“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."Jeremiah 29:11

And so we arrived back safely in the USA on Monday afternoon, greeted by friends and family with welcome home banners, lots of warm hugs and a few tears. We never knew three months could pass so quickly, or that home could seem so strange. As we began planning and praying for this journey so many months ago, we had no idea what the Lord had in store for us. We knew there would be challenges and struggles and heart breaking moments. But we could not have known the impact these moments would have on our lives. Moments like comforting our well-digger whose four month old son died, or learning that so many of the people in George survive on only one meal a day – many of the parents sacrificing their meal for their children, or watching the caravans of mourners making their daily trips to the cemetery on the hillside beyond town, their rich beautiful voices singing of their loved one’s final walk to meet their Savior. Yet God’s grace reached far beyond the stars and the moon and straight to the heavens, blessing us daily, in ways we never could have imagined. There were small, everyday, ordinary occurrences which touched our hearts so very deeply; magical moments we will treasure in our hearts always. Things like watching a child of about 3 years, belly bloated and tight with worms, unwashed and barefoot, and dressed in what we would call rags; yet his whole face smiling, jumping up and down in sheer delight, simply because we stooped down to greet him in Bemba and shake his tiny little hand. Or things like driving into George, and dozens of children in the village running to greet us, waving and laughing and calling out to us. Or walking through the village and suddenly feeling a tiny little hand slip into mine and holding tight; looking down and seeing the sweet smiling face of Jesus through this precious child. And there were extraordinary moments as well; like visiting Floreen in the deep bush of Mpongwe, and seeing this woman who one year ago had been suffering so terribly and unable to walk from her severe burns, running to greet us, and throwing her arms around me, pressing her cheek close to mine, and holding me so tightly I could scarcely catch my breath. And so we learned to accept each day as it came; as we rejoiced with those who rejoiced, and wept with those who wept (Romans 12:15). Each and every day was remarkable – beyond anything we could ever have imagined, and beyond anything we will ever truly be able to explain. It’s amazing what happens when ordinary people come together in prayer and thanksgiving, when we all share our gifts and work together – when we truly “Serve one another in love” (Galatians 5:13). We are so very thankful for all your prayers, and for sharing your gifts in love. Thank you for giving us this opportunity to share your gifts, and to love the people of Zambia – to love them in Christ. We are grateful for the blanket of prayers you have continued to cover us in, for all your encouraging words, and for your financial and emotional support. Thank you, one and all, for this wonderful gift you have given us. Thank you for accompanying us every step of the way, we could not have made this journey without you. God willing, with your continuing prayers and support, we will return to Zambia very soon. We need to go back, to return to Zambia and the children who have stolen our hearts so completely. They need us… and we need them. We learned many lessons during our time in Zambia…lessons in Christian hope, humility, respect, courage and strength. We learned that the power of God’s love knows no boundaries – not age or distance or poverty or circumstance. And we were loved – without question or reserve – the greatest blessing anyone could ever receive. We left Zambia with our hearts overflowing. We will miss our days there. We will miss the people of Zambia. If we could have, we would have simply forgotten to board the plane on Sunday, and stayed forever. But we know that somehow, this too is part of God’s most perfect plan.