One Month Ago - Reflections from Mikayla and Andrew

It's been a little over a month since our team returned from Zambia.  In that time the Father has continued to speak, grow and challenge us.  I would invite you to read the words of Mikayla and Andrew as they reflect on the past two months.

Mikayla 

Coming back home has been needless to say--difficult. Having to readjust back to your culture is hard and sometimes can get difficult emotionally and spiritually. By daily getting into my Father's word it is encouraging to see that He has a plan and though having to readjust is hard there is a purpose in everything He does. 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 their hearts. The amount of beauty that Africa has is enormous and grand.  The Lord has created a beautiful country called Zambia and I feel so absolutely humbled that he called me to be a part of his work there!! We went on a hike one Saturday afternoon and the I was able to see the African trees that our Father has made, they took my breath away at each look. As I looked in the distance my eyes began 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. Every rush of tumbling water that came from the top of the water falls is special because it is a small glimpse into the eyes of the Father and how beautiful they are. While in Africa 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. Understanding that I am placed strategically at Oklahoma Baptist University to be a disciple for the Lord is scary, but so very exciting because I get the opportunity to tell people about what the Lord is doing in my life and explain to them that our Heavenly Father loves us so much that He sent his Son to die for us. I pray that through not only my words, but also my actions this is conveyed. The Lord has reminded me daily of how special and amazing the power of prayer is. The spirit has been conveying to my heart how important that as a body of Christ and as a body of believers we have an obligation to speak and proclaim his name, in doing this though we are a body and if one person in that body is struggling we are all struggling. It is not our jobs to place blame or judgment on that person, but to come alongside them and give them encouragement allowing them to see that they are not alone nor will they ever be.  I am so blessed to have experienced the Father’s love with the team he strategically placed together from OBU and I am so very thankful for the M’s, that led us in the wonderful place they call home.

Andrew

The Lord worked in immense ways in my life while serving in Zambia. The Lord broke my heart at first, seeing the people and their desperate need (just as everyone else) for Jesus. So in that, God was able to give me eyes to see them with compassion and a desire for them to know the Lord Jesus as I knew the Lord Jesus. So as I was able to share the Gospel with those in the villages- I became almost addicted to it (especially looking back now and where I currently am), I began to understand better how to "break walls down" with the Word of God, and the Spirit used the teams words to open up eyes and soften hearts. I have had my desire for sharing the Gospel grow from this trip, and I praise God for it.                        

One Month Ago - Reflections from Hannah and Paige

It's been a little over a month since our team returned from Zambia.  In that time the Father has continued to speak, grow and challenge us.  I would invite you to read the words of Hannah and Paige as they reflect on the past two months.

Hannah

Life post Zambia has kind of been a whirlwind. I came home and was hit with many hard things. I know it is spiritual warfare. There have been many tears and walking through hard situations with people, but I know the Lord hold’s me in His mighty hands. Among the tears, there are been moments of pure bliss. Almost four days after I arrived back in Texas, I headed to Oklahoma to help out at a camp a church I worked for was putting on. At this camp, I had 11^th grade girls in my cabin, 15 in my small group. I got to witness many lives being changed, and three of the 11^th grade girls come to know Christ as Lord and Savior of their life. I also got to be a part of a dear friend’s wedding. It was interesting to me how life and death intersect each day without us even realizing it. A wedding is to be one of the happiest days of your life, and I was overjoyed for my friend and to share with her in that day. On that same day there was a funeral, I am sure there were many funerals and many people weddings, but this was the funeral of my grandmother. It was a bittersweet day as I longed to be there for my family. I so badly wanted to just to squeeze and hold my mama tightly but I couldn’t because I was not there. Every part of my wanted to whisper in her ear, “it is going to be okay because the Lord is with you Mom.” I do not believe my grandmother knew the Lord. But it was a quick reminder to me that life is short and as Christ followers,

we have a calling to the gospel. He is the one who has saved our soul and promises to be with us. His resurrection gives us hope that we will be glorified and live with Him in eternity. Jesus is my reason to live, because God saved my wicked soul and placed a calling upon my life. To be quite honest, I needed that reminder. It has been extremely difficult since coming back from Zambia. I have felt spiritual dry and depleted. Please pray for the Lord to fill me up as I approach my senior year of college.

Paige

Monday marked six weeks since arriving back from Zambia.  That is so crazy to me.  It really feels like we were just saying goodbye.  I think I am still realizing all that I learned, and really, what the Lord is still teaching me. During our month in Zambia, I fell in love.  With a family, a people, a country...with my Savior.  I will forever be grateful for those weeks in Zambia.  Not because I was in the place that had been only a prayer in my heart for so long, not because of the rugged beauty of the land or the warmth of the people, but because the Lord breathed new life into my dry and searching heart.  For the past year, I have struggled greatly in my walk with the Lord and the Gospel has felt empty.  Those things didn't disappear in going to Zambia, but the Lord renewed my heart and I left with such a desire to know Him more, to know Him deeper.  To truly live each day washed in His mercies and standing on grace, to live for His glory.  I think the Lord taught me much about the power of the Gospel and of the Cross.  About His power.  How He can truly transform lives for His glory.  I saw that in the lives of the sweet brothers and sisters we served with- my team, the Ks, the believers there in Isoka- their passion for the Gospel is only the result of a heart transformed by Jesus. 

