A Time to Dance and A Time to Weep...
There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
There is real beauty in traveling abroad with students and faculty. Opportunities abound for conversation and experiences which contribute to the learning and growth of all involved. Doing life in a more intense, intimate, and organic fashion than is normally possible in our daily life provides the milieu for encountering people and our worldview in a less scripted, planned, and prescribed way. While inside jokes are numerous, nonsensical and cause us to laugh with abandon, it's actually the realizations, breakthroughs, and connections that occured in both the mundane and the stressful moments that we will carry with us as we exit security at DFW to return to our routines, responsibilities, and relationships.
We departed Ndola this morning after celebrating the week and bidding farewell to most of our Northrise and Impact Ndola friends last night. We danced for joy at all that we experienced and yet more tears were shed on Friday than in all of the previous days combined. There were tears of heartbreak over some of the situations which we encountered...particularly those that involved the suffering experienced by vulnerable or ill children. There were tears of sadness as we said goodbye to new and valued friends that we made at Northrise University. And, there were tears of joy as we celebrated our good God and the many ways in which we encountered Him and served together in His name.
Over the course of many months we planned, prepared, and prayed as the date of departure slowly (and then more rapidly) approached. We packed our bags to serve the people of Ndola, Zambia in the name of Christ. And, we did do that this week...serve in Christ's name. We served vulnerable children; we served the Northrise University community; and we served Mapalo, Mackenzie, and Arising Light schools. However, we were served and shown Christ's love in amazing and powerful ways through Zambian hospitality, the love of a child, and the beauty of the people of this remarkable country. We feel deep gratitude, humility, and the blessings of God as we journey onward. Team members experienced having a school child witness to THEM of the love of Jesus. We experienced generous friendship extended to us by the Northrise University students, and we were graciously welcomed by members of the medical community in Ndola.
It is tremendously challenging to fully articulate how this experience is impacting us. We now that this trip is not about us. Yet, we will return home filled with stories, memories, and images. Each of us has processing to do. Some of that will be verbal with our friends, families, classmates, and colleagues. Much of that will be with God and each other as we continue to adjust our perceptions of our faith, the world, our calling, and our future in light of this journey. We will have travelled well over 20,000 miles when we land at DFW. I would argue that our hearts and minds will continue on for many more miles after our bags are unpacked, our gifts have been given, and we've started to forget the red dirt that covered us and everything else in Ndola.
We ask that you pray for the people for whom we cared and those that we now call "friends". There are specific children in each of our hearts (many of whom you have seen in our photographs). Pray for Northrise University. They are a good and consistent light on the hill of this city. Pray for the teachers and leaders of Mackenzie, Malpaso, and Arising Light as they educate the hearts and minds of the future of Zambia. Pray for us that we might use all that we have seen and learned to change our own corners of the world for the good with a smile, a greeting, and the love of the One who gave His life a ransom for many.
We are enjoying our time in Livingstone, Zambia before returning home through Johannesburg South Africa. We will continue to share our thoughts and pictures as time and WiFi permit.
There is real beauty in traveling abroad with students and faculty. Opportunities abound for conversation and experiences which contribute to the learning and growth of all involved. Doing life in a more intense, intimate, and organic fashion than is normally possible in our daily life provides the milieu for encountering people and our worldview in a less scripted, planned, and prescribed way. While inside jokes are numerous, nonsensical and cause us to laugh with abandon, it's actually the realizations, breakthroughs, and connections that occured in both the mundane and the stressful moments that we will carry with us as we exit security at DFW to return to our routines, responsibilities, and relationships.
We departed Ndola this morning after celebrating the week and bidding farewell to most of our Northrise and Impact Ndola friends last night. We danced for joy at all that we experienced and yet more tears were shed on Friday than in all of the previous days combined. There were tears of heartbreak over some of the situations which we encountered...particularly those that involved the suffering experienced by vulnerable or ill children. There were tears of sadness as we said goodbye to new and valued friends that we made at Northrise University. And, there were tears of joy as we celebrated our good God and the many ways in which we encountered Him and served together in His name.
It is tremendously challenging to fully articulate how this experience is impacting us. We now that this trip is not about us. Yet, we will return home filled with stories, memories, and images. Each of us has processing to do. Some of that will be verbal with our friends, families, classmates, and colleagues. Much of that will be with God and each other as we continue to adjust our perceptions of our faith, the world, our calling, and our future in light of this journey. We will have travelled well over 20,000 miles when we land at DFW. I would argue that our hearts and minds will continue on for many more miles after our bags are unpacked, our gifts have been given, and we've started to forget the red dirt that covered us and everything else in Ndola.
We ask that you pray for the people for whom we cared and those that we now call "friends". There are specific children in each of our hearts (many of whom you have seen in our photographs). Pray for Northrise University. They are a good and consistent light on the hill of this city. Pray for the teachers and leaders of Mackenzie, Malpaso, and Arising Light as they educate the hearts and minds of the future of Zambia. Pray for us that we might use all that we have seen and learned to change our own corners of the world for the good with a smile, a greeting, and the love of the One who gave His life a ransom for many.
We are enjoying our time in Livingstone, Zambia before returning home through Johannesburg South Africa. We will continue to share our thoughts and pictures as time and WiFi permit.
Well this made me weep! I'm praising God this morning for this opportunity and for all that you learned and accomplished, and for the people you lovingly served. The absolute joy on everyone's faces (top photo) comes from the Lord!
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