Monday at Bill and Betty Bryant Home

A teacher at the House of Bill & Bette was overjoyed at the suitcase full of school supplies donated. The sisters of Zambia from Gainseville built and furnished this school just this year! It looks great!

Chelsea and Joe B. had a great time playing on the swings with the sweet children!

Chelsea and a child resting! They love being held tight!

Today we visited the House of Bill & Bette and got a HUGE workout with the entergetic toddlers. We all had a great time holding, playing, and running with the children. Tomorrow we leave for Botswana for victoria falls, a safari, and river ride down the Zambezi! We will be back on Friday evening! Keep us in your prayers! :)



Sunday Worship

Sunday was the high-mark of the trip--so far.  After having our picture taken next to the gate to the House of Moses, we got into the van to attend worship at Garden Presbyterian Church in Lusaka.  We arrived at the church at 9:15 and there were a handful of people who welcomed us warmly--in normal Zambian style.  A few of our group found seats in the pews, but the pastor of the church, Jane Nyrionga came up and insisted that we all come into the sacristy at the front of the church.  Waiting for us were all the elders of their session.  We signed a sheet of paper so when the clerk of session read the announcements during the service, he could introduce each of us to the congregation.  Normally Garden Church has two services, but because we were there they combined them into one.  After we were seated--Joe B. and the Clerk of Session were seated on big chairs in the chancel and the rest of us on pews, the service started at 9:50.  The first part of the service was bi-lingual: English and Nyanja.  There were no surprises: the congregation sang hymns, the call to worship, and the prayer of confession.  Jodi Martin read the Old Testament lesson:  the first eleven verses of the 40th Psalm and it was translated into Nyanja.  At this time the church was about half full.  Then the youth choir sang and another hymn was sung.  The Clerk of Session read the announcements.  As there was no bulletin, there was not abridged version--he read them all.  Suddenly the church was full to over flowing.  After were were introduced, they did the Exchanging of the Peace and the congregation lined up to shake hands with us.  Another choir sang and then Joe B. was introduced and he read the Gospel lesson: John 19 starting with the 25th verse.

Joe B.'s sermon was translated sentence-by-sentence by a 23-year-old university student.  He had never done simultaneous translation before, but they started off OK.  Then Joe B. put his hand on his shoulder and asked, "How old are you?"  For a moment he did not realize he was not to translate the question, but answer it.  Joe B. continued with a sermon illustration about when he was about the age of the translator and working in construction while he was off for the summer while he going to college.  We could feel the congregation suddenly start to get into the message of the sermon.  There were heads nodding and several "amens" while he spoke.  The translator got into the spirit of the message and started gesturing like Joe B. did.  It was a beautiful and meaningful sermon that the translation did not detract from in the least.

After the sermon, Pastor Jane had a message for the congregation.  We were treated to two more the singing of to more choirs and the morning offering was taken.  When the benediction was given, the congregation remained seated until our team exited the church with Pastor Jane, Joe B., the Clerk of Session, the translator, and our team.  At 12:10, we all lined up and the entire congregation filed out and shook hands with each of us.

Then it was back into the sacristy for a cup of tea and cookies with Pastor Jane.  The hot water was in thermos bottles and warm water in the tea kettle for us to wash our hands.

We came back to the House of Moses to change our clothes and then proceeded to mall where an open-air bazaar like the one we went to yesterday was available to those who need to shop.  We had lunch at the Food Fayre restaurant that serves an eclectic menu from Greek, to Indian, to Chinese, to Italian, to English, to Southern-fried chicken--something for everyone.  Pastor Jane and her daughter Rachel joined us for lunch.  Jane and Joe B. took the opportunity to talk shop.

Christine fixed barbecued  ribs for our supper last night--outstanding.

 Sunday morning ready for Garden Presbyterian Church

Jane Nyrionga, minister of Garden Presbyterian, and Joe B



Jodi. Jane, Clerk of Session of Garden Presbyterian and Joe B

Saturday at Craft Market and House of Martha

Saturday

We spent the morning exploring the Craft Market at the Dutch Reformed church in Lusaka and pitting our impressive negotiating skills against those of the local artists (or representatives sent in with wares on behalf of surrounding villages).  OK, maybe we were slightly more proficient at ordering lunch, but we will be coming home with some pretty neat stuff after making our contribution to the Zambian economy.

