ZaMbIa - ArE YoU ReAdY??

It all started on Wednesday morning on the 7th of March when we saw each other again for the first time after our 8 week training in Jeffrey’s Bay.  We met at OR Tambo International Airport ready for our adventure through Africa.  All except Willy who had to take the bus to Harare, Zimbabwe to, get his Ethiopian visa.  We were all filled with an overwhelming sense of excitement and maybe a bit of “Oh Lord, what am I getting myself into?”  But nevertheless, we went through customs with our bags checked in - an average of 20kg backpacks, a 5kg food bag and a guitar and we realized there is no turning back, this is it!

We boarded the plane and our 8 month journey through Africa finally began.  All that we had to hold onto were the promises that God had given us as a team and individually: that He has gone out before us to make a way.  Ilze sensed God saying that we will be a pioneering team and as she questioned God due to the fact that we are not the first Explore Africa team going through Africa, He replied and promised that this team will experience new things which no other team has experienced before.  We will see things which no other team has seen before.  And with this among many other promises we left South African soil.

Upon arrival in Livingstone, Zambia, Regina Bumstead was waiting for us.  She and her husband Dan, are the founders of Love’s Door for All Nations in Livingstone.  They are American missionaries based in Livingstone to make a difference in the community.  Love’s Door also owns a property an hour’s drive from Livingstone which is situated right next to the Zambezi River in Singanga Village.  This is where we spent our first week.   Upon arrival the glory of God was so evident in the beauty of the surroundings.  We had the privilege of pitching our tents right next to the river with a full view of this breathtaking scenery!  We had a strong sense that God was spoiling us, especially when the moon rose and it was a bright full moon.  And the fullness of God was shining brightly above our tents…reminding us of His glory!

We worshipped God around the fire, which was also our protection against the hippos.  As we sang the song I could sing of Your Love forever by Delirious, and got to the part Your River runs with love for me, we looked at the river in front of us and were reminded once again that God’s love for us flows even stronger than the mighty Zambezi River. 

We had many encounters with seemingly ‘self-inflatable ants’!  Even when we killed them, they had the ability to revive themselves.  There were ants everywhere – in our tents and on the wooden benches in the boma.  When we sat down, they would come and attack us and force us to find a new seat.  It is a good comparison of how we should act in the Kingdom of God, as we should be like these ants to the world.  We need to help passive people to rise up and become active for the Kingdom of Heaven.  And the Spirit of God will revive us when the world tries to crush us.  We all need to be persistent in getting the world changed and saved!

Our days consisted of visiting villages and one encounter was when Corneli and Nolu were playing with the kids. There was one specific little boy who started to rub Corneli’s skin as if to remove the white paint from her and to make her black like him.  This little boy had a perspective that all people have to be the same as him.  This was a reminder to us that we cannot go into an area where we are the ones being different and think that the people should adapt to our culture, becoming like us.  We should not try to fit God’s Kingdom into a culture, nor into the ways of man.  Nolu sensed that God wants to break our ideas and perspectives of what ministry should look like. There is more to ministry than the pattern that we have been taught, a smile can also make a difference.  This year is a year of new things for us.  

Our second Wednesday in Zambia involved us saying goodbye to our new village friends to head back to Livingstone amidst a heat relieving African thunderstorm.

To our praying friends and supporters, here are a couple of requests:

• HEALTH – Ilze and Willy has been sick since we left South Africa and we request prayer in this area.

• FINANCE – We would like to ask that you pray with us as a team for God’s provision in finance and if you feel led to contribute.  We are a team of 6 travelling on a very tight budget for 4.  Any contribution will highly be appreciated!!

Our banking details are:

Bank: ABSA

Account Name: EXPLORE AFRICA

Account Number: 9206965100

Branch Details: 31 Da Gamma Road, Jeffreys Bay,6330, South Africa

Branch Code: 334515

SWIFT Code: ABSAZAJJ (For International Payments)