A Simple But Memorable Birthday

 

I woke up to the sound of pitter pattering feet on the tile floor, tiny whispers, and markers scribbling on papers. I was awake but I didn't want them to know that because I know that their masterpieces were a true labor of love. It was my birthday morning. As soon as they heard me rustling about I overheard the littlest one say, "she's UP...HURRY!" I snuck into the office in our bedroom and hid  until they were ready to see me. My day began with three beautifully handcrafted birthday cards and HUGE hugs! Then they asked, "Mama, what can we cook you for breakfast and what color do  you want us to wear for your special day?" I replied, "coffee and cheese toast and I would love it if everyone wore blue!" I stayed in the office while the three little chefs began to work. About 15 minutes later they came into my room with my toast and coffee. Easton says, "Mama, I tasted your coffee until I knew it was how you liked it!" The day had begun perfect and that was just the beginning! We made a trip to the market and had three packages from family and friends that provided us much excitement and goodies! The kids wanted to make my birthday dessert. So they helped me to make Peanut Butter Pretzel balls (my favorite). We played games and had such a fun day together! I would have to say that this birthday will go down as one of the more memorable and precious ones thus far!

 Packages from Gramsie, Aunt Sissie, and the Boyle Family!!!

 Peanut Butter Ball time!!!

 My precious kids working on the masterpiece dessert!

 Best lookin' and tastin' cake in Zambia!

 

And when you live overseas, NO birthday is complete without a phone call from Mama and Daddy! 

Fishers of Men

Our goal as missionaries has been to evangelize the lost, disciple the saved, strengthen the leaders, and in the end, see the nationals do the work of a missionary.

"and having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace..." Ephesians 6:15

 

Five years ago, Kendall began teaching in an area called “Zone 3”. The first time he taught there several “leaders” of the churches in the zone prayed to receive Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. He was shocked and knew that he needed to spend an immense amount of time evangelizing, teaching, and discipling the people in that area. This week, there was a knock at the gate. Jumbe, a young man who Kendall has discipled, came and told us what has been happening in that zone. He said that the leadership has been very active lately in encouraging all of the 9 churches in the zone. One man in particular Isaak Mwaba has been doing the work of a missionary and teaching at several of the churches. Grayson Lungu one of our first Bible School graduates traveled to another church this past Sunday to encourage them. Another leader Gordon Phiri who in the past has been afraid to preach has taken over preaching at a young start up church in Thandi village where about 60 people are meeting on Sundays. God has really moved in the lives of these leaders and the churches are growing and becoming more healthy because they have surrendered to the call of Christ to make disciples. The leaders of this zone have also planted three churches in about a three year span. Not only was Kendall so excited to hear that the nationals are carrying on the work, but the new churches are full on Sundays, even during the rainy season! As I think about these men I recall the verse that Kendall and I have prayed so many times, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2

The next day I was telling Zeria about Zone 3 and how excited we were that they were growing and flourishing! She then told us that Nyimba Central, a church in another zone, has developed missionary teams. She explained that as a church they have decided that they need to keep going and encouraging the new churches in our area so that these churches will continue to grow. The church devised a plan and on every other Sunday, 3-4 teams of 2 men will travel together anywhere from 6-20 miles to visit other young churches to encourage them.  The teams consist of older men and even youth that have attended the Youth Bible School! The next Sunday they report to Nyimba Central about the congregation’s attendance and the subjects of their lessons! We were ecstatic! Astounded! Amazed! Encouraged! They got it! They have understood the commission and have made plans to strengthen the local body of Christ! Paul said in 1 Timothy 1:5, “the goal of our instruction is love” our churches are starting to love. Jumbe’s and Zeria’s reports were very humbling to say the least. God has moved among these people and they have responded to His call.

Kendall and I are so happy about these reports and as I think about it more and more my heart leaps within my chest! They have seen what it means to share Christ and to encourage new believers. Truly they understand and are living out Acts 1:8, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Cinco!!!!

