Memorial Day

WE REMEMBER AND ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL!

fun picture

Hi! I just came across this picture and wanted to share it with you! Look at these children! I can't wait to give them all 'high fives.'

Meeting 5 - Philippians 2:1-5

The Bryson's have been so hospitable in opening their home for our team meetings - and we had meeting number five last night. Two team members were unable to attend as they were at a poetry reading, a requirement for a college class. But the meeting went on as planned. Rob focused the meeting on Philippians 2:1-5, "Are you cheerful because you belong to Christ? Does His love comfort you? Is the Holy Spirit your companion? Has Christ been gentle and loving toward you? Then make my joy complete by agreeing with each other. Have the same love. Be one in spirit and purpose. Don't do anything only to get ahead. Don't do it because you are proud. Instead, be free of pride. Think of others as better than yourselves. None of you should look out just for your own good. You should also look out for the good of others. You should think in the same way Christ Jesus does." - New International Readers Version

Rob led a discussion about becoming one in spirit and purpose and about balancing the needs of others with our own. He also talked about humility and having a Christ-like attitude.

The group also talked about a short video from Jamie Collins, who recently returned from Zambia, that was shown on Sunday. More details were gone over, as well - prayer partners, monies needed, the Bellingham Slam fundraiser that we will be working on, immunizations, etc..

As Rob closed the meeting he handed out printouts about the AZ missionaries and the team had a time of prayer, lifting the missionaries up before the Lord.

And as I close this post I would ask you to pray for us regarding supplies needed. Our team has been fundraising and is having a difficult time coming up with the funds needed to go and yet we are trusting God to provide. However, we were recently asked to pay for supplies and for the room and board of the AWANA team we will be partnering with - those monies are in addition to the monies needed to go. We would sure appreciate your prayers!!

Tickets!

Here is a little post with a great big WAHOO!! We were able to purchase airline tickets last week! Mark your calendars so you are sure to pray for us as we travel. We leave Seattle on August 1 and arrive back in Seattle on August 17. We have a layover in Washington D.C. and then a quick plane change in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia before arriving in Lusaka, Zambia. And the same route holds true for the trip home - only backwards. Thanks so much for your prayers!

Kasupe

I am so excited to share this picture with all of you! The photo was taken by the Action team in Zambia and is a brief glimpse inside of the church where we will be working. It is located in Kasupe, about forty-five minutes west, or west-something, of the capital city of Lusaka. It is rural and remote. The pastor's name is Pastor Victor Makundu and we are so looking forward to meeting him.

more tid bits from Zambia

The 2010/2011 maize crop is on the verge of failing. Maize is used in the staple food of Zambia (see earlier post about food). Zambian officials are currently discussing the possibility of needing to begin importing maize -a crop that has been a sustainable way to help the Zambian people eat. By importing maize, the cost will go up and many, many Zambian families will suffer.

Already, in the past three months, the cost of basic needs for a family of six in Zambia has dramatically increased. A couple of examples include - the price of one tomato has gone up over 50% and the price of gasoline has increased 13.18% with another cost increase coming.

With elections coming in 2011, the political scene in Zambia is definitely heating up. There are several parties and tribes and accusations are flying. There have already been a few riots. We will be monitoring this.

the power of a quarter

Yesterday I was reminded just how absolutely wonderful God's GIFT of salvation really is. I am a firm believer that everyone has a story - and yesterday I had the opportunity to talk with an older woman most people tend to shy away from and hear one of her stories. As we sat together drinking coffee between services at church she told me the story of how a quarter and an invitation to Bible study transformed her life.

When she was a young girl she stole a quarter from her mom - (she made sure I knew a quarter was worth a whole lot more back then - especially to her poor family) - and bought some candy. She felt guilty but life went on. Then as a newlywed she and her husband attended church together. One day she asked the pastor how a person could know for sure they were saved and going to heaven and he said, "If you're good you go up and if you're bad you go down." The memory of the quarter incident from so many years before haunted her. She couldn't stop thinking about the quarter - knowing that was proof she was bad.

After a while a woman invited her to Bible study and she heard the truth - salvation is not earned by goodness nor lost by stealing a quarter. Salvation is a GIFT from God. Even as she was talking to me relief swept over her face as she explained that she had been finally able to give up the guilt and shame of stealing her mom's quarter and know for certain God loved her, forgave her and sent Jesus to save her. Shortly after beginning Bible study she, her husband and their children changed churches. She wanted her whole family to hear and know the truth of God's grace, mercy and GIFT.

I, too, and thankful I do not need to carry around the burden of trying to be good enough and never knowing for sure what eternity holds. Next time you have a quarter be sure to thank God for His incredible GIFT. I know I will.

Meeting 4 - God is like....

Last week we went to Randy and Rose's home for meeting number 4. Rob started off the meeting by passing around a box filled with an array of objects - a container of paint, an ice scraper, a dictionary, a lantern, etc. - and telling us to pick one of them. After everyone had an item, he then told us to explain to the group how God is like the item we chose. What a great exercise! It forced us to think about God in new and wonderful ways. I had the paint and shared how colorful, creative and beautiful God is. (I would highly encourage you to use this exercise at your next meeting!)

After this discussion we focused on the fears we have regarding the trip. The members of the team were able to openly share concerns about the length of the flight, shots, being so far away from loved ones, shortness of finances, and more. We then spent the remainder of the meeting taking all of the fears and laying them at the foot of cross. Please join us as we continue to pray for peace.

Rural Life

For girls in rural villages of Zambia, adulthood comes early. Few are able to attend school before age ten and yet only five years later, at fifteen, they are considered adults with all the responsibilities of marriage, child rearing, home keeping and crop tending. And long distances are usually needed to be walked to gather wood and water. However, although life is very difficult in many rural villages, they are still filled with much happiness as daily duties are done together and often turn into social occasions. Also, everyone pitches in to pay for weddings and funerals and no invitations are given out because everybody in the village is welcome.
They experience true community.