Homeschool Camp

 Amber visiting with ducks!

 Gem with "The Green Guavas" awaiting prizes

Amber, Sasa and Simi petting a calf that is trying to rest...

Sasa willingly holds a piglet...  Simi is not so sure about the whole thing!

Our family was back in time to participate on a homeschool co-op camp where they did sports, performing arts, educational tours, sharing sessions and spending time meeting and making new friends.  The Green Guavas team with Genesis came away with the overall team grand prize of tons of chocolate.  The children thoroughly enjoyed the two night away from home and school spent in the outdoors tirelessly playing games and enjoying their friends.  They look forward to another such God given opportunity. 

Ireland visits Zambia

This past month, we spent ten days with a work team from Downy Brook Church including Pastor Nick Cassidy.  The team outfitted a prefabrication house built on the KCF campus for teams and guest pastors.  Tirelessly they worked, praising God and sneaking times to just visit and be with the boys.  They also conducted outreach at the KCF campus for children in the community, did a night outreach to the boys and girls living on the streets and lead the children and youth services at Rivers of Joy Fellowship.  They left tired, but the fruit of their labor lives on in the lives of those they touched and at the new home.  for this, we give God all the praise!!

Celebrating Gem!!

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 Our precious Gem turned 11 this month and we are delighted to share this next phase in the life of a true princess!!  She is amazing in our family and with joy, we celebrate her!  We love you Gem!!

Part of the celebration included a pedicure with one of her friends!

 

 Ephesian 6:15 says, "and having shod your peace with the preparation of the gospel of peace."

Our prayer is that she would always stand firm in the gospel of Jesus and bring peace wherever she goes.

Creative, Critical & Logical Thinking

 Today marks the first day of school for the Carr children since our return from the states.  
Everyone began with reviewing several subjects that got interrupted for the readjusting to Zambia.  Dad began work with Simeon on his critical, logical and creative thinking skills.  After several hundred bouts of yawning, two breaks and an unrelenting father he completed the puzzle.  Puzzles unlocks learning for Simeon and as his efforts materializes into a finished product, you can see the gratification all over his face.  He is about to take it to the girls with his cursive writing.
As he officially begins school this year, we will chronical his progress as we have yet another learning type to teach with all four.

Back at the Wheel!

It was an amazing six and a half months in the States.  We truly enjoyed our visits with all of you.  Your faces and prayers truly brightend our stay.  The long 25 hour trip home was very uneventful.  The bags all got checked in and the children and parents were at their best behavior!  We were so excited to be on the plane back to see the boys, our new family in Zambia, our friends and of course our dogs.

Some of our friends met us at the airport and others made their way to our house to drop us a meal.  We are so blessed and greatful to God for them.  It has been a strangely easy week as far as adjusting to life and the time difference is concerned.  It really feels as if we never left.  We know that for this season, this is where we belong.

Our first order of affairs once we landed was to go and see our boys at "the farm".  We call the Kakabalika house here "the farm."  It was so great to see them and spend time with them.  They have grown so much!  We then headed over to the mall.  Warren wanted us to stay up all day so that we could sleep at night.  As gruelsome as it was, we made it.  Praise God!

We also went out one night to visit our other boys on the street.  A tradition we made as a family a while ago.  Oh, how our hearts break everytime we see them out there.  It's always bad to see these precious lives on the streets of Lusaka.  It is especially hard to see the ones who were once at the farm go back to the same old thing.  Proverb 26:11 speaks the truth when it says, "As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." But we believe God is able to turn it all around.  Please keep praying with us for the stronghold of self and addiction to break  in their lives.

It was so very sad to hear one of these boys talk to us about getting a sponsor for a music school.  This boy was told by some famous singer that he could sing.  All he needs is a sponsor to foot the cost.  So, of course, Warren said to him, "Let me hear you sing."  The boy then proceeded to rap/talk, all the while we're looking at each other thinking he's translating the song he's about to sing.  No, he then said, "So, Uncle, I'm done!"  Warren as gently as he could told him, "that was not really singing... It was more like rapping, really talking"  This poor boy was so sure he could sing because someone told him so.  Now, I do think it's good to help people out with their dreams.  Isn't that what the Bible says, "Without a vision, the people perish?"  But, I got so mad because he was taken advantage of in my view because he's holding on to this lie.  The Bible says in Proverbs 26:28b, "...a flattering mouth works ruin."  I feel it would be better to tell the truth in love as opposed to letting others believe and try to run after some lie that's going to get them disappointed and maybe even mad at God in the end.  I may be totally off, but this is just my personal opinion.

As hard as it may be to balance between flattery and telling the truth in love.  I do pray that God will give us the wisdom to do the right thing when the situation arises.

Fun Memories!!

SIMEON IS SIX!!

Six years ago, Warren and I went into Hackettstown Medical Center to have our son in mid February.  This boy was so anxious to get out, he was born about an hour after we arrived.  We saw his little face and fell in love with him right away.  He is as intense now as he was then.  He plays with all his might.  He also loves with all his heart.  Every inch of his body has testosterone all over it but yet there's such a gentle spirit in him when it's needed.  At that time we had three precious little girls that have changed our lives for ever.  We had four children all under 5 years old.  Our days were filled with nursing, diapers, feeding, and holding all our babies.  It has been so long since those baby days that it almost feels like a dream.  We enjoyed it while they lasted and cannot believe a new season is appoaching where pareting will take on a more mature look but hopefully not abandon the baby feel of still holding and nurturing our growing children.  We are so blessed that God would choose us to shape the lives of these four precious lives at such a time as this.  We do not take it for granted.