PICTURES

Here is just some pics to if you're interested, and maybe don't have Facebook.

Chishimba Falls in Northern Province after just arriving in our new Province from training. Stunning....also a time for wading, and swimming in the water.

Termites....it's that time where they swarm....and people collect them and fry them up. Don't know that I have the nerve to eat them but....yeah I've heard other volunteers say they have, and it wasn't that bad.

I had the privaledge to give a speech thanking the Principal of  the school we trained at during training, in Mambwe the local language I was studying.

 

Each group divided by languages also perfomed a cultrural presentation for Cultural Day. We were the Mambwes. Davy (our Language teacher) Luke, Myself, and James....dancing with our shoulders the way Mambwe's dance.

The Pig that was sacrificed for our Thanksgiving dinner...watched the whole thing. Sad but very quick, and learned to have a deeper appreciation for the food I eat and is prepared. Everytime we eat meat, a live animal is sacrificed for us. I don't want to take that for granted anymore. 

Me on my roof, I was nervous as it can be slippery with shoes...but in the great words of my dear Zambians..."I managed".

One of my favorites...my little ones Dinah the older one and Meleby....first cousins....Meleby is my host parents youngest.

Well everyone that's all for now....more later

In His love,

madetoencourageyou:)

Happy Independence Day Zambia!

Today is October 24, 2015, and Zambia has been independent for 51 years now. Can you imagine if just 51 years ago the USA was still controlled by another country? So being here, I can only imagine what it felt like being independent the first couple of years in the United States, for those who were allowed to participate.  So I celebrate and pray for Zambia as they continue to celebrate during this time and hope that the country and the leaders of this beautiful country keep pushing Zambia forward.

To catch you up, I have been living in my village now since the beginning of September and it has been going well. I’ve started two groups so far, and have taught a number of times at school. During Community Entry, we are really suppose to spend most of our time getting to know our community so we’re not supposed to teach….but I have. I’ve also done a lot of tutoring of students who have asked, and were serious.

 

 In other news it has rained about five or six times now! It’s so crazy and exciting to just experience a climate where part of the year it doesn’t rain and then when it does you’re happy. We just don’t have that in the states…but all throughout our training at times we the Peace Corps Volunteers (pcv’s) would look at the sky and say, it’s definitely going to rain, and sure enough the Zambian staff would assure us, “no it’s not, you’re fine, it’s not rainy season.” So the first time it did somewhere the end of September, I was in sheer shock. However, with a thatched roof you have to make sure you have the plastic lining your roof well, or the natural beauty of rain will be a mess. My roof is getting worked on right now. The other draw back is that the same plastic that protects you from rain, debris, and the like also attracts…..RATS So people say oh get a cat and you’ll be fine. Well Nuisha my cat is still quite young and I am thankful that I never have seen a mouse (it makes me feel better to say that) like on the floor of my house. Three days ago I did see two run on the roof to the outside above my bedroom. That was enough, I told my Yataata we have to do the roof asap and get rid of these now because I can’t deal. To make a then very stressful situation better…they are on it and I am very grateful. Let’s just say once my plastic was removed….it was very apparent that many had made homes in my roof…and it sent me over the edge and I cried for the first time since I’ve been here. So without the plastic they don’t come b/c it isn’t stable enough for them….but you will also have rain and debri everywhere. With plastic they want to make a home but with a lot of poison and Nuisha safely staying at my parents house, we hope to kill them and the plastic will be up Monday, the old nests will be gone praise God ( I can’t stand to look at that) and my roof will be finished ASAP. Before leaving for church my Dad checked to see if any had fallen dead in the house…but he saw nothing…fine by me. We’re thinking they died maybe in the roof or ate food went away and died. I definitely heard sounds that sounded closer and then further away…and one I thought sounded like he could have been hurting but I don’t know. I didn’t see anything around the house either. Needless to say more poison is going up today and also my neighbors to send the warning to the whole rodent community to STAY OUT! So my principle and community have heard the message and are on it and I am beyond grateful. If I remember I'll take a pic of the nest….not a fan. Because Nuisha is only two months old she or he I don’t actually know but time WILL tell…sorry I digressed. Nuisha is still growing but later on she/he will be the Hercules of the compound. 

 

In other news another pcv…has started a radio show with her family and friends back home…and I want to do the same as well. It’s quite hilarious and I will be picking her brain as to how she sends it out to the masses. One thing I also like was the question and answer section she has. People will ask questions and then she will respond. I love that, so again if you have questions about anything I would love to reply. So leave comments and I will get to them…and it’s also nice to hear a voice you haven’t heard in a while…btw I still sound the same.

