September 4^th, 2007

I started writing this one morning in June, but it is now September 4^th 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 3^rd….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 14^th 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. 

May 8, 2007

Well, guess who came to the guest house today….today is Wednesday and the clinic was closed so the vehicle pulled up into the driveway.  Out of the vehicle and into the house came the Chief of our area and his whole family including his elderly auntie. It felt like the President was here….how inadequate I felt with protocol.  I wasn’t sure how to address them or what exactly I was supposed to do, so I just offered them a drink and a seat while we waited for Sal to return from town.  When Sal arrived, we treated three members of the family for different complaints.  We had an opportunity to get acquainted with the royal family and make relationships.  They will be back for reviews in ten days.  The Chief offered us more land if ever we want it and timber if ever we need it for making furniture. I told him we needed clinic and orphanage furniture and he told us just to let our carpenter come and get it.

            Speaking of carpenters….We are starting to get some skilled workers on the farm.  Godfrey is a carpenter, bricklayer and painter.  He has Pathias and Chrispin who also lay

block and do cement work. They just finished blocking in one of the outside showers….should be very nice when work teams start arriving.  Terry has been made the official mechanic of the farm…doing scheduled maintenance on all the vehicles and fixing problems as they arise.  Ochrist is Abson and Terry’s older brother and he does plumbing I hear.  Chanda wants to attend electrical school…he already has helped me in the guest house with lights, fans and the washer/dryer.  And then there is Pastor George who can do a little of everything. I don’t know what God is up to, but he continues to bring the right people, just when needed.

            Speaking of bringing the right people, that makes me think about Julius.  Julius knocked on the door months ago and told me he felt he was supposed to do something more and maybe we could use him with praying for the patients at the clinic.  We hired him as our Chaplain and he worked alongside Vundukai with HIV classes and counseling.  Since Vundukai was let go, Julius had been inactive in the clinic.  He was the gardener for the orphanage and work team gardens and he became the assistant pastor here at the Sons of Thunder church on the farm.  Well, he came to the door again to tell me that the Holy Spirit “keeps telling me to pray for these patients….what do you think?”

Talking further, he told me he wanted to preach a short message in the morning and then counsel and pray with patients the entire time Sal is also working….prayers for salvation and healing.  He felt he was supposed to give up his gardening job and come on full time at the clinic.  God’s timing is always perfect and both Sal and I felt a peace about him and the proposed plan.  Travet has taken over his job with the gardens and Julius is now officially full time at the clinic. Julius is preaching and praying and handing out scriptures.  “I want to make sure these people know Jesus.”  People have responded positively to the addition.  “Feed a nation”…that’s what God told us to do and man does not live on bread alone, right?  Julius is a very humble and God-fearing Zambian man…Sal and I are honored to have him as part of the team.  God is so faithful to light those stones and provide

all we need in His perfect time.

. 

                                       Julius

Bertha, Chris, Janet, Febby, Namatama and Anna down front

May 07, 2007

Well, we had five patients admitted to the clinic tonight.  The first one is a pregnant female named Regina who is ready to deliver and lives very far away.  She asked if she could stay until she delivers because she is afraid her labor will start at home and she will be unable to make it in. According to her estimated due date which here is far from accurate, she is two weeks overdue.  With that in mind and her medical presentation, we told her she could stay.

            The second patient is Simon from the farm.  We were awakened at 1:00am to go into his village because he had been hit by a car…had walked home and now was “fainting.”  Sal took the Land Rover and went to the village to find Simon unconscious.  Upon exam, he appeared to have sustained a head injury and definitely had a concussion.  On head to toe physical exam, everything else seemed to be intact.  Sal brought him to the clinic with six family members, started an IV, gave medication and prayed.  The story unfolded….Simon and Joseph had gone to Senkobo on bicycles to the grinding mill to get their maize ground into meal.  They were returning after dark and Simon pedaled ahead because he had to get back for his shift at the dairy.  All of a sudden Joseph heard a crash and commotion up ahead after a taxi had passed him.  When he reached the area of the noise, he found Simon walking aimlessly around dazed and only the wheel of his bike and his bag of meal off the side of the road.  Simon did not recognize Joseph and tried to sit in the middle of the tarmac.  Joseph picked up the wheel and the meal, and grabbed Simon, holding his hand as he guided him back home.  About 100 yards up the road, Joseph found the rest of Simon’s bike all in pieces and not restorable.  Simon was brought to the clinic unconscious that night and remained disoriented and dazed for two days.  I am happy to report that today (May 11…I know it took me a little while to finish the story!), he was discharged, a little sore but in his right mind and ambulatory. 

