lizambia!

November: Mud & Graduation

2008-12-06T02:41:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen..
It's official! I am a graduate of the September 2008 Advance Mission Training class! WOO!!! :)
I am DONE! Aah! But first things first, I have to tell y'all about how our last, final expedition went.. without the leaders!

We left last Saturday morning (November 15^th), all seven of us. No Dan, No Laura, and no teammate Angie (she is the director of the LIFE program and had to visit 17 villages in a week, so her hands were full) We arrived at Mandandi and unpacked the truck and started setting up camp. I don't think it really hit any of us fully that we are in this alone until we watched the truck drive away. (que the song "all by myself") The first night, we just pow-wowed around the campfire about what the next few days of ministry would look like as our team of seven split up into two more teams to go out to the villages. The next three days were simply a gift from God. The first day, my team of Josh, Luke & myself went door to door to door just to meet the villagers, encourage them, tell them about our meeting later that day, and pray for any needs they have. Now, if you remember my September update – the first time I did this, I was petrified. I had no idea what to say or do or even how to sit properly. When we walked up to the first house, I felt like I was walking up to just a friend's house – absolutely no fear. After the first few homes, Josh & Luke went one way and I went the other with my translator (and now dear friend) Floristas. Everything I was doing and all the words coming from my mouth felt completely natural and as if I had been doing this for years – talking to rural Zambians about the hope we have in Christ. Looking back at the hours of that day, all I can say is that it wasn't me talking, it was the Spirit :) The meeting that day kept our moral high and carried onto the next day where the three of us went out again to another village to do more door to door in the puddles and mud & host another meeting. Honestly.. it was just the best expedition ever. All of us recognized that we each needed to step up to share the Word and as we did, God moved through each and every one of us to reach the people of Mandandi and Chilibani. As we packed up camp and load the truck in the middle of a downpour, the whole team was smiling. We had successfully accomplished our mission and there were no conflicts among any of the team! Like I said – amazing! :)

We returned to Base on Tuesday and then had a last bit of Ministry Ethics homework and Come Back Alive worksheets. If you look at the white board in the Main Center, Wednesday had "AMT R&R" written on it – Wednesday was a day for rest and relaxation.. but it turned out to be anything but! We left Base to go on a short game drive at Mosi-o-tunya park. After an hour of wandering around and seeing monkeys, kudu, deer, warthogs and the hunt for elephants , the truck took a turn for another road deeper into the park.. and all the contents in the back of the truck hit a steep angle. Ladies & Gents, we got stuck. And not just any kind of stuck… reaaaaally stuck. We all just stood there, waiting for further instructions from the front of the truck. Dan hoped out and then announced "everybody out" we climbed down the back of the truck to see the two left tires 2/3^rd submerged in wet, watery mud. To make it even better, it started to rain.. and we were losing light – fast! The following three hours are just one of those things "where you just had to be there." After 2 hours of attempting to dig the tire out by the light of cell phones and a tiny flashlight.. the decision was made that we would have to leave the truck there & just wait to see who found us first – Arthur with the LandRover or Paul with the recovery DAF truck. By now it as around 9pm and with all of us huddled together, Laura pulled out a small piece of saran wrapped cake and presented it to Stephanie – b/c it was her birthday! At the top of our lungs, in the pitch darkness of an African game park, soaked to the bone, covered in mud and still getting poured down on - we sang happy birthday. And then sticking with Overland Birthday traditions, Dan threw Stephanie (who was already pretty dirty from digging) back into the water/mud. She too, had an African birthday that she will never forget. ;-) We were then discovered by Arthur in the Landy and got back to the Base where we all promptly crashed out. The next day (Thursday,) we all put on our worst clothes, ate a big breakfast, climbed into the back of the recovery DAF truck and went back to the scene of the incident. We spent the following six hours trying different ways to get the truck unstuck. I spent five of those hours hugging the rear differential and digging the back tire of the truck out. With each attempt to move, it got more buried and buried. By the end of it, that rear diff and I were best friends. We called the day around 3pm b/c we were all exhausted and starving. Later that evening, it took two DAF trucks and a group of workers to get that truck out. And it was probably the most appropriate final hoorah's to graduating AMT and more 4x4 off-road/recovery practical application one could of even imagined.

The next day (Friday the 21^st) – we graduated!!! It beat my high school graduation, by far :) Dan, Laura and Arthur spoke, as did an inspiring missionary named Amber who is a friend of Overland. Jeff & Lisa, from Sons of Thunder, came to the ceremony and brought some friends along with them. They called each member of the team up, one by one, to give us our hard-earned AMT diplomas and spoke about how they have been able to watch each and every one of us grow. Then, all the Overland staff took turns washing our feet before sending us on our way out and all over the world :) Promptly after the ceremony, we took our class pictures & then "the ultimate class picture" which was some harebrained idea I had b/c it represents each one of us on the teams personalities.. and it turned out awesome! That evening, we had our graduation dinner – thanksgiving style! Each team member was assigned a certain part of the meal (Angie & I scored making the apple crisp dessert) and it all came together wonderfully under the direction of Laura. After dinner, we watched a 20 minute slideshow made from all of our pictures that really just summed up the major events of the past 3 months. It was truly an amazing day.

The following two days consisted of saying so,long – farewell - & see you soon - and a few tears (okay, so I'll be honest here, I am totally the only person who cried saying goodbye to my teammates.. I'm an emotional person! I know!)

Now, as mentioned in the previous update, I made plans with Angie & Stephanie to go to Zanzibar to do ministry with Pastor Khaflan & his family. Unfortunately, our plans of travelling as a trio had to get scraped & believe it or not, I am actually typing this on my laptop, on the plane from Jo'burg to Dares Salaam where I will spend the night with a friend of Overland's named Anne, and catch a ferry the next morning to Zanzibar. Why am I flying out of Jo'burg, South Africa and not Livingstone? Well, friends.. that's a story that is just too long to type, so you'll have to ask me when you see me late December :)

The truth is, I am extremely excited to meet up with Pasto Khalflan to do ministry. I feel like this is me taking what I have just learned and immediately applying it. Now granted, there will be no digging DAF trucks out of the mud or anything Bush like but – what I am most excited about is meeting people and sharing the Word with them.

