7/21/2010 11:30 am
I am sitting in the STL airport and definitely realizing how real this is. I think my nerves are helping me realize it too-or maybe throwing up out the car window on the way to the airport. Yes I have started this trip out great. I think I am ready, although my fears seem to be mounting.
Our plane to Johannesburg is delayed-as of now, but I figure that will only allow more time for our team to bond.
I am already missing my mom and dad. Family and friends. But I trust God will do a work in their lives and watch over them as I go.
I`ll be sure to pen any fun and exciting experiences as we travel. I am praying for God to start working now and bless conversations on the plane and between cities.
7/21 7:00 pm
So we have been sitting on the runway at the Dulles airport for two hours now, still unable to leave because of weather related issues. We are sweating bullets because the air conditioning is not running.
Amy (our team leader) and I chatted for a while and I already can see how beautiful her heart is. On my right are JA and Aaron who are both studying medicine as undergraduates. It has been a blessing already to chat with them about decisions and practicality and all the things I am unsure about with my future in medicine.
Amy explained that we actually have a 7-hour flight to Senegal, where we stop and re-fuel while on the plane for about an hour. Then we have another 8 –hour flight to Johannesburg. It is 7:08 now and we just cleared for takeoff. Everyone on the plane is clapping.
The girls on the team are so much fun. They all have great personalities and a hilarious sense of humor. I have been laughing since we met. I am so excited for everything God has in store. We are really going.
7/22 11:00 pm
Well we arrived safely in Lusaka, Zambia at 9:00 pm and to the Cure Hospital by 10:30 pm.
Traveling was fine aside from our plane being delayed and our luggage getting lost from South Africa to Zambia. We should get it tomorrow though.
I myself got sick around dinner time in the USA on the first flight and spent 15 hours drinking coke and running to the bathroom to throw up. It was a pretty miserable travelling experience. I hated it because I didn’t feel up to talking and playing games with the rest of the team. That really stunk. Being sick really makes me homesick. But eventually the Lord calmed my stomach and I am praying he continues to so I can eat here and enjoy the cultural foods.
As we landed the plane to Lusaka it was amazing to see the city lights contrasting with the pitch black where no one has electricity. Literally there was no grey area. Black, then white. And as we walked out of the airport and into the Cure van the smell of a cow farm and somewhat of a curry like smell filled my nose. It was too dark to see anything. But I could tell it was Africa.
We have to be up early for team devotionals so I will write more later.
7/23 10:00 am
This morning was a beautiful time to meet the staff and learn about short-term missions and Zambia. It is very windy and cold-I guess it really is winter here. My stomach is better, but still queezy from being sick and jet lag.
After devotionals we toured the hospital. All the patients are gone because Cure is expanding the O.R. and the ENT building. It was crazy to hear Dr. Sichizya (Cure`s Neurosurgeon in Zambia) is one of only two neurosurgeons in Zambia! And Alfred, another medical professional, is the only Odeologist in the country! How crazy is that. Cure Zambia is doing beautiful things for the glory of God. Being here makes me so badly want to be a nurse. I pray that will be made clearer by the Lord while I serve here.
The Bush is light green and all looks very dried out. There isn’t much around us aside from some homes and roads. It`s much like I envisioned Africa.
Today JA, Aaron, and I will get to shadow nurses and the docs working with outpatients since the O.R. is closed. I am so excited for that. And we found out tomorrow we (the outreach team with the staff) will go fishing! (I wish so badly my dad was here to go with us, I know he would love it!) I am sure it will be quite an experience.
8:00 pm
The rest of the day was spent with the ENT Dr. Uta from Berlin, Germany, and the Physiotherapists. We saw three children: 1 year, 3 years, and 8 years, all who had hearing problems. The two younger children had been to see a doctor before, but neither could talk or hear. The mothers seemed very depressed and saddened yet not surprised. I observed everything as Dr. Uta checked their eardrums, sucked out wax, and signed them up for hearing testings.
One mother suggested her child was “tongue-tied” and cannot talk. But she also couldn`t hear. Dr. Uta told us this is a common misconception in Africa. This is where the “tongue-tie” (skin connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth) is to short, leaving kids unable to talk. She assured the mother, “if your baby can cry like that, there is no way she is tongue-tied.” (In her thick German accent) As they left Dr. Uta told us with a wide grin she was ecstatic that these kids came in so young as potentially deaf kids, because they can be given hearing aids and speak through speech development therapy. She then told us sadly when kids come who are already 5, 6, and older, it is much more likely they will ever develop normal speech patterns but instead remain unable to talk forever and isolated from any sort of public schooling. I thank God that Josa (the baby) was able to see Dr. Uta today. Her life will never be the same because of it.
I spent a couple of hours with Doreas in Physiology. One man, Peter, was doing physical therapy for partial paralysis of his right side from a stroke he had earlier. Another sweet older woman, Gladys, was being treated for two recent knee replacements (within the year) that she had done by Cure Zambia.
Later in the afternoon a mother and her baby came for a check-up. Her son was a hydrocephalus baby. Hydrocephalus is "also known as "water on the brain," is a medical condition in which there is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles, or cavities, of the brain. This may cause increased intracranial pressure inside the skull and progressive enlargement of the head, convulsion, tunnel vision, and mental disability. Hydrocephalus can also cause death." As the mother walked through the grounds with her sweet baby boy in his striped orange and white sweater with blue jean overalls on her back, he stretched out his little fingers and began shaking the hand of each person he met along the way, even the Americans. He was precious.
