Worship, Fashion, and the Beautiful Game

We woke up on this crisp Sunday morning with breakfast and went to church at Bread of Life in Choma. The service was very memorable and spirited and everyone seemed to enjoy the new atmosphere. During the service, the pastor preached a powerful message how the God the people of Zambia serve is the same God that is worshiped around the world. We all thought that this was very relevant to our whole mission of spreading God’s word. At the end of the service, the pastor asked if there were any visitors in the service today. Although we stand out, we stood up in our seats and were welcomed by the congregation. They then ushered us into a separate room and gave us food, talked with us, and extended us an extra warm welcome.

After service, we had the opportunity to explore the downtown market. The market was comprised of numerous small wooden huts with various items to sell such as food, clothing, electronics, etc. The main attraction for everyone was the chitenge shop. A chitenge is a traditional wrap that women wear around their waist similar to a skirt. They come in a variety of colors, patterns, and fabrics. We thought of them as a way to connect with the culture, a reminder of our amazing trip we have had so far, and a cool fashion statement when we get back to campus.

When we got back to base, the rival volleyball games continued as a few more victims were hit in the face. Although this trip has been such a blessing in itself, it was great to have some down time and enjoy the Sabath because we have been very busy these past couple days. It was another great way to connect with each other.

For lunch, we had a classic American grilled cheese with veggies topped with some Coca Cola. Once everyone finished lunch, we prepared for the afternoon as the families from town were coming to the base to learn how to assemble the water filters. When the dirty water was put through the filter and came out clean, the faces on the parents were overjoyed. We then broke into small groups and let the parents assemble the filters on their own with the help of a member from Team Z. Each family that attended went home with a water filter that they will be able to use for a lifetime. Not only does the water filter prevent water borne illness and disease, it also serves as a friendly reminder that God cleanses us of our sins! Everyone was so thankful for what we were doing to help the community and the different families.

Later Sunday night we went to the soccer pitch to support the amateur men’s team as they battled for the first place seed. While some were cheering for our guys, others were spending time with the younger kids in the community playing crowd favorites such as: duck-duck goose, jump the river, ring around the rosy, clapping games and several others. Although the guys had a tough loss of 0-2, they brought their best effort and we couldn’t be more proud of them!

To finish off the night, we ate spaghetti for dinner, cleaned up the base, played cards, and had our debriefing session. One point that Coach V talked about was how Sawyer has been very generous with their equipment and made it possible for us to come here and change the lives of many. She hoped that one day we can take what we have learned with our time here and can apply it in our future lives to keep changing the world for the better. #WordsOfWisdomFromCoachV. In our debrief, everyone testified to feeling God’s presence these past couple days and we all just look forward to see what else He has in store for us and in what ways He will bless us and the community!

Sincerely yours,

Alli VanderStoep & Kyle Weck

 

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