As I sit here, bouncing a bit with turbulence, I still am finding it hard to grasp that my training is over. I said goodbye to me last teammates and the team of 8 individuals I came to know and love will never again be the same, nor will I. In my very first update, I said that I was coming to Africa to be broken.. what I discovered, is that I CAME to Africa broken and God has revealed to me how I am completely restored, renewed and reborn. My relationship with God is the most authentic it has ever been in my entire life. I finally just went to Him as a Father and He has fully embraced me as His daughter. I know this might sound "Christianese" but it's honestly the only way I can express myself. My identity is secured in Him, as His beloved Child. And with that knowledge, I can do anything! And this knowledge and revelation of the New Identity is what I am most excited about sharing upon arriving home. Because I never knew that faith could be like this. Um, it's awesome!

What's next you might ask? Well, friends.. I honestly don't know – and I am okay with that! The only secure plans I have is that I am going to Florida around New Years for the Annual Overland Missions Conference and then I am going to get my Wilderness EMT license in New Hampshire in the middle of Janurary (N.H. + January = COLD!!!) A good friend of mine told me one evening the simplest thing which has just stuck with me "the world needs Liz DeZeeuw to be Liz DeZeeuw" and with that – I am going to be Liz DeZeeuw :) I am going to pursue my passions and give glory to God. The Lord has been speaking to me A LOT recently and I am just listening asking 'and what am I suppose to do with that? How am I to go about with this? Etc.' and I am learning the art of patience along the way.

So with that, and the pilots announcement that we are about to arrive in Dares Salaam, I have just a few prayer requests for my last few weeks here on this beautiful continent.
- Please pray for the villages that we have visited in the past three months & all the believers who have accepted Christ, received healing, attended church for the first time, and that the seeds we have planted there in the fertile soil of Zambia be watered (after all, Dec-March is wet season ;-)
- Please pray for the Sept. AMT team: Josh, Luke, Sharlene, Stephanie, Wezi, Matt, Angie, Dan & Laura – as we all return to our corners of North America and listen for Gods direction as to the next steps in our lives.
- Please pray for my few weeks in Zanzibar, Tanzania with Pastor Khalflan and the ministry we will be doing on the island. Pray for individuals to recognize the gift given to them through Christ.
- Please pray for safety as I fully commit myself to the protection of the Father (no teammates this time!) and also please just pray for favor with authorities as I deal with new visa's and what not (I ran into a immigration snag in South Africa b/c of a simply miscommunication. Please pray that my final stop there goes smoothly, without conflict)
- Please pray for Johannesburg. That's a city that needs A LOT of God!
- And lastly, please pray for myself. Pray for a last good month of health and no sickness, and not even tiredness. And also, just for a clear vision to what my contribution to spreading the Gospel and loving people looks like – no matter what part of the world!

There should be one final update left from this side of the world until I am back in the States! So thank you, again ( I can never thank y'all enough – seriously) for praying for me through training and allowing me to acquire such revolutionary knowledge!

The pilot just asked for tray tables up so! Here we go!! :)

With Joy,
Liz

October Updates from the Bush

2008-12-06T02:37:00.000-08:00

[note! my apologies for those of you who are only able to check the blog and don't recieve emails & the delay b/t the two! i am about to play catch-up but this internet cafe is kinda slow so, i'm sorry!!]

Dear Friends and Family –

I hope this letter finds you enjoying a cool, crisp autumn day! October was month in which all systems were GO! for us AMT students. The month was packed with a variety of classes, an expedition, holidays, and slumber parties in the village!

In the middle of the month, we took a break from our welding course and went out into the villages for 5 days of ministry. We left Base with a specific plan of action of where we are going to go and how its going to be organized. Lesson learned: things don't always go as planned on expedition (or Africa, for that matter.) We set up camp in the same village, Nyawa, and spent the first evening preparing the next few days events under the shade of a giant thunderhead cloud. (yes!) The next day, Angie & Stephanie stayed in Nyawa to host a women's meeting, while the rest of the team piled into the truck to visit a village 2 hours away called ChilliA. Once there, we split the team yet again – leaving Josh & Sharlene in ChilliA while Matt, Dan, Laura, Wezi, Luke & myself continued further down the road to host a meeting in ChilliB. Can I just take a moment to say how much I love African praise & worship?! Every service has a completely different feel to it because of the songs and dances that vary from village to village. The meeting in ChilliB went extremely well and we left the church to the noise of thunder in the distance (if you haven't noticed yet from previous letters/blog posts – I love weather.. a lot!) Meeting up in with Josh and Sharlene in ChilliA, they told us of how much of a success their services at the schools went that afternoon and we had another short service before saying goodbye to the Chilli's & made our way back to camp in the orange glow of dusk. The next day, we traveled to the village of Siamuntu to host a meeting before the opening of the church that Pastor Sween (from Nyawa) was planting. We arrived to find the village almost completely empty, except for a few kids throwing sticks/rocks at a snake in the tree. After lunch & an intense game of Uno, we received news that the reason the village was empty was because there was a funeral about to take place. We accepted the invitation and experienced a Zambian funeral. After the funeral, underneath the shade of a giant baobab tree, we had a meeting with the family and friends of the one-year-old who passed away. We prayed for the mother of the child as well as for many individuals who needed healing. The meeting produced a lot of testimonies of healing and a sense of peace among everyone there. We got a goodnights rest and went back to Siamuntu Sunday morning for the very first church service – another four hour long church service! After the service, we had lunch with the whole village! Giant pots on Nshima, cabbage and relish mixed with messy fingers, smiles, and stories. Later that afternoon, some of us did another meeting in Nyawa and settled down at camp for some amazing bush cooking. It's quite amusing to see how you have to adapt meal plans to open camp fires and a little bit of dirt. The next day, we packed up camp and said goodbye to Pastor Sween & Nyawa and made our way to Sons of Thunder Farm, which is run by friends of Overland – Jeff & Lisa. They gave us a tour of the property including their gardens, school, clinic and then took us to their orphanage of 49 energetic, sticky little kiddos all practicing their songs for Zambian Independence Day. The next hour was absolutely chaos – races, laughter, cameras, songs, band aids, dancing, piggyback rides, swing sets and tag. We are so thankful for their hospitality and just giving us a day to hang out! All in all, it was yet another amazing expedition back into the bush!

AMT is now in its 'finals week' type of thing. I find myself sitting at the tables, surrounded by scribbled out notes, packets of worksheets, opened books with creased corners and a cup of coffee thinking "wait.. I thought I left school?"

