Update from Dan - first blog from on the ground!

After days of traveling on planes, cars, minibuses, vans, and by foot, our whole team is now all here and our programs are well underway. The first wave (Jesse, Austin, Casie, Elizabeth, Angie, Megan, and Dan) arrived safely in Mufulira (our Zambian 'Base Camp') on Friday night after lovely stops at the Smith's in Washington and the Jordaan's in South Africa. The second wave (Duane, Adam, and Beth) arrived safely early Sunday morning after being picked up in Lusaka by Dr. Thinus and Jim (a week after their collision with a bull in Botswana). We spent Sunday getting over the post-travel grog and went to a lovely Italian couple's house in a neighoring city. That evening we picked up two other team members, Johnny Payne and Victor Thanke, who were last minute additions. Johnny Payne is an American in the Peace Corps who has been working in Botswana for the past year with the government to develop a HIV education program. He is a really dynamic and inspiring guy who has quickly become one of our team. By the way, he is hilarious! Victor is a Botswanan who works for the UN helping Botswana develop HIV education. He is a humble man who is extremely intelligent and has a real passion for his country and continent. Victor had to leave us on Tuesday for a job interview and Johnny leaves on Saturday. Please pray for their travel. There presence will be very missed! We have been blessed by their being with us.

On Monday we catipulted into our first day of ministry. Our time at Dr. T's Church Planting School in the mornings have been great. Duane has been working with 15 or so church planters and HIV educators. The 'mazungus,' Zambian word for white people, have been silent observers, taking notes and soaking up Duanes strategies and motivational information. He runs his workshop in a very conversational way, so we have been learning so much about Zambian culture as well as HIV and the stigma attached to it. In the mornings this week, all has gone as planned, for the most part.

In the afternoons... well... not so much. The Youth HIV Ed Team (Austin, Casie, Angie, Jesse, Dan, Megan) are at an all-girls' school called Pomodzi, which is our 4th time at that school, and has local Stop the Spread leaders who work with the students year round. We were planning on teaching a seminar to around 15-20 students, and around 75 showed up. Oh flexibility, a missionary's best friend! So we spent Monday and Tuesday with them, breaking them into small groups and getting to know them, while talking about What HIV Is, How Its Spread, and Myths and Truths of HIV. It has been a really good time of sharing with them and encouraging them. One thing that has really struck us is how well they have been taught about the aforementioned topics. It is proof that the STS-Zambia (the local Zambians who have taken ownership of the program) are doing an amazing job. That has been a continual theme in seeing how capable and motivated the local leaders (there names are Henry, Terry, Oswald, John, Jessie) are to stop the spread of HIV and share the good news of the Gospel. Zambians are going to be able to teach these things better than we can because they know the culture, language, motivations, etc. So one of our objectives of this trip in encouraging and empowering STS-Zambia. Praise the Lord! On Wednesday, the girls at Pomodzi had the afternoon off, but Thursday and Friday we are going to be tackling some of the more intimate subjects like Abstinence, What If You've Made a Mistake, Stigma, Getting Tested, and Abortion. Austin, Casie, and Angie are going to be talking. Please pray that the Lord would anoint them in their words, that the hearts of the girls would be open, and that the Gospel of Jesus Christ would take root and be strengthened among them.

Also, to fill you in on the Seminar Team (Duane, Elizabeth, Adam, Beth), they have spent the afternoons at a teacher's college. They were expecting nearly 50-60, and around 400 showed up. This has its benefits, but it is not what they had planned on. So they have continued to be bold and step out in faith and teach about HIV in the Spirit's leading. Today, the college informed us that they were having evaluator's coming in from the capitol to observe the students, so Thursday and Friday are cancelled for HIV Hope Team. So please pray that another door would be opened for them to serve!

Just a few parting reflections...

First of all, I have been overwhelmed with the amazing people who are on the team this year. Everyone has been so engaged and encouraging. I don't know if I have ever seen a group of people bond so fast. There is a sense of realness in this house, in these people. Pray that the Spirit would continue to work in this way, through our community with each other.

Secondly, there has been alot of laughter, which I think is absolutely neccesary. There are alot of harsh realities here with which we come face to face. It is devestating at times, and it should be. Life is devestating, at times. But The Lord has blessed us with humour and laughter and pray that the Lord would continue to minister to us in this way!

Lastly, thank you. Thank you for your phone calls. Thank you for your emails. Thank you for your concerns. Thank you for your trust. Thank you for your faith in this mission. Thank you for your reliance on the Lord. Most of all, thank you for your prayers... they keep us afloat.

Glory be to God.
Dan
Team Stop the Spread