Getting Going...

Getting going….

After a lot of apprehension, planning and praying, my family and I finally touched down in Lusaka on Saturday morning.   Once we stepped off the plane and were greeted with red African sun, distant smell of burning garbage and the inefficiency of the border patrol.  It was then that the idea of moving to Zambia went from far off dream to reality.  The trip went well, the kids adjusted to the time change, we got to see some fun sights and we had a very encouraging time with our friends John and Zsofi Wilson, who serve with United World Mission in Budapest. 

We are so grateful to all those who have supported us on this journey.  Whether it is getting our mail, working a shift for me at the fire station, praying, purchasing a back pack, donating medical supplies, securing our transportation, love offerings, watching our kids so we could go on a date while we lived in the RV, giving us an RV to live in, taking us on helicopter rides, or supporting us financially, we have been genuinely overwhelmed and encouraged by your outpouring of love. The fact is that I have never felt so confident or empowered by a group of people than I do now.  I feel I owe a tremendous amount of work and focus to make a large impact as the extension of a large body of believers who have placed their trust in one family.

The reality of life here in Zambia is that things move slowly, very slowly, and that is frustrating to me.  The irony in my writing that statement is that even simple tasks such as blogging become monumental (I started on Monday) when faced with regular power outages and an undefined and chaotic schedule. I want so much to start headlong into work.  We spent a fair amount of time in the immigration office the other day just checking the status of my work permit, which is required for me to get my vehicle.  The good news is that it is done and tomorrow I “should” be able to get it.  We also spent some time getting supplies to finish making our house habitable.  The guys over here have done a great job painting and cleaning, which is awesome.  We have some work to do laying the countertops, fixing plumbing and lights, installing a bathroom sink and putting in exterior doors, which were in bad shape.  This should be completed this week in time for us to head to Livingstone for the Farming God’s Way conference.  The American, Type-A personality in me wants all this to be done so I can dive right in.  I think that God is trying to teach me something different.  Which brings me to…..

Relationships.  Relationships are something God has been putting on my heart, and for a reason.  We were made as social beings.  God wants us to gather together, the writer of Hebrews emphasizes the importance of gathering together and relating.  The reason is, that is where transformation takes place.   I have admittedly been poor at deep and meaningful relationships, though I crave them.  We have been placed in a situation here where they are both forced and necessary.  Forced because we are sharing a building with people from Zambia, Japan, and New York.  Necessary because if you want to transform people in a meaningful way we have to spend more than just a few passing moments with them.  I want to be relational because people can see my heart.  Only after building trust and communication will any words or information I may have become relevant. 

Pray for our relevance, for good training, for things to logistically go smoothly as to not sidetrack us too much and mostly for us to gel as a family during these first stressful and emotional few weeks.  We are thankful for great travels, cheap fresh fruit, real Coca-Cola (I’m gonna get fat this year), working phones and internet, warm weather and great community with Nelms family who live here, as well as Sarah and Amber who are here short term. 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive and inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Colossians 3:23-24