I have an update on the blog about the diesel mechanics/4x4 classes/welding. We finished welding with a final project of making a bike rack. Easy, right? Mmm nope! But luckily, we did end up producing one bike rack! So, good job to the teams making it past frustrations and pushing our welding skills to the limit. There has also been Preaching101, which involved a bit of "popcorn preaching" fun and required us to write and preach our own short sermons.

The GPS navigation course was a blast! We learned how to use hand held GPS's (not the automatic ones that talk to you in your car) and then superimpose our tracks and routes onto GoogleEarth and literally see where Overland has traveled and where we do ministry out in the villages. Woohoo technology! The practical for that class involved following already made routes and then making up our own for other teammates to follow. I ended up on some 5k hike out to the middle of nowhere thanks to my teammate Josh, but I at least I am really good with the GPS now. :)

This week we wrapped up our African Culture and "Come Back Alive" courses. For Come Back Alive, we each had to teach separate chapters out of the book and make sure that we remembered what we learned because then the next day – we had the practical! Dan & Laura split us into 2 teams and gave us a GPS coordinate, 3 matches, beans, rice, 2 pots & 5 feet of rope, then sent us out into the bush to make shelter, fire, and cook lunch! My team was Josh, Luke & myself and I would have to say we did a pretty good job making our own little shelter hut thing, and lunch was delicious – so kudos to us! While we were out hunting for big sticks and rocks, we noticed storm clouds creeping closer and closer to us. Laura came to check on us (and grab a bit of lunch) and told us we needed to now make a sturdier shelter that could house all three of us and keep us dry "just in case it rains" (she says as thunder echos in the background.) Well, luck was on our side and the storm took a little detour in enough time for us to finish our 2^nd shelter and pack up camp & move onto the next practical activity. This time, the 2 teams met up and we were faced with a mock SOLO scenario in which Stephanie had fallen out of the giant baobab tree and we had to treat her broken femur & neck injury and then, transport her the 1 ½ K hike back to Base. Oh my gosh.. carrying her on that litter was quite a task! We all had to figure out who was strongest holding on to which pole and just steadily carry her through the back trails, the whole time – racing a massive thunderstorm behind us. As we arrived on Base, we took one last quick breather before we marched her in chanting some random songs. Less than one minute from walking through the entry way of the Main Center, the rain started and then three minutes later – it was POURING! Josh and I just laid in the backyard and let it drench us. We were all exhausted and dirty, but joyful to be back at Base after the days event. The team then took turns running around the Base, playing in the rain, zipping up our tents, and throwing our leaders into the wall of water falling off of the thatch roof. It was the most intense storm I've seen yet here in Zambia, and reminded me of the good ol' Texas summer thunderstorm.

Also in October, we broke up into pairs and spent the night in the closest village to the Base – Nsongwe. Each pair was placed in a home of a family that attends Pastor Dragans church, which Overland works closely with. Stephanie and I were placed with Humphrey & Listar and their two daughters Yvonne & Katherine. It was one of the moat fun nights I have had out here! But we also had a project to accomplish while doing so that was part of our African Culture course. We then late had to write a paper about our night's stay, so I thought I would just post that on the blog for those who would like to read it.

Holiday season is upon us as well here in Zambia! As I mentioned earlier, Zambia's Independence Day was this month on the 24^th, so Happy Independence Zambia!! And, we celebrated Halloween out here on the Base as well! We all did our best to come up with costumes with our limited resources and then spent the night just laughing with one another, eating homemade pizzas, and watching movies together out on the couches under the stars.

There was also another thing worthy of celebration which just recently took place – MY 23^rd BIRTHDAY!!! But the day of the 6^th now also holds another noteworthy event in my life. I was baptized as an infant, but this past year, I have just really felt the need to get baptized again.. the full blown, under the water, dunking. AMT has taught me a plethora of things these past three months but the biggest thing I am walking away with is recognizing and embracing my new identity in Christ. It's something that has totally changed my faith. I finally felt a peace about my prayers about being baptized and decided to do it here in Zambia, in the Zambezi River with the team who has watched me embrace this new adventure in my walk with the Lord. So, the morning of my birthday, we all made the journey down to the bottom of the Gorge and Dan & Laura baptized me, along with my Zambian teammate Wezi, in the shallow eddy of Rapid 14. We then had communion down there on top of all the big, black boulders and Laura brought her guitar, so we just had praise it worship down there that morning, listening to our voices echo in the against the steep walls around us. The day was a normal AMT day, full of classes and such except for when Matt & Josh made sure that the Overland tradition of getting wet on your birthday continued (apparently, the baptism didn't count) and I found myself running from them and four pitchers of water. After getting drenched by them, I dried off for about 5 minutes, before Wezi got me with a hose. The tradition continues on, I guess… ;) That night, I was presented with a beautiful cake made by Stephanie & Sharlene that had clouds on it! Thanks ladies!! :) The really fun thing is that even though my birthday was technically over on the 6^th, the celebration carried on to the next day when we went on our pilgrimage to buy supplies for the Base in Namibia! Everyone still continues to wish me happy birthday and sing to me (I think I had happy birthday sang to me as a group at least 5 times) as we did our bulk grocery shopping and restocking parts for the warehouse. The day ended with a 2L box of vanilla ice cream in my lap, 10 spoons, and 10 happy teammates/dear friends huddled together in the back of the truck on our way home. (OH! AND! I woke up to RAIN early around 4am on my birthday! So thanks for the prayers!)

Today, we are loading the truck to leave for our last, finale expedition – by ourselves! We've had to calculate how much food we need, pack it and plan out the four days of ministry. We leave tomorrow morning for Chibalani and Mandandi villages.. without Dan & Laura or a truck - this one is all us! I have a feeling this journey to the bush is going to produce some pretty funny stories :)

After expedition, we only have THREE more days here at the Base before we graduate on Friday the 21^st! Aaah!! I can't believe it. The day after graduation, all of us are scattering into different directions – the majority of the team is returning home to the states but – Stephanie, Angie and I are traveling to Lusaka (Zambias capital) to catch some trains and buses to make our way northward to Zanzibar. I knew that when I came back to Africa and into AMT, that I wanted to do ministry afterwards but didn't have a real direction as to where. Overland has a pastor who they work closely with in Zanzibar and I was really interested in seeing what ministry looks like on an Swahili speaking island that is 99% Muslim. It just worked out that Stephanie and Angie want to journey somewhere else in Africa as a short breather after-AMT. They plan on spending roughly a week there while I stick around for about three weeks working Pastor Khaflan & just learning as much as possible during my short stay there.

