Zambia 2009

2010-10-14T13:36:00.000-07:00

Living in a world plagued by HIV, early marriage, and children born out of wedlock brings shame, tragedy, confusion, and heartache. The next generation brings hope to Africa, but we must educate them in the word of God and the ways of God. A five day abstinence training called "Choose To Wait" was recently conducted with about 28 youth from Nsongwe village.

Mr. Timothy Mfula from Christ’s Hope International (CHI) organization conducted the training with 28 students ranging from age 16-19 years old from Nswonge village. The training was based on the Choose to Wait curriculum developed by CHI that teaches about the value that God places on each person and the value he places on sex because it has the power to create a human being. It also emphasizes the importance of abstinence and the gift of sex within the bonds of marriage. The students were taught the curriculum in addition to being taught how to create a lesson plan to teach the curriculum to others.
There were 10 new decisions for Christ during this training as well as 24 pledges to stay abstinent until marriage.

During the fourth day of the training, the gospel message was shared alongside his message about the value of each person. Many of the students were eager to hear about and came forward to receive Christ and prayer for things that were holding them back from taking a pledge of abstinence. It was so important that each student had a foundation of Christ to stand on through temptations and hardships that will come.

There was a boy named Boniface who came forward the first day of the training claiming that boys were more valuable than girls because they pay a dowry to get married. He claimed that the only reason for marriage was to bear children. As the training continued, Boniface started participating more and agreed with what was being taught. By the end of the training, Boniface made a decision to stay pure and his attitude towards women and marriage changed as shown through his comments about the training and his faithful attendance. He is the kind of youth who should be targeted with this curriculum as many have been taught the traditions of their forefathers rather than the truths of God.

This program will be continued by a few students who are ready to teach it to small groups of three or four people. They will do it through the “Youth of Fire” group in Nsongwe village and the local youth leaders of that group will help supervise those teaching the curriculum along with Erin Hartzell, community coordinator of the LIFE Project. They can do it in their schools, churches, or other groups where they feel this message should be spread.

Life Changing Experiences

2010-07-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

"Nothing so clears the vision and lifts up the life, as a decision to move forward in what you know to be entirely the will of the Lord." John Paton, Missionary

Our last expedition was into the Simwatachela kingdom and was very memorable and powerful. We ministered to 2,881 people in total of which 1,037 received Christ and 169 were healed from various diseases, pains, and addictions.

There were two incredibly memorable moments I had while I was there. The first one was on the second day we were there. We started off with a small group doing a bible study and as the meeting went on, the crowd grew and the Holy Spirit started moving. People started sharing personal things about their life, things that we weren’t teaching that day. Men shared about destroying their tobacco and how they needed prayer for their alcohol addiction. Others came up desiring to destroy the power of witchcraft over their life and burn anything that the witch doctor had given them. Several married couples came up as well and shared how they desired to reconcile their marriages and start over with a foundation on Jesus Christ. Jesus had started changing the desires and hearts of the people by his Holy Spirit, not by our words.

The second moment was the last day that we had a group meeting. After teaching the group about how Jesus views us and how much he loves and adores us, we discussed humbling ourselves and having a servant’s heart towards our neighbors. Then we took turns washing one another’s feet. It touched my heart to watch the people wash one another’s feet, including headmen, as an act of service to one another. That day the heart of Jesus was grasped and put into action by the people of Simwatachela.

Our most recent classes included a shop class, 4X4 driving, ministry ethics, a medical course, third world diseases, and preaching. Our medical course was so interesting as we learned all about how to treat injuries in the bush until we can get to medical help. Then we got to practice it with scenarios where people wore make-up and pretended to be hurt. We had to figure out what was wrong with them and treat them. It was intense, but lots of fun!

We finish the rest of our classes this week and then we have a final project and one last expedition. It has gone by so fast, but I have learned so much and I look forward to applying my new skills as a staff member. Thank you to all the encouragement of friends, family, and financial partners. This ministry would not run without you!

Advanced Missions Training

2010-06-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

Advanced Mission Training has started and is going…It has been such an adventure already. The very first week we departed for the village for our first expedition where we spent a week ministering. We spent one day ministering in a few village churches and encouraging the Christians there and then we started off to the next village very much in the bush. On the way there our huge truck decided to sink in the mud so that one side of the truck was completely leaning. It really looked like it was going to tip over! It was crazy. So, after trying to pull it out with another car we tried a tractor, but when the Zambian pastor driving it started pulling, the tractor went up on two wheels and the pastor fell off the back of it! Then they couldn’t get it to shut off. It was so crazy and a little scary, but God was faithful to keep us safe. After one more whole day, the base sent another truck that pulled us out and we were on our merry way.  Look at more pics on facebook.

