Wow! What a whirlwind, but amazing adventure so far. We arrived last Friday and got settled. We are living in a house with 4 other girls: One from South Africa, one from the Netherlands and one from California. Kind of a mini United Nations! We’re having fun with it, though.
Our first day, Saturday, we explored town and got settled. Sunday was typical African church - amazing and fun. Danette and Abbey got right into dancing and singing. Monday was a national holiday here, like a 2nd Christmas. They call it “Children’s Day.” In the morning we helped organize gifts for all the base children. Soon after that came the incredible task of feeding over 2500 village kids a huge meal of rice, beans and chicken. It was amazing to see all the food for these dirty and hungry, but happy kids. That task actually took most of the afternoon.
Tuesday through Friday, mission school began in earnest. Every morning form 8am - 1:30pm, we sit under the teaching of amazing people. Heidi Baker spoke twice on Incarnational Love and the Power of Stopping for the One! Randy Clark, an invited guest, also spoke several time on Missions and the True Power Behind a Prophetic Call. Of course, interspersed between those talks were powerful times of worship and praying together. The afternoons are usually more flexible with free time for the beach, town or relaxing. Several evening sessions are available as well. This past Friday evening we heard a powerful testimony from a Mozambican pastor who has actually seen people raised from the dead!
This weekend the base hosted a conference with another speaker, David Hogan, a missionary from Mexico who has also done amazing and miraculous things there. He actually has reports of over 450 people being raised from the dead, healing of leprosy and amazing evangelistic outreach into the bush of Mexico.
In preparation for this Saturday - Sunday conference, we walked through the nearby villages inviting people. It was a great chance to engage people where they live. We prayed for several, including one old man almost completely blind who, by the time we walked away, was reporting in his words “ VERY better seeing”. Another group prayed for a deaf man and he was able to hear! Yeah, God!
Life here is not without challenges. It is hot and very dusty. Our living conditions are cramped and water is often scarce and needs to be hauled long distances, but we are enjoying it for the most part. Meals consist of a roll and sweat tea in the mornings and rice and beans in the afternoon. Evening is …. You guessed it! Rice and beans. EVERY day! It’s OK though, as once in awhile we can sneak away to a small road side stall called the “Chicken Shack”!
The kids are doing great. Nathan has already flown to a place called Nampula to visit the MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) there to get the nose wheel of the Iris plan fixed. Joe Vane, the pilot, has been a great mentor to him! Jeff has also worked with Joe to engage and organize the well drilling program - hopefully to start soon in the coming weeks. Jeff and Danette have also been engaged with the family who organizes hospitality here (there are often more than 100 visitors on the base at one time) and help assist them in working through many of the challenges associated with all of that. Abbey and Hannah, of course, have had kids taken right to them hand in hand and in laps as often as possible. There have been great chances for them to help out in the baby dorm as well as other kids dorms. There are more than 175 kids cared for on this base. Aaron has been playing basketball and soccer, as well as with us in class. He has made friends with another family here called the Kimballs who have three boys. It has all been great, yet stretching. We know there is much more to come. In fact, during the first night of worship we heard the Lord say, “Great Expectations”. Everyone on the team shouted in agreement, all desiring “more than we could ask or imagine”.
Please feel free to email us, using the following: jjfamily.zambia@gmail.com
We are also trying to put pictures up on the following internet site: http://jjfamily.smugmug.com/
Internet is very slow so we will do the best we can!
Bless you all,
The Johnsons