Safari

In our last days in Zambia, we had the opportunity to go on safari in Botswana.  Here are some pictures of our day.

Victoria Falls

Today the team is headed back home but I wanted to take a few minutes to post some pictures from the end of our trip.  We left Isoka last Monday for a couple days in Livingstone.  We arrived in Livingstone on Wednesday afternoon in time to spend some time at Victoria Falls.  Vic Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world!  Here are some of the pictures from our time at the Falls.

Last Update from Isoka

Joseph - This last week has been extremely busy, but also an extreme blessing at the same time! We have gone to a village to share about Him every single day! First up was Mulali which was work in itself to get there because of the crazy bumpy mountain road but it is really humbling to know that He used us to make a way for the word to be shared there! We shared with many people there and really enjoyed our time going to house to house just to share about what all the Father has done in our lives through our stories! My story has taken a shift towards highlighting the story about the Father calming the storm and how He calmed the storm that was raging in my life at the time when I came to belief in Him so hopefully that was something that helped the people understand more about Him! The next village was Chipeta where my group did not make it to as many houses but I do think He definitely used us to clarify some false beliefs the people there had so glory to Him! Again, I’m just humbled and thankful that the Father is using us for such big things here in Africa! It has been a lot of work to say the least but He is worth it! Learning and growing so much during our time here and I hope He will continue to work in tremendous ways here!

Hannah - This past week has gone by quickly, before I knew it it was Friday, which was our last day in the villages. Our team spent the first three days in Mulali and the last two in Chipeta. This was the first time that Blake had gone house to house in the first village. It was quite a task to get to Mulali. We spent a day clearing the road so that the truck could get up the mountain. The road the Mulali was rough and rocky, but being able to share the Good News with these people was worth it. The people were very welcoming and the headman was excited for the gospel to be shared in his village, although he is still an unbeliever. In the first and second village we went to, false beliefs have spread, so keep the people of Mulali and Chipeta in your thoughts. It is my privilege to be able to share my story and His truth in these villages. I am reminded of the verse when Paul says, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, and only the Father can make it grow.” It is by the Father’s abounding grace that we have been able to share in these villages. The Father is working the in the hearts of these people. Also lift up the K’s ministry as it continues in Isoka. Blake will go to each of these villages and go through a book of the Word with them. Needless to say this week has been incredible and the Father has taught me so much throughout my time here. The last three Sunday’s we have fellowshipped in the Boma with our other brothers in sisters. It was sad to say goodbye, but I had an opportunity to share my story during part of service, which was great! I thank the Father for his grace upon my life. 

Jenna - This week has been such an adventure! For the first few days, we went to the village of Mulali to share the Good News. Getting to Mulali was very difficult because the road is very rough. There are many places we had to get out of the truck so that Blake could make it up and down the rocky parts of the mountain. While it was not very far away, it usually took us about an hour and a half to reach this remote village. Many of the people were very welcoming and were open to hearing the Good News, which was very encouraging! The last village we went to was Chipeta. This is a very lost place, and it was evident throughout our time there. My hope is that the people we encountered will remember the Good News that was shared and that the Father will move in their hearts. Today, we went to the fellowship in Isoka for the last time. The people were so wonderful and I will miss them very much! One of our translators even wrote us a beautiful song that I will never forget. It is difficult to think that today is our last day in Isoka, but I am so excited to see what the Father has in store for these beautiful people in the future! 

Mikayla - This past week has been so wonderful and way too fast!! We served in Mulali on Monday and worked there for 3 days studying the Word, walking around sharing our stories all while learning about the village in Mulali. The Lord is working and preparing the peoples hearts in a mighty and powerful way that is so evident and exciting to see. It is so very amazing to see our Father move in the lives of these people. On Thursday and Friday we went to Chipeta. This is a very lost village and we quickly noticed that the hearts of the people were hard to the Good News, but luckily our Father is mighty and powerful and He can move mountains so I am confident that in His time the peoples’ hearts of Chipeta will begin to soften.  They were very welcoming and a young man that we spoke with had a lot of questions about his belief and this was such a blessing because we were able to explain to him the Truth and that our relationship with the Father is not based off of our works or what we can eat or not eat, but it is about us believing in him and having faith that he is our Father and we are sons and daughters of the one true king. The Father has been conveying to me how important in our spiritual walk that it is to meet people where they are at and allow the Father to draw there hearts. This is not our work, but the Lord’s and he has created a beautiful country called Zambia and I feel so absolutely humbled that he called me to be apart of his work here!!