Expect a post-AMT update next weekend & I will give a bit more details about Zanzibar, as well as talking a bit about what God has really been showing me at the end of this journey here and where He is guiding my steps to go next!

Thank you all for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers this past month. Thank you for all the encouraging and inspiring e-mails, as well as all the wonderful happy birthday wishes I received in my inbox!

Please pray for a safe last expedition to the two villages which we are staying. Pray for the men and women who are going to hear the Gospel for the first time, and that the Word moves them in amazing ways. Pray for the team as we prepare our hearts for the villages and for a cooperative spirit among all of us. Pray for Dan & Laura as they finish grading all the AMT papers and plan their own personal return back to the States to their friends and family who haven't seen them in many months.

Thank you for your constant support and contribution to spreading the Kingdom here in Zambia & Africa!

With Joy,
Liz

nsongwe village

2008-11-14T13:22:00.001-08:00

I mentioned in the newsletter that I would post this paper I had to do. So enjoy! But keep in mind, if the writing style comes across as a little report like, it's because.. well.. it is! :)

Liz DeZeeuw Cross Cultural Communications Village Overnight Assignment

The truck pulled up to the church and all eight of us climbed out the back with our day packs on and the air was filled with excitement as yelled “I’m with teddy!” “Slumber party at wezi’s house!” “Where are we going?!” Stephanie and I silently stood beside each other. Neither of us knew exactly who Humphrey is, or how many people are in his family, or how old he is. We said goodbye to our teammates and stood by the patch of tall, skinny grass patiently waiting for Pastor Joseph to finish a conversation before walking us to Humphrey’s house. The strong, hot wind threw dust in our eyes and made the grass break out in a dry, cracking symphony of noise. We looked at each other and communicated the exact same thought “How did we get here? Spending the night with villagers in the middle of Zambia?”

Joseph led the way down the path, pulling his bike alongside him and told us that Humphrey was out working at the Cuiro mart but that his wife Listar (who is 23) should be home. We walked into the empty courtyard and stood there for about two minutes before Listar walked in from behind the grass fence. She smiled and introduced herself and within seconds, entered her house and exited with two bright chitange’s for both Steph and I. She then congratulated us on looking like “real African women.” Joseph then excused himself and Listar made us comfortable on a mat. She then introduced us to her seven year old daughter, Yvonne, and her 1 year and 8 month year old daughter, Katherine. It wasn’t long before the whole courtyard was full of at least ten of Yvonne’s friends, who heard that there were white folks around. Steph and I said hello and then asked Listar if she needed help preparing dinner. Listar was greatful for the offer and put us to work! We took turns pounding the groundnuts and smooshing dried cabbage into a green powder that covered our hands. After a half hour or so of observing us, Yvonne and her friends felt brave enough to approach the muzungus. I practiced my Tonga and introduced myself to every kid and asked them their name which varied from the simplest name to one with about 27 letters (not really, but it sounded like it) During this time, Stephanie advanced onto the fine art of nshima and I practiced being bold singing. I sang to the kids hoping that they knew Bombelela or any other song we learned from Jack and Wezi and just my luck, they did! So we sang for quite some time and they attempted to teach me songs I didn’t know. They also taught me new dances and Listar got a kick out of watching us perform together. As soon as the meal was ready, Listar presented us water to clean our hands and arranged our table settings. Stephanie and I sat down and dipped our nshima in the green goo that we helped prepared and exchanged glances with eachother that said ‘here goes nothing’ as we popped the little mealy meal balls in our mouths. It was delicious!!! We both told Listar how much we liked it and how this was our favorite Zambian meal yet. Dinner lasted almost an hour, of us just talking and playing with the kids. Katherine, the youngest daughter, at this point still hadn’t dared to look at us. Stephanie and I made many attempts to talk to her but even if Yvonne or Listar would sit her next to us, she would start whining and crying.

After dinner we helped clean dishes and shortly after cleaning, Humphrey walked in. With him home, and Step and I now feeling comfortable enough, we had some of the best conversation under the stars. We asked him straight out what he thinks about the Western culture versus Zambian culture and he was more than happy to share. We discussed the manner of dressing and how what westerns wear that is “comfortable” isn’t always “appropriate.” We also discussed the ideas of dating, and what dating is and how it doesn’t really exist in Zambia. He told us about the tradition of going to the elders of a woman you wish to marry, and asking their permission before even making yourself known to the woman. We told him how much we like the fact that Zambians live in community and how in America, you might not even know your neighbor who lives on the other side of the fence. We talked about his work hours and the cuiro mart and how flexible they are versus Americas nine to five mentality. We also talked about food, of course, and how Africans don’t really like spicy things compared to the westerner’s pallet.

The conversation went on and on and we came to talking about our faith. Listar grew up singing in the church choir and was saved when she was ten years old, and then baptized when she was twelve. Humphrey told us that he was raised in a religious Christian household but didn’t have an understanding of salvation until he was twenty five. He was introduced to Pastor Dragon through his parents and with Pastor Dragon, he has started to pastor over a church for a little over a year now. Listar and Humphrey were married in 2001 because he “impregnated her” but you can tell through their interactions that they deeply love and care for one another. He loves his two daughters very much and would like one more child – hopefully a son!

Stephanie and I asked about the village and the roles individuals assigned but we didn’t find out too much other than that there are six headmen who live in Nsongwe and it is all ruled under one head chief.

We also asked about legends and Humphrey told us a few stories about witch doctors and practice they have dealing with water being poured onto babies at birth and then at funerals, before your body is buried, they pour water on the ground, representing that same life/death water. He also told us that when a woman is widowed, it is very likely that her husband will haunt her, so she needs to stay indoors for two weeks to be cleansed of him.

As the night carried on, and Yvonne & her friend fell asleep in Stephanie and I’s laps, we too grew weary. Listar and Humphrey made us very comfortable in their spare hut and placed our backpacks and sleeping bags there, along with a candle. Stephanie and I fell asleep content and happy that night, thankful for the amazing conversation and food we got to share with Listar and Humphrey.

