Preparing to leave the city of Lusaka
Today we are packing up and preparing to move to bush camp. It will be a 6 or 7 or 8 hour drive tomorrow through winding roads...thankfully we will all be supplied with dramamine! Since we are moving on to a new phase I wanted to share some of my favorite moments from Lusaka.
1. Christine, my Zambian helper: she is my sister in Christ and a new friend. She is an incredibly strong woman both physically and spiritually. She has experienced much more suffering than I could ever imagine but continues to trust in the Lord and persevere. She taught me so much about her culture and was open to learning about how I view things. The Lord has blessed me greatly by bringing Christine into my life! Zikomo kwhambili Amai Zuze.
2. Seeing the Lord working in Nicholas: he is falling in love with Africa and not just because of the animals:-)! He does not see all of the things that the children do not have but he is embracing their way of life and how they play. Everyday after school, he is on the playground/field learning new games and playing in a big group of Zambians and mzungus. Today as we were driving through a compound on our way to church, he commented about how lucky the children were because they had the whole town to play in and find toys! Just so you have some perspective on the toys they would find, the most popular toy at the church was an empty cardboard soda box filled with bottle caps and rocks pulled by a shoestring.
3. The Lord is teaching me so much about being open to different views of culture and how to find joy in Him. Suffering is guaranteed when we follow Him but we are to persevere and continue to be faithful. I am weak but He is strong!
4. Mini bus- okay so this is not really a favorite but I want to remember how very thankful I am that we will have a car in Nairobi. The mini bus (matatu in Nairobi) is the most economical form of public transport. There are taxis but most people here ride the mini bus. Just think of the basic mini van in the States and then cram 20 people into it...that is the mini bus! Everyday our group would take the mini bus to our township where we would do our daily assignment. We changed buses in the city center and would arrive at our destination 1-1 1/2 hours after beginning our journey. I am not sure how far the distance is in mileage. I am thankful for our helpers willingness to travel 3 hours everyday just to help us learn about culture.
5. Learning the importance of relationships: in African culture, greetings are extremely important. It is not just a "hi, how are you" but also asking about their family and life. The clock is not as important as proper greetings to those you pass on the street.
1. Christine, my Zambian helper: she is my sister in Christ and a new friend. She is an incredibly strong woman both physically and spiritually. She has experienced much more suffering than I could ever imagine but continues to trust in the Lord and persevere. She taught me so much about her culture and was open to learning about how I view things. The Lord has blessed me greatly by bringing Christine into my life! Zikomo kwhambili Amai Zuze.
2. Seeing the Lord working in Nicholas: he is falling in love with Africa and not just because of the animals:-)! He does not see all of the things that the children do not have but he is embracing their way of life and how they play. Everyday after school, he is on the playground/field learning new games and playing in a big group of Zambians and mzungus. Today as we were driving through a compound on our way to church, he commented about how lucky the children were because they had the whole town to play in and find toys! Just so you have some perspective on the toys they would find, the most popular toy at the church was an empty cardboard soda box filled with bottle caps and rocks pulled by a shoestring.
3. The Lord is teaching me so much about being open to different views of culture and how to find joy in Him. Suffering is guaranteed when we follow Him but we are to persevere and continue to be faithful. I am weak but He is strong!
4. Mini bus- okay so this is not really a favorite but I want to remember how very thankful I am that we will have a car in Nairobi. The mini bus (matatu in Nairobi) is the most economical form of public transport. There are taxis but most people here ride the mini bus. Just think of the basic mini van in the States and then cram 20 people into it...that is the mini bus! Everyday our group would take the mini bus to our township where we would do our daily assignment. We changed buses in the city center and would arrive at our destination 1-1 1/2 hours after beginning our journey. I am not sure how far the distance is in mileage. I am thankful for our helpers willingness to travel 3 hours everyday just to help us learn about culture.
5. Learning the importance of relationships: in African culture, greetings are extremely important. It is not just a "hi, how are you" but also asking about their family and life. The clock is not as important as proper greetings to those you pass on the street.
So glad you're keeping us posted on your adventures. So proud of Nicholas! Can't wait to talk again soon. Good luck in the bush! Miss you friend. Love you!
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