite and had a women’s Bible study while the guys did hut to hut ministry nearby. We probably had around 20 women come. We opened by asking if they knew Jesus and most of them said they did so we started sharing scripture with them. We asked if any of them had questions and one of the women spoke up and said "you asked us if we know who Jesus is and we said yes, but if someone were to ask me to tell them who he is I don’t know." So basically what she was saying was that she had heard the name Jesus but she didn’t really know who he was. So one of the girls from our team started with creation and went through until Jesus rose from the dead and how we can be saved. We asked if anyone else had questions about the Bible. There were several women who went to church that had questions for us. It was so awesome being able to share Truth with them. They are so hungry for the Word of God. One lady asked about the woman in the Bible caught in adultery. She said Jesus told them whoever has no sin to cast the first stone. One of the big problems here in Zambia is unfaithfulness in marriage. Many husbands and wives commit adultery. We explained to the lady that Jesus also told the woman to go and sin no more. Once we are saved we should turn away from sin and start following the Lord. It was a great time of ministry.

On Monday morning Tim and I were asked to preach that same night. I’m not going to lie, I was so nervous! I usually prepare for a while before I speak. A few weeks before, I felt like God had given me a word but I wasn’t sure when or where I should share it. So God knew long before what I needed. I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit! He gives us what we need to say. It is His Word, we are just the vessels He uses to communicate it. We were scheduled to start at 7pm. However in Africa this means we will start about 8 or 8:30pm. About 60 people from the area gathered at our campsite around the fire. Our translators that we brought with us led us in some Zambian praise songs. Then Tim preached the Gospel from the beginning and led the majority of the crowd in the prayer of salvation. It was so wonderful! Then I got up and shared about our new life in Christ. Once we are saved, that’s not the end of the story. We don’t pray a prayer then go live our lives out like we would have before. I talked about 2 Corinthians 5:17-we are now a completely new creation. The old has passed away and all things have become new.

Eph. 4:21-24 “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.  Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.  Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”

I explained that when we are saved, God changes us on the inside, our hearts. However, our minds are still the same which is why we must renew our minds with the word of God. We must choose to put on the new nature or walk out the new nature that God has given us when we are saved. Just like in America, hypocrisy is everywhere. So many people say they are Christians, but do not live it out.

I read 1 John 3:7-9 to them “Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.”

I told them that Jesus has set them free from sin. We no longer have to sin.

Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”

 How awesome is that? God changes us we don’t have to do it on our own. He gives believers the desire to please him and the power to do what it takes. He is a good, wonderful, loving Father!

Colossians 2:6-7 “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”   

Ephesians 3:17 “Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”

I explained that as they trusted the Lord and made the commitment to put their hope in Him every day, that their spiritual roots would anchor them to the Lord. Even when temptation or trails come they would not fall because they would be grounded in the Lord. 

It was definitely one of those moments when I could feel God stretching me. I was totally out of my comfort zone. But come to think of it, I’ve had a lot of those moments lately! It’s a good thing though. We will never grow if we are never stretched. Being stretched is never comfortable. It was a wonderful first night. I really feel like the people were blessed and strengthened.

I know we are learning and growing so much. We are excited about what God is doing!

Medical Course

The last two weeks we have been in a missionary wilderness first responder class. We were certified in wilderness emergency medicine and CPR. (I already had my CPR so mine was renewed.) We were instructed on what to do in emergencies when we are unable to get to a medical facility. We also learned about illnesses common to world travelers. We were taught the signs and symptoms, the drugs used to treat, and how to prevent. It was an intense class and we had lecture and practical work from 9a-12:30, 1:30-5, and 7:30-9p every day except for Sunday. It was exhausting! However, it was great information that will be very beneficial to us and gives us confidence in ministering to unreached people groups in the third world.

This past Thursday and Friday our team went to a village nearby and we had the opportunity to teach on some of the things we learned in the course such as how to clean and bandage soft tissue wounds and how to splint broken bones. We started out by doing a funny skit on the Good Samaritan. Then our team was split into four groups and each group taught a portion of the class. We showed them how they could use items that they already had such as thatch and material from their skirts to treat these injuries. We split into groups after we verbally instructed them and gave them a demonstration and allowed them to practice the skills that we had taught. It was so much fun getting to teach them! The Zambian people really enjoyed it as well. At the end of class on Friday we gave them certificates showing that they had received the basic first aid training. It was a refreshing two days of ministry!