            The day after Simon was hit by the taxi while on his bicycle, his sister Eunice was leaving work at the orphanage on her bicycle and fell on the way home.  She was brought back to the clinic bleeding from her head and in a lot of pain.  Upon exam, she was found to have a broken rib and facial abrasions on the right side of her face. Wounds cleaned and ribs bound, she was also admitted.

            An HIV patient was admitted just so she would be there for Thursday when we could draw her blood for a CD4 count.  Right now , until we get our lab officially set up, we are only permitted 10 blood draws every two weeks for CD4 counts which we need for criteria to place people on ARV’s.

            A pretty full house already….but then people brought in an elderly woman named  Veronica.  Veronica lives in Kwaleni village and goes to our church here at the farm.  She is also married to the blind man Benedict that I talked about before.  She is the mother of one of the orphanage workers also. Well she had been bitten by a snake on the left leg about four hours previously and the type of snake was unknown.  There is no anti-venom here believe it or not…so we just started an IV and began the protocol of the General Hospital….within 30 minutes, she stopped breathing (enough that Sal and I were checking for her heartbeat and were ready to pronounce her dead).  Our chaplain Julius was there and led the entire room in prayer as they were all on their knees.  She started breathing again and even got feisty and verbally argumentative.  Our hopes were lifted….but two hours later, she died.

            We needed two staff members to stay the night…..As we were working on people and making rounds, Janet said… “This is a hospital!” J  

It’s time for an update!!  You know I haven’t been writing much…well that’s because my role here has significantly changed from just medical.  Yes I still do some, but I have been stationed primarily in the guest house.  There have been a lot of organizational structure changes as we have been transitioning personnel here.  A lot of time has been devoted to putting things in order…a lot of cleaning out and a lot of teaching has been occurring.  I have been involved in all of that for not only the farm, but the clinic, and the school.  Some of the people who have been entrusted with more responsibility have fallen at times requiring counsel and added teaching to help them back up.  We live in a sinful world and none of us are righteous…no not one. So needless to say I have not been in the clinic much catching glimpses of God’s healing hand and therefore did not have stories to share.

But I have to tell you about three cases recently, two of which came to the guest house first.……

The first one is MacDonald…he is a married man with two children and also HIV.  He came to us suffering from osteosarcoma of the tibia/fibula (cancer of the bones in the lower legs as a result of HIV.  He was unable to walk without dragging his leg, and was in quite a lot of pain.  I remember him sitting on the floor in tears as he told us of this treatment in Lusaka that was totally unaffordable to him.  After laying hands and praying for him and giving him a Bible, we gave him the funds needed for the treatment along with transport money for the trip to Lusaka.  MacDonald came back months later to show us his legs after treatment at the Italian Hospital where they “sucked the cancer cells out of his leg” as he told it.  He had no more pain and could walk.  Unfortunately on his way to us, he confronted a school girl on her way home from school.  She ran away physically unharmed, but her father was now at the clinic demanding some kind of justice.  So we loaded them all up in the car and took them to the police station where charges were filed and we left MacDonald.  We went to his house to inform his wife so she could bail him out of jail.  The next time we saw MacDonald was months later …this time telling us that he tried to get into catering but they wouldn’t accept him because of his HIV.  He desperately wanted to provide for his family but he was unable to do hard labor due to his legs.  So he had an idea of a telephone business…setting up a portable phone stand for use in town and selling talk time.  He just needed a little assistance to buy the phone to get started.  We again provided monetary assistance to get him started and we hadn’t heard from him until last week.  He brought a man from town that his heart went out to…a man who drags himself around town with his hands, legs dragging behind him because due to a motor vehicle accident, he can’t stand or walk.  His wheelchair had broken and he desperately needed another one…but again he could not afford to replace the one that broke.  MacDonald brought him to Sons of Thunder because we had helped him…now he was trying to help someone else.  That really touched me…the love and kindness we had shown him was spilling over and he took his eyes off himself long enough to see another in need.  He was “paying it forward.”  Yes…of course we helped this man, enabling him to go to Lusaka and buy another wheelchair. But the victory was in MacDonald…changing one life at a time.

