Merry Christmas and happy New
Year!!! Where has 2016 gone? I guess the saying, “Time flies when you are
having fun!” holds true….because 2017 is just around the corner!!!
I hope each of you have had a wonderful time with
friends and family during this Thanksgiving and Christmas season! While it is so difficult being away from my
family and friends during this time, it is so fun to see how the Lord brings
around a new circle of family and friends to help fill the void! While it will never be the same, it does fill
the need.
As I sit here typing this letter, I am struck by
all that has happened over the course of the year….funny moments, tearful
moments, stressful moments and many blessed moments. Here are just a few of those moments…
§ Well…..let’s
start with the reason we are all here…..we have had 3 of our boarding students
accept Christ…..whoop! Our kiddos get
religious education as a class, devotionals 3 days a week in the morning,
devotionals each evening after dinner, bible study on Wednesday evening and
then discipleship time on Saturday. We
are always thrilled to see when the Lord has been able to work in the hearts of
our children as we try to teach them the biblical truth!
§ We
started a new math curriculum at our school (Preschool through Grades 4…and
will had Grade 5 this next year). It has
been a huge learning curve but will hopefully build on the work our teachers
were already doing in order to grow critical thinkers that can complete school,
go to college and then compete for the few jobs available in Zambia! Please be praying for our students as we
continue to push them to think deeper and work harder!
§ With
the help of mutual friends (thank you Bobby Waite and Polly Hoerr), and some of
you who gave through MyStory, we were able to purchase a new reading program
for our school (Preschool through Grade 6).
While the Zambian government does put out a small (approximately 100
pages) book to cover grammar, phonics, writing and reading, it has proven to be
less effective than we would have liked.
Starting mid-term 1, we will begin using the Abeka curriculum in order
to shore up the reading, writing and critical thinking skills that we would love
for our children to have. I can’t wait
to see the progress our teachers and students will be able to make with such a
great, comprehensive program! Please be
praying with us that the shipment (literally coming on a ship) doesn’t fall off
into the ocean and gets here quickly!
§ Shane
and Mitzi McBride, and their family, moved back to the US to continue working
for Lifesong stateside. It was hard on
the Lifesong family here, and left a void for so many, including me as they had
become like family here in Zambia. We
talk a lot about doing life together in the US, but until you have lived on the
same compound and worked at the same school with another family (where Mitzi
and I even shared an office), you just don’t have any idea how big that
statement really is!
§ Skip
and Thomas Stallings moved to Zambia to serve for the next 2+ years to help
fill the void left by Shane and Mitzi.
Skip is a social worker (and served as an intern here a year ago) and is
working at the school while Thomas works on our books as an accountant. I LOVE having them here and look forward to
all that the Lord will do through their lives while they are here.
§ We
have also had a couple from South Africa, Shaine and Chaundrey Morley, join our
team. They are working on the farm and
will be living in the school house once the Wiegands return from their furlough
in January.
§ We
had some AWESOME teams (and 2 fabulous interns) here this summer….including the
youth from FBC McKinney, my home church.
It was a full time job for those of us here managing, working, and
serving alongside the teams as they served the Lord at our school and in our
community. But, it was an awesome time watching them come to love our children,
families and Zambia as we do! The teams
painted, cleaned, built toilets, reroofed houses, volunteered in classrooms,
led Bible Studies, provided medical care to the Zambian Compound community
(ministered to those of us on the ground in Zambia) and played sports with our
kiddos. Such a fun time! You should
think about coming…..yes you....and bring friends with you!!!
§ I
got to go to Livingstone twice to see one of the 7 wonders (or is it 8) of the
world….the Livingstone Falls. I walked
with lions and jumped off the bridge (111 meters down) to freefall and swing
over the gorge (not sure which was more crazy)!
I did the swing last year with Skip…..but this year did it alone…..quite
a different experience. So wishing I had
bought the video to show you! I’ve also had
the opportunity to introduce some of the boys in my life to cities outside of
Garneton/Kitwe. We have made 2 trips to
Lusaka and have had so much fun! Several
of them had never been in an elevator before or ridden on an escalator…..I do
love showing them new things!
