Zambia Mission Trip 2009 from Jamie Flowers on Vimeo.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
A Difficult Week
This is Kathy, Jamie's wife writing to update our week. We returned home over a week ago and not only were we tired from traveling and time changes, but every day seemed to bring a problem in one way or another. Jamie's health grew worse, he started to have pain in is neck and head and the swelling was still present in his ankle. He either talked to his doctor or went in for tests everyday. They switched him to a new antibiotic, and were trying to determine if he may have malaria.
In addition to that stress, our son Cole went to an oral surgeon and found out he needed three teeth extracted. Our dryer broke after trying to catch up on laundry from Zambia, and Jamie's car wasn't running well and went in for service. The extra expenses and inconveniences were discouraging. After being in Africa and dealing with the reality of spiritual warfare, we felt like this was happening to distract us from processing all that God had allowed us to experience while doing ministry.
On Monday (yesterday) Cole had his surgery and is now doing well. The repairman fixed our dryer and Jamie got his car back, all for about $1600. Jamie is feeling better overall, but his doctor is concerned about one test that showed his liver enzymes were high. He went in for another blood draw, and is waiting test results.
I have been reading through the book of Acts since returning home, and today I was in Acts 5. Although the Apostles were persecuted, "day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ". I was encouraged to not allow the challenges of last week to interfere with His plans for us.
Please continue to pray for Jamie's health. Oh ,and Praise the Lord, after being home for 8 days, the last piece of luggage (Greg Brown's) arrived safely!
In addition to that stress, our son Cole went to an oral surgeon and found out he needed three teeth extracted. Our dryer broke after trying to catch up on laundry from Zambia, and Jamie's car wasn't running well and went in for service. The extra expenses and inconveniences were discouraging. After being in Africa and dealing with the reality of spiritual warfare, we felt like this was happening to distract us from processing all that God had allowed us to experience while doing ministry.
On Monday (yesterday) Cole had his surgery and is now doing well. The repairman fixed our dryer and Jamie got his car back, all for about $1600. Jamie is feeling better overall, but his doctor is concerned about one test that showed his liver enzymes were high. He went in for another blood draw, and is waiting test results.
I have been reading through the book of Acts since returning home, and today I was in Acts 5. Although the Apostles were persecuted, "day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ". I was encouraged to not allow the challenges of last week to interfere with His plans for us.
Please continue to pray for Jamie's health. Oh ,and Praise the Lord, after being home for 8 days, the last piece of luggage (Greg Brown's) arrived safely!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
No Blood Clot
I had an ultrasound yesterday and there is no evidence of a blood clot. Praise God! It seemed pretty obvious over the last week or so that the problem was due to some sort of infection. I am still taking antibiotics; the swelling is about 90% resolved and my ankle is tender to the touch, but it is definitely well on the way to being healed. Thank you for all your prayers concerning this.
I hope to post some pictures very soon.
I hope to post some pictures very soon.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Final Days
Keeping up with the events of each day has been very difficult. Our last day of ministry before we headed to Livingstone for three nights and two days at Victoria Falls (one of the world's 7 natural wonders) was truly eventful. The Medical & Outreach teams were able to conclude their day in Makenzie a little early after treating and meeting with all the people who came out to the clinic. I had been with the teams at the clinic during the afternoon after spending the morning running errands. The day was typical of our ministry: many lives were truly saved as people received treatment for malaria and other illnesses. There are more deaths in Africa from Malaria than AIDS. Many of those who came to the clinic also entrusted their lives to Jesus Christ for eternal life also and at about noon approximately 10 people were baptized.
That evening we had a celebration banquet with our Zambian brothers and sisters who worked with us to have an effective ministry. The celebration was heightened by some unpredictable circumstances. Kathy called me about 6:30 to let me know that the orphanage team had yet to leave for the hotel (the banquet was to begin at 7:00). After talking with Kathy, I took a quick shower. As I stepped out of the shower, my phone was ringing. Dripping water across my hotel-room floor, I answered to hear Kathy's tearful voice telling me someone had thrown a rock at their vehicle and that it had struck Lee Davis in the shoulder before bloodying Trina Davis' eye.
