We’re Here!

I wanted to post quickly and let you know that we arrived safely in Kitwe last night around 9:00.  The journey was long and tiring, but all 5 children did extremely well and the older 3 were extremely helpful.  Sadie Grace was so tired on the second night of flying that I could not even wake her up enough to eat dinner.  She slept for 11 hours straight.  The rest of us slept a little the first night and more the second night.
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“My hunger, it is no more here!”

Well perhaps I feel that I finally have a minute to breathe and can post a comment for all of you regarding my first 12 days in Africa.  We still do not have internet at our house.  In short, I can say the adjustment (i.e. driving, cold showers, power outages, not enough blankets for the cold nights, very strange food, not being able to drink the water, etc) along with the amount of work has in some ways been more difficult than I could have ever anticipated.  Yet, His grace has been truly sufficient as He promised me in His word.  Continue reading

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Today is the day…

Dear Friends and Family,

Today is the day.  The rest of us will leave our house about 4:30 pm and head for the Atlanta airport.  In many ways I am so ready to leave.  To be with Dave, Mary-Frances, and David will be wonderful.  I think God ordained the three of them leaving first so that I would be more anxious to go and be reunited with them.  Saying good bye is hard, but necessary at this time.   Continue reading

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Here is the latest from Mary-Frances:

hey hey hey!! im doing great! and YES i love africa soo much! i have been playing sooo much guitar!! i play for probably 1-2 hours every day! everyone keeps telling me at the trust school and church Continue reading

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Getting Adjusted

I received this update from David yesterday.

Hey mom this is David,

Today was my first day of school and I had a lot of fun! I met a lot of new friends and they are all really nice!! I also have a few friends in our neighborhood and one is Bwimbia and the other Gift….there are also two girls that are six and seven which I think Ella and Sadie Grace will enjoy playing with…Mary-Frances taught them today and she says that they are really sweet!! Our house is A lot nicer than you will think and a lot bigger then what you are expecting!!! The first day we got here Bonnie gave us REALLY good mac-n-cheese noodle stuff! I LOVE you and can’t wait to see you! Tell Ella and SG hi for me!!!

love you guys!!

David

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Dave, Mary-Frances and David are in Africa!

Just wanted to let you know that Dave, Mary-Frances and David made it safely to Kitwe.  The journey went smoothly.  It took them about 36 hours to get there, but they are well and all of our luggage made it there!  Praise God.  Here is an excerpt from the e-mail that Dave sent home this morning: Continue reading

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Update Before the Journey Begins!

Just wanted to send a brief update on some of the items that we listed below as prayer requests.

We have seen God work in so many ways to prepare us for this trip to Zambia.  One of our large concerns was how to treat the potential of malaria.  Through much prayers, investigations, and wisdom from doctors in our area we have decided to take a pill  (Mefloquine) once a week to help combat the potential of contracting malaria if we were to be bitten by a mosquito which carried the disease.  We feel comfortable with this decision.  We will still sleep under nets and be sure to use repellant when outside, especially from dusk to dawn. Continue reading

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Zambia Contact Info

Dave and Shelley’s mailing address in Zambia is:

Dave and Shelley Stearns
C/O Centre for Christian Missions
PO Box 23394
Kitwe, Zambia

Dave, David, and Mary-Frances will be leaving for Zambia on June 4th.  Shelley and the rest of the family will be leaving to join them in Zambia on June 16th.

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Prayer Request before the Journey

We wanted to share with you all a few prayer requests now that our time for leaving for Africa is imminent.  Thank you for so faithfully praying for our family.
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Who would have ever known?

… that when Lydia and I returned from a 10 day mission trip to Zambia, Africa in June of 2009 that our entire family would be moving there for almost a year!  Yes, you read that right.  The Stearns family is moving to Africa to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and to make His name known in Zambia.  We will leave this June and return April 2012.  As you might be thinking, this is not possible unless God has worked mightily.  He has.  Let me explain.  READ MORE >>

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