The picture at the top is the one you have all been waiting for! That is us with the chief, his wife and his officials... in the Palace! Ba Canabasa (Mr. One that is greater than I) is in the red robe.

Back in the USA!!

We're finally home! That was the longest trip home ever! We got in Friday and Bryan and I are still sick! We drove from Kaputa 2 days. We did camp in tents, but don't feel to bad for us. We stayed at a place called Forrest Inn and it was beautiful. It was gated and had a guard and American bathrooms with electricity! It was a really good thing because Melissa and I were sick all night from some chicken we ate along the way! It was soooo cold that night we were breathing smoke! We nearly froze, and now we are back to summer. The days in Kaputa were blazing hot and chili at night. We have gone through seasons and the future (7 hour time difference) to get home! I am so thankful to God for the whole experience The only way it would have been better would be if my whole family could have been there! Maybe next time :).

We will be talking about the trip this Wednesday night at the Shack (6:30). Hope you can make it!

This was our last day in Kaputa. We went back to the village we were at last Monday. Last time they asked us to sing for them. We said we didn't have anything prepared so we would sing next time. We practiced last night after dinner. I wish you could have been there Ken! We decided to sing "Lord I lift your name on high" because it has hand motions. We felt that maybe it would distract them from our voices. Anyway, the first round Bryan just laughed. Justin and James said that wouldn't cut it so Bryan had to basically sing a solo! They told him if he didn't sing loud he couldn't play cards with us a night (our nightly ritual). Bryan is always begging us all to play with him! They had to teach him solitaire so he could have a game to play by himself! Anyway- He did it! He sang! So we went to the village and decided not to mention it, maybe they would forget. We taught Jesus' birth and baptism. They had many questions. A couple of men became Christians today. One man had been attacked by a crocodile! He said there had to be a God and believed the message! As we got up to leave the head lady asked about our song. Man, we almost got away. So Justin said we wouldn't sing unless they sang first. No problem. They all broke out in a beautiful song. I have it on video! Then we sang. It was HORRIBLE! One kid covered his ears! At least we had fun.

On the way to the village we picked up the head lady ( she is very, very old) and gave her a ride. She was just getting back from court. She has been accused by the witch dr. of insulting him. She said it was untrue. Insulting is against the law here! Can you imagine? She said the witch dr. is in jail right now because of the trial that is still going on about him getting another man's wife pregnant. That is against the law also!

We have had an amazing adventure! We can't wait to share it with you!

We leave Kaputa @4:30 tomorrow morning. We drive 12 hours to the place we will be camping in tent. You heard me...CAMPING in the middle of Africa! We are going to stop on the side of the road and take a picture of the sign that marks the road you go down to get to the David Livingston monument where his heart is buried. We can't actually go down the road because they think the roads are too bad. But we are in the basic area! How Awesome! If you don't know who he is you should google him! On the way, there are no places to eat, no bathrooms (except 1 pay toilet along the way). Then Wed. we drive to Protiea where we will see some animals! I can't wait. Then we will get to Lusaka, shower and go to dinner. Thursday morning we will go to the market to do some shopping and be at the airport by 11am. Then we will be flying for a very, very, long time. Then we will be HOME Friday around 11am! I can't wait to see you! We love you all! Thank you for being a part of this journey with us!!!!

Be sure to check this blog after I get back. We are going to post a lot of pics, and maybe some video (if I can learn how).

So... the Jesus Film last night. There was a tremendous crowd. Unbelievable! I was amazed to see so many show up. They had to walk home down small rocky dirt paths in total darkness! After the film they asked that if anyone wanted to believe in Jesus to meet on the other side of the field. A mob went over there. But as you can imagine, like in America, only God knows the heart. Any way it was very dark and we had flashlights. Their were some drunks and some bad people there as well. Bryan got hit in the back a few times (not too bad, don't worry!). It got a bit scary so Bryan and I went back to car and eventually Bryan, Melissa and I locked ourselves in the car. They are just very curious about mzungos and wanted to shake our hands, but there were so many when Bryan shook someones hand he got pulled into the mob and I had to yell and get him back. They wanted me to give them my torch (flashlight). Everything is fine. It really wasn't bad, we were counting the event as a little persecution- it was sooo worth it! We believe there will be much fruit because of our time here. We have talked to thousands of people. Thousands have seen the Jesus Film. We have planted the seeds. God will make it grow. The Adairs have promised to let us know what fruit comes from our time here. It has been a life changing experience we will never forget. Thank you so much for all of your support and prayers. God is real! Our message is life changing!

