Arrival at Namwianga

Sorry this post is so long, but we have limited access to the internet. This will be all we can post for the next few days.

We have finally arrived in Zambia! We left the USA on Monday evening, June 20, after one of the most hectic days of our lives. All our planning and numerous to-do lists were not enough to avoid hundreds of last-minute details. Friends arrived to take us to the airport and helped us finish packing and disposing of the remnants that we left behind.

Our son John also went along to the airport. We managed to arrive in plenty of time to check in and then sit around to wait for our flight. Other friends also arrived and we were able to visit for awhile. Finally it was time to leave. We had dreaded this for many weeks, but were still unprepared for the wrenching feeling of leaving behind our children, our friends, and, in some ways, a part of ourselves. We were able to do it by knowing that we were moving ahead into a new adventure for the Lord.

The trip to Africa was eventful in all the right ways. On the flight to Johannesburg we were blessed to meet a couple that have been missionaries in Zambia for 30 years. They gave us helpful advice and encouragement, assuring us that we would find our work tremendously challenging and fulfilling.

We arrived in Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia, late Wednesday evening. We were met at the airport by Robby Banda and Simeon Siachobe, representatives of George Benson Christian College, and by the mission superintendent, Kelly Hamby, and his wife, Ellie. We spent the night in Lusaka and then were busy all day on Thursday running errands. We had to get new tires put on the Land Rover (more later), get our work permits at the immigration office, and do some shopping. By the time we left Lusaka, it was almost dark and we faced a five-hour trip back to Namwianga.

Journey to Namwianga

One of the first pieces of advice we had received from former missionaries was “Don’t drive at night!” They warned us that the roads were often treacherous, that the trucks on the roads might have bad brakes and no lights, and that pedestrians were a constant hazard. Just to make things more exciting, David was driving the Land Rover for the first time AND driving on the wrong side of the road (Zambians drive on the left) AND shifting gears with his left hand. I was sitting behind him in the back seat and decided my role on this journey was to pray for angels to watch over us. We managed to make the trip safely, and even enjoyed many parts of it. Our Zambian friends, Robby and Simeon, sang with us for much of the trip. They also gave us valuable insight about our work and life in Zambia. It was midnight when we finally arrived back at Namwianga, exhausted but relieved and thankful for God’s traveling mercies.

The Land Rover

Our vehicle of choice is a dark green Land Rover Defender. Kelly Hamby found it and another one for sale in Lusaka some months ago. Kelly bought one and suggested we consider this one. David researched Land Rovers on the internet and decided to go for it. The Land Rover is a 1991 diesel that seats 12 and gets over 20 miles per gallon. The latter detail is important when diesel sells for over $4.00 per gallon! The body is in good shape, but has enough dents and scratches that we won’t have to worry about breaking it in. Land Rovers are noted for dependability, especially in the rough terrains and situations of Africa. Another plus is that the engine is relatively simple, and Kelly assures us that in any village we can find someone who knows how to repair a Land Rover. We’ve had to do some adjusting as we drive--the steering wheel and gearshift are on the right side instead of the left!

Our House

The house being built for us at Namwianga is far from finished. We were not particularly surprised at this and are glad to settle in at the guest house for now. On Friday we were able to meet with Andrew, the man in charge of building our house, and he was quite willing to make some minor modifications that we requested. It’s also nice that we’ll be here to make some decisions about finishing touches. If all goes as scheduled we hope to move in during the early part of August.



Closing Notes

We won’t be able to get our official internet service up and running until the house is finished. Until then we’ll have to go to another missionary’s house (a mile away) to read and send e-mails. We hope to keep posting at least weekly on our blog.

We are thankful for the many prayers you have offered up for us. Our transition here has been relatively simple and pleasant, and we are confident that God’s hand is at work in all that has happened.