Arrival Day

On the day that we arrived, we first went to our ‘villa’.  This villa was actually perfect – showerheads that were broken, a floor that looked as if it hadn’t been cleaned in months, an oven that had a big sign near it with the words – ‘use breaker to turn on and off, knobs do not work’.  Why was this perfect?  Because the villa mates were some of the best people I could imagine with which to share this week, and because we were serving children that were sleeping on the dirt, with sometimes barely a blanket, in temperatures that were in the 40’s.  How could I sleep in complete comfort knowing that there were so many that had so little?  ….And YES, I have asked myself that every day that I have been back from Zambia as well.

The most wonderful villa mates - minus Robyn Petty who was behind the camera. 
All from Stonebridge Church in The Woodlands

After getting settled into our villa, we were bussed to the site that Family Legacy Missions International (FLMI) purchased for Camp and the Tree of Life village.  We were introduced to some of the culture and the language.  Some interesting tidbits – ‘You are very fat’ is a complement….  ‘It’s just OK’ means all is very well…’You are silly’ is an insult – silly is not a good word-, and talking during a meal is not something that the Zambians do.  This was all quite entertaining and useful as the week progressed! 

The founder of this mission, Greer Kendall, then spoke wonderful words of encouragement to us all.  My prayer in my journal the days before we left was that God would prepare Pat’s and my heart for all that He would fill it with on this journey and that he would give me a servant’s attitude,  heart, and mind…. all for His glory.  As I look back, I truly believe he answered that prayer.  My prayer continues to be that he would keep me on that path.  Greer asked that we read Isaiah 61:1-3, and pray it for ourselves.  It remains my prayer to this day.

I pray, my God, that the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord would be upon me.  I pray that you, my God, would anoint me to preach the good news to the poor.  I pray that you would send and help me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor…..to comfort all who mourn.  I pray that you would bestow upon them, my God, through me, a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair, so they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

Praying God’s word, I have found, becomes the most amazing and effective times of prayer for me.  God’s word is truly powerful!