The next morning, we woke up to a very loud Zambian radio and the clanging of dishes. We walked out of our tent to Listar making tea and wishing us a good morning. Humphrey walked out of the house and greeted us and we all ate bread and tea for breakfast. We asked Listar what is next on her to do list for the day, and she said fetch water. Excited, we asked if we could help, which she laughed at and said of course. As we found empty jugs to fill, Humphrey said goodbye to us and he left to go back to the curio mart for another days work. Listar, Stephanie, Yvonne and I wondered out of the yard and across Nsongwe to the well, saying good morning to anyone who passed by along the way. At the well, we were greeted by a rowdy bunch of kids who just wanted to touch us. Steph and I took turns pumping water after watching the elderly; more experience ladies fill a large jug in under a minute. Once our jugs were full, we triumphantly walked home, with the muzungus trying to balance the water on their heads. As soon as we got home, we heard the familiar voice of our teammates and looked up to see them walking towards us from across the village road. Stephanie and I could not have possibly thanked Listar enough for her generosity and hugged Yvonne goodbye. Katherine, still at this point, didn’t want to look at us. (oh well!)

In conclusion, the night in the village has been one of the best nights of this whole AMT experience. Humphrey and Listar’s open attitude and warm heart towards us made any insecurity or worries vanish within seconds. And, I would love to do it all over again!

rain dance

2008-11-02T10:17:00.000-08:00

i have a post ready to go, all i am waiting on is to get the pictures back (hint!) and there is a newsletter outlined but i just absolutely just had to post that..IT RAINED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

november first was a glorious glorious day!!! :)
so here is a picture of laura, sharlene and i enjoying the raindrops at sunset.

34 seconds

2008-10-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

Like I said, my first week here, I was kinda on this adrenaline high/i'm in a new place/who are all these people/I'm in flippin' Zambia! and I made this short video showing off the new backyard. I'm a nerd - i know, but hope you enjoy it!

and with the rainy season approaching, the gorge is actually turning green! yay! :)

dirty kids!

2008-10-24T12:33:00.000-07:00

Alright, so in the past two/three weeks or so.. we’ve gotten to do the classes that I’ve been most excited about since day one – diesel mechanics, welding, and 4x4 off-roading/recovery! yeah!! and all were taught by my favorite South African dude, Ciaran!

Diesel mechanics days started off with lessons, a quiz and then the hands on, dirty practical application. The courses went from How Engines Work (two stroke/four stroke & gasoline/diesel shenanigans) to Fuel & Exhaust systems (filters, catalytic converters, carburetors, fuel pumps) to Cooling & Electrical Systems (air/liquid cooled, fans, belts, distributers) to the Drive Chain & Chassis (transmissions, gearbox, axles, u-joints) to the Brake System (compressors, reservoirs, hydraulic brakes). It was a lot to learn but it kicked butt! :)

Angie, myself, Stephanie, Sharlene & Ciaran holding our test papers

Sharlene changing oil

"and this is how you change a tire.."

4x4 went along the same lines, except there was a lot more of lecture and we technically can’t drive the vehicles (insurance policies, sad.. but understandable) and just in case you want to know a bit of the rules of 4x4 – drive as slow as possible, fast as necessary and don’t drive on the beach, or else Ciaran and his environmental degree will hunt you down for hurting the turtles! The very last day of class though, we did the hands on (and dang! do we mean hands on) practical application. The team piled into the Land Cruiser and Dan’s Land Rover & headed out to some remote sand patches outside of Livingstone with one purpose – get stuck. Ciaran did an amazing job of placing the Cruiser in a tough spot and mother nature did an amazing job of giving us a 105 degree day. The recovery took about 4 hours & then Dan’s car, which is the recovery vehicle, battery died. So – after many attempts to getting the Cruiser out and having to reside to winching, we got to push start Dan’s car! YAY!! We went back home to base that day dirty, sunburnt, exhausted, and well educated.

scouting out where to get stuck

does it feel like 104 or 105? hmm..

wenching

pushing the "recovery" vehicle - oi!

how Laura really feels about mechanics ;-)

jump startin'

the most rare jewel in all of africa ... ice!

Welding just started last week, and hands down! It’s my favorite! We’ve only had a few days and are now returning to it (we’ve been in the Bush the past 5 days – but that’s another update!) oxyacetylene cutting torches, MIG welding, Arc welding.. heck yes! And the kicker about all these things, is that Ciaran agrees that the girls have outperformed the boys in Diesel Mechanics and especially welding! So props to Angie, Stephanie, Sharlene & yours truly! :P

Angie & I giving RosietheRiveter a run for her money

Wezi showing off his hip glasses

love'itOh and! Earlier in the month, I got to power wash the underside of one of trucks. It was dirty, but it felt so good to just spray water and lay in it.. along with dirt, grease, & oil.. but mainly the water. :)

Josh kinda looks like a zombie in this picture

dirty girl!

So, yep! I just thought I would do this update for the gents back home – especially Kyle, Jeff, David Howard, and the Dad!

the sun will come out

2008-10-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

i have an update written, i just need to resize some pictures to go along with it. so check back tomorrow! and because i am posting this, that means i have to stick to my word, and actually post it tomorrow. but for now, here's a pic from the weekend! :)

the very last day

2008-10-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

The truck hit a bump and all the contents in the bed bounced six inches into the air with a shout. The princess, draped in a green and orange chitenge, slid from center of my lap down to my knees. I clasped my hands as tight as possible around her waist, trying to save her limp body from falling onto the floor and awakening her from whatever dreams her seven year old imagination was portraying in her mind. As her head found its place on my collarbone almost like a perfect puzzle piece, I looked up across the seats, peering between her family members, and followed the dusk glow of the horizon with my eyes while whispering a prayer of thanks to God. I turned to Matt, my teammate who also decided to jump into the back of the truck with me when our leader asked if anyone would like to go with Chief Nyawa back to his village, and said..

"in this moment, my heart could explode."

It was the last night of our expedition to Nyawa village, and had i not hiked up my skirt & ascended into the back of the truck, i might not be able to say that i truly enjoyed myself. it's nothing again the people of Nyawa village, whose smiles when they met us spoke of more joy than a person who just won the lottery, or against my team, which consists of eight of the most colorful, diverse and Christ-seeking individuals you could ask for. the only person who could prevent me from enjoying myself is myself. As most of you know, in the few weeks leading up to my departure for Zambia, i heard the Lord just say 'you are going to be broken.' Broken? Broken being shattered, scattered, ripped apart and no longer of use.. this was the definition that came to mind. I must be broken of who i am in order to embrace that who God wants me to be. Ripped apart from the safe identity I have made for myself and physically apart from the comforts and familiarity of the west. No longer of use to fill the dreams and expectations I made for myself of being a typical 22 [almost 23] year old but become a useful servant in the Kingdom of God.

