the in between

i realize it's been about... oh 3 weeks since i last posted and that post was from my first day out of ten that i spent in romania... so to say i'm behind would be an understatement. the fact that i didn't post anymore while i was in romania might give you a clue as to how busy we were and how little free time i had. there is more to be said about that trip and the experiences i had there and hopefully i'll be able to share some of them with you soon.

transitioning back into regular routine has proved difficult. i always find that "re-entry" after a missions trip, whether you were gone for 2 weeks or 3 months, is a tough process. transitioning between vastly different cultures can be tricky to navigate and it can really mess with your head and make you question everything, which is both a blessing and a curse.

so i did what any normal person would do. i hid. oh wait, that isn't normal? well sometimes it's normal to me. you know, what do you do when you don't want to deal with things like ummm your emotions? you avoid them. you watch endless hours of friday night lights. you sleep for 11 hours a night. or maybe that's just me. i guess we all have our methods of coping. don't judge.

couple all the emotions you've just experienced after sitting in a tiny 2-room home in romania that houses 10 kids under the age of 15 with all the emotions of jumping into this holiday season after getting engaged last christmas and then breaking up 2 1/2 months later and well... that's just a recipe for disaster folks. that's exactly what i've felt like. a disastrous mess of emotions including anger at anything that breathes and overwhelming sadness and hopelessness that i wish i still wasn't feeling. oh man, writing all of that out just makes me sound so crazy. but you all know i like to keep things real around here when i can.

despite the messiness i've still managed to maintain myself on weight watchers. i'm so close to my original goal of 70lbs... only about 12 away. just crazy. i ran another 5k only 2 days after getting home from romania. it was great because i got to run with my sister, who i adore obviously, and it was so special. we're running another one on saturday here in our city. the finish line is only a block from my house. fantastic! so i guess i'm a runner now? feels weird saying, but it has to be true. i've logged over 43 miles in the last 7 weeks. that must qualify me as something.  ;)

thanks for all the support and love during this season. special thanks to all my ladies on twitter for the encouragement lately. xoxo

grace and peace,

halfway point

well it's been 2 weeks since i arrived in zambia and i feel like so much has happened! i'm back in the capital city of lusaka because one of our team members left this morning to head home. tomorrow 4 more arrive (including my parents) and then on friday we will head up to the village again. i left my brother and andy in the village for a few days and i think they're enjoying some freedom. hopefully they figure out how to boil water so they can eat! haha! just kidding... they know how to boil water. :)

our time so far has been VERY relational which is great. after coming here for 4 years there are some deep relationships that require time while i am here and i am happy to give it! my dear friend agness just recently had her 3rd child (a baby boy named blessing) so i've enjoyed some cuddle time with him. you may remember me talking about her oldest daughter named gracie in year's past and how she was scared of me because i was white. well this year something changed and all she wants to do is be on my lap! i'm happy that she's no longer scared of me. i guess it's cause she's 4 now... you know how things change when you turn 4. ;)

that's her and i in the picture!

we were so excited to deliver over 50 books to the kaombe basic school. they were purchased with funds from the "soap for hope" project from last christmas. kids in coatesville made soap and the profits were to be used for the school. they were in desperate need of books so it was a blessing to be able to help them out! the teachers and students were so happy when we delivered them!

we've also gotten the chance to visit a couple surrounding villages who are trying to start different endeavors, such a goat project and a craft club. there's been lots of traditional food and dancing which always makes for exciting times.

one of the most amazing things so far has been seeing the completed water project in the village. there are water taps all over the place and you can tell what a relief it has been to the community. people no longer have to walk 1-3km to get water. for some it's now a super short distance. lots of people have started gardens in their yards where they're growing vegetables for their families to eat. now that they have access to plenty of water they can easily tend their gardens and now provide food for their families or even sell it to neighbors!

i was going to put more pictures up but the internet is really slow today so you'll just have to wait!

thank you for all the prayers! please keep them coming! on friday we travel back to the village for the last leg of our journey. pray for the remaining projects we have and the time spent with our friends- that it would be fruitful and that God would allow us to encourage them and speak into their lives.

miss you all so much!!!

we made it

muli shani mukwai!!! (that means hi, how are you in bemba)

our team arrived safely in zambia, africa yesterday afternoon. we had a really long flight from new york to johannesburg, south africa. if it sounds far, it is. 15 hours to be exact. on one airplane. overall the flight wasn't bad, it was just boring. all 4 of us managed to doze in and out and at least get a bit of sleep. we watched movies, listened to music, read books and talked about how excited we were that we were headed back to africa!

