Back in the day! Seattle, WA

We are in front of our apple tree in our back yard in Tukwila, WA on our 11^th anniversary. I have always loved that bow tie that is not a clip-on.  It looks just a little different each time Bill wears it.

Chingola, Zambia Missing our friends.

We met Chaudulala at the Brethren Assembly through Jim Hess. He just married a Filipino lady and was attending Bible College. The tie he is wearing he borrowed from Bill.  He still has it.

Chingola, Zambia...What a great time.

Here are the four of us posing for a neighbor to take a photo of us to send home.  Pepper had his shirt on that he bought in Cyprus on the way to Zambia. Jacob is wearing a borrowed t-shirt to keep cool, and I am wearing a dress given to me from a missionary in Mukinge as our crates have not yet arrived from America.  The trees in the background look beautiful but their odor was overwhelming.

Living in Chingola, Zambia

This photo fills my heart with so many memories.  The frangi pansy flowers are very common in Chingola, Africa where we lived for nine years.  The first four years we lived in a mine house in Kabundi, and then transferred to town.  Housing was provided by the Copper Mine where Bill worked as an engineer. Bill, Pepper and Jacob are wearing their first safari suits.  It was very common attire for the men and students in school, and work

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Zambia Mission Trip 2012

ZAMBIA – my next mission trip and home of the Victoria Falls (known by the local people as Musi-O-Tunya, the smoke that thunders).  

              

Find Chingola where I lived with my family for nine years and I’ll bring you back an ngwee.  It is a landlocked country in Southern Africa.

 I will fly to Lusaka, the capital city.  Dr. Kenneth Kaunda was the president when I was living there.  I have asked a friend of mine, Dr. Nevers Mumba, who was in my Sunday school class when he was ten yrs. old, and now is the multiparty Democracy president to arrange a meeting for me with Dr. Kaunda.

 The official language is English, but the local language is Nyanja and Bemba.

I taught at the Sacred Heart Convent School, Nchanga Trust School and TCCA, Theological College of Central Africa.  We would sing the national anthem, Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free, with great enthusiasm.  I especially loved the chorus that was sung after the third verse:

Praise be to God, Praise be, praise be, praise be,

Bless our great nation, Zambia, Zambia, Zambia

Free men we stand Under the flag of our land.

Zambia, praise to Thee!  All one, strong and free.

I was sitting at my desk at home when Zambia this year won the first Africa Cup of Nations title in soccer.  I wish I could have been there to celebrate with them.  I only lived with my family in Zambia nine years. It definitely changed my life.

I was very involved with the children of Zambia and the children of the expatriates mostly from Europe, Britain, Australia, Sweden, and India. We were there on a two year contract but it turned out that we stayed nine years.  It is difficult for the wives of the men as they go to work all day and the wives have nothing to do.  It takes time to get acquainted, but I was active in the local church teaching, working with the youth, leading safaris, director and producer of a weekly TV program and the list could go on and on.  I loved working with the local children, the children from the many countries, and they went on the safaris, were in the Sunday school and youth group at St. Mark’s, and joined me on the live weekly TV programs.

I have met several Zambians that are here going to college, and working in the local church.  What a blessing and fun to get together with them as we know the same folks back in Zambia.  It is a small world.  This year my son called me and asked me to come home right away.  I reminded him and he knew it that I was in a very important meeting, but he insisted I come home right away so I did.  Lo and behold a Zambian gentleman was sitting at my kitchen table with a smile from ear to ear, and it was Dr. Charles Musonda from Mufulira, Zambia that was in my youth group in Chingola.  He has opened a House of Prayer here in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. 

This is a small world and a great world, and I am so fortunate at my age to be in good health and living with my husband of 48 years.  Our younger son, Jacob, is living with us and repairs computers.  Our older son, Pepper, lives with his wife and two daughters in the Seattle, WA area and just received a special 20 year service award.  Our daughter, Segred, works and lives in Fairbanks, Alaska.

I cherish your prayers, and thank you for helping me to go on my next mission trip to Zambia this summer.  My desire is to make Him known to those who do not know Him, and to encourage the ones that know Him to be a blessing to everyone.

Make Me a Blessing    Ira B. Wilson    1924

Chorus: 

Make me a blessing, Make me a blessing-

Out of my life May Jesus shine;

Make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray,

Make me a blessing to someone today.