In the village, we ministered to families and saw over 300 people give their lives to the Lord. We also saw people delivered from demons and one little girl was healed of her deafness! They stood behind her and whispered and she repeated exactly what they said! Another day we talked to about 200 kids and about half of them gave their lives to Christ. We also visited an orphanage in the middle of the bush that these missionaries started and we were told the children were scared by demonic spirits. We told them the story of Gideon and prayed for them and they started sleeping in their own rooms again which was so huge. The next night we went there they laid hands on their "moms" and prayed for them. It was so cute and so powerful! I felt I needed to share how precious this 16-year-old was to Jesus and how he desired to heal her wounds the way he healed mine and she burst out crying. I knew that was from the Lord because they really don't show emotion in their culture. We also played a lot of soccer with the people and won at least one of the games.  It was a powerful expedition.

It has also been powerful being here and learning so much in our classes. We started with bush cooking and GPS navigation. We learned to cook over a fire in the bush and I killed a chicken and took off the feathers and everything! I never thought I would do that, but I knew that I would have to do it someday so I might as well do it now.  It was so nasty when the blood spurted all over my foot though! Our GPS class is so helpful to get to villages that have never been reached and connect coordinates together with google earth to find villages that are unreached all over the planet!

The other classes we have done are a culture class and teaching by Mike Petzer, a pastor out of Arizona who teaches the scriptures in context and about true salvation. He talked a great deal about God’s completed work and how we have to believe we are now perfect in Christ. He died for us because of our sin nature, but so often we are told it is our sin that made Him have to die for us. He died for that too, but our sin nature is what kept us from Him. He died for the whole world and took away all of their sins already so what is it that keeps some from knowing Him then? Unbelief! Incredible. When we continue to live out of our old nature, we are living out of character. We are no longer that nature. We have been cleansed completely and it is no longer about being cleansed of our sin, but about renewing our mind to believe who we truly are in Jesus, “the righteousness of God”. Amazing! Pretty great stuff. We had his teaching for six days and it truly changed my life and my mindset. His grace is so sufficient for us.

As we continue our training this week, we are starting a Come Back Alive Survival Course and another Bible class. I look forward to all the things we are going to learn and the challenges we will face. I am so grateful for the prayers of my faithful friends and supporters. Please continue to pray for unity of our team, endurance to finish the course, a closer relationship with Jesus so that I can share the gospel effectively, and financial provision. I am still asking for monthly supporters as I will be staying as a staff member and it will only be possible through your help in order to keep this work going. Thanks!

Humbled

2010-04-28T02:34:00.000-07:00

As I start this blog, I keep thinking how I am humbled each and every day I am here. In the last month or so, I have started going into the villages with another staff member from Overland Missions to do staff evaluations in the preschools, attend teacher trainings, and start assessments for the project we want to start with the vulnerable populations in the villages. I have also met with several members of Social Welfare to discuss how we can come alongside the projects they are already doing so that they will be self-sustainable. Each day that I visit the village, I am once again humbled at the difficult lifestyle lived each and every day by the people there. Recently, I attended a teacher training where I met one teacher named George, a 69-year-old man who walks six hours each way to where the truck picks up the teachers to attend the training. I was told that one day he walked to whole way because he missed the truck. He has such a passion for teaching children even at his age and is always excited to participate in the training. He is also excited to hear the word of God that is preached before each training. I am humbled by people like George who have such a desire for God and desire to see change in the next generation. He inspires me and gives me a renewed joy for the work I am doing.

Thank you to everyone who has kept me in your prayers as several of them were answered. First of all, I received my work permit which allows me to be in the country for two years. This can be a complicated and long process, but it was quite simple and short for me. It was also sent straight to my city instead of having to pick it up in the capital city. This is also rare so the glory is given to God once more. I also recently moved to a place that is more secure. I am sharing a room with another Zambian girl who has been such a blessing to me. I’ll be moving next week to live on the Overland base for the missions training I am taking part in, but I will keep my place in town and my roommate so that I will have a place to stay when the training ends. This was a huge answer to prayer as well. I have also recently purchased a Toyota Rav4 to use in the villages which will make my work much easier and I will be able to assist social welfare to reach remote areas as well. My work will be on hold for the next three months as I attend the training, but I intend to become a full-time staff member in August when the roads will be completely dry. I am so grateful for transportation to use in areas that are difficult to access without a vehicle.