What a blessing to have a medical team ready to respond to such situations. Dr. Dan Urbine, Dr. Casey Rice and Greg Brown, P.A. were immediately ready to assess the situation. Fortunately, Trina suffered only a small cut and some bruising while Lee was left with a sore shoulder. The event was a great reminder that while Ndola is very safe (this was the first incident of this type in Oak Pointe's ten years of ministry in Zambia), we must be wary and cautious just as we would in a large city in the U.S. But we must also be wary and cautious spiritually. We must continue to trust God to protect us as we minister in Zambia this summer (our youth team goes in July) and in future years.
It could not have been more timely than to have reflected on 1 Peter 3:8-17 during our team devotional time that morning: " Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
We could not control the behavior of one (or more) rock thrower(s) nor could we know their motivation. We don't know if we were targeted because of our ministry or if the act was completely random. Either way, we can control our response and our hope is that those who attacked our team members would realize their sin, repent and experience Christ's love. God bless you all for your prayers throughout this mission. I have no doubt that God has protected us from start to finish and your prayers have played no small part in this. I will write more concluding thoughts soon.
That evening we had a celebration banquet with our Zambian brothers and sisters who worked with us to have an effective ministry. The celebration was heightened by some unpredictable circumstances. Kathy called me about 6:30 to let me know that the orphanage team had yet to leave for the hotel (the banquet was to begin at 7:00). After talking with Kathy, I took a quick shower. As I stepped out of the shower, my phone was ringing. Dripping water across my hotel-room floor, I answered to hear Kathy's tearful voice telling me someone had thrown a rock at their vehicle and that it had struck Lee Davis in the shoulder before bloodying Trina Davis' eye.
What a blessing to have a medical team ready to respond to such situations. Dr. Dan Urbine, Dr. Casey Rice and Greg Brown, P.A. were immediately ready to assess the situation. Fortunately, Trina suffered only a small cut and some bruising while Lee was left with a sore shoulder. The event was a great reminder that while Ndola is very safe (this was the first incident of this type in Oak Pointe's ten years of ministry in Zambia), we must be wary and cautious just as we would in a large city in the U.S. But we must also be wary and cautious spiritually. We must continue to trust God to protect us as we minister in Zambia this summer (our youth team goes in July) and in future years.
It could not have been more timely than to have reflected on 1 Peter 3:8-17 during our team devotional time that morning: " Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
We could not control the behavior of one (or more) rock thrower(s) nor could we know their motivation. We don't know if we were targeted because of our ministry or if the act was completely random. Either way, we can control our response and our hope is that those who attacked our team members would realize their sin, repent and experience Christ's love. God bless you all for your prayers throughout this mission. I have no doubt that God has protected us from start to finish and your prayers have played no small part in this. I will write more concluding thoughts soon.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Home Sweet Home
This entry will be brief. We are home, safe and sound. We had a sweet reunion with our children at the airport! What a wonderful sight for jet-lagged eyes. We even expect our luggage to arrive home, safe and sound, soon. Our luggage traveled safely with us all the way until we arrived in the states. It is in United Airline's possession in Detroit and we may even receive it late tonight. If not, it will be here tomorrow.
Please, continue to pray for my ankle. The swelling has gone down significantly and it seems to be a response to the antibiotic, but I still need to get an ultrasound to rule out a blood clot. Pray I can get the ultrasound done tomorrow (Monday) because I have the day off and pray that it is negative. Kathy and I look forward to sleeping in our own bed tonight. I will write more tomorrow when my brain has had some sleep.
God bless you.
Please, continue to pray for my ankle. The swelling has gone down significantly and it seems to be a response to the antibiotic, but I still need to get an ultrasound to rule out a blood clot. Pray I can get the ultrasound done tomorrow (Monday) because I have the day off and pray that it is negative. Kathy and I look forward to sleeping in our own bed tonight. I will write more tomorrow when my brain has had some sleep.
God bless you.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Celebrations
Sunday was a day of celebration. I had the pleasure of preaching at a local church in Ndola. Singing with the people of Zambia is an experience almost worth the cost of the trip in itself. I am convinced that the Zambian people will have a significant role in leading the choir in heaven. What a celebration!
I preached from the text of John 6, examining the words of Jesus the day after he fed the 5000. He makes the will of God very clear in his conversation with the people: the will of God is to believe in Jesus. In this passage we see three types of people responding to his words: the crowd (who want Him to feed them again); the religious leaders (who fear losing their authority and influence); and the committed (who know Jesus has the words of eternal life). Which group do you belong to?
