Hey there family and friends, Hannah here! Here’s your first update from AFRICA! Wifi is borderline non existent so I will keep these posts coming when I can. The adjustment period here in Zambia has been quite the process for myself. New continent, new country, new languages (mainly English, weirdly overwhelming), a new team where I’m the only TOV has been way more difficult than I thought it would have been, new weather, new ministry, new culture, so much new. We’ve been here a week and I’m not even sure if I have found a new rhythm of living here in Africa but I’m hopeful it’ll come soon!
The further I live outside of my comfort zone, the more I miss home. Yup, you heard it here first folks, the first wave of homesickness has hit! The holiday season I knew would be difficult but I wasn’t expecting this. I’m picturing Shawnee mission parkway lined with its snowflake lights, the plaza and it’s festive decor, Christmas commercials, Christmas music, holiday cheer, the chilly air, family dinners, games with my roommates, holiday movies, WHEW, there’s a lot that I miss! This Christmas will look different, but as I type this under my mosquito net feeling a warm breeze through the barred open window I know that this Christmas will be one I will never forget. One that I will cherish.
A throwback from last Christmas, I miss these handsome brothers of mine!!
Here’s the fourth edition of FIVE FUN FACTS on this FINE FRIDAY
1. I rode a bike! It’s true! Ministry this month is street evangelism. We are partnered with Pastor Kenny. He has us load up into a van every morning around 9:30. Then we are taken to a street side and we hand out fliers and invite locals to his church this upcoming Sunday. On Wednesday of this week the day was a bit slower and this boy sat next to me, his name is Salimbay. He was timid at first but I kept asking him questions. The questions led to about an hour long conversation about his life and his dreams. He then wheeled his bike out and asked me if I wanted to ride it. I’m challenging myself to say YES more, so of course I said ‘yes’! I hope I get to see Salimbay again while I’m here!
2. Bucket showers are back! My last bucket shower was training camp. I’ve had my fair share of freezing showers while on the race, practically our entire time in Romania, but I haven’t had the honor of bucket showering again until a few nights back. You see, the power and water are government regulated here in Lusaka. Portions of the day we will be without water, or power, or even both! That means if you need to shower and the water isn’t running you fill a bucket from the reserved water bin and take a bucket shower! They are quite refreshing my friends, I’ve come to enjoy them!
3. Church = 4 hours of dancing! The Saturday we arrived we were told we would be joining Pastor Kenny at his church. Well I guess we missed our bus or something because we wound up at our hosts church for the day. We were walked right up to the front two center pews and there we sat for the next 4 hours watching the congregation and different choirs sing songs complete with dance moves. Then the sermon was given. It was quite the day as we were still dragging from the marathon of travel days we had just come off from. It was a special day at the church and a welcome to Africa I’ll never forget.
4. Mosquito nets are a NEED. The first night we were here we were driven in a truck to our hosts house, a friend of the pastors. We are living with a family of 8 and my team and I of 6 share a room. We were walked to our room upon arrival and we collapsed of sheer exhaustion. The next morning we woke up to find hundreds of mosquito bites covering us from head to toe. We went to the mall the following day and purchased three mosquito nets, aka our knights in shining armor.
5. Meet my new team, ARISE! I asked the girls a few questions for a quick ‘get to know ya’!
Age
Where they are from
First CD purchased
Smooth or crunchy Peanutbutter
Spiders or snakes
Something you’ll miss from Europe
Lex:
– 22 years old
– Sugar Land, Texas
– Avril Levine , the one with skater boy
– Smooth
– Spiders
– Abundance of cafes and bakeries
Claire:
– 23
– Fort Collins, CO
– Spice Girls
– Smooth almond butter
– Spiders
– Cafes
Emily:
– 22
– Fairmont, MN
– Jesse McCarthy
– Crunchy
– Spiders
– Burek
Elizabeth:
– 23
– Deer park, WA
– Point of Grace
– Smooth
– Spiders
– Space to be alone
Bailey:
– 23
– Kalispell, MT
– Greenday
– Almond butter
– Spiders
– Pastries // random people bringing me food