This first trip to the Bush was the beginning of that process. In the Bush, I expected to be challenged with bugs, dirt, and trees for toilets, which i was, but what i was not expecting was the theological challenge. Our first full day, we split our team into two, and i put myself on the evangelize team, because that's one of my weaknesses. As we left for the huts, one of my teammates grew ill, and our leader decided to walk with her back to camp, leaving two translators and yours truly, still wandering down the sandy paths out into the middle of nowhere rural Zambia. as we approached the first home, i realized that i have absolutely no idea what i am doing. i have been in Zambia less than a week! i don't know how these people live, what they believe or even how to greet them properly. Walking up to the door, i prayed on every exhale. "who the, what the, where the, how the, God.. help me!" I'll never forget that first house. I realized no matter how much 'preparation' or reading i could of done, nothing could of told me what to do in that situation. I sat on the floor, tucked my skirt under my legs, and asked the ladies a few questions about themselves, their children and whats for lunch. One of our translators, prompted and told me that this is the part where i should encourage them with scripture. i turned the bent pages of my bible, praying 'God give me something.. anything..' I landed in Ephesians and spoke about Gods love for their life, and how no matter what stuggles they face, he will never forsake them. simple, i know.. but that's all i felt leaded to say, and i pray that they understood how deep and wide Gods love truly is. Laura, our leader, approached us right when we were leaving and she congratulated me on not sinking since she pretty much threw me into the rive and said 'swim.'

this was only the first day of three. the following two days consisted of traveling around to other rural Zambian villages, hosting a plethora of meetings and services, praying over the troubled and sick. To be honest, through it all, my heart was burdened. Approach on ministry here is so different than the routine i knew in the states, and i was struggling with questions as to what exactly am i doing and does this truly work? All i was longing for was a connection to the people. A personal connection with the pastors wife, or clinic nurse, or one of mothers who filled the church's meetings, or even just a child. The past three days I felt completely detached from the world around me and i couldn't shake the spirit of doubt. As the evening approached on the last day in Nyawa, i collapsed on top of the sun bleached leather seats of the truck and just prayed for someone, anyone, to make me feel something other than doubt or confusion. The team hosted our last meeting in the church and we were all graced by the presence of chief Nyawa and his extended family. As the shadows grew longer and the third day came to a close, i gathered my things to walk back to camp. I walked pass the truck as Dan, our leader, started the engine making me jump. I asked him where he was going and he said that he needed to get the chief back to his palace before dark. it must have been the word 'palace' that provoked me to ask 'can i come?'

and it was on that two hour long drive, that God answered my prayer through one of his daughters, a little princess. i sat down in a seat among the Nyawa royalty with the thought of 'at least I'll see something different' when she climbed into my lap. the ride was a bumpy journey, but that didn't stop the family from singing and dancing the whole duration of the trip. the children and adults a like, did their best to keep balance while shaking there hips to the chitange song as their voices carried across the grass and scarce trees so that anyone within a 5k could hear their joy. the words between she and i were few, but her smile, laughter, and simple presence spoke clearly enough for me to know that i am, indeed, not spending three months in Zambia on a pointless mission.

after all, i make one awesome pillow.

the much anticipated september newsletter

2008-10-05T11:57:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends & Family-

I can't believe as I write this, my bottom right hand corner of the computer tells me that it's October. October?! I figure the disbelief is also the result of my logical thinking of 'how can it be October, it's not autumn' because every afternoon I find myself seeking out the tiniest corners of the building here on base to stay in the shade, away from the 100 degree heat. In Zambia, October is the PEAK of the hot season, so this is only the beginning!

My apologies for the gap of time it has taken me to send out this first update from this side of the Atlantic. I actually wrote an e-mail my first night on Base and I am pretty sure that every, single sentence ended in an exclamation point. So, I told myself to wait and let the excitement settle down a bit and AMT to actually start before attempting to write anything.

Well, AMT is in full swing now with the classes starting at 6:30am & ending around 4pm. This week's classes consisted of Diesel Mechanics in the morning and Theology in the afternoon. I can now confidently say that I know how to change my own oil and if you were to point at something in an engine – I could tell you what it is, what it does, and how it works. We have our big practical final on Monday, so I'll be studying up on that this weekend. A huge surprise to me is how much I am enjoying the Theology classes. (This is because, truth be told, I am not a very good student. Just ask any of my roommates, I am an amazing procrastinator). I am taking full advantage of this opportunity and the round table discussions to ask any and every question I have floating in my head. The previous week, we had Fundraising classes in the morning & Cross Cultural Communications in the afternoon. But! When we first arrived, after a few days of basic orientation about Zambia, locating things on Base, what to expect with AMT, and history & vision of Overland Missions – we were thrown into 8 days of super intense classes for us to receive our Wilderness First Responder certification. And I ate it up! Our instructors, Rachel & Rowan, were amazing teachers who made sure we understood the text and then would set up practical scenarios for us to put our knowledge to the test. That had to be my favorite part of it all. I got to draw upon my two years of theater classes in high school and over react to having a stick impaled in my shoulder, pretend to be bit by a black mamba while also being schizophrenic, and be a very angry wife at her husband who crashed the car. The final scenario involved the whole AMT team (up until then, we had divided the team down into 3 smaller teams for simplicity) and we did AWESOME! We arrived on the scene and took all the proper precautions, assessed the patients, built splints, litters, and distributed treatment before evacuating. Like I said, I truly enjoyed those classes and have decided to pursue the training further with SOLO to receive my Wilderness EMT upon returning to the States in January.

Now, I know that I have written a lot about the classes so I am sure a few of you are asking 'well.. when are you going to go out and do ministry?' Well, between the orientation and WFR courses, our AMT leaders – Dan & Laura – took us on our first expedition out into the rural bush to Nyawa Village. The six hour ride out there involved driving one of the worst roads in all of Southern Zambia (Lusaka Rd.) and the team got a taste of what the future holds for life as an Overlander while we bounced around the back of the truck. Once we arrived in the Village, we set up camp and met the local pastor, Pastor Sween and a few of the members of his congregation. The following four days consisted of door to door evangelism, helping out in a few locals gardens, visiting other nearby villages and hosting meetings, learning proper 'bush cooking,' and just taking it all in as to what life& doing ministry in rural Zambia is like. It is actually really helpful to have gone and done the expedition first and then come back to classes, because now we can understand why and how all these things we are learning are applicable out in the Bush.

