It is Monday evening and we're just back from our first dinner out! We went to Spurs in Manda Hill mall which is a nice North American style restaurant run by two South Africans. We figured that we would "reward" ourselves for having been able to start the work permit process. This morning we went to the Police Headquarters and as promised our clearances were ready for pick-up. After that we went to Immigration where the lady officer looked at all the paperwork and then marked it "Approved". She told us to pay KR 1,000 at the cashier and then to come back to her with the receipt. We went all hopeful to the cashier to find that she was gone but after a little while she came back. Then she told us that they didn't accept cash and that we had to get a certified cheque. Mama Margaret came to the rescue and said that we could deposit the money into Every Orphan's Hope's account and that they would then take out the certified cheque. So after we returned we went to the bank and after a 45 minute wait we had our certified cheque. Around 2:30pm we went back to Immigration to pay and after we got our receipt we dropped the paperwork off and were told to come in 2-3 weeks. So in 2 weeks we'll go back and if the permits are not ready yet we'll get a few more stamps in our passport.
This weekend was nice and relaxing. On Saturday morning we went to the Dutch Market. This is a market at the Dutch Reformed Church that has good quality crafts and food. It was nice to see all the different vendors and crafts that they have. Machteld was able to buy her giraffes (a mama with little one). The mama we called GeMaLu and the little one we called LuKi. You can try to figure out what this all stands for. Lucinda wasn't feeling the greatest so we left around lunchtime. Just as we left we bumped into Kevin and Drew and their families. We talked for a while and then we went back to the office.
In the afternoon some of the staff needed to go to Chongwe (Nyangwena) to hand our shoes. Since Lucinda wasn't feeling the greatest, Machteld decided to stay with her at the office. It was great to see the faces of the kids when they opened the shoe boxes and tried their new shoes on. We take it for granted that we just can buy pretty much everything we need but for these kids to get new shoes is something special and their faces are showing it. During our visit Jim Evans and his family from the Bible College visited My Father's House to pick up some wristbands. They stayed for a while and we got to know them a bit better. The college is about to receive a ton of medical equipment and a doctor will arrive shortly. Once it is up and running, they will have a first class medical facility at the Bible College. Good to know if something happens while we're out there.
On Sunday we decided to join the Word of Life church in Chongwe (Nyangwena) where the headmaster of the local school is the pastor (Mr. Chapman). It was a good service and I liked his explanation of what BIBLE stands for (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth). It was focused on how we have to follow God's instructions and that we have to take corrections from others seriously and not being stiff-necked and close-minded when others point out something we did wrong. After the service we and the EOH-US team (Gary, Michelle and Peter) were invited for lunch at the DeKam and Roelofs residence. We had nchima, relish and barbecued chicken (from the EOH chicken farm) and it all tasted great. We even had coffee with chocolate chip cookies for dessert. We had a great time together and it was great to share stories and experiences with each other. The ladies already started planning a "ladies night" or maybe even a weekend. I am sure there will be some fun evenings/nights in the future.
This morning Gary, Michelle and Peter left for the US. Last night we said our goodbyes and as far as we can tell the flights so far have been without delays, cancellations, or other problems. We hope and pray that they will arrive safely tomorrow at DFW. It was a busy week after their visit was cut short by a couple of days due to some snow at Heathrow airport. It makes you realize how little we are in control, especially after hearing about snow and freezing rain in Canada this morning. The weather here is still the same, sunny with thundershowers and a temperature of around 27C. The last 2 nights were a bit cool in the early morning. Hopefully a sign of more moderate temperatures to come over the next little while.
Tomorrow Gert will start with Caison to work on revised and updated budgets for 2013. Machteld and Lucinda will try to do their first laundry in the new house. We're slowly moving towards moving over there and we expect that before the end of the week, we'll be in our house. Things are settling in and we are trying to get into some kind of routine. For now it still feels a bit like a vacation but that will change soon once we have our own place.
Thanks everyone for their continued interest in our blog and the comments and emails that we receive. We had trouble including pictures in this blog. We'll try again the next time.
Blog about the mission work of Machteld and Gert Kollenhoven and their daughter Lucinda in Zambia
Monday, January 28, 2013
Friday, January 25, 2013
The end of a busy week
This past week has been a busy week with a lot of interaction with the staff, the mamas and the orphans. With Gary Schneider and Michelle Jackson here as well as Peter Greif we had a lot of activities that evolved around the children and mamas. Gary, Michelle and Peter brought a bunch of suitcases loaded with gifts for the homes. On top of that, money was raised for shoes for the kids which allowed the ladies to go on a shopping spree for shoes (we couldn't stop them even if we tried). Peter was courageous enough to go along with the ladies while Gary and Gert stayed at the office to discuss some "business".
After the last 8 bags arrived on Wednesday and the shopping for shoes was completed we went to Chongwe (Nyangwena) on Thursday to present the kids and mamas with their letters and gifts. It was an exciting view to see the kids accepting their letters and gifts and also the mamas were quite pleased with what they got. At the end of the afternoon, we had the pleasure of meeting up with Kevin and Drew and their families at the Esther School. It was great to see how things have improved for them since we last saw them in August. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done but at least the basics are working and the school is operational. There are 3 children from the orphan homes in Chongwe that are at the Esther School which they all seem to enjoy. It was pretty much dark by the time we left and driving back to Lusaka in darkness is a whole new experience. Not something you want to do too frequently.
On Friday the homes in Lusaka were visited with their gifts and they also got their shoes. It was nice to see how everyone responded to the gifts. At the same time, it showed that some kids have more sponsors than others which causes one kid to get more than others. It is sometime heart-breaking to see how some kids get a lot and others very little. This is something that we certainly will try to evaluate and see whether we can come up with a better system and distribution for the future while at the same time maintaining the link between child and sponsor.
During this past week we tried to apply for our work permits. We started off hopeful on Tuesday morning with what we thought all our paperwork in hand. After the officer reviewed the documents, she mentioned that we had to have a police clearance which we didn't have. So we were told to go to the Police Headquarters and get our fingerprints taken. We paid KR2 each (about $1) for the form and then we had to pay almost $100 per person for the processing of the fingerprints while Zambians pay only $10. Anyway, with the help of mama Margaret we were told that we could pick up the clearances on Thursday at 10:30am (instead of a week later). When we got there on Thursday the person had already left and we were told to come back the next day. So on Friday we went again to the Police Headquarters only to find that the person was not there. We were sent to the Deputy Officer In-Charge but he was also not there when we got to his office. While we were still in front of his office he arrived and we were invited into his office. He told us that he did not have to forms and that the person who had them was at Immigration. He would ask him to complete the forms as quickly as possible and then he would give us a call to let us know when we would be able to pick up the clearances. This afternoon, at around 4:15pm we actually did get a call from the Deputy Officer In-Charge who informed us that we could pick them up on Monday around 9:15am. So hopefully we'll be able to pick them up on Monday morning and then start the process for the work permits. Hopefully this time they will accepts all the papers and start the process.