once we got to south africa we didn't have much time before our next flight- the one that would take us to zambia! after 15 hours on a plane, 2 hours was nothing. ironically we all slept that whole flight... even better than the first one. i think that was probably out of pure exhaustion.

we made it quickly through immigration and rejoiced as all of our bags found their way to us! our dear friend nyambe was waiting for us when we walked out of the airport. it's always a joyous reunion with him! we ran a few errands and headed to the backpackers lodge where we stay when we're in the capital city. we rested for a bit and then another zambian friend, peter, met up with us and we all went and had pizza. :)

we all crashed around 8pm last night and slept for 12 hours!!! crazy, right? i think our bodies were trying to tell us something! this morning we had breakfast at one of my favorite places in lusaka- Kilimanjaro cafe. they have the best smoothies and coffee drinks. plus the whole place is decorated with african crafts. we hung out there for a few hours and met up with more friends of ours from a local non-profit called joy human development centre. these guys do amazing work for the homeless youth here in lusaka. they have soccer programs for them and teach them about aids & malaria awareness. in 2008 they took a team of young girls to the homeless world cup and they won! this year they'll be back in brazil to defend their title. sadly, one of the founders, james, passed away earlier this year so his brothers john & morgan are left to carry on. it was so heartbreaking to not have james with us but we know where he is and that he would want us all to continue the work he left behind. he's so inspiring and i hope to share with you more ways we can support and encourage their organization!

today we're running a few more errands and then early tomorrow morning we will head up north to kaombe village. it's about an 8-9 hour van ride so pray for us! haha! but we're all excited to get up there and join up with our zambian family. i can't wait to see all the kids and give them lots of hugs!

my heart is full today and i am so happy to be here. it felt like a long road to get here this year but we made it and i know that God has wonderful things in store. thanks for all your love & support!

hopefully i can update you next week if i go to town for supplies and such.

serving Him together,

it's that time of year again

well in just a week i will find myself once again on a long plane ride destined for africa. it's hard to believe this will be my 4th year traveling to the country of zambia! i remember my first time and how i had no idea what it would be like and what i should pack and what the people would be like. now i feel like a pro. packing doesn't stress me out. i get to reunite with people i love. i know what to expect and what i'll see. it's just a different perspective now i suppose.

this year feels different for me though. while i'm excited to go and spend a month sleeping in a tent, pooping in a hole, cooking over a fire and being with friends, there is a struggle to really embrace it fully this year. honestly i feel like this is the first year it feels like a sacrifice for me to go. i hope that doesn't sound awful, cause i don't mean for it to. it's just that this year my focus has been on so many things other than africa so now i have to reorient my brain and shift my focus. so much of my focus lately has revolved around getting my house together, helping with a church plant, forming all kinds of new relationships and investing in the lives of people in my community here. the thought of leaving this incredible community of people that i'm surrounded by for a month makes me sad. i know it's only a month but when you get used to living life daily with others you really come to rely on them for support and love and encouragement. thus, the sacrifice.

i know i have to lay down my desires and pick up my cross and follow Him. it's the call that He's put on my life and the responsibility that He has given me for now so i have to be responsible with it. i was praying in my car this morning and i just realized how selfish i am. i've already been looking with anticipation towards the fall and being able to focus myself back here in coatesville again and it's the wrong attitude. i need to be fully present in this moment. when i'm in zambia i need to be fully present there, not distracted by what i want to do when i get home. i want to have my full attention on zambia while i'm there. it's so hard being a human with weaknesses. yeah i know that sounds ridiculous but it's the truth sometimes.

a friend of mine posted this quote on facebook this morning and it really spoke to me.

...Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men & women who kept on working....

i have no idea who wrote that or where it came from but it's so true. i've gone through a lot of exhaustion and feeling discouraged but i press on!

oh and i know this probably goes against every blog etiquette rule but my brother and i are still in need of some funds for this trip so if you feel so inclined to give that would be a blessing. if not, that's cool, too. i appreciate that you read this and keep up with me (even though i don't write as much as i should)! hopefully i'll be able to update this a few times while i'm away and share with you about what's going on over there. clicking the donate button will connect you to paypal where you can make a tax-deductible donation to hope beyond borders (the non-profit i work for), which will go towards our trip.

thanks so much!!!

recap in photos

the last week has been a pretty intense one for me so i'm going to start with some photos. these first ones are from my incredible vacation to north carolina a couple weeks ago. i stole my dad's canon rebel for the week and had fun taking walks, waking up early and capturing it with the camera.



i really loved this shot of the fishing pole... i don't know why but it just made me happy. the other shot was what my daily mornings consisted of- reading from the Word, indulging in time traveler's wife and drinking delicious coffee all while staring at the waves and even catching some groups of dolphins playing!


when i got home fall had officially arrived in pennsylvania. the trees had all turned and it was absolutely beautiful. last week i drove up to french creek state park and enjoyed a quiet walk in the woods. i once again had snagged my dad's camera and snuck a few shots of God's lovely creation.


i.love.this.time.of.year. the colors are so incredible! if i could have my dream wedding it would probably be the end of october when the colors are so vibrant... i just love the reds, oranges and yellows. so warm and calming!

in other news, i purchased a sewing machine last week and i have to say- i'm in love! i'm learning as i go and just having fun. it's gonna be a home-made christmas and i am so excited. so excited in fact that i asked the other people in my office if they thought it was too early to start playing christmas music. they didn't answer but just looked at me like i was crazy. however, this afternoon i have the office to myself and you better believe i've got it playing! less than 50 days till christmas! does that stress anyone out? ;)

now you know who will be busy crafting all weekend!

friendsmoon

so i hate to break it to all of you but i am posting today from a lovely house right on the beach in beautiful north carolina. yes, it's true- i am on vacation. hallelujah.

when i was in zambia in august a good friend of mine emailed me to invite me to go on a "friendsmoon." my first reaction was probably the same as yours- "what the heck is a friendsmoon?" as i read further in the email i discovered that some awesome women i know decided to plan a vacation just for the ladies... so no men. so kind of like a honeymoon, but just with girls- thus FRIENDSMOON was born. i didn't even read any of the details of the email, but quickly responded with a "heck yes i will go" and figured i'd learn the details later.

turns out the details were a house right on the beach on beautiful topsail island. can i just say that i love north carolina? good, cause i just did. vacationing here is always so fantastic and so far this trip is no exception. we arrived yesterday afternoon and were delighted to see amazing views of the ocean just steps from our 3 story deck.

today i spent my day laying outside, reading books, playing games and getting to know some of these ladies more. right now there are 7 of us, but come thursday the number will jump to 18! yikes! haha! should get interesting!

and currently i am watching first knight... i love me some richard gere. pardon me while i swoon. hope everyone else is having a great week!

the good news is so good

wow.

that's all i can say.

we reached our target of raising $1,330 to purchase mattress for 38 very deserving deaf kids in zambia, africa... and in less than 10 days! that's why i can't stop saying wow. a big THANK YOU to all who donated, spread the word and said a prayer for these precious children. God has certainly done an incredible thing and He used YOU to do it! i was able to get in touch with my friend joyce, who will be purchasing the mattresses, and she is so excited that we were able to raise the money so fast. she's going to try to get a picture of the kids so i can share it with all of you so stay tuned! (just remember, it's africa though and everything runs a lot slower). :)

today i got to visit linvilla orchards with my sister, brother, sis-in-love, nieces and my friend and her daughter. it was a cold, cloudy day but we had a fabulous time. plus, it allowed me to cross pumpin-picking with my nieces off the to-do list. although, technically there wasn't really any pumpkin-picking going on. there was apple-picking though which was awesome! there is nothing like a fresh granny smith pulled right off the tree. yum! kylie's photo is evidence of that. :)

i did take a road trip to pittsburgh last week, but i wasn't alone. the drive across PA was beautiful. the leaves out in western PA were turning and it was gorgeous! didn't get any pictures sadly, but the memory is still fresh in my mind. man, i just LOVE fall.

and 1 week from today i will be lounging in beautiful topsail beach, nc with a whole bunch of fantastic ladies. this vacation could not come at a better time. i'm really just praying for a refreshing time to rejuvenate and get some fresh vision for next year. africa is of course in the back of my mind and i need some clear direction on how long i'm supposed to go for next year and for how long. so i'm hoping to get some good walks on the beach with jesus. :)

oh yeah! joyce also told me that she got her bible today. i wrote about that here. so it took about a month to get from here to zambia. not too bad! she was so excited which made me really excited! giving gifts makes me so happy. haha. can you tell that's my love language?

