OUMC Zambia Mission

My new favorite animal

2009-03-20T23:41:00.002-04:00

The rooster is now my favorite animal. He lives here in the kitchen of the hotel. Yes, I said IN the kitchen. My room... you guessed it, is DIRECTLY ABOVE the kitchen. Our friend Mr. Rooster likes to start his day at 4am. We dont have to leave here until 8:30. Alas, what more could I ask for but to be awake 4 hours earlier than I have to? What a wonderful, wonderful rooster. The only other animal in competition for the "favorite" spot may be the baby goat from yesterday. It came barrelling out of the bushes headed STRAIGHT for Clay. I have never seen a boy run so fast from an animal so small. We laughed the rest of the afternoon about that. He swears it was "crazy and rabid"... but all we saw was that it was TINY. :)

SO, our day has begun. It is now 6:45am and we are about to have breakfast and devotions before heading out. Today, we have one home visit to do and then we will be working construction-- we are building an entire house today! We are all excited to get to work with our hands... though some may need a little more persuading than others. Jim has refused to paint--and because of that, we have all made it our number one priority to insure that he has a paintbrush in hand this afternoon. We are a kind bunch. In fact, the group dynamic has actually been quite fantastic. There is a lot of laughing and joking, but also a lot of hard work. What a wonderful way to share in ministry.

Finally, a housekeeping matter... our internet is "best" in the morning hours so that is most likely when you will hear from us most (between 9pm and midnight your time). That is also when we likely will try to do live chat through google or facebook...

We love you all and are grateful for your continued prayers (though, currently, the rooster may need your prayers more)! We'll try to post more later this evening!

first full day

2009-03-20T22:28:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was AMAZING the things Giving Hope (ZOE) has done here are truly MIRACLOUS! All those we met have SUCH love of the Lord, to be a small part of the work here is a live changing experience. I feel so blessed to be having this experience, thanks, OUMC. As has been said Maua Methodist hospital has a wonderful setup here. One thing that impressed me was the way they run their aids clinic. It is not a seperate clinic like in some other areas, those patients are there with cancer patients & everyone else so that those infected will seek treatment & not have to be shunned by the community because of their disease. Prevention is also a VERY big part of the work here. I won't repeat what others have told you about the "kids" (young adults) that we got to met & learn more about except to say that you can hear their stories but to see it firsthand is life changing and the love of God just surrounds us ALL! I can't wait until today when we visit more families & finish building a house.
Showers here finally all seem to be working..... as long as you want a HOT or COLD shower, no warm. Our friendly RESIDENT rooster has started my day at 4:00am, had just gone back to sleep from my 3am awake period when he started crowing. He & I may have to have a "come to Jesus meeting" soon if he doesn't set his clock forward!
To my "boys, all 4 of them, I love you & miss you all but thanks for giving me this experience. To my 4100 peps... can't wait to tell you about this trip and miss you all but not the craziness that is 4100!
KEEP PRAYING! We can feel & see those prayers working. Love Shirley

Jim's Poem

2008-01-29T20:03:00.000-05:00

Zambia oh Zambia we come to you
On a mission from God, yes we do
Your children were calling us
Each day as we boarded the bus
Twelve people from Orange answered the call
All of us knew we weren't going to the mall
Our leaders the Gipsons, Deb and Pat
Amanda, Casey, Dan and Alice came to bat
There was Godi, Jean, Teresa, and Clay
Shirley and Jim, they all came to play
To give of their talents both far and wide
Hoping to help the children on the Zambian side
Constance and Fari gave us inpiration
The presents of God in them a sensation
Zambia oh Zambiawe soon say goodbye
As we get on a plane up in the sky
We go back home to spread the word
So the children of Zambia can be heard
The mission we came on was called ZOE
God telling us to help but not be showy
We came together giving it our best
Praying that God will take care of the rest
Our thoughts, our hearts and our prayers too
Zambia oh Zambia we will not forget you

home at last

2008-01-27T14:50:00.000-05:00

It feels great to be home again but it was also hard to leave because there is still so much need in Zambia!!! I feel so blessed to have be a part of this team. The things we saw there is unbelievable. It does make you thankful for all we have. The people & kids there are so special. They were so grateful for ANY care we could give. Some adults would patiently await their turn for a chance to see the doctors if time & meds allowed; they could be there ALL day long but never complained. I think about the times I get frustrated when I have to wait over 30 minutes!! This has been a very humbling experience.
One of my hardest days was when a 10 years old was brought in near death and Pat told the mother she needed more than we could possibly do & we would take them to the hospital but the mother chose to take the girl home & wait for the father to take them instead. She a had an illness that would be fatal sooner or later. I wanted it to be much later. The mother put her on her back & carried her away. As someone in the medical profession and a mom it was hard to step back & respect the mom's wishes and their culture. But sometimes all you can do is pray for the whole family.
God was at work in so many ways there.
I wish all of you could have the same experience we did. Floods, mud, lack of technology and all!!! But most of all the love & gratitude of these wonderful people in Zambia. Zoe is doing so much for the children of Africa and needs our continued prayers & support. Thanks again to all who supported us in so many different ways and helped show God's love to so many. Shirley

Saturday

2008-01-26T03:57:00.000-05:00

As we prepare to head to the Livingstone airport we have just returned from a very fitting end to our time in Zambia. This morning we embarked on a safari in the Zambiezi National Park. There we saw giraffe, monkeys, impalas, water buffalo, and a white rhino (very up close and on foot!).

Of course being Africa it couldn't end without slight adventure. Just a few kilometers away from returning to paved road we came across another muddy spot in the road. As our driver traversed across all four tires became deeply stuck in the dark African mud. We were totally stuck.

We all unloaded the vehicle and some began to aid the driver in placing logs and rocks under the tires. At this point those helping became increasingly covered in mud themselves. After lots of flying mud and failed attempts we finally made it through and before we went to the river to wash off we took some GREAT pictures of mud covered Musengus.

