Diary7-11

12/04/11

Greetings in the name of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!

God continues to pour out his blessings on the International Bible College in Zambia. The students left to begin their year-end break. Please pray for them: health, safety, fun, and refreshment. They deserve a good break after all the study and hard work they have done on the college campus.

Paul had the freshman class (not the girls) make rafters and put them up on the 2nd classroom. The freshman students also put all the metal on the roof before they left on break. It was neat to see how proud of the new roof that THEY put on. Paul will put the end pieces on during December if all goes according to plan. (Really, does anything ever go according to plan?) I am so thankful that in Proverbs it tells us that the ways of a man are many but it is the plan of the Lord that will be accomplished. What peace I have when I remember that I am not in control.

Our Chief Bunda Bunda's (he is chief over the area that the college is located on) wife died recently. Please pray for the family and the health of the Chief.

It is bood to be back in staff house #1. Paul and Jess both missed me and were glad to see me back. Serah and Mwansa both cleaned the top layer of the house a few times, but I could tell that I had been gone for 2 months. I don't want this to sound like I am complaining, as it was good to know Paul and Jess missed me and the work I do for them.

It is green and pretty now!!! I could not get over how different the campus looked when I came back. The rains just made everything come alive and wherever I look the grass, trees, and plants all look so healthy! John took good care of the grounds on #1 and our yard was just as pretty as when I left. I won't mention about the hot weather and insects that also welcomed me back home--let's just say that I did not miss them.

I love hanging the clothes out on the line and the winter blankets and jackets all need to be washed before I pack them away in suitcases and store them until next May. It seems so weird to me how some of the students can wear long sleeved shirts and even jackets in the heat, but they do. I guess it is all what we get used to.It has been over 90 degrees each day, so I keep our little camp fans going.

I am having a hard time getting over the jet lag this time. I usually can just jump right back in, but this trip took some spring out of my jump. Puls, the heat I'm sure is not helping me feel energized. Good excuse to sit down in front of the fan and drink cold water! Paul and I have both had times when we just lay down on the cement floor with Jess and feel the cool from the floor. A cold shower is nice, but not always most convenient--but at the end of a long hot day it sure feels good. Paul keeps telling me it is not that hot, but he and I differ on that!

I bought a "Doggie Thunder Jacket" for Jess to try and help her with her rain and thunder anxiety. I've used it once so far and I do think it helped. I told Paul it did since I paid more for it than I did for a pair of new jeans for him :) On my flight home from Chicago to Washington DC a young couple in the same row as me had a "weiner dog" in a doggie case under the seat in front of them. Can you believe it: a weiner dog? I got to pet the dog after we were all in the airport--she was a real sweet dog. I thought it was just like God to bless me with a weiner dog sharing my row on a flight home. Of course, she wasn't near as sweet as my Jess!

On the dog front, my sister Gayle has two dogs, my borther Dwayne has a dog and three cats, my brother Glenn has two dogs, my sister Carol has three dogs, and my sister Jolene has two dogs. I guess it is evident that all of us like dogs and having them as part of our families.

Please pray for Paul as he is having a great deal of back pain. I got him some muscle relaxants and they are helping, but pretty much knock him out. I know he is hurting as he doesn't slow down and this has slowed him down a little.

I will do my bes to get updates done more regularly--life just seems to happen :)

Please pry for all of us: students, staff, and workers and the Bible College.

Colissians 3:16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching, and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord.

You are loved by Jesus and us.

Dec 24, 2011

Merry Christmas!

1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father has given to us....Jesus.

What a special time of year it is as we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Our prayer for each of you is that you have asked forgiveness for your sins and invited Jesus into your life. It is such a wonderful journey walking out of our life with Jesus as our focus, our friend, our helper, our guide, our advisor, and our Lord. I have found it true in my life that the longer I serve Jesus, the sweeter he grows.

It has been quiet at the college this month with most of the students gone. Paul took 7 of the remaining students to town yesterday so they could be with their families over Christmas. Luka, Lufayo, and Immanuel chose to stay and take care of the chickens and water the garden. We made sure they had a nice turkey for their Christmas dinner.

It remains almost 95 degrees each day. The area still desperately needs rain. This drought has killed most of the corn and the people who can replant are doing so, but we see no rain in sight. Please continue to pray for God's mercies on the people of Africa to send the rain where it is needed. Without the rain to water their corn, many people will die.

One of our neighbor ladies came to our door with a butchered goat in a bucket and asked if we could buy this meat so she could buy corn meal for her family. We did buy the meat and shared it with our friend John and the students. Paul and I were happy we had chicken to eat.

We have had several requests for loans and gifts of money to help area people. This is so hard. We have to say no, more often than we can say yes. One neighbor lady with 4 children knocked on our door and asked for some work so she could buy corn meal for her family. I found her some work to do and paid her well. I also was able to give each of them a pair of my shoes as what they were wearing was completely worn and useless. She had her 12-year-old daughter along to help and a new baby on her back. The women here work so hard for their families.

