Lubutu Library Project surprises (09)

Filed Under News by Pastor Lovell

(via e-mail from Pr. Meredith Lovell)

After a very long ride to Lusaka yesterday, today went about as well as possible since the team had absolutely no clue what we were getting into! The Lubutu Library Project was really exciting. We spent the morning touring the compound called Fountain of Hope where the project is located. Then we headed out for lunch at a nearby fast food restaurant. After lunch we got to meet the kids and spend time with them reading, talking, playing outside, etc. The team seemed to really enjoy the experience. Tomorrow we will head back to the library project for more of the same types of activities. Then tomorrow night we are going to the Lusaka playhouse to see a group affiliated with the library project perform a play. It’s an unexpected and exciting surprise.

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Posted July 16th, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Bungee jumping, waterfalls, and almost Christmas

Filed Under News by Pastor Lovell

(Via e-mail from Pr. Meredith Lovell)

Greetings from Livingstone! Today the team ventured into town to see Victoria Falls and do some souvenir shopping. Those who had decided to bungee jump this morning are all safe and sound, back on the ground. The rest of the team watched from the bridge joining Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was then off to the falls to see one of the seven wonders of the natural world. It was breathtaking! Now we are in town shopping before heading back to the Farm.

Yesterday morning we finished painting one of the rooms in the orphanage and helped each of the 50 children select a new outfit, underwear and pair of shoes from the piles of donations that we brought. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the donations. The children were so excited by their new clothes and shoes! We have lots of pictures of smiling faces to show you when we return.

In the afternoon we took some of the new toys over to the orphanage for the kids. It really seemed like Christmas morning. We all had a great time playing. Of course, by the end of the afternoon those new clothes were all dirty. That’s life when you are a little kid, though.

Please don’t worry if you haven’t heard from your loved one. I’m the only one who has had Internet access when I’ve gone into town for groceries and/or paint. You can imagine that feeding 15 people requires a lot of groceries and, therefore, a lot of trips into town!

Saturday we will lead a four-hour field day for the children from the villages on the Farm, and on Sunday we will again worship with the community. The St. Paul’s Mission Team is even planning to sing a song during worship! On Monday we will depart for our six-hour bus ride to Lusaka. Please pray for safe travel as we continue our journey.

Blessings,
Pastor Lovell

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Posted July 11th, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Safari day in Botswana

Filed Under News by Pastor Lovell

(via e-mail from Pr. Meredith Lovell)

Wednesday was safari day. We left at 6:15a.m. to head into Livingstone, then to the border crossing where we took a ferry to Botswana and then finally, to Chobe Game Park. It was a truly wonderful day! In the morning we went out on the river in a boat to see crocodiles, hippos, elephants, lizards, impalas, water buffalo, a few other animals that I don’t remember, and lots of birds. We then had lunch at a beautiful lodge. After lunch we got in game viewers to see the animals on land. In addition to the other animals, we saw some adorable monkeys and even a bunch of giraffes. The team took literally hundreds and maybe even thousands of pictures so that you can all see the wildlife as well.

Today we are finishing up our painting project and putting the children in new outfits from the donations that we brought. Stay tuned for stories of very excited children with new clothes.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support. We are keeping you in our prayers as well.

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Posted July 11th, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Here come the cattle…

Filed Under News by Pastor Lovell

July 8, 2008, 10 a.m. (Message #6)

(via e-mail from Pr. Meredith Lovell)

Greetings from Zambia! The St. Paul’s Zambia Mission Team is now well into their 2½ week mission trip.

On Sunday the team spent the morning worshiping with the rest of the community. There was lots of singing, praying and the sharing of the Word. It was nothing like our worship experience back home at St. Paul’s, but it was truly wonderful, nonetheless. In the evening, several members of the team went to see the football (that would be American soccer) game that was taking place between the two Farm teams. We decided to bring about 30 of the children from the orphanage with us. Right in the middle of the game, about a dozen cattle came wandering through the sidelines. Between the cattle and the kids, we didn’t watch much football, but we sure had a wonderful time.

On Monday the team began their two-day Vacation Bible School program with the children. We led crafts, music, recreation, snack, story time and Bible study. It was a huge hit! In the afternoon, we began our painting project in two rooms of the orphanage. After much scraping, washing and spackling, we’re ready to jump into painting tomorrow. Then last evening we attended a village fellowship in one of the villages on the Farm. We gathered for singing, worship, dinner and fellowship. The shema, chicken, rape (a local vegetable in Zambia) and sweet potato leaves were delicious. It was a busy day to say the least!

Tomorrow we’ll do another morning of VBS and painting in the afternoon. Then on Wednesday we head to Chobe Game Park in Botswana for our day of safari.

Please continue to keep the team in your prayers. We so appreciate all of your prayers and support!

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Posted July 8th, 2008 | Leave a Comment

What a trip!

Filed Under News by Pastor Lovell

(Via e-mail from Pr. Meredith Lovell)

St. Paul’s Zambia Mission Team finally made it to the Sons of Thunder Farm about 50 hours after they began their journey at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. After an overnight in Johannesburg, they boarded their flight for Livingstone Friday morning. At about 20,000 feet as we were ascending out of Johannesburg, the captain came on the intercom to announce that there was a “problem in the cockpit”…not exactly something that you want to hear at 20,000 feet! Something had hit the window and shattered it, leaving some concern about depressurization. So, back the plane went to the airport in Johannesburg. After circling the airport at 11,000 feet for about half an hour to burn off fuel, the plane landed, complete with all of the excitement you might expect for a plane with a shattered window. We had a fire truck meet us on the runway and everything! Everyone was just fine, though, and it had felt like a normal flight except that we didn’t go anywhere.

Back at the Johannesburg airport we waited, waited and waited some more. Finally around 4:45 pm, our new flight, with all windows intact, took off and headed toward Livingstone. What a relief it was to finally arrive at the Farm last night.

We were greeted with a warm (well, actually, quite chilly) African welcome. Thankfully all but one of our bags arrived with us on the airplane, a huge blessing! It was pretty cold outside in those open-air vehicles as we drove from the airport to the Farm, but the view of the stars was amazing. At the Farm, we got to experience a brief power outage, something quite typical here in Zambia. Then we had a truly wonderful 4th of July BBQ with hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs and sausage. There were side dishes of baked beans, pasta salad and salad. Then for dessert Jaime, our St. Paul’s parishioner and missionary on the ground here, had made a 4th of July cake decorated as the American flag. What an exciting and new way for us to celebrate the 4th here in Africa!

The team are all doing well and are thrilled to finally be here. Needless to say, we are all quite grateful for our safe arrival here at the Farm. Today we will spend the morning playing with the children at the orphanage and getting to know them. For lunch the staff here is preparing a traditional Zambian lunch with shema, chicken and vegetables. Then in the afternoon we will head out to tour some of the 10,000 acres owned by Sons of Thunder that make up the Farm compound. We will visit one of the seven villages on the Farm and see the traditional way of African life. We will also see the school and clinic…It promises to be an exciting day!

Please continue to keep the team in your prayers as we are keeping you in ours.

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Posted July 7th, 2008 | Leave a Comment