The rest of the day we spent resting and re-cooperating with delicious Nschima (the staple Zambian food-a corn meal much like grits which hardens and then is eaten with your hand) and some Frisbee. Our luggage arrived late afternoon, Praise the Lord!
Tomorrow JA, Aaron, and I are going on a day mobile clinic with the ENT emergency crew. We will leave at 4 am (battling jet lag) and be back late late tomorrow evening. We will miss the fishing trip, but I imagine God will bless us with much more. I am so excited for this opportunity to go. It will be eye-opening and God glorifying. So, time for me to get to sleep! Bis Morgen! (As Dr. Uta would say)
7/24 5:30 pm
Well today has been a long day for sure. And it isn’t over yet.
We started out this morning with a 4-hour drive from Lusaka to Kaloma. As we drove into Kaloma for the clinic we passed the World Vision Zambia headquarters. My eyes filled with tears as I prayed silently for my sweet Melody, my Zambian sponsor child through World Vision. When we arrived at the office there was a world vision land rover parked outside. Harold asked, “you know world vision?” And we replied in unison, “yes!” Then he told us that Cure partners with them in the southern district of Zambia. How beautiful. It was a special, special, personal blessing from the Lord to hear this.
We were in Kaloma from 8am-2pm. We waited on the doctor, coming from another surgery, to arrive for two hours. It was sad to watch everyone who had walked miles sit and wait but my anticipation heightened as I realized what they were waiting for. As we waited we played with a sweet little girl, Peggy, and her sister as they taught us fun games in the sand, similar to hopscotch. They were precious. As the clinic began we sat right next to Dr. Moyo as he explained one by one the symptoms and plans for treatment for each patient.
We saw tons of medical issues: the three forms of cerebral palsy, cleft palate, club foot, club fingers, neuroblastulas (of face and femur), hermaphrodites, gigantism in toes, hydrocephalus, spina bifida, closed growth plates, and so much more. It was so incredibly sad it was honestly physically hard to hold back the tears all day. But it was so worth it realizing so many of those kids would later receive treatment from the Cure hospital in Lusaka.
JA just reminded me about the life threatening car ride we endured this morning starting at 4:30 am. Harold loved to play chicken with nearly every Semi truck that passed. It was incredibly scary, but kept me awake the whole ride. In addition to hitting giant potholes without warning at an average speed of 120 km/hr.
Around 6:30 am I watched as the most beautiful African sunrise peeped up behind the trees. Yes, I would have to say it even beat the beautiful Blue Ridge sunrises I have watched. The pinks, reds, oranges, and yellows lit up the savannah in the most breathtaking way. As we drove I saw several flocks of guinea fowl, making me think of my special and precious Granny back in Virginia, who without her, I wouldn’t have been going on this trip. We also saw lots of pigs and donkeys along the road.
After the first clinic we left, grabbed lunch, and then headed to clinic #2 in Choma. At this clinic we had many more adults show up, but since Cure specializes in disables children and can only operate free for children 18 and under, many were simply directed to another clinic for help. But we still saw 45 children before the adults. There again were close to 30 CP children, who can only receive physical therapy and/or wheelchairs. Other than that we saw club foot, hydrocephalus, spina bifida, and others. Again it was an amazing chance to see all those diseases and deformities and listen to the doc explain everything to us. It was crazy how many people thought us (JA, Aaron, and I) were medical doctors and asked us questions.
Around 5 we closed the clinic and left. At 5:20 we (Americans) were dropped off at the Kozo resort. We are currently sitting on the patio, watching the sunset, listening to Zambian reggae music, and journaling. We were joking that it feels like a legit African themed prom. And we should be standing up dancing. But we are to tired. Around 7:30 we will get picked up by Harold, who took the doc back to his car in Kaloma, and begin our drive back to Lusaka. I am pooped already but I cannot wait for more of what God has in store for tomorrow. I pray we make it home safely tonight.
Well I am exhausted and we are headed to order a pizza while we wait for Harold to pick us up. Bis denn!
7/25 10:00pm
Today was a wonderful day. We woke early, enjoyed breakfast, tea, and headed to a native Zambian church for service. A traditional Zambian service is 2.5 hours long, with a sermon and lots of prayer and worship. Of course the sermon was about returning to God-and the pastor opened the service by saying to us “turn to your neighbor and say ‘you are here for a reason. You are here for a purpose. You are here today because God has something to say to you.’” I saw in anxious anticipation as he spoke the word and the Holy Spirit interceded in my own journey. It seems almost everyday now since I have been in Zambia the Lord is pressing on my to return. To leave behind the dry, weary season I am coming out of, and accept his grace, forgiveness, and trust him to be in control. And I desperately want to. I pray that He gives me the strength and courage to do so.
