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Category Archives: Africa

This is the day the Lord has made.

Sunday, July 11, 2010 3:21 am Posted in Africa

This is the day the Lord has made. I awoke after sunrise this morning, inside the gossamer enclosure of the mosquito netting around my bed. As I pulled myself from a dreaming sleep, I tried to remember what day it was. How long have we been here? Was it only yesterday that we landed on the desert airstrip in Ndola? Time truly has a different meaning in Africa. It seems our trip has been so long already, and yet it feels like we just arrived. I miss my husband and children terribly, yet I don’t want to leave this place too soon. God’s pull that brought us here is still strong, like gravity anchoring our feet on this desperate and dry soil.

“The world stands out on either side,
no wider than the heart is wide.
Above the world is stretched the sky,
no higher than the heart is high.
The heart can push the sea and land
Farther away on either hand;
The soul can split the sky in two,
And let the face of God shine through.”
-Edna St. Vicent Milay

Over breakfast this morning, Kevin led us in a devotional in which we were encouraged to be encouragers. Many of the women here are married at a very young age, 14 or 15 years old, still children themselves. They are only valued to the extent they serve their husband, to make his life happy. When a husband dies, his family usually comes and takes all his property, leaving the widow and children with nothing. Kevin explained that the women must even change their name back to their maiden name just to have any rights within the society. They have no rights under their married name once their husband is gone. As such, the idea that a woman can get a job, earn a living, or have value in any way outside of marriage is a concept they might never hear. We have an opportunity today to share a message of hope with these women and children. My prayer is that God puts the words in my mouth, that he lends us the seeds to plant so that he may cultivate them in their hearts.

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” Romans 12:6-8

It is 10:00 a.m. local time. We are leaving shortly to join Wiphan Zambia in their Sunday church service. After that, we will attend the grand opening and celebration  of the new school buildings which are opening today. They expect about 400 people to attend! The women have been asked to bring food for a potluck lunch. But this will certainly be a celebration like none we’ve experienced at home. I can’t wait.

Later this afternoon, we will be visiting some of the sponsored children. My family and I sponsor a young girl named Fostina, Wendy and JP’s family sponsor Moses, and Christy and Brad sponsor a little boy named Innocent. The opportunity to meet these precious children, to wrap our arms around them as we have wrapped our hearts around them in recent months … what an incredible blessing! I just hope that I can hold back the tears!

Please pray for the health of our team. Kevin woke up during the night feeling feverish. He seems to be better this morning. All of us are being very careful about what we eat and drink, even brushing our teeth with bottled water which we have also sterilized. All part of the adventure!

Much love,
Shannon

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Day 1

Saturday, July 10, 2010 11:03 am Posted in Africa, General


Our team at the Johannesburg Airport. Left to Right: Janet, Zach, JP, Me, Christy, Kevin, Lisa, and Wendy. Brad is behind the camera for this one.

Our flight into Ndola was delayed just a bit, but it was thankfully a smooth flight. We were greeted at the airport by Kunda, Elizabeth, Abby, Donald, and Labstone from Wiphan Zambia. We were welcomed with warm hugs and huge smiles, especially from Kunda. She has a smile that is contagious.

After checking into the hotel, we departed in vans to visit one of the school compounds. Kunda told us that the women had been waiting for us for 4 hours … they were simply that excited to see us! As our van rounded the corner, the women began singing enthusiastically, waving flowers at us. Kunda translated their song … it was a song of thankfulness and joy for our visit. The women and children ran behind the van down the road to the school where they continued waving their flowers and singing.


Kunda & Elizabeth get their first peek at the Wiphan Cookbook. You can support Wiphan by buying a cookbook of your own at www.wiphan.org.



We all gathered inside the school building. Kunda opened our visit together with a heartfelt prayer, thanking God for our safe travel and for our time visiting the women and children. The women sang more songs of worship, a stirring sight and sound, an inspiring display of faith.



Kevin introduced each of us to our hosts. The widows were fascinated to hear about our lives in America, our husbands, our children, and our pets. They all laughed so much when they heard that I had two dogs, two rats, and two snails. They only have dogs here as a security measure. And rats and snails?? In this part of the world those things are either pests or meals, and certainly not pets. Americans must be crazy.

The children were so anxious to meet us. I saw one young girl peeking through the door at me, and she would light up with smiles when I peeked back at her. Outside we met more of the women and children. The kids cracked up as we tried to say their names, and they were elated to see themselves in our camera LCDs as we photographed them.

There is such a mix of impressions here. One can’t help but notice the utter poverty of these people, their dust covered feet, and tired eyes. Yet they have such incredible beauty. Their souls shine right through their eyes, and their faith in their Heavenly Father is positively radiant. The children are all so sweet. It will be hard not to bring them all home with me!


The weather is gorgeous here. Being in the southern hemisphere, we are in the middle of their winter. It is quite chilly at night and early morning, but the daytime temps feel like spring in Atlanta.




