Merry Christmas!

It's hard to believe this month of December has already come and almost gone. It signals the halfway point of our journey, yet we still have 10 exciting weeks ahead of us. A lot has been happening this month, and God has really shown himself to us in remarkable ways.

Roxanna and I have had the entire month off, since school is out for the month. The break has been nice and we really needed it after all the planning and work that went into last term. During our time off we've been helping the office and school establish master lists of the students so we can better track them and attend to their needs both at home and at school. As we get further into the process of what it takes to run a school, I become a little overwhelmed, but am even more overwhelmed by the six teachers at the school, who handle all of the work on their own. They are incredible and dedicated people.

Spending Christmas in Zambia was challenging, as weeks prior to Christmas I found myself thinking about home quite often and wishing I could just be home for a few weeks. It has been difficult, and nothing short of it at times, but I'm thankful for international calling cards that keep me connected with family and friends at home, being able to share this Christmas with them through that. I have really enjoyed spending this Christmas with my new Zambian family though, and to know that this is where God wants me. It's been great to engage in the Zambian's traditions of the holiday while being able to share my own. The commercialization of the holiday isn't apparent here like it is at home, which has really expanded and stretched my understanding of Christmas and how we celebrate it.

Christmas time is different in Zambia for several reason....

1. The only place Christmas really looked apparent was in the supermarket and various other shops where decorations were hung
2. We didn't have a Christmas tree or other decorations hung in our house 3. I didn't really hear a lot of Christmas music, besides the Christmas CD mix I made for my brother Marvin, which I won't lie, is pretty awesome
4. There is no snow!!! I wear sandals, capris, and t-shirts everyday, which is definitely different than at home
5. We didn't have a large assortment of Christmas cookies or really many Christmas parties
6. The cartoon version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" was not on the television Christmas Eve...

Those are only a few differences and since I didn't have a constant visual reminder of Christmas time, I was encouraged to look to other places to celebrate and partake in the holiday season, like Sunday school. Roxanna and I took two Sundays to teach the Christmas story to the children. We introduced them to Mary and Joseph and who they were. They were young people, who didn't possess much power and weren't termed "special" by this world, and really didn't seem worthy to be the chosen ones to bring the Messiah into the world. Yet because of their faithfulness to God, he chose them for this very purpose. It was because of their faith that they were chosen for such a special purpose. Faith in the Christmas story doesn't end there though. The shepherds and the wisemen also portray what faith means. The angels appeard to the shepherds bringing them the good news of Jesus' birth, and instead of being too afraid to act on the news that they brought, the shepherds acted on their faith and went to find the baby Jesus and rejoiced in his birth. The same goes for the wisemen. King Herod wanted them to return to him to tell him where they found the Messiah, but God told the wisemen not to. The wisemen acted on their faith in God by not returning to King Herod. This Christmas I was really able to focus and reflect on this story, this story that allows us to have a Christmas. It's not because of the commercialization of the holiday that allows us to celebrate Christmas, but it's because of the faith of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the wisemen, who allowed the story of Jesus' birth to be told. We now can rejoice at his coming because God brought him so we could be reconciled with him.

I hope that during this Christmas season you have been able to experience the true greatness and faithfulness of God apart from the craziness of the holidays, and the peace he brought into this world at this time!

God's Blessings on this Holiday Season!
Amanda

Tom's Top 10

Ok, so I only have 9 minutes until the internet cafe closes so instead of writing a novel, I'll just have to settle for Tom's Top 10 Learning Experiences in the Last Month!

Here they are!

#10. You can get blisters on your hands when washing your socks.
#9. You can drip massive amounts of sweat from your brow...while washing your socks.
#8. A rusty nail can and will penetrate your shoe and foot if you step on it...
#7. If your foot is bleeding a lot, apply pressure and raise it above your heart.
#6. Mangos and apples are really good! (Doctors don't know everything...)
#5. Don't be distracted by people standing up and yelling "Amen!" while you're preaching.
#4. Don't go outside to watch the lightning! (I didn't get struck too bad...I'm kidding mom!)
#3. Don't smart off to immigration officers...
#2. If you get pulled over while driving, just keep your mouth shut and remain calm...

And the #1 Learning Experience for Tom in the last month is....





#1. I drank the water...and I was fine!


Hope you're all doing great!!! We love you all! Keep in touch!!

