http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008 On June 25, 2008, 27 people ranging in age from 17 - 70+ leave on the trip of a life time. In August of 2007 leadership from Calvary Presbyterian Church began dreaming and praying about taking a multi-generational group to Africa. Meetings were held to see who might be interested and over the course of the next three months, over 40 people expressed serious interest in being a part of the trip. In September, after having heard personal stories from Ken and Suzanne Popp whose Village Steps organization had funded the Balm of Gilead School in Lusaka, the group decided to make this school the focus of the trip. From that moment on, serious planning, budget estimating, personal commitments and lots of prayer began in earnest in order for this trip to become reality. To raise money to fund the trip, group members sold pumpkins and gourds, cookbooks, gourmet coffee, Christmas Trees, and personal items. A dessert auction and spaghetti dinner were held, a benefit concert featuring several musical groups from around Enumclaw, and Calvary's annual Mission Auction raised over 20,000.00 to help fund this trip. In addition team members prayerfully asked sponsors to pray for and financially support their individual participation. The Rotary Club of Enumclaw also adopted this project as its International Project for 2007/2008. The $3,500.00 contribution the club made will be used to purchase building supplies to help us construct an additional classroom, a latrine and the foundations for a security wall at The Balm of Gilead School. Today, just over a week away from departure, I am reminded of an old adage that I would like to rephrase with apologies to the original author and intent. It says, "It takes a village to raise a child." I would say, it takes a village to make a difference in the lives of 230 some children impacted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa. Several people have asked me why we would spend the money to go when that much money could be used to purchase food, supplies, and other relief goods for those same children. The truth is that these children are often forgotten victims of the AIDS problem. By going in person and sharing the love of Jesus with them while making a visible, lasting contribution to their education, the tide of human tragedy wreaked by this terrible disease can be turned. We believe that the mandate of the Christian is not just to give but to go. So many people have helped this trip become a reality that we understand all too clearly our team consists not just of the 27 participants actually going but all those who have contributed, prayed, encouraged, and supported us. To all we are truly grateful. http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4601 CONFIDENCE! http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4601-8-days-and-counting What to pack? What to leave behind? Do I have the right clothes? What extras should I put in my bag? Will my bag be over the 50 pound limit? What should I take in carry on just in case my bags are lost in the 4 transfers necessary to get to Lusaka from Seattle? These are all questions I am pondering over with only 8 days left before our departure. More importantly, I am asking myself whether I will be patient and flexible enough to deal with the different customs and conditions that we will experience in Lusaka? Will the children be as excited to have us there at their school as we are to go and be there? Will we really be able to make a difference? Will I be up to the tasks? All the months of planning and preparation have come down to these questions. We will find out soon enough. One week from tomorrow night (Wednesday June 25) we will pull away from the Calvary Parking Lot and begin this journey. I am reminded of the Apostle Paul's words when he said, "This one thing I do, forgetting what is behind I press on toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." What it all boils down to for me is whether we are doing what God has called us to do and be. Is my heart ready to be used? Will I be an adequate reflection of Jesus in the lives of the 230 or so students at the school? Will I be a patient leader and a good pastor to our team? I pray so. I often pray a prayer that a friend of mine in AA uses all the time: "Lord, help me to change the things I can, accept the things I cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference." More later as time gets closer for departure. http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4633 PRAYER http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4633-Commissioning-our-Team The ancient practice of ordination through the laying on of hands is something one can't describe adequately. The awareness of affirmation and support of ministry through the leadership of a congregation makes one feel humbled, empowered, set apart, and responsible. Indeed, whenever God calls someone to ministry, it is an awesome responsibility. To feel those hands of ordination and to hear the prayers of God's people is a very moving experience. And so it was this weekend when our Zambia team was commissioned in our church services on Saturday night and Sunday morning. All along, we have said that the team is not just those going, but all those praying, sponsoring, and encouraging us as well. Paul encouraged his young cohort Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God that was bestowed in the laying on of hands. With just a few short days before departure, when it would