June 24

I'm writing this in an internet cafe after what has seemed to be
another long day of many this last week. Time seems to have it's own
life. To recount this weeks home visits, bible purchases, clothing
purchases, and everything else would take hours to sort through. I've
kept notes in my notebook, but the days seem to blend together.

It's hard to believe that I'll be leaving this country in about 10
days, and yet those 10 days seem quite  far away due to some of the
upcoming events.

We moved out of Light of Hope and into town yesterday. We're staying
at a mini backpackers hostel just oustide of town in terms of
convinience for Bianca to apply to medical school and for the
networking that the Lord will be allowing me to do the next few days.

It felt really strange because while it wasn't necessarily good bye
as we will be returning farily soon, coming into the town hostel has
been a strange adaptation for me. It feels strange to have the
opportunity to take a shower again, as the bathing water has been only
provided perhaps once a week in Linda. I was brushing my teeth and was
surprised to not have Jospeh's dog attack me as he didn't recognize
the smell of my toothpaste. I haven't looked at a clean mirror for
weeks. It's the strange inconvencies that I somehow miss which seems
quite strange. The hot water in the shower just doesn't seem right,
I'm sure I'll be looking for a bucket when I walk into the shower
tonight as well. I miss being woken up by Joseph deciding to turn up
the radio to full volume at 6 in the morning, and smashing into the
mud hut wall some nights.  (I suppose the one thing I won't miss is
the latrine... enough said there)

But most of all I miss the people. The people of Linda taught me how
to smile when nothing was right. I even miss the little kids that
never get tired of yelling how are you and squealing as they run away
when you say fine. I miss the drunk man that i prayed for that one
night in the ditch, or even Harry, the mentally ill man who never
stops talking gibberish in english. I miss the cabbage lady who
accepted christ recently and always has a smile on her face even if
her children can't go to school and will be kicked out of her home
soon for rent, and she continues to praise god. while I obviously will
miss football players like Nicholas and Amon who spend hours upon
hours working with me on the water filter and Light of Hope business,
I even miss Kapaya.  (his name means killer). The speed demon with a
smile that he's missing one tooth. As I prayed with the players one
last time as the sun set at training on Wednesday, a tear came down my
cheek as I prayed for each player, most players were acting tough
about it, but some just let the salt water flow from their eyes.

The one lady I for sure won't forget is Liz (name was changed), a lady
who brought her daughter with a tumor growing on her face. She had
heard of how the Lord had through my prayers made people feel better,
and even heal some people's sickness. She claimed I had made someone
who was haunted with bad dreams for years stop as well ( I had no idea
that this had happened, It's only by god's intervnetion). She came
asking for me to heal her daughter's tumor. Afraid she thought I was
some sort of prophet, I hesitated, for a few seconds.  Sensing this
she yelled, Our God DOES NOT fail! Taken aback and after a few minutes
of discussion,she fully described to me how she didn't want a healing,
she wanted God's will. And she had faith that his will would be done,
she simply was led to bring her daughter to me. I felt led by the
spirit to pray for her daughter 3 times. While it would make a good
story that the tumor disappeared, I must say that the Lord's will that
day was not for the tumor to be healed, but Liz did not doubt, but
merely said that it was the Lord's will and she praised God even more
than before. I'm not sure if I had ever met someone with more true
faith than her.

 While I am returning to Linda a couple more times for a few more
outreaches, things just won't seem the same.

This Saturday (tomorrow) Light of Hope will be hosting it's first ever
open house for the community. we will be selling used clothing staring
at 500 Kwacha ( approximately 10 cents).Based off this recent clothing
pruchasing program we project that the profit will allow us to
purchase additional clothing, but in addition allow us to give 20%
away to the vulnerable. At this rate of selling with our low prices,
we expect to be able to clothe over 150 people for free by the end of
next week.

The open house will also have an eating competition, dancing
competition, and even a quiz competition featuring "Are you smarter
than an American". (Bianca will compete against local Zambians on
American Education, should be interesting).   Aside from the
community getting the opp. to learn about water purification, and
health issues, LOH has given me one last opportunity to preach
tomorrow morning.  Please pray that the Lord gives me the words to
speak,and for their disclepleship training in the future. (We are
currently looking into purchasing bibles)

This next week I will also be visiting Africa's Child in Colomo (
sorry spelling is probably wrong), a ministry that is supported by
Engedi Church. I will also be visiting two ministries in Livingstone
that are connected to Light of Hope, one called Hopefiled Ministries.
A Zambian started ministries where a builder basically decided to take
in about 15 children in the community voluntarily and tries to teach
them carpentary in order to feed them.

Next Wednesday, we will also be sitting down with area clinics in
Linda that haven't worked well with LOH in the past, or didn't know
that each other existed. this is a point I feel God has really shouted
in my ear to do this past week, is to connect the body of Christ (1st
Corhintians 15 I think, right before the love chapter.)

We finish the week next friday with a VCT outreach at Linda. For the
first time in 3 years, Zambians in Linda will have an opportunity for
HIV AIDS testing in their area. Please pray that the sensitzation
program and the football touranment that we are organizing alongside
it will attract much of the community, connecting them with the clinic
in town that's sponsoring the event: Tiny Tim and Friends. Most of
all, however please pray the Lord will give us an opportunity to sit
down more and disciple those who have recently accepted christ and
connect them to a bible believing church.

We are also currently looking at investing in some vernacular bibles
for those who recenetly accepted christ as their savior.

 I'll be honest I'm not sure with the given schedule that I will be
able to write another post until I get back to the USA. Until then
please just continue to pray that the Lord's will be done at all times
as we walk. Things have gotten frustrating, but it's been passages
like the ones below that keep driving me forward, as well as your
constant prayer.

Ephesians 1 ( I love this chapter)
Psalms 71:20
Philipians 3:10

God Bless.