November 4, 2007

  • Our Year in Leadership

    September 4th, 2007

     

    I started writing this one morning in June, but it is now September 4th and while in the air between London and the US, I am putting the final touches on it.  It has turned out much longer than even I anticipated and when I add pictures …..well who knows how long it will be.  My only defense in apology to all of you is that I have been silent on the blog for so long now.  Since you haven’t had anything to read in awhile, perhaps you will give me grace with this novel.  So here it is……

     

    June 2007

    I feel like writing this morning, but I’m unsure where I will send it or what I will do with it.  I feel the need to write about what God has been doing here with us and our Zambian brothers and sisters and with Sons of Thunder as a whole. So, here goes….

     

    When Sal and I came almost two years ago now, we packed two teachings in our suitcases that we knew we were supposed to bring, but frankly unsure why.  One was a teaching by John Bevere called “Undercover” and the other a series of teachings called “Firm Foundations.”  When we arrived, besides the Medical Ministry, we were placed over the Church which at the time was in disorder.  The pastor was in sin and subsequently removed, the worship leader was on discipline and there was no order or structure anywhere.  There was no rhyme or reason to Sunday School, no teaching, and no plan for preaching.  The budget was almost nonexistent….Every aspect was struggling.  As we began to restructure everything, Sal taught the “Undercover” series on Spiritual Authority as an adult Sunday School class.  We felt the “Firm Foundations” course was to be the next Sunday School direction after he was finished and so for the next year that was the teaching. As we walked with God’s direction for the clinic and the church, we had no idea the things that were to transpire over the course of time. The resignation of the Field Director and the subsequent removal of the other missionary couple within our first year left us in a very unusual position.  We were now in the position of leadership for the whole vision. God had already prepared us both for that leadership in different ways through our secular career paths, so we were not fearful or unfit for the challenge.  Overall, however, the big picture was quite gigantic….a mountain too steep to climb.  But God told us to “just do what I put in front of you” and literally that is just what we did.  Our prayer every morning would be “help us Lord to just do what you put in front of us today.”  We told God we would do whatever He put in front of us that day…..and so our journey ensued.  One day at a time, one problem at a time, one hurdle at a time.  We kept our heads down and our eyes focused on Him, because if we were to lift our eyes, it would have been way too overwhelming.  The big picture was way too much for us to handle. Every morning began before the sun came up and by night it was early to bed exhausted most of the time unsure of what had been accomplished that day and sometimes not even able to remember what all had occurred. 

    Things were always left unfinished as we crashed into bed with the hope that tomorrow would see it through.

    We are now looking at the end of nine months from the time leadership was entrusted to us and I hear God say “raise your head and look back over those months…what do you see?”  Those two teachings came back to my mind and I realized for the first time just why we had brought them.  They weren’t for the church….they were for us.  You see, that’s exactly what God intended to do in all areas of Sons of Thunder here in Zambia. He intended to put everything “undercover” or under the proper authority and on a “firm foundation,” one of order and structure….something that could not be shaken.  Let me explain as I reflect on what God has been doing all these months.   

     

     

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    Let’s first look at the Farm…at the time of transition, all the families, 32 in all, were scattered all over the 10,000 acres most on the outskirts of the borders. A Farm and Village supervisor were selected. Order and communities were established with seven villages, all with a headman, chosen by the village supervisor and approved by the others.  Headman meetings were held every Tuesday at the guest house with missionary leadership. Problems that arose within the village were addressed by the headmen and solutions achieved by a majority vote of 5. Village protocols were established with at least weekly fellowship/prayer nights.  All villages were given oxen, plows, bicycles and most importantly water sources for their fields and life in general. Water delivery was set up for those villages farthest away from the river and small dam.  All families in the villages were given land for a field and a garden. There was also a community field in each village whose harvest came back to the farm.  That harvest came in handy when some of the village fields were destroyed by elephants, bush pigs and the neighbor’s cattle leaving people without a maize crop.  As we watched, the harvest of both the fields of maize and the gardens produced both a supply of food for the families and a profitable business for many. We followed the leading of the Lord to take on a farming supervisor to plant fields specifically for cash crop purposes.  Plans for sale and distribution in town have already begun as preliminary negotiations with local groceries and restaurants have been initiated.

