10/31/09

Updates!

I know that I write agout a lot of things, but never give an update on them. Well, here is an update on a few things!

Our family will be moving in two weeks! This has been a hard time of trusting and waiting on the Lord for our family, but He has provided! We will be moving to the Village of Hope. Pastor Lusumpa and his family have kindly moved out of their house earlier than planned to let us move in. He has a church in Lusaka that he feels he needs to live closer to. This is only a temporary place for us, but we are thankful that the Lord has provided something!



A very exciting thing happened this week. Ten new children moved in and joined our Hope Village family. Their ages range from four to ten. Everything is still new to them since they have ot even been here a week (some came on Sunday and some on Monday Oct. 25-26) Most of them do not speak English, many of them have never been to school, and all of them have never lived with so much wealth. Pray for them as they adjust to their new life, and for their housemother, as she adjusts to them. Next week I will post a more detailed account.



On Monday, October 19, small Gift broke his arm. He fell out of a tree onto the hard ground below. Everyone felt so sorry for him. The Kamaus took him to a local hospital where they put a temporary splint on it made out of cardboard. The next day he was taken to a hospical in Lusaka where he stayed for three days. There, they put on a real cast, but it is like a dead weight. To encourage and cheer him, the Hamelrycks painted a shark on it and everyone at the Village signed it. He is doing well now, and doesn't seem to mind much.



Our dear friend, Grace Willing just left last Friday. While she was here she invested greatly in everyones lives, and helped to start things like Hope Club, game time at the Village of Hope on Tuesdays, and homework time on Thursdays. She got to know each of the children well, and they all loved her. Rose C. was especially grateful for her help with homework and the fact that she took the time to invest in her life. Grace came at the perfect time. She was here for us when the news came to move out and our struggle to find a house. We love you Grace and everyone misses you!



The Hamelrycks have started a new thing with the kids – soccer! Every Monday and Wednesday afternoon they go out to a big open field and practice for an hour. They had their first games last week. There are four teams named Lions, Elephants, Black Mambas, and the Pattys! The kids love it, and it has taught them good skills such as teamwork, discipline, and punctuality (if they are late, they have to do five laps!).





God has really blessed us through Hope Club. What a joy it is to see 60-70 smiling faces every Saturday morning. Since the first Hope Club we have covered creation up through the story of the tower of Babel. Precious, the teacher at the Village of Hope continues to interpret. She took a survey of the languages spoken in the village so we could purchase Bibles. There are four languages in all. The Hamelrycks usually come to play soccer and games afterwards. In our continued efforts to promote good hygiene we are passing out diapers and wipes to each baby that attends.



Have you ever tried to balance three babies on your lap? I do that three days a week while Mom sits on a sheet surrounded by a wall of children listening to her read. We originally started it to keep the little ones out of trouble and give them something to do, but now we are finding that even some of the young men like to come too. Everyone gathers around to listen to Mom read children’s picture books. The mothers appreciate it because they do not have to worry so much about their children during the day, and we love it because it gives us yet another chance to invest in their lives.



There are many things going on around here and much prayer is needed. Please pray for:

• Our move – that it would come off smoothly
• The new children – that they would adjust quickly
• Gift small – that his arm heals
• Hope Club – that we would continue to invest in the lives of these people, be an example to them, and share God’s word with them.
• Reading time at Green Farm – that we would create a desire in them to use their time wisely, and that they would learn to trust us which will then lead to warming their hearts towards the Gospel
• Suzie and Junior – that by helping we will show their mothers that someone cares, and by cleaning them that they will see a need for good hygiene.

10/25/09

A look at Livingstone and a bit of Botswana

Traveling by car to Livingstone is always an interesting trip. Especially this one since there was a shortage of gas. For nine hours we were continually looking for a gas station with petrol. The lines of cars at the ones that did have it were so long that it must have taken hours to get through them. We were so desperate that we bought it on the black market - literally. We made it safe and sound both ways, but with a few adventures


some of our friends....

Last Friday it was amazing to go and see Victoria Falls for the second time. I can only imagine what David Livingstone felt when he discovered them in 1855. From the name he heard that the people gave it – Mosioatunya – he must have been impressed. Mosioatunya means Smoking Thunder and indeed they are. He in turn named it Victoria Falls in honor of the Queen of England. The falls are counted among one of the seven natural wonders of the world. 150,000 gallons go over per second, and the falls stretch for 5,604 feet. They even stretch across two countries – Zambia and Zimbabwe.



they name everything after it


Victoria Falls in the dry season

Livingstone is not only known for Victoria Falls. It was once the capital of Zambia. The city is very clean, and there is always construction work going on to make it even nicer. Because it is so close to Victoria Falls, Livingstone is a very tourist-centered city. There are several traditional craft markets, many restaurants, and a few hotels. All the hotels are named after either Stanley or Livingstone. There is a wonderful museum about Africa with a special room dedicated to David Livingstone. It has copies of his original letters, some of the original books he used t carry like Pilgrims Progress and Robinson Crusoe, and the medical equipment he used. The broken bone he received from the lion attack is even on display.


