Celebrating with Gratitude

October has given us plenty of reasons to celebrate! From birthdays and family milestones to opportunities to teach God’s Word and celebrate the nation of Zambia we now call home, there has been so much to give thanks for this month. Of course, life in Mongu has also reminded us that some things simply have to be endured, and the heat has certainly been one of them!

As we look back over the past few weeks, we’re reminded that God’s goodness is often seen in both the big milestones and the little moments of everyday life. This month has given us plenty of both, and we want to share a few of them with you.

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”
Psalm 107:1

Celebrating Another Year of Michael’s Life

On 3 October, we celebrated Michael’s 46th birthday! It was lovely to be able to celebrate together, although the festivities were simple and somewhat short-lived as his birthday was quickly followed by final preparations for teaching at Barotse Bible School, which began on 5 October.

We’re so thankful for another year of Michael’s life. He is a wonderful husband and father who works so hard to serve our family and the Lord Jesus. We praise God for him and for the many lives impacted as he serves and teaches God’s Word here in Zambia.

Teaching God’s Word: The Book of Revelation

From 5–16 October, Michael had the opportunity to teach the Book of Revelation at Barotse Bible School. It was a significant undertaking, requiring months of preparation and considerable thought.
One of his biggest challenges was adjusting his teaching to suit the students’ different and limited educational backgrounds and levels of understanding. Some students have only completed Grade 9 level at school, which means that concepts and terminology we might ordinarily take for granted often need much more explanation.

Teaching a book as complex as Revelation within such a limited time was no small task! Michael was only given 6 days over a period of 2 weeks to teach this subject. One of those six days was supposed to be for assessment. He had to think very carefully about how best to communicate the material clearly and how to assess the students in ways that gave them the best opportunity to demonstrate what they had learned.

Further Preaching Opportunities

Alongside the formal teaching sessions, he also had opportunities to preach at the school’s chapel services. Although this added to an already full schedule, it was an enjoyable part of his time there.

We’re grateful for these opportunities to invest in the lives of students preparing for ministry and to help equip them to understand and teach God’s Word faithfully.

Following these two busy weeks, Michael also had the opportunity to preach at the Reformed Baptist Church on Sunday. He preached from Hebrews 9, focusing on how Christ has opened the way for us to have access to God. We’re thankful for this further opportunity to serve and share God’s Word.

One Year of Officially Being a Family of Three

October has also brought a particularly special milestone for our family.

On 13 October, we remembered the day, one year ago, when we first stood in court for Caleb’s adoption. Just three days later, on 16 October, his adoption was finalised and he was legally recognised in Zambia as our son.

It’s hard to believe that a whole year has passed! Although in many ways, it feels as though Caleb has been part of our family for much longer. Mainly because the journey towards becoming his parents began months before everything was officially finalised in court. We remember the excitement, the uncertainty, the waiting and the anxiety of wondering whether everything would work out. Even when we were so close to the end, there was still that lingering question of whether something might happen to prevent it all from going ahead. And now, here we are, a year later, celebrating the little boy who has become such a precious part of our lives.

Journey to Parenting

Sometimes we stop and think about what life looked like a couple of years ago, when it was simply the two of us. Life was certainly simpler in many ways, but it wasn’t as rich as it is now. Watching Caleb grow from a little floppy toothless baby into the curious, sociable little boy has been such a joy. He has a wonderfully sensitive heart, loves people and is always eager to make friends. We love watching his personality develop and look forward to discovering more of the little person he is becoming. As we look at him today, we are reminded of just how much our lives have changed and how much joy this little boy has brought into our family.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.”
James 1:17

Little Steps in Learning Lozi

Learning a new language is one thing when you’re sitting in a classroom, practising words and phrases with your teacher. Putting those words into practice in the real world, however, is quite another!

This month, we had our first little excursion with our Lozi teacher to the nearby harbour market. The idea was to put some of what we’ve been learning into practice, but I’ll admit that the thought of actually speaking Lozi to people was a little daunting for me!

When you already feel self-conscious about standing out as a foreigner, trying to speak a language you’re still learning can feel rather intimidating. You find yourself wondering whether you’re using the right words and hoping you won’t make too many mistakes along the way.

Thankfully, our teacher helped break the ice by explaining to the people that we were learning Lozi and had come to practise. With their encouragement, we were able to ask for things, communicate with the market traders and get some helpful feedback using the words and phrases we knew.

Encouraging Lozi Reception

One of the best parts was seeing how excited the local people were to hear us speaking their language. Those nearby who overheard us practising were delighted! They called out to their friends, ” Ah! Makuwa ba ziba silozi!” Which means, “Wow! These white people know Lozi” Their warmth and encouragement made the experience far less intimidating than we had imagined.

While still a long way from being fluent, it was encouraging to see that even our small efforts to learn the language are appreciated. We’re slowly learning that language learning involves not just vocabulary and grammar, but also stepping out of our comfort zone and building relationships with the people around us.

We’re thankful for our teacher’s patience and for the kindness of the people who are helping us along the way. Little by little, we’re making progress!

Celebrating Zambia’s Independence

October is also a special month for the country we now call home. On 24 October, Zambia celebrated its Independence Day, marking 62 years of independence since 1964.

Caleb’s school joined in the celebrations, and he had the opportunity to dress up in a special outfit for the occasion. It was lovely to see the children taking part in celebrating Zambia’s history and national identity.

As we celebrated alongside our Zambian neighbours and friends, we were reminded that being part of life here involves more than simply living in another country. It means learning to appreciate its people, understanding its culture and finding ways to contribute to the work God is doing here.

We’re thankful for the welcome we have received and for the opportunity to be part of this community.

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:4

Finding Grace in the Heat!

While October has brought plenty of reasons to celebrate, it has also brought some rather toasty weather!

Temperatures in Mongu this past month have climbed as high as 39°C, and with the added humidity, it has been quite a shock to the system. The mornings are generally the best time to get things done, but by lunchtime, the heat seems to drain every last bit of energy out of us. Some afternoons, simply getting through the day feels like an achievement!

Thankfully, we’ve recently had an air conditioner installed in our bedroom. After one particularly hot afternoon, Michael moved his desk and computer out of the office and into our bedroom so that he can get some work done without melting in the process! The air conditioner has been a very welcome provision but we’re also trying to adjust our routines to the heat, doing what we can in the cooler parts of the day and allowing ourselves a little more grace when the afternoons become unbearable.

Life and ministry don’t always happen under ideal circumstances. Sometimes faithfulness simply means adapting to what each day brings. We’re grateful for the practical provisions that make life a little easier and help us keep going, even when the weather seems determined to slow us down.

Looking Ahead

As we come to the end of October, we’re looking back on a month filled with meaningful milestones, opportunities to serve and plenty of reasons to give thanks.

Whether we’re celebrating another birthday, reflecting on a year of being a family, joining in a national celebration or simply finding relief from the afternoon heat, we’re reminded that God’s provision is often found in the big moments and the small ones alike. We’re thankful for the many opportunities God has given us this month. From teaching and preaching to learning the local language and celebrating special family milestones, we’ve been reminded in many different ways of His goodness.

Looking ahead to November, Michael will be travelling by bus to Lusaka at the end of this week and then fly to Johannesburg for a SIM Leader Development Workshop. We’re looking forward to hearing more about what this opportunity will involve and will share an update in our next newsletter.

Thank you for continuing to walk alongside us, for praying for us and for being part of this journey. We are grateful for your partnership and for the many ways God uses you to encourage and sustain us as we serve here in Zambia.