I am definitely being stretched and challenged, and although I have moments of pure frustration, they quickly fade as I think back to what exactly I am doing here. I am here to pursue God and He is defiantly making himself known to me through these trials and tribulations and for every little bump in the road, He has given me ten times as many blessings.. each and every sunset, the view that is my backyard - a giant gorge with the Zambezi winding between the cliffs of Zambia/Zimbabwe, being reminded of how blessed we are to have full functioning showers/toilets, the sound of the local kids in Nsongwe village singing as we drive past on one of the trucks, the long shadows that drape across the ground between 5:00-5:30pm, the hot breeze that meets you as you walk out of your tent in the middle of the day (better than no breeze at all!) and the constant smell of burning firewood – a smell that will forever & always be associated with life in Africa.

I will be sure to be a bit more on top of next month with updating, but in the meantime – you can keep checking here for more informal/sporadic updates. And sometime tomorrow, I am going to post an essay wrote in the fundraising class that elaborates a bit more about our expedition to Nyawa Village for those of you who are interested.

Yet, before I send this out, I have a few prayer request to ask..
-Please pray for the AMT team as we continue to work together and build eachother up. Please pray for patience, understanding and genuine, loving relationships with one another. Especially, since we are all about to be tested to our wits end with the heat!
-The people of Nyawa village who we were able to share with and encourage on our last expedition. Pray that the seeds we planted landed on fertile soil and God reveals himself in amazing ways.
–For those who we will encounter in our next outreach taking place later in the month. Pray for their ears & hearts to be open to receiving the Word.
-for Overland Missions as the LIFE project & other ministries expand onto new, exciting, foreign horizons.
-for the nations and people of Zambia, Zimbabwe and the States as we all approach election situations.
-and, last but not least, I told me team I would add this to my prayer request – please pray that it rains on November 6th! The rains are supposed to come early November, and the 6th is my birthday & the ultimate birthday present would be a rain shower! It's kinda surreal because I have yet to see one single cloud since arriving here, so the thought of rain makes me giddy!

Thank you, yet again, for continuing to support me on this journey!

With Joy,
Liz

PS. I am working on a flickr website where I can upload pictures, but the problem is that the internet connection here is on the slow side & I have to resize every picture I want to upload – but I understand how much pictures add to the stories , so I will make it happen! But until then, here are a few..
1. The AMT team on top of Victoria falls. That's right – ON TOP of! : )
[left to right; Ray, Josh, Matt, Me, our leaders Dan & Laura, Wezzie with Sharlene & Stephanie in the front] the bridge in the back is the one you bungee jump off of – woo!
2. My new backyard! The gorge with the Zambezi in the middle and Zimbabwe to the left/Zambia to the right. LOVE IT!
3. The team preparing for a service in Nyawa Village.
4. Our final SOLO Wilderness First Responder Scenario!

african antics

2008-09-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

so. okay!
i know that i have promised a mass email update, and it will happen oh so very soon. but i just thought that i would let those who check this know that all is well and i have just been very busy with eight days of intense classes for my wilderness first response certification, which i received yesterday. (woot!) tomorrow morning, the AMT team & a few others are hoping on one of the trucks and heading out to Namibia to run some errands. so yes! stories! pictures! soon!

just check back in a few days. :)

with joy,
Liz

day one

2008-08-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

i made it!
and ladies & gentlemen..
i am in love.
and it is only day one.

this is being typed on a wall on top of an edge of a cliff,
overlooking the zambezi river,
i'm sitting on the zambia side
and staring at zimbabwe.
i did not know a life like this could exist.
and like i said, it's only day one!
AMT classes start Monday and
Tuesday we leave for an expedition.

I serve the living God.
and I ... AM SO EXCITED!!!!!

the atlantic ocean & my desperate plea

2008-08-27T12:07:00.000-07:00

Greetings from gate B27 at JFK airport in New York, New York!
i am sitting here in front of huge windows facing a massive South African airways jet.
and I have decided.. that they have a pretty flag..
anyways.. I just thought that I would stand & shout "BYEEE!" from the east coast before I make the continental leap!
And THANK YOU (yet again) for each and every individual who helped me discover the path to get here.

In the next 24 hours, please pray..
- for Luke! He is my team member who is meeting me in NY and we are on the same flight from here to Johannesburg. Pray that he is able to finish and meet his last minute needs, his friends & family and their goodbyes, and that he remembers how flippin' awesome God is and how Luke's life is about to be radically changed!
- that Luke & I are able to change seats so we can get to know each other on the seventeeeeeeeeen & a half hour flight.
- for a restful flight! I didn't sleep last night since.. well.. I am liz… and I am kinda notorious for procrastination (in case you didn't know, just ask my mom) so please pray that Luke and I are able to get a good sleep in which we could gain some energy for the next day of travel! We land in Johannesburg at 5pm Thursday 8/28 and then leave the next morning for Livingstone, Zambia and travel by overland truck to the Base! (yeaaaah!!!!)
- that we are able to get through immigration in South Africa easily and that visa's are not a problem.
- that my luggage is, indeed, on that plane in front of me at this very moment. EVERY single time I have traveled internationally, my bags like to take their own separate tour of the world. It would be a huge blessing if I were able to walk off my plane and see them going round on the luggage rack, locks still in place, and all my personal belongings still there (j'burg has a reputation for thieves working in the airlines)
- Safety while we travel around J'burg.
- that my emotions and attachments back home, stay at home. It's become my desperate plea that I am able to step off onto the continent of Africa with one thing on my mind, to pursue God. To hear God, in whatever way, shape, or form and just give myself and everything familiar to me to Him for Him to do as he pleases. At this very moment, that is all I want and could ever ask for.

With Joy,
Liz

P to the S!
I will do my best to update as often as I am able, but no promises on the consistency!

peace. love. zambia!

2008-08-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen..
T-minus one week and counting until I find myself standing on the continent of Africa, with a giant backpack stuffed to the seams with 5 months of adventure worthy clothes (and yes, of course, my ‘adventure pants!’), 25 weeks of malaria pills, and a passport with blank pages eagerly awaiting pretty new stamps.

Words fail to express two very distinct feelings I have at this moment.