be easy to get side-tracked on packing, shopping and all the other necessary details, our team was reminded once again that God has gifted us through the prayers and encouragement of our church family. In a way, we head off into unknown territory. That is part of what makes this trip exciting. But the one thing we can be sure of is that God has gone there before us and will lead the way for us. "Lo I am with you unto the end of the age." I have this great confidence that things will not go as I have planned them. I am even more confident that this trip will unfold before us in just the way the Lord wants it to. I can rest easy in that and that allows me to "go with the flow." (I pray it will anyway) That confidence also helps me take my eyes and worry off self and points me toward the children, teachers, staff and families that we will be minsitering to and with in Zambia. I need to remind myself each day, I am not going for myself. I am going because the love of Christ compels me to share it with others. May God's Spirit so bless and help our team that this would be each member's experience as well. Just as the hands and prayers of God's people fell across us this weekend, so may God's Spirit fall afresh on us. The great words of a familiar chorus are applicable here: Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me, Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me Thanks to all for continued prayers and support http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4672 http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4672-I-Wonder I wonder what entering a completely strange, foreign culture will be like! I wonder if I and our team will be able to adapt to schedules that are different than we are used to! I wonder if we will be accepted by the children, staff and teachers at the school. I wonder if I will know how to build a block construction classroom. I wonder if the children will appreciate and be able to use all the clothing and school supplies that are packed in our team's suitcases. I wonder if our team will all get along! I wonder if I will see any lions, elephants, leopards, crocodiles, giraffes or other wildlife. I wonder what worshiping in a different church will be meaningful. I wonder if I will be able to sleep on the plane as we travel through two night times. I wonder if what we do will make a difference in some child's life. I wonder. I wonder if the Lord of the universe had questions about the world he was to enter. I wonder if he ever doubted the purpose and "rightness" of his calling. I wonder if he ever felt discouraged when people didn't trust and accept him. I wonder if he was ever anxious, fearful, tired or impatient. I wonder if he understands the feelings, thoughts, uncertainties our team is feeling as we now are just 27 hours away from departure. I wonder. that's all. Dear Lord, help me in my unbelief. Help me - help us to be good representatives of your kingdom. Help me to understand that it is better to serve than to be serve; to love than to be loved; to give than to receive; to go and do rather than sit and wonder. Amen http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4713 http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4713-Christians-23-Baggage-Handlers-3 Well, we are in Zambia. What an incredible trip it has been. Though long hours in airports and sitting on planes, everyone is in good spirits, excited and blessed to be here. We met Ane Sorensen at the airport last night (she had taken other flights). Among the 23 of us we had 46 bags and only 3 were lost so that isn't bad. Tonight, the Zurchers and VanBeeks arrive. Then we will all be together. Praise the Lord! Today we are going to the school for the afternoon to get oriented and to begin work. TOmorrow we will go to church with Rachel and Joy and others from the school. I believe I am expected to speak briefly. This morning in devotions, we were reading from Psalm 132 where David talks about fulfilling his vow to the Lord to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. Eugene Peterson in his commentary called "A long Obedience in the same direction" talks about having a faith that is not safe; one that has ones feet planted in reality but always willing to step out in faith and obedience. Too many of us (myself included) get the first part down. Sometimes my feet feel cemented to the real world and I lack the vision and faith to serve God. Others may be more inclined to be visionary but not have much grounding. I want to be both. That is not always safe or secure. But one thing our trip has proven already is that when we step out in faith God keeps us from falling. We are blessed already. Now we are eager to be blessings to others. Lord help us be vessels through which your blessing and love flow freely. http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4727 http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4727-Hope-and-a-Future Whew, I am exhausted. It is all I can do today to sit and type this entry. But I have a steaming Cappucino in front of me, and I am in the Kilimanjaro Coffee Shop so I have one last burst of energy. Today was our first full day of work. It was a doozy. Saturday, we spent the afternoon working at the school helping to build a cement block foundation for the new classroom. Today we finished the foundation and backfilling. Though the temperature wasn’t hot, the sun was bright and it was good to gradually get into the swing of working without overdoing. There were about 25 neighborhood