It is really heating up here in Zambia! It is a constant battle to stay hydrated. The air is so dry here and there is almost always a breeze so we don’t realize how much we are sweating and loosing fluid. We saw two giraffes walking across the road yesterday when we were on our way to town so that was neat. We hear baboons roaring a few times a week. (Sounds weird saying they roar but that’s what is sounds like.) Don’t know if I would ever get used to the animals here. J

God is so good! He is so near to us and I know we are growing so much in Him. We are so thankful for the opportunity to be here. We know God has us right where he wants us. We miss family, friends, air conditioner, privacy, and normal food but there is nothing like being in his will. God is stretching us and our prayer is that we will grow more and more like him. Only He satisfies!

Week 2/Victoria Falls

                On Friday when we returned to the base after the expedition, we were exhausted and filthy. Once arriving on the base we began to wash the truck and clean all of our expedition gear. On the base we are split into four teams with different chores and we rotate chores every Monday. So  on Friday I was on the dinner prep team and I helped cook dinner for everyone on base. After dinner I finally had the opportunity to take a shower. The water was actually cold because all the hot water ran out. I didn’t care though because it had been 5 days since my last real shower. It was amazing! It’s funny how you start to appreciate things that you take for granted in the U.S. such as toilets, showers, and mattresses. I slept so good Friday night!

                On Saturday we got to sleep in a little. After breakfast we did laundry. When we arrived in Zambia, we discovered that the laundry detergent that we had brought spilt in Tim’s bag and got all over his clothes so our first night on the base we were washing his clothes out. This was the first time that we really did laundry though. We each had about a week and a half of clothes. We hand washed all of our clothes at the laundry station. (The base has a laundry station with large stone sinks to wash clothes in.) After washing, rinsing, and wringing our clothes out we hung them out on the clothesline. It took about two hours to do laundry. Luckily the clothes dry quickly here because of the dry climate.

                After doing laundry we had the opportunity to visit Victoria Falls. It was incredible. Words and pictures cannot describe the beauty of this wonder of the world! There were rainbows over the water. It was definitely a highlight. While Tim and I were admiring the falls we talked about how God spoke that into existence. Our God is so creative and so loving that he created that just for our enjoyment. All creation points to Him and declares his glory!

Psalms 19:1-4 “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or a word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth and their words to all the world.”

                Sunday we had our first church service with Overland. Every Sunday the Overland staff gathers for worship here at the base. Pastor Jeff then brings the Word. It is very neat because the missionaries here are able to minster in the bush during the week, but they have a community of believers here that they eat, fellowship, and worship with.

                We have met so many wonderful people here: Overland staff and our team. Their heart for God and people is incredible. We have several families here as well. I think there are 11 children here under 8 years old. It makes things interesting for sure. It is so beautiful to see families ministering together though. 

                This week we have been in a missionary medicine/wilderness responder class. It has been very interesting learning about what you would do for a medical crisis out in the bush. I know that this will benefit us in the future. Next week the class will continue and we will learn about tropical diseases and other topics. At the end of the week we will be going to a nearby village and teach them the information that we have learned. Please continue to pray for us as we seek after God with our whole hearts and strive to hear his voice.

Tim's Thoughts: First Expedition

We just finished our first expedition and we are now back at base.  This was my first time in the bush.  I’ve often wondered what it would be like to minister in the African bush.  All of my mission endeavors have been in Asia.  Africa and Asia are extremely different as I knew they would be, and yet the need is still the same.  The message must still be the same.  I had many ideas of how the bush would be.  I knew we would be in for a lot of dirt and friendly faces.  But this expedition entailed so much more.  As we arrived at the ministry location, we found out that most of the people had already departed because the chief forbid them to fish until the weekend.  For me, I was a little concerned about the lack of people in the area, but with missions this is always to be expected.  Things will change on you in a moment and we must make the changes necessary or an opportunity could be lost or worse, souls could be lost.  So we prayed, planned, and pressed into what God would have in store for us and the beautiful Zambians.  The first ministry day we made contact and started building relationships.  The trip afforded us the opportunity to focus on a small group of people.  This was interesting and exciting.  In the past, I have always been a part of “reach as many as possible” ministry.  This style of ministry is a must because you only have a small window to make maximum impact. 