One very cool thing that happened at the market was that we ran into Mary, who was adopted from the House of Moses in 2004.  She weighed less than five pounds at birth.  Look at her now!

Mary (right), her mother, and her adopted little sister, (also a former House of Moses child).

In the afternoon, we made our first visit to the House of Martha, which provides crisis housing for children age 5-15.  Many of these children recognized Barbara and remembered last year's ZamJam Team.  They sang a couple of greeting songs for us and then Samantha and Chelsea led them in a little craft (see below) before some recreational time.

The House of Martha children and teens painted suncatchers.

We have two full days next week at House of Martha, so you will hear more from us later and maybe by then the 10 year-olds will not embarrass Joe B. at football (soccer) quite so consistently.

Shalom.

6-24: Milk and Medicine and The party.

Friday
After the wonderful worship and singing at our devotions with management and staff here at the House of Moses, we left to go into the Mtendere Compound to the Jesus Army church.  There were over 75 mothers and children waiting for us. After a short program, we helped with the monthly weighing and measuring the babies and watched while Uncle G and Kevin distributed the 22 pounds of mealie meal, 5.5 pounds of ground nuts (i.e. red-skin peanuts), 750 ml vegetable oil and a pound of powdered milk.   As we departed, many of the women tied up everything they received in a chitenge and carried it home on their heads.

Next stop was Kamanga Catholic Church where 60 more mothers and babies were waiting.  We watched again as each baby was weighed and measured and the same food supplements distributed to each mother that are part of the Milk and Medicine program.

Following work for the day-shift at the House of Moses, we surprised the newly engaged couple who work here, Kevin and Matilda, with a surprise kitchen party.  Matilda even walked through the living room as we were decorating and never suspected that the party was for her.  Jane called them to the living room to "talk to them" but when they came in, they both were really confused as to what this was all about.  But the real reason for the party came out when Chelsea put a "Bride" crown with a small veil on Matilda's head and Samantha put a big "Groom" button on Kevin's shirt.  We brought gifts from home of a few small items - kitchen gadgets, towels, small bowls, etc.  It was a fun time for all.  Kevin says it was an awsome time.

Jodi putting a baby in to be weighed during Milk and Medicine.

Kevin measuring how tall the child is.

More baby weighing with Jodi.

Distributing the milk, oil, mealie meal, and ground nuts.

The church that was our first stop in Milk and Medicine.

A child being measured at our second stop of the day.

The families leaving after distribution.\

A surprise party for Kevin and Matilda.

Kevin and Matilda opening their presents. We managed to buy many things that they had yet to get themselves.

Jodi, Joe B., Kevin, and Matilda.

Carol, Kevin, and Matilda.

The entire team, Claire, Don, Jane, Kevin, and Matilda.

First Day In Zambia!

Sam after they went and changed some of our money at the bank.

The begining of unpacking all 13 donation bags in the living room at HOM.

Chelsea sitting in front of less than half of all of the donations destined for HOM.

All of us working together trying to re-inflate all of the donated soccer balls( Thanks Covenant Presbyterian!).

About half of the soccer balls.

A few more. We're working hard!

All of the donations around the room was everything that we unpacked.

Today was our first full day at the House of Moses. We got to play, feed, rock, and spend time with the precious little babies. We unpacked all thirteen of our donation bags and put the air in 32 soccer balls! Tomorrow we plan on distributing milk and medicine at two different sites! We cannot wait! :)

Arrived Safely

We arrived safely in Zambia after 3 flights with running kids and screaming children. All of our luggage managed to arrive on time with us as well which is great. First day at HOM and most of us are thinking its about time for bed....

Pre-Trip Packing

All of the donations to pack!

So many adorable baby clothes!

We had to deflate SO many soccer balls to pack. There is most of them stacked in the back.

Older childrens clothes to take.

Everything that we need to do our activities in Africa with the children.

Done packing 4 bags.

11 bags here. One upstairs full of uniforms, and one that isnt joining us until Washington with Carol.

13 packed donation bags later, the basement is empty and the bags are STUFFED. In the end, we have 13 donation bags on top of 8 personal bags which gives us a total of 21 bags going to Africa with us! We will see how many show up at the airport when we do in Zambia.