Safe arrival in Zambia & Incredible People

Friday - We arrived in Ndola on Friday afternoon, earlier than planned. Our flight up to Ndola from Johannesburg was quick. On it, we met a team of people from Columbus, Ohio from a Vineyard Church. Katie will tell you she was SHOCKED that the trip leader and I knew each other through a friend of ours now working in DC. We joked that we had to come to Zambia to meet up. :) They were here touring the work of the church and orphan care, as well as doing seminars. They'll certainly see a lot.

A great connection that we both hope to learn from when we get back - we found about a billion ways we can help each other on the short 2 hr flight up.

Upon arriving, we got a tour of TCCA (Katie's 1st time, my 2nd), met some incredible students that have sacrificed greatly to be in school, and rested. It is hard to hear the stories of sacrifice going on in Zambia and how hard people are working to serve the church and their communities. Hard and inspiring.

At Forgotten Voices, we are committed to helping local churches care for orphans and we often find these local churches in Africa through the seminaries that train pastors. For me, meeting pastors like some of the ones we've met so far at TCCA are the driving reasons why I am so committed to our mission.... they have given up literally everything (in some cases) to come and study to better their communities and share the word of God.... as they strive to help orphans, our job at Forgotten Voices is to share the stories of these local pastors, these forgotten voices, in some of the most forgotten places on earth.

We've rested a lot and eaten a lot. I had a bug (shocking) and have now almost recovered - not slowing down, but resting more at night.  I had it before the trip, but it is passing. Katie is an incredible traveler - warm to everyone that meets her and she meets. She is helping me remember to enjoy the roses along the way and has been a great joy to travel with. :)

Next post Katie will share the story of our serviceS yesterday (Sunday) for church. Good times!

Pray specifically for my sickness (almost gone), our meetings as we work to prepare for the next year of operations in Zambia.

-Ryan