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?
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