Week One: A day in the Intern Life

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.