matabetu!

Yesterday I had the wonderful privledge of being invited to a Matabetu ceremony.

A WHAT?

A Matabetu ceremony!

the bride NeNe

Its a ceremony for a bride to be where she learns all about cooking for her husband.  It is a HUGE deal.  I might venture to say it is a bigger deal than the wedding itself.  Women from both sides of the family gather at the home where the bride was raised and they spend all night cooking every dish known in the culture.  Then all the food is taken to the home of the groom where he then eats what he loves so that the bride will know what to prepare for her husband.

here she is making Nshima

Nene (the bride) was glowing and radiant and looked upon the rituals she had to conduct with pride and diginity. I witnessed a ceremony where the mother and grandmother taught her how to start a fire and cook nshima (the local staple)

All was accompanied with laughter, singing and drums.  The joy that was in the air yesterday was contagious.   I even participated in dancing to the great amusement of all present.  Shouts of MUZUNGU!!!!!  (go white lady go!)

But it wasn't the anticipation of Nene's new life with her husband that struck a chord with me.  It was the camaraderie I witnessed among these women.  The singleness of purpose and the joy these ladies had in preparing for the big day was one that took my breath away.

NeNe is learning how to make fire

I felt as if I had gained entrance into a special secret society and the women I sat with were more than happy to share with me what few others get to experience.  I heard about the special significance of certain foods and many were simply over joyed to show me the food they prepared.   Zambian women look upon the job of cooking with such pride.  It is what marks them as women.  If you can cook and do it well then you are a woman of substance and value.  If you can't cook then don't bother even looking at a man.

She is cooking Mopani worms.  

In that back yard all the cares of life were gone.  All the worries about school fees, jobs, children and crazy husbands were pushed to the back of everyone's minds for a few short hours and they enjoyed life.  Zambian women have little reason to smile.  Many suffer abuse in a society that looks down upon women.  They don't have rights according to the law.  Many are stuck in horrible marriages and have to suffer indignities that are unmentionable.  Many of their children die young from preventable disease and most suffer with alcholism.  Zambia women rank 5th in the world for alcohol consumption.  OUCH!   I see women every day carrying impossible loads on their backs with several children trailing along.  The look on their faces is one of exhaustion and determination.     So, the way I see it a Matebetu ceremony isn't just about the bride.  It is a time when ladies who work so hard, who strive so hard and long to kick back, relax and enjoy.  Women here can laugh!  They know how to work hard and play hard, thats for sure!

peace

I would like to take a few moments to thank everyone for their overwhelming response to Emma’s plight.  We DEFINITELY felt the prayers coming.  

For those who didn’t read my previous blog you can do so here to get caught up: 

http://musingsofamssionary.blogspot.com/2016/04/tough-days.html

I went back on Friday to the YWCA center to see her and find out the way forward from the counselors.  The long and short of it is this…..Tuesday of this week Emma will be taken to the town of Kabwe where her family is from.  There a counselor from the YWCA will stay with her 24 / 7 until a solution can be found.  If the situation at home isn’t a good one for Emma she will be brought back to Lusaka and a plan for her will be made.  After I left Emma Friday she was taken to a woman’s shelter.  If all goes well I won't see her again this side of eternity.  

Saturday rolled around and I had a few blessed hours to myself in our Streetwise shop working on a project for a client.   It was the first time in a few weeks that all was quiet.  My phone wasn't ringing,  my kids weren't asking me for anything and no one was coming to me with overwhelming needs that make the mind swim.  And I got depressed....why!?   All the emotion and ups and downs of the past two weeks flooded over me and I was EXHAUSTED!  It all slammed in my face at once and my knees practically buckled from it all.  When I arrived home I found Luis in a similar state.   We talked it through and understood our state of mind was probably an expected and normal one and we needed to just rest and relax.  Ended up having a fun day with our kids doing silly stuff.  It was beautiful. 

You see just days before we meet Emma we were working with Samuel.  Samuel had been coming to the Streetwise Center for a few months and we saw so much potential and willingness in him…….long story short……He is now tucked safely and nicely away at a Teen Challenge Center 45 minutes outside of Kabwe.   We are getting reports that he is doing really well.  He is thriving in the program and is adjusting well.  

Getting Samuel ready for Teen Challenge was like a roller coaster and it was awesome!  So many folks stepped up to help out and make sure he had what was needed and the sponsor ships for him rolled in.  It was clear….Teen Challenge was God’s plan for Samuel……All the details just feel into place.  

Then with Emma it was a mixture of extreme highs and lows.  

So, no wonder we were left feeling like wet dish rags! 

