Finally some pictures

My first group of girls in 2007 came to camp last week and I was unable to be with them because of other things I had to be doing...so I arranged to see them on Saturday at the CRC and it was so much fun! I got to bless them with little goodie bags filled with crayons, bandanas, sweets, paper, and the best of all...a beanie baby!! :)

Awaiting lunch and their bags...

I went by the Avondale CRC and there I met a precious little boy named Alexander Tembo. he is 11 years old and HIV+. Both of his parents have died and he is living with his Grandmother who doesn't work and isn't able to provide the adequate diet for Anderson to have with the ARV medicine he is taking. I fell in love with this boy and I am wanting to get him in a CRC so that he will be taken care of full time. 

Isn't he soo cute?? :)

Here are some of the kids at the Advondale CRC. 

Staying Busy...

So I know it’s been awhile but things have been busy as always! We have moved 7 more kids into our CRC’s and it continues to be a daily and weekly thing. Praise God for the ways He has provided for these kids. I have been taking sponsors on what we call The Father’s Heart Trip in which our sponsors can physically go visit their child and see where they live. It’s one of my favorite things because it blesses both the American sponsor and the child and their families. From last Thursday up to Tuesday I had sponsors here and I was taking them around to see our offices in Chilenje, our LIFEWAY Students, and introducing them to our CRC’s where we have children living. I love getting to tell the stories of the kids who we have had the privilege of rescuing and bringing restoration to their life. What joy it brings me to see the smiles on all their faces and hope in their eyes again.

Beginning last Thursday I have also been spending a lot of time with our LIFEWAY Students. They range between 12 and 22yrs old. I literally walked on foot with our LIFEWAY Coordinator to all of the homes we have for our students. We have 7 in total and it took some time to get to all these places but I realized that this is how they manage to move around. It’s slow but they get there. I enjoyed being outside and taking in everything. So many times we are rushing around and missing what is before us and so the Lord gave me that time. I loved getting to talk with some of the kids there and see where they live. Starting yesterday (Wednesday) I have spent my entire days in Chilenje doing an “exhaustive evaluation” with our LIFEWAY program. We are going to be improving a lot so I have needed to pay extra attention to it all. It’s been fun to have a 20 minute conversation with all the kids we are supporting. Even tomorrow I will be there finishing up some evaluations with some students, teachers, and house parents. Saturday and Sunday I will be compiling all of the information together. It’s been interesting to hear different people’s opinions and perspective on things.

In about 9 days I will be leaving to go back to the States. I am in shock and denial that it is already time. I can’t believe how the time has passed so quickly. I know that I am not ready to say good-bye to everyone here, both our Zambians on full-time staff and the kids. So many things have happened this summer and still there is so much to be accomplished before I leave. I am going through moments of sadness with having to say good-bye to everyone. Just when things are going smoothly and I am getting into a good rhythm with everyone is the time I have to leave. Our Zambians here are unbelievable! Their work ethic, love for what they do, their passion for God, and their obedience to bringing restoration to the lives of these children blows me away. I am so humbled to work alongside these people who have given up so much to bring life to so many! I love all of them and they have become like family to me. It’s going to be so difficult when I have to leave them.

But for now…I still have 9 days left!! Praise the Lord! One more week to pour everything I have out to everyone here! Oh how I pray that God is pleased with what I have been doing. I pray that I will continue to die to myself everyday and take of my cross to follow the footsteps of Jesus. Please pray over the next 9 days and even thereafter…

Living my life for the Glory of HIS Name,
Joy

Whatever it takes..

We wrapped up our 5^th week of Camp LIFE on Friday and it was absolutely amazing! So many children were set free of the bondage they were in and now their lives will never be the same. This goes for the Americans too! Every night we have people stand up and share a story of what God did in them that day. Praise God for how mighty and powerful He is. It’s so incredible to hear how God has changed them and used them to minister to the kids here. 

Saturday and Sunday were so refreshing for me. I was able to catch up on sleep, get some much needed time with the Lord, and spend some quality time with my dear friends. I now have 4 of my friends here and I have loved every minute of it so far!! God is so good in blessing me with the friends I have!! During church on Sunday we had Pastor Angel speak and it was so challenging to hear because it was directly from the Lord! The title was “Serving God’s Purpose in this Generation”. We went through what it really means to know God’s purpose and His assignment He has given you to do today. We discussed how you were born into your generation for a specific purpose. We shouldn’t be wishing to be born in another generation, but this one was specific for you to live out your assignment God gave you. No matter what, you must live out your purpose today! Whatever it takes to fulfill the assignment given to you, do it!

Working everyday to provide a place for children to have a place of refuge and transformation is my purpose here. To make a way for another child to be rescued and restored is amazing to be a part of! God has washed HIS grace, HIS love, and HIS redemption over each one of these kids so far and it’s only the beginning…

Week 6 has kicked off and I’m working hard to move more kids in to CRC’s. Please pray for everything to line up smoothly. Satan is attacking this in every way and I am in need of some major prayers. Thanks!

Be Blessed,

Joy

Shopping Day in Soweta Market

So as week 5 is now in full swing I have been continuing to focus in on building up our Community Resource Centers (CRC) and prepare them for kids.  That is what day consisted of and it’s so amazing at the end of the day to know that 2 more children were rescued from their household. I went to the CRC to prep the home and then moved around to other compounds. As the day went on I went around to several markets to purchase food for the CRC’s that already have kids living in them and then for another one to open today. My driver, Gilbert, and I went to Soweta Market. It is close to the Kanyama compound. So the best way I can describe it is that it’s a small road, full markets on either side, hundreds and hundreds of people all around walking. Driving around is even difficult because there are so many people. Anyways, my driver pulled over and said, “okay, we go”. I asked him several times, “here? We are going from here??” He just laughed and said yes. It was just crazy that we would stop basically in the middle of the street, in the midst of so many people, and in the craziness of the market.

 Once I arranged my money in my backpack we were off. We didn’t get that far because as soon as I stepped out of the car I heard so many voices saying Muzungu (white person), ewe (you), or hey mommie. I felt like a celebrity because they all wanted me to do was come to their table to buy something. Thank goodness for Gilbert. He was amazing! We had a list and just worked a little at a time in getting everything. We got so many things: beans, groundnuts, kapenta (small fish), onions, tomatoes, cabbage, and big dried fish. Once we finished there, we went to a grocery store and finished the rest. The challenged of the whole day was staying under budget….but we managed and did it!! J

After all of that was completed, we headed off to the CRC’s…first was Ibex. We got there just in time when 2 new girls arrived. It was so much! We brought all this food in and I got to pray with them. To see the day come full circle in that at the beginning there was an empty room with mattresses leaning against the wall to having 2 beautiful girls sitting on their beds that were made for them!! I am praising the Lord for the work He is doing! There is now so much hope for these girls and it only took one person to be a voice for them!! We left there and dropped the food off at 2 other CRC’s. I love being able to bring a blessing of food for these kids and the Discipleship Leaders that live there.

Pray for:

-Time Management

-Rest

-Strength and Energy everyday

-Discernment in decisions

-Diligence