Four Blonds and a Monkey Too

Looking Ahead: Zambia, here we come!

Phone calls and Emails

In January, while still unsure of our future direction, we received a phone call from Zambia from a missionary we did not know. He said he had heard of Uzima and asked me to come visit them. Since I have learned that sometimes one needs to go and try each door and not just sit and wait for one to open; off to Zambia I went to check this new opportunity.

The morning I left we received an email from a friend in Denmark who, while praying had been given a vision for us. He did not have any idea what it meant; nor did we when we first read it. However; after returning home I re-read this email and amazingly, this was exactly what had I met in Zambia; even down to the very words they used in the invitation for us to come and work with them!

Also, we had previously received an email from a friend in the USA who was praying for us and sensed that none of the different options we had at the time seemed right. He felt there would be something completely new and unexpected coming to us. - And here it was!

Pro Christo Global Mission

After returning home, talking and praying with the family we made the decision that we would move to Zambia to work with this mission. They are called Pro Christo Global Mission. Their main focus is to train and develop Africans themselves to be full time missionaries. This is something I have wanted to do all along. Pro Christo already has African missionaries in 10 African nations; eight families are actually on Lake Tanganyika.

They suggested that move to their main headquarters in Kabwe, Zambia. My main job description will be to work with their missionaries on Lake Tanganyika (the south end of the lake borders Zambia) and try to get a medical vessel going to support the work that is already begun on the lake. Sounds familiar? This is what we went to do in Kigoma…

They have also asked that I teach at their Missionary Training College as well as travel to the surrounding nations to teach and visit their missionaries to encourage them; which is something every missionary needs.

As I met several different mission groups in Kabwe; I noticed a remarkable sense of unity among them. Never have I seen it before to such an extent. They share ideas, ministries, money, vehicles, staff, even the pulpit. After meeting the leaders of these mission groups I noticed another extraordinary thing: they were all missionary kids just like Jette and I both are! I felt very much at home within minutes of being with them.

We Finally Bought Our Own House!!

I got a call shortly after returning home from one of these missionaries, “Houses very rarely come up for sale here in Kabwe and usually they are very expensive, but one has just come up for sale across the street from us. Hurry, other people have already made an offer.” We went to Google Earth and located the house, gathered the girls to pray, talked a bit and then I sent a text on the phone to say that we would buy the house. Sometimes things move fast, - even in Africa! So we now own our first house ever, for 35 thousand usd, and we are very excited. I took another trip to Zambia a few weeks ago to see the house and it does need some work but it is a nice place. 4 bed rooms, 3 bath rooms etc. It will require about 7 thousand to redo the electric and plumbing work as well as adding a dining room and rebuild the kitchen. A few years ago we were blessed with a 30 thousand dollar check for a house. Praise The Lord! So we need to add some to make it all happen. We will also sell our car here and purchase another in Zambia.

On The Road Again…

So, we will be on the road again but we sense this is a move that will be really good for the family. One of the top Zambian schools is located in Kabwe only five minutes walk from our house. Mostly local kids but a handful of white kids go there as well so we will try this option for our girls and see how it works out.

This move is a new country, new currency, new people, new mission, and new language although English is widely spoken. We will miss Tanzania; we have loved it here, and I have learned a good deal of Swahili. Jette has been here 17 years, I have been here for 7, Naomi was born here, lots of friends here etc. But we move on and follow the Lord’s calling.

The Family

Acacia just celebrated her 7th birthday. She had a bunch of friends over for a party and had a wonderful day. Her favorite present were a watch, a bracelet and some pretty clothes. Rachel is doing really well in school, and especially loves her Tuesdays with horseback riding in the afternoon. Mikaela enjoys her pre-school, but also wants to know how to read like her sisters. Naomi runs around and seems to learn new words every day. Her favorite time of day is late afternoon when our guard takes her to fetch milk from a nearby family who has cows.

Jette is still teaching at the Danish School and will be working right up till the end of June; she is very busy with that. This coming week they have a big workshop, putting together a musical production for the 18 children at the school aged 7 to 14.

I, Lyle, have been doing a lot of traveling and teaching in YWAM lately as well as overseeing a couple of building projects here in Iringa.

Simba Ulanga

Also greetings again from Simba Ulanga. I happened to meet him at a bus stop in Dar Es Salaam a few weeks ago. We shared a taxi, he had just been on the road for 9 weeks and several local pastors were thrown in prison this time. I took him home, said hello to his family, left him with some money and off I went to my own destination.

Thank you all so much for your love, support and prayers.

We do need you for all of those things.

God Bless you!