--Rachael
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Arise, by Clayton and Ellen Kershaw.
If you haven't yet, go check out the book written by Ellen and Clayton Kershaw, called Arise. You can find this book online or at a bookstore near you. In their book, Clayton and Ellen share the importance of living out your faith "in whatever field you find yourself." What an incredible thought, whether in Dallas, LA, Zambia, or wherever we may be, God is calling us to live out our faith through actions, to love Him, and to love His people.
--Rachael
--Rachael
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Homeward Bound
Greetings from Zambia—for one more night!
As I pack my bags to head home tonight, I am filled with reminders of the Lord’s faithfulness to us. He has been so good to our team. It has been a busy few days and tomorrow is the day to go home.
On Saturday morning, part of our team began their journey home to America. We were sad to see them go! The rest of us, 18 to be exact, hopped on two flights to Livingstone, Zambia. After an incredibly fruitful stay in Lusaka, it was a treat to end our time in Africa with a visit to one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Our destination was the Zambezi Sun Hotel—a beautiful spot settled right next to Victoria Falls.
Livingstone is a really fun city, centered around activities that enjoy the falls and wildlife. Our team took advantage of it all! Activities for our crew included a lion/cheetah petting adventure, zip-lining, elephant riding and an early morning safari to spot animals. It was a quick trip, but it was certainly a memory for a lifetime to see Victoria Falls. They are spectacular and magnify the majesty and power of our Creator.
Tomorrow morning, the rest of our team will head towards London for an overnight. Tuesday morning, we will make our way home to Texas. Though I think we are all excited to get home and see family and friends, leaving Africa is bittersweet. This has been such a phenomenal trip. Dearest family and friends, having you on this journey with us has been such a blessing. THANK YOU for praying us through each and every step of the way. We can’t wait to tell you all about the Lord’s work in Africa. By His grace, He used this team to accomplish eternal things.
Robby and I are so proud of this team. We look forward to sharing details, pictures and memories. Thank you for entrusting us with the high privilege of walking beside these students. We are humbled and grateful.
Texas, get ready! We’re coming home!
Love from Zambia,
Ann
As I pack my bags to head home tonight, I am filled with reminders of the Lord’s faithfulness to us. He has been so good to our team. It has been a busy few days and tomorrow is the day to go home.
On Saturday morning, part of our team began their journey home to America. We were sad to see them go! The rest of us, 18 to be exact, hopped on two flights to Livingstone, Zambia. After an incredibly fruitful stay in Lusaka, it was a treat to end our time in Africa with a visit to one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Our destination was the Zambezi Sun Hotel—a beautiful spot settled right next to Victoria Falls.
Livingstone is a really fun city, centered around activities that enjoy the falls and wildlife. Our team took advantage of it all! Activities for our crew included a lion/cheetah petting adventure, zip-lining, elephant riding and an early morning safari to spot animals. It was a quick trip, but it was certainly a memory for a lifetime to see Victoria Falls. They are spectacular and magnify the majesty and power of our Creator.
Tomorrow morning, the rest of our team will head towards London for an overnight. Tuesday morning, we will make our way home to Texas. Though I think we are all excited to get home and see family and friends, leaving Africa is bittersweet. This has been such a phenomenal trip. Dearest family and friends, having you on this journey with us has been such a blessing. THANK YOU for praying us through each and every step of the way. We can’t wait to tell you all about the Lord’s work in Africa. By His grace, He used this team to accomplish eternal things.
Robby and I are so proud of this team. We look forward to sharing details, pictures and memories. Thank you for entrusting us with the high privilege of walking beside these students. We are humbled and grateful.
Texas, get ready! We’re coming home!
Love from Zambia,
Ann
A New Hand
A note from Alissa…
Yesterday morning I woke up early and took ALL PCPC kids and chaperones to the airport. We had a group headed back to the states and another group going to Victoria Falls. It was sad to say goodbye to the states group because they have become such great friends. We couldn’t have asked for a better group to serve with.
After getting all musungus on their flights I headed back to our place to get ready for our day. I must admit, it is a bit easier to travel around as only one white person and not with 30!
We spent the morning in a meeting with one of our community schools discussing sponsorship and future plans. After that we grabbed a quick lunch and I met up with Benson.
