Recuperation

I've returned from Johannesburg after having surgery.  I really think it was a miracle that I had major surgery on Monday and was able to fly, pain free, back to Lusaka on Saturday.  Some of the things I experienced while in South Africa:

*People had a hard time understanding me because of my accent.

*The Doctor encouraged me to stay another night.  I wasn't kicked out too soon.

*To make a step-stool to get in the van to take me back to the hotel, the driver used about 4 big phone books.  Worked great.

*Wonderful nurses, and staff of the hospital, and the doctor, Dr. Faeson, was terrific.

 

Now we are back to the Village.  We have a few weeks with very few visitors.  So I will be recuperating and also having teacher orientation and getting Term 3 for school beginning.

I want to share some about what has happened on this South Africa trip. When the urgency of getting Kathleen immediate treatment was given to me by Dr. Groesbeck Parham, a US obgyn surgeon working in Zambia, I was reluctant to take her to South Africa. I was afraid of a number of things. SA is known as a very dangerous city, we don't know anyone there, we wouldn't know where to stay or how to get around, and personally we didn't know any medical resources there. So, fearfulness on my part.

But God is sooo Awesome and tenderly considerate. Through Dr. Parham we received a referral to a Dutch surgeon who turned out to be terrific, highly skilled, caring, and personable. We were able to see him the very day (Thursday) we arrived. He did an ultrasound in his office and showed us what the problem was: at least two fibroids in the uterus. We hadn't gotten that clear a diagnosis in the U.S. One of the two hospitals that he operates at worked through the weekend and arranged for authorization from our Blue Cross/Blue Shield in The U.S. for him to operate on Monday. 

On Thursday, upon arrival we were headed from the airport to a Protea Hotel, arrived there, and our black taxi driver said, "Look around this area. It is too dangerous for whites. You will be a prisoner in the hotel, unable to go outside." I had the name of another hotel that had been recommended, but which had been booked up only an hour earlier. So, I tried calling them again and they gave us a room. It has been the perfect place for us. They have transported me back and forth to the hospital. The staff has been delightful and helpful; God gave us the perfect place to stay during what could have been a very, very difficult time. Kathleen and I have been very comfortably accommodated here. God's Grace has made wonderful, loving provision for us. He is so Good!!

Thanks for all of your prayers. At a time like this you never know what the outcome of major surgery might be.
Fear replaced again by God's tender Love,
Benedict

AROUND THE CAMPFIRE

 

At our first campfire we took time to share things that we are thankful for.  Children and adults both shared.  One of our housemothers, Rose, thanked God for the work He has given her to do.  Isaac, one of her "children," raised his hand and asked, "What work do you do?" 

FROM JOHANNESBURG - MONDAY AUG 18

 

As the primary writer for the "news" from our Village of Hope, I am writing from South Africa.  In a few hours I will be having major surgery.  However, Benedict and I have had a couple of days to rest and be together away from the demands and work at the Village.  We also went on a tour of Johannesburg, Soweto, and the Apartheid Museum.  What a history is here.  People have struggled, suffered, and even died for the cause of equality and freedom.  How many of us are willing to go to such lengths for the Kingdom and its purposes?  How many are willing to give so much to help rescue millions of orphans here and around the world?  I'm afraid that our determination, and willingness to give so much of ourselves is sorely lacking as we value our comfortable lives and lifestyles. 

7 OUT and 7 IN

 

Last week we said goodbye to a team of 7 from MD.  Four members of the team were returning from last year.  What a change they saw in one year - 21 children and mothers, new buildings, new activities, new animals, etc.  We had a wonderful time with them.  On the same day that they left, a team of 7 arrived from WI.  Three of the members of this team were returning from the previous year.  They have entered in to helping and serving in the the Village.  We also welcomed the Maisonville family of 3 in the same week.  In talking with our children about this "in and out" of Aunties and Uncles, we have been using the opportunity to share about the family of God.  We are blessed to not only have our family here in the Village, but we get to meet and know members of the family from places far away.  It is a foretaste of the great banquet feast when we will all be gathered together to worship and praise the Lord. 

NEWS and YOU

 

I have heard from some of you that you look forward to the latest posting on this news blog.  All of this blogging is somewhat new to me.  However, I do know that it is easy for you to respond or ask questions.  So please feel free to respond to any of the postings.  If you have questions about what is happening in Zambia, please ask.  It is possible to communicate back and forth - Zambia and US.  I look forward to hearing from you.  Kathleen

LONG AWAITED GIFTS

 

On the container were many boxes of school supplies and books collected over a year ago by students at Bel Air Middle.  Last year Victoria Moore attended that school and as she prepared for last year's trip many students wanted to help. 