I have been dwelling on this Psalm since Friday morning.  I was having my time with God that morning just pouring all my frustrations and disappointment out in front of him.  "God!  How could this have happened to such a precious little life?  Where were you in this!?  LORD!  This is all to much for me to handle! Please God!  I need a reminder of who you are and of your faithfulness even in the middle of extreme insanity and evil" 

1              Lord, our Lord

             how majestic is your name in all the earth!

             You have set your glory  in the heavens.

2 Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
    to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,
    the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
    which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?[c]

5 You have made them[d] a little lower than the angels[e]
    and crowned them[f] with glory and honor.
6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
    you put everything under their[g] feet:
7 all flocks and herds,
    and the animals of the wild,
8 the birds in the sky,
    and the fish in the sea,
    all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Here is the conclusion that I come away with after reading that.......God is still God!  He is the same God who created the world with his word.....He is the same God who stopped the sun so the Isrealites could win the battle.....He is the same God who ROSE HIMSELF FROM THE DEAD FOR YOU AND ME......He is the same God who carried Emma's precious Baby safely home to heaven and the same God who will carry Samuel through his rehab process.  He is the same God yesterday today and forever!   

When nothing else makes sense to me....the truth of who God is and the love of Jesus makes perfect sense to me!  He promises to take what the Devil meant for evil and turn it around for His glory.   He promises that weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning!  He promises to be our shelter in the storm and he promises to be our strength when we are weak.  He promises to give peace that surpasses all understanding and to be the voice behind us always saying "This is the way walk in it" 

That makes my heart settle and rest like nothing else can.  It melts away anxiety and give me joy in my heart.  If I didn't have Jesus and His promises where would I be?  

Where are you now?  What are you putting your hope in?  What gives you peace? 

If

you would like to learn more about Streetwise and about how you can get involved you can contact  me or my husband Luis at streetwisezambia@gmail.com 

If you would like to give financially you can go to tscnyc.org  Click on GIVE and follow the prompts to Morales Family / Zambia  

tough days

Today was a tough one. 

Today was one of those days where it feels more surreal than real.

I have been trying to find the words to express the emotions I have been experiencing all day and I find myself wavering between complete shock, anger,  mournful sadness and numb resignation.   

If you have followed me on Facebook you will have seen that a young 16 year old girl named Emma Musonda came up on our radar at Streetwise.  We decided to step in and help her because she was 7 months pregnant.  

I won’t go into all the details about the situation cause that would take forever, but I will say this……this morning I left the house hopeful to find her and get her and her baby some much needed help and ended up home sad, numb, confused and a bit angry.  

Apparently Emma was beaten last night and due to that gave birth to a still born little boy.   

I was trying to find the words to describe the conditions of the hospital where she was taken and……well…….I will tell you this,  as I was speaking to the head nurse to get the details on Emma’s case a woman waiting for an empty bed (there were at least 30 women in a room meant for 10 giving birth) dropped to her hands and knees next to me and started rocking and moaning in the throws of labor.   Women were wailing in pain in the back and yelling for their mothers…..occasionally I would hear a tiny bum being slapped and the cry of a new baby.  (that part was cool)  WHAT!?  All I wanted to do at that point was turn around and pretend none of that happened and go home.  I wanted to pretend I didn’t know Emma, I wanted to pretend that I never heard about the horrible tragedy that happened to her and the baby.  I wanted to drop my head in the sand and wait life out.  GOD THIS IS TO BIG FOR ME!!!!!!!!!  REALLY GOD!? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING DROPPING ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS!?   

I was able to take one covert shot of the entry to the labor room.  

Then I saw Emma.  She came out looking like nothing I had ever seen before.  A weariness and a hurt that go beyond words covered her whole being.   My heart was flooded with a gentle peace that only comes from Jesus and a determination to see this precious girl through until the end.  So, I put her under my arm, thanked the kind and extremely over worked staff and off we went.    

Emma is now safely tucked away at the YWCA (Young Women Christian Alliance).  The original plan was to take her there today after her doctors appointment, so the only thing I could think of was that we needed to get there anyway.  We were greeted by a warm, loving staff who treated Emma with such care and respect.  While there for the next two weeks she will receive counseling, medical care and a clean safe place to sleep.  We will be working with them to help find her family and prayerfully take her home.  

Emma never even looked at her baby.  I think the pain was to much, so I have unofficially decided to call Emma’s baby Simeon.  Simeon is a character in the Bible….his story is found in Luke chapter 2.  Simeon was a man of integrity, courage, strength and hope in God.  He knew intimately the promises of God and waiting in hope for the coming of Jesus.  He was allowed the beautiful privilege of seeing it happen and holding Jesus in his arms before he died.  Maybe one day when Emma's heart has healed a bit and she is ready to talk about it I can share that with her.  Maybe it will bring her some comfort.  