However, being with a smaller group of people for four days means that relational ministry is what is needed most.  Through this style of ministry, we were able to go deeper and help establish those whom we were ministering too.  I really enjoyed doing life with these Zambians.  We were able to share, sing, laugh, and just be together.  We were able to become one in the Lord.  We were able to not only share that we are family because of Christ Jesus, but truly make a connection that would forever mark them and us.  I was gladly surprised that everyone my group spoke with was already saved and had a pretty good understanding of the simple Gospel.  This fact also threw me for a loop because for me, this trip was more about discipleship.  But don’t get me wrong, that was the highlight of the trip for me.  My team and I were able to fan the flames of the Gospel.  We were able to see growth and hunger springing up at the same time.  The number one reason Africa is experiencing the fire of Heaven is because hunger for the King and His Kingdom is viral.  The questions that were asked as we ministered were so raw and deep.  Back home it’s “Christianity light”, but here in Africa it’s give me all that you have.  And not only do they want an answer, but they crave Scriptural support.  The Word of God is so important and valuable here in Africa.  The Zambians actually treat the Word as the Word of the Living God.  The Gospel seems to be treated in America as another self-help book.  My heart is broken and rejoicing at the same time.  Broken because my nation has neglected the Word of the Living God and yet, full of joy because nations are fully embracing the Word and giving Him the honor He desires and deserves. 

I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be in Africa sharing the Gospel and receive such questions.  One man asked about the 144,000 in the book of Revelation and who did that included.  Another man asked how was Christianity any different than other religions.  One lady was so concerned because she was told that her family must literally eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus to have a part in the Kingdom.  Questions filled her heart however, our answers put those questions to flight… clarity and faith triumphed confusion and fear!  We help her truly understand Communion, its symbolism, and what is means to the believer.  Jesus is not just an answer, He is the answer!  The answer for all peoples and all nations!  “Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life.  And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.” 1 Peter 3:15.  We have the Answer and are ready to conquer all the nations’ questions!  Christ in us the hope of glory!                    

First AMT Expedition

We returned from our first expedition yesterday. We left Sunday and we traveled for about eight hours by truck to get to our ministry site. The drive was interesting. We were in the back of a truck and the roads are bumpy and unpaved. The dust was pretty intense. We arrived right before sunset. Our ministry site was near a river. We were expecting many Zambians to gather to fish. We set up tents and started a fire. Then we cooked a spaghetti dinner using a propane stove.

The next day we walked to a campsite where people were waiting to fish. We discovered that not as many people had come to fish as expected because the chief of the area had forbidden anyone to fish in the main river because they were having a special ceremony that week. We refused to be discouraged and began ministering to the group of people who were gathered. We split into teams of 3 or 4. My team approached a family that consisted of a woman and her 14 year old son and her mother. We began talking to them and quickly found out that they were already Christians. So we began encouraging them in their walk with the Lord. They were very grateful to us for coming to talk to them. We asked them if they had anything we could pray for. The grandmother told us that she had been feeling dizzy and her daughter told us that she had been having bad dreams and that her husband was not saved. So our team prayed with them.

We went back to our campsite for lunch and then we went to the river to go fishing with the locals. We arrived at a small pond. The water was drying up because Zambia is in the dry season right now. The Zambians fished with baskets. They used the baskets to trap fish. There was a hole in the top of the basket and they would reach their hand down and grab the fish. Some of the men fished with spears. Most of the people fishing were women, which was a little surprising to me. Several of the people on our team got in the water with the locals and helped them catch fish. Tim and I decided not to get in the water because it was stagnant and we are trying to prevent getting any parasites. The locals loved that our team was taking part in the fishing and building relationships with them.

