Looking Back

I have spent some time over the last few weeks reflecting on the events of 2010 and am amazed at the journey the Lord has taken us on.  So many valleys and mountains we have climbed but the Lord has led all the way. 

We began last year living in Leeds, England working with WEC International, yet eagerly anticipating our move to Zambia, which was planned for March.  Through the challenges of planning another international move we had the excitement of knowing that the Lord wanted us to move to Zambia to work with just a few of the thousands of orphans in that country.  We saw Him move mountains to get us there and gently lead us when we arrived, only to realize after a few short weeks that due to lies and possible corruption we were unable to continue with our partner in the ministry.  Without this partner we couldn't stay in Zambia.  The pain was deep as I grieved over the death of the dream and listened to our children cry as they too dealt with the pain of leaving many desperate children behind.

Upon our return to England I had the joy of surprising my sister as I appeared on her doorstep, while she thought I was still in Zambia.  The look of surprise on her face - priceless.

We struggled through the next few weeks as we sought the Lord as to His direction for our lives.  We had the opportunity to remain in England, return to the States or try to return to Africa.  Wherever we looked we found the door to Africa closed and we knew our decision was between England and America.  After much prayer we were led by God to return to the States, the reason being that in this country we can adopt again - and that is truly the desire of our hearts.

But our return would not be easy as I had to apply for my residency permit to be reinstated.  We applied and waited.

During our wait I had the joy of seeing my 92 year old grandmother just days before she passed away in May, and visit my 98 year old grandmother (who passed away just a few weeks ago). I also treasure the time I was able to spend with my parents, brother and sister and their families and have many great memories.

Then came the almost unbearable challenge of seeing Gary, Daniel and Nicholas board the plane.  God in His goodness didn't let us know ahead of time that our separation would have been as long as it was, otherwise I don't know if I could have said goodbye.

The separation was long and hard, but as I reflect I see the Lord's goodness to us.  He sustained, protected us and gave us wonderful opportunities to teach our children what it meant to trust in the Lord, especially when life doesn't seem to make sense.

I have experienced the discipline of the Lord as we tried so much to hurry the process to get us home only to have the Lord delay the process as we weren't waiting on Him. 

I have experienced the incredible peace that passes all understanding, when I traveled to London for my final interview KNOWING that the Lord was with me.  Then I felt the wrenching bitter sweet emotions as I left my parents and siblings again, yet eagerly anticipating my reunion with my husband and sons.

I have watched the Lord bring my visa earlier than expected and see Him work out the details so that just 40 hours after it arrived we were on a plane headed for Chicago and back in St Louis in time for the girls to sing "Nothing is impossible with God"

I have relaxed in the arms of my husband's embrace after 4 months apart and have learned to appreciate him and our family even more.

I have seen the Lord, provide abundantly for our needs.  We returned to this country with nothing but our suitcases and an additional 150 cubic foot of items we shipped, yet I sit in a home that is fully furnished.  We have asked nobody for anything, but the Lord has been gracious and through the body of Christ He has provided all we have needed.

The biggest lesson I have learned from this past year, I think, is to just wait on the Lord.  I know that sounds so easy, and I still struggle with it because I'm not very patient, BUT I have seen Him at work and know that He will make my paths straight, if I just wait on Him.  Not always will the direction make sense to me, but His ways are always right and in His footsteps I will continue to walk.



Michelle

What's Next

The time we spent in Zambia was incredible.  It has etched pictures into our minds that will never be erased.  Pictures of God's beautiful creation in the area in which we lived.  Pictures of hope as we saw some of the good work being done in Livingstone.  Yet despite the beauty and hope we also have pictures of pain - children sleeping on the streets, begging, small children (about 3 years old) alone - scantly dressed.   These pictures have changed all of us and through this change we are sensing the Lord's leading for the next stage of our lives.

After adopting 6 children, we thought we had a heart for the orphan, but that was only partly true.  God has solidified and intensified that desire within us all, including the children and we want our lives to be dedicated to taking care of the orphan.  We want to adopt again!

We would love to return to Africa and work there.  We have tried to open the doors, but the Lord has kept them closed. 

We cannot adopt in England because all adoptions are processed through the Local Authorities and we have already been told by them that we have too many children!!!


So, what is next for us?  We will be returning to America where we can adopt.

We are not quite sure of the time frame in which this will happen as there are several hurdles we have to jump through.  First we have to get my paperwork in order.  I was a permanent resident when we left the States (I had my green card - not citizenship) and because I have been gone from the country for over a year I have lost my right to automatically return.  This process should take about 4 to 5 months. 

God seems to be opening the doors for us to return because the house we were renting when we left almost 18 months ago is still vacant and a friend of Gary's has some work for him that will help us out while Gary starts his business back up. 

Once we return, we have to set up our home again and work to build the business (so we can meet the government's financial requirements) before we can pursue an adoption, but while we wait for those things to happen we will continue to be a voice for the orphan. 

We would appreciate your prayers that the paperwork would come through fast so we can start our lives again in Missouri and begin our journey to adoption.