    All buildings were initially cleaned out and all junk lying around believe it or not was sold as God brought buyers to the door.  Order was established with storage of all tools and supplies in their proper places.  Building projects on the farm have included three apartments in the tobacco barn originally for Reverand Mwikeesa, Pastor George and Janice. Rev. Mwikeesa has since retired to Siachitema and his apartment is at present being used by a new Orphanage Bible teacher. Other things completed included: new latrines and new garbage-burning pits. Repair of Dam 1 was started and two-thirds completed before rainy season came and it held.  The boundary fence between farms was strengthened. A new borehole was drilled at the site of the new church, which will also supply a village.  A hand pump was drilled at another village, one that ran out of water due to low rainfall this year. The store on the farm was taken over by Sons of Thunder, staffed and placed on a self-sustaining budget.  The guest house was thoroughly cleaned, the fountain filled with greenery (to prevent people from falling inJ), the outside trellis torn down to get rid of the bugs, snakes and vermin.  A new grass fence was built to surround the pool and a quote was obtained for a new pump. The lorry, Land Cruiser and Nisson pickup truck were sold and a new used lorry and two new used Land Rover Gameviewers were purchased.  The tractor and trailer were fixed and drivers for all vehicles were hired….we now have two drivers for all vehicles and one specific for the tractor.  Remember…I’m still just talking of the farm.

    Financially, we also found that District and Central land assessments were not paid and we were three years behind in back taxes! So all monies owed have been paid and the taxes are being completed as I write this in the local accounting office.

    The oranges are no longer being sold in town since their condition has not proved marketable.  Pruning of the orchard trees has begun after consultation with the Department of Agriculture. So now people on the farm and in the clinic are freely enjoying them and their nutritional value. A grinder was purchased for the people on the farm to have their maize ground on site instead of walking miles and carrying bags back along the road on their heads or bicycles.  One of our men was hit by a vehicle while returning from the grinding mill on his bicycle after dark one night.  He suffered from a serious concussion and was treated at the clinic for a week where he subsequently recovered and has since returned to work.   One worker has been hired to run the grinder and collect the small charge that is assessed which is lower than anywhere else.  A workshop has been established for carpentry and the construction of furniture in house has begun.  Relationships have been established with the local Chief in the area and his permission has been granted for acquiring river sand and available wood needed for building.  One of the guys has been sponsored to complete mechanics training and has even been given an internship in town with the Land Rover dealer.  He is now our full time mechanic and does all the maintenance and repairs on our vehicles. Another man is presently in electrical school.

    In conclusion when speaking of the farm, the Sons of Thunder sign has been posted on the roadside and people are welcomed onto the grounds. The atmosphere is light and the people are genuinely happy. Pay Raises were given to all workers. There is opportunity for open relationships with everybody. There are now 60 families on the farm after a census was taken.   

     

     

     

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    Okay, let’s take a look at the Church….As I have already stated, immediately when we got here, the Pastor was in sin and subsequently removed, the Worship leader was on discipline and the entire structure was chaotic.  The Bible College was not really a college and held no accreditation as a school for pastors.  Reverand Mwikeesa was trying to hold it all together with some kind of integrity and credibility, but finding it difficult.  There were nine outlying planted churches with six of the pastors not wanting to be pastors at all.  At the time of transition, Jacob was placed over the church and Bible teaching. He began teaching with Rev. Mwikeesa but found enrollment low and attendance almost nonexistent during planting season.  The decision was made to close the school until further planning with the Sons of Thunder Director and Board.  After the Bible College was temporarily closed, Reverand Mwikeesa retired to his home in Siachitema where he is receiving a quarterly retirement stipend from Sons of Thunder in appreciation of his years of service.  He is now with his wife living in and enjoying his recently built brick home!  The other Bible teacher was encouraged to seek further schooling, as was his desire, and has since left the farm.