I have also been quite busy at my church recently as I have joined the praise team, shared a message with the youths, attended a youth camp, and I am in the process of organizing a trainer to come and teach leaders how to teach a curriculum called “Choose To Wait”, an abstinence program designed to show youth their worth in Christ and the beauty of sex in marriage. I also attended a missionary ladies’ retreat. We had so much fun as ladies and shared with one another what it looks like to love well. We also washed each other’s feet as an act of service and love to one another. It was a beautiful moment.

I am looking forward to next week when I will start Advanced Missions Training with Overland Missions. There are so many things I will learn that will be so beneficial to my ministry. I am really excited about it, but it will also feel like I’m leaving “home” again because I will be moving from town where my church is and many friends, to the base in the village where I will have a new family of missionaries. After the training I will need to raise monthly support in order to be a full-time staff member. This means I will need people to commit to donating monthly support starting in August. If you are interested, please email me at erinnhartzell@yahoo.com and I can give you further details. I want to challenge you to consider even $10 or $20 a month which is very doable and can really help when many people commit to such amounts. Thank you all for your support emotionally, financially, and prayerfully.

Prayer Requests:
-Car to work properly for the work I’m doing
-Advanced Missions Training: For our team to work together in unity, learn from the Lord, and minister well.
-Villages: For people to respond to the Gospel and turn from witchcraft, idolatry, and other strongholds.
-Unity and connectedness among the Overland team
-Finances for monthly support to stay as a staff member
-Wisdom in the best ways to start a project for the vulnerable populations

Peace in the Midst of Need

2010-02-22T01:27:00.001-08:00

Overwhelming need…This is what I am faced with everyday when I leave my house. Whether it is a child begging for food on the street, “Madam I’m very hungry. I haven’t eaten in 3 days.” Or a dear friend struggling to pay school fees for their child or someone in the village with no shoes. It is overwhelming and unrelenting. Think of a time when a homeless person has approached you and asked for money and the uncomfortable feeling you may have had of whether or not to give it to this person. That feeling plagues me several times a day. I cry out to the Lord, “God, what do you want me to do? How can I ignore these people, but how on earth can I possibly give to everyone?” I hear His still, small voice, “My dear child, I am the ultimate provider and don’t think for one second I have forgotten them. I have not. Justice will come and there will be no more suffering.” There have been so many people who have been crippled from “hand-outs” and they learn the behavior as a means of survival. But what can we do? It’s not every person that we can take by the hand and teach them to fish, but we can take a few and those few will learn to also take a few and then we can reach the multitude.

I think of a song by Tim Hughes which says:
When hope is lost, I’ll call you Savior
When pain surrounds, I’ll call you Healer,
When silence falls, you’ll be the song within my heart.
I will praise you, I will praise you,
Though the tears fall, still I will sing to you.
I will praise you, Jesus praise you,
Through the suffering still I will sing to you.

This is what so many Zambian do and this is also my desire…

Recently, I have been doing a bible study on Esther with some other missionaries and one thing that has stuck out to me is that we need to learn to be empathetic towards people in their situations. Lend an ear, not just a quick fix to stop your uncomfortable feelings. Esther wanted a quick fix when Mordecai was mourning by giving him clothes to change into, but Mordecai demanded that she listen and understand the cry of his heart and Esther had to step into a very uncomfortable situation, but ultimately she was stepping into the destiny that God had called her to. I like to think that I am making that step and it is very uncomfortable and scary. So many unknowns, loss of hope, and feelings of isolation, but yet I have a God that is ALWAYS with me. Always…

Just last week, four boys were arrested by my house. They were suspected to be stealing in the neighborhood. They were so young (18 or so) and yet had come to the point of desperation already. The police here don’t typically have cars so people are forced to “arrest” people themselves and take them to the police station. The boys were whipped with a hose to make sure they didn’t run and were put into the car. Even though they had done wrong, I felt it was so unnecessary to whip them. There is no “innocent before proven guilty”. Here it is “guilty before proven innocent”.

