Diary8-09

Sunday 8/2

No church or SS today since everyone is gone. Henry, David and families had to go to Maneka (their home village), as some of their corn had been stolen.

Paul & our young friend Joe, who lives with Henry and Lucy, helped Paul put a bunch of white rock by our flower garden, so we can park over Toyota there. You know how Paul likes to have everything nice, pretty and orderly. I love him so much so for who he is. I am thankful God has showed us the longer we are married the better it gets. Paul says we are like a comfortable old quilt. I guess that is a good word picture as long as we continue to add pieces of colorful fabric along the way. :)

Joe is the best worker here. He is around 22 years old and Henry and Lucy rescued him from the streets of Lusaka. He is everyone's friend and always happy and singing.

We miss our families and church family, and church worship and yet God fills this void. As I sit and have my quiet time this am I am enjoying an ice cold Coke lite over ice cubes! Yes, ice cubes--our propane fridge is hooked up and working great. Again God blesses us thru our church family friends. *Note to Fun Sister, my ice cube bin will always be full!!

I sit in our one-room cabin I think of all the Grand Island team who have been here. Maureen Thompson, Cindy Hadenfeldt, Dick & Nina Strickland, Kevin Hiegle, Greg, Alexis & Brittany Epp, Diana Hofrichter, Audrey Jensen, Lydia Myers, Pastor Aron and Pastor Matt. They have all stayed in these cabin, they have all seen the shop where Paul works, they have all meet a lot of the people who live near us, they have all ministered at schools and orphanages in Lusake. They have all ate, nshema, rice, beans, cabbage, peanut butter, porridge, fruit for 3 meals a day; they have all walked where Paul & I walk. We hope they realize how much that means to us. It helps us feel some friends know physically where we are. Our church family supports many Gospelink Pastors and supports us serving here with Gospelink. How can we ever feel alone? Thank you to everyone who loves us, supports us, and prays for us. We feel so blessed by God to be called here. Our hearts are full of your love for us. Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing our great redeemer's praise.

Guess what?? Paul had me shave his head!! It will take me awhile to get use to his new look. He just wanted to look like Pastor Aron, Pastor Matt and Brian Kallevig!!

Monday 8/3

Heb 13:7 Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you, imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. I pray we all remember to keep our spiritual leaders in our prayers. I have been so blessed to sit under the teaching and preaching of God's word by Pastor Paul Snuffer, Pastor Jim McNeill, Pastor Curt Holzworth, and our current Lead Pastor Mike Neely. What a gift from God these men of God have been in our lives.

Quiet day today: Zambian Holiday ?? Paul and I walked around the campus while it was cool this morning. It is still quiet as David & Henry's families are still gone. Paul and I will go to town tomorrow for groceries and errands. Now that we have to cook our own meals, it is amazing how much food 2 people can eat. After a full day of not doing too much (since it is a holiday and all) Paul and I went and picked lemons off the tree. Of course all the lemons that we left were the ones on top of the tree. So, Paul rigged up a lemon picker on a long pole. We picked half a bucket then came home and made fresh squeezed lemonade, it needed a lot of sugar. We can use the lemon for our Coke lite and for our ice cold water!! Each time we open the fridge we say a prayer for the family who blessed us with the gift. We laugh each time we enjoy a cool pop or water.

Wednesday 8/5

We spent most of the day in town yesterday. Hardware store, getting my hair trimmed, running other errands. The lady "Grace" who did my hair wants to braid extension in to it?? I will keep you updated on this idea. Kevin left us a good supply of Coke lite but we knew we best stock up, you never know when company might come from the states!!

I don't know if I will ever get used to seeing small children (4 & 5 year olds) walking along the highway with no adults. They are walking to school, sometimes with other children, sometimes all by themselves. It is my understanding that the Government pays for the school up to 8th grade. Then the children have to pass a test to go on to 9th grade and then the family has to start paying. All the children wear uniforms and it looks so nice. You see blue, brown, green, and burgundy. I have seen a lot of different styles.

