Stuck in Lusaka
We had a full house over the past three days. Thousands of bicyclists, overlanders, motorcyclist, hitch-hikers and tourists aspire to this feat every year, with their starting point in Cape Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt. Both arrived with many stories to tell about their adventures, but are sure to make plenty while they journey through Zambia. Read more
Flooring Finish Coat
I’m having a 2-3 inch finish coat of concrete added to the foundation floor inside every chalet. The work will hopefully give a nice smooth finish before bunk beds are installed. The concrete work has taken longer than I initially thought (1 full day of work each). Key to the success of the job is making sure the concrete/sand mix is strong enough and that an “ice rink” glaze of water on the top surface of the flooring is maintained for at least 24 hours after the pour. More pictures will be forthcoming.
Twin Lakes Team Arrives!
Our Twin Lakes Church short term team from Santa Cruz, California has arrived. Kim Breuninger, Rhonda McEntee, Mary Jean Walton and Linda McCann made it safe and sound after a grueling journey. Ethiopian Airlines asked them to take four layovers before arriving in Lusaka. Team leder Kim Breuninger has made the journey numerous times before, but the journey was a first for the other three. Tim, Megan, Kelly and Tricia met them at the airport and shuttled them into town to see our ACTION Zambia offices. ACTION Pastor’s College was in session and Steve Allen introduced the group the pastors we work with on a daily basis. The opportunity to see the leaders in training was crucial in that they are coming to working with the wives of those same leaders. AZ has not reached out to the wives of the APC leaders to date and it is long overdue. The Twin Lakes delegates will conduct an additional conference for women on the ACTION Zambia field. We are delighted to finally have them here!
Hilty Women Cleaning House
Ireen and Andrea were cleaning house this weekend but you wouldn’t know it by the looks on their faces. They were a cheery bunch as they swept and mopped indoors. These are the faces that brighten my day and keep me going. Oh, by the way, Ireen took the pictures. She asked if I would post the one she took of herself.
Huckaby Arrival!
ACTION Zambia welcomed Kelly and Tricia Huckaby and their son Lucas at the airport early this morning. Making their trek all the way from Seattle, Washington, they are the newest members to join our mission. Besides being extremely tired they enjoyed their journey, especially the layover they had in London with Madeline and Randolph Melville. Lusaka welcomed them with cool weather and only one lost piece of luggage. AZ team members came to our home for a welcome breakfast… and it seemed to be a hit with everyone. Thank you to all those supporting and praying the Huckabys to Zambia as they follow God’s call upon their lives. Kelly and Tricia will soon become on-site coordinators out at our Ciyanjano Campground and Ministry Centre in Kasupe. The Huckabys took their picture alongside Zambia’s first president Dr. Kenneth Kaunda.
Do You See Anything Unusual?
Lot’s of things still seem different about Lusaka, even though we’ve lived here for close to 5 years. Andrea and I got a kick watching a “work crew” do their thing as we sat at the gas station refuelling our vehicle. The scene before us just seemed really comical… Are we just crazy, or are there unusual things about the sight? We found about 5 things amusing. What about you?
Mouse for Dinner
While at the chalet worksite one of our workers (Richard) was quick enough to catch a mouse that had burrowed a hole next to the foundation’s footings. With lightning speed he pounced upon the rodent and raised it into the air proudly. 
Many Zambians consider field mice a food delicacy and are quite willing to dig for them in the fields, but they also clearly despise house rats and make a clear destinction between them and the field mouse.. After the mouse is killed it is then cooked by boiling water and then stirred in to mealie meal (corn meal) into it until it gets thick. If you were to eat at Richard’s home the same evening, chances are … as a guest, you would be served this prized delicacy.
Finished Work Videos
In the following two videos Ted Kovarick, from the Crossroads Christian Church team, describes the work that he undertook during his stay out at Ciyanjano.
Worship Around the Campfire
The entire ACTION Zambia missionary team met at Ciyanjano this evening for a cookout and time of fellowship with the Crossroads team. Lots of meat was cooked up and everyone brought their own side dishes to pass. It’s nice to have a big braai toward the end of a team’s visit with us. It’s a nice way for everyone to take note of the good work accomplished (especially with teams coming to do construction). It’s also a time to praise the Lord for what he has accomplished in our midst. George Ripley brought his guitar with him and led us all in a time of worship around the campfire. George was great with the missionary kids (MK’s) and sung some of their favorite songs. Here’s a short video from down by the fire:
And here’s a short slideshow of photos of our families participating:
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Crossroads Up Close
Crossroads Christian Church members supporting their missions team to Zambia have every reason to be proud. From the very moment they stepped off the plane, we’ve been challenged by these four men. Their humility, servanthood, hardwork, generosity and heart for people is a tremendous testimony. Teams like this are a real encouragement to the missionary team here on the ground as well as the Zambians they interact with. Just to give a picture of what I’m talking about, the following pictures tell it all! Crossroads has and will play a very key roll in the development of a Christian camping experience in Zambia.
