Our kids…

Well, I guess it wouldn’t be a proper blog if I didn’t have at least one entry about my kids, so here it goes…

For those of you reading this who don’t know my kids, I will introduce you…

First, there’s 8 year old Paige, otherwise known as Paigee(long e). She’s my dreamer- her head always in the clouds and her feet rarely on the ground. She’s as creative and artistic as they come- loves to paint, sing, draw and esp. dance. She’s also one of the most loving kids I’ve ever met…. That’s where she shines- in relationships. She’s the best friend and big sister we all wish we had… always kind, encouraging and compassionate. She always thinks the best of people, even to a fault, and has a heart of gold just like her daddy. 

Next, there’s 5 year old Katelyn, otherwise known as Katy. She’s my little chef. She’s been cooking practically by herself since she was 2. It’s really blown me away how much she loves to cook and bake and how highly skilled she is at it for someone so young. She’s also my hot or cold one. She either loves it or she hates it- with Kate there is no middle ground… and once she’s decided- save your breath. There is no changing her mind. She feels things deeply and lives with such passion. She has a tendency to be shy, but when she’s broken out of her shell she is as rough and tumble as they come. 

And, finally, there is 2 year old Chloe, otherwise known as Co-Co. She’s my cleaner. Seriously! Giving her a wipey has gotten me out of many a tantrum! Never have been able to understand it but the girl has a need to clean! She’s also my independent one. It never has come across as bratty or rude or even rebellious, but the girl is hard-wired to think that she doesn’t need us or, honestly, help in any form… and, don’t tell her, but in a lot of cases she’s right! She sees a goal and then attacks it, she sees something wrong and then fixes it- doesn’t need help or instructions to do it. 

Well, now that you know them, I bet you are wondering how do you, as a parent, tell your (at that time) 7, 4 and 1 year old that they have to leave most of their toys and all their family and friends behind to go to Africa… good question. Well, you just do… you sit them down and you tell them. We said it gently and gave them plenty of time for questions, but it was still a hard conversation to have. Due to their age and the fact that only Paige has accepted Jesus yet, saying “because God said to” only got us so far. It was hard to explain why, but we just kept trusting that if God called us to this He would make a way in their hearts, as well. Their initial response was to cry, and I’ll be honest it was heart-breaking. I didn’t expect them to stand up and cheer for the decision, but to see the panic in their eyes and sorrow in their cries was unbearable. As a mom, it hurt to think that I was causing them this much pain, but I knew staying on God’s path was the only way to find true joy, so I held fast. Ryan and I continued to pray for them and for their hearts. We knew He was the only one who could make this right. The next day we were pleasantly surprised to find that Paige had done a 180. She had seen in some of daddy’s pictures that the children there knew how to jump rope. God laid it on her heart that she needed to bring “Jumprope for Jesus” (a jumprope club at our church) to Africa. After that, she was on fire- couldn’t wait to get there, couldn’t wait to minister. She even began to sing a song around the house that her children’s choir was doing called “I refuse” by Josh Wilson. (Chorus: I don’t want to live like I don’t care, I don’t want to say another empty prayer, oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else to do what God has called me to do myself, oh, I could choose not to move, but I refuse.) She sang it with such passion and courage that it would take my breath away sometimes. It was an amazing turn around to see. As I said before, our Katy is as hot or cold as they come and to say that she was cold about this decision was to give it 20 degrees! She did not like it and refused to even talk about it. My heart was so burdened for her heart. I prayed and prayed over her. As the days became weeks, God slowly began to move in her heart. Little by little she started to come around. Now I don’t remember a time when she was excited to go, but by the time we left she was willing to admit that we were going without an angry explosion so I totally counted that as a win! I felt blessed that God had moved in her so much! Of course Chloe was, and is, so young that she’s perfectly fine going anywhere as long as her big sissys are going too!:) 

When we got here, we were told that the children would adjust easier than we would and that was the truth. Sure, they miss home- friends, modern conveniences- but they have adjusted shockingly well to a lack of clean water/constant electricity, they have made new friends, are thriving in our busy schedules (when the teams are in town) and are wonderful ministry partners during our weekly kid’s bible study. I’m not saying they haven’t had moments of homesickness, but all and all they are game for just about anything and have been able to turn the most frustrating situations into positives for us.  

