This is a summary of my time in Zambia and some of my thoughts 🙂
Month 10: Kazembe, Zambia
Ministry: Kazembe Orphanage
Our team organized a summer camp for the 30 kids at the orphanage, complete with Bible stories, character building, obstacle courses, games, songs, crafts, poetry, architecture, dance, acting, crochet, and baking. Each person on our team had the chance to teach the kids a skill and share their passion with them…so cool how God uses all our gifts for His glory!! We finished camp with a big talent show.
Team 113 (1 Corinthians 13): Rachel, Grace T., Grace C., AT, LB, Luke, Mason
World Race- Zambia- Month 10 from Rachel Workman on Vimeo.
What we did:
Sunday: Since we did Bible lessons with the kids during the week, our host Amy had the kids go to church in the boma (town) and we played with the kids later on in the day and also rested up for the week ahead. We also did team worship and prayer on Sunday evenings, which was incredible!!!
Monday-Friday: At 8:30 we met together as a team in the kitchen to discuss the plan and pray over the day. 8:45 someone would ring the bell and all the kids would come into the dining room for the opening session. I welcomed the kids to “Camp 113” and then reviewed the rules for camp…the number 1 rule was “Be Kind,” and we used a lot of skits to promote kind words and actions. We taught the kids “Our God” by Chris Tomlin and it was a HIT…they loved worshipping with us. AT did some stretches with the kids, and then whoever was teaching the Bible lesson for the day would begin. I taught Zacchaeus on the last day of camp. Then at 9:30 the kids had snack, and we took a break until 10:00. From 10:00-11:00 we had a rotation of crafts and games. LB and I were in charge of crafts and it went really well. Then from 11:00-12:00 the kids went in their separate groups and learned whatever skill was being taught that day, such as architecture with Luke or acting with Mason. The kids loved learning all the new things!! Then it was lunch time and nap time from 1:00-3:00. From 3:00-5:00 the kids either watched a movie, went to the library, had karate lessons, or went to the town playground. We took turns cooking dinner with Amy, and then we would have team time and bed. Crazy-busy days…each day went by so fast and was so exhausting, but fun!!
Saturday: OFF DAY- The first Saturday we started interacting with the kids more and learning their names. The second Saturday, Brandon (a guy who has been at the orphanage for the past year) took some of us to the most beautiful waterfall. It was seriously an oasis. The last Saturday we ventured out into the village for an unplanned adventure walk. We met many village kids, who were really shy at first but held tightly to our hands.
Awesomeness:
Holding baby Chilu and baby Capya- cooking with our host Amy- going to the Ntumbacushi waterfall on our off day- watching the documentary “Animals Are Beautiful People” and laughing our heads off- bungee jumping at the beginning of the month- reading books with Moriah- letting the kids braid my hair- Joseph always giving me hugs and wanting to be held- worshipping and praying together as a team- walking to the village on a mini-adventure and meeting tons of village kids- teaching the kids at the orphanage how to worship- taking naps after lunch- being LB’s roommate- teaching poetry to the kids- making cupcakes with LB- beautiful sunsets- our amazing host Amy…her husband Tom was in the US raising support- sitting around the table after dinner laughing and discussing memories from Asia- watching the kids perform in the Talent Show- jumping into the icy cold water at the waterfall with Grace- working out with the girls- going to the playground with the babies
Sounds to remember:
The kids playing and screaming outside our room early in the morning- dogs barking- guinea pigs squeaking- drums in the distance- the kids in the dining room eating- the kids yelling “Rachel!!!” when I’m walking from my bedroom to the bathroom in the mornings- the fans in our room- the goats outside our window making a variety of awkward and disturbing sounds
Time in the Word this month:
Read John, Hebrews, Proverbs, Philemon, Titus
I read John 14 several times this month…so good and empowering. Verse 26 was particularly amazing and helped spark the blog I wrote called “A Prayer for Home” because the Holy Spirit promises to remind us of everything Jesus has told us and done for us.
Verse 18 “No, I will not abandon you as orphans- I will come to you.”
Psalm 40…I was planning to read my daily Proverb, and I just started reading this chapter once I opened to it randomly. It was EXACTLY what I needed to hear…just like God was talking directly to me as I read!! Love when He does that!!
Started memorizing Romans 8…made it to verse 8!!! It’ll probably take me until Christmas, but I’m determined to keep this chapter in my heart.
We had a team time in which we wrote a poem that was on our hearts, and the words of this poem poured off of me. I was inspired after listening to a sermon online from my church, New Hope Bible Baptist, that was short and sweet and pumped me up for eternity. I hope it encourages you today!!
[Paradise is among us- It’s sitting on a rock at the waterfall staring into the crystal-clear water, hearing the crashing water behind me, the sun warming me from head to toe, talking and listening to my Father
It’s worshipping in the prayer room, where walls come down, everyone is going crazy, joy is visible, and love is real- The heat from the room consumes me, warms me from the inside out, makes me feel like I’m flying, that I truly am God’s masterpiece- Lifting our hands high for the One who gave it all, sitting in His presence, knowing He’s with us and He loves us, knowing this is what I was created for.
It’s sitting alone in prayer, and suddenly the Spirit gives me a fresh look at God’s love- Actually taking in the fact that He knows how many hairs are on my head- Letting that sink in, that He cares enough to know that, and then the steaming hot tears fall down.
It’s holding hands during prayer with my teammates, feeling the heat within our hands, knowing that we are unstoppable warriors for the Kingdom, and being unified in that fact.
It’s looking at the night sky in Africa, the stars bright and beautiful, realizing how tiny we are, but so very loved.
It’s looking out at the ocean, unable to see to the other side or fathom all the creatures in it, but knowing the One who spoke it into existence.
I’m already in paradise. How much more incredible will it be to see Jesus with my own eyes. To literally hold his hand. To sit with him at a waterfall. To lay in the grass with him. To look at the night sky with him.
To have no more sin. No more addiction. No more struggle. No more temptation. No more fear or violence or tears. No more pain. No more anxiety or depression. No more suffering.
Just Jesus. Sweet Jesus. Just forever praising Jesus, my love.]
After writing this poem and reading it out loud to my teammates, I had a renewed peaceful feeling about my job situation back home and just going home in general. The Lord is using things like this to slowly transition me back to America, and I couldn’t be more thankful. He gets me.
Help me to stay eternally focused, Lord!!!
***Thank you for reading!! Keep us in prayer as we head to Malawi for the last month of the Race!!!***
