"The "Volunteer" component of our name--you are at the heart of that. We are excited to have volunteers like you in our territory (Malaui and Mozambique). I wanted to give you the big picture of what we're up to here: we are trying to finish the gospel here. This is the largest union in the SDA church in terms of membership. 839,000 members in the Zambia Union. 3 million SDAs in Zambia and only 13 million in the country. The Church is growing fast here. We're not doing anything special, but this is a Christian nation. And everybody is an evangelist."There are 3500 churches to be built here. There are only a handful of schools right now. We are to build more. The work is more than we can manage and we have no money, but we move forward anyway by God's grace. There are 27,000 Adventists in this town with no secondary school right now. The project that you are working on now is going to be a great blessing.
"Two years ago some friends of ours who are water specialists in northern California were invited to spend the night with us. . ." Mr. Woods then told the story about some thieves who broke into their house...The didn't know what else to do, so they said, "Let's pray." Out loud they called on Jesus. Immediately the guys turned and ran. They all just fled. Disappeared. We couldn't believe they had gone instantly. Just like that. Whatever they saw, it scared them. There were eight of them all told. No one was hurt, no one got the family."
Another time they had a student missionary come over. "He was doing videography. His car didn't start so I drove to where he was. The car was dead. So I started towing the car. We entered a roundabout. I saw a car coming down a hill and it goes right between the car and the towed car. Two things--the car went right over the tow rope. That's a miracle. The fact that the missionary could tow behind me for 8 kilometers with his steering wheel locked. It was pretty cool that the Lord made that happen."
A kid came to live with them. "He laid his sleeping bag under a one-day church and slept all night. He woke up and saw a cobra curled up beside him. God protected him all night long.
"God is doing cool things with you. You can't come to Africa just once. You're going to have to come back."
Cool Stories
Chaplain Rob--saw my friend Joseph every day at the meeting since I invited him
Brooke--Narce and I were sitting around at the job site, taking a break. This guy Hillary came up and I was asking about his family. He was telling me how he had become a Maranatha worker. He's been working for four years. He was laid off from work and his friend called and said M. was coming into the area. He wasn't an Adventist and didn't know anything about M. but he came to work and got interested and has decided to get baptized. Just by him being able to work with M. people he got closer to God.
Jaden--I felt honored to be the one to put the paper in the wall.
Chaplain Rob--The leadership team was trying to figure out a way to be a permanent part of something.
Alex--we haven't given much thought about our Lusaka-Livingstone trip--how we got through that trip. We should have given thanks to God for the safe trip.
Miss Christi--seeing that school this afternoon--so awesome about the project. Talked with two guys who said "I'm going to teach there one day." The other said "I'm going to school there some day." We've been making dreams this week. We have changed futures for generations just for the time that we've been here.
Chaplain Rob--the drivers are so thankful for schools that are built. It means the world to them. Thank you for building our community.
Miss Christi--Christopher said "You are the hands of God to Zambia." He cannot express his thanks enough. This is God's work. He loves Adventism.
Mrs. Maloon--I was trying out my Tonga with some of the kitchen guys. Talked with the cook. He had been an Adventist but had left the church for Pentacostal but was going to come back. ASked for a Bible. Pastor Jay is going to get one for him. He's so grateful for that.
Mr. Maloon--community is big for them and so are people. We think "they are so happy with so little." But that's not really it. It's a different paradigm. They aren't happy with little, they just have different priorities. They love us. "I missed you."
Pastor Ralph--I shared the solar powered box that has the whole Bible on it. I brought two with me.
Chaplain Rob--Bibles are coveted. I gave my Bible away last night. I asked the guy what he read: Revelation 13.
Eric--at the beginning of this week at the construction site I was talking with a kid. He was wanting to know more about God. Wanted the Great Controversy or something like that. Two days later I went back. I didn't have any of the books, but I prayed about it and Mario gave me two and I gave them to him and he was so happy. He has a big family and he will share it with them.
Mr. Maloon--The Simonga Village visit--gave 4 Bibles away. Gave one to a girl who knew Bible verses, was going to share it with her family.
Pastor Ralph--4 little boys wanted a Bible. Lots of people want Bibles. They are memorizing verses, but they don't have their own Bibles.
Chaplain Rob--helped Eugene find Ellen White writings on his phone. Now he can download her
books for free!
books for free!
Jaden--it was kind of cool. Kevvy at the work site. All week long we've been talking about the evangelism meetings and he was there tonight.
Jaanai--a little girl came up today and asked me if I wanted to be her best friend. She gave me a note and told me she loved me. She was an orphan. I wanted to cry.
Flexibility Award
Miss Christi--whole entire kitchen crew today was excellent. Lots of kudos
Alex--Mrs. Maloon--organizing the worship team for the evangelism
Mrs. Pearson--Eric...helped lifting buckets at the work site. And he didn't complain all day and he had a smile on his face.
Rebeca--for Leah and Macy--always helping out so cheerfully
Mr. Maloon--Dorcas Award has to go to Marilyn for giving her shoes away today.
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