In November I was in Zambia with my new team, team Eden. At the end of our time in Central America, our squad went through team changes before we departed for Africa. This is a pretty typical change so it came as no surprise to me, until the actual team assignments came through and we got together for the first time. I was placed in what I thought was the most random group of individuals. There are no accidents or random happenings in God’s will and all my questions and potential fears were washed away after meeting that first night as a team. We met and talked about what vision we had for this new team and shared what we’d all been through the first 4 months.
Our name Eden comes from our desire to be a sanctuary and place for rest. Rest for each other and for the people we would come into contact with through ministry and travels- whatever that looks like. It also symbolizes a new beginning, place of beauty and roots. Returning to where we came from, and restoration. In sharing our stories and experiences on the race thus far and what we wanted it became clear to me that God really had this group planned from the beginning.
Our home base for November was the capitol of Zambia, Lusaka; working with a Pastor and his church in the small community of Matero. His family was very welcoming however, we did experience a dose of African culture shock. ?
Culture is a big deal, I knew this before we left but still, it comes as a shock –especially when it takes 5 months in to experience it for the first time. Having traveled to South America a few times I felt at home during my first 4 months of the race.
In Zambia our accommodations were split, men and the women staying in separate houses, all rather cramped by American standards but safe none the less. We had a bit of adjusting to do. Some things were really funny, like how the woman we gals stayed with was grossed out by our throwing toilet paper in the trash. “So unhygienic!” she said to us. We were in immediate agreement and explained we haven’t been able to flush toilet paper since we left the States, and we would be happy to go back to flushing!
As far as ministry opportunities and actual work, there was not much. We found that our ministry this month became our team, admonishing and encouraging each other while living in such close proximity with our host family. There were many opportunities and a few cases of misunderstanding, and we as a team had to speak a lot of truth to each other, look out for each other and learn to ask for help and prayer in dealing with this situation we found ourselves in.
Our team ate all meals together with the family, which took hours to prepare and clean up. They were cooked primarily over a charcoal brazier in the yard and eaten on a mat with everyone gathered round on the floor, washing hands by passing a basin and pitcher of water and passing out plates. Breakfast consisted of carrots, apples, bananas, and peanut butter. We ate as locals, fried caterpillars (actually quite good!), and nshima- a corn meal mixture that resembled cream of wheat and was cooked until thick and could be lumped out as portions to be used as a bread to eat with all other dishes in the meal. We also had whole fish, from eyes to tail, but greens and chicken were the frequent staples. Greens resembled collard greens cooked in a tomato and onion relish. We later learned that nshima was the national staple and not for its tastiness but for its ability to expand in the stomach and produce a feeling of fullness.
This first month was a surprise to me in many ways but I think just what was needed to start off as a new team. We had to work through learning to communicate with each other in a different culture, all the while still loving and forgiving. I learned this month that I need community. I need them to reflect back to me truth of who I am and experience grace. I learned humility in asking for help when I can’t go on my own- which is more often than I’d like to admit. I love this new team and am excited to see where God takes us and what He continues to reveal.
