Ben and Chuck Come to Visit

Sometimes it's the little things as well as the big things that make such a difference in the field. Not only did Chuck and Ben lay new cement floors and tile counter tops in the kitchen at the camp, but they helped me figure out how to keep the canvas closed on the back of my truck! (The zippers failed long ago).

Amidst all of the building the Lord enabled Chuck to teach in the village as well. We spent time in prayer together at the camp, and had a visit and time of encouragement with our good friends, the Johnson's and at Mutemwa Lodge. Chuck was able to stay in one of the tent sites with Enoch getting to know him. And Ben really enjoyed playing guitar with Enoch. It's hard to explain how much cement floors meant to our wives at the camp. The nuisance of constant dust, dirt, and mud in the kitchen was suddenly gone. Praise the Lord!

Using a grommet kit and new bungee cords for the canvas cover over the bed of Shannon's truck.






















The finished product.









Sifting gravel to put in the concrete mix.









The cement floor for our dining room.... one our biggest accomplishments yet!









And more cement for our kitchens!!









A little go-cart type thing that Chuck helped our girls build (Morgan, Emily and the Johnson girls, Shan and Cayla).

Marc and Matt Come to Visit

In mid-September of this last year, Marc and Matt, our friends / brothers from HeartCry came to visit (Yes, they are twins but I won't tell you who's older). They were able to share in our fun, joys and hardships firsthand. And we were genuinely strengthened in the Lord as a result of their encouragement. Praise the Lord for the gift of family and friends who hold the rope and intercede for us on the other side of the globe.

A broken tie-rod on Shannon's truck. We wired it together til we could get back to Livingstone a few days later.

















And the other one is stuck.

















Almost out!








Marc having fun with our drum.








The guys at the Falls.









Moving the pump in the Zambezi again!!








Playing cards by headlamp light.

There is a True and Living God

Last August Bette Jean and Shaye came to work with the children in the surrounding villages and introduced a whole new facet of ministry for us. Praise God for New Covenant Christian Fellowship in Greenville, South Carolina! They took it upon themselves to write and produce, and (with Enoch's help) translate into Lozi, a twenty-nine page soft-cover book for children, complete with beautiful, full-color hand-painted illustrations. The title is, "There is a True and Living God" and it covers twelve foundational questions and answers about the reality of God from scripture. It's really a catechism. Catechism is an old-fashioned word used to refer to a teaching tool (usually a booklet) for children that helps in memorizing biblical truths by putting the information in a Q&A format. Catechisms were widely used in evangelical churches even up until the early 1900s.

Twice a day for a week the girls, Enoch, and alternating members of our families went to the small villages around our camp. Enoch wrote a Lozi song for each of the twelve truths which he introduced each day. Shaye and Bette Jean alternated with teaching the lessons. When each lesson was over we played a game with the kids. At the end of the week each child received a coloring book copy of the catechism and a small pack of crayons and we gave each family an actual book. Mildred, Joseph's wife, commented to me, "Now we have another book to put beside our bible in our home." She was genuinely happy and proud to have it. We are grateful to NCCF and Enoch for their generosity and hard work in producing the book. We are still reaping the benefits of it even six months later. Children are still coming to our camp site to greet us instead of us always going to them and we even hear them occasionally in the distance singing the theme song Enoch taught them. This may be the beginning of a long-lasting relationship. Visit this website to see the catechism! http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/there-is-a-true-and-living-god/11904312?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1

Bette Jean showing the kids
some of the pictures.