Michelle

The Beauty of His Creation

Victoria Falls is situation just about 10 miles from where we stayed in Livingstone.  It is one of the the 7 natural wonders of the world, so of course we took the opportunity to go and see the handiwork of our Creator.

Despite what it looks like, it was a beautifully sunny day.  The 'rain' you see is just the mist from the Falls.

Next week I will give you an update on where we are and what we are planning to do next.

Michelle

Jeremiah's Dream Come True

Long before we ever arrived in Zambia, Jeremiah had a dream.  His dream was to give candy to the orphans and we were determined to allow him to fulfill his dream before we had to leave.  

During our time in Livingstone we had met Mrs Chara who ran the Ebenezer homes and school.  She is a wonderful Christian lady who has done a lot to help the orphans over the last 9 years.  She currently runs a school which is the only one in the area which is totally free.  She also oversees homes for 30 orphans.  So we decided to call her and ask if Jeremiah could give some candy to the orphans that she knew.  She happily agreed so the day before we left Zambia we took the long trek to the orphanage.   And it was a long trek.  We had been there once before in a car but had forgotten quite how far it was.  After walking about 5km (approx 3miles) in 90 + temperatures we finally arrived - hot, tired and thirsty.  We had run out of water by now, so when the Lord brought a thunderstorm Elaina and Naomi took advantage of the rain.

Once Mrs Chara arrived she took us in to meet the children.  The children sang some beautiful songs for us and showed us around their home.  We were so humbled by how warmly they accepted us, total strangers - and made us feel so welcome.

Then Jeremiah got to fulfill his dream.  I was so excited for him as I watched him (and our other kids) hand out the candy to the children.

It really was the perfect way to end our time in Zambia, giving (albeit only a very little) to those in need.

Michelle

He answered prayers

The first few days in Livingstone were challenging as we felt lost, not knowing anything about life in Zambia. The only person we knew was the manager of the Guest House in which we were staying, but she was busy and unable to show us around for several days.  We had taken a walk into the town center the day after we had arrived and had found a grocery store, but we felt like we were lost - which I guess we were :)

We also felt trapped, as we had no vehicle, but even if we had one I don't know how much difference it would have made because we still didn't know where to go.

So on the first Tuesday morning we sat down as a family and prayed.  We asked the Lord to provide us with someone who could show us around, show us where to buy food and large quantities of drinking water. 

After praying I decided to try and fix our problems myself.  On a previous walk we had found a Catholic Church, so I took the girls and headed over there, looking for someone who would be willing to take us under their wing and help us out a little.  I found no one at the church, but spotted a local clinic which was run by British and Zambians.   I did ask someone if they could help me and she informed me of where I could buy our drinking water, but that's all she could help me with.

I went back to the guest house a little discouraged.  But I should have never have doubted the Lord, I should have just waited patiently on Him because just 2 days later He began to answer our prayers.

On the Thursday our host had some time in her schedule and took us to a local children's village.  We spent some time with the Director asking questions about how we need to go about setting up our orphan work etc.  During the conversation he made a comment about how they received some equipment for their school and I responded with "The Lord always provides".  At this, his face lit up and he asked if we were Christians.  We told him we were, and he continued to ask where we went to church.  We hadn't found one yet, so he recommended his church.  He told us it was a reformed baptist church (which was the same type of church we had been attending).  We enquired as to the name of the Pastor.  When he told us, we were amazed.  You see, before we left England we asked someone in the church in Leeds if they knew of any reformed baptist churches in Livingstone, they did a little homework and came back with the name of one  - the only one in Livingstone - the one who the director had just mentioned.   What was even more amazing is that as we attended this Baptist Church we found it was only a 10 minute walk from the guest house.

We really were beginning to feel the Lord was directing our steps so we continued to pray that he would find us someone to help us with the culture etc.  We specifically asked if He would bring us westerners to help us find our way around, someone who knew what the culture was like where we came from and help us translate what we found in Zambia.  He answered our prayers that Sunday.

We attended Trinity Baptist Church and thoroughly enjoyed the teaching and people there.  We were the only white faces in the congregation, until about 15 minutes into the service, when some other people walked in.  We were curious as to who they might be but didn't think too much of it at the time.  After the service they approached us and we discovered they were two brothers and their families.  Not only were they Americans, but they grew up in the same area as Gary!!  They had lived in Zambia for a year and were working to reach the Lozi people in the Western province. (You can read about their work here)

We spoke with them for a few minutes, then they offered us a ride home - all 17 of us piled into the truck!!! 

Later that week they took me shopping, helped explain the culture to us and lent us books that the children could read.  They were such a blessing and encouragement to us. We are grateful that the Lord brought them our way.

Moving Mountains

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything.   It has been a time of living in a new house, getting into a new routine and a time of searching as to what the Lord would have us do next.  But, before I continue with what is going on in our lives right now I know that I need to tell you about the Lord's goodness and faithfulness during our time in Zambia.

