Light in the darkness

After a long Sunday, we eased into the work at the Barnhouse property Monday morning. The big item on the agenda is completing work on the mission/guest house that is well underway. The team went to work on that while I was tasked on driving into the bush to pick up some Eucalyptus logs. More on that later.

The seven men moved scaffolding into place and began the work of framing in the gable end of the mission/guest house. The job was challenging as they first had to build the wood framework which would be used to mount sheet metal. Lee Shaw and Doug Pennington worked on the ground cutting wood to specification and preparing it to be lifted into place. Meanwhile, the rest of the group worked anywhere from 14 or 15 feet off the ground to as high as 30 feet in the air first putting the wood in place and then mounting the sheet metal. That definitely put a few of the team out of their comfort zone. Kyle Morrow did a great job documenting the events of the day, and you can see some of that on the NBC Facebook page.

Tomorrow the scaffolding will be moved to the other side of the building and the same work will be completed, as well as some other items on the agenda.

Later in the evening, Lee and Scott Shepherd worked on a small project at the Barnhouse home, fixing the issues with cold water in the kitchen sink. Small upgrades like that will go a long way, and Maggie was greatly appreciative.

Unfortunately my updates on the team for Monday are not extensive due to my activities. Dave Barnhouse asked me in the morning to pick up some logs he had purchased. He sent Patrick, a local that works for him, with me as guide to the lumber. With the roads as tough as they are, it took a while to get there, load up the first log, and return home. The Eucalyptus log was 15 feet in length and it took the work of eight men to get it on the trailer. Patrick and I made our way back and arrived before 3 p.m.

After unloading the first log, I returned to the bush to fetch a second. When I set out the second time I knew we would be hard pressed to get back much before dark. We arrived at the location, but this time finding a crew of locals to help was more difficult. After a few attempts, we had a group to load the second log. It went on, but the weight was not as balanced as the first load. I carefully set out on the trip back with a watchful eye on the log.

Needless to say, the imbalance of the giant Eucalyptus log caught up to us about 15 minutes from the Barnhouse home and just as dusk turned to dark. As we were closing in on reaching the main road, the trailer came off the hitch, and despite our efforts, we could not get it back on properly. Earlier in the day, as I headed out the first time, I asked Donovan Zachary if I could borrow his phone while traveling through the bush. Now stranded, I used that phone to call Pastor Hack, and then to illuminate the area as I waited. I'm so thankful that Donovan was gracious in giving up his phone for most of the day.

Barnhouse and Pastor Hack arrived a little after 7:20 p.m., and despite their best efforts to fix the situation, a plan was hatched to return to the house and pick up some extra resources. Barnhouse stayed with me as Pastor Hack and Patrick left. We had a great time of fellowship in the dark night while we waited. When Hack and Patrick returned, they had Scott and Josh Hanji in tow. In the darkness the team was able to get the situation fixed and we were on our way. I cannot tell you how welcoming those headlights were each time they rounded the corner and approached. For the second consecutive night I found myself in the bush after dark. I'm hopeful that Tuesday night I'll be sitting at the Barnhouse family table when the night descends.

If you can be praying for Doug it would be much appreciated. He has had some issues with his knee the last couple of days. Pray that his discomfort doesn't get any worse, and that his knee will improve. Both he and Lee will be here another four weeks after the six of us depart, so good health for both men is critical. Also, pray that we can be examples to those we encounter during our stay. We've had some great opportunities to get to know some of the locals, and I would just pray that we leave a positive impression, both as Christians and Americans, in our days here in Zambia.

Bush Adventures

The team takes down the walls of Roadside Baptist Church

The new church framework goes into place

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12)

To say that Sunday in the Zambian bush was an adventure is an extreme understatement. It was a long day with memorable moments we won't soon forget. The day started at 7 a.m. with breakfast, and by around 9:30 we were on the path to Roadside Baptist Church. What was special about the day was that we were guests bringing gifts in the form of a new church building.