Things I have learned through my children through this journey so far are simple: 1) I worried way too much about what toys to bring, because clearly all my children need are some rocks and a stick and they are as happy as little clams! 2) That it’s ok to be excited and yell “POWER!” when the lights suddenly go on 3) that making a friend can be as easy as just going outside and introducing yourself. 4) that sisters play together just fine when they don’t have any better offers  5) most importantly, my children have shown me what courage and bravery really look like. They faced a world of unknowns when they stepped on that plane and they did it with their heads held high and their hearts ready for what laid before them. These are 3 of the bravest people I know and I am honored to serve with them here in Sanyati. I COULD NOT be prouder of them. I am honored to be called their mother. May God bless them and their service for His kingdom, both now and forevermore. Amen.

Rashel

(Aka Mama)

This one’s for you girls….

“I refuse” Josh Wilson   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B1Lv8k5pEc

God is sooooooo amazing! He has blown me away!

Our last night of packing, before we boarded the plane for Zimbabwe, we never slept. We were throwing things in boxes right up until the end. It was insane. We had a little extra room at the end, but I couldn’t think of anything else to pack and, quite frankly, we had run out of time. We needed to head out towards the airport. So, off we went…… skip forward to week 1 in Harare. Still struggling to adjust to life in Zim, I occasionally would have pangs of sadness for random items that were left back home. Over the next 2 weeks, I beat myself up about what I should have brought… what I could have grabbed at the last minute. It was very frustrating. As time passed two things happened- 1) God led me to accept reality about where I was and what I had with me… sure, I “should have”, but I didn’t and that’s ok. 2) Secondly, God kept “gifting” me with little surprise things in the most random ways. For example, I have a blanket at home that is my favorite… it’s soft and warm, I love it. After arriving here, I was bummed at the prospect of no special blanket for 6 mos… esp. since it is winter here. Then we started going through a box of supplies we had sent on ahead with another team and in it was a ….(wait for it!)… a blanket!!!!... fleece!!!!... soft and warm and such a surprise! It felt like God handed it right to me! Every night when I go to sleep I feel like God is giving me a hug! :o) It’s been awesome! That’s just 1 example of what has happened a dozen times! It has been so sweet to get a reminder from God that He’s here and He sees me. It has been so refreshing to my heart.
Skip ahead to about 2 weeks ago. We had some communication issues and weren’t able to get a message out to the first team in time for them to bring us some items from the States. I have to say, I was disappointed. In my head, somehow, the teams bringing us supplies from home had become my saving grace for living in Zimbabwe for 6 months. But in the disappointment, I knew it was God. He was, as He always does, finding something that I was depending on- instead of Him- and dissolving it. Though the feeling is not always a pleasant one, it is a sure-fire way to get my hands firmly on Him and off the things of this world. I knew God saw that, in my heart, I was depending on the teams for supplies, not Him. After a heart check, I was better able to see who I should be relying on. When the team was packing up to go, one of the team members brought us a bag of candy he had leftover. Normally that wouldn’t have floored me, but candy was one of the things that we needed. I had been getting very concerned that we weren’t going to be able to give out candy at the kid's bible study last week like I was advised to. When I saw the bag of candy, I knew it was God saying “Stop worrying, I’ve got this!”. I was so thrilled and in awe of God- to see my heart and bless me in such a way.
Well, that brings us up to tonight… when God has absolutely blown me away! Tuesday last week (keeping in mind they flew out on Friday) I sent the second team a small list of things we needed pretty asap. I took a lot of stuff off our previous list and just was asking for the “must-haves”. I emailed their team leader and to be honest, knew it was a long shot because it was such short notice. When they arrived tonight they had 5 tubs/suitcases full of stuff for us and for ministry here. Now, I asked them for rather small items, so I was puzzled. She explained she had put our requests on facebook and their church body flooded them with stuff to bring to us (both on our list and not). I was floored! (But wait, it gets better!) It was like Christmas- tons of tools Ryan had been needing, cool food for the kids, etc. I even sang a few Christmas carols! Haha! After we started to unpack the boxes is when I was floored… the stuff that was sent to us was almost EVERYTHING from that first longer list that I didn’t send them. There were also several items there that only God knew that I wanted… for example, the other day I thought “Man, I really miss gum. I wish I had a pack of gum from back home”… I now have a pack of Trident. I thought “I wish I would have brought the plastic container you put wipes in. It would have really helped with potty-training!”… I now have 3. I thought “Man, what a bummer for my kids to not get applesauce for 6 months.”… I now have some. I thought “Gosh, we are running out of travel snacks for the kids- Hope what we have can last till our home church’s team comes. Maybe they can bring us some”… I now have 2 packages of them. I thought “Man, I wish I could get travel wipes here”… I now have some. I had been warned when I got here to always use a purse with a zipper (which I didn’t bring) and had been considering buying one, but hated to spend our money here on a new purse for me… I now have a zipper purse sitting on my dresser!!! Can you believe it!!! Things I hadn’t even told Ryan that I wanted are now in my home! This is crazy! God is so big and so huge to orchestrate this, but yet so detailed and intimate to know my heart’s desire AND He loves me enough to provide it! WOW! What an awesome and wonderful God we serve! I have been blown away by how much He loves me and how sweetly He cares for me. Praise Him!