The second story is little Andrew…a three year old boy who’s mom brought him in with a high fever resulting in a convulsion.  Liver and spleen were enlarged….thought of course was malaria but we had run out of tests.  His hemoglobin was 3.1.  He was pretty lethargic…and not verbally responsive.  We started an IV, gave him IM medication for his fever, the malaria and a medication to protect his brain.  Then we admitted him.  By the next day, he was incontinent of urine with visible blood noted.  Urinalysis confirmed what our eyes already saw.  He was jaundiced and his hemoglobin was 2.1. Only response was to pain and even that was dulled.  We told mom we needed to transport him to Livingstone General Hospital because he needed a blood transfusion.  She looked back at us and said …”I just can’t….you remember my mother.”  Well when she told us who her mother was, we remembered that we had taken her in for a transfusion also and they just let her lay in bed for three days without treatment and she died.  Looking into these mother’s eyes, she knew how serious her child was and yet she felt his best chance at survival was here at Sons of Thunder.  I went and got the mother a Bible, and then laid hands and prayed on her son again.  I witnessed of the greatness of Jesus as our Healer…the One we put our hope in.  After that I didn’t get back to see Andrew until yesterday…about four days later.  I found him on his way out the door, drinking a drink and smiling about being discharged.  He was healed!!  Sal said his hemoglobin was 3.1 again and he was discharged on iron.   His jaundice was gone…no more blood in the urine…no more fever ....eating without difficulty….liver and spleen were returning to normal size…all body functions working.  Mom had such a big smile on her face as she said “You see why I couldn’t go to General.”  Sal told me that every day he made rounds he found her reading the Word to Andrew and she attended church on the farm on Sunday.  Everyone knows who healed Andrew!!!!  Jesus is an awesome God!

The last story is the culmination of what we hope to accomplish here. It’s about a man named Felix. Felix is a thirty something year old man, single with no family alive in the area.  He is also disabled…he has only half a foot and crippled hands and legs.  He does manage to get around, but not easily.  When we first met Felix, he had an old brace made for his leg and he had a “tropical” shoe (flip-flop) tied to his foot with dirty rags.  He could hardly manage, but had taken public transport here and then walked in somehow from the tarmac.  He was using the side of his foot to walk on.  He needed a custom made shoe from Ndola, but it was financially unaffordable for him.  After laying hands and praying on him, we gave him a Bible and told him about Jesus as Healer.  We did give him the funds to go to Ndola and have the shoes made.  He would have to stay there until they were done so money was provided for that as well.  Months later Felix came back with temporary shoes and a new brace….the shoes were not yet quite right.  He came back this time however to ask us to help him build a house, because he was without any shelter from the rain.  I’m not quite sure where he was living, but he had a small bit of land they were going to give him in a village area in Livingstone.  Yes…of course we gave him funds to help him get a house (which is really a grass hut remember).  Just two days ago Felix came back….he was clean, dressed very nice, with a brand new pair of shoes that were looking good and working well.  He had his brace on for his leg and one for his arm to help with walking.  He has his house now, is living in Maramba in town.  and CARE international is helping him with food. Now he came to see us because he wants to work, to be independent and provide for himself.  They will give him a stand in the Maramba Market for a nominal monthly rental fee.  When I asked him what he wanted to do, he told me he had a certificate for electronics and he wanted to fix radios and televisions.  The only problem is, he needed funding for some tools.  Yes…we gave him the funds, but while he was waiting for Sal to finish at the clinic in order to hitch a ride back to town, we sat down in the foyer of the guest house to talk.  He thanked me for everything including his Bible which he told me he reads every day.  That opening led us to talk about Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life.  Felix told me he thought he was saved because he doesn’t drink or smoke anymore and he goes to the Penecostal Church in town.  He was led by a friend to a church in Ndola once where he told me, “they believe in the Koran and Mohammed, but I ran away from that.”  When I asked him if he ever asked Jesus into his heart to be Lord of his life, he told me he went to his Pastor to pray for him but he was out of town. I told him he didn’t need anyone to pray for him…it was a gift he needed to receive himself through faith.  As I started to share the Gospel message about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I saw a snake crawling towards us from the corner of the room by the front door.  Now I know there have been snakes found in the house before….but not since I’ve been here!!!!!  Here I was with this disabled man who couldn’t run from the snake and who couldn’t defend me.  I bravely got up and got a club that we have nearby and was going to handle the situation.  (How far I have come!!!)…..but God was gracious to me and Jake was heading to the front door from the outside.  I hollered for him to stop until the snake had cleared the doorway.  Then I opened the door, handed him the club and he came to the rescue.  It was a spitting cobra…Two of the houseworkers, Terry and Doubt also heard the commotion and came to assist.  Doubt carried the dead snake out on a stick.  Isn’t it funny that just as I was sharing the Gospel, a snake would come out from nowhere….hmmm.   Well I was more affected than I thought, so I told Jake where we were and he proceeded to share with Felix about how to be saved….Felix prayed right in the foyer stating that he believed in Jesus and asking him into his heart to be Lord of his life.  Afterwards, you should have seen his countenance…it was as if a load had been lifted and his smile brightened the room.  Jake and I again prayed for him for healing and a continued growth in God’s word.