After the service we went straight to the market where we shopped, ate lunch, and bartered for African goods. Many of the shop owners would ask our names, where we were from, and say they would give us “deals” (which weren’t really deals because as soon as they saw we were American they jacked up the prices). The exchange rate from dollars to kwacha is 100 to 1. So I was buying bowls for 30,000 K. It was so weird. As we shopped I met a guy from Richmond, Virginia and I met several kids who were with a group of 50 on a global expeditions mission trip to Zambia. It made me miss my sweet friend Courtney, who just service with global expeditions in Australia. I left the market with many fun gifts, but I also didn’t feel like I got very much for all my friends (I am too particular when it comes to gift giving-and today it was a bad thing). But I know more than gifts I cannot wait to bring home the stories and the lessons God has taught and led here in Zambia. After the market we climbed back into Harold and Nah`s van and headed to the hospital. When we got there Amy gave us a heads up about the outreach and told us what we needed to know and pack. Then the packing began. From about 5-8 pm we packed our bags, the van, the Land Rover, all the equipment, games, food, etc (we also got in a few really fun soccer games with the Go team and Harold’s sweet twins and their cousin Moses). Three precious kids. Around 8:30 we headed to Harold and Nah`s house where we had a delicious dinner including: noodles, potatoes, rice, beans, fruit, salad (cole-slaw), and whole fish. Yes whole, battered and fried fish. Dad would have been proud of me for eating it. After we stuffed ourselves and watched the Jetsons, Ben 10, and other cartoons with the kids, Harold showed us the Cure Zambia PowerPoint. It was about the beginnings of the hospital, staff, and patient stories. It was a recollection of the 4, 232 children Cure Zambia has successfully treated since 2007! Praise God! We sat in silence as we watched the footage and pictures. I felt another tug on my heart towards nursing. After the PowerPoint we thanked them and said our goodbyes. Harold drove us back to the hospital for a decent nights sleep before the outreach begins!
7/26 10:00pm
Today has literally blown my mind. This morning was the normal routine of waking up, eating, meeting the outreach team, playing soccer, and loading up the Cure bus to set out. I forgot to mention earlier that here there is such thing as Zambian time. Zambian time is where we Americans are called to be 100% flexible and patient because nothing ever goes as expected time wise. It is never a bad thing; it is just really funny in comparison to our culture. We left the hospital at 10 am (we were suppose to leave at 8) for a 3-hour trip, which didn’t end until 3 pm. That’s Zambian time for you! We first got gas, snacks, then back on the road. We stopped later for beans and tomatoes at a roadside market, then later for lunch, then finally at our destination in the middle of nowhere, “the bush.” (as we came to know it) I also forgot to mention that there are speed humps in every city that slowed us down. And hurt. We ended up 6 hours north of Lusaka, past Kabwe, near Mpongwe. As we drove deep into the bush every child’s face lit up with joy. They would wave furiously and chase us as far as they could. When we pulled up to our bush spot a line of Zambian villagers were singing, dancing, and playing drums for our arrival. It was amazing. We spent the next minutes dancing and singing with them. We finally called it quits realizing it was getting darker and went to start setting up the tents and moving luggage. (none of the Zambians, even from the city, had ever set up a tent before, it was hilarious to say the least). We also got our team t-shirts which everyone wore most everyday while we were there. It reminded me so much of DASS camp and English camp in Germany and Switzerland that I have done the past 3 years. Those kids there didn’t take off their camp shirts for anything, no matter how dirty and sweaty they got. After everything was set up we spent the next 2 hours dancing. We watched, learned, taught, and laughed. It was so fun. Oh woops, I forgot to mention. Right before the dancing, us Americans explored the bathrooms-if you can call them that. Really they were deep holes in the ground surrounded by tall grass walls where we had to go all week! Man what an experience.
Harold stopped the dancing at 7 to make us all eat. And so our first meal together in the bush began with delicious, seriously, nschima, sauce, noodles, and the best chicken I have ever had… “bush chicken.” Their chicken was so much better than any chicken I’ve ever had. It was so meaty and so juicy and so fresh. Man. Delicious! The food all around is amazing. Especially nschima, which they eat as their staple food. After dinner the locals around were invited to our sight to watch the Jesus Film in Tonga (their language). And so we all gathered as we watched, sitting on tree stumps in the bush. I can’t really explain but even as my butt was numb and I was exhausted, I knew I couldn’t turn in early. And I am so glad I didn’t. when the movie ended Harold stood and gave an altar call. Within the blink of an eye the crowd slowly flooded the “stage” area in front of the projector. Women, children, teens, mothers, fathers, and grandparents. Even a few dogs. I saw down with hot tears running down my face as they repeated in Tonga the prayer of salvation aloud. 49 Zambians committed their life to Christ tonight. God won the hearts of 49 of his children in the African bush tonight. It was amazing. A beautiful thing. I still cannot fathom it. I am beyond excited for what God has planned for each of these lives, and for this outreach.
Our outreach team consists of many members of one body. Our church/pastor team, leadership, medical, and those serving as cooks, drivers, etc. Devine, Mercy, Grace, Precious, Chipo, Snick, Aaron, the list goes on. Beautiful people with beautiful hearts to serve. On the bus today I met a girl, Chipo, who is actually moving to St. Louis in the spring to attend college here. What a small world. She is from Lusaka and serving as a volunteer on the outreach team.
God is so good. May he receive all the glory. I am already praying for the Holy Spirit to move in me and in the Zambians as we are here, to serve his glory. But for now I better sleep, to the sound of the village kids playing drums and singing. A beautiful melody.