The first story (that I had promised to tell you) was about how the Lord allowed us to get there.

I have to admit that I was a little disappointed when we had to arrive at Heathrow airport 5 hours before our flight was due to leave because of a scheduling conflict with the mini bus that took us there, but the Lord was in the details and He knew it would take just about all of that time to sort out the issues we had.

The first issue was that there was a problem with Deanna's ticket, that alone took an hour or so to correct.  The kids were great during this time of waiting, most of them waited patiently until someone (I think it was Daniel) had the idea of using the waiting area as a race track with the small suitcases!!

We were excited when the ticket was sorted and we thought it would be easy going from there - we were wrong!!  As the lady was processing our tickets a notice came up on her computer screen asking if we had return flights or valid visas.  You see, we had purchased one way flights.  We thought we would be in Zambia for well over a year before going anywhere and because we were told we could get our visa in the country we didn't think it would be an issue.  A couple of weeks before we left England someone had raised the concern that we may not be able to get in on one way tickets, so I had called the Zambian High Commission, explained what we were going to Zambia to do and asked if one way tickets would be okay.  I was assured that we would be just fine and could get our visas once we were in the country.  Why should I doubt what the High Commission told me?

So anyway, here we were at the check-in counter with another problem the message on the computer screen said that we had to have return or onward tickets or a valid visa before British Airways would allow us on the plane.  The reason being is that the Zambian government had the right to fine British Airways $7500 (5,000 pounds) per person if they allowed someone to come to Zambia without the return flight or proper visa.  I explained to the lady that I had spoken to the High Commission and was assured we would be okay.  But British Airways wasn't going to budge on their policy for us - and we certainly understood why.  Allowing this family of 8 to fly could potentially bring them a $60,000 fine!

So what were we to do?  The lady recommended we purchase return flights that were fully refundable.  She called the ticket desk and found out the cheapest would be $3,000 (2,000 pounds) a person.  WHAT!!!  She suggested that we put it on a credit card until we got to Zambia then get the full refund.  One problem - we don't own a credit card.

Several years ago the Lord told us to get out of debt, we did and also got rid of our credit cards.  If we truly believe that He will provide for our needs then we don't need a credit card which would only tempt us to rely of credit instead of Him.

I have to admit that now I started to cry, then I prayed "Lord, you didn't bring us this far to have us turn around and go home.  I am looking to You to move the mountains that stand in our way.  Please Lord let me see a miracle here."

Gary stayed at the check-in desk with the kids while the lady to took me to the ticket counter to see if we could find any cheaper flights.

She explained to the ticket agent that were going to Zambia to help the orphans and that we needed the cheapest refundable onward ticket that she could find.  They started looking.  The cheapest they could find was a flight to Johannesburg, but that would still cost us $400 (250 pounds) each which would have been all the money we had to buy food and set up life in Zambia.  I asked them to look again to see if there were any other options.  After about 10 minutes of searching the ticket agent looked up at me and said very seriously "If you tell anyone that we have had this conversation I will deny it - I will say I have never met you before"  "Okay?" I replied.  Then she went on to inform me (very quietly) that all we needed to satisfy British Airways was an itinerary of a flight on which we would leave Zambia so she would print us off an itinerary and - here's the best part - it wouldn't cost us a penny!! Wow!!  My jaw dropped and I realized that God had just moved a mountain for us.


The two ladies left me to find a place where they could print the itinerary and I walked back to Gary and the kids with tears in my eyes.  When I reached Gary I told him that God had just done the impossible and informed him of what the ticket agent was planning to do for us.


We waited for about 20 minutes before the first lady came back to us.  She apologized for taking so long and told us that they had to find another code to use on the computer so what they did wouldn't be traced back to them.  Also, during the time they were working on the itinerary a manager came in and asked them if they were having trouble.  She jokingly replied to him "You have no idea!!" Thankfully he never looked at what they were doing otherwise their jobs could have been in jeopardy.


Five minutes later the ticket agent came back out to us and gave us the itinerary which showed we had onward flights to Johannesburg in the beginning of April.  She handed it to me and again emphasised that she had not done this for us or spoken to us before.  At times like that a simple 'thank you' did not seem enough but that was all I could give her.  Then she moved back to her desk.

Amazed at what the Lord had done, we then gathered ourselves together and moved on to the departure lounge.

We have had people say things to us like 'you should never have gone to Zambia', 'it couldn't have been His will because you had to come home' but we know that the Lord is in control of all things.  If He didn't want us in Zambia at that time He never would have moved the ticket agent's heart to print us an itinerary, or make the eyes of the manager blind to what they were doing.  God, only God is in control of all things and He wanted us in Zambia for that time, so He moved the mountains. 



Michelle

Death of a Dream

It has been almost 3 weeks since I have put up a post.  Partly because we have had very limited internet access in Zambia and also because there has been so much that has gone on;  much to challenge us and much to confuse us.

Unfortunately the result of all that has happened is that we had to return to England.