Sons of Thunder Medical Ministries gave him his shoes…his braces….his house….and now a start on a business venture, but today Felix walked down that driveway with the most important gift of all…eternal life.  That’s what it’s all about….that’s why we’re all here.

I am sorry that I have not been as diligent in the writing of these updates.  I promise to try to do better.  Alot has happened and is happening since our short stay in the States last November/December.  Let me fill you in.....

Our personal life has been eventful......Sal had a PET scan while he was home to follow up on his lymphoma....oh maybe you didn't know that.  Well, 2 weeks after we announced we were going to Africa fulltime, he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Primary Splenic Lymphoma and had his spleen removed.  That was in 2003 and since that time he has been fine.  This last scan however showed two spots in the abdomen which requires antibody treatments....once a week for four weeks at a time every six months for two years.  Did I say that clearly?  He will have treatments March and September for the next two years....so our furloughs are pretty well predetermined for now.  The treatments are not chemotherapy and don't have the same side effects...we figure it's God's way of giving us a much needed break twice a year.  Of course I will be happy to see the grandchildren!!!  That's Sal. 

Our newest grandson Gabe, short for Gabriel Josiah was taken to the hospital at three months old on Christmas eve for some "vomiting" and was admitted for "breathing problems."  He is now five months old (almost 6) and is still an inpatient only now he is in Children's Hospital in DC in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).  He was diagnosed with a chronic lung problem after a lung biopsy, severe reflux which required Nisin surgery and now it is said that he has Scids which is a malfunctioning or absent immune system like the  "boy in the bubble."  He is going to need a bone marrow transplant.  They have just gotten approval for the siblings to be tested so today my son, his wife and two daughters are to be tested to see if one of them is a match.  God has been faithful through all of this giving us a peace that passes all understanding.  We are very thankful for all the support, love and prayers that have already been shown by many, many people across the nation and around the world.  Please add or continue to pray for him.

Our ministry life has also been quite eventful.......Sal and I have taken on alot more responsibility overseeing everything at the Farm since September....establishment of villages with headmen, planting of gardens and fields, water, bicycle and oxen distribution to the villages, working on the dam and fences, maintenance of electric and plumbing in all buildings (many needed rewired), training of nationals in leadership positions, cleansing and purging of all that was shaken in the Guest House and throughout the farm, establishing a Sons of Thunder store, changing the financial recordkeeping over to Quickbooks, applying for change of status for the school in order to get financial assistance from the government for teachers salaries, working with Jessi to bring needed changes to the orphanage and care of the children.  Jacob and Jessi have been a blessing, willing to help in all areas.......including workteams!  Yes we now also have responsibility for workteams.  You see why I have been a little lax in writing?  I haven''t even mentioned the Medical Ministry yet.

