Livingstone and Beyond

Saturday, July 23

After a refreshing warm shower, we met for breakfast and a debriefing.  We discussed all we had seen … what amazed us… and what to do with those things when we returned home.  We headed to the airport to drop off Pastor Graig who was heading back to Lusaka to discuss pastor training with the World Vision staff.  Then we were off to Victoria Falls, “the smoke that thunders.”  What a beautiful place God has created! In the evening, we took a cruise on the Zambezi River.  We saw elephants, crocodiles, impala, baboons and hippos, all from the safety of our boat.

Sunday, July 24

Up for breakfast and then off to church at the David Livingstone Presbyterian Church.  The message was from Isaiah 60 and Revelations 2.  Cathy and Pam are leaving the group to fly to Rwanda, where they will visit the work of Arise Twanda Ministries, a small ministry focusing on feeding and education of young children in the remote areas of that country.  The rest of the team heads for home on Monday afternoon.  We have had an engaging and fruitful trip, which we cannot wait to share with our church family and friends.

Farewell to Sinazongwe and World Vision friends

To conclude our time together, both teams met to debrief and suggest ways to improve the ministry, then shared a time of affirmation and gifts. Year after year, the quality and commitment of the World Vision staff amazes GoTeam members. We are so thankful for these loving servants of God; they are on the front line of compassion and progress among the poor... the hands & feet of Christ.

Graig offers Manager Fred a cross made by an LGPC member 



RB receives a memento gift from the ADP staff, given by Listy & Phales




Morning of departure: GoTeam and ADP staff



Photo Follow-Up: Return to Siabaswi Village

After a morning of sponsorship visitation, we returned for a check-in at our former partner village, Siabaswi, for a time of worship with local church leaders, followed by update discussions with Siabaswi pastors and with the community leadership committee. Along the way we connected unexpectedly with some "old" friends...



Communion worship at the Siabaswi Brethren in Christ church

A foretaste of the Kingdom, when all nations will gather in unity at the table of the Lord...


Siabaswi headman Harry Siabeze, also pastor of the Church of Christ in the Katongo neighborhood

Pastors and community leaders say the village is doing well, moving ahead... largely due to the boost they got from our partnership.

Sponsored child Melvin (Janna Brown) and dad Opson, mainstays in Siabaswi



Pam greets Jill Sherman's sponsored child Bevice, who wants to be a pastor

"As I was leading worship, I saw my Siabaswi namesake, Graig Siabulungu,
just outside the entrance, and greeted him after the service."

LuAnn Yocky's child, Felester, spotted on the road as we departed Siabaswi

Photo Follow-Up: "Clinics & Celebrations" - Celebration at Siabbeula

Wednesday afternoon and evening, we viewed garden projects in all the villages of the Siabbeula Food Security Project and then shared in a time of celebration highlighted by community dancing and a video retrospective of our 3+ years together - in the open air, in the dark, beneath a spectacular Milky Way sky.


Cathy and a successful farm wife in Simabbula



Christopher helps affix the "Jesse cross" gift for Siabbeula's children





Kathleen dances with a village girl




RB celebrates with ADP manager Fred Mazumba

hundreds gathered to view the movie under the stars



Movie set-up at sunset





Villagers laughed and shrieked as they recognized people they knew

 















Photo Follow-Up: "Clinics & Celebrations" - AIDS focus

Photographs to illustrate the first half of our day on Wednesday: testing clinic visit, visit to HIV clients (following volunteer caregiver on bikes!), and then the announcement of LGPC's gift to Sinazongwe of caregiver kits.

Kawumi & Graves tell us about HIV testing

A bike-visit to an HIV-positive family to understand how volunteers come alongside the sick

 

Gathering of HBC volunteers:
Sharon translates as Katie & Kathleen announce gift of Caregiver kits and refills

Sponsor Visits and Siabaswi

Thursday, July 21

The team split up to visit children sponsored by members of Lake Grove.  We will be returning with lots of pictures and stories to share with the sponsors.  After these visits, the group went to visit David and Alita.  David is ill with AIDS and others in his family are HIV postive.  This is the third year the team has visited David, who is doing well and repeat visitors thought looked healthier. David goes to the HIV clinic to receive ART and a supply of medicine.  Between visits to the clinic, he has home visits from a caregiver. 

