Happy Birthday Carlin!

Today we celebrated Carlin's 13th birthday (yes, 13...can you even believe it?) by heading to the cafe at Quick Save and ordering our favorite tramazinis and soft drinks. Eating out is one way we make birthdays in Zambia special as it is a huge treat for us.

The only thing better than ordering your meal is taking that first bite. Mmmmm good!

This is the look of a birthday boy who ate too much tramazini. Here he was saying, "I can't believe I ate the whole thing".

Of course that didn't stop him from ordering an ice-cream cone with his brother who is unfazed by a whole tramazini and his sisters who saved half of theirs for dinner. One minute he was uncomfortably full and the next he was enjoying dessert.

Ahhh, the good life!

To fully appreciate the next image you must remember that here in the southern hemisphere, June is typically the coldest month of the year. Although temperatures climb to the low 70's for a couple hours in the afternoons, it is very cool the other twenty-two making for a very chilly pool. Sia and Shauna were slowly working up the courage to submerge when Carlin and Steven decided to help them out by performing cannon ball splashes right next to them. Naturally this brought about the desired squeals, threats, and laughter.

At the end of the day, Carlin declared this a great 13th birthday and it truly was.

Blessings and joy,
Beckie

Mwenda Bweno Wegener Family

Left to Right: Terri, David, John, Mary, and Sarah (in front)

We said a bitter-sweet goodbye to our dear and precious friends, the Wegeners yesterday. Although they will be returning to Zambia in a few months, we will be back in the States by then. Why bitter-sweet? I'm so glad you asked. While we will miss our friends terribly, we get to live out the last eleven weeks of our Zambian mission in their charming home. This is such a gift to both our families as it provides us the opportunity to pare down our belongings to what fits in our allowable luggage and they can relax knowing their place will be well cared for until we leave. That said, it was a another sad goodbye. Our time together was just too short.

I met Terri while walking one morning several months ago. During that brief encounter, she invited Isata and Shauna to SPRITZ, a Bible study for teen girls held in her home on Friday afternoons. Later that day, I received a sweet message from her detailing what she covers in the study. From the tone of that first of many emails, I knew that my girls would be safe under her guidance and would receive godly counsel while enjoying loads of fun at the Wegeners.

Even though the girls began SPRITZ the following Friday night, unfortunately Terri and I didn't connect (due to schedule differences) until a couple months ago. She asked to join us on our daily walks when her walking partner was unavailable for a couple of weeks. I jumped at the chance to get to know this dear lady who brought so much joy into my daughters' Friday evenings.

From the first morning, I knew that Terri was more than a gift for Shauna and Isata, she was heaven sent to ME. We talked non-stop for the duration of our 75-minute walk continuing for another 45 minutes afterwards. It is such a gift to find a friend who shares my culture and passion to live a life pleasing to God. Although our visits were few in number, they were priceless. I cherished every minute.

Terri's husband David teaches at the Theological College of Central Africa. At his invitation, Jason had the privilege of auditing his church history class and enjoyed it thoroughly as David's teaching brought relevance and life to an interesting subject. The end of the course last week left Jason wishing he could have joined in upon our arrival to Zambia instead of so close to our departure. Still, he is grateful to have sat under David's teaching at all. It was an honor and privilege to do so.

Okay, I've already mentioned how wonderful Terri and David are BUT, (and this is particularly important to the Sibley bunch), they have four amazing children. Elizabeth attends university in the States. Then there is 17-year old Mary, almost 14-year old John, and last but not least 13-year old Sarah. These kids are full of life, laughter, imagination, and ENERGY! There is never a dull moment with them.

Let me give you just one example. A few weeks ago, Mary and Sarah invited Isata, Shauna, and Sia over for a "day at the spa". This included lots of girl talk, manicures, pedicures, and facials. My girls, delighted to have a few hours with Mary and Sarah, were pleasantly surprised by their elaborate preparations which included the beauty specialists dressed in costume and staying in character throughout the event, the house decorated appropriately, and yummy refreshments served. These girls are creative.

Their brother John is equally imaginative, energetic, and fun. Steven and Carlin had a blast playing soccer, shooting baskets, and playing a few video games with their new friend. It was sad to see him go. However, they were delighted when John offered his Legos for them to play with while camping out in his room. They are living large let me tell you!

(Just in case you are wondering: John, who really is that much taller, is only a year older than Carlin. He is not standing on a foot-high step stool.)

As you can imagine, saying goodbye to this dear family was especially difficult. We missed their smiles and hugs as soon as the gates closed behind the van carting them off to the airport. Yet even in our sadness, we rejoice that God brought our two families together for a time such as this.

Little did I know of the friendship that would unfold that early morning when I first met Terri Wegener. Thank you Jesus!

Dearest Terri, David, Mary, John, and Sarah,

We miss you oh so much. As much as we love your home, it's just not the same without you. I pray for God's strength, wisdom, and grace as you move through the season ahead.