children, some of whom attend the school, who were there to greet us when the bus pulled in. Rachel and most of her staff were there to greet us as well. After the initial greetings were over, we began our work, with some of us mixing concrete by hand. Others mixed mortar. The rest either the mortar and concrete to those who were in the foundation trenches laying the block. Believe me we were tired when we arrived back at Mwibluzi Lodge that evening. We were so tired, in fact, that we would have loved nothing more than to have headed straight to bed. But alas, 4 of our team members had yet to arrive. The VanBeeks and Zurchers got in around 11:00 along with the lost luggage I mentioned in my previous entry. The food is interesting. We are eating breakfast and dinner at the same lodge where we are staying. For dinner we had our choice of either game meat (I think they said it was some sort of antelope) or beef stew. For those adventurous enough, the game meat was actually pretty tasty. The local staple of every diet is a dish called nshima. It is like a pasty, dumpling-like dish made from ground white corn and shaped into little cakes. The vegetable dish is a kale or swiss char type green. Each table boasted a large bottle of hot chili sauce. I couldn’t have been happier. Sunday morning’s devotions began with these words from the Psalmist – “I rejoiced when they said to me, Let us go up to the house of the Lord.’” (Psalm 122:1) That set the stage for what has been the highlight of the trip so far. We walked a short distance to Bread of Life church where we were a few among a congregation of about 5,000 at the 9:00 service. We were treated with incredible grace and hospitality and were ushered to the front 3 rows. They sing many of the same praise songs we do (the Days of Elijah, What the Lord has Done For Me to name 2) but believe me, we have never sung them this way. Their praise team consisted of two keyboardists, a drummer, a saxophone player, a “choir director” and a group of about 30 singers. Hands raised, clapping and dancing to the beat, these folks led us in a truly amazing time of worship. The Bishop or preaching pastor brought a message reminding us all to be doers of the word and not just hearers only. (The service was all in English). The message was challenging and straightforward and afterward about 15 people – mostly under the age of 20 – stepped forward to give their lives to Jesus Christ. It was thrilling. It was a small taste of what I believe the kingdom of heaven will be. We were truly blessed to realize that these folks were our brothers and sisters in Christ. We hopped on the bus back at the lodge and went to a local mall where local craftsmen and artisans were selling their wares. What an experience that was. All of us came back with bags stuffed with teak carvings, ebony salad spoons or statues, traditional African clothes, beautifully ornate baskets and much, much more. We topped Sunday off with a trip to a local stadium where a Rugby tournament was being played. The “Zambia 7” were playing against a team from Zimbabwe for the championship with Zambia losing badly. Oh well, it was interesting to learn about Rugby, to sit in the sun, and to be a part of the local experience. Again we were tired by the time we returned for the night to our lodge. But our weariness was over matched by the incredible experiences of the day. Even though today (Monday)was filled with hard work of laying cinder block, mixing concrete and mortar and back filling the foundation trenches around the classroom, it was satisfying. And to make it even more special, we were greeted this morning by the teachers and staff of Balm of Gilead with songs, recitations, prayers and a truly warming welcome. Most of us were in or near tears. It was a beautiful experience for us to see and be with the precious children that the world has forgotten. They truly are the poorest of the poor. Without a school like Balm of Gilead, these children would be destined to live in the poverty, exploitation, and hardship that so many Zambians experience. Balm of Gilead is bringing hope. And where there is hope there is a future. Again thank you for your prayers. This is a wonderful, blessed experience and we wouldn’t be here without your help and support. Have a fabulous week. And be blessed in Christ. http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4784 http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4784-Thursday-Morning-another-beautiful-winter-day Sometimes in Winter It is a beautiful, winter, Thursday morning here in Lusaka. Back home in Enumclaw, the rest of our team of supporters is soundly sleeping in beds that aren’t covered in mosquito nets. In a few hours, you all will arise and take a warm shower with plenty of running water and will eat a breakfast of readily available groceries. That is quite different from life here in Lusaka. Though we are staying in what is considered to be one of the nicer places – the Mwiluzi Lodge – everyday is a gamble as to whether or not we will have hot water or a toilet that flushes. We dine each morning on what is referred to as a Full English Breakfast that consists of cold eggs, beans from a can, a sausage and piece of ham, and two cold rolls. For those like me who are used to a hot cup of java from Starbucks each morning, I guess you could say that this is roughing it. They put out hot water and either tea or instant Sanka (or its equivalent). Thankfully Ken and Suzanne brought to French Press Coffeemakers and some Starbucks French Roast so all is well. Plus, as I mentioned in my last posting, there is always hot sauce on the table. The rest of the team is back at Balm of Gilead today. 