Tonight, Zambia played for the Africa Cup of Nations against Nigeria. In their group all teams had a 1-1 score in their first match. Nigeria is a feared opponent and after the draw against Ethiopia there was some hesitation in the expected outcome for the match. In the first half Nigeria missed a penalty kick which saved Zambia. In the second half Nigeria took the lead but with about 5 minutes to play Zambia scored the equalizer, much to the relief of the Zambian supporters. That's also how the match ended. In the other match of Burkina Faso against Ethiopia, Burkina Faso pummeled Ethiopia with a 4-0 win. So in the final game Zambia will play Burkina Faso and will have to win to have a chance to enter the next round (the first two in the group advance).
The people in Zambia are really into the "AFCON" tournament. They dress up in colours of Zambia and wear their Chipolopolo (the team's name) shirts. During the match it is very quiet and people watch the game wherever they can. Last year, Zambia won the AFCON cup but since it always coincided with World Cup or Euro Cup they decided to change the schedule and hold it in uneven years. That's why Zambia has to defend their title a year after they won it. It will be interesting to see how the team does in their next match and when they advance, how the supporters will react to the results. The Dutch supporters have a reputation to dress up and go all out but the Zambians are certainly not far behind. They are as passionate or maybe even more about their team than we are. It is great to see how this tournament captures a country.
Tomorrow morning (Saturday) we plan on going to the Dutch Market and the Dutch Reformed Church. They have a market with all kinds of crafts, foods, etc. every last Saturday of the month. Many people have told us that it is worth to go there and try the food and buy some crafts. So we'll give it a try and Gary, Michelle and Peter will come along as well. After that we'll go to Chongwe to spend the rest of the day with the kids and mamas there. We'll also bring them their new shoes which will be exciting. Sunday will be the last day here for Gary, Michelle and Peter who fly back to the US on Monday morning. Hopefully their flight back will be without any delays, cancellations and lost luggage.
We thank God for all the things that were accomplished this week. Even though things take more time than we expect or hope for, we're confident that in the end it will all fall into place. God has a plan and He is in control. We have to trust and obey.
After the last 8 bags arrived on Wednesday and the shopping for shoes was completed we went to Chongwe (Nyangwena) on Thursday to present the kids and mamas with their letters and gifts. It was an exciting view to see the kids accepting their letters and gifts and also the mamas were quite pleased with what they got. At the end of the afternoon, we had the pleasure of meeting up with Kevin and Drew and their families at the Esther School. It was great to see how things have improved for them since we last saw them in August. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done but at least the basics are working and the school is operational. There are 3 children from the orphan homes in Chongwe that are at the Esther School which they all seem to enjoy. It was pretty much dark by the time we left and driving back to Lusaka in darkness is a whole new experience. Not something you want to do too frequently.
On Friday the homes in Lusaka were visited with their gifts and they also got their shoes. It was nice to see how everyone responded to the gifts. At the same time, it showed that some kids have more sponsors than others which causes one kid to get more than others. It is sometime heart-breaking to see how some kids get a lot and others very little. This is something that we certainly will try to evaluate and see whether we can come up with a better system and distribution for the future while at the same time maintaining the link between child and sponsor.
During this past week we tried to apply for our work permits. We started off hopeful on Tuesday morning with what we thought all our paperwork in hand. After the officer reviewed the documents, she mentioned that we had to have a police clearance which we didn't have. So we were told to go to the Police Headquarters and get our fingerprints taken. We paid KR2 each (about $1) for the form and then we had to pay almost $100 per person for the processing of the fingerprints while Zambians pay only $10. Anyway, with the help of mama Margaret we were told that we could pick up the clearances on Thursday at 10:30am (instead of a week later). When we got there on Thursday the person had already left and we were told to come back the next day. So on Friday we went again to the Police Headquarters only to find that the person was not there. We were sent to the Deputy Officer In-Charge but he was also not there when we got to his office. While we were still in front of his office he arrived and we were invited into his office. He told us that he did not have to forms and that the person who had them was at Immigration. He would ask him to complete the forms as quickly as possible and then he would give us a call to let us know when we would be able to pick up the clearances. This afternoon, at around 4:15pm we actually did get a call from the Deputy Officer In-Charge who informed us that we could pick them up on Monday around 9:15am. So hopefully we'll be able to pick them up on Monday morning and then start the process for the work permits. Hopefully this time they will accepts all the papers and start the process.
Tonight, Zambia played for the Africa Cup of Nations against Nigeria. In their group all teams had a 1-1 score in their first match. Nigeria is a feared opponent and after the draw against Ethiopia there was some hesitation in the expected outcome for the match. In the first half Nigeria missed a penalty kick which saved Zambia. In the second half Nigeria took the lead but with about 5 minutes to play Zambia scored the equalizer, much to the relief of the Zambian supporters. That's also how the match ended. In the other match of Burkina Faso against Ethiopia, Burkina Faso pummeled Ethiopia with a 4-0 win. So in the final game Zambia will play Burkina Faso and will have to win to have a chance to enter the next round (the first two in the group advance).
The people in Zambia are really into the "AFCON" tournament. They dress up in colours of Zambia and wear their Chipolopolo (the team's name) shirts. During the match it is very quiet and people watch the game wherever they can. Last year, Zambia won the AFCON cup but since it always coincided with World Cup or Euro Cup they decided to change the schedule and hold it in uneven years. That's why Zambia has to defend their title a year after they won it. It will be interesting to see how the team does in their next match and when they advance, how the supporters will react to the results. The Dutch supporters have a reputation to dress up and go all out but the Zambians are certainly not far behind. They are as passionate or maybe even more about their team than we are. It is great to see how this tournament captures a country.
Tomorrow morning (Saturday) we plan on going to the Dutch Market and the Dutch Reformed Church. They have a market with all kinds of crafts, foods, etc. every last Saturday of the month. Many people have told us that it is worth to go there and try the food and buy some crafts. So we'll give it a try and Gary, Michelle and Peter will come along as well. After that we'll go to Chongwe to spend the rest of the day with the kids and mamas there. We'll also bring them their new shoes which will be exciting. Sunday will be the last day here for Gary, Michelle and Peter who fly back to the US on Monday morning. Hopefully their flight back will be without any delays, cancellations and lost luggage.
We thank God for all the things that were accomplished this week. Even though things take more time than we expect or hope for, we're confident that in the end it will all fall into place. God has a plan and He is in control. We have to trust and obey.
Monday, January 21, 2013
More than a 1,000 page views on our blog
We are really surprised and humbled by the fact that we reached today the mark of 1,000 page views on our blog. We didn't expect this kind of interest in our activities and the blog but as it turns out there seems to be a lot of people that keep up with us. We want to thank everyone for their continued interest and support but most importantly their prayers. We feel God's hand upon us in the things we do and that we are covered in prayer.
This many page views also mean that we will have to make sure to keep things interesting for all you readers and followers of our blog. Please post a comment if you have any specific comments or questions you want to ask us. We will try to answer them either personally or in a following post. From our end we will try to include some more pictures to give you a better idea of what we are doing and what the staff, children and environment we work in look like. A picture can say more than a thousand words. Certainly something to keep in mind.
