There's no one like Jesus

Takwaba uwaba nga Yesu Takwaba uwaba nga Yesu Takwaba uwaba nga Yesu Takwaba takwa kabe Na yenda enda konse konse Na fwaya fwaya konse konse Na shinguluka konse konse Takwaba takwa kabe (English translation) There's no one, there's no one like Jesus There's no one, there's no one like Jesus There's no one, there's no one like Jesus There's no one, there's no one like Him I walky, walky here there I searchy, searchy here there I turn around, here there There's no one, there's no one like Him We enjoyed an incredible day at Faith Children’s Village, getting to meet many of the 60 orphans that are there, ranging in age from three years of age to 18 and 19. Mukuka Chilando, who is in charge of FCV, picked us up Saturday morning and we headed out through the rough terrain leading to the facility. Before we left, however, we visited a local bakery just a short walk away to pick up doughnuts and cupcakes (they’re not quite like American cupcakes) to give to the men of Central Africa Baptist College. It was our way of thanking them for a great few days of fellowship. Back to our trip to FCV. If you think the potholes on Indiana highways after the winter are rough, they have nothing on the treacherous passages used by the locals here each day. With the rainy season ongoing we took a Land Rover to help guarantee we would not get stuck. If the Land Rover experienced any issues, it was equipped with a winch to pull us out should we run into trouble. We reached Faith Children’s Village without issue, but we were jostled really well during the journey. It was a special day at FCV, as one Saturday a month they celebrate the birthdays of all children there for that given month. Today, we cheered five children who were born in the month of February. As part of the festivities the children sang a couple of songs, including There’s No One Like Jesus. I listed the lyrics above in both English and Bemba, the language of Zambia. For lunch our group of six was divided into three groups of two, and each group spent time in one of the houses at FCV. Scott Shepherd and Josh Hanji shared a meal with some of the boys at FCV. Kyle Morrow, Mukuka and I visited one of the girls’ houses, and Pastor Hack and Donovan Zachary visited another house for boys. It was a great opportunity to learn more about some of the children while sharing a great meal. After the meal, Mukuka took us on a tour of FCV. I had a chance to visit the orphanage three and a half years ago and so much has changed. God’s goodness was evident as so many of the plans I heard about in my previous visit have come to fruition. The struggles to be self-sustaining are real, but they have put plans in place. This year they planted their first crop of corn, and in a little more than a month, it will be time for harvest. They are also raising their own poultry; hens to lay eggs, and others that will be sold at the market for valuable income. Some will also go toward meals at FCV. Another addition is a grove of banana trees that will produce plenty. During our time at FCV, Mukuka told us of some of the orphanage’s greatest needs. One of the big hurdles currently is water. They are in need of two bore holes (wells) on the property to provide the water needed to further expand on their plans. Right now, those bore holes are the critical key in some of their strategic plans going forward. Mukuka explained that it would cost around $3,000 to have a contractor come out and do the work for one hole, plus another $3,000 for the infrastructure needed to pump and store the water. Doing quick math, that’s a $12,000 project with dire need of support. Just as the song that we sang repeats, there’s no one like Jesus. He truly meets our needs, and the way that he has answered prayer for ministries in Zambia like Faith Children’s Village is awe-inspiring. Just as they continue to face challenges, I have no doubt that He will provide funding for these bore holes, but pray that they raise the necessary funding sooner rather than later and keep the momentum going. After a rough return trip to Central Africa Baptist College, we packed our things and Dave Barnhouse picked us up. We traveled to his homestead and got settled in during the early evening, joining with Doug Pennington and Lee Shaw. These men have been working with Barnhouse and some of the locals on getting a saw mill started, and teaching the nationals woodworking skills they can use to create works to sell. We look forward to learning more about their labors in the next few days. We joined together for a meal, and Maggie Barnhouse prepared a fantastic cabbage roll casserole (it’s much better than the name may sound). There were a few hours of conversation time before we turned in for the evening. Sunday we will visit one of the bush churches with which Barnhouse has been involved, and we look forward to a great time of preaching and fellowship with the people of the area. Pastor Hack will be delivering the message. Are the people of Zambia ready for his energy and enthusiasm? Please pray that, like our time at CABC, this group of eight men can accomplish much during the limited time that remains. With our departure slated for Thursday, we want to make the most of the moments we have left. Also, continue to pray for the loved ones that are at home. While we have been fortunate to be able to stay in contact through texting, phone calls and Skype, it is not a replacement for our presence at home. We miss our families and look forward to getting back home. The Lord has provided us a unique opportunity to stretch ourselves and serve in ways we wouldn’t normally entertain. He has blessed our time, as we feel we have received far more blessings than our work has provided. Indeed, there’s no one like Jesus.