MOVING: Here & There

For the last few weeks I have been packing for Zambia.

I can't believe that very soon I will have possessions in 3 countries 

(stuff to store & ship> here in the USA, 

suitcases that I will be taking to Zambia,

and household & ministry items in storage in South Africa).

It seems like just yesterday that I packed up those belongings 

in South Africa. 

In all of the busyness of packing, planning to leave the country & the sale 

of possessions, I don't think I have ever posted pictures from that move in February of this year.

Here is a glimpse of what it is like to move from one country to another.

Everything was boxed.

Everything was labeled.

Even the chairs were wrapped.

Horray!  I was thinking that I sold all of my chairs 

and now that I see these pictures

 I realize that I WILL have a chair to sit on 

(that is, when the stuff finally arrives).

After labeling everything, the movers bring it outside.

Then I sign a paper and they loaded it into a moving truck.

The next time I will see my household & ministry 

possessions is still UNKNOWN.

As a woman, that worries me.  

My possessions include teaching materials, ministry supplies, 

crafting supplies, clothing, pots&pans, other kitchen stuff, furniture,... 

All things that are useful for life in general.  

I would love to have "my things" around me. 

 It is funny how having the familiar around you helps you to feel 

more at home 

when you are alone on the mission field.  

As a christian, though, I know that God is always with me. 

 I know that I don't really NEED stuff (stuff makes life a little easier, 

but I can always trust in God to be my source of all of my needs).

In less than a week, my possessions will be whatever fits inside my suitcases. 

 Ministry can be done with nothing, that is true, 

but I ask that you pray for a few things:

1- God's provision of supplies 

(He has already used the church ladies in Zambia to provide 

for some of my household needs.

2- safe travel to Zambia (Tues & Wed Oct 28 &29)

3- everything to arrive safely & accounted for

4- school & ministry supplies in barrels to arrive around Christmas 

(or before :)  )

5- MOST IMPORTANTLY: for the Zambian government to quickly approve 

my Visa & residency paperwork 

(these will take 3-? months to get passed through the system).  

My things in storage in South Africa cannot come into Zambia 

until these things are approved 

(once approved it could take months till they arrive).

 Realisticly it may be any time between March-June 2015.

Here are a few verses that God has given us to reassure us that 

He will take care of all of our needs:

Mt 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth 

what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

Ac 2:45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, 

as every man had need.

Php 4:12  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: 

every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

 Php 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in 

glory by Christ Jesus.

Mt 6:25-33 "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?Which of you by   taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Packing Barrels for Zambia

On August 20th, this man from AMEZAM met me at a church in Maryland 

to load my truck with barrels to fill for Zambia.

I had four 78 gallon barrels to fill with ministry supplies

 for the school & ministry in Zambia.

It was amazing to see how God provided.

From school supplies, to toys, and also with a variety of Bible lesson pictures & ideas, God sent many things to use in the ministry in Zambia.

Thanks to TAP Ministry, the Lord provided some excellant tools for the Sunday School & Junior church classes.

Very soon, my barrels went from empty...

I had to stand on a stool to get things into the bottom of the barrel.

I used my "reaching sticks" to get things to be packed & stacked better.

Then I used the sticks again to find any extra space where we could fit something else in.

For weeks, I packed and packed until the last barrel was finished.

...to full. Praise the Lord!!!

Dad got me that cute monkey puppet for only 89 cents!

On Monday, September 15th, my Zambian friend came back to meet me at the church to pick up the packed barrels.

We rolled the barrels from one truck to the other.

Those barrels were taken to the Baltimore harbor, 

packed in a container and put on a freighter bound for Africa.  

When they arrive, they will be unloaded and driven to a farm in Zambia where I will receive them around Christmas time (that is how long it takes, folks!).

Thank you to all who gave supplies and financial gifts 

to make the shipping of these things possible.  

It will be like Chritmas when we open them on the mission field 

(oh, and it WILL BE Christmas!!!)

Please pray that God would allow them to get to thier destination without any damage, extra cost or hassle.  Thanks again!

A True Story of How God Provided for Needs by Sending Barrels to a Missionary in Africa

Dear Friends,

     As I was busy packing barrels for Zambia, someone put this story in my mailbox.  I had to share it with you. No, we may not be like-minded with every missionary out there, but this story does show how God answers the prayer of faith. 