Much love,
Beckie & Jason
Isata, Shauna, Carlin, Steven, and Sia

Mission Accomplished

Soon after we began our ministry in Zambia, I received an email from a distraught mother seeking my advice. Her daughter, wildly excited to participate on a short-term missions team to a third-world country, returned depressed and with a profound sense of hopelessness, which she couldn't shake even after several weeks. The question to me was, "How do you deal with the fact that no matter what you do, it will never be enough?"

To paraphrase her question, how do we as missionaries move from mission impossible to mission accomplished?

With genuine needs pressing in from every side, how can we possibly meet them all? The answer is, we don’t. Does this mean that what we do accomplish is “never enough”?

If our genuine desire is to fulfill God’s calling through service and obedience to the mission He has placed before us, then we can rest assured that what we accomplish under His guidance and through His power will most certainly be enough.

We must keep in mind that each of us is only a small part of the big picture and that God works in ways beyond our knowledge or understanding. It is important to stay focused on the specific tasks assigned to us or we will become overwhelmed, disillusioned, and ineffective. This is certainly true for those who work in Zambia.

As Foursquare Missions International (FMI) missionaries, Jason and I were given specific responsibilities to fulfill with an estimated time frame of two years. Due to the additional responsibilities that a large family requires and the fact that we educate our children at home, we prepared to live and work in Zambia a third year to give ample time and opportunity to complete these assignments.

Our job descriptions are specific. Jason is to teach and train pastors and church leaders, thereby equipping them to be effective leaders in their churches, communities, and country. I am to work with the staff of an orphanage founded by a Foursquare pastor in Mufulira with an objective to assist in identifying and implementing strategies through which the physical, spiritual, and educational needs of children will be addressed and met using available and sustainable resources.

Unlike many of our missionary friends, our assignments are short-term. Any program we initiate has to be sustainable after we are gone without outside oversight or funding. Is this possible? Absolutely!

Through Ministries Training Center (MTC) classes, Jason taught the foundations of Christianity and practical ministry to thirty-six church leaders including ten pastors representing three denominations. Each pastor received a full set of MTC materials allowing for classes to continue through their own leadership. These pastors now have the tools and training to grow responsible, well-trained leaders within their churches and communities.

My assignment required a major adjustment since the orphanage was more of an idea than a reality. In other words, it doesn’t exist and never did.

Instead, I taught two teen girls along with our own children in our home school for several months. During their time with us, they gained the necessary English and math skills to function in their community. This past year Winnie and Gloria joined us after their school for English, math, and reading. Both have climbed to the top of their classes, giving them attention from their teachers necessary for continued academic growth after we leave. In addition several other children dropped in from time to time to take part in science lessons. The microscope was a huge hit. Even adults viewed a new world through its lens. It is a joy to watch people discover new facets of God’s creation.

Early this year, Jason and I realized that we would complete our assignments by September of this year instead of next. Although this beautiful country is plagued by a myriad of serious problems, we firmly believe that our part of the solution is coming to an end. Therefore, we will say goodbye to Zambia and its people on September 4, just a few weeks from now.

Until then, our days are full. Once again, we must liquidate everything that has been home to us for the past two years. I am teaching a nutrition class at TCCA (more on that to come). Jason continues to disciple pastors as they implement MTC training in their churches. And of course, Winnie and Gloria will stay with us until the end since we home school year round.

It is said that if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. We work diligently to empower our Zambian friends to help themselves through dependence upon God alone instead of foreign influences.

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who continues to join us without fail through prayer, financial giving, and never-ending love. Although it is our family that lives in Zambia, you are the ones who continue your lives at home while doing your part in this ministry. It is an awesome privilege to partner with each and every one of you. You have blessed us immeasurably these past two years.

With you, we have served the Lord faithfully in Zambia. We completed each task God put before us with the resources provided and because of that, we rest assured that it was indeed enough.

It is with the grace and confidence of Christ Jesus our Lord that we declare, "mission accomplished".

Blessings and joy,
Beckie

"We have a problem in Zambia"

This is how Jefferson, our dear friend and taxi driver, told us about the latest crisis in Zambia. The country's public health and education employees are on strike because promises made long ago were never fulfilled.

Now people are dying at even faster rates than usual because there are no nurses or doctors to care for them at the hospitals. Life is so fragile here. Remove what little medical care there is and the situation becomes tragic.

Government schools have not operated for weeks. This is incredibly frustrating for everyone. Zambia is a beautiful country full of natural resources and yet it continues to rank as one of the poorest in the world and there seems to be no end in sight.

Please keep Zambia's people in your prayers.

Blessings,
Beckie

Goodbye Pastor Chimeto

Pastor Phillip Chimeto, General Overseer of Foursquare Zimbabwe, passed away during his visit to the USA for the Foursquare national convention in California. From what we understand, cause of death was cerebral malaria.

Jason had the honor of getting to know Pastor Chimeto while in Malawi shortly after we moved to Zambia. He was a great man of God who led the Zimbabwean church during times of severe hardships as a result of the country's unstable government.

Please keep Pastor Chimeto’s family in your prayers as the loss of husband and father will make life's challenges even more difficult. Also pray for the Zimbabwean church as well as the whole Southern African region of Foursquare churches. Pastor Chimeto's leadership will be sorely missed.