For the past 9 months my mind has been a suitcase that I have filled with memories.
I may only have room for a souvenir or two in my backpack but the memories, faces, smiles, laughs and stories from each month have all been stored away in my mental suitcase of memories.
This “suitcase” was already close to full and now Africa has forced me to unzip the expand-er! So much to take in, so many colors, so much culture… constant music, singing, and dancing.
So may little faces and smiles. I don’t want to forget a thing! This post is about sharing all the small, big, random, important, and passing moments that fill our days.
Time to unzip the suitcase of memories so you can see a glimpse of Zambia:
This is our hosts son Michael, who is ready and waiting to play Ryan in a daily soccer match when we get home from hut hopping. Can we talk about that smile?!
A woman we met while hut hopping; her husband has cancer and is also hard of hearing; she invited us back to her house to meet him and as we spoke she held him in a hug and whispered a Bimba translation of what we were saying into his ear while rubbing his bald head. Her gentleness stuck with me.
We visit about 9-12 huts a day depending on how far apart they are; most are very remote, miles away from neighbors. As we walk up little guys pop their heads out to get a peek while their moms and dads welcome us in to share a Bible story. In turn we get to hear about their needs, lives, jobs, families etc.
Ryan doing laundry in the front yard with the company of two of our hosts daughters; Mercy and Hannah.
Sister love between Mercy and Hannah usually has me missing my Hannah! Man, having kids in the house adds so much fun to a month!
This group of giggly girls stayed late after church to sing a Zambian song for us. And let me tell you, they sounded stinkin’ good!
Sunday best with my love. Our current version of dressing up doesn’t involve heels, make up, or clean hair but its together and that’s enough to smile about!
Ah what a day; we popped a hole in the transmission pan early on into our travels, here’s us stopping to re-tie our tow rope after it snapped for the third time.
Ryan and Logan reenacting the story of Zacchaeus, can’t do that properly without actually climbing a tree! 5 stars boys, well done.
Pure joy on this little guys face after receiving a bible of his very own!
Stunned by the work ethic of the ladies we’ve met, their arms are always full of babies or work to be done.
Sibling love.
Out like a light.
Ryan teaching the art of popping/shooting a water bottle lid to the cutest audience around.
Told you… the absolute cutest!
Proud mamma.
Our teammate Shelby posing for what she thought was a cute picture only to realize she was being peed on… take a closer look, yup…you see it now. Ha!
No car seat needed, these kids are scrappy and independent.
All smiles from these munchkins as they hear the story of the lost sheep.
A sunset that matches the vivid colors that seem to fill Africa 24/7.
A nightly game I like to call “how many kiddos can squeeze into my hammock”.
Before I go overboard and keep uploading photos I’ll zip the suitcase up (for now) and leave you with that!
Love,
Megan