I don't even know where to begin to try and explain everything and I know I would bore you with all the details, but the summary is that we found ourselves in a position where we could not trust the person who was the director of the charity we were working with.  We have no hard evidence that would allow us to know for sure that this man couldn't be trusted, but once we arrived in Livingstone, we found many 'coincidences' that led to suspicions.  We were also given warnings by several godly people and consequently were unable to go forward with this man.

To say it was a hard decision, is truely an understatement.  The kids and I shed many tears over this decision and still our hearts ache when we realize we are not in Zambia living the dream we had hoped and longed for; to help children in need, a dream that we believed the Lord had placed in our hearts. We prayed and prayed that the Lord would show us a way in which we could stay, but He never did.

It really broke our hearts to have to come back to England, but without work permits we were unable to stay.  We could have extended our visitor visas but we would have been without accomodation, which obviously we could not do. 

So we arrived home on Saturday, emotionally hurt, confused and asking many questions such as "Lord why did you make it so clear that we were supposed to go, only to bring us back 1 month later?"  "Why Lord did you make us walk the path of giving up everything, if we were only to be gone for such a short time?"   As of now we have no answers to these questions, and we may never get them.

I know the trip has not been a wasted one as it has solidified in our children, (and us) the desperate need for the support of the orphan and vunerable children in Africa.  Every one of our kids wanted to stay and take care of some of these needy children.  Elaina has had an especially hard time with leaving.  The night after we had made the decision to return, she came to me in tears.  When I asked her what was wrong, she told me that in her mind she could hear the sound of the babies crying and asked why we have to leave them here.

Also, Jeremiah asked if we could just adopt a couple of orphans before we got back on the plane.  If only it was that simple!!!

To hear the sweet hearts of my children has encouraged me to ask the Lord to keep their hearts tender toward the needy, maybe this dream of ours will be fulfilled through them.

To explain my own feelings is hard.   My arms were so ready to hold more children and my heart so eager to love them - yet we had to leave them behind.  If you know me at all, you can imagine how I struggle with this.  I continue to cry for them, and selfishly for me as I long to be a mother to more.  If there were no children in need I would be more than satisfied with what the Lord has given me, but there are so many children desperately needing a home and I can't give it to any of them - it hurts!!!


So what now, what is next for the Northcutts - we have NO idea.  Right now we are back in England, living with my parents.  This is a short term arrangement while we look for something permanent.

This is hard, I don't think we have ever been in a situation before where we have no clue what to do.  We need to live somewhere, but where? The States is not an option at the moment as we have to reapply for my residency visa (as I have been gone too long) and that costs money.  So for now, at least, we will be in England, but where?  To stay down south, close to my family or return to Leeds so Gary can volunteer at WEC again (where they desperately need help)?

Does Gary look for work or do we start a family business?  If so what type of business/work?  So many questions with no answers.  We feel desperately lost.  We are seeking the Lord for His guidance and trying to wait patiently for answers.

We want to thank those who understand our pain and are supporting us through it as we grieve this death of a dream.

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

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

Boxes

Slowly the packing is progressing. Boxes are starting to fill the dinning room and the hallway.

We are now living out of suitcases as we try to determine what will be shipped, put in suitcases or in our carry on luggage.

Slowly, we are getting organized

BUT ... time is ticking away. The 20ft container will arrive on Tuesday, ready for our van and as many other belongings as we can fit into it.

Wednesday, we travel to WEC's headquarters to spend the night before traveling to London next Thursday to catch our flight to Africa.

NEXT THURSDAY!!!! How did this move sneak up on us so quickly?

Michelle

Quick update

The flights are booked and paid for. Scary but done :)

We have found a shipping company that will take our belongings from Leeds to Livingstone. We are just waiting on a couple of questions to be answered and hopefully will be ready to book that on Monday.

Still looking for accommodation, but we do have something that might work for us. We should know by this evening if it will, then I can fill you in on the details.

Still packing. Yesterday we began to pack suitcases. I find it easier to pack all the suitcases early and live out of them for a couple of weeks than to wait until the last minute and find we don't have enough space.

So little by little we are getting there.

ONLY 19 DAYS TO GO!!!!!!

Michelle

Emotions

I have been asked to give an update on our preparations to move. So here it is.

Practically, we are getting there, albeit slowly. We have found flights that will work for us and will be booking them today - or at least transferring the money to the States today. We will purchase the tickets when the money arrives in the US as the company we are working with offers special prices for missionary and humanitarian work but in order to keep their prices low, charges the extra 3% if we pay by credit card.

We are still looking for a shipping company. The concern is not so much, how to get our things across the ocean, but choosing a company to transport the container from Durban, South Africa to Livingstone, Zambia. We also have to send our vehicle as we have been advised it will be cheaper than buying one in Zambia - with that comes the challenge of finding somewhere to load the van onto the container.

I have finally started packing. Due to having to rent a 20ft container (because of the van) we will be able to get more of our belongings shipped.

We are still looking for accommodation for when we arrive in Livingstone. Please pray that the Lord will provide that soon.

