Well it only took me 6 months give an update since I am back home, but here it is!
Friends
& Family,
I
am home! I got back from Zambia at the
beginning of August and I truly hit the ground running with school starting
back! I first want to thank everyone for
their prayers and support on my journey to get to Zambia and while I was
there. Having the privilege of spending
6 ½ weeks in Zambia this summer was like
no other time that I have been there. It
was definitely the hardest work I have done for that long of a time period, but
also so rewarding. I wouldn’t have
traded it for anything!! I was able to
blog some stories while I was there and would love for you to read them
whenever you have time. The website for
my blog is: www.myhopeisingodalone.blogspot.com
This was my
fifth time to return to Zambia and every trip brings a deeper desire in my
heart for God’s orphans. I cannot put
into words how much my heart breaks for these children and the conditions in
which they have to endure. One thing
that I do know is that through their pain and hurt, the JOY of the LORD
radiates out of their little bodies!
What a great promise to us all, no matter our circumstances or
situations we have a God that can and will fill us with Joy and Hope! Once again, throughout this summer, I met and
fell in love with beautiful and broken children! “I
have made you and I will carry you. I
will sustain you and rescue you.” Isaiah
46:4
Throughout
my time in Zambia this summer, I had the unique opportunity to visit all 15 of
the schools and do a lesson. I loved
seeing the different schools and seeing how God has them full of His children
that are eager to learn. Going back to
the school I was at last year, was a HUGE blessing. They have done so much at the school since I
was there last year and it is amazing!! The pride that is in the school and the
way the teachers pour their hearts into those kids is a testimony to the
passion God has given them to change the children’s futures. Some of what we were able to share with them,
I could see in some of the other schools too.
They have a couple of times a year that they have teacher trainings and
they were able to share with the other teachers what they learned. It was encouraging to know that God is using
the Teach One trips to make a visible and immediate difference.
I listened
daily to the song “Oceans” by Hillsong United and prayed these words in the
song. “Spirit
lead me where my trust is without borders,
Let me walk upon the waters,
Wherever You would call me, Take me deeper than my feet could ever
wander, And my faith will be made
stronger, In the presence of my Savior” I never knew where each day was
going to take me while I was there in Zambia and would often find myself in
situations that I had to completely trust the Lord to lead me in how to handle
a situation. God would reveal ideas to
me to try that I knew only came from him because I wouldn’t have ever thought
of them. Each step I took this summer
was in total dependence on the Lord. I’m
so thankful we have a God that has each step planned for us. As much as my heart longs to be in Zambia, I
have felt like the Lord has told me that I am not supposed to go back this next
summer. As much as I am missing those
sweet kids, I know that God has a time and season for everything.
Please continue to pray for the Zambian
teachers and precious kids that God is working in and using to change the face
of Zambia. Also, please pray for the
Americans that are living full time in Zambia.
I love this quote from Katie Davis: “I have learned that I will not
change the world. Jesus will do
that. I can, however, change the world
for one person. So I keep loving one
person at a time. Because this is my
call as a follower of Jesus.” What a
beautiful reminder of what God has called all of us to do no matter who we are and where we live.
Thank you again and I pray that 2014 is full of endless blessings for
you and your family! Love, Allison