Another common sight is men on bikes hauling charcoal into town to sell. It takes time to make the charcoal, load it into big bags and tie them shut. The usual amount is 4-5 bags on a bike, but I have seen up to 7. Sometimes the load is heavy the men are walking along beside the bike pushing it and it is leaning over so far I am afraid the load will knock them down into traffic. The charcoal business is big here in Africa.

Paul has started to plant native plants in our patio garden. It will be very pretty when flowers are blooming.

Friday 8/7

I painted all day yesterday—2 coats on the south side. Paul and Joe framed up the sidewalk and side patio area. They hauled lots of dirt, did lots of measuring and of course added their opinion on my painting style. I think I am a good painter, but I am pretty messy. Lewis Nelms with Gospelink told me if I like to paint I am in paradise!! We are planning when the teams come next year to be doing a lot more painting. The campus will brighten up and continue to progress in its beauty. Today I plan to paint the back of the house and maybe the cement garden area, then the outside will be done. Joe is such a worker that when the hired workers are not here he is kind of lost. He just hangs with Paul and I and we try to find him work to do. I had him scraping mortar off the cabin metal door frames. He always does the best he can, which we so appreciate.

Well, the exciting news yesterday is a bigger fire than usual near Brian & Kelly's house. The college volunteer fire department was called out. Yesterday that meant Brian, Kelly, Paul, John and myself. We battled the blaze area for 1 1/2 hours or so. We used cut down branches to beat out the flames. The branches worked surprisingly well for this. We just needed to keep cutting off branches as the fire burned the leaves off the ones we were using. We were all very careful, but the smoke was very bad and we did need to watch and be aware. It was very windy so the blaze spread quickly. We did get it under control so it did not get any closer to the house and garden. Brian did loose a few small trees he had planted I think.

The fire continues to burn most of the way up Mt. Kazemba and west of Brian's house. You would think looking up Kazemba it would all be black, but from below it still looked green at the tops of the trees did not burn. The dear grass is so dry the fire just sweeps along the ground. Fire burning is a very normal event, as the National people do it to clear off the ground but also to scare out the varmints to catch and eat them. Brian says this is very bad for the soil. I really thought of my Dad as he was a volunteer fireman for many years.

Our house is so white I think it glows in the dark. Kind of like the clinic it is beautiful. The green trim on the windows and someday the roof looks very nice. Last night it was sandwiches as we were both too tired to think about cooking. Again, because of our fridge we were able to have ham and cheese not just PB. I best close and get to painting.

We continue to work along side Gospelink and celebrate all the support the Pastor's receive thru this ministry. I think we will have Pastors coming again in October, so that will be a special time. Again, I best close and get to painting. Love and blessings to all for today.

Friday 8/7 - Monday 8/10

Friday and Saturday we painted again, all day. Today we are done with the outside!! WooHoo!. We have painted the attached patio garden white to match the house and it is looks real nice. Paul and I went cactus hunting up Mt. Kazemba and found about 4 cactus plants for the garden. Paul is waiting anxiously to have his peppers come up.

We have done lots of raking of the front yard area—lots of raking and burning. Paul & Joe hauled a bunch of white rock for a sidewalk and to park the Toyota on. Paul and I borrowed the gator and have done a lot of rock hauling. We picked up some nice size rocks to line the driveway area and then some smaller ones to landscape around one tree. We hope to get some more rocks to do the other tree. Paul has cleaned all the mortar off the door frames and has them all painted but one. He is busy doing a lot of administrative duties and I have had to give him our little table for his desk, printer and file box. His gifts of leadership and business background will serve the Lord will here in Zambia. It would be nice to get one of those electric spray painters when we start painting all these cabins, but I don't know if they work that well and I have never used one. I will just take it one cabin at a time. Lucy and Kristine both want me to teach them how to paint so they can paint their houses. I think we will start with a few cabins, then they will feel comfortable doing their houses.

I am memorizing Isaiah 25:1 with a friend. "Oh Lord, you are my God. I will exalt you and praise your name. For in perfect faithfulness You have done marvelous things, things planned long ago".

