Hope News by Paul, Mary S, and Nelson

Hope News by Paul Kalangwa
During the weekend 25 visitors came to our Village for one night.
They came in the afternoon. Then we helped them make their tents.
Then we told all the boys to come and play soccer with us. So we went
their and we played soccer. Then there was a funny big boy who was 16
years old. He made his friends laugh, so we finished playing soccer.
Then we big boys went to fetch some sticks for the campfire. We
cleaned the trench where we make the campfire. Then we went to eat
dinner.

After dinner we big boys went to light the fire. Then the people
started coming. We sang and danced around. At last we prayed. Then
we went to sleep.

Then on Sunday morning we went to church. We were going to sing.
Then the time came so the people came. Pastor Zulu was the one who
was preaching. He talked about Moses and Isaac and Rebekah, how they
got married.

So the church was over, then we went home. The mothers cooked some
nshima and cabbage. Then at Uncle Ben's house they were baking
sausages. We ate together – all the visitors, all the mothers and
children, even Uncle Ben and Auntie Kathleen and Pastor Zulu and his
wife and the interpreter.

Hope News by Mary Situmbeko

On Sunday we went to church. We sang lots of songs. Pastor Zulu
preached the message about Abraham. On Saturday we had visitors.
Their names were Hannah, Elizabeth, Kathleen, Faith, TK, Moses,
Stephen, Isaiah. We even had lunch at Aunt Kathleen's house with the
visitors. Auntie Rachel was there. The mothers made nshima. Uncle
Paul cooked food for us. We did spend a lot of time at Aunt
Kathleen's house. I wished all the teachers were there. It was a
great and happy day for me and all the children of Village of Hope.

Then we washed the plates. The mothers told us to sweep the verandah
and we did everything.

Hope News by Nelson

On Saturday when we finished our breakfast, Uncle Ben came to our
house. And he found that our tap was not off. He was sad because the
people who were going to come and camp would find water on their
place. Then Uncle Ben told Mommy Rose C. to tell us that we had to
clean the place where the visitors are going to sleep. Then Mommy
Rose C. told us to clean the place.

Then Shaibu brought an idea that we must put dirt on the water then
the water will dry up. Then we did what Shaibu told us to do. Then
the water dried up. Then we cleaned and cleaned and the place became
clean.

When the visitors came, they removed their tents. Then the women
said, "we are going to see which tent is going to be up first." Then
they all made their tents up, but not on the same time. Then we went
to play soccer with other visitors. Then their was one uncle who was
very fun. When we played and it was half time, we went to drink
water. Uncle Brainy made a joke and we laughed and laughed. Then we
went to play football again.

On Sunday when we had our breakfast finished we went to church and we
sang and sang. Then Pastor Zulu gave us a sermon. When we came back
from church we went to play with the visitors while the mothers were
preparing lunch. When the food was ready to be eaten our mothers
said, "You must wait until the elders are finished." When the elders
finished we went on a line and they gave us food. And it was very
nice and it tasted yummy and everybody enjoyed.

Sunday Joy

Sunday Joy

Last Sunday our service of worship was filled with JOY. We had a
youth group from Lusaka come and camp out the night before. So we
had over 150 in attendance, people from 4 different continents, ages
2-65, and every color of skin possible. What a joy it is to see
little kids from neighboring villages who used to stand very still
during the singing, now doing the motions and singing the words with
smiles on their faces.

Pastor Zulu preached and if you have heard him, you know he is a
wonderful preacher. He always has good points and also can be quite
humorous. It is amazing to see the faces of our children as they
focus on listening to him – such close attention to what he is saying.

The Bookstore

The Bookstore

After moving from place to place, our Bookstore finally has a home.
For about one month now the Bookstore has been located between the
restaurant and the Boutique. The suggestion was made by Paddy Doyle
from Ibis that we should put it there. He is a reader and thought we
had a "gold mine" in books. So with minimal expense, that we have
already recouped, we put in 2 walls, a roof, and added more tables and
chairs.

Today a lady came out from Lusaka and bought over 800 books which she
will resell in Lusaka.

The added bonus for readers like Kimberly and I is that we also have
access to reading material.

The Bookstore can also work like a library. If a customer keeps the
receipt and also takes care of the book, he can return and swap the
first book for another. In that way we don't loose money and he/she
gets to have new reading material whenever we are open. It makes the
store a library.

The Boutique

The Boutique

Our Clothing Boutique is becoming well known in the area. We have
developed a schedule for the arrival of "new" clothes. Payday for
most places around here is at the end of the month. So as we approach
payday, we take out all the merchandise, and bring out new things.
Then around the 20th of the month we lower everything, except shoes,
to 50% off. It is working very well.

All of the clothes, books, and bikes that we sell come on the
containers sent from the US. Books are expensive in Zambia, even when
they are used. If we can keep our shelves stocked with a variety of
books – adults, youth, children, Bibles, dictionaries, non-fiction,
textbooks, etc. I'm sure are sales will continually increase.

Our Boutique isn't very big and we only allow about 4-5 people in the
area at a time, due to the challenge of preventing theft. But people
look forward to the arrival of new clothes.

A First

A First

On Saturday some of the children pointed to the sky and said to me,
"There is a rainbow around the sun." I had never seen such a thing.
Benedict says it is called a corona. It was so beautiful – a complete
rainbow circle. It is another example of the wonderful things we are
seeing and experiencing of God's creation here in Zambia.

There is another thing that is probably one of the most amazing things
I have experienced. At this time of year, a sign that the rains are
coming, there are little white moths all around. Then there are birds
that come that look something like swallows. We have had thousands
around our property. They swoop and dive and fly high and low to eat
the moths. You can stand in an open area and they are flying all
around you. You can hear their wings flapping. At the Baltimore
Aquarium you have fish swimming all around you. Here in Zambia you
have birds flying all around you. I love to go stand quietly and just
experience the wonder of it.