So this will be our last post until home, there we will post all the incredible pictures and video. We'll also be showing highlights at church next Sunday so be sure and come out...Thank you again for all your prayers and support...we miss you but will see you soon!

-Clay

Friday

2008-01-26T03:53:00.000-05:00

Here is a brief overview of today’s events. It was our last day of work with the patients before we begin our journey back to the US tomorrow. We split up into two groups; the group that earlier traveled to Mapanza went to the community center where we had been the last two days, and the rest of us went to a thatch-roofed school outside of Livingstone. In both locations, it was difficult because many more people showed up than we were able to help. We had scheduled a half day of work and then a visit to Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls and a cruise on the Zambezi River. This made for an uncomfortable situation at the end of clinic time at which point we turned people away to go have fun when there were still plenty of people in need.
The school we visited was made of mud held together with sticks. We managed to see the entire student population (about 80) and the teachers during our brief visit. At the community center, we saw patients who didn’t get a chance to be seen yesterday.
After clinic, we returned to the lodge and ate chicken and French fries for lunch. Then we were picked up by a tour company and headed out to Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls. We saw some rainbows, a lot of mist, falling water, and were thoroughly soaked. I wonder how the concrete paths around the falls have ever dried out. Right next to the falls, the foliage is jungle-like. Afterwards, we did a little cruise on the river, with many hippo, crocodile, and bird sightings. We also saw some baboons and warthogs in the area.
-Dan
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Tozali sika na zambia,kosala mosala ya nzambe kosepela kutana na baninga

Esengo ngai Godi-Godar {bobele bolingo}

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Today has been a great last day here in Livingstone. We visited a small school in a very rural area. The teachers and children were so appreciative of what we could do for them. They have no well, so no running water. The school has a dirt floor and hay roof. It was raining today so the school rooms have many leaks.

This has been a great experience. There is so much work to be done here. I feel very blessed to have been given this opportunity.

Teresa
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Greetings from Zambia! Today was one of the best. We visited a school in the country outside of Livingstone. The kids were happy to see us and things went very quickly. Deb and I were the two docs here with Shirley at triage, Dan at weights and heights, Teresa and Amanda at pharmacy, and Jim as all around person. Constance came to help in various ways. Last night after a very long day at the clinic we went out for dinner and had men and women dressed in traditional clothing to serve and to dance and sing. But the real fun started when Jim was invited on stage to join in. After that, we all made it to the stage and “boogie” African style. Lots of camera video rolled as Amanda and Casey tried their African wraps as dancewear, Godi being wild and crazy on stage, and everyone joining in the laughter and fun.
Addendum—This afternoon we traveled to Zimbabwe to view the falls. The water mist from the falls was drenching. A bushbuck laid in the grass next to the sidewalk and not afraid of the camera totting tourists. On the boat ride on the Zambezi River, I discovered that Godi has another talent—Dr. Doolittle. He called out to the hippos in the water, and one answered. It raised up out of the water and came down with a splash!
This has truly been an adventure of faith, fun and work. It has been fun to get to know all of the folks on this trip. God has truly blessed us and the people here.
ALICE

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A report from the “teeny boppers”…. We have finished our work here and what an awesome time we’ve had. It’s amazing how many people we were able to see and what a difference we made- be it Tylenol, bandaids, or just a smile. I think we’ve all learned a lot about ourselves and each other. Most importantly we leave with a changed worldview and we’re all better people for that. Can’t wait to share all of our stories in person- pictures included! Thank you to everyone for your support, love, and encouragement. Much love -Casey

Thursday

2008-01-26T03:51:00.000-05:00

We’ve finally gotten into a good groove (right at the time we are leaving). Today we saw about 300 people at the community center while rotating 4 people out at a time in order to do home visitation. This morning we all got settled in at the community center, a little more organized than the day before. After we got set up, Pat, Dan, Jean, and Shirley left for home visitation where they got a chance to see how some of our patients live. Later in the afternoon, the other two groups (Alice, Casey, Jim and Teresa/ Deb, Clay, Godi, and I) got a chance to visit other homes in the area. This was probably the most eye-opening experience any of us could have. While working at the schools, churches and centers you see people in a controlled environment and don’t quite grasp the extreme living situations that they face every day of their lives. Today we actually walked in the neighborhoods and people allowed us into their 1 room homes and showed us where their 4 children would sleep in corners on the floor. It is hard for me to grasp living that way, but I have definitely realized just how much of a surplus we have in America. Casey and I spend most nights before sleep talking about what life would be like for us here in Zambia—do they even realize what else is out there? Do they care? It is amazing to me how people can adapt and survive… and have deeper faith and hospitality than most Americans I know. We have much to learn.
After our day of work, we went out for a traditional African dinner at a local restaurant. We were first offered an African welcome drink, which was basically a corn milkshake. Clay gagged and I couldn’t even bring myself to actually drink it at all. After that we chose from a buffet of warthog, oxtail, coconut chicken, wild eggplant, pumpkin leaves, etc. After we had been served dinner, our traditionally-dressed and face-painted servers brought us ice cream or custard doughnuts for dessert. We saw some live entertainment, which basically consisted of something reminiscent of a rain dance and a funny version of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” After the performers finished, several of us jumped on stage with the African dancers to do the electric slide and everyone from the team joined in for a crazy congo line. Godi showed us some dancing that looked more like Kung-Fu… Casey almost got kicked when dancing with him! We danced horribly, laughed hard, and had a fantastic time!

We miss you all and are looking forward to seeing you soon… although, I have to admit, most of us are trying to figure out how we can stay in Africa a little longer! 