It is encouraging to me that God planned for Paul & I to come to Zambia long ago. It brings me comfort to know there are no surprises to God and! He knows all we are going through and equips us with all we need.

Sunday was the first lonely day I have really had since we have been here. I think I was just so tired that when I stopped to rest it just hit me. I called my sister Gayle and just cried when I heard her voice. It is expensive to call from here but I just needed a familiar voice. I spent a lot of time in Psalms today to comfort my heart. Ps 8, 23, 30, 32, 5l, it just filled by bucket up and I was given peace once again.

I was reading the book of James and was reminded to be careful not to judge anyone or talk negative as out of my mouth blessing and cursing should not happen. In a new culture I can get to thinking I know better, or surely they know not to do that!! Yet God show me to be humble with a quiet spirit and that HE knows best, and for me to let Him guide and lead. This is a very good idea!!

Saturday was Brian's birthday and they invited us up for a feast. Three kinds of meat, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetable and chocolate cake!! It was wonderful and we felt so blessed they included us in the celebration.

Kelly has handed over the paper work and finances for the college to Paul. She has just done an awesome job and is so helpful when we have questions. With her large family, I am sure she was ready for Paul to take this over. She is an amazing Mom and I appreciate all the gifts she has shared with the college family and the area national people. I need to start thinking in kwacha and not dollars, but it is a hard transfer for my thinking.

Our friend Joe is lonely this morning too, with everyone gone. He comes over and sits with Paul and they watch the wind blow: a quiet man bonding time. It seems we women don't bond as well in silence as we do in sharing!! Men and women are different!! Who knew?? I think God has known all along :) We met some missionary friends of Brian & Kelly's from the Chongwe area. Suzie wrote one of the devotion's in Beth Moore's book, "Voices of the Faithful". I told her it was so cool to meet an author.

I best sign off for now.

You are loved by Jesus and us. –Paul & Lori

Wednesday 8/12-Sunday 8/16

Wed evening we had fried fish and potatoes! Really, what is not good fried?? Paul and I went to town on Wednesday for groceries and errands. I think it was our worst day in town as far as timing and supplies. The grocery stores were out of a lot of the items we wanted, we are learning if you do not shop before 10:00 am the selection won't be the best. Paul did stop at the stone quarry and ordered more rock for the cement mixing. I went to two post offices and both were out of postage!! What's with that? Kind of like when we were in the states and KFC was out of chicken :) When I think about whining or complaining the spirit has been checking me and then I count my many blessing and am so grateful. Our Toyota works great on these bad roads and the AC worked great and it felt wonderful. I think we are at the end of winter, and I have been told September & October can be brutal. This weather now reminds me of May in Phoenix where my brother Dwayne and his wife Deb (who is an official Fun Sister) live. The days are hot but the nights are cooling down nicely.

One of the more interesting things about going outside to the restroom is I walk over to our new house and us the facility there and just get to look up and see the stars!! It is our open-air bathroom for now. I suppose when the roof is put on I will miss those outside trips at night. (Not so much). When I walked out one night the cows were outside my cabin and I don't know who scared who the most. The cows did move along with their bells ringing all the way. We are using the flashlights and batteries that Quinton gave us from Grand Island and they are really neat ones. We use the bright for outside in the really dark, the middle light to read by and the night light to see when we need to get up. How cool is that to get custom flashlights for Zambia? Paul and I decided the trip to town is almost worth it when we can have pizza. We brought one home for supper and just ate it cold.

It was so good while we watched a movie where lots of things were blown up. We are using the DVD player a lot for the movies. We have to take turns picking them out as our tastes are so different. I am going to ask Nina to send me Pastor Mike's sermons and maybe stick in the Fireproof movie. Does anyone have Beth Moore's second book on "Voices of the Faithful"? I heard she put out a 2nd one and I would like to have it for when January arrives. You can let me know.

I was reading a magazine named "Pray" and the Holy Spirit guided me to put my faith in to action. Three men were unloading a semi-truck of rock with shovels. This looked like very hard work and it was hot. I filled 3 bottles of water and grabbed 3 New Testaments and took them over. I asked them if they knew Jesus and they all said yes. They were grateful for the testaments and I know God will use His word to bless them. It was cool as them came back with another load of rock the next day and one of the men was reading the testament as they took a break. We just never know how God will move in a person's heart.