Another group headed to Siabaswi, our former partner village.  Here Pastor Graig held a communion service with the local pastors and many church elders.  After the service, Pastor Graig met with the pastors to hear  about their needs and churches.  Many pastors have received additional training and are grateful for the Tonga Bibles and NIV Study Bible that Lake Grove has provided.  The churches are growing in numbers and in faith.

Next we met with the village committee who presented a report that was produced on a computer owned by the village!  They are doing well and asked for nothing, a good indication of their success and sustainability.  We returned to the ADP office for a time of debriefing and fellowship with the staff.  Off to Livingston in the morning.

Clinics and Celebrations

Wednesday, July 20
We had a very long day on Wednesday.  We visited an HIV clinic that opened in 2009.  They have a public health officer named Kawumo Simuete.  They do testing and provide Anti retroviral treatment (ART) to people who are a CD4 of 350.  They start women at at 500 count.  This decreases the baby being born with HIV.  The clinic is understaffed due to a lack of local housing.  Stuart is one of the many caregivers we met with.  We rode on bikes to visit one of his clients.  Both the mother and son are HIV positive, but are staying well with the help of caregiver visits and the HIV clinic.  

Before the end of our partnership celebration, we visited four food security garden projects.  All of the families are able to provide enough food for their extended families and have extra to sell in Choma, Livingston, etc.  In the evening after it was dark, we gathered with the villagers for a show of the 2008 to 2010 visits to Siabbeula.  It was a very emotional experience.

(Again, pictures are arriving slowly.  I will add them when they come in.)  

Schools and Sponsored Children

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

We had an invigorating day as we visited two schools and met with a number of sponsored children.  At the Makonkoto School, we were uplifted to see a vibrant and growing school of 600 students.  New housing for teachers has enabled the school to attract and retain quality teachers.  And there was a surprise celebration where a plaque was unveiled to recognize Lake Grove’s partnership with World Vision and Makonkoto School. 

School Plaque Recognizing Lake Grove's Help

Next, we traveled to Siazwela School where the money raised by our youth group provided a new classroom building, which is now complete!  Katie Chandler and Kathleen Fast cut the ribbon on the new building, which also has a plaque recognizing Lake Grove’s support.
 

Katie Helping at Siazwela School

We had the privilege of meeting children sponsored by Go Team members today in their homes.  There were a multitude of heart-warming and challenging stories.

Dick Rapp with Miriam

As we closed our day together at dinner, each person expressed gratitude for the opportunity to see the great work our church is supporting, all under God’s guidance.

Alan Shiffer

 

Communion, Bibles, Microenterprise and Siabbeula

Monday, July 18

It felt as if we have truly arrived as our visitation began in earnest today.  First with an intro-duction to the Sinazongwe ADP staff, our hearts united in worship, Bible study and a spirit-filled communion service. We moved from breaking bread to Pam helping Loveless, a 36-year old widow caring for 5 children (not all hers) make bread. 

Pam Making Fritters with Loveless

Loveless runs a small vegetable and fritter business that she was able to develop using small plans from Vision Fund, the local microfinance institution. She is just one of 350 Vision Fund clients in the ADP. 

Arriving in Siabbeula

Ribbon Cutting at Siabbeula Food Security Building



Communion in Siabbeula

 Our next stop was to celebrate the opening of the Siabbeula food security building and solar powered water pumps.  We again shared communion with the 7 local pastors and community leaders.  We also shared Tonga Bibles and singing with the villagers.  A God-filled day! 



Signing off ....

The Three African Kates + 1 .....  Kathleen, Katie, Cathy and Pam.

Sunday Worship and Getting Ready for Sponsorship Visits

July 17, 2011

This morning, we worshiped at the Apostolic Faith Mission Church in Siabbeula.  It was a time filled with the glory of God in all respects, from the message to the voices lifted in song, as only the Zambians can do!  The church building is small, but the work going on is mighty.  It was an honor to be part of the service.

Pastor Siabbeula and Mufundisi Graig

Dick and RB adding to the joyful sound

In the afternoon, the team worked together to take the supplies we purchased in Lusaka and divide them up for our sponsorship visits.  The bags were filled with oil, kapenta, soap, sugar, salt, goodies and much love.  We are looking forward to seeing the children soon!

Lots to pack up!



Kathleen doing some pre-pack sorting

 

Hmmmm ... where do we start????

