CHALLENGE: Replacing the water tank

This past week has been focused on trying to replace the water tank in Chongwe. The current tank was leaking and the loss of water became more and more of a problem. One of the first hurdles was to determine the size of the tank since there were no visible indications as to how big the tank was. Since it is on top of a metal tower almost 30 feet (9 meters) up in the air there are not too many volunteers to go up there and measure it. After measuring the heights of the rings on the tank and the size of the platform we determined that it is about a 7,500 liter tank.

So we bought a new tank this past Wednesday and got it transported to Chongwe on Thursday. On Friday we bought some ropes and other tools so that on Saturday with the help of about 10 guys we would try to put the new tank in place. Many of the helpers were there when the first water tank was installed a couple of years ago and under the leadership of James and Lucky a plan of attack was put together.

The first step was to bring the old tank down in a controlled fashion since we want to use the tank again for future camps. James took it on him to climb the tower and connect the ropes.

Ropes were tied to the tank and it was brought down relatively quickly although not as controlled as we had hoped. Once the tank tipped, one of the ropes snapped on the edge of the platform and the tank made a hard landing but it is still in good usable condition with some patching.

After that we found out that we had all pieces needed for the connections to the new tank except for one, a 1 1/2 inch female-female connector. With Lucky we went to Chongwe in the hope to find one there but we ended up having to go to Lusaka to buy this one missing part, costing less than $3 but we needed it. In the meantime Humphrey was on his way to Chongwe as well with 2 connectors for the water pipers that we had cut from the old tank so that we could hook up the water lines again once the tank would be installed.

After we had fitted the new connections a plan was put together as to how to get the new tank up onto the tower and platform. Different options were discussed and then James and Lucky agreed on the approach to take. And with even the help of some of the kids from the homes the tank was lifted up but as it turned out, we got stuck just under the platform and had no means to get it up unto the platform. Not completely unexpected, gravity was working against us and made it impossible without other equipment to get the tank unto the platform.

 

 

So after weighing the options, we decided to call off our efforts for the day and look for other options for getting the tank onto the tower and platform. It is better to get some "experts" involved and make sure that the tank gets up there in one piece than to keep trying with the risk of damaging the tank.

 

Unfortunately, the homes in Chongwe have no running water in the homes for now but they have water from the poultry farm. We use a big hose and a tap so that they can get water in buckets, containers, etc. for all the chores in the homes and the gardens. There is no shortage of water, it just doesn't come out of the taps as it usually does. Early this coming week we hope to find the answer to our challenge of getting the new tank up onto the tower and platform in one piece and being able to provide the homes with running water again.

 

Anyone who has an idea on how to do this, please let me know by commenting to this post. Hiring a crane is one, but probably an expensive one. So we're looking for other options with hiring a crane as our last resort.

Two amazing weeks of Camp Hope with TeenMania

The past three weeks have been very busy but also absolutely amazing. We had 55 teenagers and their leaders from the US arrive on June 18 and 19 for a two-week stay with us. During these two weeks they were the teachers for Camp Hope for a week. This Camp Hope we had over 250 orphans attending from a wide area around Nyangwena (Chongwe). As a result, about 70 orphans would stay overnight at our village for the week.

The preparations for this week of Camp Hope included the buying and delivering of all kinds of food items, including Machteld delivering 1,500 eggs without breaking one.

 

 

This year we built with the help of Lucky, Peter and others more permanent structures for toilets and showers. This was very much appreciated by the TeenMania kids although their request is to have slightly warmer water for the showers since it often came almost straight from the well. Even with the showerhead at "Zambian height" the fact that they could take a shower was greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

The campsite for TeenMania was situated around the volleyball court. The area was cleared from shrubs, rocks and other unwanted objects and provided a welcome sight for the villagers. It is always exciting to get visitors and there are never enough. The Zambian people always welcome "muzungus" (white people) with great interest and enthusiasm. They love to get to know you and put great pride in being able to pronounce (and remember) your name correctly.



 

The teenagers from TeenMania did an excellent job at teaching and interacting with their orphans. The kids were all very involved and paid attention to what the teachers and translators were telling them about Jesus. Even the smallest ones were soaking in the teachings on Truth, Faith, Hope and Love. They didn't always have their t-shirts put on right but they got the message right!

 

 

 

After the teaching in the mornings it would be time for lunch and all groups would come back from the area surrounding our little village of orphan homes in Chongwe (Nyangwena). It was an amazing and colourful sight to see all the groups come back to the village.

