Gratitude Beyond Words…

I’ve rarely if ever been accused of being short on words, but I’m as close as I can get to speechless as I consider the generosity that we have been experiencing over the past few weeks and months.  We’ve said often now that we are humbled by our call to serve and honored by the faithfulness of those obedient to the call to send us.  As you could probably tell from my faltering ability to articulate myself while in and since my trip to Zambia (my last post could have easily described having a half of a brain on each continent instead of half of a heart!), I have been absolutely overwhelmed lately and can hardly keep my head around how God is using so many around us to make this calling possible.

Here are a few highlights from the past few weeks:

– A five figure check from a friend of a friend that just showed up in the mail to be used toward the auction.

– A faithful GEMS donor who volunteered to shop for and track down a used tractor to be shipped to the school grounds to expedite the work that needs to be done there.  Then donated several thousand dollars toward its purchase

– A follow up gift of several more thousand from another consistent GEMS donor toward the tractor immediately upon hearing about it

– Countless hours spent by a friend – who has already donated much time and money – to find the right generators to fit our needs

– an anonymous gift from a stranger to buy said generators

– several other generous gifts of financial support, goods, services, time and expertise by local businesses, including:

– two friends who immediately contacted me after seeing the container list Tina posted, asking what they could purchase, how they could help, and making good on the offer within days

– good friends who offered to donate their entire living room set of furniture to be sent on the shipping container .  They literally gave the furniture from beneath them and refused any reimbursement

– a waitress at a local restaraunt who overheard me discussing our work over breakfast and scraped together her tips for that morning so far to donate on the spot

– an old friend who has dedicated the past and next few months of her life to organize a fundraising auction to support our mission

– a mom who runs all our errands, does all our returns and makes the necessary purchases we need for the container

– parents who move in for a few days to help with the kids and cooking, while mom packs and organizes and dad weeds the entire landscaping and does all the mulching (and also keeps mysteriously filling up my empty gas tank! )

– a gift from an anonymous friend to underwrite the cost of the auction so that all donations made that night will go directly to our need

– a good friend using the income from a side business to support us monthly

– countless one time gifts and monthly gifts from friends, family and strangers

I am absolutely leveled by the faithfulness and generosity of so many in our community and near tears when I think about how God equips and inspires so many to come together to reflect just a fraction of his abundance and to carry out his Will.  He is truly an amazing God.

Thank you all for your support thus far.  We have, to date, raised just about 40% of our overall goal for the two year period.  We appreciate all of the direct gifts and are also looking forward to the auction on May 16 as a fun way to get together and riase some additional funds.

Construction…

 

Another recent post by Arika Roelofs on their blog http://www.roelofsinzambia.wordpress.com. No sense in rewriting when she is such a beautiful writer!!! Thanks Arika! 

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There is lots of hard work being done in Zambia!  We were so excited tonight to get pictures of our future home in Zambia, and we couldn’t wait to share them with you:

This first picture is taken looking down the length of the duplex.  It was taken only 2 days ago, so it is quite current to what it looks like now.  The first windows are the master bedroom, the next are the second bedroom, and the large window is the living room.   The front doors are next to each other, and then the other half of the duplex repeats in the reverse order.  Looks great, doesn’t it?

Here you can see it close up.  What is shown is the far end of the duplex from the first photo.

Local Zambians constructing window frames….

More hard work…What you are seeing here is the lower portion of the screened-in porch that will run along the back of the house.  It will be one large porch for both duplexes.  We anticipate many meals and much schoolwork will get done on the porch!  The double window next to the doorway opening is the kitchen window.  In the background you can see the teachers’ house.

The Garden!  Things are growing!  It is so exciting to see the little seedlings that are sprouting up.  Currently, there are onions, tomatoes, cantaloupe, watermelon, and peas planted.  There is a gardener who will plant more things as it gets closer to our arrival.  The North American GEMS Counselors who were in Zambia after the work team planted all of the seeds for us!  We are so thankful, and eating what they have planted will be like a big hug from back home!  Running next to the garden is the “main road” through the campus, and in the background behind the fences, if you look closely, you can see stakes holding the small fruit trees planted by the work team.

By looking around at the landscape, you can also see that things are nice and green! Rainy season is just ending and going forward things will begin to dry out and the temperatures will begin to rise. When we arrive in July it will much drier and warmer, and we hope that many of these delicious plants will be ready for eating!

Please join us in continuing to pray for progress on the duplex construction, as well as the growth of what has been planted.  It is so exciting to see all that is being done in preparation for us to arrive, and more importantly, for the first students to start school in the Fall.

 

Posted in Africa | Leave a reply

 

Container…

My dear friend Arika (whose family will also be traveling with us to zambia) just put up this recent post regarding the ins and outs of the container we are shipping…Just wanted to share…

It appears that shipping a large semi-truck sized container overseas is much more complicated than packing a suitcase.  Who knew?  Although we must admit that we knew the process would be complicated, it has proven to be much more complex than either one of us could have anticipated.  In order to complete this large and necessary task, it will require the orchestration of several events and the cooperation of many…..

