We are HERE!!!

Dearest Family and Friends!!!

We have arrived all safe and sound!!! We were at the Toronto Airport at 2:30am to catch our 6:00am flight from Toronto to Washington DC. We made some super great stops...first in Rome in the middle of the night, so we saw lots of lights...and then in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia for about 2 hours where we swtiched planes. Then we flew to Malawi and finally ended up in Lusaka, Zambia. We stayed the night in Lusaka and were on the bus to Mongu in the morning. We woke up with no electricity and did ok for getting ready in the dark, were on the bus by 7:30am and left the station at 9:00. Two hours of our trip were through a game park and we saw some version of antelope..a few baboons..some super cool cranes and birds...apparently there was an elephant, but only Sarah was the lucky one to see it....and LOTS of warthogs. So we arrived herein Mongu about 5:00 and Dorothy took us to her lovely home overlooking the floodplanes...where we are SURE to catch some gorgeous sunsets.

So that's the bareboness...some fun moments.....

Trying to take off in Addis Ababa and had to turn around and try again because there were too many birds onthe runway...we had to wait for the "fire squad" to get rid of them.... the best part--it happened again in Malawi. WHO KNEW!!!!!

Sandy jumping out of the bus when we were all getting off to "save" Laura from a very welcoming [drunk] man who was very exciting to welcome us to Mongu

Buying fake hair...which will soon be braided into all our own hair and make it nice and think and pretty:D haha..

The tire burning on the bus....it got changed....

Ants in Jenelles pants..hehehe.....and our entire room. lol

Walking through the market today and experiencing life in Zambia...all the beautiful people and colorful materials and goods...

As for our schedule for the month..it is pretty much as planned. We are heading out to a village tomorrow afternoon until Thursday morning to visit and live village life and see an orphanage. Then we get ready for camp and Friday afternoon we head out to camp for the week. So a heads up: we won't have internet all next week while we're at camp :S Sorry!!!!! But we'll have loads of fun and will fill you all in when we get back to town...

Thanks so much for all your love and prayers!!! We are all doing so well and no sickness yet, of which we are most grateful.Travel has been long but smooth going and safe! So we will keep you updated as we can. We love you all and slightly miss you[LA]

God be with you all!!!!!! Love your ZTEAM sisters.

"Calendar" of Events

So the beautiful calendar Sandy sent us is not going to LOOK like a calendar right here, but if you scroll to the bottom of the blog page, you will be able to see it in REAL calendar form :D

Tyndale Zambia Team -July 25 to August 24, 2008

July 25 - 6 am. Depart Toronto
July 26 - 2 pm-Arrive Lusaka. Orientation
July 27 - Bus to Mongu
July 28 - w/ Dorothy & Per Educators. Rest & grocery shopping
July 29 - Camp Preparations
- Pray for the last minute details
July 30 - Camp Prep
- Pray for both teams (SU & Tyndale) as we get to know each other
July 31 - Camp Preparations
August 1 - Travel to Sefula – set up for Camp 
August 2 - Scripture Union Camp starts
- Pray for the students participating
August 3 - SU Camp
August 4 - SU Camp
- Pray for good opportunities to share with the students
August 5 - SU Camp
August 6 - SU Camp
- Pray for stamina! Conferences can be late nights/early mornings
August 7 - SU Camp
August 8 - SU Camp
August 9 - SU Camp ends. Return to Mongu Relax
August 10 - Church @ Kanyonyo. Participate with Youth program
August 11 - Community VBS
- Pray for this outreach to kids in various locations this week
August 12 - Community VBS
August 13 - Community VBS
- Pray for this outreach to kids in various locations this week
August 14 - Community VBS
August 15 - Community VBS
- Pray for this outreach to kids in various locations this week
August 16
August 17 - Church @ Katongo. Participate with Youth program
August 18 - Goodbyes. Bus to Livingstone
August 19 - Arrive @ Livingstone
August 20 - Vic Falls
August 21 - Vic Falls
August 22 - Bus to Lusaka @ Chamba Valley/SIM Office
August 23 - AM - Debrief. 3:10 pm – Depart Lusaka
August 24 - 2 pm–Arrive Toronto


Thank you for praying for us!
Sandy, Laura-Ashleigh, Kristen, Christelle, Jenelle & Sarah

Flight Info

For those of you interested in knowing how we are getting so far away....

We are to be at Terminal 1 in the Toronto Airport for 2:30am Friday morning. We fly out at 6:09am on United Airlines to Washington DC where we have a short layover. At 10:05am we fly Ethiopian Airlines to Ethiopia (and we touch down in ROME!!!!!!!). From there we fly at 9:30am to Lusaka and should arrive around 2:10pm on Saturday, Zambian time.

Travel prayers would be MUCH appreciated:
-Our families who are letting us go with God
-For the pilots and crew
-Safety and smoothness in our fast transfers
-Sickness...or rather...maybe NO sickness ;)
-Luggage to be in the same place we are...
-That no matter what, God will be honored and glorified

Going Live with our Updates!

Dearest Family and Friends and Fellow blog-readers,

Upon discussion of how best to be communicating with so many folk back home, we decided that a blog would be a super way for you all who are interested to keep up with our activities and prayer requests, so this blog is for YOU!!!!

First of all we would like to thank you all SOO much for embarking on this journey with us! We head out in only a matter of a few days now, and it is just so amazing to see and witness the love and grace God has shown us in preparing us to go. We had our last team meeting yesterday and as we prayed there was just such a strong sense of God's holy and calming presence. He has brought in an abundance of prayer and financial support and we thank you so much for allowing God to work it in your hearts to be our supporters!

It is our current plan to update this blog as often as we can so you are up-to-date about where we're at, but we fully realize things may change and we may not be able to do so as often as we'd like. SO: Sandy has come up with the most fantasical calendar of our planned events which will be posted as soon as I figure out how to do so. lol. That way, if in doubt, assume that what's on the calendar is most likely happening, even though we realize that it may be something totally different...all I know is that when it comes to prayer, God hears regardless of which plans may be in the works:)

Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts once again! May God bless you and keep you. May He be with you and within you all.

Love in Christ,
your Z-Team sisters

11 MORE SLEEPS!!!

So we are on our way in only 11 MORE SLEEPS!!! [...based on the fact that we WILL be sleeping before we go :)...] yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Sandy updated us on the most current itinerary for our time in Zambia!
Team Itinerary:
1 Arrive Lusaka, July 26, 2008
2 Kaingo Lodge-July 26th
3 Depart for Mongu by bus July 27th
4 Mongu: July 27th to Aug 18th
-at SU Camp: Aug 1st to 8th
-in the field w/ Peer Educators
-resident at Wiebe/Weiandt premises(ECZ)
5 Mongu to Lvst, Aug 19th
6 Lvst: Aug 19th to 22nd
7 Lvst to Lusaka Aug 22nd
8 Depart Lusaka Int'l Airport Aug 23rd

Love and hugs. Kristen