    Pastor George arrived in December after graduating from Jembo Bible College and has been ordained by the Pilgrim Wesleyan discipline.  He has an established Church Board and is setting up programs within the church like Sunday school, prayer meetings, evangelism and outreach, etc. Seven of the nine outlying planted churches were closed and are now being brought to Sons of Thunder Church here on the farm every Sunday by lorry runs. Winfred is still the pastor at Kasiya and Gibson has maintained his church in Sinde…These two men feel called to be pastors and wanted to keep their churches going. Julius was the third man feeling called to be a pastor.  He however was brought from an outlying church and is now Assistant Pastor here at Sons of Thunder Church as well as full-time Chaplain for the clinic, which I will talk about later.   Village fellowship meetings or “cell groups” are being held weekly or more often in each village and are led by the headmen.  There is prayer, sharing of the Word and praise and worship along with an occasional meal.  Work teams have been invited to share in these times and have found them filled with the presence of the Lord.

    The present church building is too small and was never the final destination for the church.  Some steps, although minimal, had been taken to relocate the church up on the Hill near the school.  Years had gone by without much progress probably because that was not God’s plan for its location.  When the original Field Director of Sons of Thunder left, Global Samaritan began its own church up on the Hill.  That action only provided further confirmation that a church so far away from the farm proper was not the correct site for Sons of Thunder church.

    The new church location has since been determined and building has begun.  It will be located near the farm and close to the tarmac or main road…easily accessible to a lot of surrounding villages.  A borehole has been installed at the new site, a footer has been dug and utilities are being handled as I write this….both electric and water supply.

    All building is being done by our own Sons of Thunder skilled workers and laborers.

     

     

     

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    How about next we take a look at the School…The school we were told was a community school which we later found out was not the case.  You see, to be a community school, it must be on community land and since we had never given land to the government, this was not the proper status.  As a matter of fact our school had no status at all which means we really didn’t exist.  So after investigation, we discovered our options were private, where all monies are paid by us, community which I already told you was not an option unless we gave up land or grant-aided, where the teacher]s salaries would come from the government.  Since the school has never totally been subsidized by donations alone and since our numbers continue to grow (we have 402 students), it seemed reasonable to pursue grant-aided status.  And while we were at it, we decided to pursue becoming a testing site for the seventh grade test, which is a big deal here to continue on to secondary school.  Owen, the headmaster and I had meetings with the Ministry of Education and turned in the proper paperwork.  Since an onsite inspection was to occur before any decision was made, we scurried to complete work on the building and grounds.  The bathroom plumbing was fixed and a new soak away was dug, fixing all drainage pipes.  Glass was installed in windows which never had glass in them along with locks and handles.  Blackboards were painted and broken desks were fixed. Electrical wiring was completed where needed.  The cement patio was extended along the school building and roofing was completed overtop.  A new flag was even purchased.   The only thing missing was a school office and a strong room on site, so within two weeks, our construction team built an office with an inside strong room to keep all testing paraphernalia secure.  Painting has begun, beginning with the outside as requested by the teachers. So, presently we are awaiting a second inspection by the district and approval for our status.  Grant-aided status will place us under the proper authority and on a firm foundation for the future. We will be in a better position to build another classroom and teacher’s house moving all of the grades to one location. We will also have monies available for better supplies and books, desks and storage cabinets desperately needed….then who knows maybe a library, computer lab, copy machine…let’s dream big because our God is a big God!!! 

                One of our teachers has taken a sabbatical and may or may not return, so a new teacher has been hired in the interim.  Rose is the newest addition to the teaching staff and is presently covering first and fourth grades here in the remaining classroom located on the farm proper. We have also negotiated with the teachers to teach night classes down here at the farm….so adult English and Math classes are being provided to the families of Sons of Thunder free of charge.  The plan is for future financial management/ budget development classes once English and Math skills are up to speed.