Benson and I got to go visit one of the families that Arise Africa helps. The Muvela family are special friends of ours that 4 different Americans contribute monthly to assist.
We arrived at their home in the compounds and the mother had just returned from her job as a housekeeper. The kids were running around but we couldn’t find one of them, Langford. We decided to go look in the market for him because he loves watching movies there. Benson and I headed to the market with a couple of Langford’s siblings.
Now let me tell you, a white girl in the market gets lots of attention. We started hitting up all the Zambian movie theatres in the market. Imagine a tiny dark room with a TV that is about 20 inches wide with a pirated movie from somewhere. People and kids pay about 20 cents to be allowed in the room to view the movie. There are as many as 30 people in these tiny rooms standing and watching the movies.
We finally found Langford in a movie room. He was watching Rambo, yes the movie from the 80’s! Langford was reluctant to leave the movie but I bribed him by telling him I would pay for 4 movies if he would come home with us. He agreed and we headed back to the house.
Langford, was in a terrible accident as a child involving a fire. Langford suffered severe burns all over his body, especially to his hands. He received no medical attention. Both of Langford’s hands healed as clubs, leaving him with no fingers.
We have been working with CURE hospital for months trying to see if anything could be offered to Langford. This past fall, an American doctor visited CURE and along with an Italian doctor they were able to operate on one of Langford’s hands and make three fingers for him. Langford and his mother endured many weeks at CURE doing rehabilation. He was a trooper through all of the pain.
I was shocked to see the difference in Langford’s hands. He is now able to hold a pencil, grip things, feed himself, and even zip up the zipper on his jacket. Both Langford and his mother commented that it has helped him drastically in everyday life.
Benson will be going to pay school fees for the kids tomorrow and for the first time, Langford will be gripping a pencil, just like other kids in school.
We are beyond grateful for our partnerships in organizations such as CURE hospital. Without the body of Christ working together Langford would have never received such great care. We thank Langford’s USA sponsors, CURE hospital, and our Arise Africa Zambian staff for the service and love you have shown this family.
The rest of the day consisted of cleaning out homes where we have been staying and hanging out with great friends of mine that live in Zambia.
More later!
- Alissa Hollimon
Friday, January 6, 2012
Good evening from Lusaka!
Wow! What a great day it has been. We started out bright and early on the bus, heading towards the brand new Olympic Training Center. Arise Africa rented the facilities out for camp today. The children were SO excited about the adventure of riding on a bus to the training center. Some had never even been on a bus before, so this was a big deal! As they pulled into the parking lot, you could hear them coming a mile away: singing, singing, SINGING!! What joy.
Our American team prepared an entire morning of games and field day activities for the kids. To spice up some friendly competition, we divided the camp into four teams, complete with matching headbands and flags for each team. The kids thought this was hilarious—they rallied around their team and had a blast. After some chanting and cheering all together, we enjoyed playing net ball, volleyball, soccer and basketball. These sweet kids are fun to watch—they are athletic and gifted, no doubt!
After a few rotations, the entire camp gathered on the track field for an organized field day. I was so proud of our American team—they had every detail organized. Field day included an egg/spoon race, three-legged race, sack race and a relay including hopping, crab walking and spinning. Big and little kids alike thought this was so much fun. You could hear laughter and singing in every direction. The Lord really blessed our weather. Rain here and there, but followed by blue skies. From start to finish, camp has been fantastic.
By far, the hardest part of the day was saying goodbye to our precious friends. We all enjoyed lunch together and a chance to talk and pray one more time. But as the blue buses lined up, we had to hug our friends goodbye. The beauty of this week is that relationships grew fast and deep. Collectively, we have become attached to these precious kids. As a result, goodbyes are never easy. After seeing their lives and understanding their stories, it is sometimes hard to watch them leave. But we trust that the Lord will continue the work He began in each of them. At the end of the day, they belong to our Lord. Knowing that He stays with them is a beautiful and comforting thought.
Some of our team visited a cultural market after camp and enjoyed some authentic shopping. After that, we all gathered back at the Baptist Mission for a sweet time together as a group. It was awesome to process the past week together. Some moments have been incredibly sweet and others have been more difficult to process, but by God’s grace, we have been in it together. Going home is the next step and it is reassuring to remember that we take that together as well.