Folks, I can’t explain why this horrible thing happened.  I can’t explain away Emma’s pain, or reason why a helpless little life had to die tragically with out ever being given the chance to figure out who he was in the world.  All I know is this and I leave you with this beautiful promise…….

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3     he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

    for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk

    through the darkest valley,[a]

I will fear no evil,

    for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me

    in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

    my cup overflows.

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me

    all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

    forever.

When pain hits your life in ways that make no sense…..when it all falls apart and there seems to be no hope…..remember Psalm 23.  There is hope in Jesus!  

If you would like to learn more about Streetwise and about how you can get involved you can contact  me or my husband Luis at streetwisezambia@gmail.com 

If you would like to give financially you can go to tscnyc.org  Click on GIVE and follow the prompts to Morales Family / Zambia 

life through my lens

Hi everyone!  Life has been so unbelievably busy lately that I haven't had the head space to sit down and put words to paper of all I have seen and experienced over the past few months.  .  SOOO, I thought, let me tell the story through my photos.  

ENJOY!  Would love your feed back! 

My husband luis walking down the steps toward Victoria Falls.  I love to watch how he loves our girls.  

Our daughter Brooklyn. This was taken the morning she went on a camping trip with her school.  And yes, this photo does do justice to the nutty kid that she is.  She is a constant riot

Our daughter Hannah.  We took a trip to Livingstone to see Victoria Falls and this is here enjoying the spray from the falls.  

Our daughter Amira.  We got soaked from the falls!  It was majestic! 

On one of our morning outreaches to the streets of Lusaka.  Ashleigh is sitting with a 12 year old girl who has to spend her time helping her blind grandpa beg for money at the cars.  There is no social aid here in Zambia for the blind. 

The grandpa of the girl in the photo above

This is Rose.  Rose is a street girl.  She has two kids and begs at the cars every day so she can make enough money to feed her babies.  

Under the tree is a blind woman taking a nap.  She spends her days begging for money at the cars.  

Elliot and his mom and dad go to the church we attend here in Lusaka.  south city church is a international church community with a healthy mix of people from all walks of life. 

This is Angeni.  Angeni's parents are part of the leadership structure of South City church

David is a part of the congregation of South City Church.  He is a radio DJ for a local Christian station 

This is Gladwell.  I think he lives up to his name

Meet Kunda.  Kunda lives on the streets and has become a part of the program at Streetwise Outreach and Craft Co.  

Samuel is a part of the program on Streetwise Outreach and Craft Co as well.  We are proud of him because he will be going to Teen Challenge this weekend to go through a year long program.  

The rest of the photos are just random things I have seen and thought lovely about the place we live and work.   Zambia is full of color and people of dignity and rare beauty

updates on Streetwise

Its been a while since I have posted.  Life just moves at break neck speeds sometimes and its all I can do to make sure I remember to brush my teeth.

I have realized that I need to give myself more breathing space to put thoughts together and share them with you all.   Anyone able to relate? 

SO, here we go.....

Where are we with Streetwise? 

WELL!!    Lets start with the Outreaches.  

Wednesday nights are going strong.  We have a regular base of volunteers who are so committed and so fabulous.   I am so excited with the direction this particular outreach is taking.  There seems to be a shift in focus among the boys.  They are beginning to ask for prayer differently than before.  Where it used to be “I need school fees” or “I need transport” or “I need this and that” …….all was self focused…….the prayers are now “I don’t want to be addicted to drugs anymore” and “I don’t want to be angry anymore”  and “I want to pray for my friend who is hurt”.  They are beginning to see their value in the light of jesus and are starting to recognize that their need for a savior.  We are seeing them wait patiently for food, we are seeing them preferring those around them, I even see them sharing their food with boys who come late to the program when the food has run out.  

In addition to this we are praying about beginning a second feeding program in another area of the city.   We have discovered a pocket of smaller boys that hang out near the malls and main road here, Great East Road.  We are also looking into outreaches to the girls.  After years of not seeing one of them they are on our radars big time.  

It has been fun for me to see the spiritual connection that occurs when we feed these guys.  When there is a balance between the spiritual and physical something miraculous happens.  How can I tell these babies BE WARM AND WELL FEED JESUS LOVES YOU and not do anything about it……but when I say those words and back it up with a warm plate of food, a hug, a gentle touch and a prayer… God does miraculous things!  

THE SHOP

The purpose of the Streetwise Craft Co shop is two fold.  