     

     

     

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    I guess it’s time to look at the Orphanage…...at the time of transition we had 54 children with a possible adoption looming on the horizon. Eighteen babies had been received while we were on a three month furlough in the states. Needless to say that was an overwhelming challenge for the staff in such a short period of time.  The babies were not gaining weight and a couple were severely malnourished with intestinal infections.  After one baby died for no apparent reason other than failure to thrive, Jessi and I went into action.  Upon investigation, we discovered that all babies at 6 months old were taken off of the bottle and formula and were given diluted cow’s milk from a cup despite their size and nutritional condition.  Porridge was all they were being fed with perhaps some HEPS and ORS.  Jessi and I took the two worst cases and began by treating their intestinal infections while putting them back on formula and a bottle.  Their diets were changed to include mashed fruits and vegetables. Within a week, we began to see marked improvement and weight gain.  After our test babies showed improvement, Jessi changed the diets of all the babies, placing any under one year back on formula and bottles.  The workers were taught how to mash sweet potatoes and carrots, bananas and squash.  At the time of transition, we had 12 children on HIV medication, privately purchased through a source in Livingstone.  They were adult medicines and were diluted to be given to the orphans in varying amounts depending on severity of illness.  When we tested the twelve children in the clinic, some were found to be registering negative.  After consultation with organizations in the US, it was decided not to remove any medications from the children until more conclusive testing could be done.  It was at this point that someone literally walked up to the guest house from an orphanage in Monze and gave us the name of the clinic and the American who was being funded by a grant from Johns Hopkins to do DNA testing for HIV.  Jessi and I personally went to meet him on one of our trips to Lusaka and brought back the procedure and cards for specimen collection.  Sal drew all their blood samples and Jessi took the completed cards back to Lusaka.  We had results via e-mail within a few weeks.  Seven of the twelve children were negative and have subsequently been removed from the medications.  The other five, who are true positives, have been placed on free government PEDIATRIC ARVs through the clinic.  The other medication regiments previously used for fevers, sicknesses, malaria etc were eliminated and all sick babies are now seen at the clinic for treatment in order to avoid improper diagnosing of illness and incorrect dosing of medications.  Weekly meetings are held with Lena and Royce (the two orphanage supervisors) on Fridays to discuss any issues.   Lena and Royce have been doing all the hiring and firing, scheduling, and payroll for the orphanage workers which total 40 employees.  They have also been doing all the weekly shopping on Mondays…..one of the drivers takes them into Livingstone and escorts them all over town picking up food and supplies.  They have been very involved and instrumental with schooling for the kids….first grade with Rose, preschool with Christine, Bible lessons with Carolyn first and now Lena B and even gardening with Travet.  There is even an orphanage garden to provide some of our own vegetables.   Lena and Royce have given a list of needs for the children and facility including the washer/dryer which were newly acquired, and new orphanage furniture which is in the process of being made by Godfrey here at the farm in the workshop.  He will be making a sofa, loveseat, table and kitchen cabinets.  Bunk beds and mattresses were requested but presently are being used in the guest house for the last two work teams in August.  The plan is to move them over to the orphanage once the teams are finished.  The storage rooms have been cleaned out and organized and new clothes and toys have been put into circulation for use instead of sitting in storage being eaten by rats.  A new orphanage porch was added to the back of the building and was painted by the work team in June….one of the team members was an artist and painted an entire Veggie Tale theme over the back wall.  Little handprints in a variety of colors were sprinkled all over the short wall with a corresponding name attached.   A new orphanage outdoor kitchen was constructed expanding cooking capacity sixfold. A new freezer was purchased and a new hot water tank installed.  The small building next to the garage was wired and the freezer, and washer/dryer were placed in there under lock and key. Raises were given to all orphanage personnel. 

    Many of our children were not under Social Service as required by law…Before Jessi returned on furlough, she made sure all of the children were stamped under Social Service and legally placed.  Social Service in Livingstone officially put our capacity for children at 40.  We now have 51….Freda has been adopted and Bright and Bruno (found to be HIV negative) were sent home to be with their now married parents Susan and Christopher and their new sister Cannister.  Jessi also wrote a Policy and Procedure manual for the orphanage before her departure to the States. 

