This is just a simple update since the first week was all
adjusting and finding our groove for the next few weeks:
We arrived in Livingstone and were greeted by Meag and baby
Joel’s excited and smiling faces. It was the most wonderful, surreal feeling to
be reunited in Zambia and not the states. Holly lost a bag so we had to go
through the process of getting her bag. Right from the get go, we stopped at
the grocery store to exchange money and buy groceries. I thought the store
would be overwhelming but it truly wasn’t. It was actually really fun planning
meals and finding the Zambian equivalent. We were all fighting jet lag hard and
it really showed when I knocked off a mug and broke it and the next aisle over
knocked a whole stack of cookies off a shelf. Needless to say, we were all
ready for sleep.
Once we got to Namwianga Mission, we were just overwhelmed
with the realization that we were back. It was completely different, yet so
comforting like home. Before we settled into Meag’s house, we made a round at
the Haven to see the Babies and the Aunties. I just had no words. The warm, welcoming faces brought much
happiness. Hearing babies cry and laugh and recognizing the distinct smell of
formula, baby powder, and love just wrapped me in memories. Mama, who is in
charge of the Haven, just picked us up and hugged us in the tightest hug I have
ever had. She was elated that we were here with Meag. We met all the aunties on
the night shift and met all the babies, new and old. Then, we went home and
unloaded all of our bags.
Since we were so tired and couldn’t hold our heads up, we
went straight to bed. On Sunday, we went to church at the Johnson. It is the
church on the mission and were immersed in the beautiful voices of the Zambian
students that go to school at George Benson. We couldn’t help but smile and
just enjoy being in their presence and God who spans across land and sea. That
afternoon, we took a 3-hour nap and unpacked all of our belongings before going
back to church that night.
At church, Ba Merritt, the missionary at Namwianga that has
grown up in Zambia, gave the lesson on four different ways your temple can be
tested. The one that was talked about more but absolutely rocked my world, was
persecution. In America, we don’t have to worry about persecution for our
religious beliefs. We have persecution in other ways, but not ones that make us
live everyday in secret and fear. Ba Merritt went through different African
countries and talked about the persecution and death that Sons and Daughters of
the King were willing to endure to expand the Kingdom and proclaim the Lord’s
salvation. It broke my heart. It really set the tone for what missions truly
looks like. It even really portrayed what a life truly lived in Christ looked
like as well, which was especially humbling. He then proceeded to talk about
loving our enemies and letting Christ be the judge. It was a beginning to my thought process being “out of the
box” and gaining a new perspective of a reality of life other than my own. It
started to tap into my questions of grace and forgiveness and really began to
eat at me already. My initial thought of “wow, how in the world could I forgive
someone who killed my family or I can’t fathom living my life in fear and
continuing to serve God” was quickly put in its place. I am commanded to love
my enemy and give him water and bread when he is hungry. The biggest part is I
am to do it willingly, lovingly in a Christ-like manner, not in obligation.
Right from the get go, I started learning more about God’s perfect love.
Monday was our first day and I was nervous, overwhelmed, and
worried that I would be inadequate at the job and make mistakes so big that
everyone would question how and why I was here.
The way our internship works is mainly intervention based.
We are assigned a Haven House each week and the goal is to spend at least 15
minutes of one-on-one time everyday with each child in that house to work on a
skill that they need help developing. Some of the skills are gross motor skills
like crawling, standing, utterances, vocalization all the way to fine motor
skills such as clapping, stacking blocks, recognizing shapes, animals, body
parts, and more. The first week, I was assigned Haven 3, which is babies that are
sick with TB, HIV, or come malnourished. The best news now is that everyone is
healthy and thriving despite being tested and on medicine. On MWF, we eat lunch
with the Aunties of that house. I love getting to take that time to practice
Tonga and learn new words and engage in the Aunties and their lives. When the
babies are down for their naps, I enjoy getting to visit with them, help fold
laundry, or help clean up around the house.
