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| Amy's Class |
Jim and I had the
pleasure of teaching at Justo Mwale Theological College University from April
to June. I had 12 students in the first year Pastoral Counseling course (one
woman). Jim taught a counseling course
on AIDS to 4th year students. We both enjoyed discussing various Biblical
passages regarding gender equality. Not surprisingly the Christianity brought
to Africa by colonialist was a male dominant leadership model. Thinking about
human beings made in the image of God and the feminine characteristics of God
was challenging for many. I arranged for a tea just for female seminary
students to meet and share their challenges and experiences and to encourage
one another.
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| President and Mrs. Bush with Zambian First Lady Dr. Christine Kaseba |
At the end of June President and Mrs. Bush
made another trip to Zambia to encourage cervical cancer prevention and
treatment. During the week they were in Livingston Jim organized many local
volunteers to paint a health center and I watercolor painted in the hotel room.
President Bush has taken up painting (oil) as well and is doing a series on
world leaders he has met. I thought I could do the same and have a series of
one (him).
In July Jim attended the African First Lady's Conference in
Tanzania, to encourage other countries to bring women's health issues,
specifically cervical cancer, forward in their countries. You may recall Jim
was tasked with reducing maternal mortality by 50% in one year, a task many
said was impossible. Results from the project are coming in and through the
combined efforts of CDC, USAID, and many others it looks like we may actually
hit our target. Now to expand country wide!
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| Terra |
In July Terra, an
almost 8 week old female German Shepherd joined our household. This was just
days before Molly Crane's month long visit. Our socks, pants and skirts have
small holes as do our legs from Terra teething.
I left in early August for a month in the US ostensibly to visit
my parents and three of the kids. My dad has had several surgeries and
hospitalizations and it looked like a good time to visit. It turned out I needed
foot surgery and then a molar extraction for a large abscess I had failed to
notice until Bob LoCascio took routine wing bite films. I wasn't even planning
on getting my teeth cleaned until January but then there was a cancellation and
I took it. As the oral surgeon said, "Someone is looking out for
you." "Yes, you are right. God is" I responded.
In August, Ruth began courses at Oakton including acting,
creative writing, and a design art course. She seems to be thriving and has
recently dyed her hair blonde for a role (check her out on facebook).
In September, Miriam adopted a lovely black cat, Magic, from
Heartland shelter.
Miriam continues to
thrive living independently and participating in the PACE program. She put her
guardian angel to the test recently, when she was struck by a car while
crossing a busy road. Typical of Miriam, she flew and tumbled, broke her
glasses, but told the police and paramedics, "I am fine, no need to go to
the hospital..." She is resilient!
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| Perhaps we won't drive this way... |
John visited us for two weeks in September, following his
summer as a camp counselor at Phantom Ranch and before he headed back to
Seattle Pacific University. We took an adventuresome drive to the Lower Zambezi
National Park. Typically one drives around the escarpment to remain on paved
roads for as long as possible. Instead Jim suggested a short cut out Leopard's
Hill Road 'through the bush' - only about 90 miles, but really off the beaten
path. Jim spoke to others who had made the trip, and they said, "No
worries, as long as you don't encounter another vehicle while in the mountains,
and bring food, water, extra fuel, a satellite phone, and a winch ..." We
did pretty well, using every bit of the 4-wheel capability of our Land Cruiser,
until we encountered a truck coming at us in the mountain pass. Fortunately we
got to climb the wall of the mountain while he got to inch along the edge - we
exchanged looks of terror as we passed, and a big thumbs up when it became
clear we would both live!
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| John and Chris fishing |
The Park was awesome
- amazing encounters with elephants, including a juvenile bull charging Jim as he
scrambled to get into the tent - if only the elephant knew how flimsy that
canvas was he might have kept coming. I helpfully pointed out to Jim that there
was a large elephant charging at him as he struggled with the tent zipper. We
tried our luck fishing for tiger fish on the Zambezi, always with an eye on the
nearby crocodiles. No bites from either.
Thank
you all for praying for the food situation in the prison. Just a few weeks ago,
while I was in the US, the women and children incarcerated with them, were
again allowed to have food brought in by their families. Prior to this they had
only some dried fish and nshima provided by the prison.
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| Tumekutana 2014 Planning Committee |
After returning to Zambia, I flew to Ghana to meet up with Caryl
Weinberg and Rev Erica Rader and the Tumekutana team to begin working on the
2014 conference "Freedom in Christ: From Slavery to Empowerment." You
can be in prayer as plans move forward.
Back in Lusaka Chris is busy with the school musical (Shakespeare's
Pericles, Prince of Tyre, set to Fleetwood Mac!) and the IB program (large
amounts of homework every day). Chris
worked this summer at the Embassy - in IT. Jim regularly meets people who
comment on how great a worker Chris was and how they want him back next summer.
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| Tenacious |
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| Behemoth |
