Tache House Ministry

Tache House is a place where about 16 kids ages 8-16 years old live with their Auntie Elizabeth. Most of them attend school during the day, and then they come back to the Tache House where Elizabth takes care of them. Today, the kids and I joined our youth group for a ministry time there. We all brought activities to do with the kids. First, we played this game of passing a box with a note on it. While the music played, you passed the box, like a hot potato. Once the music stopped, if you were holding the box (or present), then you must unwrap one layer and read the instructions. It was hilarious! The funniest was Brandon trying to do ballet. Here are some pics from his debut performance:

Then, we broke up into groups of activities. Kelsey & Hannah had planned a coloring activity for the smaller ones, and then they wanted to paint fingernails, but only one brave soul was willing. Callie Shaw, Johanna Blonde, and Holli Ann Johnson got together a group to play a game of cards. Catherine Blonde and Kelsey Craig taught a cooking class on baking cookies. The boys stayed outside playing soccer.

I became the official photographer of the youth group outings, so this is why I am not in any pictures.

After all of the fun, we sat down for a devotion time, reading Hosea 7: 8-16, where we learned that spending a lot of time with our friends is good, but we must make sure our friends are the right ones we should be imitating. Our friends' habits can sometimes change our attitudes and actions, and God reminds us that we need His direction in our life for happiness and fulfillment. Only God can truly satisfy the deep longings of your soul.

Baseball in Zambia

Last week baseball started at the American School. We have a group of people who just get together, and a few dads coach. Whoever shows up on Saturday morning, they divide into teams and play for 2 hours. This morning Coby was hitting very well. He even hit a HOMERUN from a grounder that went past short-stop and passed the outfielder. Way to go, Coby!

Fun in the Sun

After school on Thursday, the kids were begging to go swimming. So, we loaded up and went to Barclay's gym and I read a book while they feared the cold waters. They ended up playing more on the trampoline than swimming, but it was a fun day of getting out of the house.

Biodanza

BIODANZA...The Science of a Party!
DISCOVER THE JOY OF LIVING! DISCOVER YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL! DISCOVER THE DANCE OF LIFE!

www.biodanza.co.za/zambia

It all started in the 60s with a birthday party and from there, Rolando Toro has created a system of expressive dance that incorporates music, movement and emotion all rolled up in to one big party!
It allows you to let go of stress, tension and mundane routine while having fun and relaxing.
Biodanza is a fun way to to feel healthy and alive,
opening your sense of joy, self-esteem and self-confidence.
Everyone can do Biodanza!
There are no set ways of dancing, no choreography, no age limits and no fitness required! Kids especially love the freedom of Biodanza where they can express their inner creativity through movement. It's a safe space where they can access their joy, spontaneity and creativity. It improves co-ordination and motor skills, develops flexibility and increases capacity for action and rest. Most of all, it's good FUN!!!

So, that is what it is... now see it in action! Kelsey began this dance class yesterday, and her friend, Hannah was invited to join the group. They had a wonderful time dancing. Kelsey will continue taking this class for the next 6 weeks (once a week on Tuesdays).

This is Kelsey's teacher! She teaches French at the American International School, and this is her classroom where the kids take Biodanza. Sometimes they go outside in the grass and do their dancing.

Today's class theme was "going to the beach" and the girls were pretending to be crabs. They finally got on all fours backwards and crawled around.

This is Kelsey's favorite part of biodanza - resting! She was tired after her one hour of creative dance, and the teacher played beach sounds for the girls to rest like whales on the beach. I almost went to sleep watching them, it was so peaceful. Really I was dreaming about having some crab, or shrimp, or any seafood for that matter! I can't wait to see where the class "goes" next week!

Thankfulness

What a JOY to know that people back home in the States are thinking about us in a special way. Our Sunday School class at College Street Baptist got together this trunk load of goodies to send to us. We especially thank the Haney Family for taking charge of this project and making sure it got to us. We would like to thank Randy and Sharon McManamay for delivering the trunk to Virginia for the volunteer team to bring it to Zambia. I would also like to thank Holli Lowe for sending me some much needed Mary Kay makeup (you can't find that in Zambia!), and for all the others who made a contribution to our goodie package. Thanks too for the willing volunteers who brought the trunk to us at the GH.

