40/40- quick summary
40/40 was an amazing experience for me. People who are new to the field in Africa are flown to Zambia for a one month training. We spent about 12 days in the city of Lusaka where we had DFA’s (daily field assignments). We had a cultural and language helper that would go out with us each day. Some of the assignments included just getting to know people, sharing Creation to Christ, having to visit somebody who just lost a loved one and learn about funerals. We stayed at the seminary there and in the afternoons after our assignments, we sat through lectures and questioning time with a pastor from one of the churches as well as some of the professors from the seminary. But we got a taste of what it would be like to minister in a city.

After we spent time in Lusaka, we went to a smaller town called Petauke where we stayed in a bush camp. Once again we had DFA’s. These were more tailored for small town/ village life. One day we had to go and meet government officials. I was honored to go to the Minister of Agriculture’s office with Alan, Micah and David Hooten. Though we didn’t get to actually meet the minister, we got to meet his assistant and discuss agriculture in Zambia. I really learned a lot. We also had to learn about asking permission to work in a particular area. So the men got meet the chief and the women got to meet the chief’s wife. We got to decorate the mess hall at the camp to welcome her as well as some other dignitaries from the area. That night was also the first time I got sick with some kind of tummy issue. We weren’t really sure what it was, but just about everybody going through 40/40 got sick at least once. Guess it came with being new to the field and tummies still adjusting. One day was for going out to share our testimonies. We had a small group that ended up going to the same place and shared with many people. Two of the people we shared with came to know Jesus as their savior. The pastor was with us also, so he knew where to be able to come back and follow up. We had the opportunity to really experience “squatty potties” (a concrete area that has holes that go in to the ground and you have to try to go to the bathroom in the hole). Bucket showers where we let our water heat up during the day by setting it in the sun and then by pulley lifting the bucket up high enough to shower under it.

When we finished our time doing town work, we left for a 3 day home stay. Rachel, Amber and I had the privilege of staying with Daisy and Henry. They were super sweet and took good care of us. Part of the point of us doing a home stay was to see what village life was like. We had to go meet the local chairman and let her know that we were staying in the area and introduce ourselves. (It isn’t typical for a woman to be the chairman). We had the opportunity to help shell groundnuts (peanuts), take maize kernels off the cob (maize is similar to corn, but a bit tougher) and take it to the mill to be crushed, fetch water from the well, and go to an “introduction” (a cultural wedding), however, the guy who was the “groom”, wasn’t even expecting this. It’s a long and complicated story. This was also my first encounter with the phrase “just there”. Amber, Rachel and I as well as Henry were walking home from church and it was REALLY hot. I asked Henry how much further we had until we got home. He said “it’s just there”. Twenty minutes later we finally reach the house. The Africans don’t have a concept of explaining time or distance, so they say “just there” for pretty much everything. Oh what an experience.

Then we had some time at this place called Ibis Gardens to learn about the PILAT program which is a way of learning language. We also had a time to debrief our experience during 40/40. I am really thankful for this experience. There were many families that I had gone through my two month training in Virginia with, and we went through this together as well. They really are like my extended family, and I love all of them so much.