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.