Sunday, October 5, 2008
emails......
I have not heard much from the Mukinge Mission lately. I trust that they are busy just "living life" in the beautiful North West Province of Zambia.
Elissa wrote to me this evening to report that they are all doing very well. "I’m just so happy to have them here! I told them today that I love living with them…that they are very easy to live with and that I’m having so much fun with them. This is a special time for all of us. They are a blessing to everyone here."
That makes me feel good. Especially since I am really starting to miss them deeply, and would love for them to be here with me. :-) It helps to hear that they are bringing so much joy to the Tompkins family and the mission community. It sounds as though they are really stepping up to plate and filling a niche there.
They have also stumbled across a piano and a guitar...so now they will never come home. I hope they don't find a cello. :-)
Blessings,
Robin
Part of an email from Jamie:
"The internet hasn't been working for the last couple of days. Even now it's hardly working. It's taking about 2 minutes just to load a page, very frustrating!
Not a whole lot going on here. Corey borrowed a guitar from one of the missionaries and I found a piano to play, so we're both excited about that.
Love you! Miss you all!!!
I had a dream that I was home.
~Jamie"
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
JFK
The nuts and bolts behind this entire trip.She looks a little like she was up all night.
Corey contemplating which younger sibling might accompany him in carrying his luggage through England.
...........waiting and waiting.
"My dollar is worth WHAT?"
.....and they're off!Zambia and such.......my perspective of their perspective.
Jamie loaded a few pictures from the leper colony on their blog, along with two new entries.
http://restlesswanderers.blogspot.com/
Prayer request: Corey has a fever, along with some stomach issues. Please pray for a quick healing, and that this is just a simple GI bug that needs to run it's course. Corey tends to be a bit adventurous with his diet, especially when he has been in Africa in the past.... and this time is no different. Daren is thinking that this illness is the result of Corey's recent trip to the local market place for dinner. I'll keep you posted.
On an up note! - I was talking to Jamie yesterday via instant messenger, when we realized that we were both using our MAC books and could probably talk over I-chat. It took a few minutes, but before we knew it we were all screaming because we could see and hear each other! The kids were jumping all over trying to get their little faces into the lens of my little mac camera. We talked for over two and a half hours. We could see her beautiful face sitting on her bed inside her mosquito net. It was 11pm in Zambia - so the rest of the house was sleeping, including Cor who was zonked on some anti nausea meds Daren had given him. It was great being able to connect by hearing and seeing one another. Before we hung up we prayed together - how precious to see her little head bowed on the screen! Very comforting for her momma nearly eight thousand miles away!
There is so much I could tell you, but I will just give you some of the fun highlights she shared.
Read on if you wish.
WILDLIFE;
While Jamie and I were talking she kept looking off to the side. When I asked her what she was looking at, she said that there were huge bugs smacking against her windows. A moth the size of a parakeet was trying to enter her bedroom. Ugh! Thankfully the temperature drops about 50 degrees at night so they can shut their windows. Though they still need to sleep inside mosquito nets. If your arms or legs rub up against the net during your sleep, the mosquitos are right there waiting to bite. Yuck!
Corey and Jamie are learning some of the native language from a friend who is also teaching them how to cook Zambian cuisine. She has been filling their minds with stories of life in Zambia. Rainy season is approaching as they are just entering summer, so the hippos will soon begin to reappear in the area. Corey and Jamie asked if the hippos were dangerous, and their friend said - "Oh no! As kids we would play games with the hippos, throwing rocks at them- waiting for them to chase us. We would have to zig zag to keep from getting caught." I told Jamie to please avoid that game, and to steer clear of any wandering hippos.
When they first arrived in Lusaka they went to the market to eat and decided to take in the beauty and dine outside underneath a tree. There was a tiny monkey in the tree above their table who positioned himself on a branch directly above Corey. The monkey proceeded to "poop" on the back of Cor's head and then on his lunch plate. Corey jumped up in disgust and looked at the creature who then repositioned himself on another branch above Jamie's plate. Taking her lunch with her she quickly slid over to a new position at the table, the monkey slid along with her - remaining directly over her head. They were told that the monkey was intentionally trying to get them to leave so he could eat their food. :-)
COMMUNITY;
There is a strong sense of community in and around the mission. There are about 15 missionary families among the many Zambians who work and train at the hospital. With out much else to do in the area you can imagine how they must enjoy getting together. They have individual Sunday morning services all over the region, but then the hospital community also comes together Sunday night for chapel, where people take turns sharing. Wednesday nights are prayer, and Friday's are the community's potluck and movie night. There is a nurses training school at the mission. Jamie talked of their beautiful singing voices. She and Corey were asked to introduce themselves to the church on Sunday. Daren taught them some of the native language so that they could avoid an interpretor and speak directly to the congregation. Jamie said that the people were very, very pleased with their efforts. How I would have loved to have been there.
LIVING;
Jamie said that the work load of running a home in Zambia is intense and leaves little time to relax. Some days she is in the kitchen all day. There is so much to do just for normal living. Still, she is making time to just sit, pray, journal and to read. Jamie is hoping her time there will help Elissa get back on her feet. She wants to help her to get her life and home more organized now that a new baby has been added to the family, and to also help train the boys before she leaves Elissa in December.
