Tasting Nshima

This is the beginning of my zambia 2007 blog journey!

This weekend from Friday to Sunday is a Zambian holiday. Actually, the weekend represents independence for 7 different African nations. Last night many of the local churches in the area held overnight prayer sessions in light of the holiday.

Today there was a preparation/training meeeting for all of the local Zambian volunteers which was held at Mulungushi Conference Center. It was very exciting to be on the other side of Camp Life, and to see how the Zambian volunteers are prepared for what they will experience this summer. I was able to reunite with some of my most favorite Zambian ladies, Doris and Elizabeth as well as nurse Gertrude.

As always, the Zambians never fail to impress with their beautiful singing and powerful prayer. I continue to learn more about how to pray more powerfully and be joyful in any given circumstance. They are amazing, and I love being able to learn from them. This year's theme for Camp is "You are free and victorious in Christ." The idea is that each day we are going to teach the kids a truth that opposes the lies they believe. This year is going to be more amazing than any year previously, and we were able to get excited with the Zambians about the message Christ will bring in 2007! May Jesus name alone be exalted in our work this summer.

Day 1: you are hated...lie
you are loved in Christ...truth
Day 2: you are rejected....lie
you are accepted into the family of Christ.....truth
Day 3: you are worthless....lie
you are significant in Christ...truth
Day 4: you are lost...lie
you are secure in Christ...truth
Day 5: you are VICTORIOUS with Christ in you! Absolute truth, praise God!

You can know when you look in their faces, but Doris made it very personal for me today when she shared about her own personal life. She and her brother are both orphans and despite the fact that their parents have been gone for quite sometime, she says that it is difficult even now because she has no one to look after her or support her. She experiences rejection, feeling lost and hatred everyday. These lies are extremely real for the Zambians...every...single...day and it is sometimes hard for me to relate to. Yet I am able to experience some of their sorrow each day and be their light of Christ with encouragement. Doris is one of the most joyful and genuine people I know, always carries a huge smile on her face.

Today, I learned how to eat nshima properly from my friends Paul and Elizabeth. Nshima is also called "mealie meal" and is a type of corn meal made into a mashed potato-like substance. I have tried it before from the market, but it was incredibly salty. Today's nshima was much more tasty and I received double portions thanks to my friend Paul who instructed me to ask for "bevlla," which means "more please." I admit it, he tricked me. It blessed him because I made him eat my leftovers so as not to waste anything. It was all very amusing.

Elizabeth continues teaching me Nyanja and says that my pronunciation is becoming quite good. I love the friends I have made here and so enjoy being able to cherish and spend time with them. After meeting with the Zambians today, I feel that the transition is happening smoothly. When I spend time with them, I remember all of the things that I love about this place and why I come to teach and share the Light within me. To share hope and love with the hopeless, and those who feel they are without love.

I also received some very tragic news about one of my girls from last year. One of the discipleship leaders informed me that she went to the school last week to see the children, and was told to visit the mother of one of my girls (Esther). There she was informed that Esther passed away last week. I don't know much regarding the cause of her death. To be honest, most of her family probably do not know much more either. The burial has already been held, but hopefully I will be able to visit her mother sometime next week and have time to pray with her. I am not sure it that will be possible, but I would like to try. In the meantime, I am praying through how to grieve and cope with the loss of a child I loved so much, but knew only for the weeks that I visited here. In that respect, it makes it very hard to leave again, feeling as if I am abandoning them. I find myself knowing that I am only the planter, and Jesus is responsible for the rest, but this thought doesn't make it easier to cope. My only hope is that this one was reached for Christ before her death. She knew the joy of being in love with Jesus, and I can rejoice in that.

On a hopeful note, I was able to meet Esther Ruth Zulu. I mentioned to several of you a while back that the director of Family Legacy here in Zambia was pregnant. She delivered the baby in December, and I can honestly say that she is the cutest chocolate baby I have ever seen! Extremely mild mannered, and definitely wins the hearts of those who surround her!