Amanda
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Good morning NC and other folks from this gray African morning. Yesterday at the clinic it rained so hard that inside the tin roofed clinic we could hear someone talk who was right next to us. We had only a handful of adults and mostly children, school age kidos. We docs each saw a few “fascinomas” when we compared notes at the end of the day. I won’t bore the readers with those details, but it was simply great to be here and give needed and basic health care.
Jean and I strolled near the school while we wait for a couple of folks to return from an off site visit. We saw a Zambian chicken coop—a 5 foot deep hole in the ground with a few sticks to cover so the chickens don’t escape. The chickens here are truly “free range” and wander about. We wondered how folks know which chickens are theirs, but I guess they do. Families in this neighborhood have their own gardens, with green beans, peas, lots of tomatoes, potatoes, and onions. We later did a quick visit to the market after a brisk 25 minute walk to it. Again it was a bargaining adventure! Trading for pens, sweets, and t-shirts is popular. Until my next computer availability, adios! Alice Finnell
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Good morning, Jean reporting in to all my family and friends.
I have been working in the pharmacy delivering medications per physician orders. I put my respiratory knowledge to work teaching use of inhalers……spacers were ordered with each inhaler. Well a spacer is a new item here…….well there are many ways to make a spacer first you need an empty toilet paper roll and some duct tape and a bit of time. I created several until I ran out of toilet paper rolls then I used an empty water bottle and even the empty box for the inhaler. Oh what we can do when we put our thinking caps on. This is an awesome experience and each of us are blessed every day. May God bless each and every one of you and keep us in prayer.
In Christian Love, Jean Hedrick signing off.
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I can’t believe we are so close to the end of our journey!!! I continue to be amazed by all the people I’ve met here. The children beg to play! I will never call a lollipop that again, it’s now a “sweet.” I have a box of Dum-Dums that I give each child after I take their temp. Yesterday we had our largest # of patients. Today will probably be more.
I have had very bad luck with technology here. I blew a break by plugging in a fan & charger. My 2 camera batteries are dead (fried??????), I have only had internet access a few times. One day it took me 35 min. to read 2 emails, reply to 1 & TRY to reply to another. Yesterday I couldn’t get access to the blog or to yahoo.
Shopping has been fun!!! We barter for things. Yesterday a tube of plastic tooth picks was a huge hit. As well as Nabs…. For those of you who aren’t Southern that’s Lance PNB crackers! Teresa & I seem to be the only ones who know that term!
The BEAUTIFUL skirts I bought for the trip turns out Teresa has 2 of the same ones. Watch out when we come to church Sunday!!!!!!!
Gotta run start the day! KEEP PRAYING. God is doing good things here.
Shirley

A couple more pics from Monday-Tuesday

2008-01-23T11:20:00.000-05:00

Here are a few pics of our cool lodging at the Kozo Lodge, soccer in the bush, and the drive to Mapanza....miss you...

Wednesday

2008-01-23T11:17:00.000-05:00

After all the mess with the Mapanza trip, our schedule changed up a little bit.Because the church here in Livingstone wasnt ready for us a day early, we tooka much needed day off yesterday and toured the famous Victoria Falls. First, wehad to travel the four hours here to Livingstone. To entertain ourselves (andthe rest of the bus!) the cool younguns in the back (Clay, Dan, Casey and I)shared some ear pieces of an ipod and sang our way thru the entire bus ride. Itwas kinda like having a really bad, off-key radio of songs where the artistsdont know all the words! :) I am pretty sure the others were so glad when wearrived! We were all looking to the falls because it is much hotter here inLivingstone than it was in our previous locations, so being misted by the fallswas a great experience. The falls were HUGE and beautiful (we have plenty ofpictures to share if this internet cafe will play nice with Clay's laptop). :)Casey wanted to bungee jump from the bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe, but wecouldnt get close to it yesterday... perhaps when we go on Friday! After wespent some time at the Falls, we checked out some local monkeys and thenhaggled our way through the African markets. I think I was born to haggle! :)Not only will the locals haggle money, they also like to trade for things. Igot some nice items using ball point pens and hairties, while Clay lost hissocks and Casey traded hand sanitizer and granola bars! After touring andshopping we headed back to our new hotel (which is the first air-conditionedplace we have been, but not quite as nice as our last place) for dinner anddevotions. All in all, it was a nice day off! Today we spent our first day here in Livingstone. The set-up wasn't ideal and itrained a lot today but we managed to see about 235 people! We are becoming moreand more efficient everyday. There are definitely more flies here, and thechildren do not listen to instruction very well so I caught myself snapping atchildren who tried to play with the medicine table at the pharmacy (where Iworked today). By the end of the day, however, we had learned a few songs andClay has basically learned enough of the language to tell the children to stay,sit, and that we'll see them tomorrow. We will return there again tomorrow andthen will head to a small school for a half day on Friday. We will provide moreupdates then if we can! We miss you all very much and cant wait to tell you more when we return! Muchlove from all us American-Africans. :) Amanda and the team

Finally some Pics!!

2008-01-23T11:07:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of updates! We have been very busy and internet access has been hard to come by. Here is the latest…

Monday

As you have read from the other posts, our day did not exactly unfold as planned. It was "extreme travel challenge 2008" and truly was one of the most adventuresome days of my life. Our supply truck attempted to cross a flash flood river but unfortunately got stuck. Several of us waded into the waist deep water and eventually were able to push the truck out. At this point, it was clear the bus was not going to survive the journey so a handful of us (Pat, Godi, Clay, myself, and our faithful drivers Mr. K and Farri) waded across the river to continue on to Mapanza. For another two hours we drove, Godi and Clay on top of our supply in the back, through another two rivers forges, rain, and too many potholes to count.

We finally arrived in Mapanza, a small town surrounded by thatch roofed mud huts and herds of cows. We picked up the local church representative in town and continued on for another 45 minutes further into the bush to the school. At the school we were greeted by 125 students, who unlike the "city kids" of Lusaka were very shy towards us. Their teachers told us that most of the youngest children have never seen a white person before. Our primary goal, given our limited man power, was to de-worm the students and provide them with multivitamins. In addition, Pat and I were able to see about 60 students, mostly for soccer injuries, rashes, and sores. Perhaps the best part of our trip (aside from the goat surrounded outhouse) was getting to interact with these students. We taught them all the tricks from home: how to jump rope, the limbo, and how soccer is way more fun as a free for all. After a few hours of work, we went back to town to drop off additional worm pills and vitamins for the school we were unable to visit. Then it was back on the truck for the surprisingly short three hour drive home. In the end we really felt like our day, however unplanned it was, was well worth our extended efforts.