There is so much dryness, so everything in the house is aways dusty. The house has running water and electricity, and is comfortable, but Jamie said if it was a hotel - Mom probably wouldn't stay. :-) She has grown comfortable living in long skirts, finding that they are much more tolerable than pants in the hot and humid weather.
Corey is loving being back in Africa. Jamie says it seems he belongs there. He is more than comfortable with the culture, the customs, the people, the children...even the food, despite his experience at the market. :-) He and Daren spend most of their day together. Corey accompanies him during the morning rounds and procedure at the hospital. He then will either teach at the school or cook for Elissa. I sometimes wonder if he might just stay on at the mission for an extended time, having no real obligations here back at home. We'll see.
Well - this is more than enough reading for you, I am sure. I will let you know about Cor. I should hear something soon. Thank you for your prayers.
Love, Robin
http://restlesswanderers.
Prayer request: Corey has a fever, along with some stomach issues. Please pray for a quick healing, and that this is just a simple GI bug that needs to run it's course. Corey tends to be a bit adventurous with his diet, especially when he has been in Africa in the past.... and this time is no different. Daren is thinking that this illness is the result of Corey's recent trip to the local market place for dinner. I'll keep you posted.
On an up note! - I was talking to Jamie yesterday via instant messenger, when we realized that we were both using our MAC books and could probably talk over I-chat. It took a few minutes, but before we knew it we were all screaming because we could see and hear each other! The kids were jumping all over trying to get their little faces into the lens of my little mac camera. We talked for over two and a half hours. We could see her beautiful face sitting on her bed inside her mosquito net. It was 11pm in Zambia - so the rest of the house was sleeping, including Cor who was zonked on some anti nausea meds Daren had given him. It was great being able to connect by hearing and seeing one another. Before we hung up we prayed together - how precious to see her little head bowed on the screen! Very comforting for her momma nearly eight thousand miles away!
There is so much I could tell you, but I will just give you some of the fun highlights she shared.
Read on if you wish.
WILDLIFE;
While Jamie and I were talking she kept looking off to the side. When I asked her what she was looking at, she said that there were huge bugs smacking against her windows. A moth the size of a parakeet was trying to enter her bedroom. Ugh! Thankfully the temperature drops about 50 degrees at night so they can shut their windows. Though they still need to sleep inside mosquito nets. If your arms or legs rub up against the net during your sleep, the mosquitos are right there waiting to bite. Yuck!
Corey and Jamie are learning some of the native language from a friend who is also teaching them how to cook Zambian cuisine. She has been filling their minds with stories of life in Zambia. Rainy season is approaching as they are just entering summer, so the hippos will soon begin to reappear in the area. Corey and Jamie asked if the hippos were dangerous, and their friend said - "Oh no! As kids we would play games with the hippos, throwing rocks at them- waiting for them to chase us. We would have to zig zag to keep from getting caught." I told Jamie to please avoid that game, and to steer clear of any wandering hippos.
When they first arrived in Lusaka they went to the market to eat and decided to take in the beauty and dine outside underneath a tree. There was a tiny monkey in the tree above their table who positioned himself on a branch directly above Corey. The monkey proceeded to "poop" on the back of Cor's head and then on his lunch plate. Corey jumped up in disgust and looked at the creature who then repositioned himself on another branch above Jamie's plate. Taking her lunch with her she quickly slid over to a new position at the table, the monkey slid along with her - remaining directly over her head. They were told that the monkey was intentionally trying to get them to leave so he could eat their food. :-)
COMMUNITY;
There is a strong sense of community in and around the mission. There are about 15 missionary families among the many Zambians who work and train at the hospital. With out much else to do in the area you can imagine how they must enjoy getting together. They have individual Sunday morning services all over the region, but then the hospital community also comes together Sunday night for chapel, where people take turns sharing. Wednesday nights are prayer, and Friday's are the community's potluck and movie night. There is a nurses training school at the mission. Jamie talked of their beautiful singing voices. She and Corey were asked to introduce themselves to the church on Sunday. Daren taught them some of the native language so that they could avoid an interpretor and speak directly to the congregation. Jamie said that the people were very, very pleased with their efforts. How I would have loved to have been there.
LIVING;
Jamie said that the work load of running a home in Zambia is intense and leaves little time to relax. Some days she is in the kitchen all day. There is so much to do just for normal living. Still, she is making time to just sit, pray, journal and to read. Jamie is hoping her time there will help Elissa get back on her feet. She wants to help her to get her life and home more organized now that a new baby has been added to the family, and to also help train the boys before she leaves Elissa in December.
There is so much dryness, so everything in the house is aways dusty. The house has running water and electricity, and is comfortable, but Jamie said if it was a hotel - Mom probably wouldn't stay. :-) She has grown comfortable living in long skirts, finding that they are much more tolerable than pants in the hot and humid weather.
Corey is loving being back in Africa. Jamie says it seems he belongs there. He is more than comfortable with the culture, the customs, the people, the children...even the food, despite his experience at the market. :-) He and Daren spend most of their day together. Corey accompanies him during the morning rounds and procedure at the hospital. He then will either teach at the school or cook for Elissa. I sometimes wonder if he might just stay on at the mission for an extended time, having no real obligations here back at home. We'll see.
Well - this is more than enough reading for you, I am sure. I will let you know about Cor. I should hear something soon. Thank you for your prayers.
Love, Robin
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