God is for you

by Vicky Carr

Looking back over the past few months, I've noticed that God is in the process of doing something new in our family.  If you take a look back down memory lane with us, you'll notice that we've had a trying year.  Warren had a motorcycle accident that although it could've been worse still left some lasting effects on our family.  There have been other things in ministering that have given us reason to doubt and despair at times.  Like Paul we can say that we have despaired even unto the point of death.   In all those times we have chosen like David to trust the Lord and wait for Him to move on our behalf.  As I sit here in a quiet and still place I can hear God calling me even closer to Him.  I've sang the song many times, "Just a closer walk with thee.  Grant it Jesus 'tis my plea.  Daily walking close to thee,  let it be, dear Lord let it be!"

I am beginning to realize that with every higher call from Christ comes stronger trials.  The more I desire to know Him deeper and better, the harder it gets in the physical realm.  God is calling us closer but there is a price to pay.  As missionaries who spent the last two years seeking God's face (with like minded friends) and wanting His Spirit to fall fresh on us, we've noticed that every single one of us has experienced such hard trials that at times it's been hard to just breathe.  At those moments, it has been His breath that has given us life and hope.  As a group we've faced financial difficulties, family trials (with or without adoptive children), we have struggled in our marriages, friendships have been strained and even lost, we faced misunderstandings in our ministries, etc.  There have been many times that we've faced such  strong demonic oppression that we could feel Satan himself next to us.  It has been in all those times that God picked us up and carried us through.  It has at times been a very subtle lifting and at others a very real and noticeable one.  So why am I saying all this?  Well, because I know that trying times are upon us again and if we dwell on them without looking back at what we've been through, we'll sink into utter despair.  We were given faithfulness journal last year by some dear missionary friends and it was to serve as a reminder on how faithful God truly has been. 

I had a vision the other night that I'll share with you.  Warren and I were somewhere, maybe at church, we were called to step onto a platform.  We did it without hesitation.  As we stepped forward though, we noticed we were the only ones on the platform that were  being separated from the rest.  I had this clear impression from the Lord after the experience that He was saying, "this is the life you have chosen;  a life that hears the call and steps forward to it."  You know, I believe that that happened to all of the families whom were meeting to go deeper with God on February 15^th 2010, and those who joined us later.  God is calling a people to come closer and to experience Him in a way that will allow Him to lead.  Many people will not understand.  As I encourage myself in the Lord, would you allow me to encourage you also?  Times are hard and for many it will be for a while.  Are we willing to trust Him with our everything and let Him lead us to high places?

I'm sorry if I'm too forward  or too spiritual, but I know that God is doing something in our family that's not just for us.  He has really spoken to us and wants to take us where we haven't been before.  Be encouraged, if God is for us, no one can be against us.

We love you all and we're praying for you.

Welcome Home!

Chris Rafinski, Lorenzo Fragala, Gabrielle Kowalski, Lucy Rosado, Jeff Ng, Warren Carr, Autumn Kim, Chris Monteleone, Adana Atkinson, Kei-Landa Rembert, Brittany Clay, Li-Senya Rembert and Noah George.

From Africa to America

The usual formalities took place at the airport when we got there Monday morning:  bags being overweight, having to change things from bag to bag, finding something to cut the zip strap and of course hearing the announcer call our flight for boarding.  Once the bags were out of the way, we were smooth flying; well, we had to sit on the runway for about 45 minutes because a light craft that landed blew a tire and had to be towed off the main runway.  The trip went relatively smooth, all things considered because just about every member of the family had gotten the flu and were not really feeling 100% but they made the best of it because nothing was going to stop them from getting onto the plane.  We got to London at 6 p.m., and quickly got to our connecting flight.  I tell you going backwards is more exhausting than going forward, and what makes matters worst is the amount of food one is made to eat.

Needless to say, we made it to JFK at 10:40, sat on the plane until everyone was off, dragged ourselves to the customers, were quickly expedited and then our bags were already revolving on the conveyor belt.  That was the quickest we had ever been in and out of an airport.  As we were waiting outside of the airport for our ride, no more than 10 minutes, there came out of nowhere pockets of groups with placards welcoming us back.  First there was a scream from Genesis and then a dead sprint to embrace her bosom friend, it was a classic moment.  We closed the airport as we fellowship and enjoyed each others company, took pictures and of course stopped at McDonald on the way home for the much anticipated fast food inoculation.  Check out the picture tomorrow we'll tell you more...

COMING SOON THIS FALL AND WINTER

Coming Soon This Fall is a 120 days trip that will be taken by our family to see, be with and enjoy the people whom have prayed, supported and visited us over the last four years and making new ones.

Keep checking in from time to time as we take you along on this journey.  We will have some GREAT experiences and some not so good ones but all in all, we will be together.  That is what is important.

In just under 9 hours we will board British Airways (BA) flight 254 from Lusaka, Zambia to London's Heathrow airport.  We will hardly have anytime as the next flight will have already been posted and by the time we get through the metal detector lines, boarding will have begun.  Please pray there are no delays or hitches, especially now that Warren has a metal plate in his right foot with 11 screws.  Thankfully, he was wise enough to get a doctor's letter to help expedite him through the airport hassles.  Then we will board BA 183 from London's Heathrow to JFK International airport, arriving at 10:35 p.m.

So, here we go see you in about 20 hours or maybe in about 10 hours after the first leg.  Regardless to when we chat next, please keep checking in, hopefully will have pictures up as well. Bye!

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