Sunday, June 2, 2013
Here are some thoughts and pictures from the members of the men's team that traveled to Zambia in May.
Chip Huber
Team Leader Chip Huber describes the trip/team:"They deeply feel like they
are going on behalf of you to meet some amazing Zambian folks and to
discover what God continues to do and what still needs to be done in the midst
of the many economic and health and faith challenges present in southern
Africa…they will enter into a deeper relationship and partnership with
Jubilee Ministries as we engage God’s vision to change the world and to use
people like you and me to do more than we can imagine we can do as we see and
feel what Jesus cares about in our world…they will play soccer matches and hold
clinics and teach leadership for the Ndola Youth Soccer
Academy as they use sports to help bring change in a community…they
will lead Bible studies, share their faith together with Zambian friends, and
even teach lessons in a school as they seek to raise up a new generation of
Christ-following leaders in Africa…they will participate in worship and dance
and music and discussions as we celebrate and talk about life and faith in
America and Zambia with other students…and they will get to work in helping to
construct a new church and share and teach God’s Word alongside and get to know
and become brothers and sisters with those on the frontlines of God’s Work in
the African church…and they are excited to distribute life-giving bed nets that
can continue to help respond to one of the most challenging epidemics in our
world…they will be traveling all over Zambia and we will be involved in many,
many projects and conversations with the
Jubilee staff God is using to meet the needs of so many impacted by
poverty and disease in this generation…The team is absolutely thrilled God has
given this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to them…I expect God to change the
lives of 17 students and adults as I they go to see how He wants them
to continue to be His advocate for the people and the church in this nation in
Africa."
Zac Tolsma
"Today we were able to sit in and
experience a Zambian church service and it was one of the most touching
experiences I have ever witnessed. The people had so much sincerity in the way
they worshiped. Zambians can dance and sing like nothing I have ever seen
before. Their voices are so beautiful, loud, and full of passion. You can see
the fire they have for Christ in each and every person’s eyes.
The pastor at the Church wanted a
couple of us to give a message. I am not a great public speaker and sometimes
get nervous in front of big crowds so we decided that Ian and Kyle would give a
message and I would close in prayer. Ian and Kyle both gave very inspiring
messages and when they were done I was signaled up to pray. As I got out of my
seat I felt like God was calling me to give the Church my story and I asked if
I had enough time to share it with the congregation instead of just praying and
he said of course! This was the first time I have really given my life story in
public but I knew now was the time to do it. I talked about how good and bad
things will happen in all of our lives. We may get angry, we may get sad and we
may be confused on why God let these things happen but one thing we all know is
that it is a part of God’s plan and no matter how good or bad things get in our
lives, we need to lift them up to God and realize that the here and now is just
temporary. The pains, hunger, thirst, poverty and disease are short term
compared to the everlasting life we can spend with our loved ones and Christ in
heaven. Praise God for that. After I was finished I was told by many people
that they were very touched by my story and that made it all worth it.
I thought that I was coming to
Africa to try to help the people and share God’s love but little did I know
that they would actually be the one’s helping me and touching my heart. It’s amazing
how God works like that. I have learned so much already from these people and
they have strengthened my relationship with God. It’s hard because I just want
to help out everyone who is in need but I know that is not possible and I know
that I am doing more help by showing them God’s love instead of just giving
them possessions to make life easier. I can see how Chip has such a passion for
the people of Zambia because I am already in love with them after only a few
days of being with them. These people have nothing yet they have so much faith
and hope in God. No matter how many differences we may have or how far apart we
may be, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ and are here on earth as
God’s hands and feet to do his work and bring glory to the kingdom. This whole
experience is pretty overwhelming to soak in and put in words but please
continue to pray for us and the people of Zambia!"
Brice Snellink
"So, this was officially the first
time that while teaching a bible study I happened to learn more than I had
taught. I had the privilege of sharing the story of Joseph from the book
of Genesis. I was relating the tough times in Joseph’s life with the hard
times that the Zambian people go through on a daily basis and how to keep a
strong faith through these times. Joseph was traded by his brothers, sold into
slavery, wrongly accused of a crime, and thrown into jail and yet he still put
his full trust in the Lord. The Lord honored this and Joseph, through a
long journey, became the ruler over all of Egypt. Through teaching this
story, I found that the stories I heard from the Zambians were too closely
related. The tragedy that the Zambian people face on a daily basis and
the perseverance that they have through the strength of Christ is inspiring. We
are so blessed to have these interactions and teach our brothers and sisters in
Christ while learning so much more from them."
Kyle Breckan
"Hello friends and family of the CU
Zambia team! If I had to describe each day of this trip with one word, I would choose
transformative. Each day God shows his presence in our lives with what we
experience in the Zambian community. The Jubilee staff has done an
amazing job of helping us acclimate to and understand the Zambian culture in
order to make this experience the best one possible.
Today, one of the
transforming events that we experienced was the chance to give the Caregiver
Kits, that we raised money to purchase, to the caregivers from the Jubilee
Center. After we gave the kits to the caregivers we were then split up into
five groups mixed with other caregivers and went out into the surrounding
villages and visited the people in need in their own homes.
The group that I went out into
the village with included Ian, Zac and three other caregivers. We visited
a family whose breadwinner has been bed ridden now for a little over a year on
top of that lost his eyesight three months ago. His wife left his family,
leaving only his own mother and sister to care for his eight children. We each
personally had the opportunity to pray for the family as well as the
opportunity to wash some of their clothes for them trying to do whatever
possible for us to lend a helping hand.
No matter how much I want to express in words how eye opening and
life changing this experience was for each of us, I am not able to put into
words just how much it did. I believe that God has hand picked each one
of us on this trip putting us together in order to change our own lives,
provide encouragement to the Zambian people and to share with all of you how
transformative this trip has been and will continue to be. Thank you for
reading what I have had to share about today and I ask that you continue to
pray for each one of us as we finish our time in Zambia!"
Ian Grotenhuis
“Our last day was spent in the bush with different families. We
got the chance to experience what a day in their life is like and how going
through all of the daily chores and procedures of preparing a meal affects the
way they live. The experience was something we all will cherish forever.
Everyone got the chance to do a little bit of everything from chopping wood for
a fire, to carrying water from a borehole well, to preparing Shima (Zambian
Dish). The family then opened their houses to us to eat the meal and dine with
them. It truly was a humbling experience to see these people that most
American’s would consider beyond poor, opening their homes to us and giving us
their best. It was in that moment that I realized how blessed we are to be part
of God’s Kingdom. Everyday I can wake up and know that I have brothers and
sisters in Christ serving God’s purpose in Zambia, and their passion has
instilled a fire in us to do the same here in the U.S. I pray (and please pray
with me) that those who have given to this trip, those who have gone on it, and
those who have been impacted by it will be able to give God the glory for the
blessings that have happened and that will happen because of this trip. It
truly was a team effort that we could not have completed without everyone
involved, from those who went on to every single donation we received; God has
blessed us. Thank you all for your support and may the message of the gospel
continue to be delivered and lived out everyday of our lives until He returns.
Amen.”