 On February 15, 2008 in Johannesburg, South Africa our family was blessed to welcome Lauren Callaway into our family! Since that day she has brought so much joy, laughter, and happiness to our family and those around us. She is truly a light and shines wherever she goes! I am amazed to see how much she has grown over the past year. I am amazed at her faith in Jesus and the way that she prays to Him on a daily basis all of the time lifting up people she knows and doesn't know. I am humbled by her genuine unconditional love for others and her ability to forgive those who have hurt her. Today was truly a celebration of our precious little girl. She requested that the girls wear pink and the boys wear green. (Daddy missed the memo!) We had a fun day that began with pink pancakes and the opening of presents. She requested "red chicken" (a.k.a. sweet n sour chicken) for lunch and chicken tacos for dinner. We played with silly string and had egg in the spoon races. As a family, we played some football and a massive storm blew in so we came inside and read some books! It was a full fun day that ended with us all watching Duck Dynasty...or as she calls it "Ducky Dynasty"! Happy 5th Birthday precious Lauren! We love you!

 



Daddy crowned her the princess of 5!

 She was so excited about her apron and new cooking utensils!

 She helped Zeria and I cook her birthday lunch, "red chicken".

 

Silly String was so much fun! 

 

 Egg in the spoon races have become birthday tradition around here!

This was a precious picture that Lily took of Lauren. She was so sad because she broke her egg at the end of her spoon race with me. But I thought the picture was beautiful!

 

 

 

We are blessed as parents and on days like today, we are humbled and so thankful for happy, healthy kids who are growing up understanding the importance of knowing Jesus Christ, loving and serving Him wherever they are!

Ordination at Ucha Baptist

 The rains fell heavy upon the tin roof of Ucha Central Baptist Church in Kacholola. No one could hear what was being said, prayers were lifted to the Lord and the rains calmed down for the congregation to hear that words that were spoken. Zakeyo is the man that the church body has chosen to be their pastor. They invited Kendall to come and lead the ordination service. Kendall preached John 21:15-17 as a charge to Zakeyo as the new pastor. The teachings about ordination came from Acts 6, Acts 13, and Titus 1. At the end of his preaching and teaching, the congregation including other pastors from local churches came forward and laid their hands on Zakeyo's head and prayed over him as the new pastor. At the end of the service Kendall was overwhelmed with a gift of money, fresh corn, pumpkins, and sugar cane. It is their way of saying thank you and will always be a beautiful display of humble giving.

 Zakeyo is the man pictured to the left with the black vest and long sleeved blue shirt.

Psalm 63

"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands." Psalm 63:1-3

Seeing children and adults flocking to large pools of water during this time of year constantly reminds me of Psalm 63. The rains begin in Zambia at the end of October and they cease at the end of March. During this time of year, people are happy to find water. It is nothing out of the ordinary to see children and adults bathing in a pool of water along the road or filling a water bottle with the water that has gathered. Water is a luxury and in a land where it is often in short supply, the sight of it and the ease of finding it refreshes the dry spirits.
Pray that the Nsenga people would run to the only Living Water, Jesus Christ. That they would yearn for Him like they yearn for the rains to grow their crops and sustain their lives. He is the only one that can satisfy their thirsty souls and refresh their dry bones.
Pray that they would give Him the glory and praise for the rain that He alone controls and blesses them with.

Producing Fruit

The sun was beginning to set as we drove home along the Great East Road. We have traveled this road during the rainy season many times before but I had never seen it, until now.  Several of the fields were flourishing with green maize had a lone sunflower blooming in the midst of the sea of emerald. The sight left me in awe and immediately the Lord began to speak to my heart. As we continued our journey, I kept my eyes peeled for the next sunflower peeking its happy face over the waves of maize.

As I soaked in the beauty of the fields of maize the Lord spoke to my heart. He used His creation to remind me of lessons that I have heard many times before. Yet this time, it was different. He reminded me of standing out among the crowd; the bold stands that were taken by such people as Stephen, Daniel, Paul, and many others; the difficulties of remaining strong when standing alone; and the ability to produce more than one fruit. The maize and the sunflower have many things in common…they need soil, water, and sunshine. The sunflower grows tall and strong and there is only one blossom per flower. The maize grows tall but after the first fruits are plucked from its stalk, it has the ability to produce another.

 

In the Christian life, we can either be like the maize or the sunflower. The sunflower is beautiful and stands so tall, but once that flower is removed its purpose is dissolved. There are times we can have seasons in which we are like the sunflower. Outwardly, we are beautiful, standing out from the crowd, but inwardly we are only able to produce one fruit. Trials and storms in life can come and knock us down and we struggle to get back up again and our fruit is unseen.