     If you would like to be encouraged in your faith and have a deeper, more meaningful prayer life, please take time to read this true story - click here.

...New Every Morning, Great is Thy Faithfulness!

A week ago today. 

 Has it flown by that fast?

I can't believe it, but it is true.

Last Friday morning I woke up at 5 am with only about 4 hours of sleep.

I had to finish packing the shipping crates, the truck comes today!

Ugh, ugh, I'm tired.

Got to get this done.

An empty shipping crate (made by my dad).

After today, no more packing crates - Hooray!

(I am sure you never give yourself a pep-talk, but for me it happens quite often.  

Or sometimes it is me talking to the Lord and claiming His promises.  

Like- "Lord, You promised You would never leave me or forsake me",

 or "You said, 'Faithful is He who called you, who also will do it".  

Yes, that is what I do to get things done sometimes when I feel I cannot go on.)

"No Buddy, you cannot go!" (He was no help packing).

This was surely a day when I needed much coffee.

But alas, there was not even time to make it 

(Did you just gasp?  I know, I gasp when I wrote this.  

It must be desperate times when there is not even time for coffee) or eat anything.  

Time was of the essence.

5:30 - throw the rest of the packing stuff in the truck,

                    Packing, Packing, Packing,...

                          6am - still more stuff.

                    Packing, Packing, Packing,...

                          6:30 - more and more, "How do I get this in?"

          "Which crate should this go in?

          "Do I really need to take this?

                   Packing, Packing, Packing,...

This is what I had been doing since the last Saturday

 and this is what I did till my parents arrived at 10:30am.

Dad, William and I putting metal bands on the crates.

My dad, mom, and brother, William, came to put the lids on the crates 

and to apply the metal bands.

Finished at 12:45.

The shipping truck came at 1:30pm (1 1/2 hrs early!).

With the help of my dear friend Greg, the crates and trunks got loaded onto the shipping truck and off they went to be unloaded at some warehouse,

 loaded onto another truck, unloaded at another warehouse, 

loaded on another truck, unloaded at the docks, 

loaded into a container, loaded onto a ship,

 and sailing off toward the Port of Durban, South Africa. Whew!

Shipping truck loading the crates.

Now I could shower.

Now I could eat.

Now I could rest (till I pack my suitcases, that is).

I was interupted by the director of the camp where I live(6:20pm).

He said, "Come quick, I think Jen needs our help".

We piled in the truck and speedily went down the road.

At Jen's house, we were met by a 9 month pregnant woman.

She had her Bible in one hand, purse in the other, and two crying boys trailing behind.

With a painful voice, she said, "I need to go to the hospital NOW".  

Leaving the boys in the hands of the camp director, 

Jen and I were off to the hospital(6:25pm)

Chris and Jennifer Jackson

We got less than a quarter mile down the road, when Jen said she was ready to deliver.

The ambulance we were to meet was nowhere in sight.

Contractions came harder and faster.

The Lord prompted me to drive to the local ambulance building.

As we pulled in the EMT's came out to help.

With thier help Jen was in the ambulance.

Oh, Jen.  What a strong and godly woman!

We called upon the Lord for her strength and claimed His promises.

He was there, we could feel it.

I could tell they needed help and told them that I was a midwife

 (which in case you didn't know that, I am) 

and asked if I could have a pair of gloves.

In just a few minutes, a precious little girl was brought into this world.

What a blessing to be used of the Lord to bring a baby into this world in my home town.

I will never forget that moment!

Cutest picture of my special blessing - Jubilee Jackson

The day before I left for South Africa, I received a note at my door.

In the note was a picture of this precious gift.

On the back of the picture were these words:

"Jubilee Angel Jackson

born: June 8, 2012

6lbs 4.2 oz   and 19 inches long

Delivered by: Gina Frey"

How special, how sweet, what a gift from God!"

Jen's letter included this verse:

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, 

because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness."

Lamentations 3:22-23

What a great truth!

His mercies are new every morning,

His compassions fail not,

GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS!!!

How has the Lord proven Himself faithful to you lately?

Rest in the truths that his mercies fail not, 

His compassions are new every morning,

Great is His faithfulness!!!

May I never forget His faithfulness to us on that day.

I have also learned that on each morning,

 we have no idea what God has in store for us during that new day,

 but that we just need to trust that He IS faithful!