Aside from the order of events, it is really hard to put into words the Mapanza experience, it is almost too unreal. I can't imagine that being my "daily commute", so unpredictable and almost desperate. I have a totally new idea of what it means to be tough and a survivor. Perhaps the most impressive thing of all is that even in the middle of the bush in the middle of Africa there is God. And that is why we are here, wild road trip and all.

alice finnell

2008-01-21T06:57:00.002-05:00

Hello to my family and friends. Since I can't get bell south here this is my only way to communicate. We are all doing well with a few folks at the Choma site due to flooding that made the bus passage impossible. The truck got through with help of several team members wading to lift the truck out of the flooded waters. Perhaps the water will be lower and passable tomorrow. If not, then we may be on to Livingston. Yesterday we attended the church in Chawawa in Lusaka which had lots of music and festive preaching that would have been heard anywhere. Later we took a long bus drive to Choma and repacked our meds for today. Since most of us did not get through to Choma we will do more packing of meds for the rest of the week. Today it is quite warm, probaably 80 degrees. All for now. I think about you Mary , John and Sam and hope you are well. Alice

alice finnell

2008-01-21T06:57:00.001-05:00

Just another manic monday

2008-01-21T06:34:00.000-05:00

Friends,

We have now arrived in Choma. After a 2.5 hour church service yesterday (which was amazing, btw), we had lunch and traveled the 4 hours to Choma. The town is nice... a little quaint and kind of a downtown area. Our hotel is beautiful though Casey and I had some trouble last night figuring out how to make our mosquito nets work properly. Today we hit the road at 6am to head to the school where we would be holding clinic because it is about 4 hours away on a pothole-filled red dirt road. Unfortunately, because the rain has been so bad recently the ride was rough and I started to get a little green. Fortunately, there are medical people all around me and as soon as I looked at them funny 5 pills were thrown my way. :) About 30 mins away from the school (3.5 hours into the trip) we hit a place where the rive had flowed over the road, making it impossible for our bus to cross. Our truck attempted the river and halfway thru the entire bumper was submerged. Godi, Clay, Casey, Shirley and I waded into the river (up to our thighs) and helped lift out the truck. It was the rural African experience I have been looking for. I am sure Clay will post pics and videos soon. We were a mess... a soaking wet mess! :) Because the bus couldnt get thru, we will most likely be moving on to Livingstone tomorrow instead of staying another day in Choma. This is sad because the children here DESPERATELY needed to see us but there is little we can do. Livingstone will be a few days full of work, shopping, touring the falls and a safari game ride. We are excited to see the animals. Most of us snapped shots of wild zebras and birds on our trip today.

OUMC folks: THANK YOU for supporting this ministry. While we have undoubtedly helped many people feel a little better physically, there is no comparison to the impact the Zambians are having on each of us... physically, spiritually and emotionally. This couldnt have been accomplished without your love and support. I wish you all could see a small glimpse of what we see every day. It would knock you over just by the sheer magnitude. Please keep praying for us and for all the people we are meeting.

STEVE: I probably wont get you a dress for you here because most of the women dont wear them. I will try to bring you home a wrap though (and a few for myself). They seem to be popular here as skirts, headwraps and baby carriers (will explain when I get home). I have become a huge fan.

Ok, this is costing me a whole dollar for the 30 mins I am surfing the net so I am going to run. :) We all miss you all at home and cant wait to share with you all about our adventures. Will post again as soon as I can.

Miss you and love you all!

In Him,
Amanda

Monday's journey

2008-01-21T06:08:00.001-05:00

We completed a wonderful 2 days in Chowama last Friday and Saturday. We shared in Sunday worship in the same church, St. Francis Anglican Church, Chowama, Lusaka, Zm.

The team repacked all of the supplies and luggage and migrated to Choma on Sunday afternoon. The roadside was the beautiful green that we expect of the African countryside.

Accompanied by our Zambian host, Constance Njovu, Mr. K from the Bishop's office, Farai from Zoe Ministry, Zimbabwe and 2 drivers, we arrived to our second hotel, the Kozo Lodge, Choma.

Our Monday journey began with a 5 am packing of supplies for the day, a 530 am breakfast and a 4 hour journey to a roadway flood that was too deep for our bus. The truck carrying supplies and a subset of our team went ahead to run a mini-clinic at the school.

The remaining team members have returned to Choma to complete additional team work while waiting for our companions to return. A well planned day in the Zambian rainy season!

Our love to all!!

Saturday at a Glance

2008-01-19T10:38:00.000-05:00

Today we returned to Chawama and planned to have a "short" day and finish at 2pm but ended up having our longest day yet seeing over 180 people. Today was also the first real sunny, African day. I took some time and perused through the market and soccer game across the road only to have literally everyone stare. We had a great time with the kids today playing their games and learning their language. Tomorrow we plan to attend the Chawama church service which we've been in formed will be about 3 hours long...we're all very excited.

There is also a good chance that we may not have internet over the next couple days!

We miss you...
-Clay

Hey all!! We have been so productive over the last few days. I am amazed at many people treat given our constraints. Medically we see everything: simple aches and pains, lesions and rashes, worms, HIV/AIDS, sprained ankles and wrists, we even had to aspirate (drain) a fluid collection. It is encouraging that we are able to help, but the need is sometimes overwhelming. Our limited "suitcase pharmacy" can only handle so much. Regardless, I feel that we are making a difference even if it is just a drop in the bucket. The people we have worked with (translators, drivers, Constance, and Fari who will be our guide for the next leg of the journey) have tended to our every need. We have been welcomed with open arms from all of Zambia which is ever encouraging during our stay here. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. We feel your love and support halfway around the world!!

