Well, we’re HEEERREEE!!! Its crazy to think that its actually real. As I type this.. I’m sitting in Zambia, listening to the crickets chirp outside writing this up for you after thoroughly enjoying a traditional meal of Nshima (details to follow). It’s about 10:56pm and extremely dark outside. But before saying anything else I think we need to first update you on what has happened on this adventure so far...

Saturday, April 30: Families (immediate and some extended) met up at Perkins family restaurant in Toronto to get to know each other and pray for us collectively as a group before sending us off. We arrivde at the airport and said our goodbye’s – long and hard but obviously necessary – and as we gave a final wave before going through a door into security Leanne says “Well ladies, we’re on our own now”.. Whoa. Thankfully, passage through security was a lot easier and faster than expected. We boarded the plane and were off Canadian soil by 9pm. It was a 7 ½ hr flight all together which included a delicious dinner (complete with CHEESECAKE for dessert!) and the movie Cars. One flight attendant, Steven, took interest in who we were, what we were doing and where we were going. He, and his co-worker Carl made us feel right at home.

Sunday, May 1: We arrived at Heathrow around 8:40am local time (2:40am our time) and since our luggage was automatically being put onto our next flight, wandered around the airport wondering where to purchase a day pass for the local transit system. Steven, Carl and another flight attendant Andrew found us arguing as to where we were to go next: Arrivals or Connecting Flights? They simply said “Follow us” and led us to where we needed to go, and with the tips Steven gave us in mind, bought a day ticket for the ‘Underground’. After riding the underground, which is basically like the subway in Toronto, we found ourselves in the heart on London, England (CRAZY!) where we bought a ticket for the day tour on a double-decker bus. The bus took us to Buckingham Palace where we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the changing of the guards, and after wandering around the streets of London, all while taking pictures, we hopped back on the bus and drove past Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. Around lunch time we decided to pause the touring for some food. We walked around for a bit, and after trying to call home several times with no avail, we found ourselves in a quaint but very homey English pub called ‘The Wellington’. Ashley ordered a roast beef dinner, Leanne, fish & chips, and “bangers” and mash for myself – all absolutely DELICIOUS! There was a human rights protest going on after lunch so the tour bus routes were a little messed up which made it difficult for us, as well as made traffic absolutely horrible. But, despite the little set-backs, we were able to drive over London Bridge and see the Tower Bridge. Around 4:00pm local time (11:00am) we got back on the underground and headed back towards the airport – we were all exhausted!

After checking in at Heathrow we browsed the mall while waiting for our gate # to show up on the “Departures” screen. We ended up bussing from our gate to our flight which we boarded at about 6:45pm (1:45pm). The flight to Lusaka was good, about 10hrs; we all tried to get as much sleep as possible, some were more lucky than others.

Monday, May 2: We “woke up” this morning around 5:30am (11:30pm) to the sun just rising over the African plain; I couldn’t help but bust into the prelude of “The Circle of Life”..it just seemed fitting. The plane landed about 6:20am (12:20am) and we after waiting in a very slow-moving line in the Lusaka Airport, met up with Lindsay England; she is living in Lusaka, and her sister Nicole who we met at Brock helped us get connected with each other. We, with the help of some very persistent locals (who ended up leaving us empty handed despite their efforts) were able to fit everything into Linsday’s SUV and then headed to our “home” for the next 5 days. Lindsay lives on a compound owned by the Evangelical Church of Zambia. After unloading all of our things, Linsday asked us if we would like anything for breakfast – we all kind of looked at her, looked at each other and said “breakfast?” – not only was it about 9am local time, but 3am “normal time” for us, but since we had had such a weird sleeping pattern having been flying the whole night we all felt as though it was 3 o’clock in the afternoon. So we took a nap to rejuvenate our energy, woke up around 12pm (6am) and each had a quick shower.. felt soo nice! Ashley and I were able to call home, very briefly; my call was unexpectedly cut short unfortunately, but it was good to know that those at home know we’re safe.

Lindsay then gave us a tour of the house and yard of the place she is staying at and then took us into town to do some grocery shopping. We wound up at Manda Hill Mall where we bought some groceries for dinner. It’s going to take some getting used to seeing “18,000” on a price tag. $1 US = roughly 5, 000 kwacha’s, which is the local currency). After making a brief stop at the Arcade’s market to look around, we went over to Chifundo (which means ‘Mecry’) Mission School, where Lindsay is working. We met some of the workers at the school: Dorthy, and her two daughters Naomi and Mercy, Jessica (from Texas) and Simon (just arrived Saturday from England). We took Jessica and Simon back to Lindsay’s house for dinner where we met up with Atotwe, a friend of Lindsay’s who lives in this compound. Atotwe helped us make Nshima, which is a staple food for the locals here; it kind of looks like mashed potatoes when it’s cooked. He made fried chicken and vegetables to go with it and to be honest, it was delicious! It wasn’t at all what I expected but it was quite tasty, and very filling.

Leanne and I were able to talk to Atotwe while making the Nshima, and what he was telling us about reminded me of the importance of listening to God’s voice for the plan He has for your life, instead of just barging ahead and living life as you think you should, doing what you want, when you want. 1 Thessalonians was the verse that was inscribed at the top of my journal page this morning, and it reads: ”Knowing brethren that you are loved, and were chosen by God”. I am just in awe in remembering that He chose to love us enough to give us the opportunity to be saved from our sin by sending His only and only Son to die for us on the cross of Calvary; not only that, but He ALSO desires to play an active role in our lives as Christians, leading and guiding us in His truth. Atotwe and I shared similar experiences in having a hard time with what God was telling us to do, and not being able to see the bigger picture. It’s comforting to know however that we don’t need to worry about seeing the whole picture, or putting the puzzle together – the picture will be painted, the puzzle will be completed in His perfect time if we lean on Him for strength and look to Him for guidance in our lives.

In closing we want to share these verses with you for encouragement:
“Every time (we) think of you,(we) give thanks to God; whenever (we) pray, (we) make requests for all of you with joy, for you have been (our) partners in spreading the good news about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And (we are) certain, that God, who began the good work within you, will continue it until the day when Christ Jesus returns. So it is right that (we) should feel as (we) do about all of you, for you have a special place in (our) hearts, you share with (us) the special favour of God, both in imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the good news. God knows how much (we) love you, and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. We pray that your love will overflow, and that you will keep growing in knowledge and understanding. For (we) want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of salvation—the righteous character, produced in your life by Christ Jesus—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.“ [Phillipians 1:3-11]

Frila