Bus Severely Damaged

Two nights ago Moonga and Wisdom (two of our Zambian friends) barely escaped with their lives in a terrible bus accident. They had just finished delivering students to our mission villages, when they encountered a Tanzanian Trucker driving on the wrong side of the highway. Moonga maintained incredible control by avoiding flipping the bus that was towing a trailer during the accident. The bus ran through a ditch a hit a group of roadside markets before coming to a stop.

Moonga received lacerations to his left hand and Wisdom has a deep gash on his left hand and a major contusion on his face. Neither are feeling well at the moment. It was a close call. I have included a picture on the blog of the front of the bus.

We have now made new arrangements to borrow a bus from a brother in Kabu and we continue to pray for the arrival of our new bus. The new bus should arrive tomorrow. Two buses and our other vehicles should provide satisfactory transport to and from our village clinics.

Our main group should be on the way to JoBerg, South Africa as I write. They will arrive in Lusaka in two groups tomorrow. The first group around 1 pm and the second group at 5 pm.

Please be praying for the safe arrival of our team.

If Ever there was a Time to Pray

It was nearly 10 pm Zambia time (3 pm Central US). As we prepared for bed and a good night sleep, we made the decision to pray for our coming mission trip and our group in route from the United States. For what do you pray? Safety? Good Health? How about airlines following travel schedules?

I am sure that I do not always know the best words to share or the most important requests to make before God. I am thankful that as a Christian that the spirit speaks in my behalf. I like the old King James version that says, "Groans in our behalf." Groaning is exactly the FEELING I have right now

After spending an entire year preparing to share our medical expertise(Not mine personally as I am not in the medical profession) with the people of Zambia we meet mighty opposition from the evil one. He has injured some of our Zambian workers in a Bus accident. This tragedy has completely removed one mode of our transportation (One bus down and out). He is stalling the arrival of the other bus. He has put the travel plans of our group in a total mess as they try to make connecting flights.

Yet I know that we will serve no matter what occurs. If we have to setup a clinc right here at Mapepe Bible College, then we will. We came to serve not to be served. We must not be led away from our goal or the devil wins.

Now is the time for all Christians to pray without ceasing for the Mapepe Medical Mission. We must lift our voices as one to God. Let us not lose sight of our goal and purpose. "For the Son of man came not to be served, but to be served, and to ransom his life for many."

Packing Trunks

Today was a day of preparation as we packed trunks with medications, packed food supplies, and inventoried cooking equipment. We now sit and wait for the container and the main group to arrive. We are ahead of last year in having all the medical trunks marked, thanks to the work of Mike Murphy and the early team (Charlotte Bradsher & Linda Myers).

I still have just a few things to complete like exchanging kwacha, picking up bowls, and final food items. As usual, everything is on Zambian time.

Does the rest of the world operate on a different time management system than the United States. Are we to clock and time conscious? In Zambia, everything is truly Zambian. There is Zam-Chick, Zam-Beef, and most of Zam-Time. What is Zam-Time you ask?

It appears that in Zambia nothing has to be on time and nobody has to be on schedule. An activity begins when everyone arrives. If you are told to come back tomorrow that means come back in several days. If they say it be ready today that means it will be ready tomorrow. If they tell they don't know when it is going to be ready, that means look out you are in for a long wait.

Is that irresponsible on the part of Zambians? Maybe yes or maybe no! In America we are so time conscious that we have express lanes and fast food, drive thru banking and Post Office drop boxes, and of live in a world of lonely and detached people.

Could drive thru windows and home delivery have led to less and less personal touch and communication? I think, you bet it has! If I go in the bank, I meet people and talk to people and establish on-going friendships and relationships. If I go in the restaurant, I slow down, talk to people, identifying and appreciating humanity. No man is an island.

We are so busy that we have no time for each other. Today I was unloading a container, Nepa (a Zambian) happened by the work. He stopped and talked with Justin and me for several minutes. One of the things I really love about Zambians is they always have time for people. They don't watch the clock or worry about the time. They will always have time for YOU....

Maybe there are some things we can learn from our Zambian friends!!!!

Corn is Survival

I have always liked corn. Cream corn, corn caserole, shoepeg corn, and corn on the cob I enjoy corn. Being from the southern United States and growing up on grits, I grew to have a great appreciation for the finer points of corn. My grandmother lives in the town where they had the International Grits Festival. Corn has intricately tied into my life.