A special hello to "Casey's Fam"- miss you love you lots!
-Casey

2008-01-18T14:41:00.000-05:00

FRIDAY 1/18 Today we were at a different site. We saw 161 kids & adults. Stories that would break your heart. There is such need here. Today we had a man who needed a wheelchair; he had borrowed a make shift on (lawn chair on wheels). When I think of all the wheel chairs we have sitting in our attics collecting dust it makes me realize all the more how much we do have and how richly blessed we are. Probably a lot wasteful too!!!! People were brought in who have been able to walk for 1-2 years trying so hard to get any kind of help!!! Unfortunately we can only give minor meds for pain and the church/ZOE will try to get help for them.
I am learning hard lessons on this adventure but the blessings flow your way too.
We were welcomed today by singing school kids. They LOVE having there pics taken & then seeing them. I had one boy who would NOT smile, I took his picture anyway & showed him... He had the biggest smile you can imagne! Please keep the prayers coming! we feel them everyday!
Shirley

VIDEOS!....maybe

2008-01-18T13:56:00.000-05:00

Becuase of server issues here I can't upload video clips directly to youtube, google video, or the blog here. I finally got some .avi files to drop to our server...meaning that you "should" be able to go to:
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www.connect2orange.org/chant.avi <--definatley should work, "mosungu" means "white people", which you will hear them chant as we drive into town...7mb file size

www.connect2orange.org/DSCN0561.avi <--may not work until Saturday...16mb

www.connect2orange.org/DSCN0483.avi <--probably works...6mb

they are large files so they may take a little to see, prolly no where near how long its taken to upload...
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If it doesn't work, well, it was a valiant effort on our part to brave lions, gorillas, and wild goats to try and post this for you, but mostly on your part for taking the time to visit the website. we've got tons more that, of course, when we get back will be able to edit and show everyone, everyday, all the time, until you beg us to stop...

We miss you,
-Clay

2008-01-18T11:11:00.000-05:00

Friends,

It is Friday evening here in Zambia and I am exhausted. We have had a very rewarding and fulfilling week, but it has been a bit of work. The internet here is a little sketchy so we are doing the best we can to provide updates... sorry there arent more pictures and video. I promise we've all taken 100s of pics we'll be glad to show you when we get home.
Tomorrow is our last day working in Lusaka, so I am not sure how our internet will be after we leave this area. Keep checking for updates.
Things to note: There are some wonderful children on this side of the world. It breaks my heart to see 8 year old boys who are heads of their house because they have lost both parents to AIDS. I have held many, many, many babies in the last few days (I weigh everyone). This is both fantastic and a little strange (they dont have diapers here). Needless to say, I sanitize my hands with hospital strength stuff between every person. Our hotel is very nice for the most part. I have had bugs in my bed but I just close my eyes and pretend they arent there. We also had no power for one night/day... but we survived. :)
Ok, well everyone is yelling for me to leave so we can get to dinner by 6:30. I will write again soon. LOVE YOU ALL!

Amanda

2008-01-18T10:46:00.000-05:00

-Alice
Greetings from Zambia. I have heard that NC has ice and snow. Here it is quite warm and rainy, but late today the sun has come out. Several of us hiked over to the internet cafe to "escape" from the Blue Nile Inn late today. Walking alongside the streets is a challenge dodging the holes in the ground and bicycles. In the clinic we saw mostly children but also a number of adults, including late 70's and "maybe in the 80's" (the lady didn't know her age). Things went pretty smoothly at all of the stations, from triage and check-in, the deworming station, the doctors' benches, and the pharmacy with check-out. Our translators have been so pleasant and dedicated. People do not complain about the wait to be seen.
Tomorrow we return to the same church for a second day of clinic. The time goes amazingly so fast! And the best news is that I got my suitcase Thursday night!
Thanks for your prayers and thoughts--please keep up your good work!!! Alice

Friday

2008-01-18T10:39:00.000-05:00

Today was our first day the new site at the Anglican church and school in Chawawa just down the road from Missisi. The children were a little older, still eager to see us. They also seemed to be a little "better off" whereas most had footwear at least. We still saw around 150+ people today. Everything is going great right now, though we are all a little tired from the long days. Tomorrow we will return to the Chawawa church for our final day there!

We miss everyone!

-Clay

Reflections from the first day

2008-01-17T11:04:00.001-05:00

Greetings to all from Lusaka. Here are some thoughts from our team members after the first day. We'll be posting it as one long entry since it's a bit hard to fit in internet time.

After way to many hours on a plane, WE'RE HERE IN AFRICA!!! Your prayers are felt in so many ways. Today, Wed., we had our first day with patients. We saw more adults than we had planned. We saw so many smiling faces and felt so very welcome. I enjoyed the end of the day playing with the kids, talking about feeling joy & happiness…… my cup runneth over! They didn't even run away when I TRIED to sing with them. KEEP PRAYING!!!!

- Shirley

The flight was good for a 15 hour flight from Washington to Johannesburg. The welcome by the children and families in Lusaka (Misisi) was overwhelming. These children do not seem to meet a stranger. I worked in the Pharmacy today with Jean and Dan. After the first 30 minutes we were really rolling. Thank your for your prayers. Your support is felt in many ways.

On a personal note, Hello to Daniel, Stephen, and Elizabeth and of course, David. I love you and will see you on the 27th.

- Teresa

To R.Dean,mbote! Biso tokomi malamu na zambia,mosala ezali kotambola malamu

Call liz, and tell her to say bolingo na mwana Joshua soki nazui phone nakobenga.

Nazuki awa mbote na baninga nyoso. Ngai muana Godigo-Gotigo.

- Godi

Hello from Zambia to family, friends, and our followers in the states. Today we worked in Missisi, a very poor neighborhood of Lusaka. Two things stood out. The kids run and play, laugh and smile, and wave to us as we arrive. They love attention and to touch our hand or to shake our hands. Secondly, the kids have beautiful teeth! They are white, straight and lack cavities. The day went too quickly that I didn't have time to look at my watch. Thanks to everyone sending us your thoughts, love and prayers. Also say a prayer that our suitcases arrive. We are missing 4 team suitcases and 2 personal bags, including mine. I am stretching my carry-on items far.