Coby especially liked the Slim Jims, and Kelsey was excited to finally get some JIF Peanut Butter (we have been out for a few weeks). It's the simple things we get excited over! We are so thankful to have special friends and family who are praying for us as we minister to those in Zambia. It means a lot to us that our church supports us and cares for us in this special way.

Another surprise we received today was a package from my sister, Laurie. She was the person responsible for getting us hooked up LIVE to Megan & Mitchel's wedding on Aug. 2nd. She also did a DVD of the wedding, Megan's dress, reception, her (Laurie's) house, and our land in Walhalla. We couldn't wait to sit down and watch the whole thing. Thanks, Laurie!

Friends & Fellowship

This week we are keeping Hannah Rodgers while her parents are in Nairobi, Kenya. Since Kelsey and Hannah are both doing Abeka Academy and in the 2nd grade, they get to do school together.

I spend most of my day making sure these girls are paying attention to their teacher on the video, and not TALKING!
We have had 2 of our missionary families in this week at the GH. The kids really enjoy getting to play with their "cousins" (after school, of course). Below on the slide are (from top to bottom): Lily Helgren, Anna Bowman, Easton Helgren, Caleb Bowman, Hannah Rodgers, Kelsey Cook, Coby Cook, Daniel Shaw, and Austin Cook.

Last night we had a braai. No special occasion - we just decided at the last minute to light the charcoal and everyone was invited to bring their own braai meat. We ended up having 30 people in attendance for some good food and fellowship. A volunteer team arrived from Virginia, so they joined us.

Guest House Training

As we manage the guest house we meet all kinds of people. One particular friend who visits often began asking us questions about managing the guest house. Tuesday Musaka works up in the Copperbelt with the Mpongwe Baptist Association and they have a small guest house that they run. This weekend Mr. Musaka sent 3 of his guest house managers to stay with us in Lusaka and spend some time learning from us. They are impressed with our guest house and the operations. Now, we are not experts by no means, but we have made many improvements to the guest house and with our background in operating a business, we passed on what we have learned. We taught them a lot about running a guest house and what we thought was important for them to take back with them. One thing they were most interested in was the computer software we use. I was able to teach them the basics of computer software so they may make a decision about their own purchase. It was a wonderful experience to know that we could share something that may improve their way of serving others in their own community.

Mug & Muffin in Chongwe

Back row: Lee Shaw, Mary Thompson, Linda Miller

Middle row: Lindy Howard, Amy Bowman, Suzie Rodgers

Front row: Niki Cook, Hannah Rodgers, Kelsey Cook

The ladies of the Baptist Mission were invited to the Rodgers house on Saturday morning for a mug & muffin. This is something that Suzie used to do in college, so she thought it would be fun for us to get together for some muffins and a cup of coffee or tea. We had a wonderful morning of food, fun, fellowship, and a devotion by Linda Miller. This is Linda's last year in Zambia, after her and Ed have served in the Copperbelt for 30 years! It was good to hear stories from her experiences and how she has loved the people of Zambia for so many years. We will miss them when they retire, but I am thankful to have the opportunity to be encouraged from a true servant of Christ.
Kelsey was invited to come and play with Hannah during our time in Chongwe. Hannah got to show Kelsey the baby rabbits that were recently born. We (especially Kelsey) are looking forward to next week when Hannah will come stay with us while her parents go to Kenya. They will (hopefully) do their school work together. Pray that I can keep them focused during school.

Happy 10th Birthday, Coby!

Today we celebrated Coby's 10th birthday at Adventure City in Lusaka. He invited some of his friends for an afternoon of fun at the water park. Unfortunately, the big slides were closed since they were doing maintenance on the pool. But they had fun at the smaller slides and the climbing rocks, and the trampoline. We couldn't find any candles to go on the cupcakes, so we improvised with a match lit only for a few seconds while Coby blew it out.