     

     

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    Okay, let’s take a look at the Clinic (which is where our heart is)….Since Sal and I started with the clinic and were already committed to do just what God put in front of us, a firm foundation was laid here from the beginning.  We just kept prodding along. One room…..two rooms….three rooms.…and now a whole building!  When the government decided to make us an ART center for HIV patients, we did not have adequate space… Since they were doing the on-site training, they required a room for counseling, an exam room and a pharmacy room.  Yes we had three rooms but remember one was for inpatients.  It was at this time that the building supposed to be used for a second orphanage would be used for the clinic instead.  The three old clinic rooms would now be used in place of the one children’s TV/school room….so the children now have a separate preschool room, a TV room and a playroom!  The new clinic building is being renovated as I write this using a Zambian Contracting Company, thanks to a large donation from a very generous church in Fairfax Virginia.  The building is literally getting a new look!  Front and back covered verandas have been added with gravel footpaths all around the outside.  The back veranda has cement seating to accommodate a whole lot of waiting patients and provides an open air forum for Julius’ morning sharing of the Word. (Julius is our full-time Chaplain). He gives a message first thing in the morning and later in the day and he prays for each and every patient before they are seen in the clinic. The old water tank has been replaced and a new generator installed.  The outside facing of the building has been changed….smoothed and now painted.  Inside, the old wiring and plumbing are being replaced and/or strengthened. New security bars have been welded in the windows and fly screens have been made.  Ceiling boards have been repaired and/or replaced and all the rooms inside have been painted.  Doors have been added, painted or varnished and locks installed or replaced. Doors have been placed on the bathroom stalls with handles and locks and ceramic tiling has been done around the bathtubs and sinks with mirrors installed.  A washer/dryer was installed in one of the bathrooms for clinic laundry thanks to a donation from a small church with a big heart in Maryland.  The inside has a large reception area with inside waiting, a counseling room, a storage room, a male ward and a female ward for inpatients, a maternity room, an exam room, a room for “intensive care” or “short stay” patients, a full laboratory and two bathrooms complete with showers, bathtubs and multiple sinks and toilets.  God has blessed us abundantly!!  And guess what?  Sal and I get to move back to the apartment at the end of the building, which by the way is where we started.  We spent our first nine months there (funny I never realized that was nine months too…hmmm).  Well the apartment has also been renovated with all the same upgrades like new grill bars, flyscreens  and ceramic tile around both sinks and the bathtub …not to mention new paint.  But also, vinyl flooring throughout and an air conditioner in the bedroom were added!!!! We just moved back in right before we left Sept 3rd….it felt like home.

    We remembered how peaceful we were there,,,,we are looking forward to that again and we are excited that night time rounds are now right through an inside door!!!!

     

    Let me tell you the incidentals about the staff, patients and workload.  Our operating hours have been Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri…..but let me tell you it’s really 24/7. (I keep remembering Pastor Clark when he was youth pastor always referring to the 24/7 generation!!! J) Not only are people coming at all times but they are coming sicker and from far distances.  Ever since we made wards….we have had inpatients galore….sometimes a full house which right now is six beds. Sometimes patients come from such a distance that they arrive after dark at night and sleep on the back veranda just to be seen in the morning.  I haven’t had time to count the statistics…but we have kept the sign in sheets and someday I will total them.  I can tell you a few stats off the top of my head….