-Alice

You've already heard about our itinerary from Clay, so I won't waste precious time with that. Instead, I'll just share a few of my insights from the last couple days. I have been constantly amazed at the effectiveness of sign language. Here in Zambia, the primary language is English but there are about 75 different dialogues spoken. Today, out of the 130+ people I saw, most of them did NOT speak English. This made my job of weighing, measuring, and administering medicine somewhat difficult. I have learned a few words (thank you, what's your name, white person, and you're welcome) but for the most part I have been doing a lot of pointing and signaling. I have been thinking a lot about what it may have been like at the Tower of Babel or at Pentecost… what it must have been like communicating amidst so many different dialects. *sigh* Anyways, the other interesting thing I have noticed is the commonality between people, even across the world. As I put women on scales today I was amused at how interested in how much they gained (or lost) and how they stripped off as much as possible before they stepped on. Even in Africa, women are concerned about their weight loss… funny how we aren't that different.

Well, we're all off to bed (btw, we're 7 hours ahead). I miss you all and love you (dave, give K a hug for me!)! I'll write again as soon as we have time! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!
-Amanda

The team had an amazing first day. After a 5 hour sleep, all 12 were enthusiastic, organized and responsive to the needs of our Zambian hosts. The Masisi slum is indeed in need of renovation or relocation. The homes are of cinderblock, some wood/black plastic shops, and because of the 2 weeks of rain, mud puddles in the road of respectful proportions. We prayed our way through the largest and remain thankful that we were not called to push! God is Good.

Of the ~140 served today, approximately 1/3 were adults. Our favorite medicine is Albendazole, with anti-malarials coming in a close second. The adults have a great burden of hypertension which we were not fully prepared to treat – long term medicines needed and we have packed with a focus on child health care.
-Pat and Deb

The first day here in Zambia went quite well. Although we averaged only a few hours of sleep the first two travel days, everything has gone remarkably smoothly and with minimal confusion, even though it's our first time figuring out how to get everything ready and set up the clinic. I feel really lucky to be on such a great team here; everyone is incredibly enthusiastic and happy to work. One of the more surprising sights was how happy the kids were to see us when we visited Misisi today. We drove about a mile in, and kids waved and smiled at us shouting "Mazungu! Mazungu!" (sp?), which means white person/people. I hope we can get a few videos of this posted. When we got off of our travel bus, kids swarmed around us offering handshakes and smiles. You feel like a celebrity. The Anglican church in which we set up the clinic is a very welcoming and we all sang a song together and did introductions before getting the clinic started. The day went very quickly and was a lot of fun. Thanks to all of our supporters at Orange, ZOE, and here in Zambia as well. Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers.
-Dan

Hello to all at home. Having a great time- our teamwork is awesome!! I don't think we could accomplish this much with patients in the US! Looking foward to all the adventures to come!

-Casey

Reflections From The First Day of Clinic

2008-01-17T10:23:00.000-05:00

Greetings to all from Lusaka. Here are some thoughts from our team members after the first day. We'll be posting it as one long entry since it's a bit hard to fit in internet time.

After way to many hours on a plane, WE’RE HERE IN AFRICA!!! Your prayers are felt in so many ways. Today, Wed., we had our first day with patients. We saw more adults than we had planned. We saw so many smiling faces and felt so very welcome. I enjoyed the end of the day playing with the kids, talking about feeling joy & happiness…… my cup runneth over! They didn’t even run away when I TRIED to sing with them. KEEP PRAYING!!!!

- Shirley

The flight was good for a 15 hour flight from Washington to Johannesburg. The welcome by the children and families in Lusaka (Misisi) was overwhelming. These children do not seem to meet a stranger. I worked in the Pharmacy today with Jean and Dan. After the first 30 minutes we were really rolling. Thank your for your prayers. Your support is felt in many ways.

On a personal note, Hello to Daniel, Stephen, and Elizabeth and of course, David. I love you and will see you on the 27^th.

- Teresa

To R.Dean,mbote! Biso tokomi malamu na zambia,mosala ezali kotambola malamu

Call liz, and tell her to say bolingo na mwana Joshua soki nazui phone nakobenga.

Nazuki awa mbote na baninga nyoso. Ngai muana Godigo-Gotigo.

- Godi

Hello from Zambia to family, friends, and our followers in the states. Today we worked in Missisi, a very poor neighborhood of Lusaka. Two things stood out. The kids run and play, laugh and smile, and wave to us as we arrive. They love attention and to touch our hand or to shake our hands. Secondly, the kids have beautiful teeth! They are white, straight and lack cavities. The day went too quickly that I didn’t have time to look at my watch. Thanks to everyone sending us your thoughts, love and prayers. Also say a prayer that our suitcases arrive. We are missing 4 team suitcases and 2 personal bags, including mine. I am stretching my carry-on items far.

-Alice

You’ve already heard about our itinerary from Clay, so I won’t waste precious time with that. Instead, I’ll just share a few of my insights from the last couple days. I have been constantly amazed at the effectiveness of sign language. Here in Zambia, the primary language is English but there are about 75 different dialogues spoken. Today, out of the 130+ people I saw, most of them did NOT speak English. This made my job of weighing, measuring, and administering medicine somewhat difficult. I have learned a few words (thank you, what’s your name, white person, and you’re welcome) but for the most part I have been doing a lot of pointing and signaling. I have been thinking a lot about what it may have been like at the Tower of Babel or at Pentecost… what it must have been like communicating amidst so many different dialects. *sigh* Anyways, the other interesting thing I have noticed is the commonality between people, even across the world. As I put women on scales today I was amused at how interested in how much they gained (or lost) and how they stripped off as much as possible before they stepped on. Even in Africa, women are concerned about their weight loss… funny how we aren’t that different.

Well, we’re all off to bed (btw, we’re 7 hours ahead). I miss you all and love you (dave, give K a hug for me!)! I’ll write again as soon as we have time! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!
-Amanda

The team had an amazing first day. After a 5 hour sleep, all 12 were enthusiastic, organized and responsive to the needs of our Zambian hosts. The Masisi slum is indeed in need of renovation or relocation. The homes are of cinderblock, some wood/black plastic shops, and because of the 2 weeks of rain, mud puddles in the road of respectful proportions. We prayed our way through the largest and remain thankful that we were not called to push! God is Good.

