Update from Elizabeth - Sunday Worship in Kitwe!

Good evening, family and friends!

It is finally the close of a restful weekend here in Zambia, and the team is gradually trickling off to their various rooms to journal, read and sleep. We are starting our final week tomorrow, and that realization brings a mixture of joy and sorrow.

This morning, Dr. Thinus was invited to preach at one of my favorite churches, The Showers of Blessing Church in Kitwe. We all loaded into the “Say Yes to Jesus” van and took off for a beautiful worship service. Dr. Thinus has been friends with Pastor Seafus and his wife Sarah since the early 90s, and their friendship makes this church feel like home to me. The entire congregation welcomes us annually with wide open arms and treats us with amazing hospitality. Our team joined enthusiastically in the singing and dancing that accompanies Zambian praise and worship, which was followed by a time of “blessing”. Our team wasn’t quite sure what was happening, until Dr. T. explained that it was a time in which the pastor led the church members to encourage each other and stop looking only unto their own needs. Jesse and Dan boldly stood up to give “blessing” speeches for the church body! :-) Dr. T. introduced our entire team and then finished the service with a wonderful sermon on the life of David, which stirred our hearts. We exited the church in typical Zambian fashion – forming a receiving line to shake the entire congregations’ hands as they one-by-one exited the building. Everyone continues singing and dancing right out into the church yard! I love it! The various team members stood around the church yard, conversing with the new friends we’d made at Chibote Girls’ School this past week (also in Kitwe). It was really neat to see many of the same girls that we had prayed for plugged into the church community this morning. All too soon, Sarah started herding the girls into her personal car and shooing the men towards Dr. T.’s van.

As soon as we were packed like sardines into her vehicle, she began to laugh and said she wanted to “bless” us with shatangai skirts (no idea if I spelled that right!). These are traditional Zambian wrap skirts made out of the brightly colored local fabrics. We were stunned, but grateful. She and her sister Maggie took us to a street vendor and let us pick out fabric that we liked for our skirts! When we got back to her house, Sarah spirited the fabric away to a tailor friend of hers, who cut the fabric into appropriate lengths for our skirts. By the time we left Kitwe, all the team females were decked in Zambian shatangai skirts!!!! In the meantime, several of the other women from church had started a wonderful lunch! How Pastor Seafus and Sarah love to bless us with good cooking. They prepared massive quantities of green beans, squash, carrots, potatoes, rice, chicken, sausage, cole slaw, and of course, nshima (maize-meal…almost like grits!). We ate, and ate, and ate, until we could eat no more!!! It was delicious, and I am always struck by their willingness to bestow such goodness on us. They live in a very small house in a little village on the outskirts of town – that meal is not indicative of their “normal” living, I’m sure. And yet, they go “all out” to bless us when we come! Angie and I escaped the after-lunch economics conversation in favor of playing in the street with some neighborhood children until it was time to go.

We returned to Mufulira for a “quiet” night at the house. Everyone putters around in a semi-normal routine of showers, snacking, email-checking, guitar-playing, reading, playing soccer with the boys from next door, etc. But tonight was different. Tonight was Austin’s last night with our team. We gathered in the living room to share lows and highs of the week, followed by our overall feelings about the trip. This beautiful time of true sharing was closed with worship, led by Austin himself. He has been a tremendous asset to our team, and he will be missed this week as we finish up the ministry work God has for us in Zambia. Thanks, Austin, for being a true servant and a blessing to STS! The Lord has used your humility, quiet strength and knowledge of the Word to uplift our entire team. May the things the Lord did in and through you during your time in Africa settle into your heart!

Highs and lows, joys and sorrows. From dancing in the church yard to saying goodbye to a team-mate, today has been packed full of emotions. And hovering beneath everything is the thought that soon it will be our turn to say farewell to Africa. Please continue praying for all of us – Austin as he travels to meet his family and those of us that remain here. God still has much in store for the team this week, and I are praying for the team to embrace each new day with excitement and joy! Please pray for our hearts, that the emotions bubbling up within us will not overshadow the work that is still to be done. And pray for our ability to process these emotions fully, with Christ’s help. We are physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. Yet, Jesus promises to bear our burdens and be our strength when we are weak! May He increase, even as we decrease, so that out of Him we can pour ourselves out to the students this week.

Thank you again for constantly joining with our team in prayer! We could not get through each day with your loving support and faithfulness. I also want to thank each one of you for your kind emails and phone calls. I hope you know how much each team member LOVES to hear from “home”! We miss you and appreciate you!!!

Elizabeth