Paul and I took an evening up to #12 as I heard strange noises coming from that area. We did not find anything unusual but Paul showed me where the neighbors had just cut down a large area of trees and was making charcoal out of them to sell. In my American mind, all I could see was devastation of the landscape, and knowing how long it takes a tree to grow. I reminded myself that this may be the only way this man has to provide for his family. I trust God will provide the trees Africa needs to sustain the demand for charcoal. Charcoal is like oil in America. When I see a big tree in Africa I know it has had at least 9 lives.

Paul has done some really pretty landscaping with a lot of rocks, and planted some flowers. We are getting the outside looking good before we can do the inside. As our son Ben says, "It all works". Paul and Joe chopped down the biggest dead stump/tree today. It was hard work but they got the job done, it looks much nicer with the stump gone. Know official church again today. Paul and I spent time in the word and shared out thoughts. I borrowed some new praise music from Kelly so that was nice to listen to.

Paul plans to share some things from the male view point, so I will try to get him to sit down long enough to do this. I am learning the camera to computer picture thing, so I hope to get some pictures on the web page soon.

It doesn't seem like I am writing too much exciting right now, and yet still the days fly by and work and spiritual lessons are learned along the way. Please check our Prayer and Praise list on the web site.

You are loved by Jesus and us.

Thursday, Aug 20th

Well, guess what?? I drove by myself to Lusaka today and did great and got back to the college with out a scratch on the Toyota or me :) We had little "Jess" spade yesterday so she stayed overnight and I went to pick her up this morning. She is doing pretty tough tonight but I am sure she will heal nicely. I took her to the University Vet. Clinic and they were very helpful and took good care of her.

Paul could not go as he was going to meet the Chief of this tribal area with Henry and Davis. It will be good for Paul to meet him and get to know him. The Chief has been very supportive of the college and Gospelink. We saw him last year when he visited the college and toured the clinic. I know he is anxious for the clinic to be open, but we will need to wait and see how God provides the staff and supplies. Paul hopes to start on the ceiling of the clinic soon.

One day I spent an afternoon going from cabin to cabin matching up keys. It went very well and I only have a few that I have not found keys for yet. We will have Pastors here in September. so will need to get things ready. Lucy and Kristine always do a great job of preparing. They are teaching me so much. Tomorrow we will have a Bible Study time and prayer time with a lady who has been sick a long time and Lucy believes she has demonic activity in her. It will be so good to pray over her and read scripture and let her know nothing to stronger then the power of the blood of Jesus Christ. Please pray with us for her. I will let you know her name when I know it.

One day I taught Lucy to paint. We painted cabin 2 one coat then ran out of paint. Lucy did a super job for her first time and she wants to do more. Lucy's children, Faith, Blessing, Abraham, Joy, Anna and another child visiting also named Blessing all helped in the process. I had those boys digging away the dirt at the bottom of the cabin, hauling cement pieces to the broken cement pile, fetching ladders for us and cleaning mortar off the windows. They all were such fun and they seemed to having fun while they worked.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention I was pulled over for speeding on the way home. Well as you know I would never speed and I sure I was not. The police man wanted 70 Kwatcha and I showed him all I had was a very small amount in my billfold. I asked him if I could send in the money and he said no. Well I just smiled at him and said "Since this is my first time to get stopped and I just moved here, couldn't you just forget this?" He just waved me on :) My smile and charm never worked that well for me in the states!!

We made a trip into town with Henry and Lucy one day this week and had fun and lots of good errands were done. Paul and Henry stopped at the well drillers, steel store and a hardware store. Oh yes, Lucy showed me a few shops and I did manage to by a wonderful purse for $8 dollars. I did not have a real purse here and of course every women needs a good purse :)

I best sign off and get ready of bed. If you can believe it sometimes we go to bed at 8:00 pm as it is already dark, no TV, and you can only read and watch movies so much.