For those of you reading who haven't trusted Christ as your savior... God is real. I think you know that. You are separated from God because of your sin. Sin is choosing your own way, the bad things you've done and the good things you fail to do. Sin is not glorifying God. God wants you and to have a relationship with him, and has provided a was at great cost to himself. He sent his son, who lived a sinless life. He was nailed to a cross and died. 3 days later he rose from the dead, conquering death and the grave. His death on the cross was the payment for your sin. If you repent of your sin, and believe this message, His death pays the price for your sin. You don't have to get your "life straight" before you turn to him. That's impossible! He takes us just like we are. If that weren't true I wouldn't be a follower of Christ today! He took me, chief of sinners, and He changed my heart! I am still amazed. Even now as I think about it I start to cry. He has given me new desires. I truly became a new person when I believed this message. I have to tell the world, I have to tell you. Nothing else matters. He has become everything to me, and I am so undeserving. What God has done for me, He can do for you. Today is the day.

The Jesus Film

Power is about to go out so i'll write quickly. Somewhere around 3,000 people showed up for the Jesus film. We'll blog more later.

The Jesus film is tonight. There is no power any where in Kaputa so we will bring a generator. There will probably be a large crowd. Melissa and I talked to a man today who didn't know about Jesus. He wanted to learn. We told him the gospel. He asked if even a man with black skin could be saved. He wanted to know if God created white and black equal. He was disappointed we weren't building a church he could go to learn more. It is hard to get them to understand the church is the people who are believers. The church then meets together to worship. They have many questions about heaven and the earth being destroyed. We have to keep taking them back to the cross. Noting else really matters does it?! Anyway, the man will be there tonight, and he wants to ask more questions before he becomes a Christian. Pray for him.

The Bates and Mr. Richard: God bless you! You have saved Bryan's life! He has eaten so many granola bars and almost all of the beef jerky. I don't know what we would have done with out the drink mixes! I have to admit it is getting hard to down them at this point. The bottles look so gross and the water gets so hot! When we get back we are only drinking from glasses with lots and lots of ice. Crushed ice! I'm drooling!!!

Love you all! I'll blog tomorrow, God willing.

I Love Electricty!!

The people who have houses and power (which are very few) and the mill are all powered by the town generator. We usually have power on 3 and off 3. Yesterday the town generator died, they don't know when it will be fixed. The Adairs have a generator but it doesn't always work. So don't get worried if I don't write, We haven't been eaten!

Yesterday was amazing! I was so sad i couldn't blog. We went to a village pretty far out. They weren't afraid. Bryan and I got to go out with a translator by ourselves for the first time. We invited them to the bible study and asked if they knew about the cross. No one knew! We talked to a very old man (which is odd to see). He really wanted to come and learn but he was very ill and bleeding. Bryan and I asked if he wanted us to teach him about the cross and he said, "very much." So we explained the gospel to him. He was grateful and believed! I told him we would meet again one day in heaven. Many of the people that we talked to had heard of Jesus but really had no idea how he saves us. They were so grateful to have it explained to them. Then the bible study....wow! There were over 100 people when there are usually only a few. One man stood up and said he had faith in Jesus Christ. They wanted to know what to do now, how to get a bible, and how to pray. They didn't want it to end. They had a thirst that was being filled for the first time. I will never forget what I have seen. Romans asks, "How will they hear unless someone preaches?"
2 things i've learned from the bible stories:
1. God provides
2. God keeps His promises

Don't take for granted anything! Do you have clothes that aren't hanging on by strings? Do you own underwear? Do you have food in you pantry? Do you own a Bible? You are blessed! Most of the world is not like us in America.

We also need to understand we are accountable for what we have and what we know! We own many bibles, but rarely read them. We know the gospel but rarely share it. Something is very wrong! Do you treasure the word? Do you care that there are others who have never heard the gospel? We do exist to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples!

On the lighter side:
We ate lunch at Bupe Chomba's house for lunch. I hate to disappoint you but i loved it! Melissa and Bryan would disagree with me. It was so much fun. We had shema, cabbage, and chicken. Ken, you would have loved it! I was thinking about you when i was eating the cabbage! After Bryan ate the shema he had it all over his hands. Someone holds a bowl while you soap up and then someone poors the water on your hands. Bryan couldn't get the shema off so he had 2 african men teaching him how to scrub his hands. It was funny! I took plenty of pics. The kids at the village today were so mean to each other. They would throw hard rocks at each other's heads. During the Bible study one boy was dragged off by his foot!