     

    • We now have 150 of our own HIV patients on Antiretroviral therapy…
    • Last Under Five day, I saw 52 children and Sal saw 114 regular clinic patients ….
    • Last week, right before we left, we saw more than 400 patients in the clinic!
    • In just one day in July or maybe August Sal delivered three babies one in the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening!
    • On a similar day however we also had three deaths
    • We have had two medical outreaches during this period…feeding Africa spiritually and physically
    • We have had nine Clinical Officer students working with us once or twice a week over the last few months
    • We have a lab technician (Gabriel) from Livingstone working for us once a week doing all our lab tests especially for our HIV patients

     

    I can’t be sure where or how this journey will continue….I can only tell you that we are moving onward and upward.  I see a need soon for more professional staffing…..perhaps one of those Clinical Officer students and perhaps a nurse. As I was standing in front of the clinic talking with a patient’s family member, my eyes were drawn to the side and I saw two more chicken coops.  Previously I thought maybe housing for staff and work teams, but this time I saw two wards….a male ward and a female ward!  I’m beginning to see a need for a laundry person and perhaps a cook.

    As I left for the States, a sign had just been painted for the front of the Clinic….

     

    (PICTURE OF SIGN HERE)

     

    I also believe I have found the correct location for a banner that was given to me to bring back in 2005…initially I thought it was for the church…but I know now that it’s place is on the wall in the reception area of the clinic.  It has one word… “HOPE” amidst rain falling on a dry parched land.  We are giving the people hope…..we are giving the people Jesus!

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    Speaking now of all of the changes here at Sons of Thunder farm, church, school, orphanage, clinic…..

     

    Some of these changes happened as a matter of fact as God easily brought them to pass, but some my friends came with great price.  There was persecution…..that occurred from the family of believers and fellow Christians.  There was standing firm.…..in the face of opposition from all sorts of places wherever Satan thought he could stop God from moving.  But, the favor of the Lord was with us and we soon discovered that no plan of God’s can be thwarted. There was an oppression….felt over the entire farm, but God proved Himself as our Deliverer. There was heartbreak…..as man fell into sin and discipline had to be rendered. Sometimes we felt we advanced two steps forward and then regressed three steps back.  There was compassion……as forgiveness and restorations were given.  There was prayer and practicing presence……as we sought God’s direction and His heart.  There were tears and discouragement that tried to creep in……to prevent the plan of God from advancing.  But God provided “little kisses” just when we needed them from all sorts of places.  He spoke to us from His Word many times giving encouragement and approval and sometimes even warning us about what was to come. So it was at God’s direction that the next step would be taken and would be not only for our Zambian brothers and sisters but would be for us…..

     

    As a culmination of the last nine months, God laid out his direction for us and our Zambian brothers and sisters through His Word.  The direction was for a time of Thanksgiving and was given out of Esther....chapter nine.  In my NIV Bible, the heading is Triumph of the Jews and is the story of their deliverance from Haman and their enemies and the other heading is Purim Celebrated, an annual celebration that was established to give thanks to God and to remember His hand of deliverance and answered prayer throughout this generation and the generations to come..  Let me quote you some significant verses that led to our Sons of Thunder thanksgiving celebration. Esther 9:19 “That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day of giving presents to each other.”  Our Zambian Sons of Thunder family live in villages and the fourteenth of July would signify our last official day of leadership and new leadership beginning on the fifteenth. Esther 9:20-22a “Mordecai recorded these events and he sent letters to all of the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration.”  Esther 9: 27-28 “the Jews took it upon themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendents and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year in the way prescribed and at the time appointed.  These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never cease to be celebrated by the Jews, nor should the memory of them die out among their descendents.”

    So, these events were recorded by the Zambian leaders present this year (2007) and the document shall be read each year at the celebration.  The day of celebration and feasting was officially established to occur on the 14th day of July each year with every family from every village including all who are added to the farm in years to come. 

    This year the day was filled with thanksgiving and praise to God, feasting and fellowship with each other and a time of testimony and healing.  It was an awesome time of closure and a renewed hope and vision as we continue in the future direction for Sons of Thunder.

     

     

     

     

    Nine months is a time of preparation…a time of growth…an incubation period where things are formed and molded into a final product….just like a pregnancy.  I believe we have been in that period.  At the end of every pregnancy, there is a release, a “birthing out” so to speak of something new….I’m excited to see what God is going to do next, for my friends there is a new Sons of Thunder.