the only one in the city


our favorite museum


this is one of the hotels named after David Livingstone


one of the ladies at the local craft market


just one of the road repairs

At the falls there are many wild animals that roam around like zebras, giraffes, and monkeys. Because they are so used to people they can be quite bold sometimes - especially the monkeys. All the hotels warn you not to leave your doors open because the monkeys like to barge right in in search of food. They will do anything for food. Once, Kamani Kamau (the son of one of the families working at the Village of Hope) was chased by a baboon. The baboon had no intention of hurting him. He just wanted his sandwich. He chased Kamani until he gave it up. Joe had an encounter with a zebra. We were all walking to the Falls and minding our own business when suddenly Joe started running. Fortunately Joe has long legs so he started to outrun the zebra that was chasing him. Beeline, as Joe later named him, was too lazy to continue chasing him and turned towards us. We quickly turned into a mass of running, squawking people. Nothing happened to us except that we go a bit of exercise.


the zebra that Joe loves

These are not the only animals we encountered. We made a special trip to Botswana to see more of God’s creatures. We went on a river cruise and a safari ride in Chobe National Park. In order to reach the park we crossed the Zambezi River in a tiny boat and as we crossed the river the driver pointed out that we were at the only point in the world where four countries meet. The four are Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia.


some of the elephants from the herd of families

There are approximately 120,000 elephants in Chobe National Park. We were able to observe a bachelor herd and a herd of families. It was interesting to see the instincts that elephants have. An example is when they get wet. Water makes their skin more attractive to bugs. Because of that, the minute they get out of the water they find mud or dust and spray it all over their body. God’s creation is amazing! We also saw herds of hippos in which only one male is in authority. Observing a staring contest between a female lion and a squirrel reminded us of how God’s creatures are both great and small. We noticed that just as mothers tenderly give their babies bathes, so mother baboons tenderly pick fleas off of their babies.


a monkey picking off ticks


one of the lizards that likes to eat crocodile eggs

The experiences and adventures we had at Livingstone and Chobe National Park have given us an even deeper respect and love of the mighty and awesome God we serve.

10/10/09

Prayer Request

This is just a quick post to ask for prayer as we are going to have to move. We don’t know where, but we must be out of our current house by November 15. The notice just came a few days ago. Please pray that God will provide the perfect house for us so that we can still continue ministering to the Village of Hope and Green Farm.

Hope Club

Romans 10:15
"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!"



Hope - hope in Jesus Christ. This is what the people of Green Farm village need. The Lord has provided an opportunity for us to share the gospel with the people at Green Farm. We have begun a Bible club called Hope Club that meets on Saturday mornings at 10:00am for anyone who wants to come.



Mother first got the inspiration and idea from Mrs. Kamau, who also lives at the Villages of Hope. She started one for the Hope Village children to reinforce what they are being taught about Christ and the Bible. Mrs. Kamau was actually trained in child evangelism, so this is one thing that she feels the Lord calling her to do.



So, what is Hope Club? Well, for our Green Farm Hope club, Mother has started to teach through the Bible beginning with creation, She wants to let the children grasp who God is before she introduces His Son. Each meeting she teaches them an easy Bible verse and a song. None of us can as yet speak the local language, so we asked one of the teachers at the Hope school to translate for us. Precious is a strong Christian, and loves doing child evangelism. She knows what it is like to live in a village like Green Farm and she understands what the children need. Each meeting she picks a topic to teach on - like hygiene - and explains how to do it. The last week we handed out washrags and soap to every family and she showed the children how to use them. Se also shared with them the importance of keeping clean. She told them that our bodies are temples for the Lord, and if we do not take care of them, we are destroying His creation. If you go around all week covered in dust from head to toe it is now healthy. Also, she explained how they should be an example to the surrounding villages. Even the parents got involved. The next week, all the children came to the meeting clean.



Our Hope Club is not to just teach the Word of God, but to teach children how to be missionaries. Every week, four children come from the Village of Hope and help teach the Bible verse and song. It is an honor to come and do it, so only the ones who have behaved the best are chosen. Each week they go home and it is wonderful to see how excited they are to tell their friends about it. OUr kids at the Village of Hope sometimes are very spoiled, so it is good for them to go away and realize how much they have and be grateful for it. Once every three weeks the Hamelrycks come over and do the Hope Club for us. The children love it when they do because the Hamelrycks always bring a craft or a game with them. It is a great time for them to have fun and learn the work of Jesus.



The greatest reward from doing this is to see how eager the children are to come. They always ask when the Bible Club is going to be and usually start singing the songs they have learned. Each week more attend and we have reached up to over seventy. Hope Club is a time for them to dress up and get clean, and is their special occasion every day. many of the older children have asked for a Bible, and some want extra English lessons so that they can understand even better. Please pray for these children as we plant the seeds of faith. Once a week is just not enough, so we are praying about doing it twice a week. If anyone feels led to help, buy your plane tickets and come on over!

