I finally have some internet access so I will do my best to fill in a little bit of what has been going on these past two weeks!! It has been such an amazing journey and so fun to just allow God to orchestrate this trip.
Right now I am with Teresa Rizzo in Kitwe, Zambia at an adorable little Franciscan Friars retreat. We are working at lifesong for orphans ( more on that later). But let's back up to when we first arrived in Zambia and what we have done thus far.
We arrived in Zambia on June 11.You should have seen us all coming out of the airport. There were 20 of us traveling and we had 60 pieces of luggage ranging anywhere from a small suitcase to a freezer to a bushwhacker. These were all things that the money raised helped to purchase for Overland Missions. We were met by Jack and Amber, who became our biggest cheerleaders, allies, confidants and teachers throughout the trip. They were our excursion leaders and are full time missionaries in Zambia, Jack's home country.
As we all pilled out of the airport, deliriously happy and exhausted, we were met with our new mode of transportation, an ex- German military truck. We piled in and began the bumpy journey to Overland Missions Base on Rapid 14 of Victoria Falls.
Once we got to base we were met by a group of joyful and friendly people, each eager to share their lives with us. We unpacked the truck and took a look at our temporary home. The view is INCREDIBLE!! Situated on the gorge of rapid 144 of Victoria Falls, the base is home to a full time missionary team and their families, as well as expedition members like ourselves and AMTs or Advanced Missionaries in Training. We spent the evening unpacking and setting up camp, as well as eating a glorious dinner and worshipping late into the night with the other groups of people that were around.
The next day we all headed to town to pick out shatangays ( the skirts we were asked to wear when we went into the bush, and our new favorite accessory). It was fun to look at the locals surprised faces when they realized that I wasn't Zambian (something people still are surprised 3 weeks later). After that we all headed into town for a fast food meal of pizza and milkshakes and then it was back to the camp to clean out kitchen kits and do maintenance on the truck. We packed the truck up tight and I went with Amber an a few other girls to bake cookies and muffins for our trip.
The next morning we woke up and had breakfast with everyone at overland missions. Morning worship followed and over 50 people met in the loft of the main house to sing and pray. During the worship time the pastor of overland prayed fervently over everyone there and asked if anyone felt they had received a call for missions. In that moment I knew he was speaking to me. I hadn't Eeven left base yet or experienced the excursion before The Lord started revealing to me that my purpose and call involved Africa and missions. Without hesitation I raised my hand and went forward with others who were receiving similar calls from the Holy Spirit.
A team of leaders came forward and were asked to pray over each of us and to speak a prophetic word over us if The Lord revealed it to them. The room erupted in prayer, different voices mingling together, different people all receiving different callings from the same incredible God. I had two people pray over me and each spoke prophetic words over my life, which didn't surprise me per se, but were things I wouldn't have thought The Lord was trying to speak over me. Tears were shed by most everyone and then our team said our goodbyes and packed into the truck and Landrover for our 8 hour drive into the bush of Zambia.
I will Lleave you on that note and will hopefully be able to share a story from the bush tomorrow :) love you so much and thank you so much for your support an prayers!!!
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