hope everyone else is having a lovely fall so far!



ps- my mom, dad and brother are flying home tomorrow from their 10-day mission's trip to romania. keep them in your prayers for safe travels. :)

falling slowly

this post is long overdue. to all my loyal fans (all 2 of you... haha) i apologize. ;)

fall has finally arrived here in PA and with it my first cold of the season. i've been doing my best to fight it off with OTC medication but i don't think it's working so a doctor's visit might be in order. i really don't enjoy doctor's visits which is obvious considering the fact that i haven't been there in over a year. what can i say? i'm blessed with a strong immune system. i know, i know, it's still not really an excuse especially when my doctor is so nice. he's a christian and always offers to pray for you when the visit is over. how cool is that? very.

another clue of the changing seasons is obviously the temperature. we haven't turned the heat on yet and i woke up feeling like a frozen popsicle. the thermostat said 63. not good. i'd say it's time to turn the heat on except the weather forecast shows that we're going to hit 74 in a couple days. what is up with that? this whole summer/fall transition thing is strange. this time last year i was sweating out my days and nights in africa. i remember talking to my family on the phone and while they were telling me about the increasingly colder temperatures i was lamenting about waking up drenched in my own sweat every morning. (gross i know, but so very true).

even with all it's oddities i still love this time of year. so in honor of my favorite season i have decided to make a list of things i want to do before the dreaded winter sets in. i know this isn't anything new as i've seen lots of people do this, but i figured it was my turn. so here it is in no particular order:

• rake a pile of leaves and jump in just like i did when i was 5 :)
• go pumpkin-picking with my nieces and take lots of beautiful pictures of them
• get some friends together and take an autumn night hayride
• take a road-trip by myself and stop whenever i want at beautiful places
• drink lots and lots of chai tea
• carve something really unique into a pumpkin (i've seen some really cool ideas already)
• spend a week at the beach (oct 18-25 watch out NC i'm coming for ya)
• read read and read some more! make lots of time to just relax and engulf myself in some good fiction.
• buy a sewing machine and get crafty (i realize this has nothing to do with fall but i am dying to turn more of my beautiful african fabric into lovely things)
• try out some new fall baking recipes

that's probably enough for now, although i'm sure there's more.

oh and please keep my mom, dad and brother in your prayers. they leave on sunday for a 10-day missions trip to romania. when my dad invited me to go i had just gotten back from zambia and didn't want to think about another trip that soon. even though i still feel peace about not going, i'm still a little sad. the people there are so wonderful and i'll miss not being with them. i'm hoping to get there next spring though, so we'll see. it doesn't take long for the travel bug to bite.

but for now i will enjoy my pennsylvania autumn since i haven't seen it in a couple years. happy fall everyone!

love in action yields a beautiful harvest

oh zambia. you've done it to me again. every time i visit you i lose a piece of my heart. the beautiful faces of your people capture me at first sight and draw me in. the precious smiles of your children chip away at this icy heart bit by bit until it's completely melted. the simplicity with which you carry out life intrigues me and calls this technical, complicated body to be still and reflect on what really matters. you always give me tears, but plenty of laughter, too. although you drive me crazy at times and make me shake my head, i still love you and i will return.

we left the village yesterday morning and once again i had to say goodbye to my friends (some new, some old, but all special). goodbye's really never get easier... in fact the closer you become to the people and places you are saying goodbye to- the harder it actually gets because those people and that place begin to feel more like home.

our time went way too fast, but i knew that would happen. 1 month simply isn't long enough and i'm left wanting more of what i can't have- time. sure i miss my creature comforts and sleeping in a bed last night (instead of on the floor of a tent) felt fabulous, but those are such minor things in comparison with what i've seen and experienced. every time i come here i'm overwhelmed by what little people have and the conditions in which they live 24/7. most don't know any different, but it still breaks my heart.