On to Sinazongwe!

After a hearty breakfast, the team loaded vans and departed for Sinazongwe. We made 2 important stops along the way: first to the Bible Society of Zambia to purchase 300 Tonga  Bibles, then to Mother of Mercy AIDS Hospice. Praying with dying patients Felix, Chilwe, Violet and Joyce, assuring them of God's love, was a deeply moving privilege. It reminded us where this deadly disease leads and of why we are in Zambia. At Mazabuka, halfway between Lusaka and Sinazongwe, we joyfully met Betty Mbewe, former Sinazongwe manager who now oversees 2 ADPs a little to the north.  Betty appeared healthy and happy. 

Alan and Betty

Two and a half more hours of driving got us to the Lakeview Lodge before sundown. 

Dick by Lake Kariba

Tomorrow we look forward to worship and to preparing for sponsor visits, along with some Sabbath rest.

Kwasiya buti! (Good night)

Pastor Graig

World Vision Zambia; Sponsorship Shopping



Two comparatively short flights brought us from Kenya via Malawi to Zambia, where we landed at Lusaka International Airport late in the morning. After being met by our delightful and able guide, Alfonsias Haamanjanji, we were whisked straight to the World Vision office for orientation talks led by Operations Manager Fordson Kafweku (below, left). The new ADP manager in Sinazongwe, Fred Mazumba, was also present (second from left).



Christopher meets World Vision staffers.



Following the orientation, it was off to Manda Hill Shopping Mall to purchase staples for the 30 sponsored children we will see in Sinazongwe. We also purchased basics for the AIDS hospice we will visit tomorrow morning. Dividing into teams, every one went after a couple of the necessary items ("I'll get the salt and sugar", "We've got the cooking oil..." and so on).

Mark & Dick strike oil.

Waiting to load the groceries onto the vans

After spending more than $1000 on these items, groceries and shoppers alike headed back to the hotel, thanking God for being almost on schedule, and looking forward to the drive south tomorrow. Along the way we plan to visit Betty Mbewe, Sinazongwe's former ADP manager.

A good night's rest is hoped and prayed for by all, so that we can function at a high level tomorrow.
We thank God for a day of blessings.

Pastor Graig.

Lusaka at last !

As I make this quick post Friday evening (Zambia time), the photo above is about 1 hour old. Though tired, the team is in good spirits, as you can see. We have arrived in Zambia's capital, Lusaka, and are now settling in for some rest before leaving tomorrow morning for Sinazongwe. Will post some more later this evening, but wanted to write and illustrate that we're safe and sound at the Southern Sun Ridgeway (formerly the Holiday Inn). ALL LUGGAGE arrived unscathed -- though we were nervous when Kathleen's & Katie's could not be found initially. It turned out that their luggage arrived last evening and had been secured in storage. Thanks for your prayers.
      Pastor Graig.

Ready, Set, GO...and They’re Off

July 13, 2011

Met at the airport, all luggage checked in and then the trek through security. Pastor Bob prayed for the team as a send-off from the church.

While in San Francisco……….Kathleen and Katie received a wonderful send-off from their Youth Mission Team. The group prayed over Kathleen and Katie before they departed for the airport. A very touching time for everyone.

July 14, 2011

Word was received from Pastor Graig that the team was delayed in Amsterdam, which made them miss their connection in Nairobi

(a gumby moment!).

So…the team overnighted in Nairobi and will head to Lusaka the next morning.

Final Preparations

Gifts, Gifts and More Gifts

Ashlie Rapp Packaging Tea



Stacks of Gift Items - Ready for Packing

Melinda Gordon with Communion Cups from Bethlehem

The GoTeam takes a multitude of items to use as gifts of encouragement as they travel from place to place. Everything from small packages of tea, chocolates and pens to soccer balls and jump ropes.

This year special hand carved crosses were made for the team by Irene Tegeler to take as gifts. These crosses have the continent of Africa carved into the center with a vine affect on the cross pieces. This is a reminder that Christ is the vine, and we are the branches.

A final GoTeam dinner meeting was held on Saturday, July 9^th, at the home of Alan and Diane Shiffer. The team received their allotment of gifts to pack and carry, plus heard an overview of their itinerary. Final instructions and emergency numbers were received. Time is drawing near and excitement fills the air.