Peace,
Tom

Aaron's First Post!

We have almost been here for 3 months and I realized that I have only posted once, . I had these really great intentions to post on the blog every week, but I guess that I have not done a very good job of following through with this. I will use being busy as my excuse, but if I am being honest, I have to admit that I have had some time and just haven't done it...

SORRY!

So here is my first official update on the blog...

The last couple of weeks Tom and I have been working at the construction site where the new school, orphanage, and multi purpose hall are being built. The orphanage roof was just finished last week and is looking very good. It is our hope that this building will soon be completed and the the kids can move into their new home. The other two structures (the school and multi purpose hall) have not been started yet but the construction of these buildings will begin soon. We have been making bricks for these structures since we have arrived so hopefully we will see some great progress on them in the next couple of months.

Since Pastor Charles and Ba Margret have been gone the last two weeks, picking up the new bus for hope ministries, I have been named the new foreman at the work site. (haha) I am still trying to figure out what this means, and the language barrier between myself and the other workers makes this job interesting and challenging. Basically we all just work together and the title foreman doesn't seem to fit, I do however have to make sure some of the projects that are assigned are being done.

Since the rainy season is officially here, the main project that we have been involved with the last couple of weeks has been building a new shelter to keep the bricks out of the weather and reinforcing the church roof so that we don't wet on Sundays. The church structure is made from scrap pieces of wood, I would call it a glorified wood shed, but church is not about the building and more about the people, and we have had some of the best worship services in this building. We were able to finish both these projects to the best of our abilities, but it would be a lie if I said that the church wouldn't leak anymore, because it still does, but it is better then before and at least we don't have to worry about the ceiling falling on us, which was truly a concern.

The other project that we have been involved in has been a rotating fund program where we are helping people in the village of Twapia (where we are doing all of our work) to start small businesses such as selling charcoal, tomatoes, or whatever else they want to sell to generate some income. Thanks to a generous donation from a friend back home, we have been able to start up this loan program and if it goes well eventually they will pay back the loan and we can then give it to another group of people so they can start their businesses. I hope and pray that this will be a successful program and some families here in Twapia will begin to be able to support themselves. I will be keeping you all updated on how this program is working throughout the next couple of months.

Tom and I have also been given the honor of preaching the entire month of November which has been an exciting and challenging experience, but so far so good. The people here are so gracious to us and easy to talk to, and they have told us that we have really blessed them through our messages, but I believe that they have really blessed us through their loving and gracious spirits. I think that these blessings are from God and maybe we should give all the credit to our Lord and Savior. Everyone is truly blessed because of Him.

Well I should get going, I still need to finish planning for the sermon tomorrow. So until next time, which will be in another 3 months, just kidding, goodbye. Thank you all so much for your love, support, and prayers.

Gods Love and Peace
Aaron

P.S. And just so you all know, my suitcase has still not come, I am losing hope.

Adventures in Nsobe

Last Saturday we ventured to Nsobe Game Park. Here's a glimpse into our adventure:

I, Amanda, found a really neat little playground with an old tractor, an imitation spider web to crawl on, swings, and a teeter-totter. I really wanted to play on the playground, yet I felt too big and thought I would break it, so I withheld. Minutes later, I found Rox and Aaron venturing to that same playground, going up and down on the teeter-totter. Sigh.

We also went on a safari-type ride through the woods and saw many antelope-like creatures, giraffes, and zebra. I, Roxanna, thought about jumping off the high-riding jeep to chase after a zebra, grab onto its spikey neck hair, and pull myself onto its back, kind of like a rodeo---African style. But alas, they didn't seem to like us following them and ran away too quickly. So we saw zebras, which is the one animal we wanted to see most, but my dream was cut short. Bittersweet.

Also at Nsobe, they have two restaurants. Enclosed in a glass cooler I, Amanda, saw this amazing chocolate cake. A slice was only about one dollar. After lunch I went up to the service bar to ask for a slice, only to hear that the cake was brought in by a church group and was not for sale for commoners. Heartbreak.

Later that evening we were invited to Pastor Judy's for food and fellowship. The evening was splendid, but true bliss came when Pastor Judy presented a big heart-shaped, marble cake, with white and chocolate frosting and chocolate chips dashed on top! Although the cake said, "Happy Belated Birthday Roxanna!" I (Amanda) felt like the cake was made just for me!! It was music to my soul, as alas, I could finally eat my slice, or may I say slices, of chocolate cake. Pure Joy.