On Wednesday we walked back to the campsite where the locals were staying. Our team began sharing with a group of three woman and three young men. I asked them if they knew who Jesus was. They told me that they had heard the name “Jesus” but they did not know anything about him. I immediately got excited because I love sharing with people who have never heard the Gospel before. It is easy to give them a good foundation without having to correct any false information that they may have been told in the past. (Many of the locals here have bits of ancestral worship and witchcraft mixed in with Christian beliefs.) I began to share about the fall of man and God’s original plan in creating the human race. I explained to them about how we were separated from God because of sin, but God sent his son Jesus to pay the price for our sins and set us free from sin. I told them about Jesus being crucified and how he rose from the dead three days later. I explained that because of what Jesus has done, when we believe in him and cry out to him, we will be saved. Then some of the other team members shared in detail about what it means to be saved. Once everyone had shared we asked them if they had any questions, they said no, but the oldest woman thanked us for sharing with them. She told us that they were not expecting anyone to come and minister to them that day, but that they were so excited that we had. I asked them if they believed what we had shared with them and they said yes. So we prayed with them to accept Jesus as Lord. It was so beautiful! When we finished praying they were smiling and full of joy. The pure, simple Gospel is so powerful! We should never underestimate the power of the Word of God!

For the next hour or so we sat and talked with them and built relationships with them. The guys in our group helped collect fire wood and the other girls and I sat with the women and talked about our families and Zambian culture. I loved getting to spend time with them. I could tell that it meant a lot to them that we had taken time to get to know them. I know that God used us to impact their lives and they will never be the same because of the Truth we had shared. It was a blessing to me as well. I feel like I got a glimpse of what Jesus meant when he said “My meat is to do the will of Him who sent me.” It was truly refreshing to get to pour out from what God has poured into me. I never get tired of telling people about Jesus and his love for us.

Later that day my team walked for about 30 minutes through the bush to a hut. There was a 20 year old man at the home with 5 boys under the age of 17. We began asking the man if he had heard about Jesus. He told us that he had. The night before we showed “The Jesus Film” and the guy told us that he had attended. We asked him if he had any questions about the movie. He began asking about baptism and does it matter if you are fully submerged or if you are christened. Baptism is a big topic of controversy here in Zambia. I asked if the children had ever heard about Jesus. They said no, so I began to share the Gospel with them on their level. Then I prayed with them to accept Jesus. They were very excited about us coming to share with them. Before we left we prayed for them. The 20 year old told us that he wanted us to pray that he would stay strong in the Lord and not fall. I shared with him

Colossians 1:23a “But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.”

Colossians 2:6-7, “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

It was an awesome day of ministry!

That same day Tim and his team were able to encourage several believers and answer some questions they had about scripture. We had at least 42 salvations during the trip.

Staying in the bush was a very interesting experience.  While camping by the river the temperature dropped significantly at night probably to the 40’s, but would warm up very quickly during the day to the 80’s. Here in Zambia, we have to be very careful not to get dehydrated. The air is so dry that even though it is hot you don’t sweat like you normally would because the moisture on your skin is wicked away. We each got to bring one small bag of our belongings for the week. Our “bathroom” was the field and we took “bush baths” by the river at night and used a large bowl and a cup with “purified” river water. We purified the river water by digging a hole in the sand near the edge of the river. The water would seep through the sand and make a large water puddle. The sand filters out parasites (supposedly). Then we drew the water up and put it in “jerry cans” and added a small amount of bleach in the water. We used this water to bathe, wash dishes, and even cook with. We brought clean well water from the base for drinking water. Almost every morning on the base and in the bush we eat oatmeal for breakfast. What rice is to Asia, oats are to Zambia. While in the bush the girls are required to wear long skirts (mid-calf) or the native wrap skirt which is called shaitenge that we wear over shorts or capris. Women with small children also use shaitenges to carry their children on their backs. Every night after ministering, our entire team would gather around the camp fire to share testimonies of the day and offer encouragement. It was a wonderful time to connect and get to know the other team members better.

The trip was great and I know I had a lot of spiritual growth as I died to self for the sake of the Kingdom. We didn’t have any of the comforts we are used to. I didn’t even bring a mirror for the expedition because of the lack of space. One thing throughout the trip that went through my mind was that I needed to be content in whatever state I was in. If I was walking (we walked several miles to go to different huts and river beds) or if I was sitting, whether I was talking or if I was quiet, whether I was thirsty or satisfied, whether I was hot or cold, Jesus is with me and that is enough. Being in God’s perfect will is so satisfying, nothing else matters. Already there have been so many times here in Zambia that I have had to depend on the Lord, which is a good thing. So often we rely and walk in our own understanding and we don’t walk according to the Spirit. One thing that God has been speaking to me, through Overland staff and through his Word, is that we should not depend on our senses. God is so much greater than what we can see with our physical eyes and our emotions. We will never truly walk as God wants us to unless we become spiritually minded.

