Month six in Zambia has been another amazing experience. Our host, Love’s Door for All Nations, has never hosted a race team before us. We weren’t sure what to expect when arrived but it has been another one of my favorite months. I definitely have a deep love for Africa that will last long after the Race is over. The people, the food, the vegetation, the wildlife, the colors … it all speaks to my heart and points me back to our great God. I’m staring at the beautiful Zambezi River as I write this in my eno. The golden glow of the sinking sun shines on the Zimbabwean coast just 300 yards from me. I hear hippos grunting in the distance and children shouting at each other as they play a pickup game of soccer behind me. I reflect on this last month and so much has happened. I’ve jumped off a bridge, twice, to face my fear of heights and to demonstrate that I will trust God and release control of my false sense of security. I know who holds me, and that he will never let me go. I went on Safari this week in Botswana and it was absolutely amazing. I was so sad to leave at the end. For the beauty of the earth was the song I sang all day. The magnificent creatures that we saw were breathtaking.
Today’s blog, however, is about village life and moments from the time here. We go out to visit people in the surrounding villages. Before Love’s Door arrived, the people in this area were one of the unreached people group’s of the world for the Gospel! Being part of the spread of the gospel and showing Jesus in the skin has been a big part of this month. The red dirt and dry vegetation out in the village surround mud huts that house families of 10+.
Today, Mike, Karen and I went out to one of the villages to meet people. While looking for two boys Mike was supposed to visit, we ran into Jen and Kate. Mike decided that we should go visit a lady who had stopped attending church a while back to see how she was.
Oteria lives in a tiny two-room mud hut. Her living room/kitchen is the size of our guest bathroom. She gave us four girls the seats and mike a chair and then sat on a cushion at my feet. It still feels weird to have the place of honor, mostly because I’m white. I don’t like it. Many time while in Africa this pale pigment has been a cause of resentment for me. I don’t want people to see me as different because of my skin. I want them to see me as different because of my heart, and because of who resides in me.
Mike translated while we encouraged Oteria and prayed for her. She began to silently cry as she spoke of her mother passing away two years ago. She had lost her job and her husband couldn’t afford to feed them with just his salary. I wanted to cry with this beautiful woman. There were no children, which I also knew must be hard because children are seen as blessings here. Oteria is also the firstborn in her family, so culture expects her to help support her younger siblings. I ached at the burden and sadness I could see on her face. I prayed for her husband, who had fallen away from the Lord. That might have been the strongest I have ever felt the presence of God on me when I was praying in my whole life. We promised to come back on Friday.
After leaving Oteria’s, we went to visit a family we met last week. They have a two-month-old baby who is just cute as a button! Her name is Blessing because she is a blessing from God. They have lost three babies during pregnancy before her. They received prayer when they found out they were pregnant with her. And she was born healthy and beautiful. It is those moments, when I’m staring into the eyes of a two-month-old baby, whispering words of silliness and love, that I feel most myself.
As the last bit of the sunlight fades on the horizon, my stomach rumbles for dinner. Community meals have been fun on the race. I will miss our quiet evening by the fire, going to bed early and sleeping snuggled up in my sleeping bag in the cold Zambian winter. As we head to Zimbabwe next week, I am amazed that our time in Africa is already almost over. I think of the race and all the growing that I have done. And all the growing left to do. I have been reminded time and again that the race is just the first step to living a life of adventure. I have been challenged to live a life that reflects the mentality that I have now. That people are life’s mission. Jesus was all about loving people. No matter where I end up after this year, I hope that I love people well like Jesus does.