5 members of our team will join with 3 teachers and staff from the school to take another 50 children to the local zoo – a sight they have never been privileged to see before. The rest will finish up pouring the slab for the class room and then we can go to town on raising the cinder block walls. It will be another day of hard manual labor. Cherie Murchie and I are meeting with Ted and Sue Wright who are PCUSA missionaries here in Lusaka. He has oversight for over 500 local churches, and “prayer houses.” These churches are all pastored by local Zambians. Ted spends a great deal of his time traveling around encouraging these pastors and their congregation not only in Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana. It is a big job. The Presbyterian Church has a big influence here in Zambia in particular thanks to the mission efforts of Scottish Presbyterians in the mid to late 1800s. These missionaries followed the brave pioneering efforts of Dr. David Livinstone. The Presbyterians have a large network of schools, day care centers and orphanages here in Lusaka and we (Cherie and I) will be touring one of these facilities today. For more information about the Wrights and the work the PCUSA is doing here you can look in the Mission Year Book of Prayer and find a nice article in January of 2008. I also plan to attend a large Rotary Club today where I will bring greetings from Enumclaw Rotary and ask to match the support of our local club in support for Balm of Gilead and this trip, I think both Cherie and I will miss working and seeing the children. Yesterday (Wednesday) was a strange day. We arrived at the school expecting to mix concrete and pour the slab. We did but only after waiting all morning and part of the afternoon for cement to be delivered. That is more or less status quo in Zambia we are finding. Nothing happens exactly when you expect it and when it does happen, it is at a much slower, unhurried pace. While we were waiting, a number of our team toured the Chazanga School where some who have graduated from Balm of Gilead go after they have finished the equivalent of 7th grade. It is a government school which means that it is free – except that students have to purchase their uniforms and books. This all costs roughly $40.00 US (12,000 kwachas). For many this is not possible. The unemployment rate in Zambia is 70% and, of course many of these children are orphaned. But we are seeing first hand what a difference education makes. These children we are helping, we hope will go on to be able to find good jobs and live productive, healthy lives. All in all, this has been an amazing experience for us. I have asked a number of our team members if they would ever come back and every one has replied with an unequivocal yes. None of this would be possible without your prayers and support. I know I have said this before but you have been such a blessing to us by supporting us and the school. We pray that what we do here and then what we do when we return will truly make a difference. Oh, by the way, it is winter here and the weather here has been fabulous. The temperatures during the day are between 20 – 25C (70 – 75F) with cloudless blue skies. The evenings are cool and crisp which helps keep the mosquito problem down. Perhaps some of you who go to Arizona ought to think of coming here as snowbirds. The only problem would be that during our winter months, it is summer here and the temperatures can rise to 110F and above – maybe that wouldn’t be so great. That’s all for now so I will sign off, with this wish. Today, may you be so filled with the grace of our Lord Jesus that you would know the height, breadth depth and width of God’s love in your life. Thanks again for your prayers for us. http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4789 http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4789-A-Tale-of-Two-Cities Lusaka is a city of contrasts without a doubt. This morning, after reaching our work site in the Cabanana compound (neighborhood) we picked up about 25 5/6th grad students from Balm of Gilead and took them to an athletic tournament. To get there we drove through the most severe poverty conditions we have seen to date. Garbage burning in the same streets where women were washing and cooking, children were playing and all sorts of produce, goods, and necessities were being sold. Within blocks however, we were driving through tree-lined, upper middle class neighborhoods where the privileged live behind garrisoned walls, sheilded from the realities of the millions who live in poverty and need. I have said several times during the past few days that "poverty looks the same the world over." Everywhere we have gone, I have been reminded of Juarez Mexico, one difference being the color of skin, the other being the presence of many, evangelical and protestant churches. Many of those churches have built schools similar to the one we are workig on. One of the great needs in Zambia is education. The average person has less than high school education. The unemployment rate is over 70% and the GDP is @ $900.00US per houselhold per year. What a privilege to be able to work towards making a productive difference in the lives of the some 200 children who attend Balm of Gilead. Speaking of the work we are doing, it is going slower than we would have liked. In large part that is due to the frustrating problem