Our Address!!!

We are excited to announce that we have an address! If anyone would like to send notes of encouragement to us or would like to send letters to the children, maybe even a care package, you can contact us at:
Villages of Hope or Patty Family
p.o. box 4
Fringilla, Zambia

It is not very expensive to do that, and we never have received any mail. Please, please let us know that you are thinking of us that way.

Another way to contact us if it is more urgent is to email. Our email is horns72@aol.com. You can call us at 260975172970. We appreciate all of your kind and thoughtful comments on this blog and all the emails we have received. Please keep them coming!

Yvonne

Yvonne is a single other of three who works and lives in Green Farm. Lloyd, her eldest, is six, Priscilla is three, and Suzie – my little baby – is fifteen months. I first met her one day when I went to take pictures for the village. She had quickly put on her best Sunday clothes – a neon green t-shirt and a shitaengae – and gathered all her children. None of them were clean and Lloyd was covered from head to toe with dust. At the time, I had not gotten to know anybody really – only their faces



About a month ago, as I was walking into the village, I noticed that her hut was unoccupied and there was no roof. There were ashes in her hut, and every piece of wood in there was charred. I talked to her and asked what happened. From the little English that she spoke I gathered that someone had purposely burned it down and most of her food and clothing had been destroyed. I found out from Kate – the young woman who helps clean the house, and who speaks excellent English – that a jealous woman had come in the middle of the night and set fire to the hut. Yvonne has had all of her children by different men (which is very typical here by the way) and the wife of one of them took revenge into her own hands.







Despite what she had done, we felt burdened for Yvonne and wanted to help. One evening the Hamelrycks brought their dinner to her. We bought clothes for her and her children, and we gave her 25 kgs of mealy meal. We took Suzie every day for over two weeks, and gave Yvonne a ride to the doctor twice. As of last Thursday we were unable to continue helping Yvonne and Suzie. The jealousy had intensified and it was causing strife between Yvonne and the other village women. The women considered themselves in just as much need and more deserving of our help than Yvonne, and it got to the point where they resented her and kept their children from visiting with us. In the fields they would get so mad at Yvonne that she nearly quit her job. It was extremely hard for us to give up helping her, but for now it is the best for everyone. We are praying about how we can help her in the future, but it may be a week or two before it is possible. It hurts to see what jealousy can do, and how selfish people can sometimes be. Please pray that the situation will be healed quickly, and that we can find a way to help everyone without causing jealousy.







During the time the Lord provided we loved helping and were so pleased to see the good results. Suzie was improving and Yvonne and her children were eating well. We took her to church every Saturday morning. The rewards of giving of ourselves to help her were great and still are. We will continue to pray for Yvonne and her children and trust in the Lord to direct their lives.





10/1/09

Suzie

Picture a screaming, dirty, smelly child who barely knows how to walk. The only two words she can say are Momma and Stella (my name in the village). She is surrounded by fifty other children who are equally as dirty as she is. Her mother is gone from dawn till dusk. The two caretakers in her life are Lloyd, her six year old brother and Pricilla, her three year old sister. Her clothes are ragged with only one change of clothes; no diapers, no panties and no pants. She and her siblings rarely eat, because their mother has very little money. They have no father, and the people in the village look down on them because of something their mother did. Her mother is very poor, and they only eat one to two scanty meals a day. She has sores all over her body, she is bloated from hunger, and her hair is a sandy brown from malnourishment. She is only fifteen months, and has to fend for herself. Life is a struggle for this little fifteen month old girl, named Suzie.


Suzie, her mother, and I


Suzie's dirty face


a bit cleaner


the first time I saw her

Now picture this same little girl – Suzie – but in totally different circumstances. Now, she is a clean, laughing and smiling child who has progressed very rapidly in walking. She still can only say Momma and Stella, but we are working on Mulungu (God). Surrounding her are kind and loving people, who want to take care of her. Her clothes are new and clean, and she takes a bath twice a day (with the dust over here, it could easily be four times a day). She still has no father, but mine has kindly taken his place. She has seven “mothers” ready and willing to take care of her. What a number! Only one is the real one. There is plenty of food for her at our house, a comfortable bed, and fun toys. Her sores are quickly healing, her stomach is slowly looking more normal, and her hair is a little bit better.


sleeping beauty


i guess we can be pretty weird sometimes


her favorite toy


how much can I get in there?


her "look"


what's so funny?


bwelakuno

We love taking care of Suzie. She is the sweetest and quietest baby ever. Her mother realizes now that people care about her and her family. She now tries to take care of herself and her children, and we always find Suzie very clean. I thank God that we have this opportunity to invest in someone’s life.


my baby and I