Oh the rewards of patient endurance!

Luckily for Amanda, I, Roxanna Eda Marie Alleman, was born.

THE END.

Stayed tuned for further adventures from Africa.

6 Weeks In!!

Muli Shani! It has been a long time since we’ve updated this blog, so Roxanna and I (Amanda) are going to do our best to bring you up to date with bullet point blipits:

Roxanna and Amanda have been sick off and on over the last three weeks. Either something in our food or reactions to medications have been our culprits! Roxanna has been hit with some painful infections and fevers which have knocked her down for a few days, but thankfully medicine has helped bring her back to her normal self. Amanda has been affected by some medications over the last few weeks. Her and Roxanna both took a medicine called fansidar, which fights malaria, although neither of them had it. Roxanna did not react to fansidar, but Amanda had some pretty horrible reactions. The reactions knocked her down for a couple of weeks, but she was finally able to recover after drinking A LOT of water to flush it out of her system! We have come to the conclusion that Satan is trying to prohibit us from doing the work we can and should be doing here by making us sick, but God has been faithful as always, and after going through these experiences we feel stronger and actually more connected with the people here.


A few weeks ago we found out that our visas, which are supposed to allow us to stay here for six months, were not the only necessary documents needed to allow us to stay here for that amount of time. We went to the immigration office and found out we needed a Temporary Residency Permit, which costs around $300 for three months, and would then need to be renewed after three months for the remainder of our time for $350. Needless to say, we were a bit shaken! The Zambian Embassy in the United States did not tell us this information, nor did customs inform us of this Permit, so we had one week to find the money to pay for them! Once again, God is good and He does provide. We are still here in Zambia and we will stay here until our plane ticket makes us go home!


We found out this last week that our seventh graders will not be taking the government test because they missed the deadline to enroll their names. They will have to wait until next November to take it. We're a little bummed, but we know that the pupils can use the extra year to prepare.


We continue to learn what it means to listen and put aside our cultural norms, as our relationships with the people here grow. This last week I, Amanda, had a conversation with Teacher Juliet, which began as a simple conversation about her pupils and their abilities, and then ended with the strife faced by people here in Zambia. Teacher Juliet pointed out a specific child in the school who has a physical disability in her spine that disfigures her upper body around her shoulders, who has and continues to just touch her heart. The pupil does not seem to be held back by this disability, which speaks volumes to Teacher Juliet. She is happy and loves spending time with her friends, and her friends love spending time with her. Teacher Juliet went on further to explain that the pupil is also an orphan, like so many other children in Zambia who lost their parents to HIV/AIDS. The conversation then went to the difficulty of educating pupils because their home environments do not encourage education. There is lack of resources, like books, in the homes and the parents often do not speak English, which is the national language of Zambia and is used in the government schools and upper education schools. The pupils remain behind in their education because of lack of exposure. Teacher Juliet is so dedicated to the school and its pupils because they are the future of Zambia and she, like the other teachers, recognize the great need of exposure, education, and care that the pupils need. They nurture, encourage, feed, educate, and teach the pupils that there is a different, healthier lifestyle outside of the ones they are surrounded by, and that they can make a difference. Not many other adults tell the children or encourage the children in these areas, so the teachers have taken on the responsibility themselves to really educate the students not only on school-related lessons, but also life lessons. Teacher Juliet led this whole conversation and even when I stood up to step out for a moment, she grabbed my hand to sit me back down to tell me more. The teachers just want to share with us their struggles and their lives here. They want to know that someone else cares and we’re realizing that it is far more important for us to listen while we’re here than to teach. I also realized that although people here in Zambia are surrounded by this environment everyday that does not mean they are immune to it. They fight these struggles everyday because they continue to be affected by them and only want to change their circumstances through the education and encouragement of their children.


