Thursday, May 10, 2012

Pictures from Zambia 2012

Please visit the following website to look at pictures from this year's trip! 


http://zambia2012.shutterfly.com/


Zambia 2012 Team

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Zambia Update

Our team had a great day and an amazing night.

I had a chance to interview Chalwe, an orphan at the Hope Center.  He
was the initial student enrolled in the Back to School Program.  He
told me he wanted to go to school so he could get a job and support
his sister.   When his father died, they were split up and he has not
seen her in a while.   Pretty moving to see this 13 year old's eyes
well up with tears as he is sharing about his life.

And then tonight we had a devotional gathering with the pastors and
their wives.  Pastor Edwin of Teta church shared his testimony and
then one of our team shared as well.  What was supposed to be one
closing song turned into about 15 songs of loud, joyful praising as
the Zambian believers took turns leading a song.   Though there is
only about 30 of them...it sounded like 500.   What a privelidge to be
surrounded by Zambian believers singing praise to God in their native
language!

- Zambia Team -

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Zambia Team Update

Yesterday, we began by joining the pastors and their wives for their morning devotion. Words cannot describe how amazing it is to pray with them and listen to them worship God. We then journeyed to Teta to do vacation Bible school with the children there.   As a craft, we did coloring sheets and made colorful crosses that they can hang as ornaments.  The orphans are so poor that these simple things captivate them.  Even the older children love to use crayons to color pictures.  Jack Archer shared the gospel complete with object lessons.


It was clearly evident they enjoyed the time that we spent with them, because a little girl tried to get on our bus to leave with us.  Our first day of VBS at the Hope Center was cut short, but the children still enjoyed playing games and doing introductions. God is definitely moving in the hearts of the children and our team.  
 

We interviewed one of the orphans and the details of his story broke our hearts. He shared about his parents dieing, about his abusive caretaker who would beat him, and how a grandfather finally came to his rescue and got him connected to the Hope Center.   Wish you could have seen his smile as he told about how much of a difference the Hope center has made in his life.  


It is so amazing to see the passion and love the Zambians have for Christ and it has been such an inspiration to us all!


Zambia Team