Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Email Journal from my 1st trip to Zambia

July 7, 2010

Well I made it to Zambia the night before last. Zicky, Wilbroad’s wife and 2 of her sons picked me up from the small airport that night. After finally arriving in Zambia and then to Wilbroad and Zicky's home we had a wonderful dinner and great conversation. I shared my heart with them and we discussed some particulars. Yesterday we visited the current location for the school and the new school site. Class will be back in session next week. We also went to a trade fare yesterday and drove around Ndola to get familiar with the culture and have someone of an orientation to this area. A close friend of theirs has a daughter that was suppose to begin university yesterday but she became very ill. The doctors were not able to figure out what the problem was. Her symptoms worsened and she began having severe abdominal pains. They have done 3-4 surgeries now and found that she had a number of small holes in her small intestines that has been leaking out. As of yesterday, she is now on life support and it seems that she will not survive. I have been praying for her miraculous recovery, please join me. She is a believer, so that is a comfort in one regard. I spent last night praying, thinking through things and reading the word. The main verse I was focusing on was Isaiah 30: 21 which says, "whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, this is the way, walk in it" Also, Proverbs 16"9 "In his heart a man plans his course but the Lord determines his steps" I do not think these verses have meant so much to me as they do now... Speaking so directly into my situation and bringing comfort when I am tempted to fear the future and the unknown. I can see how God has been preparing my heart to trust Him and to "just obey" I have more peace about it now. The evening of our dinner they had shared their heart to minister to a particular group of orphans. (A little background with this is that it is customary and normal for family members to take in the children that have lost their parents.) They would like to set up a home situation for the orphans that are not getting proper care, usually this is true when an elderly family member takes in the children of their children. One option is to use the rental they are currently using as a "group home" There are 3 bedrooms and they could fit up to 15 children in there with a "house mother" I was burdened in my heart for this but said nothing to them. I wanted to pray about it. This morning Wilbroad again asked me what I am sensing as far as length of stay. I had initially told him 3 years..with a reassessment each year. Last night as I prayed I sensed the Lord calling me to longer, specifically to minister to these orphans. If i took in some children under my care and then left after 1 or 2 or 3 years what would that say to these children. If I do this and hear from God that this is what he would have me do, I need to be committed to the children as if they were my own. This brings a new dynamic to things and I have a lot of praying to do. Wilbroad's reasoning for asking this was because we were heading to the Immigration office to figure out the procedure for a work visa. Anyway, as I shared with Wilbroad this morning I was in tears. God is at work. I am comforted to know that Wilbroad and Zicky desire me to be involved in the church if I come..serving in children s church etc. They have been in discussion with Sovereign Grace for some time about becoming a part of Sovereign Grace. They have met and or talked with CJ, Dave Harvey, Pete Greasily and I think the other was Jeff Purswell. They asked me some good questions about if my family and church support me in my possible decision to move here. They have much wisdom and are solid biblically and have the same heart for the orphans as I do. Praise God!! There are many other things I could write but we have things to do this afternoon. It is much harder to get internet here, we went to 3 internet cafes before finding one that had computers that were online. I love you all and appreciate and covet your prayers.

In Him and through Him,

Bonnie


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