Home, again

We arrived safely back at O'Hare early this afternoon, and the cell phones quickly came out to alert family and friends of our return. We are all now back in our own homes, soon to be in our own beds. But I think there is a greater awareness of those who don't have cell phones, beds, or even blankets. In some ways I wonder if I'd be better off being less dependent on all my techno-gadgets (the 300 e-mail messages pretty much confirmed that).

I know most people return from short-term mission projects with (1) a heightened sense of their blessings, and (2) a deeper wondering about what we can do without. I can go without my gadgets, but could I go without a bed? I can go without breakfast, but what about going without breakfast AND lunch every single day, as many children do in Samfya (and other parts of the developing world)? Guilt isn't really helpful here -- action is. We will continue to pray for God's guidance in our actions; please join us.

I know I'll be processing the cultural whiplash of going from Samfya to London in 36 hours -- from deep physical poverty to a place of wealth and excess. At this point I'm justifying it by saying we witnessed the human experience more fully by seeing both extremes.

Highlights and successes of the past few days:

1. Marianne and Michelle helping the SCCP staff and volunteers work on the after-school program curriculum. This provides much-needed support in English literacy for these little ones. Pray that the resources will be provided for a morning session, as children attend school in 3-hour shifts. Students who attend school from 1-4 p.m. can't attend the after-school program.

2. A seminar on motivating teachers (by Steve) provided much-needed info for a few headmasters. While we had hoped more headmasters and school administrators will attend, we know that those who did will be better equipped to support their already-stressed staff.

3. Content-area seminars for teachers of geography and chemistry. It's been encouraging to hear the teachers who have been in previous years say that they see improvements. Lisa has identified some gifted science teachers (Moses, Humphrey, and Fred, I think) who are great role models for their students.

4. Training for over 30 child advocates -- leaders in their communities and churches who LITERALLY defend these orphans. In one poignant home visit, some of the community adults had labeled a child as "crazy." This sweet girl, an orphan, had the responsibility of caring for younger siblings and didn't go to school consistently. The advocate, a wonderful young man named Kelvin (with some coaching from Kelly), was able to stand up for this child in a situation where she has no voice, no rights, no power.

5. Matt playing football (soccer, futball, whatever) with the kids. It was easy to spot the muzungu among a crowd of excited children, especially when we presented them with several soccer balls and basketballs to play with.

6. The singing. Indescribable. Thank goodness I have a video of that.

Again, THANK YOU SO MUCH for your prayers. We stayed healthy, relatively rested and stress-free, and all of our luggage made it home with us. :)


Grace & peace.

m

Last full day...

It's somewhat bittersweet. We have reached our last full day of ministry/work here in Samfya, and we are already seeing the fruits of our efforts. It has been so wonderful for the "repeaters" on the team to see friends they have met in years past. (Remind me to tell you about Hudson Mwanse and his family. SO amazing.)

The work with the advocates has gone so well -- thank you for your prayers. Kelly and Marsha have been on home visits to the orphans with the advocates many days, and it is so neat to see their faces light up during our time together. While there are still so many needs here, and such deep poverty, the sense of community is strong. There is a willingness to help your neighbor, even in seemingly small ways.

Slight change of plans this afternoon. The teachers will be working with the after-school program, while the social workers will have the opportunity to visit with women imprisoned in the local jail. Many are pregnant. And there is often no one to visit them. Prison visitation and caring for orphans are two areas where the church has risen to the task.

The churches in Samfya should be commended for this.

Update

Okay...(deep breath).

The work is going well. Days are filled with teachers in classrooms and doing workshops for Samfyan teachers. The social work-types finished formal training for the advocates and will now spend most of our time visiting orphans in homes. The work is draining but OH so rewarding.

Sweet moment with Michelle (special ed teacher) and a hearing impaired boy. He was elated that he found someone who could understand him...so touching.

The group is leaving me. More later.

Thanks for prayers -- they work. :)

mv

We're here!

Day one is done...we hit the ground running after arriving at Samfy at noon. We worked in the after-school program for a few hours and then met with some of the teachers and SCCP staff. And we met about 50 of the sweetest kids on the planet. Their laughter is infectious -- I hope to hear TONS more of it.

Kate Smith describes today as "refreshing." We look forward to tomorrow -- another full day of working with teachers and child advocates.


We have been blessed tremendously already.

Peace.

mv

We're ALMOST there...

I'm sitting in an internet cafe in Lusaka, waiting for our lunch (or maybe it's dinner? Breakfast? I can't tell. I've changed my watch a few times in the last 48 hours, and I'm not quite sure what day it is. I think it's Monday.) :)

We had a little drama with a delayed flight in Nairobi which was originally listed as "cancelled." We ended up leaving about 2 hours (ish) late, which changed the last leg of our journey. We will spend the night on the road (which apparently was repaved) between Lusaka and Samfya and arrive to Samfya around lunch tomorrow morning. Our chauffers, Courteney and Heather, have been gracious and organized, and we are in good hands.

There are ALREADY many stories to tell abotu encounters with different people and cultures, and we haven't even "arrived" yet.

More to come...

Peace.


mv

LONDON

We made it to London without a hitch. We were able to grab a shower and a few hours' sleep, and now we're headed back to Heathrow to catch another overnight flight to Nairobi. Happy Father's Day!

Of Mice and Men (and Teachers and Social Workers)

Teachers are planners. I've seen lesson plans that seem to have more detail than the blueprints for the Space Shuttle. Although Kelly and I (Marsha) are doing different work and won't be in the classroom, both of us have enough experience in educational settings where the "planning virus" has taken quite the hold. We have spent hours individually and as a team thinking about how to best use our precious days in Samfya.

Of course, we've already had a few moments of "Well, now THAT won't work..." after finding out more about the needs of the teachers and child advocates. I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard or thought, "You can plan and plan and plan, and you KNOW things will change once you get there and those plans are pretty much worthless." I thought I could at LEAST wait until I "got there" before the tables were turned.

The best laid plans. The best laid plans take up room in your suitcase, and in your heart, and in your mind. It's not that we're going completely unprepared, but there is this weird mixture (for me, anyway) of relief and apprehension realizing I don't really know what I'm walking into. Setting plans aside, or holding onto them loosely, leaves much more room for God to move, and work, and whisper, "Here's what I have for you to do. There's a teacher who needs encouragement. There's a child who needs a word of hope. There's an advocate who needs to know that the work she does MATTERS." If nothing else, I have already been reminded that the best work of God comes out of who we ARE, not what we DO. I know I need to be reminded to get out of my own way.

I'm about to finish packing. Less papers, more prayers.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding..." (Proverbs 3:5)



mv