All our vaccinations are now completed - Praise the Lord!! I have to boast on our children for just a moment. They all did so well - out of all the vaccinations they received we saw tears only once.

So physically we are getting there. Emotionally - well, that's a lot harder.

Last week we spent time with some family and friends, enjoying each other's company and saying goodbye. That is not easy. And there is a lot more of that to come.

The biggest emotional hurdle that Gary and I face right now has been actually purchasing the flights. It is not that we aren't willing to part with the money, but we are struggling to make that final commitment. Once the tickets are purchased we know we are actually going. Going to Zambia; going to a country to which neither of us has ever been.

Looking back, the transition from America to England was relatively easy. Obviously I knew the country and culture well, and so did the family as we have visited many times over the years. BUT AFRICA!!! Hold on Lord, we don't know what to expect when we go there! We don't know the culture, we don't know our way around, we don't know much of anything.

Now, I realize I'm probably over reacting, but to be honest the thought of getting on that plane and flying into the unknown scares Gary and I and what makes it harder is taking the 6 children with us. We are so used to them coming to us and being able to explain why things happen, or what we need to do to get things accomplished - But I know I won't have those answers for them as I imagine we will feel lost when we arrive. And maybe that feeling will last for a long time.

It's also okay to go to a strange place for a vacation and finding it hard because you always come home from a vacation after only a short time. But this is no vacation. The Lord, in His wisdom, has only given us enough money for a one way ticket. Once we go we will be there for a long time. Livingstone will be home for us. Home in a strange place, strange surroundings, strange sounds, strange sights, hot temperatures (YUK!!) but still HOME.

Going is SO hard.

BUT... WE WILL GO!!

God has made it so clear that moving to Zambia is what we need to do, and so we will. He has shown us many times through scripture that we need to go. We have come from a place where 10 weeks ago we were struggling to find enough money for food, to a place where the Lord has provided abundantly and we now have enough money for our flights and shipping (which isn't a small amount for 8 people!!) And most excitedly, He has prepared our childrens' hearts for the work in Zambia. If we choose not to go, then everything we have tried to teach the children will be worth nothing. It is time for us, as parents, to lead by example and obey God - even when it's hard.

Christ sacrificed his own life for me, which makes complaining about leaving my comfort zone sound really pitiful!!!

So today we will book flights and in 22 days (March 4th) we will leave England, following Christ, trusting in Christ, knowing He holds the future in His hands -and His plans for us are GOOD.

A big thank you to all who have been praying for us, please don't stop now.

Michelle

She Caught the Vision

The other day Elaina came into see me at about 9:30 at night. She was sobbing. I asked her what was wrong and she answered that she didn't want to go to Africa because she didn't want to see children dying in our home!!

I held her and hugged her. I reassured her that I knew of several people that were taking care of orphans who had not had a single child die in their home. But I couldn't promise her it wouldn't happen. What I did promise her, and can promise her is that God will be with us through every trial, every heartache and He will give us enough strength to cope with whatever happens. While it would be very hard, the Lord is our Father who will comfort us and heal us.

We continued to talk and I asked her what would happen if we didn't go. She came to the conclusion that the child would still die, but may die alone, on the streets and most devastatingly without knowing the love of Jesus.

Then I asked her what would happen if we took care of that child. Together we concluded that if they were still going to die, they would leave this world having known the love of a family, having heard the love of Jesus and if they accept Christ then they would die with the hope and promise of eternal life with Him.

Suddenly Elaina's face lit up. She saw the vision, the purpose for our going. Not only to feed the hungry and clothe the naked, but to tell them the good news of Christ.

I was so pleased when I saw her turn and literally skip back to bed. The Lord had not just given her a peace about going, but JOY!!

Michelle

Zambia Update

It took a while but thanks for waiting for the update.

We met with Brian yesterday and everything is looking good for our move to Livingstone.

The charity has been set up, and is waiting just for final approval which should happen by the end of today or the beginning of next week. We have been assured that there shouldn't be any complications with this. The name of the charity is LOVE AFRICA ORPHANAGE.

So now we are looking for accommodation. Brian's sister is in Livingstone and will be looking at rental properties for us next week. Once the accommodation is sorted out we will book our flights.

We are planning to leave England on March 6th. That leaves us 5 weeks to get ready; 5 weeks of craziness!! Actually we really only have 4 weeks, as tomorrow we leave Leeds and travel south to visit family and friends for 8 days. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone, but the goodbyes will be hard.

There is an area in which we really would appreciate your prayers for wisdom. Once we get back from our trip south we need to ship our belongings. There are so many options open to us and right now we are confused as to what to do. It is a lot harder and more expensive to get things from England to Zambia than it was from American to England.

Some of the questions we are wrestling with are:

Do we ship furniture as we will have none in Zambia?
If we do ship it what do we use until our shipping arrives (that is if we can't get furnished rental accommodation)?
Do we send some of our things (like school books, toys etc) by air as it will take so long to get there by sea? (You know we have experienced the frustration of shipping taking 3 times as long as it should have done).
Do we ship our van? We have been advised to do so as it will be cheaper than buying one there?