A few weeks ago, Amanda and I (Roxanna), were walking with another teacher named Judy in Twapia to visit Teacher Juliet while she was sick. We had the opportunity to learn something from her that we are realizing is the cornerstone of so many Zambians’ lives: the strength of their faith. When we asked Teacher Judy what her biggest challenge at the school is, she answered that it’s the transportation to get to and from the school everyday. Like many instances here in Zambia, this was not the response we were looking for. We expected something like limited resources or the high amount of students in one classroom. But also like many instances here in Zambia, her response held a lot more weight than we first realized. She continued to explain that she lives in Ndeke, far from where the school is in Twapia. It takes her about an hour and a half one way everyday on a bus, and sometimes she doesn’t know if she’ll be able to afford the bus fare to make it out to school through the week until Friday. She said at the beginning of Hope Ministries, it was very hard. They had no money and no resources to do anything. Some people would come along to work with it and, realizing there was no money in it, would leave right away. She explained that this ministry is not about money. If you look for that you will fail. But because the others at Hope, including herself, have a vision for these children at the orphanage and the school, one that is purely focused on God and His kingdom, because they have faith, He has provided for them. Some friends came along and helped Hope Ministries. Sometimes neighbors would see that Teacher Judy and her family needed something and would give it to them. And every week since I’ve been here, Teacher Judy has made it to school everyday. This conversation blew Amanda and I away. The faith that this woman has is beyond anything we’re used to in the U.S. We’re learning that this is a staple of the people here: living life by faith. Some might say it’s because they have to; they have no other hope but to trust in God, which is good enough reason. But I like to think that it’s simply because they’re on to something more about the meaning of life than many of us from the U.S. understand. Even with all the resources in the world, it means nothing if there is not faith that there is a God who has supreme control. Their unyielding, powerful faith is something I continue to learn from everyday.


Teacher Judy and Teacher Juliet invited us into their classroom to help with math and letter sounds. Teacher Judy said it’s not about us teaching, but about us connecting with the students and showing them we are there for them. I don’t think we could have said our purpose for being here in clearer terms.


May the power of God continue to amaze you in ways you never expected, and may His unfailing love overwhelm, protect, and guide you, as He fights to be the cornerstone in your life.

In Him,
Roxanna and Amanda

One Month In, Five to Go!

We have officially been here for a month now. As expected, time is beginning to fly by quicker and quicker each week. We have fallen into a general routine here; the girls going to school to teach 7th graders in the morning and the guys heading out to the work site to make bricks for the new school. At lunch we meet up again and sometimes help out with the meal program at the school. In the afternoon we participate in some sort of after-school program. Sometimes it’s a reading program, other times it’s some sort of club, like Scripture Club or dancing. We run whatever errands we need to in town and then return home for the night to spend time with our families and, for Amanda and I, to plan lessons for the following day. The boys’ schedule will change beginning next week, as they will start some more pastoral work, but it’s safe to say we’re pretty settled into life here.

But not without continued learning and constant thought about what we are experiencing. This past week has been a really good time for me to learn more about the teachers and students at the school. One day this week I had the opportunity to talk with Head Teacher Ngoma during our break about what is going on at the school. The progress continues to amaze me. He said that the Zambian government is finally starting to recognize the work that is going on at the community school; it is providing an education to children that the government itself can’t. Another aid organization has provided desks for the classrooms after seeing that most of the students were sitting on the floor before. The meal program is stable and even continues to provide food to the most vulnerable children at the school during the months when school is not in session. And yet there is still so much need in Twapia. Teacher Ngoma began to tell me more about the home life of each student in our class. Nearly every one of the eight has lost at least one parent, several of them have lost both. He even told me that Akeema, a younger girl at the school whom many North Parkers remember, was forced to watch her mother die right before her eyes last year and is now a very troubled girl. I was talking to Teacher Loveness later that same day, and she told me that the boy who passed away when our first group was here was joined by his mother this past year as well. When I asked Teacher Ngoma what caused most of these deaths, he said HIV/AIDS. It is linked very closely with the poverty that exists in Zambia. Nearly an entire generation is being wiped out by this disease, and those who are forced to deal with the consequences left behind sit in our classroom everyday. It reminds me of the significance of what the school is trying to do: bring hope and a future to those left behind. And somehow in some way, by the power of God, it is succeeding. Maybe not in the way this world demands, but the simple fact that these kids continue coming to school is proof of that. They don’t have to come. Most of them could find more immediate benefit by rummaging through scrap metal to sell or some other means of survival. But they come to school. One girl in our class, Joyce, walks one hour one-way everyday to school. And she’s there everyday. Another girl in our class, Doris, was almost forced into a fixed marriage, dowry and all. She’s sixteen. Somehow Teacher Ngoma or one of the teachers from the school convinced her parents that she needed an education first. And so she continues coming to school now. The simple fact that these children can laugh even after all they’ve been through and with all the stakes set against them is a testament to the spirit of the Zambian people. There is such perseverance and patience for progress. And if someone like Teacher Ngoma--who is a Zambian with the means to live beyond the poverty of this country but yet has chosen to be surrounded by it everyday—does not get used to the injustices going on and does not lose hope and passion to change things, then how can I—an American who has lived in comfort my entire life with more than what I need and has only experienced this place for a month—get used to the overwhelming struggles of the people here and decide that there is nothing I can do to help?