last week allison and i got a chance to visit a deaf school in town. they have 37 deaf students from around the district who come and live there 9 months out of the year to receive an education. the condition of the place where they live though is so sad. there are plenty of bunk beds, but no mattresses. kids literally sleep on the wood boards or some who are lucky bring a reed mad. there are literally only a few plates so the kids have to eat in small shifts which can take hours. plus, we are talking about deaf kids who according to the woman who takes care of them, can be very violent at times. it's an overwhelming job and this women does it for $40 USD a month. after i saw that i was overwhelmed with the feeling that something had to be done. i couldn't see it and just walk away. thankfully allison felt the same way and on monday we went back to town and purchased 40 plates, 40 cups and 3 pots. we trotted our way through town with our bundle of goodies, feeling a bit like santa claus. when we arrived at the deaf school and they saw what we had brought the tears and smiles started flowing. you would have thought we gave them a million dollars! i was so humbled and overwhelmed that this small act could bring such joy. plates? cups? really? REALLY! the caretaker through tears told our interpreter that many visitors come through her place promising to do something and it never happens. she was so surprised and blessed to see someone keep their word.

i tell you this story not to bring glory to me. i haven't done anything. i signed to her, "glory to God" because he's the one who deserves it all. it's only by His grace that i'm in this nation, able to love these people. i tell you that also to challenge you. how many times have you seen a need and wanted to do something? did you think, "oh i'll do it later" and then never get around to it? i know i have! let's start looking around us and MEET THE NEED! it could be as simple as purchasing a plate or as complex as opening your home to a stranger. let's be compelled to LOVE those around us in practical ways! love requires action!

ok, i'll get off my soapbox now...

there are countless other stories i could share with you and hopefully i will when i get home. tomorrow morning allison and i begin our long journey home. we arrive at jfk around noon on friday. i can't wait to see all of you!

God has and continues to show himself faithful. this trip has been incredible in so many ways and more stretching than i thought possible. it all draws me closer to Him, which is ultimately the goal, right?

with love from zambia,

susan

zam update with photos

i'm in town again today running some errands so i figured i'd give a little update and attempt to post some pictures as well. we're buying some material for the women's sewing group and i'm hoping to bless my friends with the purchase of a new mattress as well. they have a twin mattress on a queen-size bed with 3 people sleeping there so you can understand the need.

last time i wrote i commented on the crazy wind and it has only gotten crazier. it's been freezing cold the last few days and the wind has picked up even more which creates these insane dust-like storms causing you to run for cover. allison and i keep laughing about the weather because everyone expects africa to be burning hot all the time, but it isn't. we've been layering ourselves with our clothes every night before we go to sleep... and earplugs are a must, otherwise the sound of the wind against your tent will keep you awake! i say that from experience! haha!

we've been having a great tim hanging out in the village, though. the kids come to our house daily and just want to hang out and play. they are so much fun to be around (although sometimes exhausting) and we do enjoy their company. they're quick to lend a hand when you're carrying a bag and quick to grab your free hand in theirs. it's nice to connect with them in that way and that they feel so free to be near you. the kids are definitely one of my favorite things about this country. if i could come here and just love on kids 24/7 i'd be just fine!

yesterday i met with some members of the executive committee and got some upates on different projects happening in the village. it was really encouraging to hear how things are progressing and the way this community is stepping up. the water project is progressing fast! almost all the trenches for the pipes have been dug and at the end of the week they are going to start building the platforms for the tanks. the village is so excited about this project and everyone has been doing their part which is really awesome.

the next couple days will be busy for us as we'll be working with the women in the sewing groups. we're hoping to purchase a couple more sewing machines with a donation we received. i'm asking the women to sew as many bags as they can before we leave next week so we can bring them home to the U.S. and hopefully sell them. they've been doing a great job and the bags are so cute! it's so amazing seeing these women learning a trade that they otherwise would have never learned. i love that we're able to give them an opportunity to learn and eventually help support their families. it's so incredible!!!

for all of you who have been asking, yes i am feeling better! the cold is finally gone- hallelujah! i've been really exhausted the last week or so. i think after the team left it really hit me. today i'm feeling ok so hopefully i'm on the upswing.

thanks for all the prayers! keep sending them our way! a week from today we'll be leaving the village and spending a day in lusaka before we head home. this month has gone by way too fast, but i'm thankful for the time i've gotten here.

thanks for reading!

don't let me blow away

i just wrote a long email that i sent out to a bunch of people regarding the trip and this computer won't let me copy and paste it. tia.*

the team left yesterday so now it's just me and allison and a village of a few thousand people. no biggie. haha. seriously though, it's good. last night it was so quiet that we almost didn't know what to do with ourselves. we were so tired we hit the sack at 8 o'clock. a few hours later we were woken up by the craziest wind ever. it felt like our tent was being sucked up by a tornado or something. we both woke up with our hearts pounding and then took a little while to fall back asleep. we woke up bright and early around 6am this morning so we could catch a ride to town. our food supply is pretty low and i wanted to get online and check some emails.

i got hit a few days ago with a cold that has progressed into a full out chest cold, complete with painful coughing and way too much mucus. sorry for the tmi, but it's true. one of my friend's moms here keeps checking in on me to make sure i'm ok. thankfully my mom left me with a z-pack so i'm hoping it knocks it out soon.

sorry for the lack of details but my time is short for today. i've already spent way too much time online catching up on my family's blogs. oh well, maybe next time.

thanks for the prayers! keep 'em coming our way!