As a farewell and celebration of camp, we had a “fry” (or barbeque, as Texans call it). The dear Arise Africa staff joined us. What a delight to finish the week with people who are now our dear friends. We were treated to a performance by a very talented Zambian a capella group. They were phenomenal and serenaded us with beautiful Zambian songs and classics like Hakkuna Matata. We have been so blessed by the Arise Africa staff. Each and every moment of this past week was carefully planned and we are so grateful. They surprised each of us with a hand carved wooden plaque with our names on it. It is something that we will treasure for a lifetime. We introduced them to the greatness of s’mores. I think they were a hit!
When goodbyes are hard, it is evidence of a sweet friendship. Our friends here in Africa are dear and it has been an incredible week serving by their sides. As we return home, we go with our friends in our hearts and prayers. We spent a week with these children, but these leaders spend day in and out with them. The potential for impact is huge and we are encouraged to believe that the Lord is using them in tremendous ways.
Tomorrow our team will divide. Ann Carolyn and Ben are leading some home to America and the rest of us are heading to Victoria Falls! It’s sad to see the trip come to an end. What an incredible journey it has been! Friends and family, we are grateful for you. Please continue to pray for us—for travel mercies and grace to finish well. We can’t wait to tell you all about it soon.
Love from Zambia,
Ann
Wow! What a great day it has been. We started out bright and early on the bus, heading towards the brand new Olympic Training Center. Arise Africa rented the facilities out for camp today. The children were SO excited about the adventure of riding on a bus to the training center. Some had never even been on a bus before, so this was a big deal! As they pulled into the parking lot, you could hear them coming a mile away: singing, singing, SINGING!! What joy.
Our American team prepared an entire morning of games and field day activities for the kids. To spice up some friendly competition, we divided the camp into four teams, complete with matching headbands and flags for each team. The kids thought this was hilarious—they rallied around their team and had a blast. After some chanting and cheering all together, we enjoyed playing net ball, volleyball, soccer and basketball. These sweet kids are fun to watch—they are athletic and gifted, no doubt!
After a few rotations, the entire camp gathered on the track field for an organized field day. I was so proud of our American team—they had every detail organized. Field day included an egg/spoon race, three-legged race, sack race and a relay including hopping, crab walking and spinning. Big and little kids alike thought this was so much fun. You could hear laughter and singing in every direction. The Lord really blessed our weather. Rain here and there, but followed by blue skies. From start to finish, camp has been fantastic.
By far, the hardest part of the day was saying goodbye to our precious friends. We all enjoyed lunch together and a chance to talk and pray one more time. But as the blue buses lined up, we had to hug our friends goodbye. The beauty of this week is that relationships grew fast and deep. Collectively, we have become attached to these precious kids. As a result, goodbyes are never easy. After seeing their lives and understanding their stories, it is sometimes hard to watch them leave. But we trust that the Lord will continue the work He began in each of them. At the end of the day, they belong to our Lord. Knowing that He stays with them is a beautiful and comforting thought.
Some of our team visited a cultural market after camp and enjoyed some authentic shopping. After that, we all gathered back at the Baptist Mission for a sweet time together as a group. It was awesome to process the past week together. Some moments have been incredibly sweet and others have been more difficult to process, but by God’s grace, we have been in it together. Going home is the next step and it is reassuring to remember that we take that together as well.
As a farewell and celebration of camp, we had a “fry” (or barbeque, as Texans call it). The dear Arise Africa staff joined us. What a delight to finish the week with people who are now our dear friends. We were treated to a performance by a very talented Zambian a capella group. They were phenomenal and serenaded us with beautiful Zambian songs and classics like Hakkuna Matata. We have been so blessed by the Arise Africa staff. Each and every moment of this past week was carefully planned and we are so grateful. They surprised each of us with a hand carved wooden plaque with our names on it. It is something that we will treasure for a lifetime. We introduced them to the greatness of s’mores. I think they were a hit!