And to think that not even a sparrow falls, or one of these birds
falls, without the Father knowing it. How much more does He love us
and know what is going on with us!

Hot Weather is Here

Hot Weather is Here

I have definitely decided that I like May and June a lot better than
October here in Zambia. The last 2 days it has been close to 100.
And of course no air conditioning anywhere except in the car. I may
decide to travel to Lusaka much more frequently than I usually do!!
I'm starting to freeze a big block of ice that I take to the school
and put in the water container to keep the water cool (at least until
lunch time). The children have water bottles that they keep water in
and we encourage them to keep drinking during the day. They are
sitting in the shade of the verandah to eat lunch these days. The sun
is just too hot.

I may take my own suggestion of pouring water on my head and clothes
for a personal air conditioning system!

Honeymooners have arrived

Honeymooners Have Arrived

Last night (Tuesday) Jim and Karen Kramer arrived to spend their
honeymoon at the Village of Hope. They are 2 very unique and
wonderful individuals. Their wedding was Sunday afternoon and they
were on a plane at 6am Monday to travel to Africa. The children were
very excited about them coming. Momma Anne helped decorate the
verandah of the house where they are staying, and the inside as well.
The children sang their welcome song when they pulled up.

Already today they have helped the Hamelrycks with Wednesday Hope Club
where about 130 children have been coming. They walked the children
to school this morning and stayed for our Morning meeting.

So it is a delight to have them here and an honor that they would want
to come to our Village for their honeymoon.

Did you know?

Did you know?

Sharing some not very useful (to you) things I've learned in Africa:

• Almost every insect, bird, scurrying critter, and fruit on a tree
can be eaten. I haven't had the nerve to try most of them!
• After 7 months without rain, you can't get away from the dust.
• Gift certificates are an unknown item here. Yesterday was
"Teacher's Day" and I gave each of the teachers a gift certificate for
our boutique with a thank you note. At lunch I asked them if they
understood what it meant. They didn't. After I explained, they
thought the idea of gift certificates was such a great idea and
thanked me for telling them about it.

I/We are so Blessed!

I/We are so blessed!

This week, 2 events brought home to me how blessed you and I are.
1. Brenda, the very young woman who cleans the school complained of
her tooth hurting. After several days, I asked if I could look in her
mouth. My uneducated observation was that it was a wisdom tooth
coming in, already with some decay, and very much still in the gum
area.
I discovered for a fact what I had thought was true. If your
tooth is giving you trouble, you go and have it pulled. People here
have the most beautiful teeth, and usually so straight. But if a
tooth gives you problems, out it comes.
In Brenda's case it looked more like a case of "oral surgery" and I
have no idea if they are prepared for that at the local hospital.
Yesterday they did remove it and she was given 2 days of "bed rest"
which means not reporting to work.
As I think about the 4 crowns on my teeth, I realize that if I lived
here in Zambia, several of my molars would be missing, and my ability
to eat some foods would very much be hampered.
People here are shocked to learn that we spend hundreds of
dollars trying to save our teeth!

2. One of the young women who was part of our conservation farming
program in the past, came to see me. She practically begged me for
work. She wants money for her family and to send some to a younger
sister who is not able to go to school because she doesn't have the
fees. She also said, "I'm so bored. I'll just do anything, auntie;
wash the floor, wash your shoes."
I think of all the things we have to do. First of all,
until grade 12 it is never a question of being able to go to school.
It is free education. Secondly, most people are able to get food for
their families. And finally, if you really want to be productive, you
can always go to the library for free reading and teaching events or
volunteer someplace.

I guess I'm becoming like so many people who live and serve in poor
countries, i.e. seeing all the ways that we spend money in the US on
things we don't need when just a little would go so far over here;
give someone a job, help kids be able to go to school, etc. etc. I
know my family this year will not get much in the way of Christmas
presents. I love them so much, but I know they need almost nothing
and there are many I now know who have so little.

Anniversary Month

Anniversary Month

Although it is nothing official, if we had an anniversary month at our
Village of Hope it would be October.
• It was in October that 5 years ago Benedict and Kamau made their
first trip to Zambia, and during that visit met Emmanuel.
• It was in October 4 years ago that the Kamau family moved to Zambia.
The first houses were being built.
• It was in October 3 years ago that our first children arrived; Adam,
Moses, Brighton, Isaac, and John.
•
Now it is our prayer that during this October contributions and
commitments to support the children will increase. Since only 20 out
of 42 children are currently sponsored, we have a great need for
groups and individuals who will pledge to help support a house of 8
children. If you can't help, do you know of someone or a group in
your church or community who would like to "adopt" 8 children – to
pray for them, write them, give so they are taken care of, and love
them, maybe even visiting them? We look forward to hearing from you!

"Come Ye Thankful People, Come"

"Come Ye Thankful People, Come"

This is the season in the United States where almost everyone will
spend some time being thankful. We decorate with the signs of the
harvest – corn stalks, beautiful fall colors, pumpkins.

We are very thankful for all the fruit of the land here in Zambia that
we are now being blessed with. This week the children will eat corn,
mealie meal (corn meal), tomatoes, onions, spinach, dried sweet beans,
potatoes, and cabbages from the gardens; eggs from our layers, chicken
from our broilers, beef (thanks to Brownie-our late bull), and bread
rolls made at the restaurant. God is honoring our desire to grow much
if not most of the food needed to raise the children. And they are
probably eating healthier than many of you who have to eat things made
with chemicals and preservatives!