40/40 and Beyond

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.