Afrikan Adventure: And then there was one…

Hither, I bring forth to you another account of the events of days gone by. And it came to pass that it was week bitter sweet in nature…I ate a mouse Sweet & Sour style! Actually, that is a falsehood. It was for the fact that I had to say goodbye to my two good friends, Susan and Stephanie, with whom I have lodged with for my entire say here so far, Stephanie being my esteemed “hut-mate.” They have moved 6 hours south to a bush area called Sinazongwe to do medical ministry there with another organization. So this past week I, along with Tim, Andrea, and their daughter Irene Hilty, were able to go down with them to help them move and get settled in. It is beautiful down there and they are on a lake inhabited by many crocs and hippos…swimming is not encouraged! While there we unpacked their oodles of medical supplies for their clinics, painted the clinic, spilled the paint all over the floor, had to scrape it off the floor until it was completely gone, organized and inventoried all the meds (I think Andrea and I butchered every single name except for maybe Tylenol…and we barely pulled that one off…but we had a good time doing it). It was nice to be able to help them transition a bit. The directors are a South African family and I learned that every meal must have some type of gravy, and exorbitant amount of salt, and of course followed by a dessert, which no matter what it is they call “pudding” which must include a thick custard. So I took a little trip down heart attack lane…but I wasn’t complaining!

It was hard to see them go as that leaves me the lone single ranger here…although I through a mean “Solitaire Party” on Friday nights. But I’m excited for this opportunity that they have to use their gifts for God’s glory down there. And they are only a hop, skip, and a 6 hour bus ride away!

I returned to Lusaka to some sobering news. The elderly woman, whom I believe I mentioned in my last letter, who was suffering from a lot of pain in her back passed away while I was gone. I was shocked to hear the news. I still don’t know what she died from, and probably won’t, but was taken into hospital and then the doctors and nurses went of strike. That’s Zambian health care for you. It’s heartbreaking but a good reminder of the urgency this country needs to hear the hope of Christ for their salvation.

The youth choir continues to go well. I think close to thirty youth are showing up on a weekly basis…although it usually takes a good hour for them all to trickle in. We have a lot of fun, they aren’t the best singers in the world but they’ve got heart and enjoy swaying to the beat! We’re working on the singing part. I usually do a short devotional with them and this next week have invited those who want to do a Bible study to come on Wednesday afternoon.

Saturday kids club is also going well. This past week I led it by myself. Usually Chalo, one of our Zambian team members, helps out and does a bunch in Nyanja so they can understand more. So we sang a lot. I taught them a bunch of new songs. We learned about Noah and I showed them how to do three legged races (symbolizing how the animals went on the ark two by two!). We had a blast. It’s those times with the youth and the kids that make the struggles and challenges here easier to bare and remember why I’m here.

As for this weeks peak into the life that is Africa…several local kids killed a big spitting cobra right outside our property this morning. A couple weeks ago one of our guys found a dead one and brought it home and then put in on my doorstep, knocked on the door, ran away, leaving me with the nasty surprise. I was not amused. Although I was slightly amused when he did the same to Susan on her doorstep and she screamed.

Also, my hut, of which I am now solitude in, has rats. There is a small ceiling above the shower and bathroom of which the rats seem to make their nocturnal home. So often I hear them scurrying around and making a ruckus up their. They have yet to jump off down to where I am. So a couple days ago a put a big ol’ box of rat poison up there, box and all as it instructed me to and sure enough in the middle of the night I hear them going to town on that box…it was so loud couldn’t sleep. My only comfort lay in the cruel yet satisfying knowledge that their obnoxious little lives should soon be through.

Well, on that uplifting note I will draw to a close. I thank you again for all your support, prayers and encouragement. Words don’t seem enough to convey how much it means to me. I wish you well this week.

God Bless,

Shannon

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” ~2 Corinthians 4:17-18