Today we had finally a chance to meet with Gary, Michelle and Peter who made it to Lusaka yesterday with about 2 days delay and no luggage. Of the 10 pieces of luggage 2 arrived today and 6 more have been located and are (or will be) on their way to Lusaka. Two pieces are still unaccounted for and we hope and pray that these will show up soon as well. Most of the bags are full of gifts for the orphans, so it would really be a pity if they don't make it. So please pray that the bags may arrive soon and that we can hand out the gifts to the orphans and the mamas.
With Gary and Margaret we also started to plan a bit more for the future and we talked about some of the things that we would like to see happening in 2013. The year 2013 will be the year of hopefully continued growth of the sponsorship program and number of sponsors as well as a year of finishing off some work that remains to be done on some of the homes as well as the chicken farm. There are no immediate plans to start with the construction of new homes but who knows where God might lead us.
Michelle, Machteld and Lucinda went with Marianne this afternoon to My Father's House 3 and 4 close to the office to take pictures of the kids and get some information from them. They also handed out some of the letters that Michelle had brought from the sponsors for the kids. Towards the end of the afternoon they had some time to play games with the kids which was a lot of fun. It is amazing to see how these kids can make a game out of almost nothing. A simple rock can become the centerpiece of their play. It is wonderful to see the ingenuity of these children and how with simple means they can entertain themselves and have a lot of fun with their friends.
We as North Americans use a lot of technology and without it, we feel as if we are "missing a lot" and "far behind". Seeing these kids play together and the fun they have, you can ask yourself whether all the technology is really such a blessing. Here kids play together games that don't require a lot of stuff. A rock or an empty water bottle can become the centerpiece of a game. No high-tech video games but simple games they play together. There is something to say for simplicity and ingenuity.
At the end of the afternoon we watched Zambia play against Ethiopia for the Africa Cup of Nations. This is the football (soccer for North Americans) championship of Africa. Last year Zambia won the cup almost 20 years after they lost most of their star players in a plane crash. So this year, the expectations are high and almost everybody is following the games. The game ended in a 1-1 draw which was disappointing for the Zambians but at least they didn't lose the game which could have happened if Ethiopia had converted a penalty kick. Luckily for Zambia the goalie stopped the penalty kick and kept the game at 0-0 at that time.
After the game we decided to go out and get some dinner so we bought 2 pizzas at Debonairs Pizza. They were really good and tasteful and for our first "not home cooked" dinner it was a treat. I don't think that anyone has really any cravings right now, other than Lucinda who is missing her Nutella. You can buy it here but it is really expensive so we'll keep that as a birthday treat for her.
It's getting late here and surprisingly we haven't lost power tonight but it's getting time to go to sleep. It is still quite humid and warm this evening. We saw some lightning in the distance but we probably won't get any rain to cool thing off. I don't know what is worse; hot and humid or cold with snow. You can decide what you prefer. We'll stick with the hot and humid for the next little while.
This many page views also mean that we will have to make sure to keep things interesting for all you readers and followers of our blog. Please post a comment if you have any specific comments or questions you want to ask us. We will try to answer them either personally or in a following post. From our end we will try to include some more pictures to give you a better idea of what we are doing and what the staff, children and environment we work in look like. A picture can say more than a thousand words. Certainly something to keep in mind.
Today we had finally a chance to meet with Gary, Michelle and Peter who made it to Lusaka yesterday with about 2 days delay and no luggage. Of the 10 pieces of luggage 2 arrived today and 6 more have been located and are (or will be) on their way to Lusaka. Two pieces are still unaccounted for and we hope and pray that these will show up soon as well. Most of the bags are full of gifts for the orphans, so it would really be a pity if they don't make it. So please pray that the bags may arrive soon and that we can hand out the gifts to the orphans and the mamas.
With Gary and Margaret we also started to plan a bit more for the future and we talked about some of the things that we would like to see happening in 2013. The year 2013 will be the year of hopefully continued growth of the sponsorship program and number of sponsors as well as a year of finishing off some work that remains to be done on some of the homes as well as the chicken farm. There are no immediate plans to start with the construction of new homes but who knows where God might lead us.
Michelle, Machteld and Lucinda went with Marianne this afternoon to My Father's House 3 and 4 close to the office to take pictures of the kids and get some information from them. They also handed out some of the letters that Michelle had brought from the sponsors for the kids. Towards the end of the afternoon they had some time to play games with the kids which was a lot of fun. It is amazing to see how these kids can make a game out of almost nothing. A simple rock can become the centerpiece of their play. It is wonderful to see the ingenuity of these children and how with simple means they can entertain themselves and have a lot of fun with their friends.
We as North Americans use a lot of technology and without it, we feel as if we are "missing a lot" and "far behind". Seeing these kids play together and the fun they have, you can ask yourself whether all the technology is really such a blessing. Here kids play together games that don't require a lot of stuff. A rock or an empty water bottle can become the centerpiece of a game. No high-tech video games but simple games they play together. There is something to say for simplicity and ingenuity.
At the end of the afternoon we watched Zambia play against Ethiopia for the Africa Cup of Nations. This is the football (soccer for North Americans) championship of Africa. Last year Zambia won the cup almost 20 years after they lost most of their star players in a plane crash. So this year, the expectations are high and almost everybody is following the games. The game ended in a 1-1 draw which was disappointing for the Zambians but at least they didn't lose the game which could have happened if Ethiopia had converted a penalty kick. Luckily for Zambia the goalie stopped the penalty kick and kept the game at 0-0 at that time.
After the game we decided to go out and get some dinner so we bought 2 pizzas at Debonairs Pizza. They were really good and tasteful and for our first "not home cooked" dinner it was a treat. I don't think that anyone has really any cravings right now, other than Lucinda who is missing her Nutella. You can buy it here but it is really expensive so we'll keep that as a birthday treat for her.
It's getting late here and surprisingly we haven't lost power tonight but it's getting time to go to sleep. It is still quite humid and warm this evening. We saw some lightning in the distance but we probably won't get any rain to cool thing off. I don't know what is worse; hot and humid or cold with snow. You can decide what you prefer. We'll stick with the hot and humid for the next little while.
A weekend of extremes
This past weekend has been a weekend with very different experiences.
The first one was that on Saturday morning we were informed that Gary, Michelle and Peter were stuck in London due to heavy snow at Heathrow airport. Unlike at Pearson airport they don't have the kind of equipment in London to deal with snow. They were hoping to get on the next flight to Lusaka (leaving Sunday evening) but that one was already full and so was the one leaving on Tuesday evening. The first available flight would be leaving Thursday evening, getting them to Lusaka on Friday morning. With a planned return on Monday morning next week that would mean that they would only have a couple of days here. So they decided to look for other ways to get here and they found a flight on Emirates through Dubai that got them here on Sunday afternoon. So they finally made it to Lusaka that afternoon but unfortunately their luggage didn't and no word yet as to when it might show up. So it is great that they have arrived but it is a pain that their luggage is still somewhere "en route". We might have to do some more shopping.