Tomorrow night is the Jesus Film! I am so excited! Please pray that many people become believers.

Deven Scott Whitton: Happy Birthday (tomorrow)! I love you so much! I've talked about you and your brothers a lot! I was telling someone today how you know John Piper's mission statement by heart. You are an amazing boy. Make dad take you to chick fil a and drink a milkshake for me!!!!

Hopefully I can write tomorrow! I love you all.

Ok... I am a little unnerved at the moment. They just killed a tarantula that was going into my bedroom! That just about sucked the last bit of energy out of me! It was the size of a fist!!!!

We started out the day by going to the chief's palace for an official visit for a photo. Yes, we bobbed and bowed while clapping and saying, "ba canabasa" (Mr. greater than I). It was great! The other officials were there, his assistant was dressed in a uniform, his wife was there, and the great one was in his robe (like a choir robe) and "crown"! Can't wait for you to see the pics! It was a pretty big deal. Justin had to promise to get him copies. I learned that he is the chief of all of Lusaka, kind of like a governor of a state. Then in each village there is a head man in charge of that village. The chief owns the land and settles disputes, mostly accusations of someone being a wizzard. ( Hold on, they are trying to kill another spider and they missed it) Then we went to another village. Today was the total opposite of yesterday! Thank God! He knew we needed it. When we went hut to hut several people accepted Jesus! The people were very welcoming too. We got a lot of benches brought out to us. They asked one lady how she believes someone gets to heaven and she replied, "by baptism." Then they were telling the story of Jesus on the cross and she said, "what's the cross?" So even if they know some things of the bible, they probably don't know much. Lunch time is always my favorite time because we play with the children after we eat. The kids, i don't know how to describe them in words. They just wanted to touch us and play with the frisby (thanks again Robert Brown!). I played catch with their trash condom "ball". Yes, i know. I am laughing even now. They blow them up like balloons. There was one boy, probably a teen. He was so smart. He could speak a good bit of english. He said it was because he graduated the 5th grade. I wanted to bring him back. I couldn't help but think of what he might be if he only had the opportunities people have in the states. The girls were amazed at Melissa. They noticed that me and Melissa had different Muzungoo skin. She is very pale, and I am looking more and more Mexican every day. My arms are going to be leather when I get back! They were asking for our empty water bottles, but we can't give anything away. If we do it will cause jealousy and they will always expect something from the missionaries. Even an empty chip bag is a prized toy! It is so hard. Even the translators want the bottles (they can sell them for a few pennies) but we refill them every day. Missionaries get a large water filter from the wmu (like a giant Brita filter). We just fill our bottles with it every day. Our bottles are so nasty now! The lids are cracked and the labels are red from dirt, and we don't care! They are precious! We were all under the mango trees telling the bible stories today ( the whole OT). They brought us chairs to sit in and they sit on the ground. Someone stole Bryan's bottle from under his chair. A few minutes later some kids brought the bottle back, right as they were teaching from the 10 commandments, "thou shalt not steal". I don't know if that was a coincidence but it was cool. Justin has taught there 3 times before to a small group, but today there were around 70. They were so interested. Justin told them he would be back to teach the NT, but it would be in 2 weeks because he was taking us to Lusaka to the airport. They were very sad. They were hanging on us as we were leaving. One man yelled, "i love you" to us. Bryan has so much fun playing with the kids. They are amazed by him. He is a "boy", but that means "friend". Melissa got pee'd on today. It was great, she just smiled. We had shema for the 2nd time last night so i was starving this morning. Tonight we feasted! Chili!!! But be in prayer...Friday we eat at Ba Chamba's hut! His wife is preparing dinner for us. Yes we signed a contract that we would eat what they offer and not make a face! But it gets harder, they don't drink while they eat. So we can't even wash it down. I'll be sure to let you know all about it.
Oh, I showed them a picture of the fam before we left. They are amazed! The pic is of the boys at Animal Kingdom. It's the picture of all of them at the bottom at this blogspot. They think that asian hut is our home and we wear those hats. They love Nathan's funny face. A woman asked if she could keep the picture and I said no and hugged and kissed it. They laughed and laughed. This was the best day yet!
Ken, Deven, Nathan, Ayden: we love and miss you very much.
Sunday School class: I miss you. Get the lessons from Jules and be prepared to teach at camp!!!
Mom: how are you doing with the boys?