Of the ~140 served today, approximately 1/3 were adults. Our favorite medicine is Albendazole, with anti-malarials coming in a close second. The adults have a great burden of hypertension which we were not fully prepared to treat – long term medicines needed and we have packed with a focus on child health care.
-Pat and Deb

The first day here in Zambia went quite well. Although we averaged only a few hours of sleep the first two travel days, everything has gone remarkably smoothly and with minimal confusion, even though it’s our first time figuring out how to get everything ready and set up the clinic. I feel really lucky to be on such a great team here; everyone is incredibly enthusiastic and happy to work. One of the more surprising sights was how happy the kids were to see us when we visited Misisi today. We drove about a mile in, and kids waved and smiled at us shouting “Mazungu! Mazungu!” (sp?), which means white person/people. I hope we can get a few videos of this posted. When we got off of our travel bus, kids swarmed around us offering handshakes and smiles. You feel like a celebrity. The Anglican church in which we set up the clinic is a very welcoming and we all sang a song together and did introductions before getting the clinic started. The day went very quickly and was a lot of fun. Thanks to all of our supporters at Orange, ZOE, and here in Zambia as well. Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers.
- Dan

Thursday at a glance

2008-01-17T10:15:00.000-05:00

Today we continued work at Missisi. The children and families are still so wide eyed and eager to see us. It seemed that our "system" went alot smoother today of seeing patients. We were able to see abotu 150 patients again today, but are back at the Inn a little earlier.

Good news! the baggage that got hung up at the airport finally arrived...so Alice and Pat have clothes! (and our supplies)

Tomorrow we will be traveling to a new location with even more children!

The internet here, as you would guess, is a little sketchy. You cannot really upload anything large (pictures, video) or the connection times out. We have a ton more pictures that we will get out soon AND some really great video clips of the Zambian children!!
-Clay

Wednesday -First day of clinic

2008-01-16T14:00:00.001-05:00

So our first day running the clinic was pretty amazing. We set up in a local Anglican church in the middle of the Missisi area of Lusaka. This area is reminiscent of some of the shanty town type neighborhoods we’ve experienced in Mexico-small cinder block homes intertwined with extremely bad dirt roads. At times our minibus would twist and submerge to the top of the tires getting through the large water holes.
The first thing everyone noticed was how ecstatic the people, especially children, are to see us. It’s sort of a rock star experience driving through town and near the homes where everyone literally stops in their tracks and stare. Most even, again especially children, chase after the bus and yell “Musengo! Musengo!” which is roughly “White person!”.
Our primary goal is to treat children and there is no shortage of kids running around like you might imagine-barefoot and enjoying nothing more than crude toys made out of rocks or broken umbrella parts. The church where we set up also has a meal program that supplies two meals a day (milled corn cooked in a large cauldron over a log, which I got to help break some boards to stoke the fire for; they all cheered “Billy, Billy!” when I stomped through the boards for them…who knows what that means).
The system by which patients were treated was pretty incredible. We basically set up stations for basic intake followed by administration of intestinal work medicine, weight and height, initial triage (describe your symptoms etc), see one of the three physicians, then on to our pharmacy table. Again it was all quite incredible the way it all worked. Furthermore to see so many people with sometimes simple problems that just go untreated was definitely eye opening. Many people came through and would need to receive something so simple like a two week supply of Ibuprofen or Hydrocortisone cream; something we don’t think to be that hard to come by but for them it is. All totaled today, even with it being our first day of “learning the system” we saw right at 150 people.
Outside of the clinic there are tons of kids and they are so excited and eager to play with you. It’s pretty amazing to see in the midst of their pain the hope that fills their eyes when they come in the clinic or their continual smiles over doing something simple like playing “Hokey Pokey” with us.
Tomorrow we are back at the same place and will more than likely be able to see more patients!

Tuesday

2008-01-16T13:32:00.000-05:00

We’ve finally arrived in Lusaka and are done for the day. We had the long 15 hour flight to South Africa overnight. Johannesburg, and South Africa as a whole, is pretty metropolitan and would remind you of a typical American city and airport (with the addition of the British “u” in between all “or” letter combinations and minus the fast food).
The Lusaka airport was much different which consisted of one large room the size of a gymnasium that housed customs and baggage claim. We did have one small hitch in that 2 personal bags and 5 of our team supply bags did not arrive. The hope is that they will be on the next flight from J-Burg at 1pm Wednesday. Our contacts met us in a shuttle bus and drove us to the Blue Nile Inn where we will stay for the next few days. And yes, we’ve met the mosquitoes already.
The first thing that you notice here is the shrouding darkness. I barely noticed any sort of street lamps and the only illumination emanated from select homes from behind their concrete wall fences. It wasn’t too busy but there were regular numbers of people walking the edge of the darkened road.
It was a short 15 minute drive to the inn. The Blue Nile Inn I thought to be quite nice actually. We are two to a room on small single beds on a tile floor. Once there we began to unpack and sort all of the medications in a conference room that had been shipped ahead of time and brought with us. There were large quantities of the shipped medication from two organizations called MAP and Blessings International.
It’s now after midnight and we have spent the last few hours counting, bagging, and labeling medication. Shirley and I, for instance, placed 1 small tootsie-roll and 1 pill for intestinal worms in a small Ziploc bag…500 times. This, we expect, should last for the first two days.
The crew as a whole, as you would imagine, is obviously a little delirious and tired but still very engaged and excited about the work. Everything is so well organized and people are really dedicated to giving their best. It was a real blessing to stop and consider the fact that something simple like Ibuprofen is a hard to come by commodity here and we are able to provide it for them. Tomorrow we will be working in a slum area called Missisi at a community center.

Made it to Johannesburg

2008-01-15T10:18:00.000-05:00

After a 15 hr flight (!) we made it to J-Burg and will leave within the hour to Lusaka (2 hr flight north) It is currently 5pm here sunny and 77 F. Hopefully we will be able to write later tonight, thanks for your thoughts at prayers.