Andrew - This past week has been too great for words. With the trips to the different villages I have been able to see the Father do his work in continually drawing people to himself. After sharing the truth with many people I have continually seen walls being broken down by the Father. A huge subject on my heart has been that of the other brothers and sisters here that have been along side us in sharing the truth throughout these villages. I have had a view of what is to come in future glory, and I than the Father so much for that. These fellow believers’ single-minded focus on the truth has been encouraging in immense ways. To sum up my thoughts; I am incredibly thankful that I have had the privilege to be a part of a team that is being used by the Father, as well as being able to see the other believers here. 

Molly - Time has gone by way too quickly. We spent the beginning of the week in Mulali. After clearing the road to get to the village days earlier, it was exciting to finally be able to reach the village. During our time in Mulali, we went house to house and did a study. The village is very spread out, so we had to walk quite far in order to reach the houses. However, it was all worth it. There seemed to be many people who were interested in learning more about the Father. The end of the week was spent in the village of Chipeta. This village was a little more closed off to the word, so our time going house to house was somewhat limited. Seeds were planted and watered in both villages, so it will be exciting to see how the Father works over time. Saturday morning was spent picking soybeans with a few of the members on the team as well as a few of the members of the fellowship. It was a really neat experience to see how to harvest. Today, we went to the Boma fellowship for the last time. It was very emotional to say goodbye to those who have spent so much time with us over the past few weeks. I will miss everybody so much and I am so thankful for all that we have learned during our time here. 

Paige - The moments that made up this past week are too great for words.  From the conversations over cereal and coffee, to hiking to a village, to sitting at the headman’s house and sharing Truth...each moment has been full and I am so thankful for the weeks we have had here.  It is so hard to believe our time in Isoka is coming to an end.  This past week we were able to share in the village Mulali.  To get to this village is a journey in and of itself, but so worth it.  We had to get out and walk many times, and the truck was crammed with people.  One day we piled 18 people into the Land Cruiser.  Though it was hot and very tight, it was so encouraging to see the people of another village excited to bring the Good News to the people of Mulali.  And their voices made the trip seem shorter as they sang with their whole hearts.  The end of the week was spent sharing in Chipeta.  We went house to house, sharing our stories and getting a little glimpse into the lives of these people.  Many people had questions and the Good News was shared.  Lift up the people of this village.  Though we were allowed to share with many, there were still many hard hearts. Our time here in Isoka has been wonderful.  Saying goodbye to the fellowship family this morning was hard, and I am dreading our goodbyes to the K family in the morning.  They have blessed us and welcomed us and loved us so well.  I am so thankful for their hearts for the Father.

Dayla - As we walked through Chipeta village for the last time, looking at the familiar foot prints from the sandals in front of me, I was reminded that just as quickly as we came, we will be gone.  Years from now, when we are forgotten, my hope is that the seeds that we planted will have grown into a great harvest of followers.  I am grateful for another opportunity to be here and have been amazed at how quickly our time in Isoka has gone.  Please lift us up in the next week as we travel, enjoy the Father’s creation as we enjoy Victoria Falls and head back home.

Quick Update

Just wanted to post a quick update about all that has been happening.  We will post a more detailed update in the next day or two.

This week we spent Monday through Wednesday in Mulali.  Though we cleared the road the drive is still very hard.  It is not far from where we are staying in Isoka but still takes about an hour and forty minutes to get there.  We spent those three days sharing the Good News throughout the village.

On Thursday WATER CAME!!!!!!!  We are so thankful for this and especially thankful for our M family!  We are grateful to Dawnya who has so selflessly served us during our time here.  It has been especially difficult while the water was out but she has done it amazingly.  Please lift up this amazing woman who serves her family in such incredible ways.