As I mentioned previously, to say that the roads here are rough just doesn't capture the conditions. These roads pulverize shocks and suspensions on cars and trucks, and passengers suffer through one hole after another. Normally it takes one hour and 45 minutes to drive from the Barnhouse residence to Roadside Baptist. On Sunday our trip took nearly three hours. The reason is that as diligent as we were in securing the new benches, poles, rafters, roof, etc. for the church, the rough travel caused the load to shift often and require stops to once again tighten down the supplies.

We took two vehicles to Roadside Baptist Church. David Barnhouse led the way, with Pastor Hack, Josh Hanji, Donovan Zachary, Ryan Morrow and Frazier (Pastor of Roadside Baptist) joining him. Scott Shepherd drove the second vehicle, towing the flatbed with most of the building supplies. I joined Doug Pennington and Lee Shaw in the vehicle, along with three chickens meant for dinner for the locals after the service.  

Upon arriving we immediately unloaded the benches and placed them in the church. To start the service, the eight of us and Barnhouse sang three songs for the bush people. Let's just say you won't see (or hear) this group performing at NBC anytime soon. Joyful noise? Not so sure about that.

Pastor Hack delivered the message, curtailing it to the demolition of the old building and construction of the new. He described what does and does not define a church, and talked about how the church is the people, not the building. But he also spoke of the value of assembling as a church body. The message, like our singing, was well received.

After the service, the demolition began. The old church consisted of block walls about three feet high, wood posts and a grass roof. They normally sit on lengths of tree trunks laying on the ground. With the help of the local men, we tore down all of it, leveled the ground, and went to work installing the new steel posts that provided the framework. The work was grueling at times, but the local men stepped in and helped to lend a hand. They mixed cement, assisted with the building materials and were invaluable in the construction.

The whole team really stepped up and answered the call, but Scott was instrumental in the project getting completed. From the time we pulled out and started the trip, he was a wealth of information, and solutions. We are so blessed to have him on the team. And others shined as well. Josh reached out of his comfort zone and did a great job of doing anything he could to help, spending several hours nine feet off the ground working on beams. Doug and Lee did great work in preparing some of the supplies in advance of today's work. It was a total team effort, and working next to them on a project this challenging was greatly rewarding.

The finishing touches were applied to the new church building as the last daylight slipped away. We packed our vehicles in the darkness, loaded the wood previously used as seating on the flatbed, picked up two goats Barnhouse had acquired, and began our return trip.

That's when things got adventurous. Hitting the road at 7:30, we began the trek back, the driving again slow due to the rough roads. At one point our vehicle lost contact with Barnhouse and the rest of the team. Scott did his best to catch up with the load of logs, but we did not see them make a turn, and we spent the next few hours trying to reconnect and find our way home. There are some poorly lit areas in Central Indiana, but nothing compares to the bush when the only illumination you have is a set of headlights and the blanket of stars in the sky.

The good news is that we made our way back, arriving after 10 p.m., and soon after Barnhouse and the rest of the team returned. That group had been driving the bush roads trying to find us just as we were looking for them, or the way home. When we reconvened at the house, the drive home was the topic of conversation as we enjoyed a late dinner. It was a fitting end to an interesting day; one that will stand as a lasting memory for each of us.

Sitting around the table with the team, I was again reminded of the sermon from earlier in the day. We may not have been in attendance at NBC today, but our church was represented in Zambia at Roadside Baptist Church. We had a chance to worship with fellow believers located thousands of miles from our home, serving the one true God.

With several long days under our belts, please pray that we will be energized to finish strong the rest of our time here. There is still a lot to be done, and we want to accomplish as much as possible. Pray that God will be glorified through our labors.

There's no one like Jesus

Takwaba uwaba nga Yesu
Takwaba uwaba nga Yesu
Takwaba uwaba nga Yesu
Takwaba takwa kabe

Na yenda enda konse konse
Na fwaya fwaya konse konse
Na shinguluka konse konse
Takwaba takwa kabe

(English translation)
There's no one, there's no one like Jesus
There's no one, there's no one like Jesus
There's no one, there's no one like Jesus
There's no one, there's no one like Him

I walky, walky here there
I searchy, searchy here there
I turn around, here there
There's no one, there's no one like Him

We enjoyed an incredible day at Faith Children’s Village, getting to meet many of the 60 orphans that are there, ranging in age from three years of age to 18 and 19. Mukuka Chilando, who is in charge of FCV, picked us up Saturday morning and we headed out through the rough terrain leading to the facility.

