The Bush: Chowe (Cho-Way)

I hope you enjoy hearing some stories from our first trip into the bush.  Also, check out the pictures below to get a SMALL glimpse of our last few days.

Dayla - We just returned from our first trip out into the bush. As I sit here and think about it I am blown away that we drove into depths of the bush, being the first vehicle to ever drive on the land.  We crossed a bridge that was built for us so we could reach this village and there we were, in the middle of Africa, camping.  The nights were cold, the days quite hot with nothing to give us shade.  We ate our meals on a reed mat while often flicking off the spiders and bugs that would scurry across.  Our toilet was a squatty potty that was built for our visit and everyone was a pro by the time the week was complete.  On our second day we hiked 4 miles through the bush, crossing a river and working our way through several different terrains to a village that had never seen a white person before.  They were amazed that mzungus (white people) would come all this way to tell them about Hope.  We had many significant conversations and each of us were able to share the Good News on several occasions.  We left late on our return hike because we stopped several times to share with the people of the village.  By the time we started hiking down it was pitch black.  Luckily I and one other had torches (flashlights) and we were able to somewhat light our path.  The M was not with us on this hike so we were dependent on our translators to lead us back.  I was so proud of everyone who stepped up and was completely calm through the entire experience.  I am thankful to the Father for His protection and complete peace.  The most incredible part was looking up to see more stars than my eyes have ever seen before.  It was breath-taking.  I was in awe of the Creator.  Everyone is doing really well.  We love our M family who have taken such wonderful care of us.  We will be heading out to another village tomorrow afternoon for a couple more days of camping.

Today was I also able to share my story with a group of women that come to meet regularly at the M’s house.  I shared with them about forgiveness and they had many questions.  I told them the story of Joseph and we talked for a while about what forgiveness looks like in our lives.  It was really neat to be able to encourage them and hear their amazing stories as well.  Thank you for lifting us up.  Please continue to do so.  

Family, I LOVE you and miss you like crazy.  Sweet friends, thinking about you all and lifting you up, I love each of you.  Looking forward to hugging all of you in a few weeks.     

Hannah - Our team just got back from our camping trip in the bush. This was my first time camping ever, let me just tell you it was quite an experience. City girl in the bush, well let’s just say I got a lot of laughs, but Dayla did tell me I did well for my first time. While we were camping we had some traditional Zambian Meals along with some America, yes I ate the Zambia meals, well except for the fish. I got to experience many things I’ve never experienced before, like a squatty potty. Tuesday we hiked 4 miles to the village, we all split up into groups with our translators. Callie and I split into a group and our translator was Dorcas. We have been asking the Father to use us and get rid of our selfishness, that it would be JC speaking and not us. Callie and I got to share the Good News with a family. Please lift up Mary, Issac, and Tota, the family we shared with. The Father is working in the village we just left.  Please lift up the village of Chowe. 

Callie- Well, we went to the bush! It was a few days filled with everything that was completely unfamiliar to me. It started with a craaaaazy drive that lead us out into the middle of what seems like no where. We set up camp and cooked dinner on the fire and started to settle into our new outdoorsy lives. However, we of course were acting like mzungus and being super loud (very different from Zambian culture) this caused lots of people from the village to crowd around and watch us while being hidden in the tall grass. Yes, this was a little weird but it gave us an incredible opportunity that we took advantage of for the rest of the days that we were there. We also took hike into the village that was about 4 miles long, we did this in the dark on the way back and it that is definitely an experience I’ll never forget. Hannah and I were able to share with a woman named Mary along with her husband and many people that slowly gathered around to hear. We were able to speak some very solid truth that we hope sets in their hearts and potentially has growth. Me and Brittany were also taught by our new friends how to carry jugs of water on top of our heads. I wasn’t very good at it, and cut my toe in the process but I still got it done! And dad, just so you know, I did not have the same trouble as Destiny did ;) So pretty much, my first camping experience was a success! With JC of course! I can’t wait to go back out to a different village tomorrow! Check back soon! Love you all! :)

Joseph- 3 days ago we traveled into the bush to the village Chowe and had the opportunity to do some really great things! The 2nd day I didn’t feel too well due to dehydration and the heat but it turned out to be ok. The team went out from house to house sharing their stories with the people in the village while Blake took me to the river to help with my heat exhaustion. Both events went really well! I felt better and the team got to share the Good News with some of the villagers! Yesterday was a big day for the village. It was our last day there and we were finally going to get to teach to all the villagers! They all joined us around our fire last night and Margo shared a story about JC having power over demons and I taught about JC having the power to forgive sins! There were a lot of people there and it was a great thing for the people to all hear the Good News! I think my favorite part of the entire trip was teaching through futbol. Futbol is an international language and it was such a dream come true to be teaching about the Father through playing futbol in Africa! All glory be to the Father! He is doing some truly incredible things in the village of Chowe so please lift them them and Timothy, a believing leader in the village and great friend up to the Father! I’m excited for this night of rest and ready to see what else He will use us for! Missing everyone at home! Love you Mom, Dad, Lance, and everyone else! 