 

But before lunch it was time to worship. The orphans would sing their hearts out under the inspiring leadership of some of the translators, mama Mary and Thoko. The singing and rhythm comes very natural to the Zambian kids and they love to show that. It didn't take much to get them very excited and involved in singing and making the moves.

 

 

During the lunch break TeenMania would have their meal served in a shelter made from all natural materials. Wooden post for the structure, grass to cover the roof and the sides and bark from trees to tie it all together. The posts of the structure were cut from the field that is owned by a couple that I had the privilege to visit together with Peter. The couple was 106 and 102 years old, living with one of their daughters who is 82 years old in a very simple clay hut. They donated the posts to us and were very happy to contribute to our camp. It was an experience I will never forget, meeting these people who live off what is provided by the land that surrounds them.

 

After lunch and some more worship all the groups would go back to the field and continue their teaching. It was great to see the orphans line up in groups with their coloured bandanas, Camp Hope t-shirts, crowns, etc. and follow their translators. I wonder if little kids in North America would follow the instructions from their leaders as diligently as these kids.



 

 

The last day of Camp Hope, Friday, is always a very special day. It is not only (sadly) the end of Camp Hope for the orphans but it is also the day that every orphan is blessed with a warm blanket. Some of the translators (Lubasi included) showed off their skills of carrying loads in their heads.

 

 

The orphans were very excited and appreciative of the blanket that they received. This time of year is winter in Zambia. It might not get as cold as in Canada and the US but it is still very cool in the early mornings 5-10C (or around 40-50F) and many orphans don't have something to sleep under to keep them warm. So these blankets received a very warm reception from the kids. For many it will be one of the very few personal possessions they have and it will be treasured for a long time.

As always, this year we have an amazing team of translators who helped the TeenMania missionaries in translating the teachings into the local languages (Nyanja, Soli, Bemba, etc.). Many of them have done many camps with us for many years and will be there again in August for the next Camp Hope. Without the help and support of these volunteers we would not be able to reach these orphans and teach them about Jesus Christ. We are very grateful for their time and efforts in making Camp Hope possible together with us.

We are also blessed with three great ladies who are our interns this year. Molly, Lucinda and Rebecca (l-r) are here in Zambia for two months helping with the coordination of Camp Hope and being the liaisons between the missionaries and our local staff to make things run as smooth as possible. Rebecca was a TeenMania missionary to Camp Hope two years ago and Lucinda was here last year August. It is Molly's first experience with Camp Hope but she didn't show that at all. Accompanied by Thoko and Lubasi from our homes in Lusaka they were the vibrant heart of our organization that made these past two weeks unforgettable for many of the TeenMania team members. We hope to see many of them again sometime in the future.

 

Last but not least we have to mention and thank our local staff and mamas for everything they did behind the scenes. From cutting unions, marinating chickens, shuttling food, visiting clinics with missionaries and orphans to filling water tanks, cleaning pots, pans and dishes they did it all with a great passion and without complaint. It was a busy time but also a rewarding time. To see the joy in the eyes of an orphan when served a warm meal is priceless.

 

This past week was a week of holidays in Canada, Zambia and the United States. It was Canada Day, Heroes Day, Unity Day and Independence Day and there were probably more holidays in other countries. So we have a lot to be thankful for but most of all that we have an amazing God who sent His son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ into this world to redeem us so that we may live! We hope and pray that these past few weeks will have made a difference in the life of the orphans we served as well as in the life of the ones that served them so that we all may be SHINING LIGHT and SHOWING LOVE to the world around us.

 

Trip to Livingstone and Camp Hope around the corner

The past two weeks have flown past at an incredible pace. Last week we went to Livingstone for a couple of days and visited Mosi Oa Tunya National Park, Victoria Falls in Zambia and Chobe National Park in Botswana. We also did an elephant ride through the bush near Victoria Falls. On the trip we had Anneloes and Kim Becker with us so it almost felt like our family was complete except that Kim replaced Elise. We had a great time in Livingstone and the activities we did showed us again that God's creation is amazingly divers. I don't believe that evolution would have ever allowed for such a diversity in animal life, plants and landscape. To me it is clear that this is all God's handiwork (see pictures below).

 

 

God's creation is truly amazing and we had a great and relaxing time together as a family (with Kim as adopted daughter) before the first Camp Hope starts next week. It was a welcome break from our daily activities and nice to have Anneloes and Kim with us as well. Surely we missed Elise but Kim was a worthy stand-in. We hope that Elise will be able to join us again another time so that we can do this trip again because we're sure that we haven't seen it all yet.

