Special Dates, Important Events

It truly amazes me how certain dates have impact on our lives so much as to change it forever.  We go about our daily lives trying our best to make ends meet; to beat the clock and do one or two more things a day; to make an impact on someone's life for the good; and then it comes, something happens that you will remember forever.  Not only will you remember the day, but also the date and even the time it happened.  That is what happened to our family this past month.  On Wednesday, April 20, Warren was involved in a motorcycle accident at around 5pm.  Its funny how that will forever be engraved in our minds like the day our children were born.  No longer will that particular Wednesday be bunched together with the hundreds of others that we will not remember.  It is as if Wednesday, April 20, now has a name and last name.  We can go back to the calendar and there it will be.  We remember other dates such as World War 1 and 2, September 11, July 4, etc.  Another date that will be etched in our minds forever is Wednesday, April 27, the day our beloved Pastor Dave went to be with Jesus. As I contemplate this truth, I can't help but think of the millions of people that are walking in and out of our lives without being singled out, without a name.  Who knows, maybe they are angels we pass on the road but we're too busy to notice.  They go, almost like a dog with its tail tucked, hoping and praying to be noticed.  They want to come out of the agony of not knowing their Maker.  I am convinced now, just like that one Wednesday has changed our family forever, that God can use me to change someone by just caring enough to stop and listen.  I remember once there was a knock at our gate early on a Saturday morning.  It was a young woman with a very tiny baby on her back.  She wanted 'piece-work'.  Here in Zambia 'piece-workers' are day laborers looking for money to put food on the table that day.  I started praying for and with the people as they showed up at the gate, but this particular Saturday, March 5; Warren went and let her in.  We saw that we had some blankets that needed washing so we asked her to do that.  We also had her wash the kitchen cabinets, just looking for something for her to do.  We fed her and her baby breakfast and then made them their beloved "nshima".  Most Zambians do not believe they've eaten food until nshima is served; it's the staple and most beloved food.  After she was done, she was ready to go; she earned some money for the week and a full stomach.  I asked her for her name and she said it was "Grace".  As soon as she said that, I knew she had been sent to our family to show us God's grace.  He is such an amazing GOD who truly doesn't need our help.  He is God all by himself and can do it all alone.  However, He loves intimacy, He wants to have a relationship with His creation, so He lets us in on some of the work He is doing.  We were showing Grace how God's gracious love had led her to a place where she would be able to make ends meet at least for that week.  She was showing us how God's grace cared enough about us to let us in on one of His daily miracles. That is how we live our lives here in Zambia; we are able to work alongside a ministry that does an amazing job.  We have over 30 boys at the farm, and to them we have become more than Americans.  We are part of their family.  I love to hear them say, "Uncle Warren" or "Auntie Vicky" that small phrase cuts out the non-relationship and brings us close.  We are in the Rivers of Joy and KCF family! As some of you may know we had been working with the education team on starting the Kakabalika Trust School and finally, after two years and a lot of leg work with gathering information and filling out applications (all done of course on Zambian Time!), it opened Monday, May 10th!  We are excited about the wonderful step the ministry has taken.  We do still need all the help we can get, and to do just that, Nina Zaragoza from TSC will be coming June 2 for three months.  Would you consider sponsoring a child to school?  On the other hand, coming and helping personally?  We encourage and welcome all financial help, prayer support, and the lifting up of or hands.  We can't wait to see what the Lord will do thru YOU!  Would you allow Him to make a date in your life to remember?

Team In, Stiches Out

We were privileged to have a ChildCry team come and visit May 5 –May 14.  ChildCry supports the KCF feeding program and so the team came to spend time with the boys and get to know the program more intimately.  Their agenda was just to come and serve in the kitchen particularly, but also to experience the KCF day-to-day, meals included.  All went well except for the Kapenta introduction.  Dried baby fish is cooked with oil, tomatoes, onion and salt and then eaten.  I must say, I have not mastered it either myself!  The fish just needs HELP!  I have even tried to Spanishize it to no avail, although Warren and the children love it.  Anyhow, the team was awesome!  I had the privilege to take them shopping in town with Chibuta, Pastor's wife.  We went to the shops we frequent quarterly for the KCF stocks.  As always, it was a long and productive day.  The rest of the week, they cooked for the boys, some American and some Zambian foods.  Lots and many pictures were taken, the week went by so fast, Saturday came and they had to say some heart wrenching goodbyes.  We hope to see them again in the not too distant future. Warren of course was very mobile and went to the farm most of the week.  When we went to church that Sunday, he even did two 15-minute intervals of praise and worship up front, standing.  I of course, had such weak knees I could barely focus.  I kept saying in my mind, "YOU NEED TO SIT!"  God then gently rebuked me and told me that my husband was not worshiping some fake god that could not hold him together.  He was His God and He was going to keep him.  Friday came and it was time for the stitches to come out.  We made it a family teaching moment and we all went to see Dr. Lastroni.  I told the Doc that the children wanted to watch and that it was to be a science class!  He is a very funny Italian guy who immediately put on his serious Doctor face and started explaining what was about to take place to the children whom were all paralyzed!  Not sure if it was because they were totally absorbing all the medical terminology or just grossed out by the leg!  I'm  guessing it was the latter because GEM did tell me in school a few days later that she felt as if she was going to faint when she saw the leg!  Now, though she fights to clean "daddy's wound" with alcohol.  All went well, and Doc said Warren could come back mid June for his next appointment.  Although all has been well, we also feel the little bit he's been doing is too much.  We never realize it until we get home and the leg get a bit swollen.  Therefore, we've decided to take it even slower than we have been. Thank you all for all the prayer and support during this time.  We can't wait to see you all personally and give you a great big hug!