Before we left, however, we visited a local bakery just a short walk away to pick up doughnuts and cupcakes (they’re not quite like American cupcakes) to give to the men of Central Africa Baptist College. It was our way of thanking them for a great few days of fellowship.

Back to our trip to FCV. If you think the potholes on Indiana highways after the winter are rough, they have nothing on the treacherous passages used by the locals here each day. With the rainy season ongoing we took a Land Rover to help guarantee we would not get stuck. If the Land Rover experienced any issues, it was equipped with a winch to pull us out should we run into trouble.

We reached Faith Children’s Village without issue, but we were jostled really well during the journey. It was a special day at FCV, as one Saturday a month they celebrate the birthdays of all children there for that given month. Today, we cheered five children who were born in the month of February. As part of the festivities the children sang a couple of songs, including There’s No One Like Jesus. I listed the lyrics above in both English and Bemba, the language of Zambia.

For lunch our group of six was divided into three groups of two, and each group spent time in one of the houses at FCV. Scott Shepherd and Josh Hanji shared a meal with some of the boys at FCV. Kyle Morrow, Mukuka and I visited one of the girls’ houses, and Pastor Hack and Donovan Zachary visited another house for boys. It was a great opportunity to learn more about some of the children while sharing a great meal.

After the meal, Mukuka took us on a tour of FCV. I had a chance to visit the orphanage three and a half years ago and so much has changed. God’s goodness was evident as so many of the plans I heard about in my previous visit have come to fruition. The struggles to be self-sustaining are real, but they have put plans in place. This year they planted their first crop of corn, and in a little more than a month, it will be time for harvest. They are also raising their own poultry; hens to lay eggs, and others that will be sold at the market for valuable income. Some will also go toward meals at FCV. Another addition is a grove of banana trees that will produce plenty.

During our time at FCV, Mukuka told us of some of the orphanage’s greatest needs. One of the big hurdles currently is water. They are in need of two bore holes (wells) on the property to provide the water needed to further expand on their plans. Right now, those bore holes are the critical key in some of their strategic plans going forward. Mukuka explained that it would cost around $3,000 to have a contractor come out and do the work for one hole, plus another $3,000 for the infrastructure needed to pump and store the water. Doing quick math, that’s a $12,000 project with dire need of support.

Just as the song that we sang repeats, there’s no one like Jesus. He truly meets our needs, and the way that he has answered prayer for ministries in Zambia like Faith Children’s Village is awe-inspiring. Just as they continue to face challenges, I have no doubt that He will provide funding for these bore holes, but pray that they raise the necessary funding sooner rather than later and keep the momentum going.

After a rough return trip to Central Africa Baptist College, we packed our things and Dave Barnhouse picked us up. We traveled to his homestead and got settled in during the early evening, joining with Doug Pennington and Lee Shaw. These men have been working with Barnhouse and some of the locals on getting a saw mill started, and teaching the nationals woodworking skills they can use to create works to sell. We look forward to learning more about their labors in the next few days.

We joined together for a meal, and Maggie Barnhouse prepared a fantastic cabbage roll casserole (it’s much better than the name may sound). There were a few hours of conversation time before we turned in for the evening. Sunday we will visit one of the bush churches with which Barnhouse has been involved, and we look forward to a great time of preaching and fellowship with the people of the area. Pastor Hack will be delivering the message. Are the people of Zambia ready for his energy and enthusiasm?

Please pray that, like our time at CABC, this group of eight men can accomplish much during the limited time that remains. With our departure slated for Thursday, we want to make the most of the moments we have left. Also, continue to pray for the loved ones that are at home. While we have been fortunate to be able to stay in contact through texting, phone calls and Skype, it is not a replacement for our presence at home. We miss our families and look forward to getting back home. The Lord has provided us a unique opportunity to stretch ourselves and serve in ways we wouldn’t normally entertain. He has blessed our time, as we feel we have received far more blessings than our work has provided. Indeed, there’s no one like Jesus.

