A Busy March and Exciting Upcoming Events

South Africa Trip

We made a successful trip to South Africa last month. It was very busy, with long days, lots of walking, shopping, researching best deals, online orders, and finally packing it all up in boxes to be transported back to Zimbabwe. Before we left for the trip, we sent a list of some of the items we would be looking for to my (Yolanda) uncle and aunt, with whom we would be staying in Pretoria. That allowed them time to keep their eyes open for our list of items whenever they were in different shops. To our surprise, when we arrived in SA, my uncle had taken the time to make a spreadsheet with a tentative schedule for the week with what shops we would be visiting on what days. The schedule took shop proximity into consideration, so that we wouldn’t need to backtrack and it saved a lot of time. The schedule also took the amount of shopping into consideration that would take place in a particular shop, which would involve a large haul, i.e. the trailer needing to be hitched to his vehicle. In addition, he did some online shopping to compare prices, so we already had an idea in advance what pries would be good versus more expensive once we entered the different shops. This was a huge help to us. And yet, even with all the prep before our arrival, we still found ourselves extremely busy and exhausted at the end of each day! In the end, we were blessed to get everything we needed for our upcoming VBS, women’s groups, and personal groceries.

At the end of our first store after several hours with 7 shopping carts

The receipts from that first store

We barely fit in the car with everything

All the yarn in the back window and the tables on top

Ready to be packed up

Several hours later, everything is boxed up, ready for pickup

45 pounds of stuffing for crocheted animals

Finally delivered to us in Chinhoyi

One night in SA, there was a big storm and the neighbors' palm tree was struck by lightning and caught on fire

Meeting with the Ladies Again

We finally started meeting with the ladies again, the week after we got back from SA. The first week, although we met in our home, we had Emily teach the lesson. I (Yolanda) wanted to see what Emily’s teaching style was like, how she delivered the Word, and how the interaction was between her and the ladies’ groups. As I expected, it was very natural. Emily taught with great excitement and clearly shared her knowledge, and the women related to her with much openness and intrigue. I also got to see for the first time how the women shared about their daily Bible reading, since we decided to read through the NT as a group this year. The women spoke with so much passion and excitement for God’s Word! They highlighted verses that stood out to them and shared so many new things they were learning through their readings. In addition, they had a myriad of questions, all of which Emily answered and she also looked to me to add anything if I wanted. For the most part, I watched and was present, but I jumped in every now and again if I felt it necessary to give greater explanation or felt a translation was warranted.

Emily teaching the Tuesday group

The Wednesday ladies taking turns to read Scripture out loud

The following week, I took over again with teaching. Emily was adamant she would be open to teaching again if needed. We already have her scheduled to teach again the first week of May when we won’t be available. She will just continue with her John study and pick up where she left off. This is wonderful to have her as a willing and capable resource when needed. I (Yolanda) picked up our Psalm 23 study that we had stopped at the start of December. Since it is the theme for our Children’s Event at the end of April, we wanted to finish the lessons on this Psalm. After a quick recap of the first three verses we had already covered, we jumped right into the fourth verse. Studying the passage in greater depth before the Children’s Event helps give all the women a better understanding of the passage before it is taught to children. This also empowers the women to be equipped to answer any questions the children may have - even if a lady is cooking or taking registration or leading a craft, any and all are ready to answer questions from the children regarding Psalm 23. 

The very next day, one of the ladies was experiencing a “dark valley” situation and we were able to come alongside her as part of the “flock” to help her “through.” As we spoke to her on the phone how best to assist her, she said, “I do not know what to do, but I know I am not alone and I do not have to be afraid.” Seeing the study of Scripture being applied in real life situations is such a privilege for us to witness and be apart of.

Crochet and Knitting Projects

The ladies have been patiently waiting on more supplies (since last November) to finish up their crochet and knitting projects. We have attempted to order items through our runner, but unfortunately he does not shop in specialty stores, i.e. wool/fabric/craft stores - this is just another reason why we have to go to SA ourselves to get the necessary items. 

The women were so excited to finally get stuffing and eyes to finish their projects. By the very next week, they all showed up with several safari animals they had each finished.

Some of the newly finished animals

We counted and kept track of how many of each animal each lady has made, so they will get compensated fairly for their work

Gladys is making slipper socks, which is a new item

Baby Fever

In the last blog, we shared about how one of the ladies had a new baby girl. Mai Dean does not get to attend weekly groups anymore due to finding a job, but she is presently on maternity leave and asked to attend. Of course we welcomed her with open arms. In addition, she offered to help with Holiday Bible Fun (HBF/VBS) at the end of the month, which is a great blessing, as she’s a very capable teacher for the younger kids and our regular younger kid teacher is one of the other ladies who now also has a full time job - God provided for our need. She brought along her new baby and we were able to meet little Adel at only six weeks old - she is so precious and Yolanda got to hold her for most of the gathering time. In addition, we were able to bless Mai Dean with some baby items, especially some beautiful cloth diapers that we had brought from the US this past furlough (made by a group of ladies from a few churches).

Mai Dean and Adel

Mai Tsitsi (Mai Dean's mother-in-law), Mai Dean, Adriel, and Adel

Yolanda with Adel

Another one of the ladies, Mai Whisper, is also expecting. She is due around the time of HBF. She is usually our older kids' teacher and obviously is unable to commit to volunteering that week. Thankfully, however, Emily had already offered to help out and we were still thinking how we could best use her - now we know - God provided!

Mission Team Visit

We are expecting a small mission team, a husband and wife couple from Oregon, to arrive on April 12th for three weeks. Pamela is newly on the JM2Z Board of Directors and her husband, Michael, is an elder at one of JM2Z’s partner churches. We are excited to welcome them and host them for a few weeks! They are in for a wild ride that will be busy, exhausting, a packed full schedule, lots of new experiences, strange (different) food and culture and all that, will require plenty of flexibility and willingness to serve along the way. We know they are both more than ready for the challenge and are as excited (if not more than) as we are! Please pray for their travels, all the way from Oregon (a 45 hour trip), their visit here in Zimbabwe, and that God will work through them to bless those JM2Z serve. Also pray for their church, that they will be leaving behind, who will feel a void in their absence (Pamela is also her church’s secretary, among other roles). We are eagerly awaiting their arrival!

With Pamela last year in Oregon

Children's Event Upcoming

We are frantically busy with all the necessary preparations for the upcoming HBF/VBS, which will take place April 22-26. There is always much to get done and accomplish before the actual week. Please be in prayer for us as we get ready to pour into children and share the love of Jesus with them! Pray that the children who need to be there, will be there (our space is limited). Pray that God will work in a mighty way to speak through all the volunteers to reach the children with His Good News. Since this is our first children’s event since the new school year started (in January), we will be excited to welcome new 1st graders, who are now old enough to attend (including Little Western)!

Preparing sample crafts

Easter Blessings

We hope that each and every one of you had a blessed Easter, commemorating the death of Jesus and celebrating His resurrection. It’s a season of remembrance, when God’s love and amazing grace forever changed the world. May we never lack in recognizing the awesomeness and extraordinariness of Easter that is the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior. May it never become so mundane, ordinary, and commonplace that we do not marvel at Jesus’ miraculousness and abundance in grace.