Trip Reflections

How does one sum up a trip like the one we just wrapped up? I'm not quite sure but I know for me a little writting here is helpful.

We ended well. The meetings of Monday and Tuesday which we were not a part of resulted in our prayers being answered as it seems the doctor will remain. The power was out for much of Monday but it gave us an amazing experience as we were treated to a flashlight concert by the choir. Their only instruments were 3 drums and their voices but it was unbelievable. 18 month old Mubita decided all of whites needed some directing so he stood with the choir behind him and started us all clapping in time with the piece being sung. For the last piece sung we were invited to dance with the choir while they also sang. It was so fun and Laura has vowed to master the style of dancing we were being taught.

Tuesday we did some final touch up on the Hippo house under Emily's excellent direction and could easily see how big a difference we had made on that house. Props to our tile team in particular - Jean and Laura who did a great job which included an amazing mosaic style floor. We also wrapped up Jesus Quest - many kids gave us the "church answers" but a surprising number really engaged and it was remarkable how God redeemed our efforts there when you look back to how many of us were feeling about it after the first one the previous Tuesday. After Jesus Quest we had computer training. God really came through in remarkable ways when it came to the computer lab, with everything from finally figuring out how to download things with the slow connection we had to letting the power come back on at the last moment. Ben compaired it to Elijah dumping water on the alter before calling down God's fire to light it. It ended up being a late night none the less and I/we am/are convinced that we need to pray harder than ever for that computer lab for it is a long ways from any kind of back up. If it holds up I think the teachers can really learn a lot by simply experimenting and with no enternet right now they should be safe from viruses etc. Really learning Word, Power Point and Excell could prove to be a real help in their teaching and pave the way for the enternet once that gets added.

I did my best to stimulate the Zambian economy on Tuesday night as I not only purchased the carvings I had commissioned earlier in the trip (a salad bowl, service set, and a cross) but added a wonderful pre nativity (Joseph leading Mary on a donkey) and a nativity plus I decided I needed two more elephant napkin rings to round out the 6 I had purchased earlier. It was a bit of a late night with needing to pack and we had a rushed early morning which in someways may have been a blessing as long drawn out good byes are never any fun.

On Wednesday we headed to Kazungula with folks from the mission who got us through customs (a totally loose process) and handed us off to a boat driver who brought us to the two the gents who were bringing us to the game lodge. Botswana is far more developed than Zambia and there was something of a joke of a process with cars backing into water and all foot traffic needing to step on a damp mat (It may have had bleach or something in it but it was filthy) to prevent the spread of hoof and mouth desease. Our lodge (Chobe Game Lodge) is the only one located actually inside the park and as soon as we crossed into Chobe we started seeing wildlife - relatively close to impalla, kudu, giraffes, sable and wart hog - plus we could see elephant and hippo in the distance. The lodge was a 5 star location with amazing food but probably only 3 star rooms so call it a 4 star place but after everything from the past 10 days it was paradise. We had incredible game viewing in the afternoon - getting very close to elephants, and added crocs to what we had seen previously. We also were blessed to see a leapord which is quite rare. The drivers quickly got on the radio and called everyone else out on game drives to see. The leapord spoiled us by eventually coming down the tree and rather than disappearing in the brush walked toward us and crossed the road - that is one magnificent animal. We had an amazing dinner - which between dinner and lunch I managed to add kudu, gemsbuck, impalla and wilderbeast to wild game I've eatten. Thursday moring came early as we had a sunrise cruise which got us close to some hippos but it was too cold for the crocs to be out. I've never been much of a bird guy other than hunting them but all the birds we saw at Chobe came close to changing that. We had to meet our transfer agents by 8AM and from there is was non stop travel which definatly doesn't do a body good but we all made it and so did our stuff (provided Josh's checked bag arrives at home today). We also can all add Senegal to places we have been as we had to stop in Dakkar to refuel even though we didn't get off the plane.

It is so very good to be home - trips like this are great for many reasons but one for me is it always helps me appriciate home. I think this trip was a home run. We accomplished our goals in that all of us grew. I really grew in my awareness of God's provision when the activity is something he calls you too. We did things that physically benefited Mwandi with our work on the hippo house and the computer lab. We did things that spiritually benefited Mwandi via Jesus quest and the simple but powerful ministry of presence. I could go on and on about what we did, saw and learned and it seems to minimize the trip to simply say we accomplished our goals so let me say God did abundantly more in and through this trip than I could hope, think or even imagine and let me encourage the rest of the team to use this blog to think through what God has done and taught them.

Thanks to all of you for your support and most importantly for your prayers. Please keep praying for I am convinced much of the fruit from this trip is still to come both in us and in Mwandi and your prayers are what helps make the soil the seeds planted on this trip the kind that produces a crop 60 to 100 fold. I pray God uses this trip in your lives too.

In Christ

Jon