One……..Our aim with the Streetwise Craft Co product is to raise support financially for our outreach programs.  This includes the feeding programs, as well as medical outreaches, sending kids to school, and the overhead required in running the program.   

TWO…….we believe that Streetwise Craft Co can be used as a catalyst in helping the kids on the streets to recognize their God given potential and grow in the talents and abilities they have been blessed with.   Titus has been coming to the shop every friday for a month.  In that time we have watched him realize that he has amazing artistic abilities, he has a steady hand and enjoys the quiet contrast of the shop as compared to life on the streets.  He is exhausted at the end of the day, but a good exhausted, because he is learning the value of a hard days work.  Titus has been rejected by those in his life who were meant to protect him and nurture him, and life on the streets has simply enforced that lie.  BUT, at Streetwise Craft Co, Titus is learning that he has talent, that he has abilities, that he is capable of creating beauty. 

So, how can you help?  TONS OF WAYS!!!!!!!!!  

1.  You can help spread the word about Streetwise Craft Co.  Talk to your children's ministries, youth group leaders, prayer groups, missions departments.  Talk to folks at work, friends in your neighborhoods, parents when you pick your kids up from school.  Help us talk this up and spread the word.    Streetwise needs exposure!    A friend of mine is a school teacher and she came up with the idea to do send videos back and forth between her group of kids and ours on the streets.  Sorta like virtual pen pal.  If you are interested in specifics please let us know!  We could schedule FaceTime calls for a q&a session.  Send me an email on Facebook or at streetwisezambia@gmail.com 

2.  We need help in raising funds for a ministry vehicle.  It would be used in the feeding programs, transporting kids to hospitals, visits with families and bringing kids to and from the Streetwise Craft Co center. 

3.  You could come visit!   We LOVE LOVE LOVE visitors!  Plan a team from your church and come help out for a few days.  It will change your world! 

4.  You could purchase Streetwise Craft Co products.  All purchases go directly back into the program.  Check out our line of merchandise on Facebook....Streetwise Craft Co or our website streetwisecraftco.org

5.  and last by not least PRAY!!!!!  We need folks who are wiling to commit to pray for Streetwise.   We believe so strongly that the back bone of any work is prayer.  With out prayer we might as well stay home.  Will you pray?  

THANK YOU SO MUCH for taking the time to read this!  THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the support and encouragement you all show us!!  It means to much to our family! 

If you are interested in helping financially you can give at tscnyc.org, click GIVE and follow the prompts to Morales Family / zambia 

2015 in review part 2

Behold, the second installment of my year 2015 in review.  This has proven to be a difficult task!  This year I have tried to tell our journey through pictures more and more and MAN do they accumulate!  So, I have done my level best to pick a few of my favorites.  I am attempting to show you what I see on a daily basis in my life here in Zambia and how I view the folks in it. ENJOY!  I would love your feedback!  

Groovy Store Fronts

People I see on the Streets

In front of Bank Buildings in Lusaka this is a common sight.  

I just thought she was super fierce in her red dress

We were at a Zumba class that held a community class to raise money for Streetwise.  These girls showed up and had the time of their lives. 

Many kids can be found at the stop lights around the city begging at cars that are waiting.   I am guessing this guy is around 10 years old

Saw her at an art function and thought she was fierce in her face paint.

Some of the littler guys we work with at the Streetwise feeding program.

One of the guys on the streets we work with.  You can see the pain of life in his eyes. 

I thought this guy had the coolest beard.

Luis and I were having debates about whether the black and white or color version of this photo rocked it best. 

Simba is shown here sniffing glue or "sticka" as the kids call it. 

THE SHOP.......We work out of an outreach center called THE SHOP.  There we create reclaimed wood art to sell and that helps to fund the work we do with the Street children of Lusaka.  Here  you will see a small sample of who we see daily in The Shop. 

Matthews sells oranges to help feed his family and pay for school fees.

Ocassionally he brings friends  

This is Sophia, Matthews little sister.  She is a fire cracker 

Christopher is one of the building managers where The Shop is located.  He is a strong Christian and loves life as you can see depicted.  

One thing we have done is open up time to folks to bring their kids for craft time.  PLUS, this little guy is so friggin adorable I just thought he deserved a spot. 

More of Matthews crew

Joe works with us full time.  He helps to run and coordinate our outreaches to feed the kids on the streets and as time permits he helps in the shop.  

This is Matthews big brother, his name has slipped my mind

We had a fourth grade class come for a field trip.  They got to learn about our work with the kids and got to make crafts in the shop to take home. 

Joe tries his level best to ignore me when I am in "camera fever"

My husband has named this "Don Cheedles Long Lost Offspring"