Teacher Ngoma said something the first week we were here that has stuck with me ever since. He was teaching the seventh grade class about self-esteem. He told the students that they are special. This is proven by the fact that we came all the way from the U.S. to help them—even when there are many children right in the U.S. that need help. Therefore God is showing them that they are special. This is a perspective I have never taken, but it is so true. So often we look at Africa and the overwhelming poverty and take pity on the poor people who live here. We help them because they need it so badly. But really, I could have chosen to stay in the U.S. to help children there. Teacher Ngoma is right. There is plenty of need there too. But I’m in Zambia because there is something so special about the people here. Something in my heart pulls me here to these special people. It’s not just that they’re poor and needy; they’re valuable and special to me. Until Americans and people around the world start looking at the people of Africa that way, as valuable people who have something to contribute rather than just “poor people” who need so much help, we won’t help them in any way. We have to see them as people. We have to learn their stories and be quiet. I’m thankful that Teacher Ngoma could explain why I am here better than I could; because the people here are special and I believe in the future they can have and make for themselves.

So that’s part of what’s been happening here. My passion for what is going on here is continuing to grow, and I know that God has me right where he wants me to be in my life right now. By losing myself in all of this, I am learning to find myself. For the first time in my life, I’m beginning to practice dying to myself to live for Christ everyday. I can’t be caught up in myself here because I won’t do anything worthwhile if I am. And I’m finding that to die for Christ is gain. I’m nowhere near mastering it and probably never will…but I’m at least realizing that it’s a true statement: to die for Christ is gain. It’s becoming more of a reality to me.

Thanks for reading,
Rox

End of week three

Hey friends! Thank you so much for your continued prayer support! Also thank you for the emails, sorry if I don't respond personally to each of you, but it's so encouraging and refreshing to hear from you all back at home!!

We just finished week three and it was pretty incredible. Weeks prior to this one were filled with a little bit of frustration as we have been trying to figure out where we fit here in Ndola and just trying to figure out the system. This week was filled with encouragement though! The seventh graders Rox and I are teaching really warmed up to us and it's so encouraging to see that and receive words of affirmation from the teachers at the school that we are doing a great job. Our relationships with the teachers have been growing too, as we all have become more comfortable around each other. The first few weeks it was difficult as some of the teachers were a little hesitant to speak English with us, but now it seems they have seized the opportunity to. It's so encouraging! The challenge is on though, I now have to learn Bemba!! Everyone here keeps saying how loved they feel by our presence and how our action of coming all the way from America to spend six months with them really shows them how much love we have for them and the work they are doing. There are some pretty impeccable people here, who despite the circumstances, have such a commitment towards the betterment of their children and their futures. It really speaks to me. Also one of our students who has been having a difficult time with English just scored higher on a test this week, confirming his improved English comprehension! I'm so excited for him and it only motivates me to keep going. God is good and He is doing some amazing things through us and in us. I continue to learn what it means to love others and the people here really care for one another and highly value relationships. I'm excited to learn more and to keep building upon the relationships I have here!! Also, we had the opportunity to drive out to the site this week...watch out Zambia, we're being unleashed!!

Many of God's Blessings, Amanda

Hey all. God is good, and we're doing alright. Remember that the Harvest is ready, so be watchful! Are you ready to do whatever God wants from you today? peace and love.

-td

2 weeks down, 24 more in store!!...so let's explore...so don't ignore. What's the score? Is this a bore, or a chore? Ok, no more.