Tonight we will have some guests joining us at the Castle Lodge for dinner and fellowship. Another busy day ahead tomorrow.

Much love,
Shannon

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Welcome to Africa

Saturday, July 10, 2010 2:17 am Posted in Africa, General

We have arrived in South Africa. We had a smooth and very long 15 hour flight from Atlanta and landed just after sunset. At the airport in Johannesburg we were greeted with smiles and these cute little cans of Coca-cola. Remember the cokes we had as children? This was a flashback to those days as the cokes here are still made with real sugar. Delicious! Needless to say, the airport had World Cup merchandise for sale everywhere. I am anxious to have a little more shopping time during the layover between flights back home.

As I’m sure you’ll be hearing these names along the way, allow me to introduce my travel companions. Our team is led by Kevin and Leasa, founding members of Wiphan. Brad and Christy are along to work with Wiphan’s local accountants. Our school’s PE teacher, Janet, is here to conduct a sports camp for the orphans, with the help of students Zach and JP. JP’s mom Wendy is along as well. We have a great team … very fun, warm, and entertaining. I feel so blessed to be traveling with this group.

We stayed in Pretoria last night, where a local friend of Kevin’s took us on a tour of the city, which is quite beautiful. South Africa is a relatively young country but the architecture is influenced by the European heritage and has an old world feel. I caught some slack from Kevin for not bringing my camera on this night tour. Ooops!

After an amazing dinner at a local restaurant, we headed back to the hotel where we all crashed from exhaustion. There is a seven hour time difference from Atlanta, so adjusting our body clocks is a challenge.

The hotel was quaint and comfortable. A hot shower never felt so good!! They treated us to a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, mushrooms, and fruit. JP and Zach were especially fond of the little dog who lived on the hotel grounds. They named her “Stubs” due to her little short legs, though we layer found out her name was Bella. Councidentally, the hotel manager’s name was Esme. How about that, Twilight fans? :)

Now we are about to board our plane to Ndola. We have a busy day ahead!

Many thanks to all of you who have sent emails and notes of encouragement on our journey. Our team feels your prayers! We are so excited about the days ahead. Christy and I just said this morning that we already can’t wait to come back!

Much love,
Shannon

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Leaving on a jet plane …

Thursday, July 8, 2010 8:40 am Posted in Africa, Important News

Last night, I fell into a peaceful sleep in my husband’s arms and dreamed of Africa. This morning I awoke to a soft light filtering through the curtains in my bedroom. I was cozy in my soft, warm bed as I heard my children waking in their rooms, my son jumping out of bed early to play with the legos he got for his birthday last week. My daughter had a princess costume over her nightgown and a plastic tiara on her head as she sang in front of the mirror. Later, as I took our new puppy, Charlie, for his morning walk, my stomach growled. The question quickly on my mind was what I should have for breakfast, not when or IF I would eat today. After a bowl of cheerios, I filled the dishwasher, wiped the countertops, and checked email and Facebook on my phone. A basic American morning.

Certainly my perspective on all of that will change tomorrow, for tomorrow I will land in Africa. I will meet people and see lives that will no doubt awaken me to realities I can’t truly comprehend in the essentially spoiled American life I lead. I will glimpse a vision of life without 500 thread count sheets, iPhones, and pantries full of food. Indeed, those luxuries are beyond the comprehension of the people I will meet, who are waking this morning in a mud hut, without a husband’s strong arms around them to make them feel safe, without breakfast to fill their children’s bellies, without any of these things I take for granted. With 8 other people who will surely soon become my very dear friends, I am traveling to this country simply because God has called me there. I am leaving my husband and children back here, which sends ripples of anxiety through my heart every time I think about it. But God has called me. I have no idea what He has in store, but I know it will be incredible. Perspective altering. Life changing.

Many, many years ago, God put a camera in my hand and invited me to see the world as He sees it. Up until now, it has been the love between parent and child, the strength within a delicate flower, the grace of a sunrise, the peace of the ocean at twilight, the miracle of a newborn baby. I imagine I will see all of those things again on this new journey … love, strength, grace, peace, miracles … but now through a new lens. The filter of affluence I see through today will disappear. I pray that God guides my camera in the days ahead, that every frame is His vision, and that every image reflects His glory. I pray that he uses my camera to open my eyes.

I hope to have internet access in Zambia, and thus I hope to be able to update my blog along the way. I thank you for your love and prayers and ask that you keep our team in your prayers for safe travels, for unity in our purpose, and ultimately for all of us to humbly seek God’s will in our days there. Please pray for our families here, as many of us will be apart from our children and loved ones for the first time on a trip of this length. Most of all, please pray for the widows and orphans we will meet, that God will continue to work in their lives, through us and through all those who work with this ministry, to bring them provision and hope.

Much love,
Shannon

PS … You can read my earlier posts about this trip here and here.

Please note: I will not have access to voice mail at all while I am gone. Someone here will be checking my email, but most matters will have to wait until I return in a couple of weeks. Thank you in advance for your patience.

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