Muli Bwanji? (“How are you?” in Nyanja, one of the official languages of Zambia)
Thank you for your prayers! I survived Zambia and Zambia survived me. This journey began on October 22 when I left Johannesburg, South Africa for a month of hands on training learning about the various lifestyles and cultures in Africa; Zambia was my classroom for the month. Each day we studied a different cultural issue; for example we learned about Health and Medicine in Africa, Community Development, and Births, Weddings and Funerals. We received a lecture and information from our cultural experts; we would then go into the city or village to speak with the locals about their views and experiences on the topic for the day. I along with a group of 33 other IMB missionaries who had also recently come to the field and would be dispersing to many different areas around Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa began our time in the capital city of Lusaka for 12 days. I lived in the Baptist seminary, experienced my first ride in a taxi, and brushed my teeth using bottled water.
We then moved to the town of Petauke seven hours away in the bush where we camped, pumped our own water, and went to bed way too early because it was so dark outside since there was no electricity. Here I learned to kill and cook a chicken, to wash my clothes in a basin, and to balance a bucket of water on my head…still working on this one. After camping in the town of Petauke for almost two weeks, I moved in with the Mwanza family in the village of Kapaya. This began the most rewarding part of my whole time in Zambia. I was able to experience real African life - no longer was I in a classroom or research setting but I was able to live with a Zambian family of eight. I slept in a mud hut with a straw roof, got up and went to the well with the mother and daughters, attended a funeral and church services with the family, learned many Nyanja phrases thanks to my older brothers, went to the fields in the mornings to pick mangos, and took baths out of a bucket under the stars!! After the home stay portion of my training, I was able to stay a couple extra days and go to Victoria Falls with some friends. Wow! God is amazing and has made some incredible sights! It was such a blessing to spend time relaxing with friends and to enjoy God’s beautiful creation before we split up and went our separate ways around Africa.
God taught me so much while I was in Zambia this past month. My time there was just as difficult as I expected, if not more, but I was able to experience the awesome grace and strength of God. I was reminded again that true happiness does not come from material things but relationships with our Savior and with those He has placed around us. God also confirmed my calling to Johannesburg while I was in Zambia. I realized that He has equipped me for exactly where He has me and has been preparing me for my job assignment at the Guest House and with the youth at Lyndhurst Baptist Church long before I was ever aware that I would be living in Africa. My last month in Zambia was quite an experience and a blessing that I will never forget. Thank you to everyone who was praying for me; I cherish your prayers and miss you all!
Serving with you in South Africa,
Sarah-Michelle Maddox
P.S. Lyndhurst Baptist Church youth camp is next week December 8- 12. Please be in prayer for the leaders as we are preparing and for the miracles that we are trusting God will perform in the lives of the youth.