7/27 8:00pm
I woke up this morning at 4:30 am to the rooster’s crowing. Then again at 5:30 to the sound of songs and prayers being lifted up by the Zambians. Then finally I woke up at 6:30 to my alarm clock. And then the day began. As soon as I dressed and used the hole in the ground to “wash my legs” (this is how they saw go to the bathroom) I was put to work in the kitchen. We had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and the peanut butter-Black Cat-is absolutely so much better than American, and we had delicious, the most delicious, tea I’ve ever had. I had three cups. Yum. After breakfast we gathered to set up groups for the outreach. We separated into 6 groups, went over group plans, and set out to spread the gospel amongst the villages. The first people we came across were 5 men cutting down a tree to make room for a road. Each of them put down their axes, sat, and gave us their full attention. Devine (yes that’s his real name, pronounced diving) shared the gospel with them as we all listened and interceded in prayer. After Devine talked one man instantly said, “Yes, I want to right now!” So we all bowed our heads and Devine led him in the prayer of salvation. Afterwards another man asked a few questions and then decided he wanted to as well, now knowing the answers to some unclear questions. And two others of the men decided yes, quietly though. And the last said no, he didn’t have room for Jesus in his life right now. It was amazing to pray with them and watch God work in their hearts as the Holy Spirit was preparing them for that very moment. We went on and came to a village of 9 people, 5 women and 4 men and two small babies. Here another woman from our group presented the gospel and then we were bombarded with questions. The women were seriously interested and desired to know more. The men, however, aside from one, were very harsh, rude, and condemning of our faith. They made jokes and laughed to each other. One man later at our camp told us he was a believer. After talking we headed back to have lunch. It was incredible to walk in and out of those situations like that and just see the work of God at hand. It is really changing the way I see evangelism already. After lunch we separated into groups for the afternoon activities. Each day we had the medical clinic and then classes: deliverance, young adults, married, children’s ministry, and new believers. When we went out in the mornings we invited everyone we saw to come back for the afternoon sessions and the Jesus Film. JA, Aaron, and I were of course in the clinic for the afternoons. We were working alongside Grace, Mercy, Sara, and Devine.
The clinic all week is going to be much different than I expected. Harold explained that our number one goal is to share Christ with everyone. Then number two to take medical care to these village people, especially looking for hidden and socially shamed kids with disabilities so Cure can share the gift of a cure with them. So in the afternoons we are mostly treating cuts and scrape type issues. Which is still awesome. Whatever makes Christ famous is how I want to serve.
After the afternoon sessions we played jump rope, double dutch, African games, took pictures, and learned the kids` names. Justin (a Zambian on our team) has a daughter named Blessings. And she is adorable. The kids are each so individually precious and beautiful. They are so full of energy. At six we ate dinner. Tonight was super sketch. Haha. The first one so far. Harold told us he bought an ox to eat, which he hid because he thought we didn’t want to see it however, its entire body was hanging from a tree all day. Yum. So dinner tonight was the tongue, liver, intestines, and tomorrow will be other meat cuts. So basically I didn’t eat the meat, haha. But rice, trail mix and a cliff bar. I survived just fine.
After dinner they started the Jesus film again and as I write 150 people are gathered watching the film. After Harold will present another altar call, I cannot wait to see how God will move. I am looking forward to the extra sleep tonight, knowing the ground isn’t very comfortable and the singing and dancing will probably wake me up, along with the roosters. But then I realize how each of these complaints are blessing in my life today. I cannot believe that I am saying that-that I am loving peeing in a hole, sleeping on the hard hurtful ground, getting no sleep, eating weird ox parts. I love it because I am sharing in the ministry that Christ did. I am dwelling among these people-just like he came and dwelled among us. What a blessing.
7/28 9:40 pm
Today has been weird. Outreach this morning was very tiresome and hot to be honest. For the first time I felt physically exhausted. We walked miles, talked, prayed, and walked more. We met many believers along the way, and three who hadn’t heard the gospel. There seems to be a common thread of many who cannot read, so no one has bibles. And those without bibles have so many questions. Really good questions! Our team is thinking about raising money to get more Bibles in Tonga for Cure to distribute. Hopefully we can. The outreach has really made me think about how I don’t live very missionally, especially on campus. It makes me think about how because there are so many groups on campus I fail to preach Christ more than those groups. Like I leave it up to them to do the work. Much like the churches here we have heard about. I pray that will change as I return to VT in the fall. After outreach we had lunch, and then the clinic again. We had around 10 patients today. Nothing we could treat immediately, but the doctors were able to explain the issues and help them to know how to be treated. We have yet to find any disabled kids here in Mpongwe. Then we had free time. We walked to an open field and watched the sunset. It was gorgeous. Then dinner-nschima! And ox thigh J After dinner tonight we had songs, dance, and sharing around the campfire. It was a great time. I felt somewhat in a daze through most of today. Trying to discern what God is telling me and how I can really apply it to my life. For some reason the concept of returning to him has been heavy on my mind and heart today.
7/29
Today feels very much a daze once again. God is speaking to me so loudly in these days it is almost as if I can’t hear anyone else. It is the weirdest feeling. Like when I am doing ministry and learning, I am hearing God more than I am hearing the real people I am around. But then, I am watching God at work in others lives and seeing people left and right dedicate their lives to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am watching him heal people physically and bringing in children who desperately need his touch through surgeries and the loving care of people. I am seeing him unite believes from all nations and denominations and walks of life so that the glory of his majesty shines among these bush people. God is at work. God is moving and doing so many things. But more than being a team member, or a servant, I am enjoying being his. Being his daughter. Resting in hearing his voice and obeying his call over my life. I can honestly other than when I gave my life to him, and when my dad had cancer, I have never felt his presence this real and this tangible.