Ahhhh - so many questions and right now, so few answers. Can you see why we are asking for wisdom?

Also please keep the children in your prayers at this time. They are so ready to go to Zambia - which is wonderful - but at the same time I know that moving is very unsettling for them (ok, ok - I'll be honest, it's unsettling for ALL of us). Please pray that the Lord would give them (and us) a peace and calmness during this time.

Thank you.

Michelle

The Lord Provides

Back in May we found out that we would be getting some money and expected to receive it in July, it never came. August came and went, still no money.

After making enquiries about where it was, we were sure it would arrive in September, but it did not. October and November passed and the money still did not arrive.

Finally, last week we received it. We are grateful to the Lord for withholding this money from us until now. If it had arrived in the summer, we would have spent it on things for the home and to help us through a tough time. But the Lord didn't want us to spend it on that - He has been saving it for us - why? Because now we know we are going to Zambia the money will be used to buy the tickets to get us there.

He is good and He does provide. Thank you Lord

Michelle

Update

Well things are moving quickly here in regards to our move to Livingstone.

The application for the charity is currently being processed in Livingstone and should be approved before Christmas.

We also have a friend that left today for a holiday in Zambia. She will be spending some time in Livingstone and will be able to bring the paperwork back for us if it is approved in time. She is also going to look around the area for us, taking pictures and checking prices. Please keep Margaret in your prayers as she travels with her granddaughter. Prayer for their safety and wisdom as she tries to be our eyes for us.

Once the Charity is approved then we can look into booking our flights. We have to enter the country with regular tourist visas (which we purchase at port of entry) and then apply for volunteer worker visas once we are in the country.

We are amazed at what the Lord continues to do. We have already spoken to a young lady from America who is interested in spending a few weeks of her summer in Livingstone to help with the work there.

Other things are happening too. I cannot write about these yet as these are not confirmed but, as I said before I stand AMAZED!!!

God is good and we feel so honored to be allowed to be part of this incredible journey that he has planned for us.


Michelle

Tender Heart

Each morning, after breakfast our family reads the bible and prays together. It has been so encouraging over the last few months to hear the way the children have been praying about the situation in Zambia.

Many times they have prayed for the orphans who have no food and many times they have prayed for the children that we will be adopting (who said anything about adopting!!!????)



Last week Jeremiah asked how long we will be in Zambia. I told him I didn't know, just as long as God wants (I am learning not to presume on God's timing for us!!).

Jeremiah thought for a moment and then responded "Mom, we can't leave, if we do then more children will die!" - how precious to see his tender heart towards these children who he has yet to meet.

Michelle

Orphan Care: Accepting the Call

This week we received an email from a friend who brought to our attention a broadcast from Focus on the Family.

Please, please take the time to go to this link (Orphan Care: Accepting the Call) and listen to the broadcast. I heard it on Tuesday morning and tears ran down my cheeks as I listened to the desperate situation that many of these children are in.

Also, Katie reminded me on her blog today that these children are created by the same God that created our children. We hurt for our children, but do we hurt for these others that God has also made in His own image? Should we care for them? Should we hurt for them? Should we love them like our own?

Katie's words are so powerful and challenging. Please read her post here.

Oh, how my heart longs to be in Zambia, holding these children that have been missing love for a long time; to feed a child who is truly hungry, to be the arms of Christ to the least of these.



Michelle

Prayer Requests

First, I want to thank all of you who have sent us comments or emails full of support and encouragement. That has really been a huge blessing to us.

There are several things that we would appreciate prayer for at the moment.

1. The kids start receiving their immunizations today (3pm UK time) and we have a few that are quite anxious about it.

2. For the registration of the charity in Zambia. We are asking the Lord for favor with the Zambian government to get this achieved in a timely manner.

3. Once the charity has been registered we will apply for visas. We are not sure if it will cause any complications the fact that we are not all of the same nationality (1 American, 1 British and 6 American/British) Right now it looks easier for Americans to enter Zambia, than the British.

4. That the Lord will be preparing us spiritually, emotionally and physically for this huge change.

5 Finally, that God would bring a replacement for Gary here at WEC to do the work that he has been doing. Anyone interested in a Maintenance Supervisor position??

Again we thank you for your most precious gift to us - prayer.

(James 5:16) The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.



Michelle

"The Call" - Part 2

Sorry for the delay, but I have finally put together the account of how God is changing our lives and leading us on an incredible adventure in which we will have the priviledge of helping just a few of the thousands of precious children who are alone and in need in Zambia.

When we came to Leeds in February 09 we were expecting to be with WEC at Springhead Park House for several years. We did not think it would be permanently, but certainly for more than a year. BUT the Lord has made it clear that He has different plans for us. We know that we did not make a mistake in coming to England as we wrote in "The Call", God made it perfectly clear for us to come here.

There is no way we could have chosen the events of this year or organized meeting the different people that we have met but God has done it all. We stand in awe at what He has done and continues to do.