“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)

I am so looking forward to what God has in store for the next few weeks. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Zambia!

We left for Africa Monday. We stayed one night in Johannesburg, South Africa. Then we arrived in Zambia yesterday afternoon. As we flew in we saw Victoria Falls from the plane window. It was amzaing! I can't wait to see it up close! We drove to the base in one of Overland Missions' famous trucks. We stopped in town on the way. The town was surprisingly very modern and clean. It was kind of funny though, because as I was sitting in the back of the truck thinking about how modern the town is I saw two woman walking down the street carrying carrots in a bowl on their heads! Most of the locals speak English (at least as far as I can tell at this time) so that is nice.
The Overland Missions base is so nice. I was not expecting it to be as big and nice as it is. The base is about one hour by truck from the town. It is amazing how the town is so modern and just a short ways out it is very primitive. For example there are hut houses and dirt roads. The main center overlooks the gorge. It is so beautiful! Our "classroom", which is actually a pavillion like structure, is near the edge of the gorge and the view is beautiful. Tim and I are staying in a tent. It is on a concrete slab and has a roof-like covering over it. The tent has two twin size beds in it. We were told that maybe later on we may get a double bed. Today, some of the guys here began working on setting up an electrical line that runs into our tent. This will allow us to have a light bulb in the tent as well as an outlet that we can plug a fan into. It gets dark pretty early so it will be a blessing to have an electrical light in the tent. Right now the temp feels like it is around the mid 80's. At night it actually gets pretty cool, maybe around the 40's. It will be warming up a good but though. We are expecting for temperatures to get up to 120 degrees.
The bathrooms are also nice. There are two bath houses. Each one has four seperate bathrooms with a sink, toilet, and shower. We have hot water for showers in the morning and evening.
The food here is really good. We had oatmeal with fruit for breakfast. Some type of African dish for lunch that was made by the Zambians here. Then for dinner we had rice with a beef mixture, mixed vegetables, salad, and amazing garlic rolls. I was not expecting the food to be so good.
We had AMT orientation today. Philip Smethurst, founder of Overland spoke to us today about the history of the ministry. This afternoon we had a class session on GPS. (This is not the type of GPS we use at home when we go on vacation.) We will be using GPS to reach people in the bush. I have so much to learn! Sunday we will be leaving the base to go on a six day expedition to the bush. I'm a little bit nervous but very excited!
On another note, we saw baboons on the base today. We were told they are theives and have been known to go up to people and take whatever they have like cameras, etc. So we have a little adjusting to do to African life.