I am so used to a somewhat instantaneous, resourceful lifestyle. If I want to learn about a subject all I have to do is jump on the internet, go to the library or even a bookstore, then print off the website or copy the pages and I can take them home with me. I am pretty used to having the resources to find the information I want at my fingertips, so it is a hard task for me to teach others without having a bounty of resources and technological devices to gather and produce information. Rox and I just completed our first full week of teaching after observing the classrooms last week. It went rather well, although I am utterly exhausted and didn’t realize all the work that would come of teaching. From our observations of the first week we realized how much time the students spent copying down passages and homework exercises from one textbook, because there weren’t enough textbooks for everyone; even if there were enough textbooks students are not allowed to take them home in fear of them not returning. As our first task of teaching we decided to make booklets of exercises for the students to take home so they wouldn’t have to spend time writing them down and could therefore focus more on solving the problem rather than having the problem written and in their possession. I believe in this solution, yet it takes a lot of energy to make several handouts for each student everyday, nonetheless create a lesson plan, homework exercises, and in-class exercises for the students to work on. It has been a challenge for me not to be selfish this week when I come home from a long day because I want nothing more than to rest, but I know that I need to make worksheets for the students for the next day. On top of this work we are faced with the challenge of teaching concepts to students whose first language is not English. The students have been able to understand our teachings for the most part, yet there isn’t a lot of feedback in English from them, but speaking another language is definitely more challenging than listening to it and understanding it. The students also range in academic levels and it’s been a challenge for us to know how to help each student. My way of living has been challenged as now I can only address one issue at a time, with the limited resources that there are. Instead of having the now luxury of a computer and printer, or a copy machine, I simply have to kick my selfish desires and work towards the goal I fully believe in: to give these students the opportunity to learn and advance so they can improve their quality of life and face the difficulties in Zambia. Please continue to pray for our strength and humility as we fight our selfish desires in order to put the needs of the students above our own. God’s Blessings, Amanda.

As Amanda and I experienced much of the same work these past two weeks, I can echo that I’m exhausted at the end of this week. Neither of us is trained in teaching whatsoever, we are in a different culture where the structure of learning is different from what we experienced in the United States, and there is a language barrier that challenges us to break down material and explain it in a much more creative way than we would with people who speak English as a first language. So we can’t just step in here and do what we know. Every detail of everyday has something new and different that we’ve never experienced before. That being said, I’m re-learning how to rely on God through all of this. At home I can get used to new things pretty quickly and eventually think I can do it pretty much on my own. But here, each day is new. There is no other way but to take each day as it comes, and all I can do is ask God to give me the patience, openness, and care to make that day count.

Just a few of the differences I have seen between school back in the States and school here:

1. In the first two weeks, I’ve witnessed two classes that have talked extensively about HIV/AIDS. In addition, we went to the HIV/AIDS Club last week. It’s an afterschool program that teaches the students about HIV/AIDS and how to encourage their peers to avoid it. I have heard of many different school clubs in the U.S. from art to French, but never is there such a concern over HIV/AIDS.
2. The first day, Teacher Juliet noticed a boy in her class who was burning up with a fever in the midst of nearly 50 other children in the classroom. She forced him to go home. Never have I witnessed a teacher in the U.S. have a classroom of 50 children and discover just one that was sick, and never have I witnessed a child so sick who didn’t say anything to the teacher until he was discovered sick.
3. An entire unit for science was focused on contaminated water and its effects for the 7^th graders. Another unit for 5^th graders is focused on specific types of malnutrition that can be visibly seen everyday. While students in the U.S. study the distant solar system and the physics of a rollercoaster, students here study these everyday concerns prevalent in their society.
4. The headmaster of the school, Teacher Ngoma, was talking to Amanda and I the other day about our class. He said one of the girls, Jane, was privileged because she’s at the orphanage and they have books there to enhance her learning over the other children in the class. Most of them don’t have books at home. I’ve never heard of a child in the U.S. who has lost both parents and must live in an orphanage be described as “privileged” over other children who live at home with parents. That’s just a sign of the concerns in Zambia but also the great work being done through Hope Fellowship with the orphanage and school.

