In Isoka!

On the way to Isoka

After three days of travel we are finally here in Isoka!  Everyone on the team is in LOVE with the people, culture, and M family.

Below you'll find a small post from everyone and some pictures from our trip so far.  Enjoy!  And check back soon!

Anna- The first thing I have to say is God is so faithful to have brought us here. Today we had a bible study with the team and the missionaries and God just lavished us with blessings to go out and love on the Zambians. We tasted a little piece of church and the women sing so beautifully. I gave my testimony and some people connected their stories with mine. That was such a touch from the Lord saying we are all alike and loved equally by Him. I can’t wait to see how Christ will use us and how we’re going to be blessed by all the nationals. Thank you for reading our blog. Please come back again as we share bits and pieces of what our lives are looking like. God bless!

Callie- I LOVE AFRICA!! Each day here, I realize how blessed I am to have been sent here. I absolutely love this family and am already dreading the day that I have to leave them. MK’s are officially my new favorite people group! Loving on them as they love on me is the biggest blessing. 3 days of sitting/traveling and some really intense jet-lag is so worth the opportunity to just be with our missionary family. I’ve actually found the love of my life since being in Zambia, his name is Amos. He kissed my cheek just about 5 minutes ago and my heart melted! Sorry boys, my heart is his. Oh yeah, Amos is 3 years old. This has been such a learning experience already and I couldn’t be more excited about what is going to happen the rest of the month.  *CLICK*

Brittany- Well, Africa is amazing! The people, MK’s, M’s and my team are absolutely awesome. I’m even more thankful for them now that we are here together and truly getting to know each other. (Maybe even a little too much :)) We went to our first church today where we learned all of these songs and how to greet in Bemba. Let’s just say that we are pros, or on our way to pro Bemba speaking.  Besides all of the sweet kids who have stolen my heart here! I can’t wait to see what else Zambia has to offer. 

Joseph- Today was so AWESOME!! We dug into the book of Ephesians this morning with Blake and it was such an amazing and influential time for our team. We learned great things but I also got to share my testimony with the youth! They chose parts that connects to them and connected their own lives to events that have happened to me and it was a special time. Worshipping with the national youth was definitely a blessed time! We joined them, or at least tried to, as they danced and sang and it was an amazing time! I had goose bumps the whole time! After our Bible time with the youth, we went outside and played futball with everyone! I have never ever played soccer that was anywhere close to that or seen so many individuals celebrate the sport the way that the natives do! It was laughing and smiling the entire time and they would even thank us when we passed them the ball! If you made a mistake or if someone missed a shot, they were still congratulated and hugged because they tried their best! One kid asked me if I play on their professional Zambian team Chipolopolo and I just laughed with him! It was such a fun time and I loved it so much! Glory be to God! I keep finding more and more to love about the people here. It’s amazing and I can not wait to continue to share the gospel with the people here! I’m so thankful for Blake and his family and the opportunity to be here in Zambia!

Timothy- God is good. That could be enough, but I think everyone would like some details. The M’s and MK’s have more than welcomed us. We are well fed and more-than-well loved! They truly are a blessing! Our M has helped us go so in depth spiritually that I was definitely filled and ready to go for our afternoon session. I had the opportunity to lead a small Bible Study with the help of a national to translate, and add his own comments as I later found out. They were very attentive, although they may have just been polite, but the elders voiced their appreciation and gratitude. God truly had His hand on our gathering. As Joseph said, we played Futbol with the nationals. They were pretty good, but apparently were impressed with the mzungus- Jo and I. Please continue to Pray as we do our Father’s work and learn more about the Nationals. Zambia is fantastic, but the people are even better!

Margo- Oh my goodness, I love love love Zambia! The Zambians are amazing, they taught me how to dance like a Zambian. They call us mzungus here too, just like  Uganda. I played volleyball with some young boys and they were so funny, we kept the ball going until the end of the alphabet. The M’s and MK’s are so precious and welcoming! Isaac (the son of the M’s) is my new best friend, he is 6 y o and so of course we get along perfectly, haha. All the M’s children are amazing and wonderful. Zambia is so full of life and I know the Lord is preparing this people and the salvation of Isoka. God is definitely moving here and what a blessing it is that He has allowed me to be a part of it. He is so faithful and so good! God’s love truly transcends language and cultural barriers. I learned so much about how to love and share Christ’s stewardship from the M’s, they are making a community farm, which is so awesome and so community nursing based- I’m taking notes. Also, the elephants here are gathering to make me a member of their herd, Yes!!!! I love you all! Muah!

p.s. Daddy, I am studying for the NCLEX. Love you lots!
p.s. Shout out to the Family. I love you momma and daddy and the four h’s! 

Hannah- So yesterday, we had been in a truck for 13 hours, everyone was so tried. We pulled into Blake’s house, and these four little bright-eyed kids opened the gate for us. We got out of the truck and we were attacked by these kids. Every single on of them already had my heart. The kids called me by my name, and they told each of us girls how beautiful we were (we needed that after being in a truck for 13 hours). Abigail was showing Anna and I their bunnies, then we sat in an insaka and Abigail asks Anna and I if we would be the “ladies” that sleep in their room. OH MY WORD, YES! So Anna and I are Abigail and Isabel's roomies, as they call us. Anna and I went in to get out clothes and they wanted to have girl talk! I am in love with these MK’s. We have been going to bed really early like 8 and waking up at 6, but its great! Dawnya has been spoiling us with wonderful food. Today we got to study the book of Ephesians with Blake, that was amazing. Then after lunch we went to a youth bible study in the village, the girls were learning how to say things in Bemba. We got started with the Bible study, and Angela, a girl from the village, started with worship. Angela came over to me and shared her song book with me. I had no clue what we were saying, but it was one of the most beautiful things to hear these people truly worship God. Anna, Joseph, and Tim got to speak and after each one of them spoke, the men of this Bible study stood up and said what they learned for each person. One man addressed us as his sisters in Christ, it just made that moment so real. I have brothers and sisters all over this world. God is using our brothers and sisters to share his word! Finally we got to go play futbol and I fell in love. I fell in love with this little boy by named Robert. God is working! I am so excited to have this opportunity! 

Dayla- It is so good to be here! After months of praying, preparing, and dreaming I am loving watching these students connect with the Zambian people.  Praise God for the M's and their ministry.  It is a true blessing to see these workers on the field faithfully serving the Lord.  Their beautiful children are such evidence of their faithful obedience to the Lord.  These MK's seem to minister to us more than we are to them.  It is so good to be able to love on them since I remember well what it was like to be an MK.

Friends and Family: I love you dearly and am so thankful for your prayers!

Tim and Morton

Even Blake got in on the action.

Learning some songs in Bemba.