New Website and Bible Study

New Website

 As this was a new year we also started with new things in the ministry. We have launched an new website so please go and visit it and give us your feed back. www.missionoflovezambia.org

New Bible Study

In the end of February a church in the community (that in often viewed as a cult by evangelicals) invited me to come and teach Bible study every Sunday afternoon. We were very excited about this invitation because this denomination believes that I can not be a believer because I am not a member of their church, so for them to ask me to do this is only a God thing. I have been there four times now and must admit that I am having the best time teaching the word of God. The attendance for the adults is between 40 and 60 people every Sunday afternoon.  Counting the young people and children that is there as well, they are close to and over a 100 in the afternoon.  Praise God for this it is only His doing and not ours. We are only obedient to what he has called us to do and it is not about the numbers because the angels in heaven rejoice when one person gets to be part of the Kingdom. Jeremiah ministered for 40 years and did not see one person repent and turn to God but still he wept for them on a hill. We are called to be a witness to what God did and is doing for us in our lives and so that people can be part of Jesus life if they desire and choose to be. 

Please keep the people of Chief Nyawa in your prayers; that God will keep on revealing Himself to them so that they can have the opportunity to follow Jesus and to start bearing the image of God.

Thank you

missionoflovezambia@hotmail.com

School holiday and Playground Preparation

So what do you do in Zambia when you have a month of school holiday?  How about build a preschool playground?

As nice as it might have been to have the option to purchase one and have it delivered to the preschool’s front door (and possibly even installed), that option isn’t much of a reality where God has placed us.  So…. when the need arose for a place to the preschool kids to play in safety while at the same time building and encouraging gross motor skills and physical development, the task to meet that need became a full time project of it’s own.

From designing the playground, figuring out the type and quantity of materials needed, how to transport them here, and the actual cutting, grinding and welding of it, this project has taken up most of Alyssa and Jako’s working hours for the past month.  Some times the days were long with only little progress and other times “interruptions” (broken vehicles, broken generators, tending to local visitors, needs from the orphanage, etc…) slowed progress to a grinding halt but with perseverance and God’s grace (and a bit of help from the children on sanding day), at last, there are structures now in our work area that resemble a playground!

The big hope is to have most of the structures up and ready for kid use by the time the preschool opens on May 7th.  Please pray that God will provide all the strength, energy, resources, wisdom, and motivation needed to see this process through to completion in order to see many smiling faces full of laughter dancing on it soon.  Thanks to those that have helped make this possible and to God who is the ultimate giver of all good things.

Ways to get involved and additional prayer need

As an additional note, due to location, timing of availability, and age difference we are still in need of an additional toddler/young child playground at the orphanage.  Since all of our babies are growing up, in four months time we are going to have 7 children between the ages of 1 and 2 and one five year old.  We would love to provide them an age appropriate safe place for them to play and develop themselves so if anyone feels interested in donating to this need please contact us via e-mail at missionoflovezambia@hotmail.com .

Please also pray for finances for a well to be drilled we have received funds for one well but we need to drill two wells this year to have enough water for all the projects, orphanage and the community.

April 2012 – Health updates

Thank you so much for your prayers for us this past month.  Many have written us wanting an update on how the kids and Charles are doing.  We truly appreciate everyone’s prayers and are happy to share some good reports with you this month.

Ruth - after being in the clinic almost a month Ruth is now finally back home with us and under the great care of the house mothers.  While she still has a long way to go to obtain the full healing that we are praying for (at almost 2 years of age, she weighs as much as our Jeremiah who is 4 months old) but her skin and hair are looking much better and she is finally starting to fill out a bit if you know where to look for it (her cheeks, bottom etc).  It seems that as the TB infection is being treated her body is finally being able to absorb some of the vitamins and minerals she so badly needs from the food she is eating.  We praise God for bringing this precious child to us, for sustaining her life this far, and we pray and trust that God will continue the healing that he has started her in.  Thanks for your continued prayers for her.

Charles -  God in his goodness has given us another reason to praise His name.  God has heard our prayers (and those of so many who have prayed with us) and Charles seems to be doing so much better. While he probably still has another month left of treatments at the TB clinic (they know that he works at an orphanage and want to make extra sure that he is not contagious before they let him go) the last time we saw him he was no longer coughing, his hands had stopped shaking, and he appears much better and stronger.  But keep him in your prayers for TB is very dangerous and it seems he might be struggling again.  We received word yesterday that it hurts when he breaths normal and that the sides of his chest is swollen. Thank you for your prayers of continued healing for him and for God to continue to provide people to “fill in the gap” of his absence and role here.