Walking as Light

"Africa has yet to see what God will do with a man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him!"

As you walk into Central Africa Baptist College's main entrance, these words are displayed for all to see. It made me think: could we replace Africa for America and say the same thing of ourselves? It also reminded me of this year's theme at Noblesville Baptist Church, Walking as Light, with the reference of Matthew 5:14.

In the time we have spent here in Kitwe at the college, it is so encouraging to see these men from all parts of Africa that are studying at CABC with the goal of going back into their communities and sharing the good news. Each student has a special story, and getting a chance to hear their testimonies is an incredible blessing. Some of these men are married with family that they leave to come here and study. They are truly walking as light.

Today was our last chance to work at CABC and the Link Business Park. Scott Shepard was again hard at work behind the wheel of the tractor, moving the red Earth to make way for concrete. When it was time for the group to head out to our evening activity, Scott stayed behind to try to accomplish as much as possible. Pastor Hack was busy painting the front of the building. After priming it the day before, he was busy as a one-man painting crew. Josh Hanji and Kyle Morrow were again in the "crow's nest" doing the same, apply the final paint to mark their task complete.

Donovan Zachary and I were challenged with replacing ceiling tiles on the second floor of the college. Water damage in several areas have caused the tiles to warp and badly needed attention. For two men that have no carpentry experience, we were pleased with the way God used us in this way. But we're also proclaiming no expertise in the area. Several times we had assistance from some of the students, and it was very-much appreciated. It was during these times that we had a chance to talk to them and learn their stories.

This evening the five of us (minus Scott) took part in a youth group event for Kitwe Church, Phil Hunt's latest upstart. Roughly 27 people were part of the night, and Pastor Hack entertained the teens and adults with a variety of games and a devotional. Phil said that many of the teens are fairly new Christians, and some of them have even encouraged their parents to check out the ministry. The parents have followed suit, as they wanted to know what had grabbed their children's interests and enthusiasm.

It was a long day, as we made it back to the college at 8:30, but it was once again a great experience. For the second day rain played a part in our afternoon. We lost power at the college and the job site beginning around 2 p.m., and it was restored not long before we returned this evening. The rain began a little after 5:30, and it was fairly constant throughout the evening, at times hard and other times a light sprinkle.

Tomorrow morning we will head to Faith Children's Village and spend time there before moving on to connect with Dave Barnhouse, Doug Pennington and Lee Shaw for the balance of our time here. It will be a great opportunity to see the ministry going on there. Pray that we will have safe travels there, as the road that we take to get to FCV is prone to washouts this time of year. Pray that we will be a blessing to the children as we get to see God's work firsthand. Finally, pray that we can take to heart the message on display in the CABC lobby and at NBC, and that we will strive to walk as light and be fully and wholly consecrated to Him!

Sweat Equity

Breakfast before a long and profitable day of work

Our first day working at Link Business Park was long, hot, and most of all, rewarding. As the six of us walked to the job site, we were prepared to dig in and help wherever we could be a blessing, and there was much to be done. We finished the day filthy, and our muscles will be sore in the morning, but we met so many new men that were at the site and had the chance to work shoulder-to-shoulder with them. It was a great experience.

As it turned out, we all split up and had a variety of duties. Scott Shepherd drove a tractor most of the day, moving stone, sand and dirt. He also began the work of clearing an area that will eventually be a concrete parking lot for the shops. Josh Hanji and Kyle Morrow worked up on the "crow's nest" on top of the three-story building, applying primer to some areas that will be painted tomorrow.

Pastor Hack worked with Donovan Zachary and I on a plumbing project to start the morning. He had to step away to preach in chapel later on, and his message was not just delivered to the students at Central Africa Baptist College, it was broadcast over the school's radio station, reaching three million people daily. While he had other responsibilities, Donovan and I completed what we could on the plumbing project, laying, cutting and fitting plastic hose.

