Winding Down

Mulibwanji!

So crazy to think that in a little over a week I'll be back in America! Time has flown by faster than I ever expected and honestly I wouldn't mind staying here another month or two. Life here has settled into a good routine of ministry at UNZA, time at the orphanage, group devotions, and also plenty of down time to relax, process what we've been learning and just hang out with the rest of the team. We've all grown a lot closer over the past couple weeks especially and it's scary to think that I won't be around them all 24/7 ever again. Reunions are already in the planning process so I'm looking forward to those already. We're still enjoying life at our guest house. The weather was incredibly cold, probably equivalent to a South Carolina winter, for at least two weeks there, with little sunshine as well. Luckily over this past week and a half things have warmed up, the sun is shining and it's lifted our spirits tremendously. The weeks have been flying by in the moment but looking back even over this past week it's hard for me to remember everything that has happened since it feels like forever ago.

I've been going out at UNZA with a couple different girls over the week and we've been scheduling appointments all over campus with all the girls we've been meeting. The schedules are tricky to work out since we're only actually on campus from 1330 till 1700. It's been difficult making great connections with girls since they're all pretty guarded here but we have met a few sweet girls who we've really enjoyed getting to know more and bonding with over the past few weeks. Amanda from the previous post actually got kicked out of her dorm due to a monetary issue so we haven't been able to see her which has been unfortunate. Me and Michelle have gotten to hang out with Thandy quite a bit which has been so great to see that hearts are the same no matter where we live or what the culture is like. Zambians aren't as concerned with being punctual and also aren't used to saying "no" so actually meeting for appointments has been a trying time. Pretty much every day we've gone to meet girls, at least 2 of those appointments have been no-shows or the girls just aren't home. So that's been a bit discouraging but it's so great to see how God's been working through those situations.

I went out with Emily one day and we experienced no-shows, forced conversations, and lots of "I'm busy" responses which are rare here. Feeling incredibly down and just wanting to throw in the towel for the day, I had to take it to God. I knew my job here was to step out in faith and that things wouldn't always feel the best so I continued on. We just knocked door to door to find something to fill up our time and I really wasn't feeling it at all. We came to one door and two sweet girls let us in, Deborah and Beauty. They started off with the typical responses but then started asking questions of their own. Questions that they had been taught about but didn't line up with the truths of the Bible. It was such a great opportunity to introduce them to God's truths and open their eyes to the freedom found in a relationship with Him. The lightbulb went on when they discovered it wasn't about rules and religion but instead about a relationship with God, one that He desires to have with each of these precious women. In that moment of sharing the KGP, they wanted it! They desired to ask God into their hearts and it was such a beautiful thing to witness again. I walked away just in awe. In awe of God's choice of timing yet again. When I'm most discouraged, most down and selfish, God uses ME to bring God's hope into their lives. Seriously blows my mind but I am so incredibly thankful for it.

Later that day we were all just sitting waiting for the rest of the group to show up. A woman with tattered clothes and a baby walks up and calls UNZA students over to translate. Through them, we find out that this woman has been bit by a dog and has rabies. She presents all of her medical documents to us and also shows that her baby is sick with the "cough." My heart breaks. This woman is afraid that she'll die before she can get her baby well enough again. We decide to support her for her prescription and her eyes light up in gratitude. As a group we've been talking a lot about what it looks like to care for the poor like the Bible instructs. Sometimes it's through kindness, sometimes through sitting to listen to someone's story but sometimes it is monetarily. That small amount of money I gave up of mine could have been the amount to save a woman's life. Save a baby from growing up without a mother. And this type of need is so apparent everywhere we've been going. I feel like I've always had a heart of compassion toward people in need but seeing this level of need breaks my heart like never before. God's shifting my heart from being mindful of my self primarily to really seeing the hearts of others and being mindful of their lives. I praise God that I was able to give that 50,000 kwacha and am continuing to pray that He'll reveal to me what it's like to live a life completely removed from selfish ambitions or desires.

Time is winding down but it's obvious that God's work isn't. Rather than focusing on how hard it will be to be back in America, I'm thinking about all the amazing opportunity to carry back what I've been experiencing here. Hearts are the same so why shouldn't my motives be? I praise God for these last 5 weeks and am looking forward to a lifetime of service to Him.

Please be continuing to pray for the health of our team. One guy, Chris, was just released from the hospital from what the African doctors believe to have been malaria. Pray that he'll be completely healed from his illness and that our entire group can stay healthy for our upcoming travels. We leave for Livingstone Wednesday and then will fly out of Lusaka next Saturday morning. Please also pray that we'll continue to run hard after God even as this project comes to a close. Thank you for praying and making a difference in the lives of so many Zambians, and in mine. I thank God for each one of you!

In Him,
Amy