Yesterday we were in Chipeta village sharing.  Today is our last day of sharing.  It is hard to believe that our time in Isoka is wrapping up.  In many ways it seems like we just arrived but in other ways it seems as if we have been here and known this family forever.

Please lift us up as we begin saying our goodbyes in the next couple of days.

Check back for a more in depth post soon.

For All of Us,
Dayla

Hiking to the Falls

At the top of the falls.

Mikayla on the Oklahoma rock.

Mikayla - The world that the Father has created blows my mind daily. Through the miles and miles of corn rows, to the red dirt roads that never end, to the water falls that rain His heart of joy and love. To finally the people that our Father has created in His image, who are beautiful and have been blessed with the ability to do His work. We had an amazing adventure of hiking today and Oh, my goodness did my Father blow my mind! The amount of beauty that the African jungle has in enormous and grand. The African trees that He has made are gorgeous and take my breath away at each look. As we hiked up the mountain I would look in the distance and my eyes would swell with tears, I was so overwhelmed by how beautiful the scenery was. We saw the valley that led into the beautiful mountain range that lingered in the distance that once again left me speechless. When we arrived to the first waterfall my breath was taken away with how  gorgeous it was. Every rush of tumbling water that came from the top is special because it is a small glimpse into the eyes of the Father and how beautiful they are. Going up was hard, but was worth it when we reached the top and saw the final waterfall. It was so wonderful and grand. We had lunch, took pictures and spent time in the Word. We were challenged to not always take the easy pathway, but to be patient and take the long and sometimes hard way that the Father has planned. He did not say that sharing the Good News would be easy, but it is something that is necessary and vital not to mention we have been commanded and called to do so.

Molly - For about a year I had dreaded going back to the waterfall. Last year, I had fallen and I’m pretty sure that I had broken my tailbone. The waterfalls are beautiful, but I was so scared I would fall again and something worse would happen. So, as we began our journey we walked through brush, climbed over various fallen trees, and looked out for snakes along the way. When we reached the first stream that we had to cross I began to panic. Slippery rocks are not my favorite thing to encounter. I’m so thankful for my teammates because they let me take it slow and held my hand as we crossed. We continued walking for a bit and finally had reached the bottom of the falls. This is another place that had completely freaked me out. Each year, our team takes a picture on the top of this giant rock beneath the falls. Last year, I didn’t take the picture because I was bruised and broken after my fall. This year, I let my team get on the rock and again I opted out and decided to just take the picture. However, after some convincing, my team helped me make it on top of the rock! It was so exciting! From there, we continued up to the third level of the falls. Again we walked through brush, climbed steep rocks, and crossed over several streams and fallen trees. Finally, we had made it to the top and it was one of the most serene things I have ever seen. It was like a hidden oasis that not many people have traveled to or seen. We jumped in the water and played around. It was so cold! We ate some lunch and then headed back down the falls. Once we arrived at the second level, we sat on some rocks on the mountainside and we studied the Word. We talked about how in all things we should glorify the Father. We also talked about how in our lives there will be mountains that we have to face and that the journey may be hard but if we call on the Father there will be beauty even through the hard times. It seems cheesy, but it was a cool visual representation of how the Father cares for his people. We finished the day roasting hot dogs and marshmallows by the fire. Overall, it was an absolutely amazing day! 

Hannah - Yesterday, we went to a waterfall in Northern Zambia. After we hiked to the first waterfall Blake asked if we wanted to keep going, of course we said, YES! So we continued to hike up the unbeaten path of a mountain. We finally arrived to a beautiful, rugged, natural splendor of the Father, a waterfall that many people never have the chance to see. As our team circled up and lifted words of thanksgiving to the Father, I looked up at the waterfall and was in awe of how glorious our Father is! The journey to the second falls was rough with many obstacles along the way. Some obstacles that our team faced were fears, skirts (hard to climb rocks in long, wet skirts), finding a path to actually take, fallen trees that block the path, and other things. On our way back we stopped and ate some muffins and studied Romans on the rugged mountain side, each of us finding a rock to sit on. The view was breathtaking! Blake reminded us that the path we just traveled to get to the falls is just like the path of sharing the Good News (which every follower of the Father is called to do). The path of sharing the Good News may have many obstacles, but does that mean we stop when the first one comes along our journey, NO! If we would have stopped when the first fear or tree in our path came, we would have never seen the the last waterfall which was more beautiful than words can even begin to describe. Yes, many people stop when it gets hard. But I encourage you my friends to not stop when sharing the Good News is hard! Continue on because the Father is walking with you. 