We wrapped up the afternoon by cleaning the front of the Link Business Park structure, scraping off excess cement before applying primer. Just like with the crow's nest, tomorrow we will work on painting the front exterior. In less than a month this structure will be open for new tenants. Pray that this will be a successful venture for CABC and will help provide a needed revenue stream for the school.

We were reminded today that we are at the tail end of the rainy season here, as a storm arrived and provided lightning and heavy rain. It brought cooler temps and breezes, but it made a bit of a mess of the job site.

One of the great blessings of the day turned out to be the people we met and the stories shared. Each of us had a chance to interact with many during lunch on the grounds, as well as during Bible study at 9 p.m. We are rooming at the college, and get a chance to meet many of the students. They just returned to school in February, so they have much work to do. To see these men and women make a commitment to advancing the kingdom is truly amazing.

Before that, we were invited to dinner at the home of Ben and Amy Straub and their three sons. Ben is a faculty member at CABC, and the testimony of this couple and their desire to serve in Zambia was a great reminder of those that answer God's call to the mission field. The food and fellowship were great as well.

Pray that tomorrow (Friday) will be another profitable day and that we accomplish much in our last work day at CABC. There is much to be done, and our hope is to complete all that we can before visiting Faith Children's Village on Saturday.

Wheels Down in Zambia!

One of the main buildings at the Ndola Airport (Kyle Morrow)

It doesn't take long to realize you're not in Indiana anymore when arriving at the airport in Ndola, located roughly an hour from Kitwe and missionary Phil Hunt. It's truly another world over here. Kyle Morrow shot some pictures once we arrived, and as you can see by the included image, this airport is quite different than what we have become accustomed to in Indianapolis.

To recap our trip to date, the six of us (Pastor Hack, Scott Shepherd, Kyle, Donovan Zachary, Josh Hanji and myself) assembled at Noblesville Baptist church at 2 a.m. Tuesday, February 23. Our flight left Indianapolis at a little after 5 a.m. that morning, and we were on to Charlotte, then JFK, before embarking on a 14-hour flight (it felt like longer) to South Africa. There was very little time between flights, so our focus was on hitting our marks. We were able to get some sleep, but it's not easy, particularly when your destination is a country operating seven hours ahead of home. Our breakfast, for instance, was taken around midnight.

The fourth and final leg of our journey took us from Johannesburg to Ndola, arriving at 12:35 p.m. local time (5:35 a.m. back home). After getting settled in at Central Africa Baptist College, we were invited to dinner at Phil's house, getting a chance to meet his family. It was a great way to finish the day before resting up and rolling up our sleeves for some serious work tomorrow (February 25).

As part of our trip, Pastor Hack gave each man a copy of the book On Mission by Patric Knaak. It is a book covering devotions for short-term missions trips. Before getting to the first chapter there is a section that talks about "Holding The Ropes" and details British missionary William Carey setting out for India in the late 1700s. He famously said of the trip, "I will go down if you will hold the rope."

The first half of our time here in Zambia will be spent with Phil Hunt, and to witness what is going on in the ministry of Central Africa Baptist College, it is inspiring to see how many are holding the ropes for Phil. NBC has contributed to that, and I'm reminded of that when I see the portable classrooms that have been added to the property. And when we transition to see Dave Barnhouse this weekend, we'll get to witness more poignant examples of how others have been holding the ropes for these men, their families, and their ministries.

Speaking of holding the ropes, we need your help. If you read this, please remember to keep us in your prayers during this time. Please pray for each of the six men that made the commitment to come here, as well as Doug Pennington and Lee Shaw. Both of these men were part of an advance team that left more than a week before us and have been working with Barnhouse, and we'll unite with them soon enough. Pray that we will be instruments to be used by the Master, and that our work here will glorify Him. Also, pray for the families that we have left behind during this trip, and that their needs are met in our absence. We need as many as we can to help hold these ropes.

We will try to post updates as much as possible, but blackouts take place here each night from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. (3 p.m. to 11 p.m. in Indy) which may make it difficult to get online after a long day of work.