Well, I’m back in Zambia after my whirlwind trip to the United States. I would have written
sooner but I was busy with a short term medical team from
Christ United Methodist Church.
They performed 63 surgeries while they were here! Thanks guys, you were awesome.
Settling into life in Zambia was a little different this time than when I arrived 17 months ago. I now know what to expect and what not to expect. There are no surprises. I was so excited to see my Zambian friends and family. They welcomed me with open arms and made me feel like I was at home.
Home (USA), now that was another story. I wasn’t prepared for the changes, the madness and the lack of time. I thought I would have plenty of time for rest and relaxation. No rush, no worries. I couldn’t have been more wrong. God has blessed me with so many friends. I wasn’t able to visit with everyone and the quality of the time I spent with most people was poor to say the least. But, how do you catch up on 16 months in a few short weeks. Those of you I missed, I’m sorry. I promise to see you next time!
I stayed in the home of Andy and Brenda Sippel. Brenda is amazing and took great care of me. I didn’t want for anything. She even packed a snack bag for Stephanie and I when we traveled to Hot Springs. I felt like a child going off to camp. Another friend, Curtis, provided a vehicle for me so that I wasn’t dependent on others. Thanks to Andy, Brenda and Curtis for giving me all the comforts of living in the USA.
A lot of my time in the USA was spent catching up on routine doctors’ visits, a trip to the dentist, renewing my driver’s license, a visit to my CPA and the bank. I am happy to report that although I have gained a bit of weight all is well. I am healthy and happy. Though, one of my purchases when I get to Lusaka (where I can shop) will be a full length mirror. It’s amazing what your mind tells you but that mirror doesn’t lie.
Since this was my 50th birthday celebration I was able to celebrate the entire month. I don’t remember how many cakes were eaten in my honor. I celebrated the most with my brother’s family. There are four of us with August birthdays... me, my brother, my niece and her son. My brother, Billy, had moved to Oklahoma City while I was away (he came out of retirement) so he drove to Jackson, TN for the birthday weekend. My sister-in-law, Dawn, cooked an amazing meal with fresh picked vegetables and then we had three different birthday cakes. Billy and I 
shared the German chocolate cake. One of my sisters, Pam, who had married and moved to Kentucky, dropped in with her new husband.
I had the honor of speaking at four churches, one open house and one small group. I was humbled to learn that there are people praying for me that I don’t even know. See, it’s true I didn’t come here alone; I came with all of you!
One of the fun things I did was to fly to Miami to visit my dear friend, Robin. She has a new condo on the bay and a new boyfriend. Another friend (from the 6th grade), Terry, flew down with his wife to spend time with me and Robin. We rode bicycles, boated in the Miami harbor and ate great food. It was a different life than what I lead in Zambia. I felt so sheltered.
Shelter… I am in my little home in Zimba. Back to chasing the chickens from the garden, shooing the donkeys off of the veranda and stepping aside as a herd of goats make their way through my yard. Time for new projects to start, retreats to be planned and budgeting for the next few years in Zambia. Yes, I have decided to stay in Zambia for a while longer. I’m not sure how much longer but I know it’s not time to return to the states to live. So... stay in touch and I’ll see you later…..