It looks simple enough.  One large, long, rectangular metal box.  Pack it with as much stuff as you can, close the door, and send it off.  In actuality, it is far from that.  I will outline the process (it is actually a bit fascinating):

1. Determine the needs of the school buildings, grounds, students, and staff for the next few years.
2. Make lists of items needed, research their costs, and where they should be obtained from.
3. Organize fundraising to collect donated items and funds to purchase what is needed.
4. Coordinate with a trucking company to use their warehouse to store items for packing (must be kept in a truck bay 4 feet off of the ground so that a semi can back right up to it to load).
5. Transport all items to the trucking company.
6. Weigh and record each individual item to be packed on the container.
7. Package items in such a way that they will not shift during sea travel or when being transported on or off of the ship by crane (this includes using a cardboard baler, 2 x 4s, plywood shelving, and straps)
8. Do a “pre-pack day”.  That is, use tape to mark off on the floor of the loading dock the exact dimensions of the container.  On a day prior to the actual shipping of the container, assemble all of the items there and arrange them to ensure that all items fit (and to know the best way to load them to limit shifting during travel).
9. Packing day!  Organization and preparation is essential, as the trucking company allows for only 2 hours to pack the container.  There is a fee for each hour thereafter.  From those experienced in this sort of thing, we have learned to expect that packing will take at least 4-5 hours…this is where that plywood, those straps, and all of those 2 x 4s come into play.  There is also another catch.  When we unload the container in Zambia, we will not have a full team of workers, or a fork lift to help, so we have to also plan for how we are going to get things out of the container (once in Zambia, the container itself becomes invaluable as a large, secure, storage shed that will be placed on a concrete slab.  It will house the tractor, tools, and other outdoor equipment for the school campus).

Whew!  Sounds exhausting, doesn’t it?  I will never look at one of those containers in the same way again!  Outlining the process doesn’t emphasize enough the need to ensure thatwhat we pack is just as important as how we pack it.

All that I listed above is what is involved in shipping a container while it is on U.S. soil.  Once it leaves our hands and begins its journey toward Zambia things really get tricky.  We are hoping for an arrival date after 3 months, but it could take much longer.  There are many points along the way that can result in delay…things as simple as paperwork not being filled out correctly, or the port being too full to receive a load of containers, resulting in an additional 3 or 4 week delay.  The possibilities for delays are truly endless.

At this time, the “official” ship date of the container will be April 26th.  From now until then, we appreciate your prayers for ensuring that all items are assembled that are needed and that the packing process goes well.  After that date, we ask that you join us in praying for timely delivery of the container.  Much is hinging on the arrival of the materials that will be aboard to ensure the start of school in September.

In addition, many items are still needed.  If you are interested in contributing to any of the needs at this time, you can view the list here.

In the midst of the busyness, we feel excitement for all that is happening!  For progress being made, for the amazing support of many, for the plans that are unfolding page by page.  What an incredible journey!  Thank you for being a part of it with us.  We are very blessed.

Posted in Preparing to leave | 2 Replies

Half-hearted…

Thank you to all who have been following this blog – especially during and since my recent trip to Zambia.  I can’t express how reassuring it was to travel so far knowing that so many were thinking about, praying for and following what was happening there.  I probably also owe an apology to those who followed my posts while I was there or have talked to me since – I think I am just beginning to realize how overwhelmed and out of it I was for those two weeks and for the couple of weeks after returning.  I can only imagine how all of that came across as I did my best to articulate what I couldn’t even yet sort out in my own mind. 

I obviously haven’t had the chance to talk to most of you since that trip, but many have asked how it was and how we were doing – so I’ll do my best to share now that I am settling back in before the final push (about 90 days and counting by the way.  I have to just keep saying that out loud!).

First of all, the trip was absolutely amazing.  I was stunned at the beauty of the people, the land and the culture of Zambia.  Once I got my bearings there – honestly, once I got beyond my initial fears and ignorance – I found the place and people to be very welcoming, friendly and warm.  One of the themes that struck me very early on was one of absolute Joy.  Several times I was struck by an overwhelming sense of joy and pureness – elements that seem to exist naturally in this land of contrasts.  Several times since, I’ve said that for all that we (in North America) supposedly have figured out, we certainly don’t seem to naturally enjoy the level of joy and peace that Zambians do.  When one considers the state of things there – the standard of living that most of us couldn’t even  imagine much less endure every day – this is truly a significant point.

I’m sure this difference could be attributed to several factors, but I believe that in North America we find it so easy to live our daily lives apart from God.  Our blessings are obvious in this land of plenty, but this threat is a subtle one.  We are conditioned to work hard to provide for ourselves and, to be quite honest, are able to do so for the most part without having to rely on God or each other much, if ever, by all appearances.  For most of us then, this means that at best it takes work to make time and take time to spend with God and recognize our need for Him when our basic need isn’t so immediate and tangible.  At worst, we might sail through days and weeks without much consideration at all for the most important part of our existence – fellowship with the One who created us.  This leaves many feeling disconnected and empty.

In Zambia, as throughout the rest of the developing world, the challenges are often overt, but the blessings must be seen beneath the surface.  There, basic physical needs are immediate and real and their solutions often not readily available.  This creates an absolute necessity for living in closer communion with others and God.  The dependence on Him for daily sustainence is a given – never taken for granted or questioned.  The concept of praying for daily bread took on a whole new meaning for me, but so did the joy of doing so.  This runs so counter to our understanding and our on-demand, drive-through, speed-of-light culture that it is taking some time to process.

All of this has also left me..well…half-hearted.  Not half-hearted in my committment or desire to serve in this land.  Actually, the trip only strenghtened my resolve and passion for the journey God has prepared for us.  Half-hearted is my best way of describing this awkward sense of being stuck between two continents…stuck with half of my heart in each of two very different cultures and recognizing the beauty and challenges of each.  I, of course, appreciate living in a land that has been as richly blessed as ours and all of the comforts and security of life as we know it.  But I also have now tasted the richness of living in total dependence on God and catching a stride living fully in his will.  I’ve also enjoyed the peace of living at a manageable pace of life where one is not just allowed, but expected to take the time to enjoy life for the sake of living and taking time to share it with others and with the One who created it as a gift to those He loves. 

I pray that somehow we all find a way to capture the benefits of both examples of living.  I imagine that doing so would literally offer a taste of heaven to those of us on either end of the world and facing the challenges that each place brings.