Last month we were at training called 40/40 orienting to life in Zambia. It was a wonderful time of learning for all of us. We learned how to share Jesus in a culturally relevant way using “Creation to Christ” which starts in Genesis with creation then sharing additional Bible stories from the Old and New Testaments and ending with why Christ came to the world and how He is the only way to a relationship with God the Father. We learned how to camp and how to live in a village in a hut! We learned about friendship and culture from our National helpers. We learned about the closeness of community through our home stay family while in the village. We learned the proper procedures to meet with government officials, chiefs, and headmen of tribes. Before 40/40 we were told good stories along with some that would suggest a mild suffering during training. I am here to say that 40/40 is not suffering, it’s not even survival; it’s an experience. Where else could Melynda learn how to defeather a chicken, cook traditional African food, shell peanuts, shuck maize, and practiced driving a stick shift. Mark learned a very important component in building relationships. It consists of sitting on a small stool for long periods of time while visiting with the village men. This act is not good for the back but it does work very well when telling them about Jesus. Madylanne learned lots of new songs, her favorite of which is “Mwamba Mwamba,” which is about how Jesus is the only way to heaven. She loves to sing it!
We would like to share some sights and sounds of our 40/40 experience.
Lusaka Phase:
Melynda, Amber, and their helper Rose eating nshina
Melynda and her helper Rose
Mark and his helper Tembo
Melynda, Rose, and Bridget at the market
Madylanne won the Happy Camper Award for listening to her teacher
This is the compound Mark worked in during the Lusaka phase
Our helpers sing a goodbye to us
Bush Camp Phase:
This is Thomas it was a blessing getting to know him
This is the tent we stayed in
Bush camp, there are many more tents which cannot been seen here
Amanda, Taylor, and Madylanne having fun
This is Richard our helper during the Bush Camp phase
Our helpers at Bush Camp singing a song to us
The Kitchen staff singing to us. Sorry about the video. It was fun watching them dance
Home Stay:
Madylanne is getting her toenails painted for the first time
Madylanne having fun with new friends
The hut we stayed in during our home stay
Melvin and Madylanne
Madylanne having fun while singing
Our home stay family
Melynda is learning how to make nshima
Melvin and Cynthia
The dinner table
Misc. Pictures:
Madylanne at our house at the resort
A wonderful pair
Roadside market selling fish
We got some really good news- in about a week we will head to Sesheke, which is where we will live to minister! The house we will live in has been refurbished and is ready to move into, thanks to a wonderful logistics coordinator and his wife. They have worked very hard to get things ready for us, thank you Dwayne and Betty! We are so excited to know we will be in the place God called us to over a year ago.
A happy Thanksgiving to everyone! It seems impossible that it is nearly here. We pray you are thankful for all the blessings the Lord has given, most especially life through His Son Jesus Christ.
Thanks for your prayers and support, we couldn’t be here without you. Please remember the Lottie Moon Christmas offering will be starting soon if not already. This is an offering through SBC churches that funds over half of the international mission board’s budget every year, and all the money received goes straight to the field to the missionaries and their work. We are so very grateful to be a part of the SBC, where we are determined to work together to reach the nations for Jesus.