 

Yesterday, Victoria and other members of this year's team went to the Okada Community School to deliver the boxes.  The teachers were thrilled to see all of the pencils, paper, chalk, construction paper, glue, books, and more that was included in the items.  It will be a great encouragement to the teachers to have these supplies as they begin the 3^rd term of the year in September.

THE CONTAINER ARRIVED

 

What a joyful day it was on Tuesday when a big semi pulled up to the Community Center carrying the 40 ft container that had traveled from Maryland, across the ocean to Dar Es Salaam, and by truck through Tanzania and Zambia.  A bobcat given by a church in MI had been the last thing loaded.  But it also had to be the last thing taken off.  So the many boxes, bags, bicycles, sewing machines, medical equipment, tools, and more was unloaded around the bobcat blocking the door.  It took our workers and some of our volunteers about 2 ½ hours to unload everything.  Items were organized in groups in the large room of the Community Center.  The work has just begun.  We will be having bookshelves of metal built for many of the books.  Sewing machines will be set up for the ladies.  Computers will be assembled for children and adults to learn.  And much, much more. 

 

For our family and the Kamau family we received boxes we had packed long ago to bring our things to Zambia.  As we unpacked these boxes it was a joyful, surprise to see the things we had forgotten about that we had packed. 

 

It will be exciting as box by box, and bag by bag we open all the things and organize a clothing store, a library and school classrooms.

NEW LIFE

 

In the course of one week, a mother rabbit had 4 babies, and the Kamau's cat gave birth to 6 kittens.  Natasha the cat had an audience as she had 6 healthy kittens.  Even though she is a good mother, Kimberly intends that to be her last litter. 

 

CAMPFIRE

 

Brendan Moore, from MD, visited Zambia last summer.  One highlight was the nightly fire that the guard built on the farm where he and his family was staying.  So this year when he returned, one of his goals was to build a fire pit in our Village of Hope where we could have evening campfires with the children.  He and Jordan Snyder spent several days clearing a spot, digging down for the pit, and lining the walls with discarded blocks. 

 

Our first campfire was Friday night.  Each of the children's houses brought a bench to sit on.  The adults were sitting in chairs around the fire, usually with a child in their lap.  We had great fun singing, laughing, sharing things we were thankful for, and enjoying being together. 

 

The marshmallows we had gotten weren't so good for roasting, so we just gave everyone an unroasted marshmallow and a couple of crackers.  This weekend we will have another campfire before this team returns to MD.  But every time we gather around the campfire we will be reminded of Brendan and Jordan and the team that gave us this gift.

 

Saturday Morning at the Village

 

            It is Saturday morning and from our house we can hear the happy sounds of children in the Village.  Out my window I see children washing their clothes in buckets.  Some are sweeping and mopping their verandahs.  Others are inside cleaning and washing everything.  In a culture where there is no TV and the Saturday kids shows my kids use to watch, cleaning and washing are seen as fun.  The children know that their help pleases the mothers and they are eager to make them happy. 

 

  

21 Children and 42 Rabbits

Yesterday was a big day. The rabbit house in the Village was finished
and it was time to move the rabbits. We took the older class of 9
children up to the Market where the rabbits have been for the last
year or so. We had to first get the rabbits out of the three enclosed
little rooms. Once that was done, we positioned 3 kids in the 3
doorways to keep any rabbits out that would want to return for
"protection." Joseph, our agriculture teacher, directed our
activities.

They started grabbing up rabbits. Some are very large and there are
all sizes down to cute little ones. They were carrying them by their
ears, kind of like you do a kitty by the scruff of the neck. From the
pen they were carried to a cage on the back of the truck.
When that was done we went up to the Village.

At the Village the other class of 12 children joined us. Two workers
would get a rabbit out of the cage, hand it to one of the older
children who would then take it to the new rabbit pen and hand it to
one of the younger children who were lined up so that it would be fair
for all the children who wanted to hold the rabbits.

So now our Village has grown by 42 rabbits. There may still be a few
up at the market that "escaped" into their holes. When they get
hungry they will come out and then we can bring them to their new
home.

Now we have a natural place to discard carrot tops, cabbage leaves,
etc. etc. The rabbits should have a good time of it here!

Hot water, Hot stove, and Candles

Hallelujah! Yesterday Mark hooked up the hot water geyser (pronounced
geezer), and hooked up our stove. Elizabeth and Katie were so
excited that they baked dessert for us after the power came on. Which
brings me to the candles. Zesko (the electric company) is turning off
the electricity more and more. Over the last 4 days we will have one
day without power most of the day, then a good day, then power off for
most of the day, and then a good day. Whether it is a good or bad day
we can be sure that between 4:30 and 6:00 it will go off again until
about 7:30. So we are going through a lot of candles.

So when we have electricity we can have a hot shower now in this
house. We can also bake and cook things more easily. We do have a
back-up propane burner which is very useful. With 9 volunteers here
for a big meal everyday, it will be much easier to make our meals with
a stove working!