The chickens are doing well under the watchful eyes of Luka and Lufayo. Both of the young men are so happy to be learning how to raise a large quantity of chicks to maturity. This will be a lifetime skill for them. The students have the garden looking great and have done all the needed repairs to the garden fence. We have had 5 new baby goats recently, and all the goats like to check out the garden if the fence is not in good repair. The baby goats are just so cute!

Paul has been working hard making the windows for the second classroom. I worked down at the work shop with him for a couple of days as his "gopher" and clean-up crew. I swept up four big tubs of sawdust that will be used for the next batch of chicks. I was sure missing Betty from North Carolina, Eva Lou and Cheryl from Minnesota, as they helped us in the past with the cleaning of the shop. I know I did not do as good of a job as they did!

Greg (& his two daughters Alexis and Brittany) came over in 2005 with Paul and got to sleep in tents down by the river. Your teaching, block & mortar work, and sharing the trip with Paul will always be a special memory, as that was the trip that the Lord planted in Paul's heart a love for the ministry of Gospelink and the International Bible College in Zambia.

Andrea from North Carolina, I need you here to help clean and organize the paint room; it is a total disaster, plus all the painting, evangelism and singing. Sue, from Nebraska, I need you here to help clean my house! The dirt and dust in the windows is really, really bad. Diana from Nebraska, I need you here to paint, clean, and pull weeds, as things are piling up. Melvin, more rafters are needed to be put up, so you best get over here, too. Tonya, with your son Wyatt, from Illinois, woked hard with the block and mortar; and blessed everyone on campus. J.R. and Maureen, it was a joy to have a couple here at the college. I know the bathouse got a lot of paint and it's nice to have the front desk with a drawer and the shelves for the clinic. I know you had a friend helping with the cabinet work, but I cannot remember your name....

Rich, Keith, Sparky from Minnesota, and Jason, Jack, and John from Georgia: what are you doing? Dan from Georgia: those windows in the library won't get put in by themselves, you know. the solar keeps going out, and more wiring needs to be done, so you best high-tail it over here! David from West Virgina, you did great work on the library roof and then you were able to step right in and finish teaching you Dad's class when he got sick. Jack, Ed, Glenn, Skip, and Russell from Florida: You were lots of fun and worked so hard on so many projects--you even let me supervise a litte!

To everyone who has helped paint the medical clinic in the past: Tom, Cindy, Mindy, Maureen, Diana, Nina, Audrey, Emily,Nate, Samanthya, Aron, Pastor Steve,Charity--we thank you. (Again, I am sure I am forgetting some names. It has been a lot of work getting the walls to look nice and I know many of you have painted it more than once.) Now that is serving! The young people from Georgia did a lot of work painting the big library building inside and out, but I must tell you with the needed plaster work around the windows, there is some touch-up painting to do. Nate brought his Mom along this trip and we are so glad. She was a blessing and the best clean-up girl after painting that has been here. She could crack the whip if she saw the Georgia crew slowing down! I do think we allow breaks during work time, but not everyone needs one!

We all know that the cleanup of painting is wht worst part. Gil, photographer, video person extraordinary, thank you for giving me picture-taking tips, and the guitar you left as a gift is treasured. Bill & Kris--your vision of the library building and all the work that has been acomplished on it reflects your hard work. Pastor Jim & Charity from Florida, you were a great father-daughter team and stepped right in wherever needed. Mat from Virginia & Paul from Iowa: there is more woodworking that needs to be done, and the items you bring for my Paul to do those extra jobs is more than appreciated. The basic latch hooks you sent have all be used for the classroom windows. Ladies from Virginia, Minnesota, North & South Dakota, Georgia, Florida, Delaware, Illinois, Nebraska, and other states that I'm sure I am forgetting: I am out of paint brushes, roller covers, and those cut little blue paint holders you brought over.

Thanks to everyone for the painting that was done this past year; cabins, library, staff houses, bath houses, a classroom and more. I can see many faces of ladies I am forgetting to mention on the painting crew. That just means you need to come and help some more so I will be better at remembering your names. Bobby & Candace from South Carolina: you did a super job in the workshop and wielding those paint brushes. The ladies from Florida painted the kitchen area inside and out on Henry & Lucy's house. Chop, Chop--we have work to do for you "rented mules!"

Doug from Nebraska, your framing expertise could be put to good use now. Young people from Georgia, the library had some plaster work done around the windows, so the painting needs some touching up, and I know you had fun putting the clothes and misc. items into stacks for the students to receive. What are you doing this coming summer of 2012? It is hard keeping the building maintained and looking nice, so there is always work to be done. Besides, all the work you did, I pray you were blessed beyond measure by the spirit of the young students wo are always so blessed by your heart for them and the work at the college.