Rashel

Team 1 Report:

 Five men from New Mexico served here at Sanyati Baptists Hospital.  They arrived late afternoon on Sunday, May 20th.  They were seasoned missionaries who have traveled the world to serve Christ.  The first day of work, we tore the roof off of the Labor and Delivery building.  There were a few incidents.  The old asbestos/concrete panels gave way beneath me and I nearly fell completely through.  My left shin caught a board below long enough for me to stop falling through.  We had a couple of kick throughs the ceiling and the nurses threw some screws back up to us from below.  As we began, one of the team inspected the x-ray machine and gave some recommendations to a local pastor who serves as the x-ray technician.  We had a little difficulty with the ridge caps as the ones we were using did not appear to be bent correctly.  While tearing off the roof, we found bats and skins of some small snakes.  (After the team left, Clive from a company that works on the water system out here said there is a small chance that we might open up a roof and find a python.)


Perry and Mike built some new shelving for the scaffolding in the container the hospital just turned over to the Makeover project.  They also salvaged some termite damaged wood to build much needed ladder platforms to use against the buildings. 


After completing the Labor and Delivery building, we moved on to the Surgery Theater.  There we shored up one of the operating room light fixtures and made short work of the rest of the building.  They closed out their time by tearing off a few rows of the last building in the maternity block.


We spent Saturday evening at the Gora village enjoying chicken, sadza, greens and bottled soft drinks at the African Experience meal.  We saw how the family draws water from the well and ate under the stars with the Gora family.  We shared experiences and sang songs in both Shona and English.


Sunday, we drove to spend time at Terri Yashe Church in the bush near ARDA.  The church had a makeshift mud sanctuary covered with some old roofing material.  The pews, walls and pulpit were made out of termite mud.  They have been working on the building for two years.  The walls were up but they did not have the money to buy the roofing materials.  They chose the location in the bush because the area is slated for future housing development.  They are excited to worship in an area where people will build houses all around them.  One of the team members gave a wonderful sermon that presented the scripture with many illustrations from the Jewish culture. We even got to meet the chaplain who served here at Sanyati hospital for over 30 years. It was an honor to meet him.


The team finished working on Monday and backed their bags to leave Tuesday morning. We wrapped up our week with them having dessert night with Rashel. The brownies and chocolate cake were well deserved. It was a privilege to serve alongside them.


Ryan

Sometimes It Hurts

Sometimes it is tough to witness the hardships people face here in Zimbabwe.  We just got back from a supply run to Harare and the contradictions here are still on my mind.  While there in Harare, you can witness two extremes of society.  There are some very affluent neighborhoods with extreme poverty a short distance away.  I have seen some wealthy areas that rival some neighborhoods in the US.  Across town there are parts of where people live in slums that you will only witness in 3rd world countries.  You can drive through the streets and see corn growing wherever there is any dirt, hundreds of people lying on the ground sleeping, dirt trails lined with people as far as you can see trying to sell something to earn some money, very small children that should be in school running between cars to try to sell trinkets, grass fires and garbage burning everywhere, and at night you see people huddled up around fires in the ditches.  


Out at Sanyati, the differences are not quite so obvious.  Most people live a life as subsistence farmers.  There are not many opportunities to earn money.  Some may have jobs at the mission center, schools, hospital or the cotton centers in ARDA.  Most people live in small family villages of bricks made from termite mounds.  Some along the roads have posted their family name up on a small sign as a bus stop for the combi vans that ferry people around.  Many of the rural schools appear to be abandoned buildings from many years past.  The windows are broken, the roofs leak, the doors may be missing and much of the wood is eaten by termites; however, when school is in session you may find the small room filled with 75 or more children sitting on makeshift mats … desks are rare.  Some schools have part of the children based outside and swap to be inside midway through the day.  There are days when you see many children walking around in the school uniforms.  My heart was broken when I asked why they were not at school.  I was told that they had been expelled because their parents could not pay the school fees.