When people ask me ‘are you excited?’ I just want to grab them & be like ‘yessssss!!!!’
excited. thrilled. elated. flippin’ stoked - just a bit. ;)

But I wouldn’t be able to experience these emotions if it wasn’t for the people who have invested in me these past years, months, weeks, and days. And for that, I have to say thank you. Thank you for the constant encouragement and inspiring me to embrace a life of unlimited opportunities. Thank you to those who have just simply spoken truth about how big God is and how the dreams I have of doing this or that are tangible because OUR God is the God who created the Universe and who breathed life into man. Nothing is impossible. It was God who put this calling on my life, and it was God who revealed the path, but I am forever thankful to the helping hands who have molded me into the person I am today.

And to my FUMCC family and the youthies, these past few months have been some of the best of my life. You all have become my family and have radically changed my idea as to what the body of Christ looks like as a church. I feel as if I have 10 sets of surrogate parents, some pretty awesome aunts & uncles and a ridiculous amount of brothers & sisters. I love you with all of my heart. Thank you for taking me in this summer and giving me the opportunity to be the youth intern.

And if you have read down this far, then congrats! You’re officially on the update list! I was told that we will have access to the internet 2-4 hours a week, so I will do my best to send out a report of how the Spirit is moving on the field and also provide specific prayer requests for the continent of Africa, the country of Zambia, Overland Missions, the AMT team, and myself.

At this time, please pray..
- that God starts moving in the hearts of individuals and villages we will be visiting in the next 3 months and preparing them to hear the truth.
- for the members of the AMT team (currently, there are 10 of us - 6 gents & 4 ladies.) We are spread out from Washington to New York to Florida and even Canada & New Zealand.
- for the country of Zambia. I woke up this morning and learned that the President of Zambia, Levy Mwanawasa, passed away yesterday from a stroke at the age of 59. According to Zambia’s Constitution, a new election is to take place in the next 90 days. Africa’s ‘democratic’ elections are conducted in a bit different manner than those in the States (ie. look at the recent reelection of Robert Mugabe in Zambia’s neighboring country to the south, Zimbabwe. Or the election that took place in Kenya earlier in the year.) So pray for a peaceful election run off and that the new President of Zambia continues to direct the country in a civilized, progressive manner.
[ for more information, here is a link to the report in the Times - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/world/africa/20mwanawasa.html?_r=1&ref=africa&oref=slogin ]

These next few days are going to be filled with storage boxes, a lot of mexican food (gotta get my fill for the next 5 months!), last minute errands, breakfasts with beloved friends, and.. hugs.

Thank you, again.. and again. and again.

With Joy,
Liz DeZeeuw

i feel like i can finally breathe..

2008-07-11T20:52:00.000-07:00

Dear family & friends,

I am more than ecstatic to announce that in September of this year, I am scheduled to be a part of a three month training course in Zambia through Overland Missions!

Who? Overland Missions is a ministry whose motto is 'any road, any load, any time' and actively seek nomadic/indigenous people around the globe who have been neglected due to physical barriers. They are committed to every tribe, tongue, and nation to bring the gospel, humanitarian care, economic opportunities, and to save/empower lives.

What? Advance Mission Training (AMT) is three months of courses aimed to "equip young adults to reach remote locations, communicate the gospel, and come back alive." (that last part is for all our mom's) The training is a mix of classes in theological, leadership, and communication as well as practical skills needed in the African bush, such as 4x4 off-roading/recovery, GPS navigation, Wilderness First Response certification and certification in Diesel Mechanics and Welding. (yeah!!)

When? My plane departs August 27th and feet hit the ground running September 1st. The training is set to wrap up the last week on November.

Where? Zambia you say?! Overland's Rapid 14 Base is located along the Zambezi River, 45 minutes outside of Livingstone, Zambia. Their unique placement allows the team to explore a variety of locations and situations (truck, car, boat, or feet?) during the three months.

How much? In short - $5,000. This covers course costs and materials, certifications, accommodations, food, transportation, ministry training as well as medical insurance for the three months. Not included though, is the trans-Atlantic plane ticket which is an estimated $2,500.

Why? It doesn't take long to be around me before you hear the word 'Africa' come from my mouth. It is a short word representing the giant continent which seized a large place in my heart two years ago and has not released its grip. My summer trip to Uganda in 2006 changed my faith, my perspectives, and made me realize what truly matters in this world. I live a beautiful, privileged life. I was born in an economically stable country to a loving Christian family. I did not have to worry about the water I drank, the bugs that bit me, or governmental officials committing atrocities towards my race or religion. Sub-Saharan Africa is no longer associated with images on TV commercials and articles in magazines. It became real to me. It became alive. I have had the privilege these past two years working with wonderful organizations and ministries in the States (thank you YoungLife, Catholic Charities and BigBrothers/BigSisters!) but I can not silence the beating of my heart and calling on my life to the people of Africa.

In Luke, it says "to whom much is given, much is required," and with that, I have been given more love than anyone could ask for and now it is with Overland I view the opportunity to spread the love which I have come to know through God. I had an internal battle with myself as to how these courses could help enable me to love people. My simple thinking said 'go! love!' but I realized, with the wisdom of my mentors and friends, that these courses could allow me to serve in opportunities beyond my comprehension. It is preparing me for something greater than my dreams; it is preparing the Kingdom come and for His will to be done.

But, I can't do it alone!

This expedition isn't mine, it is all of ours!

Will you be a part of the adventure?

The greatest need for this journey is prayers.

Will you pray?

Will you pray for the roads of the unknown to be discovered?

Will you pray for the individuals we meet to encounter the love of Christ?

But there is also a financial need. When I made the commitment to pursue AMT, I felt complete peace about the decision. It was a surreal experience. Over the years, I had been praying and waiting for the right opportunity to present itself in order to return to Africa. There were many ideas and pipe dreams, but when I read about Overland, I was moved as well as intrigued. I told myself that $5000 is just too much, there must be something else.. but God doesn't see a budget, and no amount of money should stand in the way of taking the Gospel to regions the world for the first time.

So I am also asking, for those who are able, will you give?

Will you give and help support this mission into the unknown?

Will you give to help take the word to the world and change lives?

I will send e-mails as much as I am able to from the Base so that you may know what the Lord has been able to do through your prayers and gifts.

Thank you for the support many of you have already shown me these past few months as this journey has grown to become even more tangible. I would not be able to embrace such a mission if it wasn't for the encouragement of my family, church community, close friends, ministries, employers and all the regulars/members who I have come to know through them. Your words of wisdom still ring in my ears.

With Joy,

Liz DeZeeuw

lizdez@gmail.com

a simple test run

2008-05-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

t-minus 100 days and counting.
shoot dang!