"We have been encouraged"

Hello! It is Monday and we only work one more day before heading to Livingstone for a few days of adventure. Crazy! I am back in a language group with toddlers for now. Busy busy. So let me tell you about yesterday (Sunday). We hopped into every vehicle we could find and drove into the bush—basically the middle of nowhere compared to where we are currently—on roads you wouldn’t believe a car could travel on. We were going to Kasibi to worship with the people there. You see, our cook— Lennerd—is from this little village. Upon arriving in Kasibi, we parked a few feet from a small building made of concrete. Next to it was an “arbor”, if you will, made of tree branches and straw/grass.  Under it were rows of benches also made of concrete bricks. The people of Kasibi were bringing out wooden benches from the church so that everyone could worship outside together. All the men sat on the left side and the women on the right, entering in. All of the songs they sang in Tonga, their native language. I recognized two we had sung at the Namwianga church—one we had sung in English—and so I hummed along. For each speaker, a native translated for us. It was very interesting and awesome to experience. Toward the end of the service, two groups of Kasibi singers sang to us—a female group and a male group. They were entertaining and wonderful. After they sang, we were invited to come to the front and sing to them. After singing “I love you with the love of the Lord” in English, we proceeded to sing two songs in Tonga—the ones we had learned from Webster the night watchman. He even came to church with us to lead us. The members were reportedly very honored that we did this—no other group has learned and sung to them in their language. Awesome. When service was over, the entire congregation lined up outside the arbor along the road and we shook each hand on the way out. Never in my life has this happened. Many of them even curtsied to us! So different.  We walked down the road with everyone to an area where a house and different live animals were found. A little band was playing under some trees and we sat under the same wooden benches they carried out of the church earlier. We were invited into the house to get some traditional Zambian food—I LOVE IT! And then we sat and enjoyed some musical entertainment. It wasn’t tribal or too upbeat much to my dismay. It was pretty chill and when we finished eating everyone—yes, even I, with coaxing—joined in the circle around the band for some dancing that was much tamer than I had anticipated. I spent the afternoon relaxing and then attended church locally with everyone else.  All in all, Sunday was super interesting and wonderful.

One of our faculty—Dr. Hopper, who just visited—summed up my feelings at this point when he stated “We came to Zambia to encourage, and we have been encouraged.”

Right now we are watching a show on the veranda of one of the houses. We have a screen with a projector. Be jealous J I am drinking hot black tea made in South Africa and I am becoming so very fond of it. 

Anyhow, love you all and see you soon!

Anna