Saturday was very hot and muggy. The whole day it felt as if it could start thundering any moment but in the end it didn't rain. On Sunday it felt much cooler and there was a nice breeze in the air that kept things nice and refreshing almost. In the evening we could hear a thunderstorm in the distance and saw a lot of lightning but we didn't get much rain. The rain and thunderstorms are very local
Saturday we spent some time at the house to clean a bit more. We also got the curtains that we took over from the neighbors that are moving out so we started hanging them in some of the rooms. It really starts to look quite nice with some furniture in as well as some curtains and paintings on the walls. It starts to look like a place that we can call home! Very are very grateful for how things have gone with the house so far.
The water supply at the office is different than what we are used to in Canada. The water is turned off by the city around 9:30pm and turned back on again around 5:30am. So if you go to bed too late, you can't flush the toilet, brush your teeth, etc. Something you definitely have to get used to. On Friday morning the water went off altogether. We were hoping to get it back on Saturday morning but at that time there was still no water. The people in the office started using rain water to flush the toilets and water they kept in buckets but at the end of the day, most of it was used. Luckily, on Saturday evening the water came back on round 7:00pm to be turned off again at 9:30pm. This morning we all took a shower, but the water was "refreshing". As it turned out, the staff had turned off the geyser to protect it from overheating, something we found out Sunday night. Something to keep in mind for the future.
On Sunday morning we decided to go to the Dutch Reformed Church (we are Dutch after all). They have two services, one at 8:30am in English and one at 10:00am in Afrikaans. We decided for the service in English so it was a bit of an early start today (with a cold shower). It was a much smaller church than the Lusaka Baptist Church that we visited last week but it felt more like home. They sang a number of contemporary songs as well as some hymns that we knew and after the service they have coffee outside in the shade of some trees. As it turns out, the pastor was a visiting pastor from the Reformed Church of Zambia, reverend John Phiri. He had been a missionary in Sierra Leone for 6 years and just returned to Zambia. He worked for the Christian Reformed Church in Sierra Leone with the help and support of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. As it turned out, he even had visited the CRCNA office in Burlington. What a small world!
But it gets even better. Back in Canada we had been talking with World Missions about maybe getting involved in teaching and training lay pastors. One of the organizations specializing in that is the Timothy Leadership Training Institute (TLT). We tried to find a connection for Zambia but were not able to. Well, as it turns out, reverend Phiri is a Master trainer for TLT in Zambia! Who could have imagined that, that on our second Sunday in Zambia we would connect with probably the best person for TLT in Zambia and that while he was visiting another church. God is clearly at work and we thank Him for His guidance and provisioning.
So this weekend we had late arriving visitors without luggage, no water for almost 2 days, a very hot and muggy Saturday and a cold shower. But we also had a great meeting with reverend John Phiri, a nice breezy Sunday and made good progress with the house. Overall it was a good weekend and it showed us again to trust in God and Him alone. We can plan and try to do things on our own but without His hand in it, it will be in vain.
Have a blessed week.
The first one was that on Saturday morning we were informed that Gary, Michelle and Peter were stuck in London due to heavy snow at Heathrow airport. Unlike at Pearson airport they don't have the kind of equipment in London to deal with snow. They were hoping to get on the next flight to Lusaka (leaving Sunday evening) but that one was already full and so was the one leaving on Tuesday evening. The first available flight would be leaving Thursday evening, getting them to Lusaka on Friday morning. With a planned return on Monday morning next week that would mean that they would only have a couple of days here. So they decided to look for other ways to get here and they found a flight on Emirates through Dubai that got them here on Sunday afternoon. So they finally made it to Lusaka that afternoon but unfortunately their luggage didn't and no word yet as to when it might show up. So it is great that they have arrived but it is a pain that their luggage is still somewhere "en route". We might have to do some more shopping.
Saturday was very hot and muggy. The whole day it felt as if it could start thundering any moment but in the end it didn't rain. On Sunday it felt much cooler and there was a nice breeze in the air that kept things nice and refreshing almost. In the evening we could hear a thunderstorm in the distance and saw a lot of lightning but we didn't get much rain. The rain and thunderstorms are very local
Saturday we spent some time at the house to clean a bit more. We also got the curtains that we took over from the neighbors that are moving out so we started hanging them in some of the rooms. It really starts to look quite nice with some furniture in as well as some curtains and paintings on the walls. It starts to look like a place that we can call home! Very are very grateful for how things have gone with the house so far.
The water supply at the office is different than what we are used to in Canada. The water is turned off by the city around 9:30pm and turned back on again around 5:30am. So if you go to bed too late, you can't flush the toilet, brush your teeth, etc. Something you definitely have to get used to. On Friday morning the water went off altogether. We were hoping to get it back on Saturday morning but at that time there was still no water. The people in the office started using rain water to flush the toilets and water they kept in buckets but at the end of the day, most of it was used. Luckily, on Saturday evening the water came back on round 7:00pm to be turned off again at 9:30pm. This morning we all took a shower, but the water was "refreshing". As it turned out, the staff had turned off the geyser to protect it from overheating, something we found out Sunday night. Something to keep in mind for the future.
On Sunday morning we decided to go to the Dutch Reformed Church (we are Dutch after all). They have two services, one at 8:30am in English and one at 10:00am in Afrikaans. We decided for the service in English so it was a bit of an early start today (with a cold shower). It was a much smaller church than the Lusaka Baptist Church that we visited last week but it felt more like home. They sang a number of contemporary songs as well as some hymns that we knew and after the service they have coffee outside in the shade of some trees. As it turns out, the pastor was a visiting pastor from the Reformed Church of Zambia, reverend John Phiri. He had been a missionary in Sierra Leone for 6 years and just returned to Zambia. He worked for the Christian Reformed Church in Sierra Leone with the help and support of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. As it turned out, he even had visited the CRCNA office in Burlington. What a small world!
But it gets even better. Back in Canada we had been talking with World Missions about maybe getting involved in teaching and training lay pastors. One of the organizations specializing in that is the Timothy Leadership Training Institute (TLT). We tried to find a connection for Zambia but were not able to. Well, as it turns out, reverend Phiri is a Master trainer for TLT in Zambia! Who could have imagined that, that on our second Sunday in Zambia we would connect with probably the best person for TLT in Zambia and that while he was visiting another church. God is clearly at work and we thank Him for His guidance and provisioning.
So this weekend we had late arriving visitors without luggage, no water for almost 2 days, a very hot and muggy Saturday and a cold shower. But we also had a great meeting with reverend John Phiri, a nice breezy Sunday and made good progress with the house. Overall it was a good weekend and it showed us again to trust in God and Him alone. We can plan and try to do things on our own but without His hand in it, it will be in vain.
Have a blessed week.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Our first full week in Zambia - God has been good !
We have completed our first full week in Zambia and it has been absolutely amazing to see how God is working for us and makes things happen as quickly as they do. Praise to the Lord!