When goodbyes are hard, it is evidence of a sweet friendship. Our friends here in Africa are dear and it has been an incredible week serving by their sides. As we return home, we go with our friends in our hearts and prayers. We spent a week with these children, but these leaders spend day in and out with them. The potential for impact is huge and we are encouraged to believe that the Lord is using them in tremendous ways.
Tomorrow our team will divide. Ann Carolyn and Ben are leading some home to America and the rest of us are heading to Victoria Falls! It’s sad to see the trip come to an end. What an incredible journey it has been! Friends and family, we are grateful for you. Please continue to pray for us—for travel mercies and grace to finish well. We can’t wait to tell you all about it soon.
Love from Zambia,
Ann
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Joy
The word "joy" captures camp really well. These campers are full of joy, and we can certainly see it when we're playing all kinds of games with them. I thought you'd enjoy seeing a few windows into this joy.
(Hunter Smith playing Zambian duck-duck-goose)
(Ben Williams and friends with a jump rope)
(Daniel Torres getting roughed up by his new buddies)
(Girls playing "Red Light, Green Light")
(Haley Morgan enjoying large group time with her campers)
We finished our camp at Destiny today, and we informed the kids that we'll be putting them on buses and taking them to the Olympic training center in the morning for a field day finish to our week. The crowd erupted when they heard the news. We'd appreciate prayers for a fun and safe day of playing sports and doing "field day" activities. Imagine never having a chance to go more than one mile from where you live. Many of these kids will have the adventure of their life tomorrow! We'll also have our last spiritual conversations with the campers. Pray for the Lord to guide our team members and to be with us in those hard moments of saying goodbye.
We'll keep you posted as we have more time to give updates. Thank you again for all your prayers. Our team is remarkably healthy, upbeat, and encouraged by the trip. We had a sweet time of singing together this evening, and we look forward to a great debrief time on Friday afternoon after we finish the fun day with the campers. We have so much to think about, so much to process together. Pray that the Lord would guide us to get all that he wants us to get from this trip.
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness." Psalm 115:1
Thanks,
Robby
(Hunter Smith playing Zambian duck-duck-goose)
(Ben Williams and friends with a jump rope)
(Daniel Torres getting roughed up by his new buddies)
(Girls playing "Red Light, Green Light")
(Haley Morgan enjoying large group time with her campers)
We finished our camp at Destiny today, and we informed the kids that we'll be putting them on buses and taking them to the Olympic training center in the morning for a field day finish to our week. The crowd erupted when they heard the news. We'd appreciate prayers for a fun and safe day of playing sports and doing "field day" activities. Imagine never having a chance to go more than one mile from where you live. Many of these kids will have the adventure of their life tomorrow! We'll also have our last spiritual conversations with the campers. Pray for the Lord to guide our team members and to be with us in those hard moments of saying goodbye.
We'll keep you posted as we have more time to give updates. Thank you again for all your prayers. Our team is remarkably healthy, upbeat, and encouraged by the trip. We had a sweet time of singing together this evening, and we look forward to a great debrief time on Friday afternoon after we finish the fun day with the campers. We have so much to think about, so much to process together. Pray that the Lord would guide us to get all that he wants us to get from this trip.
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness." Psalm 115:1
Thanks,
Robby
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Wednesday on This Side of the World
Dear family and friends,
It’s Wednesday night in Zambia. We had another incredibly beautiful and surprisingly dry day here in “rainy season” Zambia. The Lord has been kind to give us the best possible atmosphere to love on these kids at camp. We even talked about Noah on Tuesday…and the rains didn’t come!
Here’s a little window into camp today. We roll into Destiny School on our big bus, and the kids are already waiting for us. Remember, it’s about 7:30am. They’re waving and hollering, so excited to see us. Some of them even try to get on the bus when the door opens, and we have to tell them to get off so we can file out and greet the crowds. All the Zambian children are looking for their American counselor. We know we’re here to love these kids, but their love for us has moved us all.
(Leslie Catherine Wrightsman with a couple of her campers)
As we round up kids in each of our groups, counselors and their Zambian partners catch up with the kids, play games, dance, laugh, etc. The Zambian children are so excited about memorizing their Bible verse each day that many students have the day’s verse memorized before we actually “introduce” it in the large group meeting around 8:30 or 8:45.
