We've Moved!!!

Hi everyone! We couldn't very well keep writing Under the Zambia Sun, now that we've moved to South Africa. So-o-o-o, you can now find our new blog at www.cokers4him.blogspot.com. Hope to see you there!

A Zambia Remembrance

Yesterday, at the filling station, I told a Zambian acquaintance that it was the last time I would see him since we were moving. His face dropped and he replied, “You must give me a remembrance.” This is a common occurrence here and is sort of like our exchanging pictures in the U.S. to remember one another. I should have been better prepared for this, but quickly looked through the vehicle and gathered various tracts and gave as a remembrance.

As I thought of remembrances, my mind turned to our life’s season in Zambia. What did I want to remember? Good things, bad things, beautiful, sweet and even the difficult and ugly. It may not all mean much to you, but here are some things we want to remember…

A Zambia Remembrance…
Beautiful people: Bemba, Mambwe-Lungu, Namwanga, Tabwa, Nyika
Beauty of rural Zambia: Waterfalls, Lakes, Mafinga mountains
Goats, pigs, chickens
Flowering trees: Jacaranda, Flambouyant, Tulip trees, Acacia, Protea
Bicycles & people on the road, Ladies riding side-saddle
Rural villages: huts, mud bricks, grass roof, painted designs, outdoor toilets/kitchens, wash dishes in the dirt,
Zambian church leaders: Misheck & Teresa Z, Patrick C, Edward & Maureen M, Florence M, Bornface & Lucy C, Frank & Josephine S, Brian & Sharon M, Ruth & Jimmy S, John M,
Smile & laughter, Poverty & begging
Handshakes & curtsies
Pothole roads
Zambia Mission Family, Kasama Missionary Friends
Copperbelt region, Ndola rural
Kalwa Farm: Uncle Tom & Aunt Lucille, motorcycle rides, Baldrock,

1st Chistmas with Garrisons, Misasa (grass shelter) meetings, Baptism at the river
Citenge: pretty, bright, colorful, funny pictures
Chickens, goats & mongooses running across the road
Camping in the villages, Cooking over a charcoal brazier, Frozen Musungu packets
Coffee & “biscuits” under the stars with friends at Chandaula
Chikumanino market
Homeschooling Drew, Michelle & Nate, Kasama International School
Bible studies at our home, Friends of Jesus Club
TEE class, Leadership Bible Schools
Literacy Teacher Training, Women’s meetings
Campfire meetings, Volunteers
Spiritual Darkness, Witchcraft, charms, muti, Possession/deliverance
Truth/Lies
Bemba language, Beautiful singing, worship choruses, clapping & dancing
Wooden plank pews, Dirt floors
Farewell lines with singing & handshakes
Slashing, cultivating, digging, chopping by hand
Babies on backs
All-night prayer meetings
AIDS, death, mortuary
All-night funerals, wailing, singing, preaching
Plastic bag kites & “footballs”
Long Road trips, Tall savannah grass, girls left/boys right
Thorn Trees
Colorful sunsets, dark nights, breathtaking stars, smell of rain
Water shortages, Power outages, telephone faults
Putse flies, malaria mosquitos
JESUS film, laughter, cheering
Ladies carrying water
Gifts of beans, pumpkins, corn, sweet potatoes & live chickens
Chishimba Falls, Rock Paintings, Kapisha Hot Springs, Shiwa Ng’andu
Lake Tanganyika, Victoria Falls
Mission Meetings, Golden Franklin Awards, Secret Pals, Team ReportsHunting: Lochinvar, Toler Game Ranch, Bangweulu, Bruce Miller, Protea, Chandauka

No hurry...

We've learned that things often don't work out the way you plan. And it's really up to us how we react. You can either roll with the flow, or get all uptight.

Here's our moving truck. In the first 2 pics, it's sitting at the Garage. This was it's home for most of one week! It was in bad shape and needed a part which, of course, could not be found in Kasama. It took 2 days to get this part from Lusaka. But, praise God, once the part arrived, our trusty mechanic, Ba Brian, was able to get the truck up and running within some hours. So, the last picture is with the truck at our home, finally loading on Friday.

We were happy we had 2 extra days to use for this unexpected delay. We didn't know why this had to happen, but we're not in control, God is. And God is good, all the time.

TAKEN

Disappointed, but not really surprised, we filled up my little Suzuki with fuel for the long trek from Kasama to Lusaka. Our hopeful buyer had not shown up by 7 a.m. like she promised and her cell phone was turned off when we attempted to make contact. This was not our first time to experience such a thing - Zambian folks are usually quite optimistic (hopeful) about things they'd like to happen, even if they really have no assurance of the outcome. Not a bad thing really, as long as you don't set your heart on something, and just be content with what God brings.

Wade driving the Suzuki, Nathan and I in the mission vehicle, we set off, mentally taking in the sights & saying silent farewells. Ten minutes down the road, just inside cell coverage, my phone rings. You guessed it... "Hello, my wife says she's interested in your car. Can I have a look? I've just arrived back in town last night and I'm about to leave again now. Can we meet?" So, surprised & hopeful, we swing around in the road and get to visit Kasama once again. :-) At the filling station, they're waiting, watching us approach. "So, this is your car?" he asks. "This is your car," I replied with a smile. He laughs and with a brief look over the car, we park it and go off to the bank. A few signatures and a couple bagfuls of Zambian Kwacha later, we're back on the road, again mentally saying goodbye.

Isn't God GREAT!?! What if the moving truck had not broken down, causing us to be delayed 2 full days waiting on its repair? This man would not have been in town and we would still own an unneeded car. God gives GREAT blessings to His children!

Getting out of Dodge

With most of the sentimentality of leaving behind us, we’ve been very focused over the last week in getting finished packing and leaving Kasama. Unfortunately, this is proving more difficult than we expected. On the day the moving company was to arrive, we were ready for them. Wade’s cell phone rings… from the other end comes “We’re having vehicle problems, so it’ll be late morning tomorrow when we get into town.” This is normal-we were not even surprised. Downhill we go… As the truck arrives, creeping slowly, we lead it to a local garage. That day, an unfortunate series of events occur (you don’t want to know) which result in a part being needed. Unfortunately, this one is not found locally…again, not surprising, but very frustrating… So, we’re waiting, waiting… In the meantime, the moving crew was able to wrap and inventory everything. We cleaned as much of the house as we could and now we’re waiting for the part in tomorrow post. Please send up regular prayers that this is indeed the part that will solve all the vehicle problems and that it’ll be fixed speedily.

Church Pics

As I looked through our picture file I thought you might enjoy a few more shots. Some are of a rural church service and some of Leadership Bible School. It’ll be quite interesting to compare these with the ones we gather soon in South Africa. ENJOY!

Chipowe worship Lord's Supper

Wade in Bible School Deacon studying Ladies studying hard

Take it Please!

Here’s my little Suzuki. Yes, unfortunately, it’s still mine. We’ve tried unsuccessfully so far, to find a new home for this sweet little ride. Surely there are lots of people who’d love her, but there’s just not a lot of market for second vehicles in Kasama. If it was a 4-door sedan which could be used as a taxi, it would already by gone. Please pray that God will send just the right buyers to us. SOON.