Today consisted of walking, “leg washing,” eating sweet potatoes, drinking tea, devos, outreach in the rural villages. Today we piled 2 teams in the land rover and drove 30 minutes to another village. The first family we met were a very elderly family that knew the Lord. They told us about how God had become very dark in this village and in their family. They told us they needed prayer and encouragement, and asked that we continue to pray for them. Later on we came across kids playing in a schoolyard, next to a small brick building with hardly a roof. We found out later from the 2 governmentally funded teachers that they were teaching 209 kids, grades 1-7, in that teeny, tiny school house. They had no chairs, hardly and material to work with at all. Yet the joy on those teachers’ faces was incomprehensible. They had given up any form of life they knew to share knowledge with these precious kids. It was a very sad but very beautiful thing. It was a great time to encourage and pray with believers. As well as to share the love of God through the gospel with those who’d never heard. After outreach we enjoyed lunch and then free time until the afternoon sessions. Today we did the dental clinic where Sara (the dentist) examined toothaches, mouth and gum pain, gum disease, and she taught everyone proper dental care with their very own toothbrushes and toothpaste. It was amazing to see how young these mothers and teens were who already had horrible dental health. It was amazing to be able to help how we could. We also saw normal patients and had one child schedule a surgery with Cure. He will be changed forever by having full use of his hand through Cure’s help. After the clinic we went to a nearby farm to get greens for dinner. The farmer picked for us as we walked and took in the beautiful sunset over their pond. We headed back and prepared Nschima for dinner. As we ate, the men brought in a goat-the goat we had earlier watched the kids play with and seen standing around-now headless and skinned. Probably lunch tomorrow! Dinner was delicious. Tonight we are watching the Jesus Film here at the church again. I am excited and anticipating Christ will change hearts tonight by the power of the Holy Spirit, who is already working in them. It is almost unbelievable that God can use that film to touch lives-for eternity. But he can. And he is.
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20
7/30
Today was bittersweet. We woke up at the normal time to the kids dancing and singing and playing the drums. We all began packing up our bags and sleeping bags and hen cleaning out the dirty, dusty tent. Once we finished we spent several hours playing with the kids until we started devos. At devos Amy shared about Daniel and how he was young and unprepared when God called him to a people that was not his own, and hen provided him with three friends to make the journey. God was with them, even through the fire, because they fasted and praying for his presence. After Amy shared we all sang a song in English for everyone and then one by one thanked the Zambians and villagers for what they did for us. It was so sad to realize we really were leaving. Devos ended and we all had a quick breakfast of sweet potatoes and tea. Then we took our team photos. Then as the other groups set out for ministry, we washed dishes from breakfast. Within an hour we packed the rover with 14 people and all their luggage and set out to Lusaka. Only a few minutes into the ride we stopped at a home and bought two chickens, which rode in the rover with us, squawking all the way out of the bush. Once we got on our way again we made only three stops until we reached Lusaka. Great for Zambian time! We spent the ride cracking jokes, singing, and playing a few games. Most of the team slept but Larissa kept me company J Once in Lusaka, back at Cure, Danny dropped us off and we all took turns using a really toilet, and a cold shower! It was heavenly!! We were all very happy campers. It was the most glorious shower I have ever had in my life. After some confusion with who was taking us to dinner we set out in the rover to Picato, an Italian bar and restaurant. And oh my word. It was culture shock. Going from the bush, still smelling and feeling the dirt in between my toes, walking into a fancy restaurant where there were matching couches to walls and so many people dressed up. I guess it was really similar to an Olive Garden type place, except with people way over dressed. It was shocking. The strangest thing going from the bush life to this fancy setting. We all enjoyed amazing meals and chatting around the table with Dr. Sichizya and Peter Kaylo, the hospital director. The funniest part of dinner had to be the fancy place and setting and then the fact that there were cats just walking around in the place…supposedly to catch rats and mice, so I was fan. After dinner Kachinga took us around downtown Lusaka which was beautiful, and then back to the hospital. Now we are settling in to real beds and pillows. I am very excited. Although my perspective on life will never be the same again. We leave early morning for Zimbabwe. More adventures to come I am sure.
7/31
I think I have been so busy and going non-stop I haven’t realized how much my feet are aching. The second I sit down, I feel it. What a blessing it didn’t bother me at all in the bush. The bush life doesn’t cater well to my butt, back, shoulders, and hips, but especially my feet. Before I came my left arch had a stress fracture and my right hurt almost as bad. Immediately I began wearing my orthotics (personal arches) and put away my Toms-so depressing. But here even with wearing my arch supports, my feet ache. Walking miles each day and really almost never sitting down-well I am starting to feel it. But I am young…too young. So my feet will continue to go on being ignored and I will enjoy walking and dancing! So enough about my feet. On to the fact that I am sitting here in our lodge in Zimbabwe, which is culture shock all over again. After 7 hours in the car, in what feels like a honeymoon swet, laying on a bed (yes a glorious mattress!), with a personal mosquito net above me. I think this is similar to heaven. We spent all day driving, stopping for roadside pees, stopping for food, driving, slowing for road humps, driving, and then driving some more. We reached Livingstone/the border around 4:30 pm, got our visa/ passport stamped, and on we went. Our next adventure was to walk, by foot, across a bridge stretching over the Zambezi River just in front of Victoria Falls. We walked slowly, took pictures, and I felt myself gasp to catch the breath I had lost looking at the falls. To our left bungee jumpers were going off the bridge one by one. We haven’t actually been to where all the falls are but I already know they are the most beautiful creation I have ever seen. I cant believe I forgot to mention anything about Denis! Denis is our guide. We got to know him much better tonight, at dinner, but basically he is a professional hunter of the big 5 in Zimbabwe. No I am not joking or making hat up because it does sound dangerous. He is from London but now lives here and spends his time, hunting, leading safaris, or getting paid to take people on hunts. He has a sweet accent, and wears the hilarious safari outfit. Anyways, he’s great. We are staying with his mother, sister, and him in the lodges. After we crossed the bridge we headed towards the lodge to watch the most amazing African sunset. Cape buffalo and guinea hens were heading towards the water to drink as the sun set perfectly behind them. It was like Lion King. Then we headed to our lodge where we (really just Aaron and our moral support) BBQ`d or ( Braiied? as Denis says) tons and tons of meat. Along with the meat we had fresh salad (I cannot even explain how much I have missed fresh veggies), baked beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, and grilled onions (yes I tried some just so I can tell my mom I did it to be hospitable, she knows how much I abhor onions!) For desert we had grilled bananas with pecans and chocolate-delicious. I am spending the rest of tonight journaling and reading in preparation for another big day filled with adventures. I am trying to get up my nerve to gorge swing across the Zambezi from a 1000 ft gorge! We will see what happens tomorrow!