I have started to see more of what the LIFE Project is doing and understand the organization better. I have applied for my work permit and I’m praying it is processed in a few weeks so that I can buy a car and start visiting villages and assessing needs. Recently, I have been busy school shopping with a few sponsored children and making sure their fees are paid. Imagine your child being sent home from school until they pay, missing important lessons, and feeling ostracized. This is what happens here when parents fail to pay their children’s school fees. Free education is a huge privilege.

Prayer Requests:
-A new place to live with more people around since I have failed to find a roommate.
-Continued Financial Need (I am currently still in need of about $700 for the training I will do in May and monthly donors-I need $700 a month-who can commit to any amount, even $10-$20 a month, so that I can stay as a full-time staff member)
-Sponsored children to continue to have their needs met
-God-inspired project for the vulnerable populations in the villages
-A connectedness among my team members
-Strength to face the need and resources to care for those in need

Thank you for all your prayers, encouragement and financial support! It is greatly appreciated!

Checks can be made payable to Overland Missions and sent to:

Erin Hartzell
c/o Overland Missions
P.O. Box 566
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920 USA

Please make sure to note on a separate piece of paper that your money is allocated for Erin Hartzell. Do not write my name on the check.

Or I can send you a credit card form to give online. Paypal is also an option and payments can be made to office@overlandmissions.com though there is a processing fee for Paypal and credit cards that will be deducted from the monies I receive.

Peace in the Midst of Need

2010-02-22T01:27:00.000-08:00

Fundraisers

2010-01-24T08:48:00.000-08:00

There are a few fundraisers that I am doing if you want to help support me for the work I am doing in Zambia....

1. Cookie Lee Jewelry
If you are interested in ordering any Cookie Lee jewelry from their new line, please see the catalog at www.cookielee.biz/amielarson, then click on view catalog. Send the page number, item number and brief description with the price to Amie Larson (consultant) at lars.all4@gte.net and she will add sales tax and shipping then you can send her a check or you can charge it. I get 50% of all sales

2. Photo prints for Zambia
If you are interested in ordering great photography prints for a very cheap price, please click on this link http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=256865564498&index=1 or if you don't have a facebook page, I can send it to you. I get 100% of all sales and you get a great photo!

3. My mom is selling calendars and small prints with her photos for $10. Contact me if you are interested: erinnhartzell@yahoo.com

4. Baja Fresh Fundraiser in Southern California
Eat at Baja Fresh on Harbor and Adams in Costa Mesa, Ca on February 12th, 13th, or 14th or order takeout or gift cards and I will receive 20% of the profits. Consider treating the office with lunch. You must bring a flyer so email me if you need one and I will send it to you. erinnhartzell@yahoo.com

5. Give monthly or a one-time donation
Even $10 a month adds up if 10 people give it. Consider the impact you can make with a small amount given up from not eating out for one day. The details for donations are in the blog entry below (at the end). They are tax-deductible.

I appreciate all the prayers I can get as well for safety, provision, guidance, hearts changed, boldness, and a listening ear to the Lord.

God bless you.

Back From the Bush

2010-01-06T10:19:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I am back in the U.S. for a short time and I’m preparing myself for the next stage in Zambia. The Lord is continually faithful despite hardships I experience and see in others’ lives.

In one of my last blogs, I talked of a man named Meshach whom I met on the street while he begged me to buy him some food. One day I was in town on my way to the hospice so I had brought a devotional about Christians living with HIV/AIDS. I saw him in town and he started asking me for food again so I bought some basic necessities for him and gave the devotional to him. I told him to read it for encouragement and I invited him to church once again. He said he would come and return it to me then. He confided in me that he sometimes just wanted to end everything to end the suffering. This broke my heart and I said I wish I could stop the suffering for him, but there is always hope in the Lord and to ask Jesus to reveal himself to him.

Since that time, he has been coming to church regularly, making relationships at church, and finding encouragement in the devotional. I do not yet know if he has accepted the Lord as his personal Savior, but I am praying for that. He has received help from a local ministry that I hope can help sustain him physically. Please pray for his physical and spiritual needs.

I also continued visiting the hospice which was another hard, but rewarding thing. So many of the people who we had seen the last time we were there had died. It was so heart breaking to know they went so fast, but we had hope after knowing most of them knew Jesus. The day we came back two people accepted the Lord and it seemed the desire was great. I continue to pray that they grow in the faith even if they only have a short time left. I get so excited knowing that someday I will see them in heaven and remember that incredible day when the angels rejoiced. Those who became Christians are Beauty and Mr. Kangoma. The others are Judy (has a problem with her legs and pain in her head), Maureen (a strong Christian who has TB and a swollen body), Kennedy (the 14-year-old with celebral palsy), Mr. Munganja (who accepted the Lord last time we went), Mr. Muleyndema (a new patient), and one small child who was sleeping. Please pray.

