Together

Thanks for taking the time to click and read along on what's been going on in Zambia for our family! January was just a blur! I choose the word 'together' to capture the last month, simply because we enjoyed three weeks of being together with my dad and mom visiting from Canada. Dad and mom are easy-going, hardworking, and just so pleasant to be around. We didn't go anywhere or do anything different or profound, they just lived alongside us in what our regular days look like here.

Dad and mom flew in on a Sunday afternoon, and Sunday afternoons always include soccer games. It happened to be an away game, so Jon planned to pick them up from the airport and then gauge if it was worth it timewise to meet us at the game. One of the ladies from the soccer team said, "your mom and dad are here!" and it was so surreal to see them walk up to the soccer pitch and be there in person! We were extra thankful that Jon had driven separately, because on the way home from the game the bus had mechanical issues which left it broken on the side of the road in the dark with about 35 people on it. We were able to drive ahead to the grocery store (they have a little mechanical aisle), pick up what was needed, and go back to the bus and fix the problem! An exciting first day in Zambia for dad and mom!

While having my parents visit, we were determined to keep up with homeschooling, so we wouldn't get behind in our pacing, and dad and mom kindly took on so many wonderful projects around the home. London's bedroom now has a fresh coat of paint, we have an inside laundry line installed (you have no idea how lovely this is for rainy season!), closets have shelves installed, doors were shaved down to shut properly, curtains were hemmed etc. Mom and dad went on a village visit with the teachers, became the referee for volleyball practice, helped host a crowd to watch a big soccer match on tv, and all the other daily things that happen around here.

It was probably a year (or more) ago that I first heard about a local 5 km Mud Run event. We were close to signing up for it as a family but had to back out because there was too much going on at the time. I suggested to Jon that it would be a great team-building experience for Living Hope's sports teams, and he was in full support. We reached out to the guy who organizes the runs, and we were able to book a private event for just our team! I'm telling you - it was awesome! All of us were first divided into different color-groups, with headbands to mark which ground everyone was in. The aim was to work with your group to complete together. If a team were to cross the finish line without their entire team, they would be disqualified.

The run started out with winding paths through the trees, with a bunch of termite hills equipped with ropes to get up and down. There are swampy areas to run through where the water actually gets above waist level. Already - super fun! But after these parts is the most fun - the obstacles! There was such diversity to the obstacles! There were moving logs to balance over water on, slides to climb up and a net to climb down, poles sticking out of the water to jump from one to the next, a net immersed in mud to crawl under, bricks to run with, tires to flip, a big slack line to walk over a big pond ... variety! Apparently, our Living Hope athletes were so fast the staff were a little taken aback by how quickly we were blazing through. Makes sense when you have a whole bunch of young, strong football players who are so fit and used to running!

After the run was complete, there was also some competitive Tug-of-War that took place!

We capped our time off with a shared meal together, a bit of volleyball, before it was time to leave. The rain just started sprinkling as it was time to go - a gift from God to have the weather so cooperative!

I find summarizing what daily life looks like difficult, because to us it's just that - daily life. Jon continues to be busy. From driving young athletes to a soccer tryout in the neighboring city, visiting with graduates, overseeing the maintenance team, meetings, meetings & more meetings, dealing with bus breakdowns on the side of the road, and solving all sorts of little problems every day - there's never a dull moment.

The kids are all doing well. Now that we are about halfway through our second year of doing school at home, they are all pretty adjusted, and come at it with pretty good attitudes. I'd say it's still hardest for Ivy - who is pretty bright, and finds the work at home somewhat dull compared to being in a classroom with 24 other students (she's not wrong!). But we are all staying on pace so that's a win!

London is made for homeschool - she has incredible focus and drive to stay on task. She is a dedicated member of the girls football team - she shows up to every practice (early, she hates to be late!) and plays hard in the Sunday matches! She loves spending time with her friends here, and is well-loved by the community. Being a beautiful young lady does draw a lot of attention from the male population, especially when we go for away games, but we love how her friends "protect" her and tell the guys to go take a hike.

Austin also takes on school like a champ. He does volleyball every Monday & Tuesday, karate on Wednesday and football practice on Wed, Thurs, & Friday. Believe it or not, he sometimes even sleeps past 7 am! He's always been an early bird, but I think his body just needs rest from all that physical exercise! Some people here call him Bemba Boy (Bemba is the local language) - he has learned a surprising amount of Bemba, and will often be heard saying different phrases which is a total delight to people here, and especially people outside the community who don't expect it!

Zara continues to be just a little bubble of happiness. She has always been a little sweetie who loves to giggle and make others smile, and that hasn't changed. She has her group of friends, and a few toddler boys who love to be around her! She is so mentally strong, and is not deterred from a challenge, and we find this to be especially evident in her football training/game play!

Ivy is still a little firecracker. She is so strong and playful, and has a friend who is juuust like this. I'm pretty sure the first time they played together it was tousling in the grass playfighting each other. They are great friends! Ivy loves to pest the older boys, too. She has a determination that runs deep, and watching her play soccer against grown women, unphased by their size or strength, is pretty much Ivy in a nutshell!

Some days I feel so far from home and just long to blend in and fit in. However, on a whole, it is a joy to serve here. My primary role is in the home - with schooling and maintaining the house. Where I feel most alive is to be able to open our home and our hearts to those around us - hosting dinner & watching rival football teams on tv, impromptu pool parties with a crowd, a quick bite with football girls before a game. I recently read that hospitality is not just something you do, but a way of being. Katie Davis Majors writes, "I learned that hospitality doesn't begin in a place. It begins in the heart. In the willingness to slow down, to need less and make room. In a culture that taught me to chase more, God invited me into less. And in that less, I found Him. I found people. I found a life that felt deeply full." It's my prayer that every single person that walks through our door feels the peace of God abiding in our home. It is my prayer that every single person we interact with can sense the Light that dwells with in us. It is my prayer that even in the simple, in the ordinary, our hospitality is inviting others to draw closer to God.

May the peace that only God can provide abide with you this week, and always.

With deep love,

Renae