inside scoop, Zambia edition - Explore Archived World Race Alumni Blogs

This past month in Zambia was one of my favorite months, if not the favorite month, of my race experience so far.

HOST

We lived on a piece of property in the village of Singanga, and within its fences laid a ministry called Love’s Door. This ministry offers a variety of assistance to the surrounding villages, such as child sponsorship, a children’s home, tutoring, bible study, and much more. What honestly makes this place what it is, though, is the staff. The staff at Love’s Door is filled with young, Zambian women and men who not only love the Lord with their all, but who also serve hard and laugh often. A day didn’t go by where we weren’t all gathered around the long table for a meal, sarcastically joking with each other about anything and everything. Also, working alongside four other sweet missionaries from the States was just an added bonus—they were a few years younger than us, but their maturity and eagerness to serve was inspiring each and every day. Although the other months have been incredible, I think my team needed these laughs and the nights that ran long with card games or ridiculous games of mafia.

LIVING

We lived in our tents this month right next to the Zambezi river, home to crocs and hippos. Both of which we saw on numerous occasions! Our warm welcome from our hosts included animal stories that had taken place the night before we arrived—including the one about a pig giving birth to piglets a hop away from where we set up camp, and how the piglets were all dinner for a crocodile that night. Comforting, right?

Thankfully, the animals seemed to keep their distance in the river while we slept in our tents. Although, we DID hear a lion roar nearby while in our tents about the third week we were there. Upside? I didn’t pay for a safari because our backyard was safari-ish enough (:

MINISTRY

Ministry for our team in particular typically consisted of some form of manual labor/maize planting/campus beautification in the morning and a walk to a nearby village in the afternoon for evangelism and bible studies. I also had the opportunity to tutor a sweet girl with special needs on Saturday mornings after discipleship time. Oh! That’s another incredible thing that this ministry offers. Each Saturday, the 60ish sponsored boys and girls from the surrounding communities come in for a time of intentional discipleship (split up between little ones, teen boys, and teen girls) before they break up into their assigned tutoring groups. How amazing!

Anyways, I was blown away by Love’s Door. It was a sweet change to come alongside a ministry for the month, rather than being viewed as ‘the Americans who are more capable’ (this was something that we often encountered throughout the months—many people who we met/worked with didn’t seem to realize that the same authority that we have in Christ resides in them as well!). So, I was highly impressed with the staff, the way the ministry was run, and the love that was felt by all. I already sorely miss everyone there and pray that I can return someday!

Well, this blog was simpler than most, but I wanted to catch y’all up with what we’ve been up to on the other side of world (:

Thanks again for each one of y’all’s love and support! Here are a few more pictures from the month.