We had a full day in Zambia that started with church this morning. We all really enjoyed worshiping with the Poetice church body. They started a church at the base in April, and so the long term missionaries and local community members who worship there welcomed us into their family. We sang songs in both English and Tonga, which was a treat. Then John, who is one of the leaders of Poetice, gave the message. He spoke with great passion about what it means to be the church. He emphasized Jesus’ commission to transform whole communities together, not on our own. We all walked away impacted by the experience to seek to live more fully into being the church together.
After church we got the opportunity to distribute water filters to the members of the church who do not have access to a clean water supply. A majority of the members receiving water filters were under 18 and have a big role in leading their families. We helped the youth assemble the Sawyer water filter by drilling a hole in their bucket, showing them how to assemble the filter, and teaching them how to clean out the filter. The dirty water turning clean through the water filter was used as a metaphor for life with Jesus. Our life before Jesus is like the dirty water, cloudy and sinful, but in giving our lives to Jesus He makes us clean and pure.
The rest of the day consisted of playing sports with the youth. They came to the Poetice base, and we ran stations with all different sports. One highlight for today was that we introduced American football. We realized just how hard it is to teach, yet still it was really fun to watch them play! Alaina taught yoga, which was a new experience for most of them. It was really relaxed and playful. They had a lot of fun. After we finished playing with them, some of us got to walk the youth back home. Seeing the homes that our new friends live in was an eye-opening experience. When at Poetice, it can be easy to forget what life outside the base can be like. This experience showed our team that you can have a lot of joy without having a lot of material possessions. All that you need is Jesus. The Zambians that we met invited us into their homes and were great hosts. The generosity to visitors in Zambia is incredible, and I believe that our society could learn a lesson or two from Zambian hospitality.
Our day finished as most all of them do: dinner together, debriefing, and games. The evenings are special times for our team to bond and share our hearts with one another. Today we began reflecting on what the Lord has done in us during this time and how we want to take that home. We are all intentionally seeking to let Jesus change us as we return back to “normal” life. Prayers for saying goodbye to the kiddos tomorrow and for the Lord to solidify what He’s done in us would be appreciated. J
In Christ,
Victoria and Brant