Hi friends!
Happy New Year! Did you manage to have a time of rest? I have been in South Africa since the end of November. It has been an absolute joy meeting new people, catching up with friends and soaking in quality time with family. At the same time I am missing my friends and the children in Zambia an incredible amount. Here are a few pictures of the children wishing you a happy new year. It’s no surprise they stole my heart. These children are going to change the world!!
Also, take a look at this song and video made by the teenagers in our village of hope homes. It was written by one of the older girls, some of the boys wrote the music and the children choreographed the dance themselves. All the children in the video are from Village of Hope or are part of Hope Church Mongu's Kids church. If you want to make some teenagers very happy please subscribe to their YouTube channel here. The lyrics are:
Jump, jump and dance for Jesus
Jump, jump and dance for Jesus
Hands up and dance for Jesus
Hands down and dance for Jesus
I aim to head back to Zambia by the end of January. However, I don’t yet have a work visa. So actually I am not sure when I am going back. I have been waiting for over a month to receive a letter of registration from the Health Professions Council of Zambia. When I have that letter, I will be able to apply for my visa. It’s a game of patience and prayer! During the wait I have been resting, meeting people, preparing for 2021 and doing some fund raising. I thought to share some quick reflections on 2020 in five lists of five things. Here we go!
5 things I didn’t expect when I moved to Mongu:
1. If you want something nice like cinnamon rolls, pizaa or ice coffee you are going to have to make it yourself.
2. It is possible to sweat behind your ears.
3. The day ends early. Most people in Mongu is home by the time it is dark. Cell group and prayer meetings are both done by 18:30. Visiting with people after work is rare. I am glad I live on the missions base where I can visit with the other people who live on the base after 18:30.
4. My feet would be dirty. All the time. Except for the 30min after I wash them. I have often found myself marveling at my clean feet while I was in South Africa.
5. There is only one supermarket, Shoprite. The frugal person in me is relieved that I no longer have to compare prices among different grocery stores.
5 things I love about Mongu:
1. Having the open space of the floodplein. I realised that I am not a city girl. I love open spaces.
2. Living in community with everyone on the missions base.
3. The children. I LOVE having regular interaction with children.
4. Sunsets
5. The welcoming attitudes of the local people.
5 things I took for granted in South Africa
1. Having my dad around to fix things.
2. No load-shedding. (The house where I stayed in South Africa never got load shedding)
3. Coffee shops. I don’t like coffee but I love meeting up with people
4. Having a modern washing machine. I use a twin-tub in Zambia.
5. Having my people nearby
5 lessons I learnt in 2020:
1. Don’t complain. The fact that I can quote Phillipians 2:14-16 in my sleep shows how often I had to remind myself of this.
2. Gossip is evil.
3. Watermelon is under-rated. It can change the world.
4. Love is verb. We should measure all our interactions with people (children and adults) by 1 Corinthians 13
5. Relationship > task and process > product. In the same breath, if you want to go fast go alone but if you want to go far go together.
5 things I am excited for 2021:
1. Building new friendships.
2. Learning Lozi.
3. Hosting short-term mission teams (let’s hope and pray).
4. Starting new occupational therapy programs. (such as autism support group, new physical disability support groups and early childhood development workshops).
5. Having guilt-free free-time. I COMPLETED MY STUDIES!! I started in 2017 and was supposed to be done end of 2018. Well FOUR years later we got it done!
My heart is full, excited and expectant for a year with endless possibilities. I am practicing patience while waiting for my work permit , making all sort of new connections and enjoying time with people I will have to wait another year to see.
I pray that you are also filled with hope and excitement for the new year! Until next time :)!
P.S. We we haven't met up for a visit yet, let me know?