It's almost impossible to believe that in a few days I will have been in Zambia for a whole month! Feels like yesterday that I stepped off the plane into this beautiful country.
So here's a bit of an update on what has happened so far on this journey. Overall, the Lord has been amazingly faithful and generous to me by giving me peace, joy, and love. I can't over emphasize how blessed I am.
What I've been doing:
-Visiting local churches - two of the services I've been to have lasted over three hours! It has been amazing to watch this culture as they worship in such a different way than which I am accustomed. It's beautiful!
-Attending ladies' Bible studies with Heidi, one of the missionaries I'm staying with. Heidi has a huge heart for the ladies here and they seem to be very perceptive to the Word. Some of her bible studies are done with women who regularly attend church and others are done with women who have never heard/understood the Gospel. Whether they are well-seasoned church goers or not, there is always room for spiritual growth, and Heidi has been doing a great job in nurturing that growth.
-Volunteering at Tree of Life Children's Village in Lusaka, which is where the 'worst of the worst' (in terms of vulnerability) of the orphans go to receive quality education and a safe environment for growth physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. These kids were all taken off the streets and have experienced unfathomable conditions in their lifetime. This has been such a cool opportunity for me. I have been volunteering here for a few days per week. I have gotten to shadow Abraham, who is a behavioral specialist at the village. With the trauma these kids have gone through, there are bound to be some unresolved issues that may arise within the home setting or school setting and Abraham is there to help those kids who are struggling. It has been a treat to walk around with him and hear some of the stories of the kids who live there. They have overcome so much adversity and I pray that they will prosper because of their time in this village. This experience is helping me to understand more about things I learned about in my social work classes, which is fantastic!
-Going out to the Chishiko village with Jeff, the other missionary I'm staying with. Jeff has targeted this specific village that is nearby where he and his family live. Each time he goes out there, he brings someone to interpret for him so that he can speak to each family in the village about Jesus and ask them if they have a bible. His goal is to get a bible written in Nyanja (the language spoken here) to each family that needs one. I got to go out with him to the village last Wednesday and we had some great conversations with the people out there. They all had a lot of questions, which proves that there are a lot of misunderstandings here when it comes to God and the bible. This is a ministry that Jeff thoroughly enjoys. Once he has reached all the families in this village, he will move onto a different one.
-Getting to know some of the Zambian people that live around us - this culture is extremely kind and hospitable to us. They are so welcoming and I have enjoyed getting to know each and every one of them!
-Experiencing a bit of culture shock - everything here is very different than what I am used to in America. I have learned a ton about Zambian culture and values and at the same time have learned a ton about American culture and values. As someone who has considered to go into missions full time someday, this has been very helpful in beginning to prepare me for living out in the mission field. It is not an easy job and actually at times can be extremely frustrating, yet also very rewarding!
-Teaching guitar - I have gotten to help a friend and employee of Jeff named James to learn how to play guitar. He had already begun to learn the basics of guitar but wanted further training from me so that he can gain enough confidence to play in front of other people. He has been an excellent student. I received a guitar before leaving for Zambia that was to be donated to someone over here and I have chosen to donate it to Tree of Life (my guitar student, James, already has a guitar) and will also be teaching a couple of girls that live there to play the guitar.
-Having fun! The missionary family I'm staying with has been very fun and much different than the household I grew up in. There is never a dull moment with four kiddos running around and keeping everyone on their toes. I have begun to get to know all of the kids and have had great conversations with Jeff and Heidi. I very much look up to this couple and am extremely grateful to be staying with them.
-Learning! In my recent studies of the Word, I have been learning about the power of prayer. I regularly underestimate how much can be accomplished through prayer. The fact that God chooses to listen to insignificant specks like us is still hard for me to get my mind around but as I've been reading through the Old Testament, I have seen God coming through for his people time and time again because of their faithfulness in prayer. I have begun to take my prayer life much more seriously, praying specifically, joyfully and intentionally. It has been cool to learn.
Wow! Looking back over at all of these opportunities, I again realize how blessed I have been since the moment I arrived here. This month has been a good one and I look forward to what comes in the next month!