 

On Tuesday this past week we went through the final steps of registration of our vehicle. Everything is now behind us and we now have the permanent license plates on our vehicle. We used it for our trip to Livingstone on a temporary license and it was great to drive it with the five of us and our luggage. We hope to have a lot of benefit from the vehicle for the coming years. The whole process took about 4 months which is very long to our standards but in the meanwhile you appreciate more the luxuries that we have back home when it comes to cars and transportation.



 

 

 

On Wednesday and Thursday this coming week about 55 missionaries will arrive for Camp Hope so this past week included a lot of preparation for the arrival of missionaries as well as about 300 orphans that will attend camp. This includes the preparation of the camp site with bathrooms and showers as well as the purchasing of the food, etc. for the missionaries as well as the orphans. The office looks like a warehouse right now with all the food stored there before it will be transported to Nyangwena. The coming two and a half weeks will be very busy and we will likely shuttle frequently between Lusaka and Nyangwena. This morning the other two interns arrived and Lucinda will join them for the next two months and live again at the office. The three ladies, Rebecca, Molly and Lucinda, will support the staff and missionaries during Camp Hope so they will be pretty busy running around.

 

We are thankful that Kim made it back home safely and we hope that she had a nice time with us here in Zambia for the past two weeks. I am sure that she has a few stories to tell and some pictures to show. Kim, it was great having you here and you're always welcome to visit us again. Lucinda will surely like that a lot.

 

We hope to provide another update next week after the first few days of Camp Hope.

 

Blessings

Finally an update again from Zambia

It has been a few weeks since our last post but that doesn't mean that there was not much going on. The last few weeks have been pretty busy and a bit different from the usual. Machteld went back to Canada for two and a half weeks and just got back last night. This past Thursday night Anneloes and Kim Becker arrived here in Lusaka as well so we have a house full of people right now. It almost feels like "normal" with three girls in the house, except that Elise is not there but instead Kim.

The past few weeks have been a continued battle to get our vehicle cleared, released and registered. The process is still not completed and we really hope that it will get through its final steps in the next few days. The vehicle is sitting at the Police Headquarters right now for Interpol clearance and even though the computer gives it an all-clear they want to make sure that it was legitimately exported from South Africa to the UK a few years back. I am not sure whether this is really a step that they have to go through but it has taken another couple of days now without any progress so our waiting continues. I have come to see that patience is really a fruit of the Spirit and that frustration is basically not getting things your way. God has made it clear that His plan and timing is different from what I want but that in the end He always has a better plan and outcome. Frustration is an expression of putting your own plans and timing first instead of relying of God and His provision. It's a hard lesson to learn but it gives you a peace of mind knowing that God is in control and that His plan is perfect.

On Wednesday morning we hope to leave for a short break to Livingstone and visit Victoria Falls and maybe Chobe National Park in Botswana. It will be nice to have some fun time together and take a little break before the busy time start with Camp Hope. The first team will arrive on June 19 so it will be quite busy from thereon till the middle of August when the last camp ends. In the office we will try to implement a new accounting system as of August 1 (start of fiscal year) in the middle of all the busyness of Camp Hope. Luckily we have Anneloes with us now to help us with this as part of her co-op program. Lucinda will be helping as intern for Camp Hope and be very busy as well. So with lots of activities ahead of us and some visitors here we thought it would be nice to take a small break. We hope to give you an update next week with hopefully some nice pictures.

Elise is now "home alone" in Acton for the next few months till Anneloes returns towards the end of August. She is busy with work at Reds Garden Center but I am sure that there will be times that things are very quiet. We hope and pray that she will feel the support of our church family and friends so that the time will not be as lonely for her. We surely would have loved to have her here in Zambia but it was not possible this year for her to join us. Hopefully she'll be able to make it next year.

Machteld had a great time in Acton and White Rock over the past few weeks and was able to connect with a lot of people. But even in such a "long time", time is too short to meet and talk to everyone. So if she missed you, I hope you don't feel left out because it was not on purpose but time was just too short. Today is a difficult day adjusting to the time difference again but hopefully tomorrow it will be better.

Blessings to everyone and we'll try to get the weekly updates going again.

We've been 4 months now in Zambia - Where did the time go?

It is amazing to think that it has already been more than 4 months that we have been in Zambia. It feels like yesterday that we arrived in Lusaka but at the same time it feels like ages ago. It is a mixed bag of emotions looking back over these past 4 months but time certainly went very fast.