On the other hand, the maize is strong and with good soil, plentiful rain, and the perfect amount of sunshine it can grow and produce many fruits in a season. There are also times we can have seasons in which we are like the maize. Outwardly we are strong, tall, full of life, and our fruits are in abundance and evident to those around us. Trials and storms may come but over time and in the healing we are able to produce fruit again.

The fruits of the Spirit are a product of a consistent and daily walk with the Lord;  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). None of these fruits are easy to do without the help of the Holy Spirit because none of these can be cultivated in our own strength. Yes, we can outwardly look loving, joyful, peaceful….like the sunflower, but when the storms come and take away those things, what remains? We must cling to the Lord “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ..By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” John 15:4-6,8 As the body of Christ, we need to encourage one another to be fruitful and help those up that have fallen from the storms of life. As we walk through the storms of life, cling to the vine, which is Jesus Christ and let His rain fall upon us and allow us to grow in Him through the trials of life.

McGyver Surgeon

The day that I was so excited about had finally arrived! February 7, my cast was going to be removed! I waited for a very long time to see my doctor but when I finally did...it was nothing like I had anticipated. We proceeded to the room where it would be removed. When we arrived, the man in charge said that the cast cutter was not available because the man who had the key to the cabinet went home at 16 hours (4:00pm). Well, of course he did! My appointment was at 16 and it was now 18! So, my awesome doctor, who is a surgeon, said this, "well at UTH (the teaching hospital in Lusaka) we are trained and we teach to be a McGyver surgeon. Do you know McGyver?" I answered, "of course I do!" Then he said, "well we will remove the cast like McGyver!" HA!

He left the room and came back with a dull pair of scissors and a razor blade. He began to cut away the cast and then asked me to slide the scissors down into the cast as far as I could so that he could cut along the scissors and not cut me. (nice.) So after a great amount of laughter and joking, I was FREE!! Just glad that we have had another funny story to share from Zambia!

Tender Moments

 The Bible is clear that a godly father should teach his children all that God has commanded. In Deut. 6:6-7 NASB it reads, "These words, which I am comanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons..." Reuben is a good friend of the Smith's who are missionaries in Kaoma, Zambia. Recently we went to visit with the Smith's and Mike was kind enough to invite me to teach at the Bible school with him. There I met Reuben and Kansenya Reuben's son who were students at the school. I was teaching a class on the principles of teaching and that Friday the students had an assignment to teach us a short lesson and apply the principles we had learned over the course of the week. Reuben was translating for everyone so that I could understand, and when I pulled his son's name, Kasenya, out of the hat a special moment happened. Two generations of godly men were in front of the class room. Reuben translated his son's message with a smile on his face and endearment in his heart. This was one of the most tender moments I have seen between father and son in Zambia. This was an encouragement in my own life to see the love he had for his son. It was a reminder to never stop teaching my own family about the love God has for us.

Bible School and Fellowship in Kaoma

 

Our friend and fellow missionary, Mike Smith, invited Kendall to come and teach Bible School with him the last week in January. Our family was so excited to go with Kendall and to spend time with the Smith family (Mike, Amy, Evie, and Tyler)! We had never traveled to the Western Province of Zambia and really enjoyed seeing another part of the country and being with friends as well! The drive to Kaoma was beautiful this time of year because of the rains. For over 2 hours of the drive we drove through Kafue National Park. As we drove, we all kept our watch out for animals! We saw several animals along the way and enjoyed the rain too! Our time was a great time of fellowship with each other and Kendall had a great time teaching with Mike and meeting other men that desire to follow the Lord and minister in their community. 

 

 



Loved these black and white birds

 Mike teaching at the Kaoma Bible School

 Easton LOVES Hot Wheels and loved playing with Tyler's!

 Every afternoon, the kids swam with Evie!!

 

 Amy and I walked to the Luena River one day it was beautiful and clean!

 As we walked home this was the view down into the valley.

Kendall, Mike, and Tyler played basketball or ping pong in the afternoons. As you can tell, their dogs, Jet and Charlotte, like to play too!