Later that afternoon, we celebrated with Living Hope International as they dedicated their land. They have 40 acres on which they will ultimately build a school, medical clinic, church and homes to house 100 orphans. It was a God-glorifying celebration. The chief of the Mushili tribe was present as he granted them land and helped them secure surrounding parcels from their neighbors. I am especially happy for Lee and Trina Davis to see this next step toward the accomplishing of their dream take place.
I apologize for the blog being out of order, but I needed to share this thought as it came to me. God bless you all.
I preached from the text of John 6, examining the words of Jesus the day after he fed the 5000. He makes the will of God very clear in his conversation with the people: the will of God is to believe in Jesus. In this passage we see three types of people responding to his words: the crowd (who want Him to feed them again); the religious leaders (who fear losing their authority and influence); and the committed (who know Jesus has the words of eternal life). Which group do you belong to?
Later that afternoon, we celebrated with Living Hope International as they dedicated their land. They have 40 acres on which they will ultimately build a school, medical clinic, church and homes to house 100 orphans. It was a God-glorifying celebration. The chief of the Mushili tribe was present as he granted them land and helped them secure surrounding parcels from their neighbors. I am especially happy for Lee and Trina Davis to see this next step toward the accomplishing of their dream take place.
I apologize for the blog being out of order, but I needed to share this thought as it came to me. God bless you all.
Time sure flies when...
Completing our time in Ndola is surpising. The time has certainly flown. We have had a great trip. We have been able to provide significant medical care to over a thousand people in just a short time. The medical care has extended beyond the clinic; we typically took one or two people to the hospital each day and helped them financially as well to manage the costs of food and public transport once they were at the hospital. We have also seen hundreds of people place their faith in Jesus Christ for eternity. Approximately 70% of the people of Zambia live in poverty. Being able to help them today as well as for eternity has brought us great joy.
Kathy and I had the joy of meeting Innocent, a beautiful 11 month-old boy that we sponsor through Living Hope International. Kathy has had the privilege of working with the children at the Living Hope International home, while I have spent the majority of my time at the clinic sites in the villages where we served. It was my pleasure to make several trips in the “jambulance” taking patients to the hospital. I literally carried two of the patients into the hospital with I.V.’s already in place.
My greatest joy was watching our team operate with unity and humility. I have felt many emotions here that will forever change me (Kathy as well), but to see the members of my team function in ways that utilized their strengths for the glory of God has been inspiring.
If you have not heard through the electronic grapevine, my ankle has been swollen for about a week. I did not injure it, so the Dr. (it is good to be on a mission with a medical team) has determined that it is either a skin infection (cellulitis) or a blood clot. There is no ultrasound machine (necessary to diagnose a blood clot) in Ndola so we are treating it for both. I have been taking bactrim to treat the infection possibility and today I begin giving myself injections of lovanox twice daily to treat the blood clot possibility. Please pray for healing.
Tomorrow we leave at 5 a.m. to take a bus 10-12 hours to Livingstone. Livingstone is the home of Victoria Falls. We will enjoy two days of rest, team debriefing and the beauty of God’s creation before heading for home on Saturday.
Kathy and I had the joy of meeting Innocent, a beautiful 11 month-old boy that we sponsor through Living Hope International. Kathy has had the privilege of working with the children at the Living Hope International home, while I have spent the majority of my time at the clinic sites in the villages where we served. It was my pleasure to make several trips in the “jambulance” taking patients to the hospital. I literally carried two of the patients into the hospital with I.V.’s already in place.
My greatest joy was watching our team operate with unity and humility. I have felt many emotions here that will forever change me (Kathy as well), but to see the members of my team function in ways that utilized their strengths for the glory of God has been inspiring.
If you have not heard through the electronic grapevine, my ankle has been swollen for about a week. I did not injure it, so the Dr. (it is good to be on a mission with a medical team) has determined that it is either a skin infection (cellulitis) or a blood clot. There is no ultrasound machine (necessary to diagnose a blood clot) in Ndola so we are treating it for both. I have been taking bactrim to treat the infection possibility and today I begin giving myself injections of lovanox twice daily to treat the blood clot possibility. Please pray for healing.
Tomorrow we leave at 5 a.m. to take a bus 10-12 hours to Livingstone. Livingstone is the home of Victoria Falls. We will enjoy two days of rest, team debriefing and the beauty of God’s creation before heading for home on Saturday.
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