Emmanuel – The skin issue remains and now has spread to a most uncomfortable area between the legs.  We are wondering now it if it might be eczema.  Please pray for wisdom in how to address this issue so that this little guy can be comfortable and free from itching and opportunistic infections. 

Thank you to those that have prayed along with us for and thank you Jesus for your hand of healing in these lives and for your guidance and provision for our every need!  To God be the glory forever and ever!

Charles

The same day that Ruth got diagnosed with TB, so did our local foreman Charles.  Anyone who has been here to visit us the past few years has met this amazing but humble man with a huge heart to help the orphans.  He has been a faithful servant to us, the ministry, and kids at the children’s home.  Being n HIV + for 11+ years now, has been a big advocate for HIV education in the village, even among the kids and the house moms here with us.  Unfortunately when we returned from South Africa in January we found him suffering with a cough which he said was being treated at the clinic.   When the cough didn’t go away we advised him to go for further help and treatment but due to the cost of going to the TB clinic without a referral from the local clinic, he chose to wait.  We pray that that decision will not be a fatal one because when we took him to the TB clinic in Zimba on Friday, the doctors said that both of his lungs were badly infected and that his case was quite severe.  Knowing that TB claims many victims here in rural Africa (the private hospital in Livingstone tells us that only 30% of the TB patients that come in to them walk out) we are desperately asking for your prayers and intercession on behalf of Charles.  God has graciously spared his life up to this point but we are asking for grace, mercy, and God’s healing touch on his life, knowing the good that he can still do in this area, for the ministry and in the lives of the precious children he has put under our care.     To may of these kids (especially the older boys) Charles has been like a father to them and they have already lost so much.  In addition Charles has a wife Brenda (who helps with the children’s home when needed and watching Jakob), and four children whom he is caring  for, (1 is Brenda’s son, 2 are grandchildren, and one an orphan that he has raised since infancy).  While we know that God’s ways are always best we appreciate your prayers for this faithful worker and his family, especially that He will remain strong in his faith during this time of hardship and not doubt or revert back to believing that this was caused by witch craft or a curse.  We pray for God’s healing power and for God to use this situation to bring HIM glory, praise, and honor once again.

TB Troubles and other illness’

This past month seems to have us plagued by sickness.  Not only has the children’s home had their fair share of the local eye infections or cough that is going round, but this month TB (Tuberculosis) seems to have hit us pretty hard and claimed 3 of our own as it’s unhappy host. 

Ruth

Many of you remember Ruth, our  1 1/2 year old newest addition who we asked so many prayers for because she was so sick, HIV +, and seemed to be failing to thrive?  Well, while we have seen some improvement in her condition since being released from the  clinic (she is now sitting up on her own, eating much better, trying to stand with assistance, growing more attached to her house mother, and even starting to interact a bit more with the other children) but she has not picked up the weight that we hoped she would even with all of the nutrition and good food she now has access to.  Because of that she was taken to the clinic last Wednesday where they confirmed that she has stomach TB.  This type of TB is very common in malnourished babies and children (Sanford was being treated for it when he came to us)  and while it is not as contagious as the more typical lung TB, it is still contagious so she will be staying with Rachel at Kaue for three weeks to get the treatment that she needs and not infect the other children.  Ruth is still a sad little girl and whenever I see her I can’t wait for the day that she will be happy and laughing and playing like all kids should.  Please pray with us for continued healing of this precious little girl – emotionally, mentally, and physically and that with God’s grace, maybe she will be smiling and laughing a bit when she returns.