Again: Thank you all for the comments! I love to hear from you.

We drove to a village today (that means it was too far to walk and is pretty far from the town). James (the missionary) has only been to the village to teach once before and only one man came. This village was soooo scared of us. They would run in their huts and shut the door. Bryan and I only had two huts welcome us. They welcome you when they get the children to bring you something to sit on. The children still followed us, but they were very timid. We brought the frisby today that Robert Brown gave us. Thank goodness we had it because they didn't want to come close to us. We tried to play duck duck goose with them. They told the translator they wanted to play but they were afraid of muzungo (white people). There is a legend they tell children in some villages in zambia to make their children behave. They tell them if they aren't good the muzungo will come and eat you. We are pretty sure they tell that story in the village we were at. We go to the villages at 10am and go hut to hut talking with them and inviting them to the bible study @15 (3pm). We eat a sack lunch @ 13 (1pm) and have a break until time to tell the bible stories. We use that break to play with the children. I keep telling the missionaries i want to hold one of their babies soooo bad. James said just pick one up, they won't mind. So today of all days (when we just arrived) we were under a tree talking to a man and the baby came right to me and crawled on my lap! I almost cried i was so happy. Then the mother came running across the dirt road and grabbed the baby from me. We weren't aware this village had not encountered many white people at the time. I hope i get my courage back. Next time i will wait to see how fearful the people are. Yesterday wasn't like that at all! The children were hanging on the back of the truck as we were leaving. They had to tell them to go home. Justin joked and said, " how do you say "I will eat you" in Bemba?" I don't think they had seen cars before! At least not many. I saw 2 boys go up to the truck and slowly touch it with their finger. There were 70 people off and on during the bible study today!!! They wouldn't sit close to us but they were very interested. James started off my telling them not to be afraid of us just because of our skin. We were there to tell them about Lasa (God) and we hated evil spirits. We didn't want to take any stones from them or anything else. We were just there to give them good news. It was amazing. This was the most unreached village to date, and yet there was a Jehovah's Witness church. They are everywhere!!! Anyway, we taught from creation to Jacob. They said they wanted to continue to come to the Bible study. OH... Bryan got dehydrated today between lunch and Bible time! We take our malaria on Tuesdays, that may have made him feel bad also. He wasn't able to teach today. He went and sat against the side of a hut in the shade. He's doing much better now. He seems fine... he's playing battleship with Matthew.

Tomorrow we are going back to see the chief because we have permission to take a picture with him!!!! I can't wait for you to see the palace! So we will be bowing and bobbing while clapping again tomorrow. It is so funny, I hope i don't laugh!

Oh, i went to use the lue (bathroom) today and couldn't do it!! It's a small brick and grass roof hut with a hole. This one smelled soooo bad from outside and inside was pitch black. I could only hear bugs buzzing. I flashed my camera to see where the hole was but after the flash it was black again. When i came out they asked if i was scared and i of course said, "no! awey!". I found another one to use that had light!

Bryan and Matthew have seen more nudity in the past few days than any other American boys will see in a life time!!! All American boy should visit here, it would fix some of their problems!

I will write again tomorrow. We love you all. Keep posting comments, we love to read them!