Thanks to everyone who makes comments on our guest page. That is an easy and quick way for you to check in and encourage us. We would also love to get letters or cards in the mail. It is quite fun to stop at the post office and have mail :) and no bills.

You are loved by Jesus and us.

Friday 8/21

Our dog Jess had a tough night after her surgery. We are sure she'll get better each day. Today has been quieter for me. Laundry, cleaning up around our area and just keeping an eye on Jess. She just lays in her dog bed and sleeps.

Lucy & Carol asked me to meet with a lady who Lucy felt had demon possession. The three of us prayed for her continually claiming the power of Jesus. I do not know much about demon possession but I know the power of our God. The next time I saw her she seemed much better and looked better. She has been sick for many years with different things. She is the mother of 6 children so please pray for her and for her husband to come to Christ. The plaster's continue to plaster in different areas. Henry has a crew putting up a sturdy grass fence around a large garden area behind his house. This way Lucy has the produce close by to feed the students and the teams. The building look so good when the plaster is compete and so very pretty when they are painted. Paul has been doing the green trim and it looks sharp.

Paul and I are going to visit Chief Bunda Bunda. He was very nice to visit with and spoke good English. He did invite us to the big Fall Festival held at his place which is called the "Palace". His guards were also very helpful and friendly.

Sunday 8/23

Beautiful Sunday morning in Zambia: Henry will preach at our church service today. It is a small group but very comfortable as we sang and shared God's word. Henry invited us to share some of our favorite scriptures.

When singing the hymn's, it’s nice to do all the stanzas--and I know Pastor Paul at E-Free would appreciate that!!

In the states I always teased Paul about men out watering their cement. When I drove around in the summer it seems men were always out watering their driveways or sidewalks, with Paul doing this male ritual a lot in the states. Well, now he is watering his Lava rock collections and the white rocks?? Go figure. I did say lava rocks. Paul says a volcano had to have erupted here years ago as there is much hardened lave around. All I know is the rocks are iron and very very heavy.

We stopped at a natural hot springs and had to pay a small amount to walk down and see it. Henry said this was very wrong for them to charge as it is a tribal thing. Well anyway, we paid had saw the hot water coming up from the ground. To me it seemed boiling hot to the touch. Another reason about the volcano thing I guess.

It really smelled strong of sulfur. They did not have a pond or anything for people to sit in but it just ran into the grass. Some people take bottles to fill and treat it like holy water and think it has spiritual powers. Very sad.

It would be cool to have an archeologist here to tell us about volcano activity in the past and maybe he could tell us where to drill to get hot water for the college :).

Monday 8/24

The men are here to dig bore hole for a new well today with 2 big trucks and equipment. Paul said they were very nice men to work with. They worked all day and did hit water but it did not enough volume to be a good well. The men spent the night and started in a new location the next day. GOD IS GOOD, and they hit water after not drilling to long and it was a good dig, good well, good site, what ever you would call it. I am so very technical. Paul has been able to use the gator with Brian and Kelly gone for a few days and that has been helpful as he drove the well guys around.

Lucy wanted to learn to paint so she is helping me paint a cabin. After two days she is improving and is a painting machine. I wanted to stop at a certain point, but no we had to keep going! I have done the trim and Lucy so far likes the rolling. I do have to get up on the ladder quite a ways and Lucy does not want to do that part.

Day 3 we took Jess off the pills they gave her. She was so drugged up she could hardly walk and would not eat or drink. She was doing much better a day or so later after the pills got out of her system. She goes in after 8 days to get the stitches out. Big Thank You to Brian & Kelly as when they return today they are bringing us pizza. It is nice to not have to have a fire.

I am using the 2 lawn chairs for my kitchen table to do the dishes, which works very well. When Rich the electrician from Minnesota was here and Paul put a long handle on a broken broom for me he told me "I was one lucky woman to have a nice broom handle"! He was right: I do appreciate the long handle on the broom as it saves my back.