of product delivery. To date, the foundation has been completed and plastered. The site has been backfilled and the floors leveld and poured with concrete. All this work has been done manually, This morning we are actually beginning to lay block for the walls and even though we will not have finished all we wanted to, there will be a couple of special celebrations today. The first is to award gift prizes to the children for the pictures they have drawn during the week. Following that - around 16:00 hrs. - there will be a formal dedication and prayer service. I am told that several dignitaries and politicians will be there (photo ops) to share in this service. We plan on doing something special at some point today to celebrate the marvelous freedoms that we as Americans have and, sadly, take for granted. This mornings devotions were on humility and I have been constantly reminded that living and working here, I must recognize that it is only GOd's grace that has allowed us to enjoy all we do. But it is also God's grace that makes these people and this country such a special place. in spite of the needs, people live with much more contentment, values and simplicity than I do. The most evident news around us here is that the President was attending meetings of the African Union in Egypt when he had a stroke. He is in critical condition and is in a hospital in France now. People are concerned and praying for him. By and large, our health has been good. We are grateful there have been no serious illnesses - just some minor aches and pains, sore throats and a couple of cases of travelers stomach. (Is that a nice way of putting it?) A Divine Appointment Since Enumclaw Rotary had played such a key role in supporting this trip financially, I decided to go to Lusaka Central Club yesterday. At first I was discouraged because there was only one other person when I got there, Hoever, it turned out he is the incoming chairperson of the projects committee and was very interested in how their club could link with Enumclaw's club in sponsoring this project. It turned out that God meant for just the two of us to spend a few moments together before others arrived. It was a very multi=nationalm multi-ethnic club even though it was small, it was an interesting meeting with a royal toast to the at the beginning, an invocation, a time of silent prayer for the health of the president, and then fines like you wouldn't believe. I have a really cool flag to bring back and, I hope the mutual sponsorship of their club which will enable us to seek matching funds from our local district and from Rotary International. I think we will all be very sad to say good bye to the staff, faculty and children at Balm of Gilead when we pull away tonight. These memories will not fade for us and we hope that we will be able to ignite further interest and support when we come back and tell the stories. I read a quote from Frederick Neitcthze to the effect that the only thing that matters in life is a long obedience in the same direction. Our hearts and our lives will be forever touched by this experience. I pray that we can be ever obedient in following Christ by ministering to poor and needy; widows and orphans; homeless and hungry whether it is in Zambia, Mexico, New Orleans, Enumclaw. We are called to proclaim, worship, serve and transform in Jesus' name. Thanks for teaming with the 27 of us who are here. Your prayers make all the difference. Grace and Peace to you in Jesus' name. Fred http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4840 http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4840-From-sad-farewells-in-Lusaka-to-African-adventure-in-Livingstone. I am sitting at a lovely cherry wood desk overlooking the Zambezi River near the town of Livingstone, Zambia. There are velvet monkeys cavorting around the grounds and zebras, giraffes and impalas that freely roam the grounds of our hotel. After a long travel day over roads that have been washed out by recent flooding, we are settled in lush accommodations. It is a stark contrast to what we have experienced over the last 7 days. We are all having to process our thoughts and feelings over this. Some of our group has just returned from a sunset dinner cruise, others are on their way back from a “walk with the lions encounter.” It is all a far cry from the 7 days of serving and building that we did at Balm of Gilead School. Victoria Falls is a spectacular sight and is a magnet for thousands of tourists from all over the world, I would love nothing better than to say that the building of the classroom had been completed 100%. Due to delivery delays and an African way of life that doesn’t always operate on our sense of time and schedule, I can’t. What we did accomplish with the building was to set a foundation, pour a concrete slab floor and get the block walls to about 1/3 the eventual height they will need to be before a roof can be finished and the building occupied. I can say that much more than a building was built. I believe that because of our presence here and your support, a foundation of a different sort was established. It is a foundation of partnership and caring that we pray will continue as the teachers and staff of Balm of Gilead School teach the 200+ students the skills and knowledge they will need if they are to break out of the cycle of poverty and hopelessness so many of them experience day by day. That hope is founded in faith in Jesus Christ and our incarnational presence here has hopefully been like the wire that will, in