(pics of me being silly…and clear clean water)

This leads me to my final thought of today. Sameness. You think that people change b/c there far away, and I guess it happens to certain degrees but I’m still just Imade (Mahdee as many pronounce it). Yes my bathroom now is a hole in the ground but I still don’t like putting my shoes on wet surfaces…haha my standard has not changed. There was a football final in my village which means wet surfaces in the chims  (Imagine a festival with the porter potties…which I never went into). I was charging my electronics at my teachers when nature called…but I was ready. I carry toilet paper and hand sanitizer with me. In I walk in and the wetness greeted me…so I do what I have to do and once out, like my cat, I’m rubbing my feet on the dirt…like get off my shoes and sanitize immediately and then I’m good. So humans adapt but that doesn’t mean I just love everything….I come ready and do what I have to do to find peace in gross situations. I still don’t like dirty dish water and food debris in the water still disgust me….that will not change. So I have gloves that I use or other times I’m just willing to use more water to make sure my washing bucket stays free of that. So don’t think everything has to change in your life to do something you feel might be considered hard. We just adapt in ways that will bring us satisfaction while doing the harder thing, it’s worth it b/c then you still have a great attitude, and God gets the glory. Well that’s all for now until next time, I love you be encouraged.

madetoencourageyou

Predator and the Prey

Upon arrival of visiting a dear friend, as I was walking to her house, I saw a dead bird. Initially I was shocked because I don’t often see dead birds along the sidewalk, a woodpecker at that. But there he was. I was a little sad, but really didn’t give myself time to process it but I knew I felt bad that he was dead on the sidewalk. After embracing my friend, who I hadn’t seen in months, I told her there was a dead bird on the sidewalk. After a closer look, she quickly saw that the bird was not dead, then I looked and I saw his little chest moving, now I was sad. It was a male woodpecker, he had become my friend and he was dying. This little bird was a living creature, had breath in his body, just like me, we both had life but his was ending and I didn’t think there was anything I could do. As these thoughts went through my mind, my friend said, “I can’t leave him here like this”.  After talking with another neighbor who had also seen our Mr. Woody (he was the woodpecker that Woody the Woodpecker based off of) he presumed with all of the hawks that fly around, that he probably was attacked by a hawk, a much larger bird. I learned a great deal from this experience, which in reality was only about five minutes or less, but I would like to share it with you.

As soon as my friend said, “I can’t leave him here” she picked up our dear one who was not long to be in this world and placed him in the crevice of a bedding, off the busy sidewalk, in the shade, and laid him as comfortably as she could, as he had an injury to his head and one of his wings.  Hearing her words, “I can’t leave him here” I thought, why didn’t I think of that? Where was I, where did I go? I kept thinking there was nothing I could do. The Lord revealed to me, “you did think that, I gave you that thought too” and sure enough I remembered the quick passing thought. We can be so focused on the horror of the situation, that we stand still, and unfortunately do nothing but gaze at it. Then this thought came, “well moving him didn’t do much good, he still was going to die”….but truthfully that thought comes because we didn’t do anything, in order to justify the paralysis. Where did that thought come from though? Seeing her gently move him to a comforting place of rest was transformative. I can always do something, who told me I couldn’t?

We too have a predator and many times his attacks are not direct, in the way we expect. Sometimes like in this case he can implant thoughts that say things like, “no need in trying, nothing can be done”, “if someone could help, it can’t be you, you don’t have the expertise”, “people will look at you strange, might as well move on, it’s a lost cause anyway” and on and on. The other way the predator, takes us out is through discouragement. I became sad, that the bird was dying and was so focused, and for the split second the thought of moving him came to me, all I saw was sidewalk…it was immediately shot down with the thought, “even if you move him, he’s going to die anyway, it doesn’t matter” when I believed that I became discouraged so I had no hope to see anything else. I no longer believed so I didn’t act. Who cares that much to shoot down our thoughts so quickly, when we want to do something noble, caring and loving? Satan, that’s who. (Someone is like ok Imade….it’s just a bird, it’s not that deep….but hold on, it is) The greatness in an attack is when the opponent has no idea he or she is even being attacked! The predator enjoys the prey thinking it’s not there, or that he/she even has a predator! The predator first and foremost always wants an easy kill, so you and I not knowing that we’re even in a battle is A ok with the enemy…why wouldn’t it be, he is out to kill, steal, and destroy. (make no mistake, that never changes) God is so good, that in that fraction of time, He has given me insight to help us see and expose our predator and his attacks, I am grateful. So here are some helpful tips!