(John David Newman teaching the kids his new dance, the "wop.")
(Allie Fersing with one of her little girls)
The students march into the Destiny church building (where we worshiped on Sunday). The more groups we get in there, the louder it gets. The cheers and songs fill the place, almost like someone took the top off a Coke after shaking it really well. The energy just explodes. The Americans do their best to learn and sing the Zambian songs, and occasionally we get a song or verse in English, which is great! After singing, we have a daily lesson on faith and we introduce the day’s memory verse. So far, the kids have learned Hebrews 11:1, 2 Corinthians 5:7, and Romans 10:17. During today’s meeting, a number of students came to the front, recited all three verses, and received great encouragement and applause.
After the large group meeting, the rest of the morning consists of small group time, outside games, and inside activities like drawing. We take a snack around to the kids during the indoor activities, and we have another large group meeting before lunch. The second large group consists of more singing, some fun competitions, and a skit performed by the Zambian leaders. The kids get a real kick out of the skit, but the Americans aren’t really sure what’s going on, which is funny, too. The skits are in Nyanja, so we just enjoy the ride!
After the second large group, kids sit in their groups and have a great lunch that they really enjoy. Sitting with PBJs and a nutrient-rich drink, the kids have a chance to hang out and talk more with their leaders. Lunch breaks pretty quickly, though, as kids are excited to get back into their games at Destiny. The play continues until we have to call it a day, and the next challenge is trying to figure out how to say goodbye and shut things down. Truly, we could go until sundown and these kids would still be going strong.
(Our team after camp at Destiny today)
As camp winds down, our team spreads out to different places where we serve in the afternoons. Ann has already mentioned Mother Teresa’s orphanage and the Buseco Market. Today our group went to “The Midge,” an affectionate name for another school in the area. We spent three hours in that area today. Some girls read to students in the three-room schoolhouse. Some boys played soccer out in the small yard, but the potholes and other obstacles didn’t slow these little guys down. The Americans had trouble holding onto the ball as all the Zambian boys ran circles around them. Megan, our friend who works for Arise Africa, gave us a walking tour of the city, but we were not alone. An army of little kids followed us the whole way. Many of the children grab an American hand and hold it the whole way. I had a little guy on either hand, and though I never felt in danger walking through the city, there’s something powerful about having a couple little boys escorting you around.
(Walking the streets with our little army)
Our friend Patson runs “The Midge,” and before we left, he shared the story of the school with us. Patson told us that he had “failed” in his education, but that he longed to help others to get an education. About ten years ago he tried to start by helping adults pursue an education. Again, he said he failed. He committed to praying and asking the Lord to give him a sense for what he could do. The Lord gave Patson a word. “You can’t change the past, but you can change the future.” Patson turned his attention to the next generation and has been helping children get a better education for eight years. In the most recent turn, his school hosted 78 students in the three rooms. If you think of Patson tonight, pray that God would provide more resources to hire new teachers and pay current ones. He’s doing a great work, and we were encouraged to hear about it.
(Robert Cannon at "The Midge")
I know this is a long entry, but hopefully it paints the picture. Thursday will be our last “normal” day of camp. Don’t tell the Zambian children (wink), but on Friday, Arise Africa will bus them to the new Olympic training facility in Lusaka. There we will try to give them the most fun field day they could ever imagine. Considering the fact that they’ve probably never even seen a beautiful turf field, I think there’s a good chance we’ll have an amazing time. On Thursday afternoon, our team will plan out all the activities for Friday.
Please pray that our team members would know how to encourage the kids in their group as they have conversations on Thursday. We would all love to give them the world, but we know the best we can give them is Jesus. We are so grateful for your prayers.
Grace and peace,
Robby Higginbottom
It’s Wednesday night in Zambia. We had another incredibly beautiful and surprisingly dry day here in “rainy season” Zambia. The Lord has been kind to give us the best possible atmosphere to love on these kids at camp. We even talked about Noah on Tuesday…and the rains didn’t come!
Here’s a little window into camp today. We roll into Destiny School on our big bus, and the kids are already waiting for us. Remember, it’s about 7:30am. They’re waving and hollering, so excited to see us. Some of them even try to get on the bus when the door opens, and we have to tell them to get off so we can file out and greet the crowds. All the Zambian children are looking for their American counselor. We know we’re here to love these kids, but their love for us has moved us all.
