hello!!
there is so much to tell and update you on...I left for Lusaka, Zambia on January 12th and arrived in Zambia on the night of the 13th. I love everything about Africa. It is rainy season there and the land is a lush green. Lusaka is the capital city and it is much more modernized then I imagined. I stayed with Joel and Sue Bolthouse that are missionaries in Lusaka with an organization called Flying Mission that assist and fly other missionaries within Africa. It was so amazing getting to know them and asking what life was like as a missionary in Africa. God has been teaching me to rely FULLY on HIM for sure. The night I arrived in Lusaka I called by parents via skype and they told me the devastating news that I had a form of melanoma in a mole on my head right above my left eyebrow. I went to the dermatologist the day before I left and they sampled a part of the mole and sent it to get a biopsy and it returned back positive. It is .07 and is one melanoma. It tested positive to the bottom of the mole. At first, we had found a couple in Lusaka that could preform the surgery but that fell through and my parents found excellent doctors located in Macon, GA that could perform the best surgery that I needed. I was able to stay in Lusaka from the 14th until the 16th and in just 3 days the Lord taught me so much in Lusaka. Sue and Joel treated me like their own and were constant sources of encouragement in the Lord as were my teammates Rachel (Sawyer) and Joe. We were able to go shopping on the 14th and get many supplies, school supplies and food for a month with the kids at MICS in Macha. It was very interesting to see the "malls" of Africa and the different shopping habits they have. We went to three places to try to find maize and flour and could not find a cheaper price so we went to SHOPRIGHT and got most of our supplies there. It is alot like a Wal-Mart or a Target in America. The Lord has totally made me aware of how simple life is in Lusaka and how we do not need all the things that we think are necessities in the states. I have learned that tv is not important along with many other things. God has been teaching me so much and one is trusting HIm for everything. When my parents told me at first that I had a form of skin cancer I was in shock, along with jet lag and being in a different country I did not really know how to react. I could not sleep much that night and started praying and talking to my father. Jesus I do not know what you are doing but I will trust you and cling to you. I started to read the book of Philippians, one of my favorites and my Jesus SO encouraged my heart with the first chapter. I am confident that this will continue to bring Christ glory and know that this will make my faith stronger. I am confident that He is not done with me yet in Africa and hopefully I will be able to return in about two weeks. Please pray for me and my family as we attend the first doctor appt. tomorrow at 9:45 am and then another at 1 pm so I might have surgery tomorrow night or wednesday. These next two weeks are going to not be easy but it will be life-changing for me and my family and my team in MICS.
To live is Christ and to die is gain Phil. 1
I want to encourage each of you to cling to our King is always there and always in control. His plan is the best and He has our best interest at heart. HE IS LORD! Thank you so much for your constant prayer and encouragement.
In His everlasting arms,
Rach
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