TELECONFERENCE  APRIL 19TH

We started with devotions and prayer from Ephesians 4:2  . "Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love" Cheryl expanded on this by saying  that we are not to think of ourselves highly or boast but to bare with other people's faults standing with one another. In other words, don't be confrontational.

We learned that some of our team will be people that are coming from outside of the US and Canada. All communications are also to go strictly through Cheryl Greif, our program manager with Every Orphans Hope - and what a great one she is!!!!~  We also learned that our August team's leaders are going to be Will and Holly Gruver. Wow!! John Mizarek will be our construction leader. John shared with us a typical day on the construction team.  He said, " first day is a bit chaotic while getting the lay of the land. He said important to be flexible and that we need to keep in mind that God will show up and everything happens in His time. He will meet us there." This comment was for all from the United States as we are so time oriented and everything is so tightly scheduled.  In Zambia time it is not important but rather they are event oriented.  Will and Holly have sponsored six orphans that are living in My Fathers Houses built by our construction team. Those children do not consider time lapse from when they saw them last - they only concentrate on the times they do see them.  Zambians emphasis is on present experiences rather than the past or future.  In other words, we in the United States live by the clock - we are concerned with punctuality, time expended, allocations of time to achieve the maximum within set time limits, tightly scheduled, goal directed activities, emphasis on dates,planning and the future. Rewards are given for efficient use of time.  In Zambia there is more concern for details of the event regardless of time required. They don't care how long it takes to fix a problem. They stop and wait upon the Lord , consider everything until problem is solved.  Zambians have a "let come what may" outlook not tied to any precise schedule. They focus on completing the event as a reward in itself and they do not necessarily need to see the fruits of their labors.  They live in the moment.

What is so exciting about this program is that we are working along side  these wonderful African people and we WE will learn much!!!

Sharon Hoover from the Centerville Presbyterian Church spoke on humility in a servant's heart using Mark 5:1-20.  After the Sermon on the Mount while Jesus and his disciples were heading east crossing the sea of Galilee upon reaching the banks Jesus observed a man who had been bound in chains coming from a tomb with evil spirits in him, a pitiful man who would cut himself with stones. Jesus removed the demons and the man sat humbly at His feet and begged to go with Jesus but Jesus said no but rather  go tell your family about me and what I have done.  So the man went telling all the people.  ( Sharon shared that it occurred to her that this was really the first missionary - a poor and lowly man  who left with a huge heart for what Jesus had done for Him.  Therefore, we certainly should be able to do the same - simply to be Jesus's hands and feet and to sit with the children and tell them what and how much Jesus has done for us humbling ourselves .   OUR HOMEWORK is to journal now -- she asked do we have humility and reverence to spend time at the feet of Jesus and how do we view the concept of humility. We were challenged to daily find ways to humble ourselves in different ways and how we can do the same in Zambia. We are to ask ourselves where we are in humbling ourselves and allowing God to be in control.

We are to look forward to our next teleconference as we will receive our curriculum that we will be sharing with the children . Cheryl is hopeful that we will have 20 pictures to share with the children this time along with the curriculum.  We also will go over packing lists, and learn Zambian phrases and maybe some songs.  Thank you Cheryl, John and Sharon for a great Teleconference.

Next conference - May 17th, 7 pm  wow its the day of our garage sale !!