Rebecca's Joy

In September, I mentioned I was going to be absent for a while. As I was packing for my SEVEN-week adventure, Frank encouraged me to pack my laptop, which has been an all-around blessing (creating a photo album, researching, and of course, this blog post!). 

Where am I? I’ll give you a few hints:

• The country shaped like a butterfly
• N’shima is the national dish (made of corn flour mixed with hot water)
• This country is landlocked by eight nations.
• The tribal rule still exists in different regions with over 70 official languages (English being a primary language).
• It just celebrated 60 years of independence from the British colonies on October 24th.
• Mosi-oa-Tunya (meaning Smoke That Thunders) National Park boasts one of the natural wonders of the world (hint it’s connected with David Livingston).

Scroll down please . . . 

I am in Zambia, Africa!

Picture designed by FreePik 

I have been here three weeks, so I will summarize the trip with a weekly recap for each week, and an accompanying photo gallery. 

Week 1: 

In the early hours of Sunday morning, my husband dropped me off at the Denver Airport for my long-haul trip overseas. Over the next 44 hours, I traveled to Atlanta, Johannesburg (with a hotel overnight stay), and N’dola. I arrived around 12:30 PM on Tuesday and was met by dear friends, after sorting out medications in customs. After settling in from lunch, we enjoyed a beautiful walk among lush flowering trees bursting with red, purple, or cream flowers, palms, and other exotic trees and plants. The weather was particularly warm, as October is the hottest month of the year. During my first sleep, I was startled by roosters and dogs clamoring in the night. The next few days, my friends and I were whisked on adventures to Roast Cafe, Life Song for Orphans schools and strawberry farm, Imbila Press, and Central African Baptist. University. We had the privilege of visiting my friends, Paola & Hector’s children’s school, Center for Conquering Concepts, Kitwe Church, and the market to shop for bargains. On Thursday evening, my friend who wrote the 1 Corinthians study, met and introduced herself to several of the ladies at a meet and greet. I also got acquainted with several women from the church and community. Saturday was the women’s conference covering 1 Corinthians over five sessions. For many women, it was the first time a live speaker came to Kitwe Church to teach. What a phenomenal blessing it was. Over 24 churches and 124 ladies attended the event to learn how to exhort the church to walk in gospel unity with each other. 

Week 2: 

After attending church, we had the privilege of ordering out Nando’s (a local chain restaurant known for delicious grilled chicken) and visiting with former Detroit natives. Then, we went to the compound in Mindolo. Most of Africa lives in compounds, which are very poor areas without everyday necessities such as water, electricity, sanitation, and oftentimes rampant alcohol and violence issues, yet they also hold some of the most beautiful people. We were able to see the church Hector and Pastor Noah planted, which started at a school before being moved to a property. Hector pastored at the church for 6 years, where they spoke Bemba (the local tribal language) and ministered to the growing population. Pastor Noah still faithfully pastors this church. On Monday, the group (Hector, Paola, Faith, Randy, and myself) flew to Livingston to enjoy a relaxing few days, while taking in land and water safaris, and the most gorgeous sunset. We arrived to meet our friends, Cindy & Bruce at The Avani Resort. We were greeted with a tribal trio dancing and chanting, which I got to join in the celebration. We also were driven around to see the giraffes on the property. Then, we walked to Victoria Falls (it is the dry season so we saw a small sliver of its former glory). During our walk, we went through Zimbabwe, over a massive bridge before heading back to see a breathtaking sunset which included zebras and impalas. We ended the evening eating at the Waterfront Restaurant. On Tuesday, we went to Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and saw many animals such as monkeys, and impalas, and got a personal ranger’ escort to see the White Rhinos (they are majestic creatures). We also took a water safari around an island where we saw hippos, alligators, and several native birds. The next day, we got up early to drive to Botswana, where we enjoyed the splendor of Chube National Park. When entering the park, it looked full of brush, but as we rounded the corner, we saw a vibrant water hole where lush greenery, an island, and many animals were spotted. We saw thousands of impalas, a herd of elephants, and many birds. But, then we spotted the king of all beasts, the mighty lion! What splendor to see both a male and female lion underneath a large tree! We saw both of them move spaces, and it was enthralling to be in their presence. We also saw a cheetah, giraffes, and another herd of elephants (with a calf that was less than a week old). That afternoon, after a buffet lunch, we went on a water safari and saw hippos, waterbucks, elephants, and crocodiles. Our group split ways on Thursday, and I stayed with Hector and Paola. The next day, we visited the David Livingston Museum where I learned about village life, Zambian culture, and David Livingston. Paola, Hector, & I ended up missing our flight and got home a day later. That weekend, we enjoyed Asher’s swim practice, the boys’ soccer practice, and three birthday parties. Each party celebration was memorable (a 10-year-old Lilo & Stitch party with a pinata, a Peruvian birthday celebration, and an Indian food feast for someone’s 40th birthday). 

Week 3: 

On Sunday, we enjoyed an authentic Chinese restaurant with friends, and the feast was incredible! I loved eating at a large round table with a huge glass lazy susan where we rotated food family style. We ate with chopsticks, enjoyed fellowship, and were blessed to be with some of the most gracious hosts. The boys had no school, so we prepped for Asher’s swim gala and spent time as a family. On Monday, Paola and I enjoyed a breakfast birthday celebration for some ladies in the international community. We also enjoyed watching the great bat migration outside of our windows. The bats are headed towards Kasanka National Park. I went to a Bible study with several ladies from the church, where we studied 1 Corinthians 12 & 14, which talks about spiritual gifts. On Thursday, Zambia celebrated 60 years of independence from British Colonial Rule. The church held a picnic and I baked chocolate chip cookies and brownies. On Friday, we flew to Lusaka for Asher’s swim gala, where he swam in several events. He is a talented swimmer and was advanced to Nationals next March. We stayed a few nights in an Airbnb, but the mosquitos and less-than-ideal solar situation forced us to switch over to a nearby hotel.  At the Airbnb, I saw a King Baboon spider in the curtains, as well as a white gecko in my room. We also enjoyed taking the boys to Game Zone at the mall. It has lots of video games, a trampoline park, a bowling alley, and outdoor sports options. The gala was all day on Saturday. and most of Sunday. It was a lot of sitting and watching events, but it was the only 50-meter pool in Zambia. 

I plan on posting more of my thoughts, as I have many regarding life lessons taught, the most important takeaways from this trip, and the trip home, as some ideas of what to talk about. 

Love,

Rebecca