One thing that certainly stands out is the friendliness of the people in Zambia. In general, people are very open and friendly and eager to start a conversation. It is part of their culture to have large groups of friends and having a "muzungu" (white person) as a friend is something special. We have been very blessed to be able to work with a great group of people in the office as well as with the mamas in the homes. They all have a passion for the orphans and try to do the best they can with the limited resources they have. With the funding from the US and Canada the basics are covered but there is a need for more funding, especially since the kids are getting older and a growing number of them is off to boarding school. It is like in a normal family where we often say; "little kids, small expenses, big kids, big expenses". The same it true here with the kids growing up. We certainly could use more funding for education related expenses so if you have some money to spare, please consider sponsoring a child. Your reward will be the biggest smile in the world and a new friend in Zambia.

The other thing that we had to get used to is the pace of things. We knew beforehand that things take longer here than what we are used in North America but it is only when you really live here that it hits home. On one hand it is "relaxing" not to have the pace that we are used to but in other situations you would like things to get done quickly. Our patience has been tested many times and I am sure that there will be many more times to come. The other thing is that there are often unforeseen circumstances that throw off your plans, whether this is a vehicle that breaks down, running out of money, no electricity or whatever it may be. Life is just not as predictable as it would be back home. You are taught to sort of take it day by day and not to worry too much about what is next. In a way it is biblical not to worry about the future but we are so used to planning ahead that not having a plan that covers a couple of days (or even weeks) feels odd.

Last week we didn't post a blog since we were in the middle of getting our vehicle across the border which was an eventful experience and it has not been fully completed yet. Last week Friday Humphray lost his phone and we couldn't reach him anymore so we got worried after a few days without contact. Then on Monday afternoon this week, he suddenly shows up at the office with the vehicle as one big surprise. As it turned out, they had allowed him to drive to Lusaka without clearing the vehicle but since he had no phone he was not able to let us know. We were all relieved to see him back in the office and with the vehicle. This coming week we'll try to get it cleared and hopefully registered so that we can start using our own set of wheels.

Last week Gert visited "Old MacDonald's" farm on the outskirts of Lusaka which is a farm project supported by Farming God's Way (which is now Foundations for Farming). They have an impressive operation going on with a lot of different vegetables, fruit trees and farm animals. On about one hectare they are able to grow enough food for the street kids ministry as well as sell some of the surplus and generate income that way. Phil Bailey who normally works in Petauke (about 300km east of Lusaka) is the one that set up the farm and has an exceptional knowledge of all the plans, trees, etc. He works with the philosophy that for every disease God has already provide a medicine. Nature is full of medicines and most medicines that we take have active ingredients that are originally from plants but now often made synthetically. In Africa there are many medicinal plants and trees and Phil is very much aware of all the benefits of these plants. It would be great to use his knowledge and experience and start a similar operation in Nyangwena. There is a lot of potential for farming but it has to be done the right way, God's way. And the different farms that Phil supports are proof to that.

Then on this coming Tuesday Machteld will leave for a visit to Canada for about two and a half weeks. She will be able to catch up with some friends in Acton as well as visit some friends in White Rock for a few days. Machteld will come back a couple of days after Kim and Anneloes arrive in Lusaka. So for the coming two weeks it will be a bit different in the house with Machteld gone. It almost feels like that we are really home here now and that when someone leaves it is only for a short while and then comes back. Since we are here most of the year we probably should call this home and it certainly feels like it. But at the same time, we know that our real home is in Acton and we will always look forward to coming "home" again in November. Machteld will have the privilege to see the church expansion all finished before the rest of us. George Wang's pictures are great to see but don't compare to the real thing. I am sure it is very different from when we left in January.

We look forward to a week with lots of happenings and in everything we hope to be "Shining Light and Showing Love" to the people around us. We serve an amazing God.

New Life and New Beginnings

On Thursday we received another batch of 3,500 one-day chicks for our chicken run at My Father's House in Nyangwena. A lot of new life that hopefully in about 5 weeks will generate income for the orphan homes. These chicks will have to give their lives so that we can help support the orphans in the homes. Without knowing it these chicks follow one of Jesus' commandments.

It is always amazing to see these little chicks in such big numbers and how they always seem to bunch together. They seek comfort and warmth by huddling close together in great numbers. When I reflected on our sermon from this morning, which was about unity in the church, I had to think about the chicks that find great comfort in being together. It would be wonderful as we as Christians would be able to find the same kind of comfort and strength as the chicks from being closely together. However, as the pastor mentioned in his sermon, often we let pride get in the way of maintaining the unity in our church. We don't like someone because he/she talks different or has a life-style that we don't agree with. There are all kinds of reasons why we create different groups and "churches" within The Church. But we were reminded that Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:2-6 "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and one Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." We have to live out what Paul writes here, we just can't sit still and watch what is happening but we are called to be in the middle of things and show our unity to the world. That unity and our humbleness will be an expression of God's love for the world.