When we left Canada, we expected that it would take up to a month to get our new house organized and furnished. Well, it took us not even two weeks and we're almost there. We got our appliances last week Saturday and today we will get our bed. In the end, we decided to go for a regular King size bed instead of the extra long. The only thing we don't have yet is a dining set and a coffee table but for now we can live without. The dining set will take about 2 weeks to come from South Africa and we might still change our mind as to which set we will buy. We would like to look into buying something locally made and that also applies to the coffee table. This week we got our stove hooked up as well as the washing machine and after we bought an extension cord, we could plug in the fridge/freezer as well. It is amazing to see how everything has come together so quickly.
On Friday we completed the application process for bank accounts after we got the lease agreement for our house signed by Justo Mwale (we had signed, but they hadn't). Opening an account is certainly not as fast as in Canada but all in all it went pretty well. We hope to get our account numbers by Monday afternoon so that we can start bringing some money from Canada to Zambia. Once the money is in Zambia we will complete the purchases for the house and also start looking for a vehicle. That will be next and final big thing to buy. After that we should be good for the next little while.
On our way back from the bank we got into a huge thunderstorm and the roads were flooded pretty quickly. Kamloops Road in Kalingalinga looked like this (see picture) after the storm had passed. On the side of the road there are still people working and walking while the water is splashing around. Most cars will take it easy but there are a few that seem to enjoy the fact that they can make someone else very wet while passing. It is sometimes hard to figure out where the road exactly is, but you sort of go with the flow. It's a good thing that we have driven this road a couple of times now, so we know what to expect.
This morning Gary Schneider, Michelle Jackson and Peter Greif were supposed to arrive in Lusaka from the US. However, their flight out of London was cancelled due to snow in London. Now they are scheduled to fly out on Sunday and arrive here Monday morning. We hope and pray that they have a peaceful time in London and that the weather will allow them to get out into the city to do some sight-seeing and turn this "lost time" into something nice.
We feel very blessed by God's provisioning for all our needs (or should we say our wishes). This week, during one of the morning devotions with the staff, we talked about "self" and how often we think about our self and what we need and want. But Jesus calls us to look after the needs of others. We almost feel guilty that we spent this week so much time on getting things for ourselves. But Margaret assured us that it is God's hand in all this. He provided so quickly for us so that we can focus on the orphans and the mamas very soon. We hope to be able to get into our normal routine quickly even though there are still some things that need to be looked after, like our work permits, a vehicle, etc. But we are glad and humbled to be here and to be able to work with such an amazing team of people. Their faith and trust in God is an example to us, who like to do things our way, in our time. We often want to be in control, but these people know that only God is in control and we are to be His servants following His calling. There are still many lessons to be learned for us from our Zambian friends.
When we left Canada, we expected that it would take up to a month to get our new house organized and furnished. Well, it took us not even two weeks and we're almost there. We got our appliances last week Saturday and today we will get our bed. In the end, we decided to go for a regular King size bed instead of the extra long. The only thing we don't have yet is a dining set and a coffee table but for now we can live without. The dining set will take about 2 weeks to come from South Africa and we might still change our mind as to which set we will buy. We would like to look into buying something locally made and that also applies to the coffee table. This week we got our stove hooked up as well as the washing machine and after we bought an extension cord, we could plug in the fridge/freezer as well. It is amazing to see how everything has come together so quickly.
On Friday we completed the application process for bank accounts after we got the lease agreement for our house signed by Justo Mwale (we had signed, but they hadn't). Opening an account is certainly not as fast as in Canada but all in all it went pretty well. We hope to get our account numbers by Monday afternoon so that we can start bringing some money from Canada to Zambia. Once the money is in Zambia we will complete the purchases for the house and also start looking for a vehicle. That will be next and final big thing to buy. After that we should be good for the next little while.On our way back from the bank we got into a huge thunderstorm and the roads were flooded pretty quickly. Kamloops Road in Kalingalinga looked like this (see picture) after the storm had passed. On the side of the road there are still people working and walking while the water is splashing around. Most cars will take it easy but there are a few that seem to enjoy the fact that they can make someone else very wet while passing. It is sometimes hard to figure out where the road exactly is, but you sort of go with the flow. It's a good thing that we have driven this road a couple of times now, so we know what to expect.
This morning Gary Schneider, Michelle Jackson and Peter Greif were supposed to arrive in Lusaka from the US. However, their flight out of London was cancelled due to snow in London. Now they are scheduled to fly out on Sunday and arrive here Monday morning. We hope and pray that they have a peaceful time in London and that the weather will allow them to get out into the city to do some sight-seeing and turn this "lost time" into something nice.
We feel very blessed by God's provisioning for all our needs (or should we say our wishes). This week, during one of the morning devotions with the staff, we talked about "self" and how often we think about our self and what we need and want. But Jesus calls us to look after the needs of others. We almost feel guilty that we spent this week so much time on getting things for ourselves. But Margaret assured us that it is God's hand in all this. He provided so quickly for us so that we can focus on the orphans and the mamas very soon. We hope to be able to get into our normal routine quickly even though there are still some things that need to be looked after, like our work permits, a vehicle, etc. But we are glad and humbled to be here and to be able to work with such an amazing team of people. Their faith and trust in God is an example to us, who like to do things our way, in our time. We often want to be in control, but these people know that only God is in control and we are to be His servants following His calling. There are still many lessons to be learned for us from our Zambian friends.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
What a difference a week makes
It has been a week since we arrived in Zambia. Looking back it feels on one hand like much longer while on the other it feels like yesterday that we left from Pearson International airport in still freezing conditions with snow on the ground. Here in Lusaka the rains are coming down almost every day and the temperature is around 27C (80F). And often when it rains, it really rains. Some of the roads that we travel on regularly are often flooded after a thunderstorm and it gets pretty muddy.
The difference in weather is amazing and at the same time assuring since we are on opposite sides of the equator and we need the different seasons. Yesterday we showed some pictures of the fall colours around our place to some of the staff and they thought it were flowers on trees that were blooming. For them it is hard to understand that "dying leaves" can have such a beauty. Here they have the rainy season which is predominantly green and after that the dry season which is mostly brown of dried grass and leaves. God's creation is an amazingly well-balanced system with an astonishing diversity.
This past Sunday we went to Lusaka Baptist Church which was a bigger church than we expected. At the moment the pastor was praising God for the rains that had finally come (about a month and a half late) is started pouring again and the noise of the rain on the roof forced him almost to interrupt his prayer. It was as if God at that moment wanted to make it clear to everyone that He is in control. It also made us realize how dependent the people are on the rains. Without the rains there is no new growth of grass, fruits and crops and also the water supply runs low in many areas. In Canada we are more removed from the immediate impact of the weather and nature on our daily lives. If anything, we complain about the snow and the havoc it creates on our commute to work. Here the people praise God for the rains, even when they get soaking wet.
In the afternoon we visited the local crafts market at the Arcades and bought some paintings for the house. Machteld did her usual bartering again and got away with some pretty descent deals. We also ran into Kevin and Tina DeKam with their kids and Kevin's parents and grandmother. It was nice to catch up with them briefly. We're sure that we will see each other much more in the coming weeks and months.