8/1
There is so much adrenaline pumping through my veins that other than being completely physically exhausted makes it hard to sit here concentrating and writing. This morning we had breakfast, I had muesli and yogurt (a traditional German breakfast) and my first coffee of the trip! Soon after we headed out in our Safari van to the elephants. We arrived at a beautiful ranch style building where we had more coffee and an orientation before riding. We headed to the elephants and mounted up. Ally and I rode on Jumbo, the biggest of the herd (hence the name) yet the most stubborn. Our guide’s name was Richard and he was a native from Zimbabwe. He used to break thoroughbreds and minis for a living but changed to elephants because he said they are much smarter and therefore much more fun to work with. And he has been working with them now for 12 years! Jumbo was a character for sure. He was very big and ornery. He always snagged a snack, meaning broke off an entire top of a tree and left the rest to spring up and hit us. But that’s what Richard had a big stick he carried for. The ride was awesome. Afterword we spent time feeding the elephants and taking photos. It was so much fun. I absolutely loved it. But then again I was born to ride. Once it was all over we had some soda and snacks and waited on the van to pick us up. The van drove us straight to the gorge swing where Steph, Amy, and I all jumped off a 1000-foot gorge near the falls over the Zambezi River. It was the scariest most insane thing I’ve ever done in my life. But totally worth it. After the swing we went to Victoria Falls National Park where we walked alongside the opposite side of the falls. I saw, constantly, the most beautiful rainbows I have ever seen. We were soaked from the water but it was absolutely gorgeous and definitely one of the most amazing creations I have ever seen. We went from the falls to the market where we bartered a little more for goodies until we headed off to a sunset cruise on the Zambezi, above the falls. On the cruise we saw crocodile, hippos, elephants, and lots and lots of birds. The sunset was absolutely breathtaking. The pinks, yellows, oranges, reds, all outlining the forest/bush before the beautiful river. It was stunning. I spent almost the entire cruise just watching out over the boat at the sun and sunset, and thanking God for how creation speaks of his glory. From the cruise we headed straight to the Boma for dinner. The Boma was a very cultural/tourist dining attraction. We enjoyed face painting, dressing up, dancing, drumming, eating crocodile, warthog, kudu, ostrich, and some of us on the team ate worms for a certificate (not me though-gross). It was a fun place, but very different from what we experienced of the culture in the bush. Needless to say today was jammed packed with new experiences, sights, and learning. I guess all I can say is I am so blessed to have been able to experience any of this. God is gracious beyond anything I will ever be able to comprehend.
8/2
Today I heard God. It excited my heart and encouraged me faith. I cannot wait get it on paper! We woke early and had our last breakfast at the lodge. Talking to Denis` mom Mary was one of my favorite parts of being in Zimbabwe. She is older, obviously, originally from Ireland, moved to Zimbabwe before it was called Zimbabwe, married, and has been there ever since. She is wise and cunning and a sweet, sweet lady. Anyway, we left the lodge at 8:30 and went to the market for a coupe hours more. I traded some socks and got rid of some old Euro coins I had from serving in Germany and Switzerland. After shopping we headed to the border. We got our passports quickly stamped and then piled into the Cure land rover with our driver, Danny, and headed back to Lusaka. We arrived in a reasonably okay time for once, being with the Zambian time schedule J Along the ride we played cards, me and Larissa cracked jokes while everyone else slept. Mom and Dad would be so proud of me to hear we have spent 33 hours in the car while here so far, and I have only slept for four! (They know I am a chronic car and plane sleeper). While we were driving we (meaning JA and I) saw Zebras along the roadside (no one else was quick enough to catch a blink of them). That was exciting because we didn’t see any in Zimbabwe. After that everyone was asleep except Larissa and I once again. We both were just quiet and looking out the windows mostly. All the public transportation here in Zambia has these small blue and white buses that people just pile into. I am not sure who does, but someone names each individual bus. Either the front, back, or both windows will have a huge name written across it with white bold lettering. Some of the names we have seen so far are: Jesus loves, Show me the way, God gives, Mama Razor, and so on. They are all totally random. But today I was gazing out the window when I saw a bus coming up behind us. The front window said in big white bold letters, Gifted Hands. And as it drove around to pass us, the back said Ben Carson. I was in shock, literally. Gifted Hands is the book and movie telling the biography of Ben Carson. Dr. Carson was a kid who grew up in inner-city Detroit to a single mom who didn’t even make it past third grade. Needless to say they were extremely poor. Through Carson’s` moms` encouraging words and his God given talent he made his way through school, all the way to Yale where he graduated with a B.S. in Psychology. He then went on to medical school at the University of Michigan where he became a Pediatric Neurosurgeon. By 32 he was the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at John’s Hopkins Hospital. Carson was the first Neurosurgeon to separate Siamese twins at the head, perform an intra-uterine procedure, and a hemispherectomy. But the amazing thing about Carson has never been his performance, success, or accomplishments, but rather his life giving love for the Lord. Carson is known more for his heart than any of these things. He loved the Lord and gave God credit for every single gift that he had that allowed him to do these life changing medical procedures. Anyways, I read Gifted Hands while my dad was undergoing surgery, chemo, and radiation for Cancer in 2008. It was through that time that I really felt God tug on my heart to think about a medical career. And Carson’s encouragement and words furthered that tug. When I saw that bus it was as if God was sitting right next to me saying, “Les, this is what I want you to do.” And I do believe in so many ways he has given me the heart and the brain to do it. I even remember a while ago thinking about why God had me play lacrosse for so many years through middle and high school. And really I had no clue, because although I liked it, I didn’t see much of his purpose in it. Now I see and understand that lacrosse is one way God taught me to have great ambidexterity with my arms and hands but also with my hand-eye coordination. Which is crucial in the medical field. What a blessing. And there are so many more. I am grateful to God for providing that bus at that time and in that place. How beautiful in his sovereignty. Once we got to the Cure Hospital in Lusaka we ate dinner and talked about our week in the outreach. The roof of the O.R. expansion still isn’t finished, so who knows if it will be opened while we are here. I am still hoping and praying it will be. We were all going to play Chinese rummy but everyone is tried and we have an early morning ahead-so it looks like off to bed for us.
