Zambia visit

A greeting from Zambia. Yes, the A-team is on the move. We only had a one-month visa for Malawi. So, to extend a visa, you can go to a neighboring country and come back for another stay. We had already decided to do this in neighboring Zambia, as there are pastors there who want to be trained.
In addition, there were elections in Malawi on September 16. Elections in Africa can sometimes be turbulent, so Byson had already suggested that we should visit Zambia during that period and then return to Malawi, just to be on the safe side. So we decided to combine both things.
Every country has different customs, so after a month of fries for breakfast, we were ready for something different.

So off we went. Byson was as happy as a child, because like us, he had never been to Zambia before.
We had a 24-hour journey ahead of us. And with adventure, you always experience new things.
The night bus we took to the capital Lilongwe was said to be comfortable. But that is very relative in these parts of the world. Shoulder to shoulder, the three of us sat next to each other on a sagging seat, swaying through the night.

We arrived in the capital at 2 a.m. The engine was turned off, the lights went out, and everyone was supposed to sleep upright, shoulder to shoulder, for a few hours until the city came back to life and a minibus could take us to the main bus station for the rest of the journey. We looked at each other in surprise. We hadn’t experienced that before. So, meekly, with a sweater as a pillow, you lean your head against the seat in front of you and doze off.

The next bus was a little more comfortable with a TV on board. And the Lord encouraged us greatly, because for the first few hours they showed gospel music on TV. The name of Jesus is used much more publicly in these countries. We could use that.
With a hot wind blowing through the open window, we sped for hours through the vast, dusty countryside, passing villages of mud houses with grass roofs and the occasional baobab tree. And finally, at 7 p.m., we were met at the busy bus station in Lusaka by Simon, the Zambian pastor.

We found out that due to miscommunication, no 6-day training with church leaders had been organized at all. Okay… keep your joy and be flexible. The Lord knew this in advance. We weren’t here for nothing, so let’s just be alert to what God really has in store for this week. He will arrange the right encounters.

Firstly, it is clear that we are here for Byson and Simon. Through our conversations and interactions, we are able to pour into their lives, and they are very enthusiastic about what they are learning and seeing.

Simon called around to other church leaders, and we were able to speak at various meetings and teach what God has taught us over the past 20 years.
But how different things are here. Because you give a woman encouraging words from God that are spot on at a market, you are immediately labeled a prophet here. Well, there is still much to teach that every child of God can understand Him and share His words to encourage people.

Simon has an old inherited car that we use to drive to the various meetings. And to stay in the African spirit: occasionally pushing the car, a boiling engine, and replacing a fuel pump are all part of the adventure.

Another thing we encounter is the general idea that white people have money and therefore are  automatically assumed to pay for all sorts of things. That can be tiring at times, and that’s when our training comes in again: keep your joy.

During a meeting in a village, there was an old blind woman for whom we prayed. After prayer, she could see that the translator had his arms raised. And after a second time, she saw that we were azungu (white people) and could count Amanda’s fingers. Praise God for His miracles!

If everything remains calm in Malawi, we will undertake the long journey back to Malawi on Tuesday to continue with the six-day trainings for church leaders.