Pastor David Wilkerson

I went to TSC in 1996.  I was in college and had been a Christian most of my life.  I was raised by a single mom who loved the Lord and raised us to know Him and fear Him.  Although, I was saved and loved Jesus, as much as I thought was good, I did not really know intimacy with Him.  I remember listening to Pastor David preach on personal devotion and how to have one.  That is when I began to know that Jesus wants me for Himself; that He is jealous for my affection and He wants me to call on Him as my friend.  That message has kept me all these years.  I remember him saying to read Psalms according to each date.  I found it so fascinating and helpful that I still do it.  I am so grateful for the life he lived and for the personal interest; he took in getting to know our family and me. It was hard receiving the news of Pastor David's accident here in Zambia but I thank God that there are no limits to His grace.  The news came to us in the middle of the night while in the hospital waiting for Warren's surgery the next day.  What a difficult night!  Warren and I thought we were not going to be able to watch the service because our internet access is shaky and so is our computer!  However, God knew and although a bit faulty, we were able to watch most of the memorial service!  Our family is so grateful to God for Pastor Dave's obedience that has provoked our lives to count it all loss for the excellency of knowing and serving   and obeying Jesus!  We will always love and miss you Brother Dave.  Thank you for your example of a life well lived! Victoria Carr

His Presence Has Seen us Through

Here we are a week after surgery.  Recovery is going well.  Thank you all for your prayers and encouraging words.  It has meant the world to us.  Warren went in for his surgery a little bit after 11am and it was a blessing for me to have one of my friends come and spend that time praying and talking.  He came out about two hours later and was totally under the influence of the sleeping anesthesia.  We were in one of the nicer hospitals and so it almost felt as if we were no longer in Africa.  Well, after he was wheeled in the room, the nurses wanted him to get up and go from the stretcher to the bed, ON HIS OWN.  I was so flabbergasted I just smiled, as if it was not happening.  The lady kept on saying, "Mr. Carr, can you move onto the bed now.  He would grunt and say "HMM" and kind of move a bit.  Then I remembered, "Yes I'm in Africa, we do things different here!"  Thank God for grace! He was asleep most of the day on Thursday because the pain was so bad the Doctors kept on giving him shots of pain relief.  Friday morning, he was kind of coming back to normal but was still groggy and in some pain, so he told me that maybe we should spend another night.  The Doctor came to visit before lunchtime and started him on pills as opposed to the shots and miraculously enough, the pain started subsiding even more.  We had the children come and spend some time with us; they watch a movie on an itty-bitty IPod screen, quiet hysterical to watch.  We then had lunch and Warren was feeling so much better, that he ate a full meal!  The Doctor came back and suggested he should be discharged later that afternoon and we agreed because God had turned the situation around.  So, we were on the way home around 4pm, AWESOME!  Back at home, we just took it easy for a few days.  Stayed home Sunday and had church.  Of course, we looked for a David Wilkerson message and ironically enough; the only one we found was the one called "Heaven".  It was great to watch such a simple yet powerful message, at such great timing!  The boys could stand it no longer to not have their "Uncle Warren" around, that at around 1pm, most of them showed up at our house.  It was great to see them and fellowship as well as worship with them.  Warren even did a jiggy on one foot to assure them, that all will be well.  God has made Himself so real to us in this time.  I woke up one morning singing "In Your Presence". I don't know who wrote it but Jen Johnson sings it in the "Here Is Love" Bethel worship CD.   I did not remember all the lyrics then.  I kept hearing the chorus over and over again.  "I love, I love, and I love your presence I love, I love, and I love your presence I love, I love, I love you Jesus I love, I love, I love your presence" I forgot about the song as my day started and progressed.  However, while I was washing the dishes after dinner.  I was listening to some music and then the song came again.  Of course, I blasted it and worshipped my hear out there and then, wet, dirty, broom in hand.  I made quite a spectacle of myself to my 5 year old who came in the kitchen and just looked at me and said,  "Mommy, what are you doing?"  I said, "Son, Mommy is worshipping Jesus!"  And so, we both went upstairs to do family devotions and send everyone to bed.  Warren asked all of us to share what the best part of our day was.  Everyone went around saying what they liked.  Then it was my turn, I remembered how my day had started and how it was ending, with this one song.  I said that was the best part of my day.  However, it didn't really hit me until a friend asked I me again on a text.  "What made your day good?" she asked.  I said that song because it taught me that Jesus was surrounding me all day long.  Now, as I write this I am struck with even a greater truth.  Like Peter, Jesus asked me "Do you love me? Do you love my presence?"  I have surrounded you with my presence to carry you through your day, did you notice?"  With tears in my eyes, I say, "Yes, my Lord, I love your presence!"  His answer to me is, "I have seem you through today and will see you through another day.  I love it when you love me. I love it when you love my presence.  I will have my presence over you each day every day, even when you do not feel it.  I AM"