This is just a taste of what’s been happening here. For these reasons, I believe in this school and the work it is doing. I am inspired by the teachers who do this day in and day out, and I’m exhausted after only a week. Through it all, I’m learning about the perseverance and joy of the people here. What we see as limited resources, they see as a blessing and are grateful for what they have. They have a spirit that I hope to continue learning from and adopt myself. Thanks for all the continued support! Rox

Hey all, it's Tom here...Aaron ran outside, probably after the ice cream man or something, so I guess you'll just hear from one of the guys on the team. Just in case any of you were wondering, I came up with the sweet title for the blog, so give credit where credit is due...or blame, depending on how you look at life. :)
Aaron and I have been working on making bricks in order to build the new school. First we dig the dry clay out of the anthill, then we put water on it and let it sit over night. Then we scoop it into a mold, pack it, and pop out a brick. I think we're nearing 1500 in the past 2 weeks, and it's been fun, but tough work. The guys we work with are really fun, and we laugh a lot on the worksite. Perhaps I would have appreciated elementary school a little more if I had to make the bricks to build it... Aaron and I were talking the other day, and we're pretty sure that every seminary should have some sort of physical labor as part of the curriculum. It's pretty humbling. And rewarding. But mostly humbling. But that's a good thing.
We've been drinking at least 150 oz. of water pretty much every day, so we're staying well hydrated. We're resting when we get a chance, but we're really enjoying our time with our Zambian friends. Thanks for your continued support, prayers and encouragement. We couldn't do this without our friends, family, and local churches...you guys rock! And don't worry, I'll make sure that Aaron has all of his proper clothing needs met...no matter what that might be. :) I think of many of you often, and you're in all of our prayers...talk to ya later!!! peace, Tommy D.

Muli Shani! We are here!!!!

Muli Shani everyone! This is Rox. We landed in Zambia yesterday afternoon exhausted, but we're settling in quite well so far. We're seven hours ahead here, and we're all pretty messed up by the time change. When we were in the South Africa airport Amanda and I talked about how we already felt so distant from concerns at home and that we are truly excited and at ease about the next six months here in Zambia. It already feels like home here. We were welcomed with open arms by our host families and were able to rest and settle in well. It's surprising how familiar everything still feels. Just driving and walking around town this morning has brought back a lot of memories and feels as if we already have a history here. The next few days we will be preparing for and talking about what we'll be doing here. And I'm sure we'll have a lively church service tomorrow morning! Rox

Hey all! This is Tommy D. I had no trouble at all adjusting to the time difference. Ok, that might not be true, but after a 4 hour nap yesterday afternoon and 14 hours of sleep last night, I'm feeling quite refreshed. I figured you'd like to hear that Mom and Dad...Dan and Anna, I hope that the honeymoon was awesome as you should be getting home today! It's pretty hot here, but it's supposed to get hotter as we get into October (the hottest month of the year here) just before the rainy season. We're all safe and healthy, and excited to be here. Thanks to all for your prayers, thoughts, support and encouragement. Thanks for worrying about us too, Rich! :) We'll write more another time! Take care, and God bless you all. All our love...TD.

Muli Shani folks! I don't have too much more to add, but I'm doing well minus all the exhaustion from traveling! Thank you for all your prayers as I know they have helped us to get here without any complications, minus one piece of lost luggage! The weather is great, it's about 85 and sunny and windy! I am looking forward to being more rested and being able to jump in with enthusiasm into the work we will be doing here! I hope all is well in the States and I look forward to hearing from all of you!! God Bless! Amanda

Howdy! I don't have much more to add either, as I can shadow most of what has already been said. Last night at dinner Uncle J shared many stories with Tom and I about lions and tourists haha. Tom and I are also impressed with Kongono's new dog, whose name is Cheetah. After breakfast this morning Lillian, our host mother told us that tommorow morning we are going to have a great celebration for Jesus and that wew are going to have oats for breakfast so that we will have energy to dance. I will also be venturing back to the airport today to see if my bag has arrived yet. It has all my t-shirts and socks, but I do have enough underwear and pants in case you all were wondering. I guess I had more to share then I thought. Thank you for all your prayers. Much Love and Peace. Aaron

We've got a blog!!

Hey Everbody!

This is Tom, and I'm one of the Spark Global Interns. Now that the blog is up and running , please feel free to keep in touch with Aaron, Roxanna, Amanda, and myself as we spend the next six months in Zambia, Africa! We leave in eight days and we're all really excited! Thanks in advance for your thoughts, prayers and words of encouragement. We look forward to seeing some of you, and at the very least, keeping in touch over the next half year!

Happy writing!!!

Tom