Settling in

Well we have been in Livingstone for two weeks now and slowly becoming familiar with our surroundings. 

We are still without internet (I am writing from an internet cafe in town) but have managed to get a cell phone with which we can check our email - so we don't feel quite so far away.

There is so much that has happened in the last two weeks, I just wish I had the time to tell you all of it, but know that our God continues to be faithful.  He has led us to a wonderful bible believing church and has allowed us to find some missionaries who can help us understand some of the cultural differences here in Zambia.  The amazing thing is that these missionaries are from St Louis Missouri!!!   You know the Lord has a sense of humor when he allows us to meet us with people from home when we are half way around the world!!

We have also met with the directors of two local orphanages who are wonderful Christian people and have offered to help us in any way possible

We still have not been able to file our applications for work permits but hope to get a lot closer to getting this accomplished this next week.  We also hope to meet with the welfare department who will inform us of what we need to do to be able to take care of some of these orphans. 

The need is great - as we walk or drive around town we see children just digging through the trash looking for food.  We cannot wait to be able to help them in a bigger way than just giving them food.

This week we will be travelling to Kazangula which is a town about 40 miles west of Livingstone in hopes of finding a home to rent.  We are considering moving so far from Livingstone as we hear the situation of the children is even more desperate there.

Please continue to pray for us as we seek the Lord for guidance in all of the decisions we have make over the next few weeks. 

Thanks

Michelle

Arrived

We arrived in Livingstone yesterday about noon.   We are all well and trying to get used to the heat (although they tell me it's cool right now!!)

We do not have internet access at the guest house where we are staying, so I am posting this from an internet cafe in town.  I'm still learning the money and am not sure how much this is costing ?!  so I will update future in a couple of days when I get a grasp on things.

Thanks for your prayers.  Please continue as we adjust to life here in Zambia. 

Thank you

Michelle

Next stop - Zambia

Please pray for us today as we fly.

I'll write next from Zambia :)


I Left Everything to Follow You    by Michael Card

Though sometimes I grow weary when the road’s getting long
At each point of my weakness You make me strong
And when doubts take over I remember it’s true
I left everything to follow You

To stay safe or to follow You asked me to choose
But how could I fail when I’ve got nothing left to lose?
Without Your Call I couldn’t make it
It’d be impossible to do
To leave everything and follow you.

What is my petty offering
Compared to your sacrifice?
I gave up my home
You left paradise
What you called me to offer
Has really set me free
Cause You left everything to be with me

So with joy I embrace a faith that calls me from home
And I will cling to your promise that I am never alone
And with each passing moment I’ll keep hoping it’s true I left everything to follow you

The Journey Begins

Today, we start our journey to Zambia

We leave Leeds around lunchtime and travel south to London where we will spend the night.  Tomorrow we catch our flight from Heathrow around 5pm (11am CST) for an 11 hour flight to South Africa. 

After a 4 hour layover we will board a plane to Livingstone, Zambia and should arrive around 1pm (5am CST) on Friday.

We would really appreciate your prayers during this time of travel, especially as we have a few that are anxious and a few that are sick with colds. 

Thank you

Michelle

One Million Arrows

 

I don't often write book reviews on this blog, but today I have to because I want to encourage all parents and grandparents - in fact all Christians to read this book.

The subtitle is 'Raising your children to change the world' and Julie Ferwerda does an excellent job of showing how important our role as parents really is.  Too often in this culture we have handed the raising of our children over to the church and school, but One Million Arrows demonstrates clearly how we need to step up to the plate and take back the role which God designed for us.

Julie doesn't leave you hanging on wondering how to do this, but gives wonderful examples from many families who have raised children that are now making a difference in the world. 

She also highlights the work of Dr. M.A. Thomas in India who has started homes for thousands of orphaned children and is now seeing them change their world for Christ.

This book has been a great encouragement to us and has helped to mold our vision for the children in Zambia  (as well as our own).  With the Lord's help we plan to take these children from poverty and raise them not to a normal life, but to a higher level, to a life that is totally dedicated to Christ.

We are joining the challenge of raising One Million Arrows.

We highly recommend this book and encourage all to read it.  All profits from the book go towards orphan work. 

Michelle

Hiccup

I wondered if plans for our move were going too smoothly ... well yesterday we encountered a large 'hiccup'.

We had checked thoroughly about visas etc to get into Zambia and had it all worked out.  We were informed by the Zambian High Commission in London that we can enter the country with a letter from the charity inviting us to work in the country.  Once in Zambia we would then apply for our volunteer worker visas.  With this we were satisfied.

Well, yesterday we were advised not to send any of our belongings into the country until we had received our worker visas.  This is because if our things arrive before we receive the visas (which will give us permission to stay long term) then we would have to pay duty on all of our household goods!!! And you just know that's not in the budget!!!

The visa could take 8 weeks to be issued (assuming there are no delays).  So in theory, if we send our shipping in just a couple of weeks, and after a journey of about 50 days it should arrive after our visas have been received.  BUT what happens if our visas are delayed for some reason?  We would still end up paying duty on everything.  So we have decided to wait until our visas have been approved until we ship our things.

The consequences of this are that after we move out of the guest house in a month, we will then probably be living in an unfurnished house and therefore will be without kitchen equipment, beds, etc for 3 months or longer.

I have to be honest and tell you I have struggled with this.  In fact as I write this at 6am I have already been awake for a few hours, wrestling with the Lord over this 'hiccup'.  Asking Him questions like, what are we going to do?  What will I cook with?  What about the children's education?  What about their toys and personal things?  Is it fair for us to live for so long with just what we can carry in 1 suitcase?

Then the Lord so gently corrected me.  'Michelle, you will have a roof over your head.  You will have food.  You will have clothes.  You will have the people around you that you love.  You will have so much more than any of the children that you will be there trying to help. 

With that, the Lord left me repentant.  How can I complain when I have so much?!

Michelle