 

You CAN do something! Even when we do nothing we are doing something…so you might as well do the kind and wonderful thing you wanted to doJ Example…I saw a woman in a church I was visiting, and she was crying and you could tell her heart was broken. It didn’t matter that she was a stranger, and I couldn’t fix her problem, and I may not ever see her again. When you feel that tug on your heart to do something (which is the Lord) please do it, it always makes a difference (why else would the enemy say it won’t). So I went to her and gave her a hug, and said I prayed for you. She was touched, and so was I. She like that bird was alive just like me, and she too was struggling to make it, and it that small act, I (like my friend did for the bird), brought her comfort. 

 

Don’t accept negative thoughts, don’t allow them in, it’s a trick. Remember every good and perfect gift comes from the Lord, so when a thought says…”you can’t”…“nothing can be done, so don’t even try”…. “it doesn’t matter” It does matter, this is a lie in hopes to keep you afraid, keep you immobile, and rob you of the joy and fulfillment that comes from doing what God put in you to do, whether it be a simple smile to a stranger, or the fulfilling your dreams. Satan wants to rob you, discourage and keep you hopeless. When we become hopeless, (like I did) we no longer believe and we won’t do anything. Oh but dear friends be encouraged, God has sent me to give you hope! He loves you with an all consuming passionate love and wants you to live, He is for you! (Hence why I am writing you)

 

So know that you are always in a battle, and yes you are always being hunted...deception and lies are key characteristics of his attacks. All of satan’s great evil for us can’t even compare to the great love Christ has for us. He will help you in any situation, go to Him because you are safe, it is in Him that you will find rest for your soul. The greater reason for the bird experience was simply to be able to encourage you today that it does matter. There are many people like that bird who are dying, go and comfort them in whatever way God is telling you to, because it will comfort them, and it will bless and enrich you too. Don’t be afraid of man, what people might say. God wouldn’t have given you the idea if He didn’t believe you could do it. I believe in you too, now GO because I know you can.

In His love,

Madetoencourageyou!

I'M BACK!

It's been so long as I could not get into my account...but praise God I'm back. How I've missed you all, and we have so much to catch up on. Just a quick house rule...when I write about the peace corps these are my words and do not represent the Peace Corps, and everything I write will not be about the Peace Corps, instead whatever God lays on my heart. 

As some of you may know I was locked out of my account and therefore I was not able to write on my blog as it is connected. Well let me share as quickly as possible what the Lord just taught me through all of this.

When I first noticed something was wrong was four months ago and when I was around electricity which is not often, I would try and regain access, and when I couldn't I would get so frustrated. Well an unfortunate thing happen to me while painting.....I cut my leg in the village and so I had to immediately come to the nearest city with a hospital to inspect my leg and make sure I would be ok....they thought I would need stitches on and on and on....I'll try and post a pic....oh and by the way, I'm doing fine and healing nicely. The cut was deepest I've ever done but still considered superficial. So continue praying with me and believing for no scarring. 

Like I stated, I would become angry because I couldn't write, but this time was different. I fought to stay calm and I thanked God to be in an area where I had free internet access with no time limit, and for the ability to try again to get into my account. Well long story short just now, just now I gained access and I started writing immediately...and also updated things so this wouldn't happen again:)

What I learned is what I knew already but wasn't doing, being grateful STILL! Yes it was very annoying and frustrating but there were so many other things happening that were good. For one what great protection google has in place because it was hard settling this, next was I was given all of those opportunities to keep trying and now I'm back. So to keep this short....let's remember to find the positive things in our tough situations, be thankful for all of our opportunities, keeping knocking down those No's until you get that Yes! It feels so good!

Well friends be encouraged....there's more to come and pics to maybe just one of pics. I'm so happy I really haven't proofed this...and I'm an English teacher...whoops.

I love ya

Madetoencourageyou! 

The last month

The first time...ZAMBIA Blog 1

Well friends, it's good to be back and I apologize for my long delay from my last post. At times think I am not as busy as I am, and then when I have a break I'm depleted because I actually had too much on my plate and I couldn't finish, or things I wanted to do have to be sacrificed because of too many additions and poor planning on my part, to ensure things get done timely, and efficiently. Has anyone ever done that besides me? No probably not...BUT in case you notice the above patterns in someone ELSE you can jump in and say Noooooo! Run for the hills! You're busier and more committed than what you think! Look at your schedule...oh you were too busy to write it out....call 911-over-committed or 911-I need help writing out a schedule and sticking to it! Both of those hotlines refer me to their recovery/repair team guide and reminds me, "If any of you lack wisdom (in this case the wisdom to not over-commit haha) let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5. So needless to say the Lord is helping me with this, and I am grateful for the progress I have made and am making. I pray you too or the someone else's that you know:) will also make progress in the Lord for whatever you or they are lack.

