First Day of Work

Hello!  Posting a little earlier than expected today.  We are eating dinner at the orphanage this evening so their isn’t much kitchen preparation for dinner.  Everyone is able to take showers and get cleaned up now to spend the evening with the kids (more to come about that in tomorrow’s post). 

Half the team went to the field to clear more land today.  It is about a 40 minute tractor ride away.  They were successful getting started, cutting down many small trees and tackling 4 big trees.  As usual they worked very hard their first day, but have a lot more to do over the next several days to accomplish the task.

The other half of the team went to do their first round of eye ministry.  We will be doing the eye ministry 4 times this year.  Once was today at the chief’s house, as stated in the previous post.  And the next 3 days will be at Pastor Petros’ house, Mukumba soccer field and across from the fields that we are clearing.  For those who are not familiar with the eye ministry, we give the patients an eye exam (doctor), if needed we give them glasses (optician) and then we talk to them about Jesus (counselor).  The free glasses are a good way to start conversation about the free gift of salvation given to us by our Lord and Savoir Jesus Christ.  Many already knew Christ, so we discussed with them the next steps of being a Christian, such as the importance of reading their bibles, fellowship with other Christians and prayer morning, day and night!  There was one gentleman that Bre and Karen were able to pray with to receive Christ for the first time, so we are joyous in his response, as well as a prayerful hope that he will continue to follow the Creator.

Dean as the “doctor”

Noah as the optician

   Bre as the counselor

One cool thing that happened today was back at camp with Amber and Candi.  They were here doing laundry and other odds and ends around camp while the 2 teams were out.  As soon as the 2nd team left, they ran out of water.  And they were not able to pump water from the well because they had not yet been taught the new system that Jako just installed (not sure about the details there, but the focus is on the fact they were unable to get water).  So they were sitting in the kitchen wondering what the next step was because the camp and orphanage would be without water all day if it was not resolved.  It isn’t like you can pick up the cell phone and call them to come back.  When the teams are gone, they are gone and you don’t here from them until they return in the evening for showers and dinner.

So they began to pray.  The teams were gone and they desperately needed Jako to return, maybe to pick up something he had forgotten, so that he could instruct someone to help resolve the problem. Not 15 minutes later, Jako returned to camp because they had forgotten a tool needed on the job for the tree cutting team.  Prayer answered!  The well was fixed and water was flowing in no time! 

With that being said, we are now going to ask for more prayer – since we have just witnessed the power of it!  If you could please pray for Amber.  She has spent most of the afternoon in bed.  She is not recuperating well from a cold that she picked up in South Africa.  She is also 5 months pregnant and trying to run around after Jakob and take care of the team.  If you knew Amber, she just doesn’t stop from morning to night, so the fact that she needed to lay down was her body telling her she couldn’t do anymore and it was time to rest.  The team and Jako also “put their foot down” and won’t allow her to work anymore.  She is not allowed to help out until she gets better!  So please pray for a speedy recovery.  She in on antibiotics and she has a lot of pain in her back.  She is unable to get out of bed without being miserable.  She can’t seem to get rid of a cough she developed as well.  We want her better so she can enjoy fellowship and time with friends while we are here, as well as being involved with the team and the work we are accomplishing.

Roz – Katie says she hopes you are feeling well mom!  I miss you and love you.  I am having fun and learning a lot!  Barb and Tom – Bre sends her love to her family and to Clayton, with an “early happy birthday” to dad!  Barbie K – Ben says yes, “post” the postcard. 

Until the next post…

Team Zambia 2011