*this is africa.

village arrival

hello everyone!

i'm writing to you at the end of our first full day in the village. we arrived yesterday afternoon with few complications on the drive. we had to wake up at 4:30 in the morning because 3 team members took a bus to the village along with all 22 of our bags. God was so merciful to us and allowed the bus company to handle all of our bags for only $30. absolutely incredible!
the bus arrived in the village about an hour after the rest of the team who came on the mango tree minibus. we were greeted by a lot of children who were anxiously awaiting our arrival. as we drove through the village kids starting calling out my name and as you can imagine my heart swelled with joy at seeing them all again.

we took the team to see the mango tree and it's in even better condition than when we left. the employees have done an incredible job keeping up with everything. they work really hard!
last night we spent several hours around a campfire with over 20 children. we sang songs and danced and enjoyed getting to know each other. it's so wonderful having a team member who plays guitar. our worship times have been so sweet and it continually draws us back to the presence of God. when we woke up this morning you could literally feel God's spirit in our camp. it was so peaceful.

we spent the morning with the village at a big welcoming ceremony. there were speeches and dancing. it was a great time of hearing how things are progressing in the community and very encouraging. the women's sewing group has been busy making beautiful bags that we hope to take home to sell. we need to get them some more sewing machines though! there are a lot of women in this village who want to participate!

this afternoon the team is hanging out with some of the youth from the village. they're playing soccer and sharing testimonies. i came to town to get more water for the team and to send this update.

God is doing really good things. there is a great annointing on this team for ministry and we're only at the beginning of it! keep praying for God's eyes to see those in need around us. just this afternoon we prayed for an elderly man in the village who is often drunk. he ate lunch with us and we prayed for him. at the end of the prayer he was crying like a child and his countenance had completely changed. it was amazing. pray that the work God started will be finished!
tomorrow the guys will start digging trenches for the new water system for the village. in the afternoon we'll be spending a few hours at the local school doing a vacation bible school with 120 kids. we're excited about this opportunity to speak into their lives!

thanks for the love and prayers. keep sending them our way. we've only just begun!

love,susan

africa arrival

i'm writing from zambia! yay!!!!

it feels so crazy being here again. in some ways it's almost like i never left. i literally stepped off the plane with such joy in my heart. i started yelling, "i feel like i'm home!" this guy in front of me was chuckling but i was serious. in many ways i feel like zambia is a 2nd home to me with a 2nd family.

my reunion with some of my friends was exciting! we couldn't stop hugging each other and pinching ourselves to make sure it was real. haha. they were all so excited to meet my mom. they all call her "mama" which is precious. it's been really fun watching the team interact with them and we haven't even gotten to the village yet!

anyways, back to our arrival. we got here with no problems and only 1 bag is missing so far. hopefully that shows up today! our sleeping situation is a little more crowded than we intended but it's working out ok. the girls are sleeping in 1 room that has a double bed in it and then we had them put 5 mattresses on the floor. it's crowded, but cozy! it's helping us bond much quicker though which is awesome.

we all slept almost 12 hours last night which is good cause most of us were running off of 48 hours with no sleep! this morning i took the team to a great little cafe where we had a yummy breakfast and fruit smoothies! now the team is browsing around a huge craft market picking up some fun souvenirs. in a few minutes we'll be heading off to visit some friends of ours who started an NGO here in Lusaka. it's called Joy Human Development Centre. they are artisans who make crafts and use the funds to help children. they run soccer and educational programs. really awesome guys. i'm excited for the team to meet them and see their operation. we have a bag full of soccer balls and cleats for them which i know they'll be grateful to receive!

we need to get to bed early tonight because tomorrow at 6am we head up north to the village. it will be an 8 hour drive and then there will be many more exciting reunions with our friends there! from that point on we'll be sleeping in tents with no running water and no electricity. let the good times roll! haha! it should prove interesting! seriously though, this team is strong so they can handle it.