some small way, serve to make a difference in the lives of these precious kids. In many ways their foundations of faith are already well established. I can’t begin to describe the enthusiasm and joy we witnessed as we once again heard the students sing songs of faith and love and recite poems and verses. They are being rooted and grounded in God’s love as well as receiving a practical, solid education that will help them move on to higher levels of education and productivity. Two examples of such joy (in addition to the closing program) stand out from Friday’s last day. 1) Several of our team were walking to go visit the government sponsored high school when they met an 11 year old girl. They tried to initiate a conversation and quickly realized the girl was deaf and had not ever had the chance to go to school. She was orphaned a few years ago because of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and is now living with an aunt and uncle. One of the women in our team knew enough sign language to find out where she lived and within a few short hours, she had been enrolled in a school for deaf students and rides had been arranged for her. Out of hopelessness came a moment of grace and love. Now she has hope. 2) Around 2:00 in the afternoon, the 5th and sixth graders joyfully bounded out of the bus that had just brought them from an athletic tournament. Out of twelve schools, many of them in or nearby the same township where we worked, Balm of Gilead finished 3rd. Part of the joy for them was the new maroon and gold uniforms they were wearing. Little did they care that the uniforms were emblazoned with “White River Hornets,” for the first time in their lives, these kids had identity and pride – all because people like you cared and helped us bring these and other necessary items here to Zambia. It was sad to pull away at 5:30 (17h30 in Zambia terms, 8:30 am in Pacific Daylight Time). As we pressed our hands and faces to the windows, and said our final goodbyes to those we had grown to love and care for so much, we took heart in knowing that these strong foundations of faith and hope are being laid in the lives of these kids. Further we know that the completion of the classroom building can be completed as the supplies have all been furnished and there is enough left over to pay local tradesmen to finish the job in the next week. A foundation of partnership and support has been further strengthened through this trip, I am pretty confident that as we come home in a few days and begin to tell these stories, your hearts will be warmed and strengthened so that the good work that has begun, will continue to grow and stand. It is built on solid foundations. Tomorrow, we go on safari before heading back homeward on Monday. I will try to write at least one more time from Zambia and then again from South Africa where Judy and I will be spending several more days visiting with Karl and Jenny Teichert and John and Heather Witherow. We are excited to learn about the work they are doing to plant churches, enable pastors and train indigenous church with OC International in Southern Africa. Until then, I remind you of Paul’s words – There is no other foundation that can be laid than that which has been laid in Christ Jesus. Without that, our work can’t stand. May you know that strong undergirding strength in your life in all you do say and think. Fred http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4858 http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4858-Out-of-Africa Well, after a mad dash to the Livingstone "International" airport, the majority of our team is now on their way out of Africa. What an experience it has been. Once again, we have been reminded that "once Africa gets into you, it is hard to get it out." I think that most of us have been profoundly moved and transformed by our experiences in Africa over the past 10 days. Last night, (Sunday) as we enjoyed one last meal together, I asked folks whether they would ever be interested in coming back to Africa again and almost everyone answered with an unequivocal yes. But we had a few more hours to savor before leaving. Many enjoyed seeing the sun rise over the east cataract of Victoria Falls. For those daring enough, the walk along the falls provided a spectacular display - if not drenching - of the power and majesty of these majestic falls. Truly an awe inspiring sight. The rest of Monday morning people did a variety of different things from walking, resting, sitting on a veranda watching zebras and velvet monkeys wandering by our hotel. Other, more daring types actually bungee jumped from the reported highest bungee jump in the world - the bridge from Zambia to Zimbabwe some 400 feet above the churning waters of the Zambezi River below. 