Monday and Tuesday we spent mostly looking for furniture for our house. We ended up buying some couches for the living room and a bed for Lucinda. The bed sizes here are different than in North America. The beds a quite a bit shorter here (only 188cm) and with Gert being 190cm we are looking for a longer bed. There are beds that are 200cm long but they have to order them from South Africa and it takes about 4 weeks for it to arrive. So we'll probably look around a little more to see whether we can find an "extra long" bed in one of the stores around town.
Today they will deliver the first furniture for the house and we hope that in the next few weeks we will be able to find enough so that we can move into our new place. Right now we still have most of our stuff in our suitcases which is fine for a little while but it gets a bit annoying when you need something that happens to be on the bottom of the suitcase. We might bring some of the more general things to the new house tomorrow as well and create some more space in our suitcases.
Driving on the "wrong" side of the road is something you get used to fairly quickly. It turns out to be not as strange as expected. The only thing you really have to get used to is the fairly aggressive driving style of some people. Some drivers are really careless and will cut you off at any moment just to get ahead a little faster. A defensive driving style is certainly something that will keep you on the road longer. Also the priority rules are not as clear as we are used to. It sort of seems that whoever is the most daring just goes first. I am sure that there are rules but we haven't been able to figure them out yet. And as in many other countries the bus drivers are the worst. They drive as if they have all the rights and that everyone has to get out of the way for them. Often they have Christian sayings on their bus, but you wonder what they really mean by it.
We know that God is in control and that he has a plan for each and everyone of us. We just have to take the time to listen to Him and seek His guidance. In the busyness of our world we often forget to take enough time to listen. The Zambian certainly is more in tune with trying to listen to God and find His ways for their lives and their work. It is something that we can learn from them and make sure that we take the time to listen.
We want to thank everyone for their continued prayer support. We are thankful that everything has gone amazingly well so far. God has been good, very good to us. Greetings from all three of us.
The difference in weather is amazing and at the same time assuring since we are on opposite sides of the equator and we need the different seasons. Yesterday we showed some pictures of the fall colours around our place to some of the staff and they thought it were flowers on trees that were blooming. For them it is hard to understand that "dying leaves" can have such a beauty. Here they have the rainy season which is predominantly green and after that the dry season which is mostly brown of dried grass and leaves. God's creation is an amazingly well-balanced system with an astonishing diversity.
This past Sunday we went to Lusaka Baptist Church which was a bigger church than we expected. At the moment the pastor was praising God for the rains that had finally come (about a month and a half late) is started pouring again and the noise of the rain on the roof forced him almost to interrupt his prayer. It was as if God at that moment wanted to make it clear to everyone that He is in control. It also made us realize how dependent the people are on the rains. Without the rains there is no new growth of grass, fruits and crops and also the water supply runs low in many areas. In Canada we are more removed from the immediate impact of the weather and nature on our daily lives. If anything, we complain about the snow and the havoc it creates on our commute to work. Here the people praise God for the rains, even when they get soaking wet.
In the afternoon we visited the local crafts market at the Arcades and bought some paintings for the house. Machteld did her usual bartering again and got away with some pretty descent deals. We also ran into Kevin and Tina DeKam with their kids and Kevin's parents and grandmother. It was nice to catch up with them briefly. We're sure that we will see each other much more in the coming weeks and months.
Monday and Tuesday we spent mostly looking for furniture for our house. We ended up buying some couches for the living room and a bed for Lucinda. The bed sizes here are different than in North America. The beds a quite a bit shorter here (only 188cm) and with Gert being 190cm we are looking for a longer bed. There are beds that are 200cm long but they have to order them from South Africa and it takes about 4 weeks for it to arrive. So we'll probably look around a little more to see whether we can find an "extra long" bed in one of the stores around town.
Today they will deliver the first furniture for the house and we hope that in the next few weeks we will be able to find enough so that we can move into our new place. Right now we still have most of our stuff in our suitcases which is fine for a little while but it gets a bit annoying when you need something that happens to be on the bottom of the suitcase. We might bring some of the more general things to the new house tomorrow as well and create some more space in our suitcases.
Driving on the "wrong" side of the road is something you get used to fairly quickly. It turns out to be not as strange as expected. The only thing you really have to get used to is the fairly aggressive driving style of some people. Some drivers are really careless and will cut you off at any moment just to get ahead a little faster. A defensive driving style is certainly something that will keep you on the road longer. Also the priority rules are not as clear as we are used to. It sort of seems that whoever is the most daring just goes first. I am sure that there are rules but we haven't been able to figure them out yet. And as in many other countries the bus drivers are the worst. They drive as if they have all the rights and that everyone has to get out of the way for them. Often they have Christian sayings on their bus, but you wonder what they really mean by it.
We know that God is in control and that he has a plan for each and everyone of us. We just have to take the time to listen to Him and seek His guidance. In the busyness of our world we often forget to take enough time to listen. The Zambian certainly is more in tune with trying to listen to God and find His ways for their lives and their work. It is something that we can learn from them and make sure that we take the time to listen.
We want to thank everyone for their continued prayer support. We are thankful that everything has gone amazingly well so far. God has been good, very good to us. Greetings from all three of us.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
God is good - and so are Zambians
Today we experienced once again that God is good and that He never fails us. His timing might be different than we expect but we just have to trust Him.
This morning we went to the Game store to ask what happened to the delivery of our appliances. Well, as it turns out, the driver was the only driver for deliveries yesterday and as a result he had to work till after 8PM to deliver our appliances. We had already left by that time, but he was helped by the security guard who called the person that had the key to our house. So they delivered the appliances in the dark last night to our house and the driver left in good faith without having received his payment. This morning he happened to be just returning to the store for another delivery when we were there. So after we got word from Justo Mwale that the appliances had been delivered and we talked to the driver, the whole picture became clear and we could see that everyone went well beyond their duties to make the delivery of the appliances to our house. We paid the driver his fee and gave him some extra for the effort he had made to deliver on his promise. God is good, and so are the Zambians that we dealt with!
We left the Game store relieved and went to look for some mobile phones so that we can call at some cheaper rates here in Zambia. With the help of Margaret and Patricia we found some phones and got them to work already. It is amazing to see how things come together. Then we went to look for some furniture and beds. We didn't buy anything yet but saw a few nice things that would fit well into the house and that were not too expensive. We'll probably decide sometime next week as to how we want to proceed with the furniture.
Around lunchtime we dropped Margaret and Patricia off at the office and we had a quick bite to eat. After that we went to the house at Justo Mwale and saw a number of people cleaning the house. Yesterday we agreed with Reuben Phiri, the accountant, that they would clean the house before Monday so that we can move in and will get the key to the permanently. And the appliances were in the kitchen as well! We talked to our neighbors and they offered their window coverings to us since they are moving by the end of the month and their house is the same as ours. The curtains, etc. looked nice and would fit well in the house. So we might have already covered that item as well. Again we are amazed at how God works in things and how to make the connections happen.