So let me update you on Medical......God is awesome and things are moving at a very fast rate.  We are growing so fast that it was decided that we should move into the "new Orphanage" building.  Frankly, when Sal and I first saw the building and were living in the apartment on the end of it, we felt it was to be the Clinic not an orphanage.  We waited however for God to reveal that to our authorities which he did.  So now we are in the building.....2 bathrooms, one for men and one for women with hookups for washers and dryers, a large reception area, an exam room, a maternity room that could also be used as an exam room, two wards for overnight patients, a private overnight room, a storage room for medications and medical supplies, an office, and a full laboratory.  After two classes, one in Livingstone and one in Lusaka, and hands on training with the Kazangula Health District, we have officially passed!!!!  We are now a recognized ART (AntiRetroviral Therapy) Center for HIV patients.  We now have the free HIV medications from the government to distribute to patients without transporting them anywhere.  Also thanks to a very large donation, we are now setting up our own lab to do hematology as well as CD4 testing and TB testing.  We have always been able to do quick tests for malaria, HIV, pregnancy, RPR, blood sugars etc....now we will be able to do full blood counts and CD4 counts to determine medication eligibility and AFBs for TB treatment.  The next thing we will work toward are chemistries.  Our plan is too hire the lab technicians from the hospital to come on a rotation once a week to do our lab tests.  We are definitely growing!!! 

We have been given another large donation for building of the clinic which we will use for renovation of this existing building....like windows with screens, covered patios front and back for a large waiting area for clinic patients as well as a large sitting area for overnight patients, proper plumbing with new water tank and septic system, new doors throughout and flooring. God said to "raise the standard".....  and that's what we are trying to do.  God led us to a Zambian builder the first week we were here in 2005.  We kept his name and have since met with him and his partner multiple times....renovation is to begin when we return in April.

Staff at the clinic has changed significantly......                                                                                                                                 

Vundakai was let go after he went to Lusaka for two weeks without any notice....God within the week replaced him with Chris.  Chris is our new HIV Counselor.  He also has experience with TB recordkeeping. 

Anna has left to go to teachers college in Livingstone, her second choice after she was denied nursing school due to her grades.  Janet has now stepped up to the seniority position.

Rona is still recovering from her mastectomy......so we hired Bridget for overnight patients.

Bertha is in school and the other Bridget left to go to secretarial school in Lusaka, so we have hired Namakau, Namatama and Febby. 

Jha has been busy with his job in town and has been unable to work or cover during our furlough, so God provided Derrick, another Clinical Officer who works at Livingstone Hospital but who is on leave until May.  So he is covering patients Monday Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays while we are here in States.      

Well....I hope that suffices for now.  Pictures will be forthcoming                                                                     

 September 30, 2006

Well, there are lots of good things happening at Sons of Thunder farm these days.  God is on the move and the four of us have been very busy….Let me tell you some of the happenings.

First of all, the four of us (Sal and I, Jacob and Jessie) are working together to seek God’s direction and are prayerfully instituting changes under the authority of Pastor Jerry as God directs.

• 7 villages are being formed among the families on the farm with 7 headmen : Abson, Passmore, Padmore, Peter, Graham, Terry, and Doubt.  They have weekly meetings with Sal and Jake right here in the house.
• Alexander has been made Village Supervisor with responsibilities of everything off of farm proper...he is also over the village headmen.
• Abson has been made Farm Supervisor with responsibilities of everything on farm proper.
• People all over the farm are shifting locations and are building new huts...into their respective new villages.  They even have names for their villages. 

One of the new Village Homesites

• Each family has been given a field in or near their village along with a community field (the entire village to work this one together) for maize for the farm....At the end of harvest, we will have 7 hectors of maize from each of the community fields to be given to the farm for famine relief wherever needed. 
• Each family who lives on the farm and those who work on the farm were given land right here on the farm proper for gardens....there are plots for 61 gardens on the left side of the driveway as you pull in....you will actually be able to see gardens as you come onto the farm.

          Gardens

                                                                                                  School Children even have a Garden

• The plan is for each village to be given 4 oxen, 2 plows, 1 oxcart and 2 bicycles....they will be responsible for security, storage, allocation or use, and repairs and or maintenance.
• Two of the villages are far from water supply, so two plastic drums have been purchased, one for each to be placed in their village on a stand which each headman has already made.  The containers will be filled once or twice a week using an oxcart to transport a larger drum to fill them. Found a water tankard in the junkyard of the farm.
• Storage units everywhere have been cleaned out and junk gotten rid of or things used or given away. 

a.       red shed next to house cleaned out by Abson and a crew, rats killed, things

                        to be kept organized and junk discarded

b.      very large room inside church cleaned out by Abson and a crew, junk

        discarded or given away, things to be kept relocated into their proper areas.  This area will be

        used for the orphanage children to play during rainy    season. It's actually closed in with roof and

        windows!!

c.       Storage room in tobacco barn cleaned out by Jessie and a crew of women and clothes distributed in a farm giveaway last Saturday

                        Giveaway

d.      One room on first floor of tobacco barn made into an apartment (for Zambians) sitting room and two bedrooms with electricity, block walls and ceiling boards.  Has main door and windows.....will be used by a woman named Janice and her family who is Rev. Mwikkesa's daughter and who was hired to be supervisor of house and work teams. She will oversee workers in the house and yard, assist with cleaning and laundry, and will be taught how to shop for, plan and prepare meals for the work teams.