It wasn’t long after arriving in England that God began to stir Gary’s heart, leading him to believe we wouldn’t be here for long. I have to admit I was disappointed when Gary told me this. After several years of seeking what the Lord wanted and watching Him lead us to England I was ready to settle down and make a home for the kids, but that was not to be (at least not yet). Also, within a month of us arriving the Lord was beginning to give us a heart of compassion for the African orphans through videos such as Sam and Esther. Never at that time did we think that Gary’s thoughts of leaving and the orphans were connected. In the meantime, we worked hard at settling in here at SPH. We sought out a church we could call home and looked for other Christian homeschooling families. The latter was not an easy task as there are not many in Leeds, but the Lord put me in touch with Clare, who later would play a significant role in our connection to Zambia.

On my first meeting with Clare I was told that her 17 year old daughter, Charlie, was planning a trip to Kenya during the summer to work with the orphans. My heart was stirred again, and I began to think maybe when our kids are grown we could go to Africa and help, but in the meantime, if the Lord would allow us, then maybe we could send a little money to the work already going on there.

In the meantime someone that I respect for their strong faith recommended a book to me. It was ‘Crazy Love’ by Francis Chan. The title didn’t impress me to read it, but the fact that it was free on an mp3 download persuaded me to listen to it. The book spoke loud and clear to both Gary and I. The book speaks about what it truly means to be a Christian and that while we are saved by grace, we show our love for God, by showing our love to others. (1 John 3: 16-18) This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone had material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. Chan gave examples of people who ‘denied themselves, picked up their cross and followed Christ’. All too often in the western world we have got it so wrong. We want to follow Christ, but only to the edge of our comfort zone, and no further.

Then in July, Gary was struggling with some cultural issues here, but one morning after prayers he came home to me and told me that he had surrendered to the Lord and if God wanted us here then he would surrender his desire to go back to the States and be happy to be here, or wherever God wanted us. This act of surrender was the beginning of the change for us.

By now Clare’s daughter, Charlie was in Kenya and Gary suggested we invite her and her family over for dinner once she got home so she could share with us about her experiences. Charlie was due back on a Monday. Clare said she would need some time to rest before we got together. We understood that, and were therefore amazed that Clare called on Tuesday (just one day after Charlie got home) to arrange dinner. We agreed to meet that Friday, but I was reminded by Gary, that we had plans to go to the beach with our Church that Friday. So, I called Clare to rearrange dinner fully expecting her to suggest a day the following week. Instead she suggested the very next day, Wednesday. I mention the days – because everything during this particular week happened so fast and the timing was so important.

So, on Wednesday they came for dinner. Charlie told us about some of the children she met while in Kenya. What broke our hearts the most was the 3 & 4 year old children who would walk miles three times a week to wait at the end of the feeding line. They were put at the end of the line because no one had ‘sponsored’ them yet. If there were left overs they would eat – if not, they would be sent away hungry.

Another situation that really disturbed us was how the babies were taken care of in the local hospital. The hospital in Eldoret is a teaching hospital and reportedly has the best baby unit in the country because it is funded by Westerners – yet what happens there is nothing short of tragic. The babies are only given 2 bottles a day and are left alone from 4 pm when the staff goes home until 9 am the next morning. No one to meet their needs; no one to feed them; no one to soothe their cries. No one. And this is the best Kenya has to offer its babies???

God had got our attention – we knew He wasn’t just asking us to send money, so we started entertaining the idea that he may be telling us to go. At this time the Lord also led us to Matthew 25:34-40

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

When Charlie went to Kenya she stayed with a British family who moved out there a few years ago. They went independently in answer to a call from the Lord to serve the people in Eldoret. We began wondering and seriously praying about the possibility that the Lord was requiring the same of us. We decided to ask Clare for the email address of her contacts in Kenya. We were thinking that maybe we could contact them and arrange a visit to see the need for ourselves. And maybe, just maybe move there later. We also knew that if we were to go to Africa we would need to have contacts in the country that we would be going to. Someone to help us get orientated to the culture. We asked the Lord to give us this if He wanted us to go.

The next time I was supposed to see Clare was the coming Saturday at a homeschool bar-b-que and I would ask her about getting the email address then. Meanwhile we continued to think and pray about this whole situation.