8/3
Here are some of the basic words we learned in the three main languages of Zambia that I wrote down:
ENGL | BEMBA | NYANJA | TONGA |
Good Morning | Mwashibukeni | Muli Bwanji? | Mwabuka buti |
How are you? | Muzuhile? | Muli Shani | Mwabuka buti |
I`m fine | Bwino | Bwino | Kabotu |
Goodbye | Shaaleenipo | Salani bwino | Muchale kabotu |
Yes | Eya Ye | Inde | Inzya |
No | Awe | Iyayi | Pepe |
Thank You | Twa totel a | Zikomo | Twalumba |
How much? | Shinga? | Zingati? | Ongaye? |
Too much! | Fingi! | Yadula! | Chadula! |
Today was quite and peaceful. We woke for devos and spent the morning in the clinic with Dr. Sichizya seeing neurosurgery patients-mostly all children with hydrocephalus. We stopped at 12 for tea and then went until 1:15 when we had lunch. After lunch we unpacked, set up, dried out, and repacked all the tents from the outreach. Then we cleaned the closet out and repacked it. Most everyone napped afterwards but I wrote in my journal and read. We went back to the closet until around 5. Ate dinner at 5:30. Had a meeting for an hour or so: asked questions, reflected, and debriefed. Afterwards we played Chinese rummy for 2 hours! And now we are all headed to bed…big day tomorrow!
8/4
I was blessed today with plenty of energy from a great night of rest. Today the theatre (OR) is finally opened!! And I was able to stand right behind Kachinga (Dr. Sichizya) as he operated on a hydrocephalus child named Finious with an ETV surgery. I am still absolutely amazed. I may not have all the details right but here is the gist of the surgery. Hydrocephalus is when an infection in the brain-usually meningitis-causes one or more of the valves to close off, in reaction to the infection. In doing this the Cori Plexus-which produces water (cerebral spinal fluid) in the brain-still continues to produce but the CSF has no where to exit the brain, so it retains fluid, and the head slowly grows larger and larger. So the ETV surgery, the Dr. goes in and reopens the valves that have closed. The Dr. also cauterizes the Cori Plexus to reduce the amount of cerebral spinal fluid being produced, allowing the head to slowly decrease in size as the fluid moves into the body. It was incredible to watch and see and learn so much about the brain. Once it was over I really took it all in. I was so blessed to be able to see that surgery. So blessed that I got to pray over Finious` life with Kachinga and the staff before the surgery. So blessed to hear and watch Kachinga sing praise music while he operated. It was a physically, emotionally, and spiritually healing time for Finious, and for me. I am so blessed to have seen it. After surgery we did some cleaning, we had a debriefing meeting which was really good and somewhat frustrating at the same time. I think they usually tend to be at first but over time and upon re-entering the U.S. big worries become small and perspective changes. There were two amazing things we talked about that I want to write down for sure. The first was in considering finances. We all (the Americans) had many questions about why the trip ($1650) was so expensive and just wanted to know where all of the money went. Harold (who was in charge of the entire outreach) proceeded to explain that each of our cost for the trip combined paid for the entire outreach. I seriously fought back tears as he explained. We paid for all the food, the tents, the equipment for the Jesus Film, the gas for all the driving we did, and for the other Zambians to come and join the outreach team. And with the money we didn’t spend on the outreach, 6 children are now able to have surgery! Life changing surgery! I was literally shocked. Here I was feeling extremely selfish thinking I had spent $1650 on myself, to stay in a bush area, and hardly do anything to physically help anyone. Little did I know God’s plans were so much greater, and how thankful I am now that I obeyed his call to go-even with doubting the finances. We were all so blessed to hear that news!! The second thing was talking about the medical clinic, and how since we didn’t have very many supplies, if there was something else we could do. JA, Aaron, and I all chimed in that it would be amazing if in the future they set up a class for each day of the medical clinic and let the Americans handle and prepare that, while the Zambians do the actual medical care. For example an aids class, a nutrition class, etc. Overall it was a great meeting and I am glad we all got to talk it out! After that Ally and I spent some time in the Children’s ward handing out candy to children and their mothers. By the afternoon there were already 12 patients admitted to the Children’s ward. Most of them were hydrocephalus babies. Most had come from far away, from very, very poor backgrounds. That babies and kids are each so precious. Each of them with their own looks, personality, and story. I wish we could stay here with them forever. We were sent out of the ward to prepare dinner at the guesthouse for Harold. Dr. Uta was going to come as well but she was sick today and can’t make it. But Harold came and gave us the story of how he found out about Cure and got involved. As well as how he has been touched by both suffereig and healing. It was really cool to hear more of his story and share with him. He has a beautiful servant and sacrificial heart. After dinner we cleaned dishes, I made tea and then we played ghetto-uno-as taught by JA, which was really fun! Then everyone headed off to shower and pack up for tomorrow! I cannot believe we are already leaving! I can`t believe my sister is getting married in two days! I am paying I make it there safely and timely for all the wedding festivities. I miss these people and this culture already. I know nowhere else will ever be the same.
