On Again, Off Again

The school system here is unlike any I've ever encountered. We rejoiced last week when things went back to normal even though nothing had been resolved between the government and the lecturers. Now, we are scratching our heads as the students are boycotting their classes. Apparently the government is still not paying the lecturers what they said they would. The school is trying to keep their lecturers happy, so they've decided to cut the number of days the maids work in the dorms, and use that money to pay the lecturers. The problem for the students is this: There are two to three times as many people living in the dorms as there are places for people to live. With that many people sharing bathrooms, the place gets pretty gross pretty quick. Already there are problems with people getting sick. So, to cut the maid service means to breed disease in the dorms. Not to mention all the maids who have now been cut to part-time. So, the student leadership has called for a boycott of classes, and they basically force all the other students to comply. The police aren't involved in this one (yet), so things are still safe for us and the students, but many of the students are frustrated. We're grateful that this hasn't affected our time on campus (yet), and so I'm still getting to spend good time with the women in whom I'm investing.

Speaking of those women... it has been a joy to get to know Chonde, Estella and Cynthia. All three girls are open to anything I want to share, and are willing to share openly with me, which is so refreshing after ministering in the States where it takes weeks or months to earn the trust of students. Yesterday I shared the Bridge Illustration with Cynthia, and she was so excited about it that she said she was going to study it to learn it and share it with a friend of hers. This was particularly encouraging, as I'm not so confident in my Bridge-sharing skills. Estella shared with me dreams she has to "go out into the bush" and minister to people in remote villages in Zambia. This is fairly rare, as most of the students seem to be content being poured into, but not pouring into anyone. Chonde is learning about God as a Comforter after the death of her mother last year. Already, I love these women, and feel privileged to get time with them.

We had our first Bible study last night. 13 girls piled into half of one dorm room, and it didn't feel uncomfortable at all. These ladies have been in study together for a year now, so they are pretty comfortable with each other, and seem willing to share openly during the study. It's so cool to see that women across the world relate and grow in the same ways. I felt pretty much at home. Sarah has asked me to lead the next study, so I'll be preparing for that this week.

I'm also preparing for my workshop on Scripture memory, and working on inventory for the book store at the National Conference. So, things are pretty busy this week, and will continue to be so until the National Conference is over the first week of July.

And now, some parting thoughts...
Most of the churches and ministries here are Pentecostal, something with which I'm not very familiar, but from which I'm learning a lot. Zambian women are amazing; for example, say the electricity goes out and you have to cook lunch for 15 people, what do you do? You haul out the charcoal and spend the entire morning preparing food. Zambian women are amazing; they can dance in ways I only dream about. Dark chocolate Snickers are divine. Washing your clothes by hand is harder than you think. Riding the bus by yourself is not as hard as you think. Emails and comments on my blog from home warm the cockles of my heart. There are many poisonous spiders in Zambia, and I killed a massive one yesterday. The value of sleep should never be underestimated. Late-night card games are a favorite of our team. AND...If it weren't for Janeen and Meghan, I would never remember to take my malaria medicine, and if it weren't for my malaria medicine, I could catch malaria, and if I caught malaria I could die, and so Janeen and Meghan should be credited for saving my life.