Time working on the hospital brings a mixture of emotions.  Some days are very sad like one about a week ago where I witnessed nurses cart the bodies of two patients to the mortuary.  The storage containers where we keep our materials and tools are directly across from the mortuary.  It seemed like there was a lot of activity there over the next several days.  The police brought a body in one day, another day I saw a family come to collect a body in their scotch cart, and I had to explain the cries of a morning family to some people from America.  Mixed in the tough days, there are some that are very joyful.  Some of the last team got to hold newborn babies that we heard being born as we were working on the above roof.


I cannot help but feeling that the people here deserve far more.  I hear accounts of people going home to die all the time.  Just the other day, I found out the niece of someone I work with on a daily basis had lost her young baby that was only a few days old.  The only details I know are that the baby had a wound on its back and the hospital here referred them on to Kadoma and then Kadoma referred them on to Harare.  They could not afford to go to Harare so they came back home and the baby died.  Tragedy and death are very common here.  It hurts and it is hard not to be completely overwhelmed and just cry.  I try to pour all I can into the hospital because the people here deserve so much more.  I push on even when it is hard to bend and walk on the leg I hurt when I slipped and fell on the roof for the second time since I have been here.  It is hard to know that I have insurance that will evacuate me or a family member in a medical emergency.  The people here only have access to what the hospital can provide.  In many cases it is lifesaving, in others it is not adequate.  They are short on medicines and in dire need of a doctor.


My family and I live in a nice house on the mission center.  We have running water and electricity most of the time.  Though what we have here is far less than what we are accustomed to back in America, it is far more than many here will ever have access to.  It is hard to reconcile that we were born in an affluent country.  The plight of the people is burned into my heart.  I am reminded of the Sermon on the Mount which opens as:
Matthew 5:1-12
The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes
1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 
2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, 
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 
5 Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 
10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
11 Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 


Please continue to pray for the people of the Sanyati area.  Pray that the Lord provides for them by repairing the hospital and providing another doctor in addition to the safe return of Dr. Byler later this year.  Pray for encouragement and perseverance during tough times.


Ryan

I miss, but I like…

Occasionally, when we first got here and were feeling particularly homesick, we would play a game called “I miss”. We would go around in a circle and say what we missed from back home. After we were here for a while, to make it a little healthier for the girls, we changed it to “I miss… but I like” so we could talk about the good things here too. Here’s a peek in at our last game… hope you enjoy… :)

Daddy: I miss Doritos and choc. milk, but I like the people here

Mama: I miss my heater and dishwasher, but I like how peaceful rural life can be

Paige: I miss Lady (our dog), but I like looking at the dogs that walk around here

Katy: I miss playing on our playground, but I like helping Mama cook

Chloe: I miss Violet, but I like Patience here

Daddy: I miss Mexican food esp. salsa, but I like the stars at night

Mama: I miss tortilla chips (a lot!), but I like the bacon and the hot tea (with milk and sugar) here.

Paige: I miss Destiny, but I like my friends here too

Katy: I miss our blue rocking horse, but I like the Strawberry Shortcake remote control car that I got for my bday here

Chloe: I miss my swing, but I like playing with my sissys

Daddy: I miss Home Depot & Lowe’s, but I like working on the hospital

Mama: I miss having a break from the kids…ever, but I like how much time the kids are getting to have together

Paige: I miss Chinese food, but I like playing with the small beetles that are around here

Katy: I miss pink lemonade, but I like pineapple fanta

Chloe: I miss going to church, but I like getting a ride on Patience’s back

Daddy: I miss clean water out of the tap, but I like Blackberry Mazoe

Mama: I miss Rosa’s on Tuesdays & Taco Delight anytime, but I like my homemade tortillas here

Paige: I miss Evie, but I like spending time with my family here

Katy: I miss wrestling with Dada, but I like playing hide and seek here

Chloe: I miss Julia, but I like sleeping with my sissys (in 1 big bed)

Daddy: I miss constant internet access, but I like rural life

Mama: I miss church, but I like meeting the new teams as they come in

Paige: I miss Ryan Naizer’s accordion, but I like seeing Uncle Barry and Aunt Marleen

Katy: I miss Taco Delight, but I like my toys here too

Chloe: I miss Kolette, but I like “zoe” (Mazoe)

Rashel