(Leslie Catherine Wrightsman with a couple of her campers)
As we round up kids in each of our groups, counselors and their Zambian partners catch up with the kids, play games, dance, laugh, etc. The Zambian children are so excited about memorizing their Bible verse each day that many students have the day’s verse memorized before we actually “introduce” it in the large group meeting around 8:30 or 8:45.
(John David Newman teaching the kids his new dance, the "wop.")
(Allie Fersing with one of her little girls)
The students march into the Destiny church building (where we worshiped on Sunday). The more groups we get in there, the louder it gets. The cheers and songs fill the place, almost like someone took the top off a Coke after shaking it really well. The energy just explodes. The Americans do their best to learn and sing the Zambian songs, and occasionally we get a song or verse in English, which is great! After singing, we have a daily lesson on faith and we introduce the day’s memory verse. So far, the kids have learned Hebrews 11:1, 2 Corinthians 5:7, and Romans 10:17. During today’s meeting, a number of students came to the front, recited all three verses, and received great encouragement and applause.
After the large group meeting, the rest of the morning consists of small group time, outside games, and inside activities like drawing. We take a snack around to the kids during the indoor activities, and we have another large group meeting before lunch. The second large group consists of more singing, some fun competitions, and a skit performed by the Zambian leaders. The kids get a real kick out of the skit, but the Americans aren’t really sure what’s going on, which is funny, too. The skits are in Nyanja, so we just enjoy the ride!
After the second large group, kids sit in their groups and have a great lunch that they really enjoy. Sitting with PBJs and a nutrient-rich drink, the kids have a chance to hang out and talk more with their leaders. Lunch breaks pretty quickly, though, as kids are excited to get back into their games at Destiny. The play continues until we have to call it a day, and the next challenge is trying to figure out how to say goodbye and shut things down. Truly, we could go until sundown and these kids would still be going strong.
(Our team after camp at Destiny today)
As camp winds down, our team spreads out to different places where we serve in the afternoons. Ann has already mentioned Mother Teresa’s orphanage and the Buseco Market. Today our group went to “The Midge,” an affectionate name for another school in the area. We spent three hours in that area today. Some girls read to students in the three-room schoolhouse. Some boys played soccer out in the small yard, but the potholes and other obstacles didn’t slow these little guys down. The Americans had trouble holding onto the ball as all the Zambian boys ran circles around them. Megan, our friend who works for Arise Africa, gave us a walking tour of the city, but we were not alone. An army of little kids followed us the whole way. Many of the children grab an American hand and hold it the whole way. I had a little guy on either hand, and though I never felt in danger walking through the city, there’s something powerful about having a couple little boys escorting you around.
(Walking the streets with our little army)
Our friend Patson runs “The Midge,” and before we left, he shared the story of the school with us. Patson told us that he had “failed” in his education, but that he longed to help others to get an education. About ten years ago he tried to start by helping adults pursue an education. Again, he said he failed. He committed to praying and asking the Lord to give him a sense for what he could do. The Lord gave Patson a word. “You can’t change the past, but you can change the future.” Patson turned his attention to the next generation and has been helping children get a better education for eight years. In the most recent turn, his school hosted 78 students in the three rooms. If you think of Patson tonight, pray that God would provide more resources to hire new teachers and pay current ones. He’s doing a great work, and we were encouraged to hear about it.
(Robert Cannon at "The Midge")
I know this is a long entry, but hopefully it paints the picture. Thursday will be our last “normal” day of camp. Don’t tell the Zambian children (wink), but on Friday, Arise Africa will bus them to the new Olympic training facility in Lusaka. There we will try to give them the most fun field day they could ever imagine. Considering the fact that they’ve probably never even seen a beautiful turf field, I think there’s a good chance we’ll have an amazing time. On Thursday afternoon, our team will plan out all the activities for Friday.
Please pray that our team members would know how to encourage the kids in their group as they have conversations on Thursday. We would all love to give them the world, but we know the best we can give them is Jesus. We are so grateful for your prayers.
Grace and peace,
Robby Higginbottom
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