Brittany- We went camping! In the bush! We all felt so hard core. It was such an experience for us to have.  Me and Anna got to help build a tent and hang out with our cooks, Sylvia and Patricia!  They are the sweetest, funniest, Father-loving girls. It has been so encouraging to see them living out their beliefs so boldly in their own culture. Sometimes it’s easier for us to live out what we believe when we don’t know the people, but they do it 24/7. Since we were there in Chowe for 3 days, we got to play net ball, go hiking, carry water on our heads from the river and share the Good News with a few people.  Our Father did amazing things the last few days, and it wasn’t because of what WE did, but almost what he was already doing in the peoples’ hearts there.  He prepared them for us to come and our hearts too! Our M got to speak to the leaders of the village and share TRUTH with them! We were so excited to get to see this happening. All the while that was going on, we met a little boy named Moses. He clung to Tim! They played futbol together and became good friends despite the fact that he didn’t speak English. Moses was a simple reminder of how our Father created all the people there and wanted a relationship with them, sometimes we forget that there are other people outside of the States, as sad as that sounds. BUT on a lighter note! DAD, I used a squatty potty! Camped! Walked through tall grass and didn’t see a snake! And I miss you all! Love you, Mom, Daddy, Manda, Colb, and Chancer! Can’t wait to tell everyone about what I’ve learned here. Keep lifting us up as we leave for another village tomorrow. Please ask the Father that people will see past skin color and see the love of Him in us. Lift up the village and people of Chowe. Lift up Moses, Timothy (leader in Chowe), and the kids and wives of these leaders. 

Timothy- The last couple days are hard to depict through words. After literally blazing a drivable trail to Chowe, we arrived at a clearing. This clearing was maybe half an acre. Come to find out, our Brother, Timothy from Chowe, cleared the land all on his own. Not to mention, the village bridge was in major need of repair in order for our vehicle to make it to the village- he did it, once again, all by himself. And neither of these tasks were done with modern tools, equipment or supplies. Keeping these details in mind, he had Malaria since 3 days earlier. What a worker our Father has provided to this village in the bush! I learned so much from this quiet, steadfast, faithful, servant. He was a blessing. From the time I arrived, he had my respect- not to mention what a great name he has! From the moment I started building tents, one Chowe boy, named Moses, clung to my side. He hammered stakes into the ground for a house he had never even dreamt of(a tent). The rest of the first day, we juggled a “chimbobwa”-I’m still not sure that’s the correct name, it was difficult to remember, but it consisted of  trash wrapped in a cloth. It was a lot of fun. We couldn’t understand each other through language, but through hand gestures, repeated words in each language, facial expressions and especially laughing. Each day he met us at our camp-some distance from his home- and after the first day, played with a real Futbol. The 2nd evening, we went through the village. As soon as we had past Moses’ house he ran up and offered to carry my Book. Another time we left our camp to go to the river. Forty-ish feet from the camp I stopped and saw Moses SPRINTING to catch up. When he did, He offered to carry my bag...and my watch-un coloko. With no understanding of literal words, we were immediate friends. His laugh, I hope, will never leave my memory. This young boy, wearing a blue shirt, Green shorts, a leke-Homemade slingshot- around his neck and a smile that makes mine look pitiful will be forever engrained into my heart. Even with nothing, this one knew how to laugh. As Brittany would say, “His laugh makes my heart happy!”   ~Hello to all family and friends! As you can tell, I’m enjoying my time here and wish everyone could experience this first hand. 

Anna- Camping for the first time...WOW!! We arrive in the middle of the bush in the middle of the afternoon and while Blake goes to pick up the rest of the team he leaves the boys, our cooks and Brittany and I... yeah, Brittany and I. Brittany and I set up a tent  all by ourselves for the first time and walked down to the river to draw water. If there is anyone in this world who I have tons of respect for now, it definitely would be the African women. There is no such thing as chivalry here. The more a woman does things on her own the more she is respected. Therefore Brittany and I decided to carry the twenty pound water jugs on our heads. Yup, it definitely took a lot of work but it humbled me more than I could ever imagine. 

We hiked eight miles to tell people about The Father for the first time and it was pretty life changing. Just to know that some people have never heard the Good News was mind blowing and those who had were so confused and quote on quote “We came to your camp site because we were so excited that someone finally is telling us about hope that we can receive as well that we couldn’t even sleep last night.”  We got so caught up with sharing to as many people as we possibly could that we lost track of time and began our hike back when it was close to dusk. We hiked a solid three miles in the pitch black unpaved savannah and luckily we had a national that knew the whole bush like the palm of his hand. We climbed over rocks, ducked under trees, pushed bushes aside, and even crossed a river but we made it. 

Needless to say in the past four days I only showered once, I used a squatty potty for the first time, and slept on solid African ground to where I now have bruises on my hip bones from rolling around in the night but I feel such a peace and like I’m actually where He wants me to be at this stage in my life. These past four days have definitely been the hardest and least comfortable days that I’ve ever been in my life, but now I can honestly say He is worth it!!!

Margo- Oh my goodness, camping in the bush was amazing! The Father is so faithful, I loved it and it is such a testament of how the Father is our Provider because with my OCD, He has brought me so far. 2 Corinthians 12 is so applicable and such a blessing to my soul. I did not want to leave the village. The Father is working in so many ways and acceptance is coming to many. I loved learning so much from the translators and about their culture. I totally fell in the river and broke off half my toe nail, but it was completely fine and definitely worth it to see the faces of the people the Father had brought us to. In the midsts of such warfare- witchcraft, demonic forces, and false teachings, the Father’s light is growing ever more and there is so much hope because the people are seeking Him and the truth. I am so excited for what is to come. While I miss you, I love it here and I wish it would last much longer, but I’m trying to savor every second. Happy early birthday Dad!!!! I love you so much! I love you all so much! And I’m hoping for a triple crown winner. Also I haven’t heard back yet about the job. 

Spending time with the Father at the river.

Sharing with the village leaders

Where we shared our meals

Our campsite

The bathing station (don't be fooled, we all used a nice tent shower)

The squatty potty (we did use this one)

With our translators, cooks, and new friends.

Tim and Moses

Beautiful are the feet that bring Good News

The road, can't you tell?

Crossing the bridge.

Nine mzungus, four nationals, a trailer FULL of stuff.  On our way back to Isoka.