Miracles and Mayhem

School Kids with
Frank the teacher

Hi Everyone,

What a change this week has been Its been major answers to prayers and miracles even. I am sitting here in the jungle knowing why God sent me.

Firstly 23 parents actually came to the PTA meeting and we were able to discuss what was wrong, what we could do and what was the way forward. We agreed that parents would come and clean the school grounds where snakes were lurking in the long grass and on Sat they came by the dozens. I was so happy to see them. In the meeting I held up a baby and said this baby girl may be President one day but only if we educate her. She looked up at me with big eyes and screamed! When we talked about the high rate of absenteeism the teacher read out the names and the daughters of both the Chairman and the Headman were on the list. Oops But they agreed to make sure it stops.

Rabi

Half way through the meeting Rabi appeared, now this was a real answer to prayer as I was becoming overwhelmed by what needed to be done. He has been away for 4 months, but he was his charming self and endorsed what some parents had said that this school is an asset to the community for our children and their future. And so we elected a new committee who pledged to work hard and I do believe the barriers are broken and we are on the way forward.

I invited Pastor Richard Musoyo from Ndola to come and visit me to see what we are doing. He is with the Evangelical Church of Zambia (ECZ) and he arrived this Friday. I had a school meeting in the morning, a crisis with the girls at Lamba College at noon, and then had to rush to get two patients to the HIV clinic and pick Pastor Richard up. On Sat I introduced him to the parents working at the school and then had a time of prayer and counselling with the girls before we took them back to College.

On the way home I plucked up courage to take him to meet Fred, an elder from ECZ here - I say courage because Fred and I have had a falling out. But he received us both and was happy to meet Richard . I left them to chat in their own language. They discovered they were related, an important thing to Zambians and Fred asked him to preach on Sunday. I was overjoyed because that was my dream.

On the Sunday Richard preached about forgiveness and feeding your enemies! Wow. Some of you will remember that Rabi and I also are still in the early stages of forgiveness. I invited Rabi and his wife Grace to the service, and indeed his whole family were there. I asked Rabi to sit beside me to translate the sermon, so it was a touching time for us both as well it was a witness to the whole church that we are working as a team again. Later that day Fred came to ask my forgiveness. To me the whole day was a miracle, something I have been praying for but not knowing how on earth it could happen. And the Church people said to Fred, "where did you get this great preacher from," and he said, "my sister Durelle brought him here." So there was healing on many levels.

On Sunday afternoon I took Richard to watch my football team play and they won. I love them, their faithfulness in practise and the entertainment they provide to the community and today he has gone home. It was a busy weekend and somewhere in all that I managed to cook for us and do my housework.

It has become glaringly obvious that we need strong pastoral leadership in Mupitanshi and I am making a strong plea. Is anyone interested in sponsoring a pastors wages so that Pastor Richard could come and be here permanently? If you are please email me directly.

Thank you for all your prayers and emails that encourage me. I am so happy that I have wonderful friends and family who care for me even when I am far away. I am feeling homesick today and long to see you but thank you for your encouragement.

Durelle