Mike, Dee, Brad, Tall Mike, Steven, Chris, Kari, & Mickey (all from Iowa), you know there are more ceilings to put in and windows to be made, as well as plaster work. I know you did repairs on some of the small equipment but there is always more! Pastor Aron's team from North Dakota, you were a working machine, painting, cleaning, laughing, crying, and having a good time while you worked so hard. I saw Glenn lead the men in helping to dig and pour the foundation of the chicken house. They worked like a finely-oiled machine. I really wanted to help mix that heavy cement with a shovel, but I am so thankful I did not have to. Jackie, Pam, and Stacey led the young ladies in the art of painting on cement. It is not really so much art as good technique and lots of hard work. Pam is a professional painter so she had a lot of good ideas. The wooden roller extension handle was a great painting item to bring. I'm glad it came apart so it was easy to pack.

Pastor Rick & Chuck from Delaware, you did some mighty fine trim painting on the classroom. It was so nice of you, Pastor Rick, to pick up a paint brush when you told us it was not a strength of yours. We missed Stacy from Delaware this year, but I hear she will be retuning, possibly with her husband John. Papa Joe from South Carolina: you need to bring over Michael and his side-kick Allan, as I am sure there is welding that needs done. Susanne, Kris, Jack, and Jennifer, you have helped on so many projects, I don't know where I'd begin!

The medical teams that have come and opened up the medical clinic for a few days was a wonderful blessing to each person they were able to help. The students told me how they had never had a physical exam done before and especially that they were able to spend how much ever time was needed sharing their medical concerns with Dr. Marjie from Nebraska. Some of the medical teams that have been here: an optometrist from South Carolina, a physician, nurses and assisting staff (Nathan, Emily, Samantha, Kevin, Aron, Sue, Cindy, Tammy, MIndy, Dyanne, Dianna, Maureen,and Kelly--all from Nebraska); Katie (a nursing student from Florida) was able to stay approximately 6 weeks and helped us out in too many ways to mention. Katie: you graduate in May with your nursing degree! We are waiting! I know we had other nurses open and work the clinic, but I did not get all of their names or which state they were from.

I have not been able to list everyone who has helped here at the college over the years, so I pray you give me grace in not remembering or knowing all of you. Many of the people listed have come each yar since 2004 to work at the college and some of you were first-timers. Thank all of you for seeing the eternal value of your work and in knowing it has eternal value. You are indeed storing up treasures in heaven.

We want to give a special thank you to all of the spouses and family members who supported your family members in coming over to serve at the college. You were here in spirit with them while they worked. I just want to rattle a few cages about the work still needing to be done :) In all seriousness, we would challenge you to pray about your future participation here at the college. If you are unable to make the trip, please ocntinue your support for the college and tell the people you know what a wonderful experience you had. I believe Gospelink is offering an optional day safari trip if you chose. That would be wonderful if you could take advantage of this adventure.

OK, now for you teachers/professors/pastors and counselors: Your academic work is why the students are here. The word of God you share will be multiplied as these young people graduate and share all they have learned with others, and by doing so, are carrying out the great commission. I love the ripple effect of how one life touches so many others. We praise God for each of you and the hard work you do in preparing your lessons and blessing the students with your mature wisdom from God's word. I am not going to list any teachers' names, as I know I have not met all of you. Keep up the good work and do not grow weary in doing the Lord's work.

Sharon from Nebraska: The clinic needs your artistic work and the students are asking when you will be back to share your art teaching gifts with them. The money the students made from the sale of their cards have meant a lot to them and they are so happy with being able to create some beautiful paintings on the note cards.

We want to thank all the churches who have been, and are still involved in making the college a reality. The short-term mission teams that come over from the churches work on the ground floor of all that is and will be done here. You are storing up treasures in heave.

We have a rooster down the road from us that is so loud and crows all day long. He must have missed the lesson on only crowing in the morning. Well, he is going to be a Christmas dinner for the Mulenga family, so it will be quieter soon.

New babies are being born each day all around us; the moms often stop by to show us their newest arrival. I know they would like a baby gift from us, but again, we have to pick and choose how we can help. One younger lady stopped by our house one day and informed me it was her birthday and did I have a gift for her? Well, even with her asking for a gift, I was able to find a tube of body lotion to give her. Many of the small items the teams leave we are able to use for gifts or a special reward for the students and our neighbors. Thank you to all our visitors who bring items to be shared.

I guess I have rattled on long enough. Yes, it does seem I write like I talk!

Thank you all for your support this past year in so many ways! I think I need to end this with letting you know we are down substantially in our monthly support. If you would pray about joining our monthly support team, we would be so grateful.

We pray for each of us to grow in wisdom and knowledge of our Lord & Savior Jesus christ during this new year of 2012.

You are loved by Jesus and us.

Paul, Lori, and Jess