-Clay

Zambia Map

2008-01-12T14:34:00.000-05:00

Here is my attempt to create a Google Map with the Zambia trip outlined so that you have a better idea of where we'll be (you may need to adjust the zoom a little):

View Larger Map

2008-01-09T20:47:00.000-05:00

The OUMC-ZOE packing party

Thanks one and all for your contributions and excellent packing skills.

Only a Few Days Away...

2008-01-09T19:55:00.000-05:00

We’re now just a few days away from our departure. Even for the most seasoned planner and traveler we’re at the stage of scurrying around in last minute details. Final shots (Tuesday for my five, surely the latest of the group), making sure the packing list is complete, and doling out toiletries in the required 3 ounce bottles is all a part of this countdown to departure on Monday afternoon.

I think I’ve struggled as of late as it pertains to a real biblical meaning of service (and with that, abundant life as Jesus mentions in John 10:10). One might consider a myriad of factors contributing to this awareness. The mixture of anticipation of this trip, reading the account of Paul Farmer’s clinical work with TB in Haiti in Mountains Beyond Mountains, surviving the consumption-based Western holiday season, and weighing my constant food, healthcare, and entertainment options against the foreseeable disparity of the culture we’ll be engaging next week, I’ve felt, frankly, a little guilty.

Amazingly, and thankfully, enough this proverbial guilt seems to pervade deeper than the few expected moments that usually come after seeing a short commercial announcing the injustices around the world and asking for support. What strikes me too are the words of Jesus in Matthew 25. It’s a passage most people are familiar with. In explaining in eschatological terms the eventual separation of “sheep” (the righteous) and “goats” (the unrighteous) Jesus tells of inviting those in on the grounds of “when I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Of course the righteous in their humility question “How?” to which he responds with the sometimes clichéd “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

What bothers me is the following passage that describes the expulsion to “eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” for those who did not engage the least. For those who read the bible for feel good moments this might be one passage to avoid. I know we all read the bible through our personal, denominational, and political lenses sometimes and because of that we do end up attributing some teachings to cultural specific instruction. You’re familiar with this type of hermeneutic whether it be Paul’s instruction to women in the church or Jesus instruction to turn the other cheek. We often quickly say, depending on the situation, “Well, that’s not what that really means” or “That’s not for today”. But what if this is one of those "You better-believe-it" literal moments?

There are few instructions that promise a bed of eternal fire for disobedience. Jesus’ exhortation in Matthew 25 just happens to be one of them. We are constantly surrounded by absolute, in-your-face inequities in this world, whether across the globe in Lusaka, Zambia or around the corner on Rosemary Street and through that an opportunity to impact the world and our own eternal situation. I think I’m slowly figuring that out in real ways whether it be not caring about what type of car I drive or recognizing the over-indulgence represented by 99% of my possessions. I’m thankful for the eclectic mix of things that God is using to reveal that to me. Now, if I could only remember where I put my passport…

-Clay

Schedule

2008-01-07T10:02:00.000-05:00

Monday, January 14

11:00 am: Meet at OUMC

230 pm: departure on United Airlines flight 241 to Dulles.

Tuesday January 15

1. Arrival in Lusaka Tuesday Jan 15 at 9 pm

2. Gain entry and transport luggage and team to hotel in Lusaka

3. Organize supplies for work on Wednesday

Wednesday January 16

1. Breakfast 8 am

2. Meet in the morning for morning devotional (Jean) and transport to work site. 9 am

3. Work full day Lusaka

4. Return to hotel for clean up and dinner

5. Evening devotional (Clay) and pack supplies for following day

Thursday January 17

1. Breakfast 8 am

2. Meet in the morning for morning devotional (Jim) transport to work site. 9 am

3. Work full day Lusaka

4. Return to hotel for clean up and dinner

5. Evening devotional (Amanda) and pack supplies for following day

Friday January 18

1. Breakfast 8 am

2. Meet in the morning for morning devotional (Godi) and transport to work site. 9 am

3. Work full day Lusaka

4. Travel to Mapanza

5. Dinner and evening devotional (Casey)

Saturday January 19

Free day

Morning devotional -Dan

Evening devotional - Teresa

Sunday, January 20

Worship

Monday, January 21

1. Breakfast and morning devotional (Shirley)

2. Travel to work site

3. Work full day

4. Return for clean up, dinner, supply packing

5. Evening devotional (Alice)

Tuesday, January 22

1. Breakfast 8 am

2. Meet in the morning for morning devotional (Pat) transport to work site. 9 am

3. Work full day

4. Travel to Livingstone Tuesday afternoon

5. Check in hotel for clean up and dinner

6. Evening devotional (Amanda) and pack supplies for following day

Wednesday, January 23

1. Breakfast 8 am

2. Meet in the morning for morning devotional (Amanda) and transport to work site. 9 am

3. Work full day, Livingstone

4. Return to hotel for clean up and dinner

5. Evening devotional (Jean) and pack supplies for following day

Thursday, January 24

1. Breakfast 7:30am

2. Meet in the morning for morning devotional (Shirley) and transport to work site. 8:30 am

3. Work 1/2 day

4. Return to hotel for clean up

5. Afternoon in market then Victoria Falls, Zambia side

6. Evening devotional (Jim) and pack supplies for following day

Friday, January 25

1. Breakfast 7:30 am

2. Meet in the morning for morning devotional (Clay) and transport to work site. 8:30 am

3. Work 1/2 day, Livingstone

4. Return to hotel for clean up

5. Afternoon Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe side then Sunset cruise

6. Evening devotional (Deb) and begin to pack for departure

Saturday, January 26

1. Game drive - 6 am

2. Return to hotel 9 am

3. Pack for departure and devotional - ALL

4. Lunch

5. Travel to airport for

6. Flight from Livingstone 3 pm

Sunday, January 27
Arrive RDU at 10:00am

Test

2008-01-03T20:41:00.001-05:00

Test
-Clay