i can't explain how happy i feel to be back here and to be with this group of people. they are amazing individuals, each with incredible God-given gifts for this time and place. i can't wait to see the ways God will use that to bring glory to His name.

i love and miss you all!

in His love and service,
susan

let's go already

tomorrow is D-day... as in departure day. this will be my 3rd trip to zambia and i can honestly say that anticipation is killing me. i detest the last couple days before a big trip with all the packing and last minute shopping runs and then the goodbye's. it's just so draining. but i know it will all be worth it when i see the faces of my dear friends. sure i might be bleary-eyed from 48 hours of travel but that won't concern me then.

oh zambia, how you've captured my heart in such a special way.

it's hard to describe the feeling of going back this time. after living there for 3 months last fall i was able to develop such deep bonds with the people. when i went in 2007 i only stayed for 2 weeks and it wasn't hard to leave. i'm not one to usually bond with people that quickly. during my 3 months last year the bonds were really formed and i came to depend on those relationships. they became my brothers and sisters and some of my dearest friends. when i left in november i didn't know how i was going to manage without them and it has been hard. it's like there's this piece of me missing and this other side of my life that no matter how much i try to share with people here, i just can't. i feel in a way that by going back to zambia i'm going to be able to re-claim that part of me that's been a little lost.

of course i'll find it only to probably lose it again when i leave after a month. let's not talk about that just yet.

i should really finish packing. ugh.

crossing the pond

well my trip to england was amazing. first time there and i hope it won't be my last. honestly, i could live there. you get the whole other culture experience but everyone speaks english... sort of. haha.

seriously though, it is an incredibly beautiful country and we got to see so much of it thanks to my amazing friend jenny. we road-tripped all over and toured big country houses, made new friends at barbecues, saw all the sights of london and so much more. my dad was gracious enough to let me take his canon rebel so i was the designated photographer which i enjoyed greatly! here are some of my favorite shots from the trip:

adventures in the making

i love to travel.

no, not the actual packing part or even the waiting in airport security line part. but rather the experiencing-the-culture part.

i find the diversity in the different places of this world so fascinating. over 6 billion people live on this little planet, many of whom are operating their life in their own cultural bubble. each with their own ways of doing things... their own traditions... their own foods... their own outlook on the rest of the world. it really is incredible.

while i enjoy my own bubble as well as the rest of you, i love breaking free of its constraints and seeing the world through fresh eyes. it brings things back into perspective and makes me appreciate the history and beauty this spherical thing called earth provides.

all that to say i get to see a new place soon. in june i get to go to england and experience all the lovliness it has to offer... including my dear sweet friend jenny who i haven't seen in 2 years. jenny was one of my roommates during my dts days at ywam denver and she is one of the most incredible people i have ever met. she is so encouraging and challenging and absolutely precious. i'm doubley blessed because i get to go with alyssa (another dts roomie) so the 3 of us will be reminiscing and rekindling our beautiful friendship through 12 days in england.

why am i fortunate enough to get to live this life?
seriously.

all i can say is that serving jesus has its perks. and i mean that in the best way. when you give up your life (as in your expectations and perceptions of what it should be) and relase it jesus to do with it as He sees fit you receive a beautiful gift- a life full of adventure and excitement with new things always around the corner.

here's a line from an amazing song that describes it for me:
so take me as you find me
all my fears and failures
fill my life again
i give my life to follow
everything i believe in
now i surrender

A fresh start

Well I'm certainly not new to the world of blogging. I've got 7 years worth with another blogging site, but I like this one so I've decided to start using it. Plus it's a chance for a fresh start and I like that. Who doesn't?

This has been a year of changes for me and I want to write about all that God's been doing in my life. This will also be a place for me to write about my adventures (yes, I have them) and let you feel a part of it.

The next adventure I have coming up will lead me to the beautiful continent of Africa! I leave this Saturday for a 12 day trip to Zambia. I'll be travelling with a group of people from my community and we'll spend time developing relationships with a village there as well as assisting them in the construction and setup of a community center there. It's the first of its kind and I feel so privileged to be a part of this project. I know my world is about to be rocked, but I think I'm ready for it. I know God will be with me every step of the way (cliche as it sounds) and that gives me peace.

So that's where I'm at right now... learning... loving... living... who could ask for more?