Also, on Monday-Thursday mornings, we have Tonga Language
class with Chimuka, Meag’s next-door neighbor. She is such a patient person and
is teaching us wonderful things and truly investing in our learning and helps
our desire to grow and be able to communicate in this culture. So far, I have
learned words for people, families, animals, numbers, action verbs, and some
things outside and around the house. Soon, we will be learning to construct
sentences!
On the first day, we shadowed an Auntie in the house that
Meag assigned us. I was assigned to follow Ba Stella for the day. She was such
a kind, patient teacher and allowed me to participate in all her daily
activities. We swept, shined, and mopped floors. We made bottles, washed
clothes, hung clothes out to dry, bathed babies, dressed babies, changed
nappies (cloth diapers), and folded clothes. For lunch, I walked to her home in
the village nearby and met her family and helped her cook for us and her son.
She let me cut vegetables and stir the nshima (a staple for all of their meals kind
of like thickened grits). Then, we washed all the dishes outside before
returning to the Haven.
After Monday, I felt more peace than when I began. I gained
a better appreciation of the women I would be working alongside and felt a
comfort in getting to know them and a willingness to let them lead me and for
me to be ever learning in their guidance.
Throughout the week, we all were sorting through schedules,
getting to know each baby’s skill level, and just simply adjusting to the new
routine and finding our place in this beautiful adventure. Everyday brought a
challenge and a new level of exhaustion as we still fought jet lag and a day
full of different personalities.
Wednesday night, we were able to join Meag at her devo with
the grade 9 girls. It was so good to meet them all and get to hear their wise
answers to the study they are working on: follow
me by david platt. Even in that one night, I learned so much from them
about repentance and renouncing our worldly self to follow God in the purest
form. It was a lesson I needed to hear in the midst of carrying baggage and
finding myself in the Savior. I realized there are things that I thought I
repented of or renounced but I didn’t truly repent of because I excused my
skewed definition of what those two really mean. We often times go by what our
world defines it as or even our church instead of what God defines it as to be
a child of His. We were challenged this week to find what we haven’t truly
renounced and given up to the Father. I found that mine is control and that I
say that I’ve given up control and run to God, but not really, not always. It’s
only when I remember to do so or when my resources I turn to are exhausted. It
reminds me of the bible class that my dad teaches on Wednesday night, what
makes me a citizen of “Tuckered Town”. I don’t relinquish my control, so I’m
constantly fight a battle that not only keeps me from more of the Father, it
wears me out so that I can’t even take advantage of his endless help and provision.
On Thursday, I accompanied Meag to the hospital with a baby
that needed a follow-up since returning to the Haven. He screamed and cried the
whole time because of the new, unfamiliar place. I quickly realized that being
with the babies and taking on such responsibility is not always peachy. So many
people would ask if he was mine, tell me he was a trouble child, and try to
take him to calm him down. Unfortunately, it was never ending. On the way home,
Meag made a statement that just really stopped me in my tracks. The sweet boy
was so hungry that he ate two whole bananas and wanted more. Meag said, “Isnt’
it funny how he wants more because he doesn’t know that in 5 minutes he will be
home and get to eat nshima, but we do. So, we don’t give him more bananas. It’s
like us and God. We cry for more of something and when God doesn’t give it to
us its because He sees the better that lies ahead.” Wow. I just quietly thought of that for the
rest of the drive home because oh how true that is and we forget that so easily
when we are just losing ourselves in this crazy world that we live.
That afternoon was our first trek out into the village. This
was the first time that we would be staying in the village with the Aunties on
our own. We were all so nervous, yet very excited because we want to know more
and more about their lives. One piece of advice that Meag left us with before
we left is that if Long-term missions are a real interest and passion of ours
then this is a huge opportunity for us. This is what is important: Investing in
their lives and finding those relationships to build upon.
We started our little expedition from the Haven with Aubrey
staying with Ba Beauty, Holly with Ba Beatrice, and I with Ba Cece. We laughed,
danced, and practiced our Tonga until it was time for each of us to part our
separate ways with each of our hosts. Since Ba Cece lives so far away and it
was her day off, I was supposed to wait for her at Ba Beauty’s. Instead, we
understood wrong so I ended up staying at Ba Beatrice’s house for a few hours.
