Just wanted to give you an update on the family.<\/p>\n
Thank you so much for your prayers and concerns for all of us.\u00a0 So many of you have specifically asked about how Sadie Grace was doing in school.\u00a0 Dave and I decided to allow her to have last week off of school since the first day didn’t go so well.\u00a0 She and I had a sweet time at home, continuing to get the house settled.\u00a0 We decided to start her in school again this week.\u00a0 Monday was a National Holiday, because the Zambian second president had died the week before.\u00a0 So, Tuesday she went to school.\u00a0 She was so brave as we walked the 1\/4 mile to the school.\u00a0 I really thought she would be fine.\u00a0 After 30 minutes of crying though, the school called for me to come and get her.\u00a0 Dave decided to accompany her this morning to school.\u00a0 He told her that they would stay for 1 hour.\u00a0 She did great with him in there.\u00a0 Tomorrow I will go with her, and we will probably send Lydia with her on Friday.\u00a0 Next week is the school’s mid-term break, so the following week will really be telling.\u00a0 Dave thinks the experience of being in school with children from a completely different culture would be a terrific experience for her.\u00a0 But, if she doesn’t make it, we are fine with me homeschooling her.<\/p>\n
Lydia is having fun teaching PE to the students at the Trust School.\u00a0 She will be thankful when the 2 coaches from Florida come with all of the equipment that they have raised money for.\u00a0 I am proud of her and how she is adjusting and the dedication that she is showing to the school.\u00a0 It has been fun for her to have her friend, Berkley, to help her get started with teaching.<\/p>\n
The rest of the children continue to amaze me.\u00a0 They are well and happy.\u00a0 They are learning a few phrases in Bimba and are always ready to wave to a new person, share toys with existing friends, and love on those who are needy.\u00a0 They all love our times at the orphanage and are looking forward to spending the year serving there. This afternoon Dave and I had an encouraging God ordained meeting with Mildred, the sweet woman who is in charge of the orphanage we will be working with.\u00a0 The ministry is called Sara Rose Foundation.\u00a0 It is a ministry which places value on each and every person God creates.\u00a0 Their ministry has many facets.\u00a0 They have an orphanage, a home for street boys, a home for unwed teens who are pregnant, and a ministry feeding the poor.\u00a0 We are excited about our opportunity to serve with them.<\/p>\n
In our little compound, the Caretaker has 4 children that our children play with each day.\u00a0 There are 2 girls, age 10.\u00a0 (One is a niece who lives with them.)\u00a0 The boys are precious and so cute.\u00a0 They are 7 and 4.\u00a0 They are super shy, but are beginning to open up to us.\u00a0 Chanda, the 7 year old, learned the words “kick” and “stop” yesterday.\u00a0 There is also a 16 year old girl, Annie, who lives next door that Mary-Frances and Lydia are developing a relationship with.\u00a0 She cooked a traditional Zambian meal for us on Sunday, and today we took her macaroni and cheese.\u00a0 It is not a mistake that God has placed us in this home, and we are looking forward to the work that He will do through us in the lives of our neighbors this year.<\/p>\n
I think that I continue to have the hardest time of all of us adjusting.\u00a0 For being a complete homebody (I hate change), having a sensitive nose (there is trash EVERYWHERE here!), and being someone who thrives in routine and order, this has been a complete challenge.\u00a0 God is showing me to not look ahead, or back, just focus on today.\u00a0 He is showing me that I have to rely completely on Him each and every moment of each and every day.\u00a0 And He is showing me that He is a God who desires me to be stretched in ways which seem unthinkable so that He can have my complete heart.\u00a0 Lots of lessons!\u00a0 In the midst of some of the hard adjustments, there have been some sweet surprises.\u00a0 Our pastor from Georgia was here last weekend and actually preached in the church we are attending (kind of felt like home).\u00a0 We are meeting some wonderful new people.\u00a0 I have a walking buddy named Caroline who is a teacher at the Trust School.\u00a0 I have enjoyed the few walks and talks that we have had.\u00a0 A sweet lady named Victoria (whom Dave and Lydia met last time they were here and really enjoyed) is helping me with all of the laundry.\u00a0 I will definitely appreciate my washer and dryer when I get home!\u00a0 Also, a couple of months ago a small international grocery store opened up about 1 1\/2 miles from where we live.\u00a0 It is clean and best of all it sells really good ice cream! (Ha-ha)<\/p>\n
Dave began his first teaching assignment on Monday.\u00a0 He is teaching on one of his passions, “Marriage and Family.”\u00a0 He has loved his time studying, as well as, his time teaching the eager Zambian Bible College students.\u00a0 Recently, Dave was invited by a local pastor to teach 2 Saturday seminars, one on Marriage and Family and one on being a Christian businessman.\u00a0 Dave has been patient and understanding as we all (especially me) are trying to adjust to this new culture.<\/p>\n
Our friends, the Kirsche’s, come in 10 days to stay with us for a week and then take their son, Berkley,\u00a0 home with them.\u00a0 We are all excited about our visit with them.<\/p>\n
That’s it for now.\u00a0 We all love when we get e-mails from you.\u00a0 Keep sending them!!!<\/p>\n
In Christ Alone,<\/p>\n
Shelley<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Just wanted to give you an update on the family. Thank you so much for your prayers and concerns for all of us.\u00a0 So many of you have specifically asked about how Sadie Grace was doing in school.\u00a0 Dave and … Continue reading