And we did all this with Gert driving on the "wrong" side of the road without causing any accidents. You have to get used to driving on the left side of the road but it is not as bad since your steering wheel is on the right. But I am sure that somewhere along the way there will be a moment where we'll end up on the really wrong side of the road. Hopefully it will be without any negative consequences.
We just had our second power outage of the day so we'll have to make sure that we have some candles handy. We probably also should get a barbeque, called "braai" here in Zambia which is Afrikaans for barbeque, just to make sure we can prepare a meal without power.
Tomorrow we will look for a church to visit here in Lusaka. We might go to a slightly bigger church (probably more expats there) and after that we might hook up with the people from the Esther School. Finding a church that feels like home will be difficult given the great experience we have had with Bethel church in the "metropolis" of Acton, Ontario. We think of all of you a lot and we surely miss you, but without you, we would not be able to do what we are doing at this time. Again, God is good.
Have a blessed service and good fellowship tomorrow. We are all brothers and sister in Jesus Christ, no matter where we are and what color we have. We all worship and serve the same God. To Him be the glory. AMEN.
This morning we went to the Game store to ask what happened to the delivery of our appliances. Well, as it turns out, the driver was the only driver for deliveries yesterday and as a result he had to work till after 8PM to deliver our appliances. We had already left by that time, but he was helped by the security guard who called the person that had the key to our house. So they delivered the appliances in the dark last night to our house and the driver left in good faith without having received his payment. This morning he happened to be just returning to the store for another delivery when we were there. So after we got word from Justo Mwale that the appliances had been delivered and we talked to the driver, the whole picture became clear and we could see that everyone went well beyond their duties to make the delivery of the appliances to our house. We paid the driver his fee and gave him some extra for the effort he had made to deliver on his promise. God is good, and so are the Zambians that we dealt with!
We left the Game store relieved and went to look for some mobile phones so that we can call at some cheaper rates here in Zambia. With the help of Margaret and Patricia we found some phones and got them to work already. It is amazing to see how things come together. Then we went to look for some furniture and beds. We didn't buy anything yet but saw a few nice things that would fit well into the house and that were not too expensive. We'll probably decide sometime next week as to how we want to proceed with the furniture.
Around lunchtime we dropped Margaret and Patricia off at the office and we had a quick bite to eat. After that we went to the house at Justo Mwale and saw a number of people cleaning the house. Yesterday we agreed with Reuben Phiri, the accountant, that they would clean the house before Monday so that we can move in and will get the key to the permanently. And the appliances were in the kitchen as well! We talked to our neighbors and they offered their window coverings to us since they are moving by the end of the month and their house is the same as ours. The curtains, etc. looked nice and would fit well in the house. So we might have already covered that item as well. Again we are amazed at how God works in things and how to make the connections happen.
And we did all this with Gert driving on the "wrong" side of the road without causing any accidents. You have to get used to driving on the left side of the road but it is not as bad since your steering wheel is on the right. But I am sure that somewhere along the way there will be a moment where we'll end up on the really wrong side of the road. Hopefully it will be without any negative consequences.
We just had our second power outage of the day so we'll have to make sure that we have some candles handy. We probably also should get a barbeque, called "braai" here in Zambia which is Afrikaans for barbeque, just to make sure we can prepare a meal without power.
Tomorrow we will look for a church to visit here in Lusaka. We might go to a slightly bigger church (probably more expats there) and after that we might hook up with the people from the Esther School. Finding a church that feels like home will be difficult given the great experience we have had with Bethel church in the "metropolis" of Acton, Ontario. We think of all of you a lot and we surely miss you, but without you, we would not be able to do what we are doing at this time. Again, God is good.
Have a blessed service and good fellowship tomorrow. We are all brothers and sister in Jesus Christ, no matter where we are and what color we have. We all worship and serve the same God. To Him be the glory. AMEN.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Our faith is being tested
Yesterday (Thursday) we went to visit the house that we rented at Justo Mwale Theological University College and see what we would need to buy. In short, we have to buy pretty much everything. From a stove and fridge to plates, mugs, forks and knives.
So this afternoon we spent "shopping" for a lot of this stuff at the Game store in Manda Hill shopping mall. We ended up buying a stove, a fridge and a washing machine as well as some chinaware, pots and pans, and cleaning materials. We negotiated on the price of the appliances and even though all were already on sale (and relatively cheap), they gave us free delivery to the house (about $35). In the store we talked to the dispatcher and he would make sure that they would deliver the appliances this afternoon. After we paid we left the receipt with them (they said they always do that - what do we know) to get the appliances from the warehouse and onto the truck later in the afternoon. Well they never showed up this afternoon so now we have to wait and see when and whether they will deliver the appliances another time. Our trust and faith in our fellow Zambians is being tested as we write. We are sure that things will work out in the end but it is a bit unsettling to have paid for appliances and not having a receipt to prove it. Tomorrow we'll try to find out what happened and how the delivery is going to take place.
Tomorrow we plan on shopping again, this time for some Zambian cell phones. Once we have those we are able to connect more easily with our local colleagues as well as for stores to have our number in case they need to call us. It is amazing to see how also here in Zambia the need for connectivity is growing. In the afternoon we hope to visit the Esther School and the two families there who have been there now for just over 6 months. we look forward to connecting with them again and see how the Esther School has impacted the local community. It will be for Gert the first time in about 10 years that he has to drive on the left side of the road again with right-hand steering. As long as there is traffic on the road it will be OK but when it gets quiet on the road it might be more tricky.
We thank the Lord for all His blessings that we already have seen these last few days here in Zambia. But we also have to learn and accept that life in Zambia is different from what we are used to. It is not better or worse, just different. One obvious point it that things take more time because people take more time getting to know the other person or the situation that they are in. We normally don't want to get involved with personal issues of others but here the focus is always first on the other person and then on the matter at hand.
We still have a lot to learn! But God is with us that He will lead us and guide us.
So this afternoon we spent "shopping" for a lot of this stuff at the Game store in Manda Hill shopping mall. We ended up buying a stove, a fridge and a washing machine as well as some chinaware, pots and pans, and cleaning materials. We negotiated on the price of the appliances and even though all were already on sale (and relatively cheap), they gave us free delivery to the house (about $35). In the store we talked to the dispatcher and he would make sure that they would deliver the appliances this afternoon. After we paid we left the receipt with them (they said they always do that - what do we know) to get the appliances from the warehouse and onto the truck later in the afternoon. Well they never showed up this afternoon so now we have to wait and see when and whether they will deliver the appliances another time. Our trust and faith in our fellow Zambians is being tested as we write. We are sure that things will work out in the end but it is a bit unsettling to have paid for appliances and not having a receipt to prove it. Tomorrow we'll try to find out what happened and how the delivery is going to take place.
Tomorrow we plan on shopping again, this time for some Zambian cell phones. Once we have those we are able to connect more easily with our local colleagues as well as for stores to have our number in case they need to call us. It is amazing to see how also here in Zambia the need for connectivity is growing. In the afternoon we hope to visit the Esther School and the two families there who have been there now for just over 6 months. we look forward to connecting with them again and see how the Esther School has impacted the local community. It will be for Gert the first time in about 10 years that he has to drive on the left side of the road again with right-hand steering. As long as there is traffic on the road it will be OK but when it gets quiet on the road it might be more tricky.