I think if I were just to sum up those weeks, I would sing one of the songs we sang frequently while in Zambia, "There's No One Like Jesus."  The words of this song talk about searching everywhere and finding that there is none like Jesus.  And it is this truth that the Lord wrote across my heart.  There is none like Him.  He is truly enough.  We are saved for a purpose, I am HIS, but it's nothing of my own doing.  When we first arrived in Zambia I felt so inadequate and really questioned why I had come.  I just thought, I can't share with these people...my story is so ordinary and I can't even relate to them at all.  But the Lord was faithful even in my questioning and fear and showed me that our stories are powerful ONLY because of Jesus, because God drags us to Himself, and it is nothing of our own doing.  I absolutely loved Africa and everything about our time there, but really that's not what I want to remember.  I want to remember that the Lord spoke to me there.  That my heart was touched and He spoke so clearly.  The red Zambian dirt that stained our feet is nothing in comparison to His blood that stains my heart.  And that's what I want to remember..not just remember but live in.

 Look for reflections from other team members in the coming days.

One Month Ago - Reflections from Jenna and Molly

It's been a little over a month since our team returned from Zambia.  In that time the Father has continued to speak, grow and challenge us.  I would invite you to read the words of Jenna and Molly as they reflect on the past two months.

Jenna

First, I would like to say thank you so much to all those who have supported us on this incredible adventure! Since returning from Zambia, the Lord has laid so many different things on my heart. I miss our M's and the amazing people we were able to work with so much that it is still difficult to believe it's already over. My heart is heavy, but I am confident that the Lord is working in amazing ways through our team even though we are no longer together. Here are just a few truths that have really stuck out in my mind from our time there. Truth number one: As followers of Christ, we have the freedom to live our lives by grace and not by guilt. "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) His grace abounds, and when we live our lives like this is true, we do not have to feel guilty. His grace covers over us, and there is an indescribable freedom in that beautiful truth. Truth number two: My life is and should always be single-minded for the Gospel. Every part of my life should be about the Gospel of the Father. This is something I think I would have said before without actually knowing what it meant. However, now I understand what this means on a whole new level. I remember a few days after returning, I was at the doctor's office trying to think of how to bring up the Gospel with a woman who I had a

30 second exchange with as she took my payment. This never would have even crossed my mind before, but now I understand that every moment of every day, I should be looking for opportunities to share the Good News with all those around me, whether it makes me unpopular or not. I have an obligation to share the Gospel, and I never want to lose the importance of that truth in my life. Truth number three: He is always with me. Sometimes, it's easy to fall into the lie that we are all alone, and no one else understands. However, I've come to understand that whether I am surrounded by a sea of believers seeking after Christ with their whole hearts, or I am surrounded by people who wouldn't even say "God bless you" when someone sneezes, Christ is always with me. I am never alone because He is my greatest companion. He is my true joy and my refuge. 

Molly

Being home has been good, but it has also been hard. There have been many challenges and struggles. Since being home, I haven't been in a single place longer than two weeks. I feel like a nomad wondering around the US. Between moving into a new house at school, work, traveling back and forth to Texas, and going on a trip to Florida with my mom and sister, I've been all over the place! I constantly miss the people of Zambia. One of the sweetest things has been to have phone calls or text messages from those thousands of miles away. While in Africa, I believe that the Lord really revealed himself to me in a new way. He opened my eyes to see the true hearts of the people who are suffering and in need of a savior. It's funny, for some reason I thought that this brokenness I had felt so deeply in Africa would not be as severe here in the states. However, it has been absolutely overwhelming! I think that the difference is the lack of a desire for a savior here in the states as opposed to the desperation that is felt by many in Africa. In America, we have everything at our fingertips. One may see this as a blessing, but it can also be seen as a curse. The distractions that constantly implode our everyday lives can interfere with our daily walk by somehow causing us to think that we can fix our circumstances or problems ourselves or that if we can't fix it than we can find somebody else who can rather than solely handing 100% of our problems over to the Lord. There are people in need everywhere we go! Yes, our lives may seem hectic, but the Lord is so good and merciful that no matter what the circumstance may be, He will never leave us nor forsake us.

We are his children and he cares so deeply for us. It may have taken thousands of miles of travel, no running water, a dislocated finger, death of a dear friend's loved one, and a sick friend for me to realize just how merciful the Lord really is and just how deep His love is for the people of this world. The people of Zambia will always have a giant place in my heart, but more importantly, the lessons that I learned from the Lord on this trip through the people of Zambia as well as my teammates and our missionary family will be something that I will absolutely never forget and I will forever be thankful of His blessings.   

Look for reflections from other team members in the coming days.

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