The small flickering (do they ever replace burned out bulbs?) ‘Welcome to Zambia’ sign above the terminal entrance was a familiar one. We were arriving after spending almost 34 hrs. since we left our home in Boerne. This time we felt like old pros and knew our way around. But we also knew there was something very different about this trip – we were MOVING to Zambia to volunteer at the Village of Hope for 1 year or more. Our work VISA gives us 2 years.
And we experienced our first miracle ☺ – all 25 of our bags showed up on our flight!
Contrast that to the fact that the current 2 families visiting from Denver arrived with NONE of their 20 bags. Their bags eventually showed up in Malawi before they finally arrived in Zambia 6 days later!!
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” John 14:27
This is how we know we are meant to be here – because we feel our Joy not from comforts and pleasures of the world, but the Joy only He can bring.
Arulussa (AIR-AH-LEW-SA)
We are settling into our new home, which we are renting until we can permanently move onto the Village of Hope property. It is a small house (huge by Zambian standards) about 2km south of the Village of Hope and surrounded by 300 acres of mature farm land. It is also very modern by Zambia standards with a full kitchen, 3 br’s, living and dining room, 2 baths and HOT WATER (a real luxury in Zambia – one we now greatly appreciate after living here 10 days with only cold showers!!). It is quite lushly landscaped and is very peaceful and quiet. We can walk to the Village of Hope in about 20 mins. (there is a path cut through) or it’s a 5 min. drive.
Green Farm Village
As you turn off the main highway onto the dirt road leading back to Arulussa, there is a small mud hut village where many of the farm workers live. It was originally called Glenn’s Farm Village (after one of the Arulussa owners) but since the locals cannot pronounce English “L’s”, it became Grenn’s Farm – and over time Green Farm Village. This local village is one Sarah visited many times on our previous trips and so this time she wanted to return immediately to see the children. Many seemed to remember her (such a rock star with her digital camera!).
Memory and Selah
One young girl at GFV especially captured Sarah’s attention and heart. Her name is Memory, she is 15 with a 1 y.o. baby named Selah and spoke good English. She asked Sarah if she would come to her home and visit. Sitting in a small mud-hut on the hard dirt floor, Sarah said they talked about their families. Sarah sees Memory often and prays about how God desires to use this “friendship”. You will hear a lot about Memory on Sarah's BLOG I'm sure.
The Village of Hope
Of course our main purpose for being here is serving as volunteers at the Village of Hope Children’s Village and 240 acre Farm. I will be helping Ben with operations, June is involved with the school, and our children each have daily involvement with the children at the Village. VoH is the 2nd village started by Benedict and Kathleen Schwartz under their All Kids Can Learn International ministry based in Havre De Grace Maryland. www.akcli.org for further information. It’s exciting to see the preparations as we plan to have 100 children by the end of 2010. A new school, medical clinic, and Take-Away restaurant are but a few of the many improvements under construction. I will be talking more in future posts about all the exciting things God is doing here.
Getting Bunks Ready for New Cottages (we make all ours on property)
Children get the "Grand Tour" of a new cottage
Open My Eyes Lord!
Those reading this are most likely in the top 1% of wealth in the WORLD (6.5 billion people). 450 of the world’s richest people have the wealth of 3 billion of the world’s poorest. As you look at your refrigerator(s) tonight – overflowing with food - just pause to pray for the 100’s of millions of orphaned children who go bed alone and frightened, who have no refrigerator, no electricity (no money to pay for electricity even if it existed), no milk or protein, no bath, no clean water and no HOPE!
Thank God for how blessed you are. Do you ever pause and wonder
“Why Me?”
Why did You choose to place me/my family in the United States vs. here in Zambia? What is my purpose with all this wealth Lord? No matter how poor you may feel, you are 10,000 times richer than 99% of the people in Zambia.
Parents-give you children an extra ‘tuck in’. Children-hug your parents and hold tight an extra fee seconds. Then pray together for the children at the Village of Hope and all the Orphans and Widows around the world.
… and plan a trip to Zambia! And soon!! ☺
God’s Blessings,
Alan for the entire family