Now that we've caught up, let's have fun!!!

ZAMBIA

In less than a month this country shall be my new home as I begin my service as a volunteer in the United States Peace Corps! I am apart of the rural education development program, where I will teach English to students grades 5-9.  

Q&A

What is the Peace Corps? It was presented and created by John F. Kennedy (along with others working with him) in 1961. Here is a clip of President Kennedy talking about it before it existed yet (how amazing!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y2mZH1dVeA 

For more information about the peace corps go to their website. www.peacecorps.gov.

What made you choose the Peace Corps? What a loaded question but the long and short of it is, it chose me. Love is why. Love has taken me every step of the way in my life to date. So when  I ran into the peace corps on my path, it was like, "ok, yes I will proceed as I always have, step by step, Love leading the way". 

What do you want/hope to accomplish? I want to create, share, spread and BE love to all I come in contact with. This is my goal everyday.

Do you think with all the problems in the world, and the great evil that though this journey may be noble can the good be sustainable? Can one really make a difference? Yes! The world is large but when you put it next to a star (just one) in the universe say like the sun...it quicly begins to look like an ant! How amazing, the earth is so small yet the Lord knows the amount of hair on each head. There is great evil in our world, absolutely but there is incredible, miraculous, unbelievable good in this same world! I will continue to invest in the outrageously good that is beautiful and very present, for every time I add to the swelling of light, I kill and destroy evil so I will continue. Lastly the world is filled with individuals, which make up families, communities, and nations. If other individuals have caused ripples and waves in the ocean, can I not also create a splash? When I see the world I don't see numbers, I see lives, individuals, people just like me, who need love. If I can uplift and provide that for one, I can do it for another. 

People need help here, why don't you do this here? This is very true, I do this here in different ways as the Lord leads and that won't change (this blog is one way) because again my goal everyday is to be love. God has just expanded me. As I said this chose me so I am going where I am led. It is more important to not lean to your own understanding, instead be led by the one who created you and understanding. You can't go wrong with Him. Proverbs 3:5-6, 1 John 4:8.

What if people are mean or don't like you? I will love, forgive, love some more and strive to be kind, like I do here. I will repeat this cycle as often as needed as I have to do here. People are much more similar than what we give credit. My help comes from the Lord, His grace and power is sufficient to help and equip me in all situations, difficult and pleasant. But what if they are not mean, and they like me? (That is just as much a possibility as the negative thought.) That is what I hope for, and my hope is in the Lord, not me or situations, only Him.

Is it safe? I was not created to fear, or live as safely as possible. There is no one who has truly brought major changes to our world for better or worse, who was always 100% safe. There are always risks in everything whether we realize it or not. God did not give me a spirit of fear, but of love (there it is) power, and a sound mind. So I'm gonna use what He gave me and remember that He is everywhere, and with me presently always, it doesn't get any safer than that. There is no place I'd rather be than with Him, He is safety, He is Love. Psalm 4:8, Psalm 121:7, Philippians 4: 6-8,13.

Is this mission work? No, The Peace Corps is a government program, it is not affiliated with any religious organization. You can come from any background to apply to the corps. Missionaries however often do sometimes similar work as far as helping people in their host countries where there are needs in efforts to build strong communities and countries. I believe that I am a missionary, maybe not in the way many think but I believe we are all created with abilities, gifts, resources etc that are to be expressed and shared with the world as it will ameliorate the life of individuals, communities, and nations (why else would we have something if not to share it to make people and the places we live better including ourselves) They are both humble and meek positions. Watch the clip of JFK it will explain in greater detail.

Do you get paid? We do not receive a salary but the corps will take care of our living expenses and provide housing etc. We will live like our neighboring citizens.

How long will you be in Zambia? It is a 2 year commitment with an additional 3 month training period.

Are you alone? During training we live with host families where we learn culture, language, safety, cooking, and so much more. After that, it depends but what I've seen mostly in past peace corp Zambian volunteers they have lived in their home on the compound of a family. I am thinking my experience will probably be like that as well. But again even if I was "alone", I am never alone.

Do you have to learn a new language? Yes, I am excited! I love languages, I would also like to pick up again my German as well. Ich leibe Deutschland:)

I'm sure many of you may have questions that I did not answer. Feel free to write in the comments your questions and I will try to respond. Thanks for following my blog...and pre-departure of this new adventure I am about to embark upon. I look forward to hearing from you and I'm praying for you. 

Love aggressively all people always, for you and I are loved unconditionally always. So be encouraged:)

In His love,

madetoencourageyou:)