First of all...Thank you all so much for leaving comments! I know you had to make one of these blogs to do it. It is so good to hear from people we know!!! Please keep writing!!
It's been a long day. We drove to the village we went to today. You can't even imagine the poverty we saw. There aren't words to accurately describe it. I just want to take these children home with me. They are amazed by us "muzungu's". When we touch their hands they get so happy. Their toys today: no condoms, too far away from the boma (city). One little girl had a corn cob with a little scrap of cloth tied around it, i think it was a doll. Another little girl (around 3) had a wrap around her like the women use to carry a baby, except this girl carried around a large rock! One little boy had a ball made from trash rolled up and wrapped with long pieces of grass. That's all the toys I saw today. We went hut to hut today and shared the gospel and invited them to the bible study and the bore hole (well). It is a lot harder than you would think. We'll probably get comfortably with it by the time we have to leave. We taught lessons from the Old Testament today. Bryan did so well. You would be proud of him. One person prayed to receive Christ today. About 70 came to the bible study, usually there are about 10. One lady asked us what one should do if they have demons inside telling them not to accept Christ, because you cannot serve 2 masters. Someone asked if Jesus was God or God's Son. When I was telling the story of the Israelites becoming slaves in Africa (Egypt) and how the Egyptians made them make their bricks and work their fields, it hit me. This is just like bible times! The well with women drawing water was right there. I could see a women separating the wheat from the chaff. They make their own bricks and grow their own food. They should really be able to grasp the bible better than Americans. They have no hope in this life of anything getting any better. The road to get here is so bad no one comes here. When military soldiers or officials do something wrong they get sent here for their post. So chances of things changing for them in this life are probably ZERO. But they can know peace. They can have forgiveness and spend eternity in heaven where there will be no more poverty, no more pain. That is what we are praying for.
On the lighter side... we ate African tonight. No termites though. We had nshema(corn pounded out and made into a thick paste) and relish (greens, onions and tomatoes fried in oil). You ball the nshema up in your hand and put your thumb into it to make like a spoon and then you dip it into the community bowl of relish. The relish was good, but they don't eat much of that. The nshema smelled like feet! Lets just say we are going to bed a little hungry tonight. Thank goodness we brought cereal bars and jerky!!
Last night Melissa and I stayed up laughing about our visit with the chief yesterday. We went to his home after church to meet with him. We waited a while until he was ready to see us. We were to bow, clap twice, and say something that translates, "Mr. Greater Than I." We met with him in an open hut that had a banner hanging in it that said "something Palace". We gave him a gift of American soap and beans. He was very kind. We we left we were supposed to bow and bob up and down clapping our hands and were instructed to never turn our back to him. After it became late we realized how humorous the whole thing was!!!

Please continue to pray for us. We go to another village tomorrow. We got permission from the police chief to show the Jesus Film on Saturday.

I miss my family sooooo much. I wish you were all here with me. Nothing is as good with out you! Hugs and kisses!!!!

What day is it????

Mulie shawnie (How are you)? Ok, it is so hard to even keep up with what day it is. It's all a blur! Deven, Nathan and Ayden: I know you are having soooo much fun at grandma's. Make sure to eat some ice cream for me and Bryan! Tomorrow we will be having a traditional African meal. I will take pictures! We might have fried termites :'(. Ken, I love you so much and I wish you were here with me. The women here are so tough, thank you for treating me like a princess! Pray for us tomorrow. We will be teaching for the first time. There is a dispute in the village we are going to, a couple went to the witch Dr. because they couldn't have a baby. The witch dr. gave her a potion and she got pregnant. Now the husband is taking him to court accusing the witch dr. of having sex with his wife. We saw a "famous" witch dr. today, he is from the congo. This is soooo funny. He lives in a hut and he has a blackberry!!!! Anyway, I am going to let Bryan tell you about the day...

Well.... today was incredible! We went to the village church today and got to see what some of the people do for their church service. The choir would stand in circles and sang without instruments. Mrs. Mary( the missionary) said in one of the songs they sang about giving money. The preacher their was speaking Bemba so I have no idea what he was talking about. After that we went to the local "chief's" hut. Every where we go children follow us and stare. Some of them yell Mzungu (outsider or white person) and run away. Then we went to a nearby village and invited people to a bible study Mr. James( missionary) was going to be teaching. Every one said they would come. But one adult me and my mom invited actually came out of the thirty. Apparently saying they won't come is impolite. But about thirty kids that followed us came. The people here are very nice. Yesterday we were at the market and we were shaking people's hands. You are supposed to only shake someones right hand b/c they wipe with their left. Well.... one guy came up to me and shook my hand with his right hand then went off then came back to me and grabbed my hand with his left hand. Thank God for germ X. Melissa has to carry around an umbrella b/c she got dehydrated. She started to use it as a hiking stick and five of the kids got a stick and copied exactly what she was doing. When you talk in english the kids will copy the words you use and go around saying it for about five min. Its so funny! Me and my mom have been trying to learn some of the bemba language. But my mom always has to ask me how to say certain things. She said "luckily i have Bryan". Here are a few of the words I've learned so far mulli shauni- how are you, buena- im fine(kinda like spanish) Twalisamanana- im going and i will meet you there, miqoui- sir or ma'am( you have different words for how are you walking, how are you running, how are you sitting, how are you worshipping) Kopakana- give me(Thats what the kids would say then we would say ahwea), Shalinipo- im going, ahwea- no, eh- yes. I miss you guys back in the U.S. I love you Nathan, Deven, Ayden, and Dad. I have to go now. There's a seven hour time difference here and its night time here.

SHALINIPO! Love ya
-Bryan and Dana