§ Oh
the stories I could tell about bugs, and frogs, and snakes and dogs…..but
hopefully you have seen most of that craziness on facebook! We often shout out TIA…..this is Africa….as
we try to recover from crazy moments with God’s creatures. Boy, will I have questions about certain
animals and insects when I meet the Lord face to face!
I have now surpassed my 2 year mark (actually 2
years and 3 months), and most days, couldn’t be happier with my choice to be
here! Through the relationships with our
Lifesong Missionary staff, the Lifesong School staff and our students, I feel
so blessed to be able to continue the work the Lord has called me to do! Although there are times that I miss my
family and friends in the US, I know that there is no place the Lord would
rather have me at this time in my life.
Here are some things that I would love for you to
join me in praying for…
·
Pray that the Lord would continue to
work in the lives of our staff and students.
We want to provide the top education to our students, but more important
than that is providing the life changing truth of Jesus Christ. Pray that the Lord would continue to open the
eyes, ears and hearts of our students and that they will come to know the
saving grace of Jesus Christ.
·
Pray for the safety of our student’s
hearts and minds as they live in the Zambian compound (especially our boarding
students who are only home during term breaks).
The temptations are great, and we just pray that they will be quick to
listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit as he works to keep them
out of trouble and on the right path for their future.
·
Pray that the Lord would continue to
show us grace and mercy while serving on the field. We are blessed with many people looking out
for us and guards that protect us but the dangers are always lurking….as are
the illnesses. Please pray that the Lord
would continue to keep us healthy (and maybe even rid my body of the constant
ghiardia that I seem to struggle with) and keep us safe as we do the work he
has called us to do.
·
Pray
for our Lifesong Missionary staff. We
have had a lot of change over the last 6 months….with more on the horizon. Pray that we will continue to serve as a
team, allowing the Lord to use the strengths that we have to further his
kingdom…while also growing to be like family as we love and care for each
other.
·
Pray for the Wiegands as they
transition back to Zambia following their 3 month furlough in the US. Although I have no doubt that they have loved
their time at home, I know they are anxious to return to Zambia to continue the
work the Lord has called them to do.
I
love each of you so much and can’t tell you how much I appreciate all you do to
help keep me here in Zambia. Whether it
is Facebook messages, email messages, what’s app calls or checking up on me
through my church and parents, it is because of you that I am able to continue
the work that the Lord has called me to do.
I will put some of my contacts at the bottom of the page….reach out any
time! I love hearing from each of you!
Thank you for the financial commitments that you
have made in order to help me stay here in Zambia. If it weren’t for your giving, this all would
not be possible. And by all, I’m even
referring to the sponsorships and donations that you give through Lifesong in
order to keep our school up and running!
Thank you!!!
As you begin looking towards the end of the year,
and find that you may have some giving left to do…..would you consider giving
to Lifesong? You can give to individual
projects (such as Lifesong Zambia), families that are working through fostering
and/or adopting or you could even give to me!
There are always random expenses that weren’t necessarily planned for
where a little extra money in my staff account would be so helpful (such as
purchasing a new booster pump –to move the water from our bore hole to our
houses- at the house….calling the electricians after a HUGE power surge blew
out many of our electronics….buying more LP Gas for the stoves-which comes in
so handy when the power is out-….and multiple trips to the clinic to try to
eliminate the constant case of ghiardia that I seem to be carrying).
Again…..I am so thankful that you are on this
journey with me….and would LOVE for you to come and visit! We have plenty of places for you to stay and
would love to be able to share all that we are doing at Lifesong! Happy 2017…..may the Lord show his grace and
mercy in your lives and make it the best year yet!
Love
you to Africa and back…
Kristie
+260 97 525 2361
Lifesong
School
PO
Box 21568
Plot
172, Wolfram Avenue
Garneton,
Kitwe
Zambia
84
Giving
can be done through:
First
McKinney Baptist Church at www.firstmckinney.com
Lifesong
for Orphans at www.lifesongfororphans.org
For this
reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family[a] in heaven and on
earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may
strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that
Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being
rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s
holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of
Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled
to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do
immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at
work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout
all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:14-21