Holly and I were able to talk with her, cook with her, eat dinner with her, and
practice more Tonga before I left. The way I finally got to Ba Cece’s home is
quite the story.
At about 20:00 hours, 3 guys came to Ba Beatrice’s house to
pick me up and walk me to Ba Cece’s. Ba Beatrice asked if I remembered them,
and I didn’t. But, I still went with them. The whole time my heart was racing and
we started our walk. To Ba Cece’s it was about a 35-minute walk. After about 10
minutes of looking at the beautiful stars in a pitch-black sky and marveling at
God’s artwork, I got up the courage to ask their names and find a way to
remember them. My nerves were quickly relived when I remembered that one was Ba
Cece’s son (all grown up now) and his cousin. They knew Meag well and knew
several of my dear Harding friends. Soon, we were talking and laughing and
stumbling on dirt paths finding our way to a familiar place.
Once I arrived and saw a warm fire and Ba Cece’s smiling
face awaiting my arrival, it all made sense and I laughed at how silly it all
was. She explained that her oldest son, the one I did remember, was waiting for
me at Ba Beauty’s home. When I didn’t come there, she sent her second born to
pick me up so I wouldn’t have to walk in the dark alone. After much apology and
laughing at the adventure, I sat around the fire with her children and all
their cousins and learned more Tonga words and sang the night away under a
blanket of stars and the dancing flames of the mulilo (fire). The peace and
serenity in a moment like that is truly inexplicable. It was more like an out
of body realization of wow, is this really happening? Am I really seeing this
lovely family again after saying a forever goodbye only a year and a half ago?
The reunion was precious and filled with such joy and love. The hospitality and
making me feel so welcome is quite unmatched. She made me sleep in her bed, and
brought out all the warmest blankets (its winter here). She even cooked more
for dinner since the walk was long and put me to bed pretty early since I was
exhausted from the day.
The next morning, we walked to the Haven together to start
the day. We talked about our families, the beauty of the sunrise, and about how
good Meag is to all of them. She is the sweetest soul.
Friday is when I finally figured out the routine. I spent
the morning hour playing with all the babies in the big room. All the older
ones, Angel, Kent, Jeremy, Chabonwa, Helen, Candace, Petra, Rita, and Chilala
climbed over any free part of me. They were lined up sitting on my legs,
sitting on my shoulders, and fighting each other for the spot closest to my
face while trying to all feed me a bite of their morning biscuit. I couldn’t
help but laugh. I started taking them out to play and learn one by one and I
enjoy this time immensely because it is when truly see their personalities and
over time, I hope they warm up to me and I discover how smart they are. They
get excited to repeat words, say animal sounds, sing songs, and play with the
shape sorter and blocks. They have some brilliant imaginations. Meag and the
aunties do such an incredible job at making these babies feel loved and
special.
Before the little ones go down, I usually get a chance to
feed them their bottles, sing with them, give them tummy time, and encourage
them to crawl while they drool with happiness. I’m so thankful that I can be
here to celebrate each new day of discovery and milestones gained.
In the afternoons, I spend time outside with them swinging,
sliding, or reading books. In the last hour is when I usually spend time with
Jonah, a sweet boy that I am privileged to spend an hour with everyday. We play
with blocks, read, swing, nap, sing, talk walks, and marvel at the shape sorter.
He’s been sick, hurting, and overall doesn’t feel well everyday, but hopefully
engaging in the world around him everyday will be beneficial.
Next week, I will be in Haven 1 with a new routine and new
babies so that will be an adjustment for a new schedule but a positive
experience nonetheless.
I just wanted to give a small overview of what the last week
was like and a little piece of what our internship really looked like. Other
posts will have more life lessons and learning experiences in store. It’s truly
a privilege to be here.
God has been and continues to be so good to me.
