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Bittersweet Goodbyes...

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As our trip comes to an end it is bittersweet to acknowledge that we have left Lusaka; a place where we have made many valuable memories. It is difficult to leave the wonderful children after creating such unforgettable bonds within such a short time. As we said our goodbyes after church, we couldn’t help but shed a few tears and laughs with the children. These kids radiate so much joy and have helped strengthen our relationships with God even more. We also had the incredible opportunity to meet a Zambian diplomat, Linda Kasonde. Ms. Kasonde is the first elected female President of the Law Association of Zambia. She mainly focuses on civil rights and women empowerment issues. It was an amazing experience to meet such a great example of a female leader.  The encounter is valuable to us on our journey as women in healthcare. Learning from her and her accomplished colleagues (including her mother, an accomplished medical doctor, and her friend, Dr. Natasha Kaoma, who has her own Te...
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Lusaka and Family Legacy

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After arriving in Lusaka on Monday, we have had the privilege to work with Dr. Brad Guffey at Family Legacy. Splitting our team into two groups, we have been working at the Tree of Life clinic and the clinic serving Camp Life. From diagnostic differentials, venipuncture, ART, assessments, and collecting health histories, the students have gained a wealth of clinical experience. Many of our peers have expressed this afternoon as being one of their favorite days after listening to Dr. Guffey’s insight on his AIDS research and the country in which he serves. We expect a busy day at the clinics tomorrow as Camp Life comes to a close for this week. We appreciate your thoughts & prayers for these sweet children. 
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Home Sweet Zambia

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Hard to believe, but it has only been just over a week since we landed in Zambia. It truly feels as though we were in Ndola for months. Within just one short week, we developed incomparable relationships with one another, the faculty, the Northrise students and the kids. We were fortunate to have been welcomed by such warm and hospitable individuals who have been kind enough to make us feel right at home. Each and every moment we have experienced thus far has been life altering and full of value and lessons we will carry with us for a life time. From playing with and assessing children at various schools; attending the Apostolic church; visiting Arthur Davidson Children’s Hospital; and much more, we have grown, learned, and been challenged. We were given a complete tour of the hospital which was eye opening and informative, as their procedures differ greatly from those in American hospitals. Some of the other highlights of the week have been going to the market to buy our chit...
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Speeding Up and Slowing Down

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On July 7, just three days ago, we arrived in Ndola, Zambia. Our team has been and will continue to be incredibly busy as we participate in Impact Ndola with Northrise University this week. We have visited two of three schools for orphans and vulnerable children (Arising Life Ministries School & Mapolo). Tomorrow we will be serving at Mackenzie School. Our health screenings include an HEENT (Head Eyes Ears Nose Throat), CV (Cardiovascular), MSK (musculoskeletal), and an education rotation. Different members of our team lead us in a devotional each evening and tonight’s topic was “slowing down.” After much conversing, we were able to reflect on how to be still and listen to the Lord amongst urgent situations that we may encounter. Our teammate, Cortlyn, shared that today she was impacted after conducting a musculoskeletal exam on a young boy because he asked if they could pray together instead of playing a game. Amongst many similar stories, we have also experienced an incredibl...
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#BUinZambia 2019

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A big hello to all of our families and friends. Our team of 14 students, 2 faculty, and 1 staff member will be leaving on our mission trip to Zambia tomorrow, July 4th. Thank you to everyone who helped us have the opportunity to go on this trip and to those who donated supplies with which we will be able to bless hundreds of children in need. These items will go to vulnerable children in Ndola at Arising Life, Mapolo, and Mackenzie Schools. We will also be conducting health screenings on the children and teaching them the importance of hand and oral hygiene. Keep our team in your prayers as we travel, learn, and serve God. You can follow along with us on this trip with the hashtag #BUinZambia on both Instagram and Facebook. We will also post to this blog regularly. The photo to the left is from our packing party on Tuesday evening.  We have sixteen 50 lb bags of supplies to take with us!
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Come and Listen...

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We have been home for a week. Jetlag should be abating, the last of our photos uploaded, and our attentions are turning towards a new school year. Nevertheless, our hearts and minds have experienced an inextricable shift and are still being drawn back to Zambia. We encountered God in the people and places of this intriguing land. The experience of being disconnected from daily life fertilized our souls’ receptivity to opportunities of growth in all aspects of our beings. The stories we have to tell are many and varied. Some are heartwarming while others rend us to the core. We are changed by what we have seen and felt and learned. Our feet have tread on African soil and our hands have touched African bodies. In return, our hearts have felt the warmth of Zambian hospitality and the unfettered love of her children. We were welcomed with exuberant joy and embraced by strangers in a strange new land. I invite you to sit with us and inquire. Let us share...
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A FULL WEEK!

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We went a week without internet while in Ndola.  While we enjoyed not having to be connected with the outside world while we served this beautiful community, it has kept us from being able to share our experiences with you here on our blog.  We arrived in Ndola on Saturday, July 21 st and spent the weekend settling into our cute little chalets at the Njele Country Park near Northrise University. On Sunday morning, we were able to worship at First Baptist Church of Ndola with other Baylor faculty who are teaching at Northrise this summer.  Following the service we were able to visit some roadside craft shops. On Monday we had a full tour of Northrise including their Nursing Simulation Lab, library, farming operation, classrooms, and dorms.  We learned a lot about agriculture in Zambia and had fun seeing our textbooks at Northrise. Following our tour, the staff took us downtown to shop for chitenge (traditional Zambian fabric that is ...
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