Combining both Summer (America) and Winter (Africa)

Sunday, July 23, 2006

Dear friends,

This is Ted writing first from the winter hemisphere, with dry sunny days and cool starry nights. I’m wearing a flannel shirt and drinking tea to keep warm. I hope I manage to finish this message before we lose power again.

Sue is back in the States meanwhile, preparing for surgery on her rotator cuff. After six full weeks of traveling, speaking, meetings, presentations, appointments and vacation, we parted company in the Albany airport: she for Houston and me for Lusaka.

I found our house in Lusaka looking well—we had lent it to guests—the neighbors glad to see me, and the work piled high. To help with the work I brought back a new piece of equipment courtesy of the men’s group at Langhorne Presbyterian. It’s a combination fax machine, printer, and scanner. Such things would cost a fortune here in town. It arrived safely in my suitcase, miracle number one, and cleared customs without a hitch, miracle number two. This baby does everything except sweep the floor—for which Mrs. Banda is rather glad. But how was I going to set it up? You know I’m not skilled with software …

Miracle number three: we have a group here visiting from Trinity Presbyterian in Atlanta. Two of our visitors knew exactly what to do. Thanks to them, I have sent three faxes already.

This morning I went with the widow Zyambe, wife of our student who died last month, to preach in one of the farthest-out compounds. I was feeling a bit apprehensive. I had no idea how find the church itself. I was concerned for her emotions—and she had offered to do translation. But most of all, I wasn’t sure that I was ready to engage such grinding poverty again. Life in the compounds can be awfully intense. Think of urban ghettoes versus rural villages. Driving in, it all felt depressingly familiar: dusty craters, open sewers, crowded markets, half-clad children, wandering chickens, noisy beer halls, quizzical looks. Granted, I had found American affluence “over the top,” but life here is such a world apart.

Yet it all went fine.

So now I am gearing up for a different adventure altogether: a three-week journey through Malawi and Mozambique. I’ll visit towns and villages, hospitals and churches, partners and projects August 4 through 25. I’m sorry that Sue can’t come. Please keep her in your prayers, and lift me up for traveling mercies. The road is long. But now it’s her turn:

Monday, July 24, 2006

Sue here, writing on the eve of my surgery. I just realized how much I have to do while I have the use of two arms! Long time Langhorne friends have graciously invited me to stay with them during my recuperation. Bless them for their offer and prayers for grace as they put up with me for a month!

Lest anyone think I will be really on the DL (disabled list for all you non-sports fans), I have three sermons to give and will be attending the Malawi Network Conference in mid-August. But, I will be careful … and milk the six weeks in a sling for all it’s worth!

The past seven weeks have been incredible, exhausting, discombobulating, and grace-filled. We have traveled from Minnesota to Massachusetts, Savannah, Georgia, to Schaghticoke, New York. Ted and I feel that our call extends on both sides of the ocean. We carry the stories of our African and American brothers and sisters offering the love and concern each expresses for the other.

It is hard for me to be separated from Ted and missing our first visit to Malawi and Mozambique. Harder yet will be Ted’s inability to communicate during most of that trip since he will be in very rural areas—read: no phones and hence, no email. I ask your prayers for us during this time: traveling mercies for Ted, good spirits during our separation, patience and swift healing for me.

To those we have visited these past weeks, thank you. We hope to return next year and see many others. Yet, whether we are together physically or in the spirit, we feel your presence through your faithful prayers and we are grateful. God bless you.

Faithfully,

Ted and Sue

The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 341