Jesus gave His life for us so that we may live forever. We were given a New Life by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ though we did not deserve any of it. Therefore we should be extremely thankful and at the same time very humbled. And when we're humble we put other people and their needs first instead of our own. If we would live out what Paul wrote to the Ephesians there would only be one church, The Church, the body of Christ. I feel that here in Zambia but also in North America and around the world there is a great need for unity in the Christian church. How can we stand strong in the face of the battle that goes around this world if we are so divided? Let us be completely humble and gentle; patient, bearing with one another in love. That would be a great beginning of being the body of Jesus Christ, His bride!

Another new beginning was in the air this past Friday when the Esther School assessed a group of about 55 little kids for their new pre-school for next year which starts in September. Machteld, Lucinda and some others helped out with the different activities that the little kids had to go through to assess their readiness for school. It was great to see the enthusiasm of the kids and the anticipation in the eyes of their mamas. It was also great to see that some of the mamas from My Father's House were volunteering to "man" some of the stations. It is encouraging to see how the community is coming together for these kinds of activities. The Esther School is really making a difference in Nyangwena and the lives of the little kids that have the privilege of being able to attend. God is clearly at work in and through the Esther School, providing hope and a new beginning for the kids and the community they are part of.

Finally, there is a new beginning in the air when it comes to our transportation. Yesterday, Humphray left Lusaka by bus and headed to Dar-es-Salaam to pick up our vehicle and drive it back to Lusaka. We hope and pray to see him back here in Lusaka sometime this coming week. By that time, it has been almost 3 months since we purchased the vehicle. It will open a new chapter in our activities here in Zambia and we look forward to the increased mobility and the opportunities that it will provide us with.

Jesus Christ has given us new life by giving up His life on the cross. Let us give our lives for others so they may find eternal life in and through Jesus Christ.

African ingenuity at its best

This week was a very exciting week with the GEMS training team in Lusaka as well as the start of the process to get our vehicle to Zambia. Machteld went to the training on Tuesday and it was great to see all the counsellors together in a big group of over 100 women. It is clear that God is at work in Zambia amongst women and girls. Today we had a farewell lunch with the GEMS team and the DeKam and Roelofs families which was a great time together, especially since we have met pretty much all of the GEMS team on trips before. It was great to catch up again and to hear from them as well how things have changed and improved over time. God is faithful.

Our vehicle is supposed to arrive in Dar-es-Salaam tomorrow (Monday). After that it takes a few days to clear all formalities and we expect to be able to pick up the vehicle towards the end of the week. With a little bit of luck we might have it next weekend which would be a great relieve. The last two weeks Machteld has been using Sophie's vehicle which has been a great improvement in our overall mobility.

It was also our 28th anniversary on Wednesday which we celebrate with a nice dinner together since Lucinda was staying at the Esther School in Nyangwena. It doesn't happen that often that it is just the two of us so it was a nice coincidence that we had the evening together on our anniversary. We also realized that we have been living abroad longer than we lived in The Netherlands since we got married. It is almost 15 years ago now that we moved to France after having lived in The Netherlands our whole live. It also makes you realize that you`re getting older and looking at the girls we know for sure that we are getting "old" as Lucinda would say.

Also on Wednesday we got ourselves a nice anniversary present. It is a great piece of African ingenuity. A few weeks ago we saw some great hammocks on the Dutch Market which were very comfortable. We ordered two of them and we got them on Wednesday, our anniversary.

The hammocks are made out of mukwa hardwood pieces through which they put ropes like in a normal hammock. But the advantage is that the hammock stays relatively flat and doesn't wrap around you as most would do. The guy that came up with the idea is Jerry and he is originally from Malawi and he has a Zambian helper (Robbie) to make the hammocks. It is a great piece of African ingenuity with the rigid ribs of hardwood keeping the hammock in shape. With the mattresses with local fabric and locally made we really feel privileged to have these great African piece in our backyard. I am sure that there would be a great market for these hammock in North America (I don't think the design is patented yet).

Finally, Gert started this week using Facebook. He has resisted for many years but finally gave in and is slowly getting into the use of it. Of course we will continue to use this blog to communicate with all of you as to have things are going. On Facebook we will probably give short updates whereas the blog we will go a little more into detail about what we do and experience here in Zambia.

We are slowly getting into our routines of working and playing with the kids, especially now that they have vacation till the middle of May, as well as in the office. We hope and pray that we can be a blessing to the people we reach out to and touch and that God's love for them may shine through us. Shining Light and Showing Love is becoming very real for us as what we are called to do every day. May this be true for all of us and you, that God may shine His light and show His love through us all!

Blessings and have a great week.