We thank the Lord for all His blessings that we already have seen these last few days here in Zambia. But we also have to learn and accept that life in Zambia is different from what we are used to. It is not better or worse, just different. One obvious point it that things take more time because people take more time getting to know the other person or the situation that they are in. We normally don't want to get involved with personal issues of others but here the focus is always first on the other person and then on the matter at hand.
We still have a lot to learn! But God is with us that He will lead us and guide us.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
We have arrived safely !
It is surreal to realize that is was about 36 hours ago that we were dropped off at the airport by Laura, Andrew, Kim, Jeff, Ryan and Anneloes and Elise at around 3:15pm on Monday afternoon. Thanks again everyone for your support and thoughtfulness. We really appreciate that a lot and words just can not describe that properly. And now we are in the office of Every Orphan's Hope in Lusaka!
Before we left our house Tom and Grace dropped by to wave us goodbye which was very nice. The drive to the airport was uneventful and we got there around 3:15pm. We dropped all the luggage off and checked all our bags in. All except for one were called "HEAVY" since they were slighty more than 50lbs. We made sure that we got the maximum amount of stuff packed and taken along with us and we still left some things at home. After an emotional farewell to everyone and Anneloes and Elise in particular we went through security and waved goodbye for a last time.
We boarded the plane on time and landed in London at about 6:00am. Since Lucinda and Machteld didn't get too much sleep on the plane we decided to stay at the airport. We first had a breakfast at The Giraffe (where else would we go!) and after that we looked for some comfortable chairs to sit and sleep. Lucinda slept the most. The flight to Lusaka was supposed to leave at 6:55pm but was delayed till 8:00pm. It was a full flight but we all had some descent sleep before we arrived at 8:00am local time in Lusaka. The temperature was already 22C and quite humid. I am sure that it will take some time getting used to this kind of weather, especially after the snow we had the last few weeks.
We just got back from our first quick grocery shopping at Arcades and changed some money. As of January 1, 2013 they have new money in Zambia which means that they took 3 zeros (000) off all the amounts and banknotes. It's a bit confusing at first since it took us a few trips to finally figure out an easy way to translate Zambian Kwatcha amounts into Canadian dollars. I am sure that soon we'll be used to this again. In about 2 hours mama Margaret will arrive from the US and we plan on joining the team to pick her up from the airport. It is great to see everyone again and we already have a nicely set up bedroom at the office for the next little while.
We have a lot to be thankful for and we praise and thank God for His provisioning as part of His plan for us. And what about waiting in line for immigration and seeing a lady in front of you with a package of Kanis & Gunnink coffee. So they must be Dutch we figured so we started talking with them and as it turns out, they are here for 6 months to do construction work for Jehovah Witnesses in Lusaka. We'll let God take the lead and guide us when we start working on building relationships with the local people. We look forward to getting settled and getting started.
Now we'll take a quick nap before we go and pick up Margaret.
We serve an amazing God!
Before we left our house Tom and Grace dropped by to wave us goodbye which was very nice. The drive to the airport was uneventful and we got there around 3:15pm. We dropped all the luggage off and checked all our bags in. All except for one were called "HEAVY" since they were slighty more than 50lbs. We made sure that we got the maximum amount of stuff packed and taken along with us and we still left some things at home. After an emotional farewell to everyone and Anneloes and Elise in particular we went through security and waved goodbye for a last time.
We boarded the plane on time and landed in London at about 6:00am. Since Lucinda and Machteld didn't get too much sleep on the plane we decided to stay at the airport. We first had a breakfast at The Giraffe (where else would we go!) and after that we looked for some comfortable chairs to sit and sleep. Lucinda slept the most. The flight to Lusaka was supposed to leave at 6:55pm but was delayed till 8:00pm. It was a full flight but we all had some descent sleep before we arrived at 8:00am local time in Lusaka. The temperature was already 22C and quite humid. I am sure that it will take some time getting used to this kind of weather, especially after the snow we had the last few weeks.
We just got back from our first quick grocery shopping at Arcades and changed some money. As of January 1, 2013 they have new money in Zambia which means that they took 3 zeros (000) off all the amounts and banknotes. It's a bit confusing at first since it took us a few trips to finally figure out an easy way to translate Zambian Kwatcha amounts into Canadian dollars. I am sure that soon we'll be used to this again. In about 2 hours mama Margaret will arrive from the US and we plan on joining the team to pick her up from the airport. It is great to see everyone again and we already have a nicely set up bedroom at the office for the next little while.
We have a lot to be thankful for and we praise and thank God for His provisioning as part of His plan for us. And what about waiting in line for immigration and seeing a lady in front of you with a package of Kanis & Gunnink coffee. So they must be Dutch we figured so we started talking with them and as it turns out, they are here for 6 months to do construction work for Jehovah Witnesses in Lusaka. We'll let God take the lead and guide us when we start working on building relationships with the local people. We look forward to getting settled and getting started.
Now we'll take a quick nap before we go and pick up Margaret.
We serve an amazing God!
Monday, January 7, 2013
Ready to go !
The excitement is building but there is also some anxiety about leaving. We look forward to meeting our Zambian friends on Wednesday and we hope to connect with all of you again once we have arrived and settled in a little bit and depending on internet connectivity.
Please continue to keep our whole family in your prayers. Without His continued blessing our efforts would be in vain.
We want to thank everyone for their support in this mission and guiding us to where we are right now. May God bless you all richly.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
A Blessed 2013
We would like to wish everyone a Blessed and Happy New Year. The year 2013 will be a year of significant changes for us as a family but we also know that it will be good since we are following God's calling and His leading. It is hard to say "goodbye" to close friends knowing that we won't see them for another 10 months. But at the same time it is encouraging and comforting to know that there are people that do miss us (amazing isn't it!) and look forward to our return in November.
Last night we went to the New Year's Eve service in our church and the sermon was titled "How is your spiritual tan coming?" We felt as if these words were spoken to us just before we leave for Zambia (and probably get a bit of a tan). But the more important question is whether we have grown our spiritual tan. Have we grown closer to the Lord and have we become more obedient?
Our hope and prayer for 2013 is that we and you all may deepen your spiritual tan and become more like Christ in our daily activities. That we may shine His light and show His love to the world around us, wherever we are.
May the Lord bless you richly and keep you close to His heart.
Last night we went to the New Year's Eve service in our church and the sermon was titled "How is your spiritual tan coming?" We felt as if these words were spoken to us just before we leave for Zambia (and probably get a bit of a tan). But the more important question is whether we have grown our spiritual tan. Have we grown closer to the Lord and have we become more obedient?
Our hope and prayer for 2013 is that we and you all may deepen your spiritual tan and become more like Christ in our daily activities. That we may shine His light and show His love to the world around us, wherever we are.
May the Lord bless you richly and keep you close to His heart.
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