One month.....at times it
can seem like the blink of an eye and other times it can seem like a year or
longer. This past month has been some of
both for the Evans family. It's been one
month since we landed back on the beautiful soil of our home in Zambia. One month of relearning where we put things
and reminding ourselves that we "stay left" when driving instead of
"stay right" as we did when we were in the States. One month of cleaning layers of dirt and
debris and reminding the lizards, geckos, and spiders that we are back and they
can go now (thanks for watching over everything while we were away). One month since we said our final good-byes
while in the same country as our first-born and took one more step of faith
knowing that God has her in the palm of His mighty hand. One month of trying to adjust to different
prices as inflation is hitting Zambia hard.
One month of reconnecting with friends who are family this side of the
ocean. One month of celebrating God's
faithful protection and care as Jaymeson continued to heal from having surgery
in the States to remove her tonsils and Joel fell from a ladder to a play loft
at a friend's house and came out with just a few bumps and bruises and a small
fracture in his wrist. (The cast comes
off today!) One month of learning what
it now means to be just a family of five as we live, work, and learn
together. One month of starting back to
school and work after being gone for over three months. One month of worshipping the Lord Jesus each
week with singing and dancing!
One month of talking with
friends electronically instead of face-to-face and wishing we could hug many of
them through some real struggles that have come into their lives. One month of working through the struggles of
having a house with plumbing, but having no water. One month of learning that the national power
company has exchanged "load shedding" with "load
management" (somedays they 'manage' a little longer than others). One
month of watching God answer prayer needs before we even knew the need
existed. One month of tears as sisters
are separated for the first time in their lives and they learn how to work
through that aspect of life. One month
of creating new recipes, as some of the foods you knew and loved are no longer
available. (Maybe next week??) One month of getting back into a routine
after starting school late this year and trying like mad to catch up days where
we can. One month of watching friends
pack up and leave Zambia as God is constantly moving in the lives of His
people. One month of crying with and
praying with friends as they have "reentered" the USA changed inside
and out...forever. Praying God will
provide them with people who will not try to give them advice, but will try to
walk alongside them realizing that they can't just step back into this river of
life, as they now have a new blended culture that makes them truly unique. One month of grieving over friends and family
who have passed on and celebrating with others over new and upcoming
births! One month of celebrations......Independence
Day, graduations, weddings, births, moves to new ministries.....for our friends
on both sides of the ocean. One month of
growing closer together as a family because of the struggles of going to the
States and the readjustment back to life in Zambia after you return. One month of health struggles for Jolene as
October is the most difficult month for her autoimmune disorder. One month of watching God remind you of
things you prayed before you left and how he amazingly says, "I didn't
forget...NOW is the right time for that."
One month of praying when
prayer is the only help you can offer someone.
One month of seeking what God has next as we work with and for Him
daily. One month of watching some of the
worst corruption that we've seen exposed in our nation since our arrival over
six years ago. One month of watching a
greater armed military and police presence than we saw before we left and
helping our kids understand that God is the ultimate authority and He never
changes or leaves us. One month of
hearing story after story of people letting people down and watching God redeem
the situations for His glory! One month
of sweating and feeling every drop of moisture being sucked from your skin as
the days near for the rainy season! One
month of praying for a nation that is suffering from the effects of man's
greed. One month of seeking God's
answers to many questions that have come up regarding where He wants us to live
and what we are to do each day for Him and His name to be glorified. One month of hearing all about what we missed
while we were away. One month of trying
to get sleep patterns back in place and still arrange to call people in the
States even through time changes. One
month of watching Jesus show Himself through others who selflessly give of
themselves, their cars, their house, etc. just so we'll have a meal, a car, or
a shower when days get rough. One month
of watching God grow our marriage and family through new and unexpected
challenges which He turned into joy. One
month of struggling through some health challenges with Josette and Jim and
watching God provide with a friend and doctor who still makes house calls! One month of learning new things from God's
word and getting to share that with others.
(Remember, He never pours anything into us just to keep it to ourselves
---- we are poured into so we can pour out into the lives of others.) One month
of counting it all joy when we face various trials.
One month........what will the next month
bring? As we prepare for the rainy
season in Zambia and the celebration of the birth of our Savior and Lord, Jesus
Christ, we look forward to each new day with great anticipation of what He is
doing in the lives of our family, our ministry, and the world. We don't always understand, but we strive to
obey and go where He sends, whether it's to a house, a school, a meeting, or
just a "chance encounter" with someone who just needs to know the
truth of God's word, may we always be available and ready, willing, and able,
to "be the feet". "How
beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news" Isaiah 52:7 God has been so real this past month; not
that He hasn't always been real, but He has carried us through some tremendous
trials over the past month and showed His love in new and unexpected ways. We are so humbled and thankful for His great
love, care, and provision, even when it's just a random "hey, I know this
guy who can help with that need".
Nothing random about God! We will
praise Him in the good days and bad; how else can we share Him in "real
time" in "real life" with those around us who truly need to see
and experience the truth? Until next
time...... when another "one month" will pass.
Here are some ways you can
be praying with us:
1) Please be in prayer about where God wants us to
live. We are having a lot of struggles
with our current location and are seeking other options.
2) Please be in prayer for healing for our family as many
have been injured or ill over the past month.
3) Please be in prayer for the work we do daily with the
kids and that any program developed or plan put in place will bring glory to
God and bring each of them closer to the Lord Jesus and help them grow in their
personal relationship with Him.
4) Please be in prayer for Jeanna stateside and the other
five of us here as we all adjust to this new life away from each other. (So thankful when technology cooperates and
we can see her face and chat.) (And you can wish her a happy 19th
birthday on Thursday, 9 November.)
5) Please be in prayer that we will continue to grow in
our knowledge of God's word that we can help disciple those God brings into our
lives so that the whole body of Christ will be healthy and growing day by
day.
**Daily struggles are
Zambian culture, American culture, church culture that all need to bow to what
the Bible teaches us as Christian culture.
God is still in the 'changing us all for His glory' business!
Thank you for your
continued prayer support -- you'll never know this side of heaven how much that
means. Please let us know how we can be
praying for you! We love you all and
look forward to.....until we meet again.