                     Janice and Rev Mwiikisa

e.       Strong Room next to classroom on corner of tobacco barn ground floor made into an efficiency apt for Rev Mwikessa so he can be away from the stairs. His classroom will also move downstairs and will be right next to his apartment.  

f.        All Construction work being done by skilled Zambians…Gibson and Teddy on Saturdays, Godfrey, Comrade and Eugene during week…electrical, block and cement, plumbing, ceiling tiles, doors, windows etc. Godfrey and Gibson can do almost everything…Eugene and Comrade are cement workers and Teddy is the plumber.

g.       The old Bible classroom upstairs will be used as a study room for the 7th graders in preparation for their seventh grade exam and will be used by Vundukai for classes/support group for HIV patients on Fridays from 2-4pm.

h.       Rev. Mwikessa's old apt will be cleaned and given to Chanda, a single man who Jake brought onto the farm to be his interpreter for all ministry.

i.         Chicken coop cleaned out by Abson and a crew and all materials and supplies moved to dairy.  Instead of things being all over farm, they are now right at the dairy where they are easily accessible and where security is greatest.

j.        All heavy equipment vehicles moved out of dairy....one working tractor operational and Zambian taught to drive it...Marvin.  It is being used for firewood collection, shifting people, rescue when lorry is stuck, collecting grass and logs cut for houses and fencing.

·                          Logs being cut for fencing along the property line to keep cattle from next farm from destroying

               gardens, etc.

·                          Windows being completed in the school All glass now in place…still need to put in handles and arms in each window.

·                          Handles and arms for windows in Howard's house (one of teachers) put in

·                          Working toward becoming a grant-aided school.  Owen is now headmaster

·                          Game Viewer ordered from Land Rover dealer

·                          Motorcycle for Jake and Jessie purchased in Lusaka

·                          Plumbing repairs made by Teddy (a Zambian) in both orphanage and guest house....toilet and sink in orphanage....women had been turning off sink with a rubber glove tied tight and it continuously leaked.  He replaced one sink in guest house, fixed one tap in another Bathroom, changed shower head and fixed leak in kitchen sink.

·                          Back bedroom and bath next to kitchen in the guest house painted and fixed for Sal and I.

·                          Rest of guest house thoroughly cleaned.....from ceiling fans to floors....all linens, curtains etc. 

·                          Trellis outside cut down ...it was filled with snakes, rats, bugs etc.

·                          Plantars and fountain area in guest house filled with dirt and plants brought in

·                          2 large honeycombs and thousands of African killer bees removed from septic system of guest house (after killed) ...by Abson  

African Bees!!!!!

·                          Let’s not forget the 9 snakes killed since we got back in July….1 black mamba, 1 green mamba, 2 puff adders, 1 spitting cobra, and 5 cobras!!!!

·                          All the Seed and fertilizer for this planting season already purchased and stored in the dairy

·                       Lena and Lois are doing a great job in the orphanage…they now do the shopping, make the

               schedules and oversee all the workers.

            Lena with some of the children

• Bible classes have started with Jake and Rev Mwikeesa teaching a curriculum they decided on.
• Prayer has been established in the villages with the people getting together one night a week for prayer and sharing of the Word
• Small dam found near one of the villages repaired and ready to hold water
• Some of the buildings rewired by Gibson after sparking and fault wiring discovered.
• Cistern drained, scubbed and refilled with chlorinated water for use with gardens and during water shortages. 

                      Cistern

When I look at all that has been accomplished in the last six weeks, I can only remember the scripture that says..."Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord."....  I say Amen to that.

 September 27, 2006

Hello my friends….First, I want to apologize for not writing an update since the beginning of the month.  I know that you enjoy hearing of all the medical adventures Sal and I face as well as daily life in Africa.  Well, I have a lot to catch you up on…..