5 of us decided on the somewhat less daring experience of a 30 minute helicopter ride over the falls, the river gorge, the nearby game park and a number of traditional African villages. This too was awe-inspiring. Judy and I were two of the five who did this. After our short flight to Johannesburg, we exchanged hugs, memories, well wishes and then went in several different directions. Ken and Suzanne headed off to their flight back to Botswana to meet a Habitat for Humanity team that will be building a house over the next two weeks. Ane Sorensen went to find her British Air connection to London and on home. The core of the group headed to the South Africa gate where their plane was waiting to whisk them back over the Atlantic to New York, Washington DC and finally home to Washington state. Loaded with memories, souvenirs, new friends and bag fulls of dirty clothes, there were mixed feelings about leaving mother Africa. I think most were eager to get home - but reluctant to leave behind the places and people that have so transformed our lives. There was Chimwewe (Joy) Village Steps'local employee who truly became one of our team. There was Chakingwe our driver who patiently endured our crazy schedules, daily trips to the store for water and our field trips to the zoo with the kids. Then of course there was Rachel the headmistress of the school, teachers Kristin, Paul, Valentine, and Capier. Last but not least are the precious children whose joyous songs, warm hugs, curious exploration of our blond, fine hair and blue eyes, and infectious love will stay with us forever. Ken and Suzanne Popp, our expert Africa Mission Team people commented that they couldn't believe how smoothly this trip went and how closely unified and loving this team was. In spite of age differences, unique personalities and differing work habits, this team was truly blessed. The Spirit of God was truly upon this trip from start to finish and we have you who prayed, supported and cared to thank in part. Of course all thanks goes to God who we knew called each of us to make this trip. Now Judy and I are in the Randberg neighborhood of Johannesburg with our new friend John, Heather, Micah, Jake and Caleb Witherow. Heather is the neice of Dick and Joan Johnson from Calvary and they work as team mates of Karl and Jenny Teichert. We will spend a few more days with Karl, Jenny, Anne, Scott, Stephen and John Teichert in South Africa touring some of the sites where OC INternational is doing church planting, leadership training and pastoral support. We might even get in a drive through Kruger Game Park, a visit to the Apartheid Museum in Jo'burg and some catching up with both these families that Calvary supports as part of its mission program. Attached are just a few of hundreds of pictures that were taken in Victoria Falls and in Chobe Game Park (Botswana). This is a vibrant continent with incredible natural beauty, rich history dating back to human origins, and a splendorous variety of wild life. The people are loving, warm, caring and hungry for expressions of Jesus' love. It has been such a privilege to work among and for them in a partnership that we pray will continue for years to come to the Glory of God. A closing thought for this day is that God never leads one of his children to a place where his Spirit and Grace has not already arrived. Long before we even conceived of this trip, God had a plan for each of us just as he does for you. I have been reminded that we need not fear or shrink back from any task or place that God calls us to because he will provide with strength for the journey and grace for each day. http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4900 http://www.tripdiary.com/pastorfred/zambia2008/4900-Back-in-the-USA-or-at-least-somewhere-over-it-on-a-United-Jetliner What a surreal experience it is to have been so immersed in a culture and continent so different from our own for over 2 weeks and then to be thrust back into the microcosm of our culture as seen at Washington Dulles International Airport. After a long (made even longer by a security problem at our refueling point in Dakar, Senegal) sleepless, overnight trip from Johannesburg to Washington, we breezed through Customs, washed up and brushed our teeth then wasted no time heading for the closest Starbucks Stand. Unless you bring your own coffee to Africa, it seems that the only coffee you can get is NesCafe Instant. My Iced Americano never tasted better. That luxury aside, Judy and I found ourselves reliving the experiences, sights, and most of all, people that we had encountered on this Mission Trip. We both realize that it was a once in a lifetime, profoundly enriching experience for us, for the rest of the team, our church and community, and, we hope, for the various lives we touched and were touched by. After the rest of the team parted with us for their return to the US, Judy and I were met at OR Tambo International Airport in Jo’burgh (that’s what locals call Johannesburgh) by Karl Teichert, one of Calvary’s Missionaries with OC International in South Africa. He took us to the home of John, Heather, Micah, Caleb and Jake Witherow (also missionaries with OCI) where we enjoyed Braii (pronounced Bri) or what we would call a Barbecue. In addition to the Witherows, Karl’s family of Jenny, Anne, Scott, Stephen and John joined us. It was wonderful fellowship to all be together and to watch their faces as we unpacked the goodies we had brought for them from the states; things such as Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers, Graham Crackers, Macaroni and Cheese, Angel Food Cake Mixes, Starbucks Coffee, Duct tape, books and clothes. We take things so for granted, it was really amazing to see how such simple things could bring such joy. That night we had a chilly – no, downright frigid - night of sleep. It gets cold in Johannesburg this time of year. The temperature was down in the low 30s F at night and only in the 50s during the day. None of the houses are built with heat. Speed records were set for morning showers that day. On Tuesday, the Teicherts picked us up for a drive to Nelspruit and Matsul; About 4 hours north and east of Jo’burg. There we met Jane Mongwe, the wife of the Adam Mongwe who pastors the Sonrise Community Church in Nelspruit – a church planted