The team of 12 people arrived in Zambia on July 23rd, full of energy and ready to get to work (and boy did they work!). If you include our home base team of me, Amber, Nate, Melanie and Erin that put us 17 1/2 total (Jakob being the 1/2 of course). After picking them up from Livingstone airport, we arrived back at Mukamba earlier than we ever have before. This time the team was spoiled because all the women got to sleep in the guest room and Jakob’s room (in our new house) and the men moved in to our old permanent tent and only had to put up their sleeping cots. Only those on past trips can truly appreciate the luxury of that compared to having to set up tents in the middle of the cold night after several days long days of international travel.
The next day was a Saturday and the team sorted out and organized all the reading glasses, donations, and other items that they brought with them. They also took the opportunity to practice and refine their eye clinic skills by testing the vision of all the orphans, house mothers and some of the other local people around our home. The rest of the day was spent getting acquainted/reacquainted with camp life and doing the every day duties of living out here - pumping water, getting fire wood, cutting fire wood, cooking food and many other little jobs around the house. They also took the opportunity to pick up all the bricks and other things laying around our home up and it looks so much better.
Sunday was a great day at the local church with singing, teaching, and preaching. It was a time of reconnecting for “old” (previous) team members and the new ones got into the swing of the church quick and had a great time fellowshipping with the local people. The afternoon was more relaxed (apart from the every day camp tasks) trying to let the team catch up from all their travel and jet lag and get well rested for the hard work ahead. Monday (and all the days that followed) we were up bright and early, eating our breakfast and then off to where we needed to be. This year the team had two main focuses. One being the mobile eye clinic and the other to help clear land at the crop field. Every day the team was split into two groups so that one would be working clearing land and the other one doing the eye ministry. Usually the next day they would switch which worked very well giving everyone a different task everyday.
For the eye clinic the plan was to do 6 days of ministry; sharing the good news of Jesus with
the people and testing their vision. We identified and notified three locations in advance (as much as you can do that out here) so that we could have two days at each place. Being the first time we have attempted this type of ministry out here, we definitely learned a lot by trial and error, especially about how to advertise and plan events like this out in the bush. The eye ministry proved to be very rewarding
to both the team and the local villagers. Everyone involved seemed to love it in a sense that it helped someone to see again physically and then they were given the opportunity for their eyes to be opened spiritually with the good news of Jesus Christ that was shared with them. The team tested those that came for either near vision/reading glasses or distance glasses. Unfortunately the team could only give out one pair of glasses per person so those that had a problem with both had to choose which one they wanted. Lots of villagers showed up and almost everyone was able to be helped with either glasses, eye medicine, or advice. Those that had more serious or complicated problems were referred to the eye clinic in Zimba (a 3 hour drive away) where doctors were currently visiting for a week. I truly believe that everyone that came for the testing was sent by God. Now our prayer is that the seeds that were planted would grow and that those who made a commitment would become so strong in their faith that those around them would notice a difference.
The other big task was clearing tree stumps from the field at the crop farm so that we can plant this year with a better yield. Clearing trees out here in Zamia is not a easy task. Instead of just hooking a tractor to a tree or tree
stump and pulling it out, it takes blood, sweat and many hours of physically digging the tree out. It’s main roots run straight down. Almost like an octopus spreading everywhere and then diving it’s arms as as far down as possible. Only after lots of effort to cut each of it’s huge roots could we attempt to pull it out with the tractor or the truck praying it would come down fast. Thanks to all of the team members for their hard work for it saved me months of digging on my own. We worked everyday to about 14:00 in the afternoon and then drove the 45- 1 hour drive back to go and have lunch.After that the work around the house started from cutting wood, water pumping, getting the donkey going for showers,( if you do not
know what a donkey is-come to find out and it is not a animal). They also mixed concrete for the footer for Charles (our foreman/security guard) new house that we are building for him. Steve took an old plough implement arm and build it in to a ripper attachment that i can use behind the tractor to break up the roots in the field. Some of the people also had time to fellowship with Pastor Petrus at his home helping him to get the sunflower off the husk. Now that was dusty work. Later in the afternoons after taking bush showers the team headed up to the orphanage to meet the kids as they arrived back from school. They helped the house moms cook food, played with the kids, and taught them bible stories. Most of the evenings we all ate together with kids and house mothers having a traditional Tonga meal with them at the home.
The team worked
hard in all they did and made sure that they found stuff to do even in the little bit of down time that they did have, whether it be playing with and loving on the kids, helping to give the goats and cattle injections, loving on Jakob, worshiping around the campfire, engaging with the locals and the women even gave Amber a special blessing by helping to clean the house! The last Sunday here was spent worshiping at the local church again reflecting on the goodness of God and what He was busy teaching all of us. After a few days in Livingstone to recuperate and see some of God’s great creation it was time to say goodbye to not only the team but to Nate and Melanie as well. After being with us a full three months it was like saying goodbye to family and we pray that God will bring them back to us again sometime soon.All in all we had a blessed time and once again saw how God is moving in the area to enlarge His Kingdom. We are honored to be part of what God is doing in this area and know that He has placed us here because He is wanting to call these people to him. Thank you to the church in VA for being faithful and for doing the things of God for His people in Zambia and also other places in the world.
Serving God and His people
Jako, Amber and Jakob John Joubert
Mission of Love Community Orphanage
Zambia
amberandjako@hotmail.com
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