Emmanuel

For the past 6 months that Emmanuel has been under our care (He is now 7 months old) he has been struggling with some sort of skin condition – he would get big rashes on his face, cheeks, elbows and arms that would sometimes develop into open sores.  Despite several visits to the clinic and applying all sorts of ointments nothing seemed to work for long.  He is always such a happy and smiling baby so several weeks ago when Belita came to us saying that he had a large swollen lymph node on his neck and a fever (but no pain) it made us start to wonder what was causing it.  The next day the swollen lymph node had moved to his armpit and the following day he was in severe pain so we took him to the clinic.  They admitted him for 5 days but because he didn’t respond as quickly as they had hoped, he ended up being there for 10.  When he returned he was much better but not 100%.  Then as I was looking at info on TB to see how contagious it was I read about a type of skin TB that affects the skin and lymph nodes and it’s symptoms seemed very similar to what Emmanuel was experiencing.  So, last Friday we had him at the TB clinic and today he is going back for more tests because they suspect that he has TB as well. While it makes me wonder why it wasn’t picked up and diagnosed earlier by those in the medical field, I am thankful that God is the great Physician and was able to help lead us to the right place at the right time.  Hopefully we have finally have figured out what the problem is so that we can get him on the right meds to rid this problem and get him healthy again because when Emmanuel smiles, you can’t help but smile back. 

Addendum – supposedly the clinic says that he is free from TB so while that is good please pray that God will continue to heal Emmanuel in his own way or show us how best to respond. 

Nchimunya HIV+?

Last wednesday we had several more of our kids tested for HIV and while we are very happy that Emmanuel and Sanford came back negative (they thought Emmanuel might be positive because of the issues mentioned above), we were shocked to find out that  Nchimunya came back as positive.  At one year of age now and a nice healthy weight he was by far the healthiest baby that we have received and has stayed the most healthy of any of them.  He would be the last one that we would suspect this of.  But… there is a chance that the test was only showing the positive results of his mother’s antibodies because it is hard and expensive to test children for HIV so please pray along with us that this is the case.  It happened once before with little Esther who has first diagnosed as positive but then the next test showed she was free of it.  We are hoping and praying that this is the case for Nchiimunya as well.  God has him in his hands no matter what but HIV is not a disease that we would want to wish on anybody, especially a precious little child.  Thank you God that the other children are HIV free and that you care and provide for all the needs of your little ones, despite their HIV status.

Oceans Apart

Thank you for your prayers for all of us during the weeks that Jako was away in the States.  God proved as faithful as always and cared for all of us and the kids at the children’s home despite the miles.

While in the States Jako was able to meet and share all that God has done (and is continuing to do) at the orphanage with 3 different churches, numerous home groups and Bible studies, and many individuals.  He was also able to meet with  different church and missions leaders to talk about their partnership here with us and discuss future plans and team involvement.  While it wasn’t easy being there without his family God blessed his time and it was definitely a worth while trip.  Thank you to all the friends, family, and supporters who went out of their way to meet with him, encourage him, ask him about the ministry and how they can pray, or just have fun with him and make him feel welcome.

Meanwhile, back in Zambia, Amber, Alyssa and the boys did well handling things on the home front.  Alyssa taught at the preschool and Amber managed things at the orphanage and around the mission.  While getting a bad case of a stomach bug made this a bit more difficult (Amber was on antibiotics for 14 days) God was gracious and didn’t allow any major mechanical break downs of important things like vehicles, generator, gas fridges etc during Jako’s absence.  Alyssa was a huge help to Amber in caring for the boys before and after preschool and it was a big relief to all of them that things ran so relatively smooth.  God even made a way for them to be able to surprise Jako and meet him at the airport upon his arrival in Livingstone.  What a sweet reunion that was – especially for Jakob. 

Thanks for all your prayers during this time and for God’s goodness, provision, guidance, and grace through it all.

Jako in the States

Please pray for Jako as he left for a quick visit to the States yesterday.  He will be in Woodbridge, Virginia from Feb 21st until the 27th and then in Tampa, Florida from the 27th until March 7th.  While there he will be meeting with a few churches, talking with church leaders, and helping to plan their involvement with us in the upcoming year.  While we wish that all of us could have visited as a family this year, with a newborn and ministry needs, it just wasn’t meant to be.  Please pray for Jako in his time away because this is not an easy sacrifice to make, especially with Jeremiah being so young.  It is the first time that he will be gone for so long in our 9 years of marriage. Please pray for Alyssa, Amber and the boys as they remain in Zambia during the rainy season and for Jakob as he is currently sick with diarrhea, super attached to his father right now and might have difficulty understanding why he is gone for so long.  Please also pray for Jako to have a God blessed and directed time in the States and that God will give him wisdom and direct his every encounter and every step.

We know and trust that God will never call us to do something that we are unable to and that He will always bless us when we follow after Him.  

SO please, if you are around any of those areas and would like to visit with him or see him, contact him via e-mail.  I am sure he would love it (and it would make the time go by faster : ) 

Trusting in God to do wonderful things.