Jenna - Yesterday, we were able to go to the waterfalls in Isoka. It was such an amazing experience to see this beautiful place. It was definitely not an easy journey. We all had to work very hard and work together to make it to the top of the mountain, but it was more than worth it. It’s one thing to behold the beauty of the Father’s creation, but it was so much greater to know that we worked so hard to get to this hidden beauty. Very few people have ever even seen this place, so it was such a blessing to be able to experience it with this wonderful team who has quickly become my family. As we came back down the mountain, at one point we stopped and sat on the side of the mountain to study the Word. It was such a powerful experience to sit in the midst of this extraordinary picture of the Father’s creation and study His words so deeply. That is an experience I will never forget. 

Paige - Spending time with Kimbrough family has been such a blessing.  This sweet family has truly invited us in to every part of their lives.  This past weekend, Blake took us to see one of the most lovely sights.  Each year, the team has hiked to one of the waterfalls here, but this year, Blake took us on a longer hike see a second waterfall that is a hidden gem.  The hike was definitely an adventure, involving lots of river crossings, hiking up a mountain (and then down the other side), through the jungle, and clearing the path with a machete.  There were so many moments on the hike that I was very afraid and wanted to just go back.  But the sight at the end of the hike was so breathtakingly beautiful and so worth it.  Though the hike was hard, I was so glad for the encouragement and help of the team.  In the moments I was ready to just cry, they were right there to grab my hand and talk me through the next part.  The waterfall and the journey that it was to get there was such a picture of the faithfulness of the Father.  In each moment, His hand is right there, and He holds His children so near.  

Joseph - Yesterday we got the chance to visit some waterfalls here in Isoka and just spend some time enjoying the Father’s creation. It’s so humbling to know that the same Father who created those glorious waterfalls not only created us, but knows each hair on our heads. It was a really beautiful thing and then study on the side of the mountain was the best study I have ever been a part of. It really was just a humbling day spent in His creation!

Andrew - The waterfalls we visited were nothing short of incredible. I cannot even explain the beauty of the Father’s creation. The secluded waterfall was like a dream come true for me (ever since I watched the Goonies). You can see some of what I saw in the pictures but not even those do the view justice. Not to mention it was a blast hiking the mountain with the amazing scenery and with such a fun team.

Dayla - Going to the waterfall in Isoka is always one of the coolest and most challenging things I do each year.  There really aren’t words to describe the experience it is to hike to this little waterfall.  Each year I am on high alert as we walk through grass taller than our heads, crawl through dead trees, push through brush and cross through rivers.  Once we arrive at the waterfall my heart calms a bit and I can finally appreciate the beauty of the Father’s creation.  Before going this year, a friend told me that Blake discovered another remote waterfall further up the mountain so I was prepared to go all the way.  When we started up the mountain and His machete came out, all of that changed.  I was convinced that this little waterfall would not be worth the risk of hiking through dense jungle on the cliff of a mountain.  Though it was intimidating, I am glad that I faced my fear of the unknown and made it to the top.  This experience was worth the challenge and the overcoming of it.  I mean, how often do you get to hike through the jungle in the middle of Africa with a machete and see an incredible natural waterfall that only a handful of people have ever seen?  The pictures cannot show it’s beauty to the fullest and in some ways I am glad.  This is something that I just want to keep tucked away in my memory.

The remote falls

Some of the scenery on the road to the falls.

The view to the remote falls.

At the top of the lower falls.

At the lower falls.