First, let me start with the clinic: Friday, September 8^th was an answer to prayer….It was the first day of work for our newly hired HIV counselor and it just so happened to be the day a team from Kazangula Health District had planned to inspect our clinic for a possible ART center.  When Vundukai arrived, I threw him a scrub shirt and told him his job for the day was to look professional and answer any questions that the district team might have when they arrived. 

Vundukai - HIV Counselor

 Christopher, our driver, went into Livingstone to provide transport for the team which consisted of the Director herself, the HIV coordinator, the lab technician and the pharmacist.  They spent two hours at the farm mainly assessing for space and qualifications of staff.  They seemed to be genuinely pleased with what they saw and spoke about training us to be independent in ARV treatment.  One thing we definitely need is a third room….one for registration, one for exams and one for a dispensary to give out the medications.  We also have to have security doors on the room with the medications.  We would also like to be able to do the lab testing on site (CD4s and sputums) and are praying for God’s direction and provision.  We are in the process of pricing equipment out of Lusaka.  The last estimates were in the $30,000 range, so we shall see.  For the last couple weeks, we have been going to the free outpatient clinic at Livingstone General Hospital instead of fast track…so we have been saving about K3,000,000 (approx $750) a month in fees.  That money will now help to pay for Vundukai, our new Infectious Disease Coordinator and Julius, our new Chaplain.  Vundukai went yesterday to the Health District for an inservice on the TB and HIV paperwork.  He was given much favor and received the actual government registers and books.  Vundukai is carving out his own job position….he has submitted a proposal to Sal and I to do education classes/support group for HIV patients on Friday afternoons from 2-4pm. He will also involve Julius so that the patients will develop a relationship with both of them.  They will open the meeting with prayer and the Word and end with an opportunity for repentance and salvation.  Jesus as their Healer and Hope will be lifted up. Information about living with HIV will be presented and discussed. Physical and Spiritual needs will be addressed.  This will be a bridge for future home visits with Vundukai and Julius.  God has really opened the doors with HIV and brought the workers he wants at just the right time!  Just last week we were told that we have indeed been accepted to be trained as an ART Center. Please continue to pray for the process to be completed quickly….the report of our inspection was very positive…once our new clinic is built they have told us we will be the largest in the area and will be the 20th Rural Health Center in the Kazangula District. What a long way God has brought us in one year!  And thanks to some very generous donations, it looks like the building of the clinic is not far off…..our God provides!

Believe it or not….it’s now Friday the 28^th and the first HIV class/support group was held today.  There were eight patients who showed and according to Vundakai, Julius and the patients….it went very well.  There are about 10 classes in Vundakai’s proposal so it will be an ongoing thing.  The class today involved a lot of openness and discussion. Julius  opened and closed the meeting in prayer and spoke the Word.  One woman requested a Bible, so we will stock up again on more Tonga bibles when we go to Lusaka which should be soon.  My plan was to sit in on the class and monitor what was said, however as I was walking toward the classroom I felt restricted. I waited to hear from the Lord and felt He said “Did I not choose these two men? Trust me.”  I felt for whatever reason I wasn’t supposed to go…..so I didn’t.  When I spoke to both men, they were excited and genuinely pleased with how things turned out.

Besides the HIV patients….there were five deliveries this month, four in one week….and all in the middle of the night!!  We have another Sal, another Renee, Nate (after Sal’s dad), Clever and one whose name we’ve yet been told……all healthy babies after normal deliveries!!  Hallelujah!

Unfortunately, God also takes away…..five of our patients have died since our return, three of which were actually in the clinic.  Two men were Nelson, an older man with heart failure previously written about and Ernest, one of our HIV patients with TB that we had on medication for quite some time.  We had the opportunity with both of these men to be sure of their salvation, so praise God they are with Jesus today. Both of their wives thanked us and God for giving them some extra time with their husbands.  Harrison was a new HIV patient that waited too long to come for help.  When we brought him to the clinic from his village, he died within an hour. A two week old infant came in the same day as Harrison and died literally five minutes later in the next room.  That was pretty hard for Sal having to drive both families together with both dead corpses home to ironically the same village.  The fifth death was little Lonard from the orphanage who died at Livingstone General Hospital from severe malnutrition and failure to thrive.