I would ask grace from you in reading this diary as I may repeat myself and I know the spelling has errors but with the interent time, I don't always take time to spell check and never re-read it before I send it. We are really looking forward to Pastor Mike Neele's cd's from home. It will be good to have some teaching from our home church and just feel that connection. Remember, to keep those cards and letters coming. When we have know emails or mail we just so to each other "no love", now how sad it that. If you have a good movie you have seen and want to send us a copy that would be so wonderful. Debbie my Fun Sister in Phoenix is sending me so embroidery thread so I can embroider on some ladies hankies I have and use them for shower or wedding gift.

We have a big wedding and shower coming up in Sept. An adopted son of Henry & Lucy's.

Paul called Pastor Mike today for a visit and Paul said it was so good to hear his voice and touch base with him. Kevin called us that evening so we got to visit with him also. He gave us some tips on where to buy Coke lite as we are out and had to borrow from Brian & Kelly. Tough times!! :)

The girls came to borrow a tent which they called a "camping house". I thought was so cool and a good description of a tent. I best sign off and get this sent. When I can get Paul to sit down I will try to get him to do an update from a male view point. Until then,

You are loved by Jesus and us.

SAT 8/29T

Today we went to the Chief's Harvest Festival with Brian & Kelly's family. I am glad we were able to sit with them as Kelly filled me in with some details as to what was going on in some of the dance's. The festival was not what I had expected, but I know my expectations can get me in to trouble. It was an interesting day, with the dancing being my favorite part. I thought there would of been a lot more tribal dancing and costumes, but there was not. I think I had in my head more like a native American festival. It was a lot of politics and official's being introduced and their speech's. It was kind of hard to hear so hard to get much out of that.

The people as always were very friendly and glad to see us there. They have us sit up front under the shade with the government officials and that was very kind of them. The people always seem to give us special honor and that is hard to get use to. It was different walking around with a few thousand people being the only white one's in the crowd. The children especially give us the looks. :) Paul found out he really likes the fried fritters, and the kids really liked the deep fat fried french fries, or chips as they call them. Really what isn't good fried?? I think the fritters taste just like the German food abbelcobin that my Mom used to make every year at Christmas, now my sister Carol keeps up that tradition. When they are warm you dip them in sugar. Yum.

For supper Paul grilled some hot dogs that were not too bad and we had them on toasted bread. I have not seen anything that looks like a hamburger or hotdog bun. The meat here, for the most part we do not like. We are doing the tuna and chicken a lot. I bought some frozen fish in town and when we went to cook it found out it was squid!! Well I guess I did not look at the package too closely. We fried it, but it was really bad.

Sunday 8/30

Paul and I walked over the river to the Baptist Convention with Pastor Henry and Pastor David. It was a good 50 min walk and I was hot when we got there. We left home at 8:00 and got back home at 3:30 pm. I am very thankful for the nice breeze we had all day.

Everyday is a new experience. We had near or in the open air church area, pigs, cows, chickens and guinea fowl. It was just the usual Sunday service. I think we had 3 or 4 Pastors were speaking (and you know how those Pastor's can carry on), and about 5 choirs from the area churches. The choirs were wonderful. I liked it when they used the drums. There was also acapella singing. Pastor Paul and Diana would have loved it. Lucy had lost her voice from 3 days of teaching, singing and praying. Lucy tried to tell me what the Pastors were saying but it was hard to hear her as her voice was all but gone.

The guest speaker was Rev. Charles West from the United States who is now ministering in the Lusaka area. He is the only one who preached in English. We had a very nice time visiting with him before and after the day started. We plan to meet with him and his wife Sarah to share ideas and information.

I enjoyed looking at all the cute children through out the day. It is fun to see all the ladies and men's different clothes and hair styles!! We were introduced once again as guests of honor and given a very nice lunch before we walked back home. My head on top was so hot (and I am sure sunburned) that I had to borrow a bandana to wear for the walk back home. Paul's head was really sunburned too. We just did not plan very well when we left in the morning. Pastor Henry has been a very busy man with the festival and the convention going on at the same time. He and Lucy will be ready for a short rest.

Paul and Henry go to town tomorrow for more business errands. I think I will stay home and have a girl's day with Jess.