Two days later on Friday of the same week, we went with our church to the beach. The weather was perfect and the company was enjoyable. On the journey home I was reflecting on what a perfect day it had been, beautifully English … we even enjoyed a cup of tea while sitting on the beach.. I remember seriously contemplating what we thought God might be asking us to do. Uproot the kids and move again, to a country where it is hot, away from grandparents (my family) where there are mosquitoes that carry malaria, as well as poisonous snakes. I clearly remember thinking, ‘Lord', you can’t be serious. I can’t do this, it’s just too "hard". I had always hoped that I would never tell God that I wouldn’t do something he was asking, but I found myself saying "NO". I didn’t want to put my children in a tough situation – it was too "hard". I had made my mind up. Well, that evening I had to call a friend in the States that I had not spoken to since we left in February. I had to speak to her about a homeschool matter. Then, out of the blue she said, “Oh by the way I finally read the book you recommended to me." ‘What book?’ She responded, ‘Do Hard Things’. What!! I couldn’t believe what she had just said ‘Do Hard Things’ was a book I had told her about at least a year ago. It was written by Alex and Brett Harris for a teen audience but is actually suitable for all ages. It challenges teens to rise above the low expectations that society has for them and do the hard things that Christ calls them to. When Shannon said the words ‘Do Hard Things’ the Lord immediately brought to my mind my statement to Him just a couple of hours before. I can’t do it – it is just too "hard". At that point I too surrendered my will for His ‘okay Lord if you want us to go I will go, knowing that your plans for us are for our good’. (Jeremiah 29:11)

The next day was the bar-b-que. I didn’t want to ask Clare in front of many people because I didn’t want anyone else to know what we were thinking about doing, partly because it still sounded so ridiculous and impossible to me. For a time it didn’t look like I would get the opportunity to ask her alone, so I decided I would just email her sometime over the weekend and get the lady’s address. As far as I was concerned there was no urgency on this. But I did pray and ask the Lord to give me the opportunity to speak to Clare if he wanted me to ask her that evening. He did provide that opportunity and our conversation went something like this. ‘Clare, do you think your friend in Kenya would be interested in showing someone else around the area?’

Clare; ‘Probably, why? Who is thinking of going?’

I replied ‘Us’

She looked shocked, but then I explained to her how the Lord had been stirring our hearts. Clare promised to get me the lady’s address but asked if it was specifically Kenya that we wanted to go to. ‘No not necessarily', I said. Then she told me that her Pastor was from Zambia and he was actually going down to Africa on Monday for 2 weeks, she suggested that maybe we could get together with him when he returned and see if there was any opportunity down there for us.

That sounded fine to me, but really didn’t expect that to come too much. I certainly wasn’t expecting to hear anything soon, but just an hour after getting home from the bar-b-que Clare called. She had sent a text to her Pastor (Brian) and he wanted to talk to us before his trip to Africa. So, we arranged for him to call us the next day.

Brian did call Sunday afternoon. We spoke for 45 mins. He explained to me that he was being sent, not only to Zambia, but Zimbabwe, Botswana and other surrounding nations by his 'Network' of churches to discover what the needs were in the area with regard to orphans and poverty etc. He asked what we were interested in doing. I told him a little of our family’s interests, our love for children, Gary’s construction abilities and that we thought the Lord maybe telling us to go serve in Africa.

Brian responded that while he was there He would be asking the Lord if He would show him a place where we could possibly fit in.

During the 2 weeks he was gone we spent a lot of time praying and thinking through the implications of possibly going. Those were a long 2 weeks as we eagerly awaited any news Brian had for us on his return.

We met with Brian and his wife (Christa) and he told us about the general needs in that part of the world. He finally came to tell us about Livingstone, Zambia. He said the need there is so great. Many children are just on the streets, with no parents or a home. Brian used to be a Pastor in Livingstone and the Mayor of that town was in his congregation. Brian spent a whole day with the mayor looking around the town to find any suitable sites to build an orphanage, as this is something the Mayor would like to see happen in his city.

Between the information that Brian has given us and our own research we have discovered that the situation in Zambia is desperate. Out of a population of 10 million there are an estimated 1.2 million orphans. Livingstone, which has a population of 100,000, could therefore have up to 10,000 orphans. The life expectancy is only 36, primarily due to AIDS. What is happening is this – the Zambian women are having 5 or 6 children, and then becoming victims of AIDS, this leaves Grandmother to raise 15 or more grandchildren, which is impossible when most people survive on less than $1 a day. Then, in turn, when Grandma dies, all these children are left with noone. Also, in Zambia, because of the poverty people cannot afford to send their children to school. Consequently, with no education, the possibilities of work are fewer and so the cycle of poverty continues. The terrible conditions in Zambia have been multiplied over the last few years by drought in the western part of the country.

After our meeting with Brian we were left with a whole bunch of mixed emotions. But we have decided to go and help these precious children because God has given us peace and many scriptures which confirm our decision such as;

James 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.

and

Isaiah 58:6-7 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

When exactly will we be going? That’s a good question! First, we are learning not to presume what God’s plans are for us, but 'Lord willing', we will move down there possibly as early as February. We are currently waiting for the charity to be registered in Zambia and then we will apply for the visas. So the timing is in the Lord's hands.

Once there, we plan to take some time to settle in as a family as this will be a huge adjustment for all of us. Then, once the Lord is ready we will open up our home as a foster home and take in whoever the Lord brings our way. We also plan to build an orphanage for other children that are in need there. My hope is that we will be obedient in whatever else the Lord asks us to do. (Again though, God's plans will prevail. Proverbs 16:9)

I want to finish this very long post by thanking those of you who have been praying for us. Please don’t stop now. I will publish specific prayer requests tomorrow.

Michelle