Of course, corn was a side dish. Eggs, bacon, toast, and grits that was the order of the morning at Hink's Grill in Albermarle, North Carolina. But corn as main dish, corn for daily survival, corn as a staple food, that would be a stretch for me. Stretch or not, Zambains survive on corn. Shema, as it is fondly referred to, keeps a nation from starving to death. Shema or Mealie Meal, another common name, keeps Zambia and Africa from starvation. Never has corn ever been so important to me, you, and the world. Corn one of the most common crops in the United States.

It was not a year ago that I told my son-in-law that if I had the money I would open an Ethanol Plant. With the high prices and fuel shortages and Ethanol Plant, might bring a windfall of money. Well, that was a year ago. Today I fear that such production would bring about the starvation and possible genocide of many nations in our world. Do you feel these are strong words? Wild words?

Somebody has to be concerned about the starving, underprivileged peoples of this planet. Somebody has to speak a word for the hurting. Fuel or starvation....you pick!!

Happy Together

What a great team we are assembling here at Mapepe! The early team is inspired by the enthusiasm we are encountering from people both on and off campus.

We have gone through our supplies that remained from last year and found everything in good working order. Let me say a personal thanks to the work of Charlotte Bradsher and Linda Myers who purchased and organized all of our medications. Every med was labeled and placed in a storage trunk. They did a super job.

Another very special person, who I met only a few days ago is Susan Brownfield. What a servant! Susan has cleaned things, counted things, and washed things!! She has made it possible for our team to stay focused on our mission, instead of being distracted by basic daily chores of life. I feel really spoiled. Yet Susan never minds to complete even most common task. Thanks Susan for showing us what it means to serve.

Serving on a Medical Mission is not just about medicine, there are a lot our tedious tasks that have to be completed each day. With a large group, there is plenty of food to be bought and cooked, there are a lot dishes to be washed and floors to be swept. So when you lay down to pray tonight, please pray for every aspect of this mission trip.

We were created to serve not to be served!!!!

Food Fayre Honor

Okay, my favorite eatery in Zambia is Food Fayre. Apparently I am not the only one, as it was very busy today. Chicken Stir fry...for a moment I felt like I was back in the US. I was quickly reminded not so...as there was no seasonings to write home about.

How spoiled are we Americans? So many small things are overlooked such as seasonings or you can't buy lunch meats yesterday at the grocery because they are out. We have a whole counter at the grocery of bologna, ham, turkey, chicken, sausage and so forth. We even have different brands of lunch meats. For us it not whether they have the meat, it is the decision, which one is on sale. Can you imagine? They have no SUGAR!!!!

Eating Chicken stir fry suddenly becomes a gourmet meal. I went to buy a 1 lb block of mild cheddar cheese and realized this puppy is going to cost me 35,000 Kwacha or $10.00. What?
The average worker gets paid around $16.00 per week in Zambia. That's right!!! Half a weeks wages to purchase a one pound block of cheese and we talk about doing without a coke or burger....Baby, that is nothing!! Dropping a coke here and there is absolutely no sacrifice...who are we fooling?

You want to be missional in Christianity? You want get out of your comfort zone! Go live among the hurting and downtrodden. I do not say these things to thump my chest and claim some type of incredible spiritually. Just the opposite! I am ashamed that I have not sacrificed more for those who do not have the means or ability to achieve some level of self-worth. I am sure Zambians ask, "How do I end the cycle of poverty in my family? How do I care for those I love so much?"

Whether Zambians recognize their poverty or not, that does not dismiss the compelling need for Christians to provide assistance to them. Innocent men, women, and children die every day in Zambia from disease and malnutrition. Will the Christians band together to help the broken and oppressed people of the world? When will we look across the street and around the globe and reach out to those who cannot help themselves? I believe, now is the time.....

If our mission team brings only one cup of cool water to a struggling brother, then we have helped one more person. I pray that God will use my fellow team members to bless thousands. We are here to serve, not to serve. Seems like someone very important once said, "I came to seek and save those who are lost." Many people in world today have lost their way.

May everything we do be done in love and compassion. Let us do all things to the Glory of God and the advancement of His Kingdom!!!