A miracle

On July 25 I turned in my resignation for my job. To be able to keep my position while in Africa I was going to have to get all my shifts covered. So I needed 45 days covered. I knew that it was going to be close to impossible to get that many days covered, but I put an enormous sign up list at work. Because I work 7on/7off I needed to give a 1 month resignation notice. As the deadline for me to put in my notice approached, I only had about 8 of the 45 days covered. I lost all hope that I would be able to keep my job. Last year, when Tim and I made the decision to go to Africa for 3 months, I knew it was very likely that I would have to give up my job. As you can imagine it was a huge decision for us for me to give up my job. On the morning of Monday, July 25, as I typed my letter of resignation, I looked over at Tim and asked "Am I crazy for doing this?" He said "No, your obediant." A couple of weeks before, I broke down and cried and really allowed myself to think about what quiting my job would mean for us. I started to begin to let my flesh take over a little and began to worry about not being able to find a job when we returned from Africa. But thank God for the Holy Spirit! At a time when I was emotionally weak and stressed out, the Lord carried me and gave me the assurance I needed. I kept thinking about Matthew 6: 25-34:
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
   “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
   “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today."
So the day I turned in my notice I was completely at peace with it. God called us to go to Africa, so He would take care of all the details to get us there and back. (By the way, we raised all our funds for the trip!) There were several times when people came up to me and asked "So what are you going to do about your job while you are in Africa?" I wish I had a picture of the look on their faces when I told them I had turned in my resignation! :) Yes, people thought we were crazy, but I took comfort in the fact that Jesus' own family thought he was crazy too. So if we are following him there will (or should) be times when people think we are a little crazy. I also kept thinking about how when Jesus called the disciples they laid down their nets-their source of income, their jobs, their life, to follow Him. During this time I had so many people praying for me about my job situation. They knew what was at stake.
This past week I went into work and on Tuesday my charge nurse came up to me and asked "What if all the days on your sign up sheet get filled up? Is that ok with you?" I said "YES!!! That would be awesome!" She told me she had been praying and she felt like God maybe wanted her to try to help me get my days covered. So at this point I'm thinking "That is so sweet of her to want to do that for me, but it's still pretty much impossible and probably not going to happen. God has called me to give this job to Him so that's what I have done and I am ok with it." So my sweet, precious charge nurse called just about every person that works in our department asking if they will help me get my days covered. On Saturday night, she hands me a small stack of papers with a long list of names. I asked her what it was. She said "Your sign up sheets." All the days but a few were filled! I was so shocked and overwhelmed! By the end of Saturday night all the shifts were covered! Can I just tell you what a miracle that is?! I did not think it would be possible to get 45 8 hour shifts covered, but with God ALL things are possible! So Monday it was official, my boss allowed me to withdraw my resignation and now when we return from Africa I will not be unemployed!
My heart is so full! I have to say thank you to all my precious coworkers who agreed to work for me. All of you are amazing and have huge hearts! God used you to make a difference in my life and through you, He gave me an unexpected miracle! Thank you Edith, for making hundreds of phone calls and working so hard for my sake. Thank you for being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to use you in a big way. All of you are answers to so many prayers.
My greatest thanks and praise goes to my Heavenly Father! You are not only my Savior, but my Provider, Sustainer, and my Everything! You made a way when there was no way! When I was leaving work Saturday night I was reminded of when Abraham went to sacrifice Isaac and just when Abraham was about to kill Isaac as a sacrifice for the Lord, an angel stopped him. When Abraham looked up there was a ram in the bushes. God provided a sacrifice. Now, giving up my job is no where near sacrificing an only child by any means, but God provided for me in a way that was big for me. I am so overwhelmed with gratitude and praise to the Lord!
I will end this post with a song by Kari Jobe the Lord brought to my mind this morning.

"So faithful. So constant.
So loving and so true.
So powerful in all You do.

You fill me. You see me.
You know my every move
and You love for me to sing to You.

I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses

I know that You have come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me who You are."

The Countdown: 49 Days

Only 49 days until we will be on a plane headed to Africa! We are so excited about where God is leading us! The main purpose of this blog is to stay connected with our friends and family for the 3 months we will be in Zambia, Africa. We will be posting pictures and updates of the mission training and village ministry. Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare for this amazing mission. Finacially, we are getting very close to our fundraising goal. We have about $2000 left to raise. Our deadline for funds is August 1st.
Tim and I will be very busy up until the time we leave for Zambia. As many of you know, Tim and I also lead a ministry called Hydrate. Hydrate is a ministry for high school campuses. The week before we leave for Africa, we will be in Moody High School for a Hydrate event. This event has two parts. The first is a high school assembly where we promote positive choices such as abstinance and anti-drugs and alcohol. The second is a night event which is free to the students and community. During this time we will be sharing the Gospel. Please keep this event and our team in your prayers. We are expecting many students to recieve Christ at this event.
We are so thankful for our many friends and family members who have been so supportive and encouraging to us during the last several months. Deciding to leave our home and jobs for three months has been a huge decision for us. However we know that when Jesus called the twelve, they laid down their nets and follwed Him without question or hesitation. Tim and I were reading a Bible study last night that said we as Christians have chosen 'sense knowledge' over the Word of God. Many times when God calls us to do something for Him it does not make sense when looking through our human eyes.
However, by faith we say
"At your Word Lord, we will go where you lead us. We will abandon it all, for the sake of the call."