Two beautiful quotes Amy shared with us tonight:
“Americans have so much yet choose to believe that there is a God who gives to them.”
“Zambians have to little yet choose to believe that there is a God who will provide for them.”
How beautiful. I pray that I will never forget those quotes. What a gracious God I serve. And how blessed I am to serve him. His bondservant for eternity.
1 Chronicles 16:23-24
Isaiah 35:3-5
8/5
Village song we sung everyday!
Kumulu eko ine nkabila Kumulu mayo ine nkabila
These words mean I am longing for heaven!!
I guess this will be my last journal for the trip! I am on my flight from Johannesburg, South Africa to NYC, New York. I am hoping I can journal, maybe watch a movie before I read, and then sleep most of the 20-hour flight ahead of me. I know that will help with my exhausted jet lag before my sister’s rehearsal dinner and the wedding. Today was extremely bittersweet in so many ways. Last night Lars, Ally, and I stayed up doing a little debriefing of the trip. I am so thankful for that because it seemed we had no closure as a team (of Americans) and it was great to talk about the pos/negs, what we learned, and so-forth. But I didn’t get much sleep because of it ;) It was beyond worth it though and I know I can sleep on the plane. This morning I woke up early to have tea, read, and journal I finished my last minute packing and then Aaron and I headed to the OR to scrub in for surgery. Dr. Moyo, the orthopedic surgeon, did this surgery. It was a partial hip replacement in a 65-year-old woman. It was a miraculous surgery to watch. There was much more cutting, squeezing, drilling, and bleeding than the hydrocephalus surgery, but it was amazing. Moyo talked us through the whole thing and of course cracked jokes along the way (he says joking is crucial to relieve some stress!) Surgery ended as Moyo sewed the stitches closed just as we needed to leave. We took off all our scrubs and cleaned up and then headed to the Cure bus to leave. Before the airport Nah and Danny brought us to breakfast at the Kilimanjaro Café in Lusaka. It was an awesome and very unique place. Much like one I would design if I could. There were African hand painted pictures covering the surrounding walls. Wooden carved animals and cultural symbols hung from the ceiling throughout the store. There was a wireless corner for computer work, a kids corner for moms and their kids. And last but certainly not least-delicious food! Kate (who works at a coffee shop in Cali) and I were super bummed when our waiter told us the water wasn’t working so they couldn’t make any coffee. The espresso machine was kaput. We were both dying for a cappuccino. But I settled for tea instead. Which was much more Zambian of me J Ally and I were even more bummed when we realized the bathroom was also out of order because of the water issue. So being not-so-smart Americans we went to another bathroom down the hallway in the mall. Only to find (sorry for the graphic detail) feces and urine piled high in each stall and no running water. It stunk so badly. Of course it was because the water wasn’t working. We just sucked it up and joked that the smell was still nothing compared to the dirt hole in the bush. Anyways we finished lunch and all headed back to the bus to go to the airport. We arrived quickly, said our goodbyes, and checked in. The flight was quick and easy. It really was sad to realize it was the last time I would see most of my team members. Once we arrived in Joburg we had 4 hours to hang out. We played ghetto-uno, explored the fancy airport, Kate and I got our coffee! And then everyone headed to my gate to bid my farewell. We all grouped together for the last time to pray and take some team photos. It was all I could do to not cry. I hugged everyone goodbye and then I headed to board. And here I am. Realizing we are flying over Namibia right now and I am desperately missing Zambia. But at the same time I am joyful to see my family and friends and to go back to Tech. I cant wait to hug my mom and dad and tell them “Mwashibukeni mama and papa!” This trip really has changed my life in so many ways. I am praying already for God’s grace to take this quick changes and make them permanent in my life as I return home. And I thank everyone as I remember them in my prayers and realize there is no way I would have experience any of this apart from their love, support, and especially their prayers. I saw God to extraordinarily more than I could ever have thought or imagined! He answered my prayers in big, big ways!(Ephesians 3:20) we saw over 100 children scheduled for or having surgery at Cure Zambia. We watched 177 people in the bush fall to their knees at the foot of the cross and accept Christ as their personal Lord and savior. I expected to see maybe 20 kids get treated and 30 saved? But God’s plan was so much bigger than my small mindset and little faith. I have been shocked beyond measure at who he is and how much he desires us to come to repentance. To know and experience him in all his glory. I will never forget how I experienced him and saw others experience him in Zambia!!