by and equipped with leadership through the efforts of OCI. Jane has been working to begin a ministry with orphans and widows in a deprived area north of town. Eventually the plan is to build a community care center that will provide day care for infants and toddlers, medical care, counseling and support for those affected by HIV/AIDS. Even now they are encouraging and helping children to live as families and parents as this has proven to be a better environment than living in an orphanage. One gripping story was that of a young 14 year old girl whose parents both died of AIDS. She now lives with 3 cousins who also have no parents. The oldest is a 17 year old girl who is in her “matric” year (senior in high school) and is working hard to excel and go on to become a mechanical engineer. This is no easy task under the best of circumstances but is made even more difficult because she herself has a two year old child. We gave each of these "family members" Bibles and New Testaments, prayed with them, and then almost as an afterthought gave them a roll of duct tape, a package of lined notebook paper and a hand held calculator. The spontaneous, heartfelt exclamation of gratitude to God for such a simple thing as notebook paper was more than enough to bring tears to our eyes. We visited two families in this same area and it was yet another experience of us feeling that we had received more blessing than we had given. That night the Teicherts and us had reservations to stay at a Mission Air Station just outside Nelspruit. Thinking we would be housed in very modest, cramped accommodations, we found that Mercy Air – an international aviation support ministry – rents out a large guest house. It would be an understatement to say that this was a true oasis of comfort and luxury set amidst lush orchards of oranges, avocadoes, bananas, and pine and eucalyptus forests (grown strictly for paper manufacture). It is also just a short drive from the Kruger Game Park – one of Africa’s largest and most popular tourist destinations. Wednesday was spent driving through the reserve and viewing the majesty and wonder of the African Savannah. We were able to see first hand 21 of the 33 most common species in the park. In fact, we saw four of the big five – lions, cape buffalo, elephants and rhinos (we didn’t see a leopard). Though only 200 kms (120 miles) from Jo’burgh, it is an entirely different climate and we sweltered under 95 degree heat there. Later that night, we attended the Pongwe’s church where I was privileged to bring the message to a group of about 40 warm, loving, brothers and sisters. Worship was different than it might have been because their keyboard player had been hijacked at gunpoint and his keyboard, wallet, cell phone and bucky (Pickup truck) had been taken. Fortunately he had not been shot as is often the case in South Africa. Pastor Adam had Judy and I come to the front of the church where he and an elder laid hands on us and prayed for us, our ministry and our church while the rest of the congregation prayed African style – all at once, out loud and in many different tongues. It was quite a moving experience. Adam, having been trained and equipped by OCI is now an integral part of the Church Planting Alliance – an ecumenical group that is seeking to train, place and equip pastors in new, under-churched areas throughout South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. Thursday we drove back to Jo’burg and enjoyed another dinner with Teicherts and Witherows at a wonderful restaurant called Moyo’s featuring traditional African food, music, décor and face painting. Quite an experience. Friday morning, we packed up, left the Teichert house and visited OCI’s offices, did a little more shopping and then spent the better part of the day at the Apartheid Museum – a very sobering experience. From there, it was on to the airport for the aforementioned flight home. There you have it – the last of an incredible trip but not the last of the memories to be cherished, stories to be told and partnerships to be nurtured and furthered. I plan on keeping the diary open so that other members of the team can write entries that would express their own feelings and thoughts after having returned home as well. We shared so much, but I know their experiences and perspectives are probably different and more profound than mine. I can’t help but feel a little bit like the Apostle Paul who, after visiting and ministering in different cities and churches, commonly wrote back to them saying he constantly thanked God for them as he remembered them in his prayers. I will forever give thanks to God as well as I remember Rachel, Joy, Ted, Capier, Bishop Joseph, Mwombe, Shadrack, Kristin, Paul, Valentine, Eddie, MaryJane, Innocent, Compassion, Adam, Jane, Karl and Jenny and family, and John and Heather and family. More than names from a distant land, these are now people with whom we share a common blessing and experience. I hope that you will join with me in praying for these dear brothers and sisters in Christ. They are a real part of who we are and what the kingdom of heaven is. In the OCI office, I was moved to tears by a poster depicting a different slant on the Lord’s Supper. It showed gathered around the table of the Lord, men and women of every age, culture, language, and color. May we never forget that we are just one small part of the kingdom and that one day we will sit at that table where people will come from north and south and east and west to sit at the table in true unity.