The last month I was in Zambia I also went into several different villages with Overland Missions (the new org.) to find out more about what they are doing and see if it is the right place for me. They are doing a great job with their LIFE project which I will be a part of. They have 18 preschools and we visited a few of them so that the coordinator could do evaluations of the schools. They were cute little mud buildings with such creative toys made from local materials. I was so impressed at the learning materials available to a preschool in the bush! We also sat down with the headman of many of the villages in the area to get the statistics of the vulnerable populations in the surrounding villages. I talked with him for awhile about what he sees as the problem and what solution he thinks is best for his villages. There has been so much dependence on outsiders in this area so it is going to be a hard job to break that and empower these people to use the resources they have. I am excited to take on the challenge with the help of my team and God. I have pasted my support letter below to explain a little more about overland missions and how you can help me and pray for me.

I had a great thanksgiving in Zambia with other American missionaries and a great Christmas and New Years here with my family and friends. It is good to be home for a bit, but I continue to look forward to going back to Zambia in the new year and embark on a new project and the advanced missions training I will take part in. I return the first week of February. Happy New Year!

Ladies, you are invited to a Cookie Lee Jewelry Party Fundraiser at my old house on wednesday, Jan. 13th from 6-8:30pm. Contact me for more info. Ladies and gentleman, you are invited to a fundraiser movie night, place TBA, but mark your calendars for Sat. Jan. 16th.

Here is a copy of my support letter:
Dear friends,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Recently, I was invited to serve in an organization that works in rural villages spreading the gospel and providing resources for vulnerable populations to become self-sustainable.

Overland Missions is a ministry founded by Philip and Sharon Smethurst that is
committed to reaching the most neglected and remote people of the world with the
Gospel and empowering the third world church by raising up strong indigenous leaders.
Overland Missions believes that no location is too remote and no distance too far to travel for the sake of the Gospel.

The Lord opened the door for me at this organization to use my skills as a social worker to serve the orphans, widows, and vulnerable children in the villages and to teach the local workers the skills necessary to continue the work Overland Missions starts. The project I will be working with is called the LIFE project and is considered the humanitarian arm of Overland Missions. The LIFE Project serves as a way to make a difference in the massive problem of HIV/AIDS. LIFE embraces the methods of the tribal forefathers to provide care within the village structure. In each village the community joins forces: schoolteachers working with social workers to make sure that those that are vulnerable no longer have to live without hope. Also, a strategic system is put in place in each village that ensures that orphans, widows and vulnerable people get the care that they need. They use a holistic approach as a way to provide change, from medical assistance, to HIV/AIDS education, to providing food.

So far, 18 preschools have been started in the villages where there were previously no preschools available. These schools will be a key component in making healthcare, especially immunizations, more available to the people in the villages through other volunteer health workers. The schools will also be helpful for my position to more easily identify children in need. An example of this is a little girl who had fallen into a fire when she was a baby and was so badly burned that her arm was fused to her body. Overland Missions identified her and was able to take her for three separate surgeries to separate her arm from her body. She is now very happy to be back home and is recovering well.

In order to fully prepare for my position as the community coordinator, I must go through Advanced Missions Training, a three month training designed to train missionaries to work in rural areas. This includes theology training, ethics, culture, preaching, wilderness first responder, third world diseases, diesel mechanics, welding, 4x4 driving, GPS Navigation, Leadership, fundraising, and a survival course.

In order to do this training, I need to finish my personal support raising. Like many other missionary organizations, I have the responsibility to develop a team of financial partners who provide the necessary finance for this ministry. I have been praying and thinking of key individuals throughout my life who have had a heart for reaching people for Christ. I am going to these friends and asking them to pray about partnering with me to continue on the mission field. I want to ask you to pray about joining my support team. I need to raise $1300 a month by April 15th of 2010 or $5000 total, as well as monthly support of at least $700 a month.

Would you consider joining my team for $50-$200 or more per month or with a one-time gift of $100-$1000 or more? I have no idea what you might be able to do, but it would be a tremendous honor to have you investing in and partnering with me and my ministry. Whatever God leads you to do, please know that I love and appreciate you. May God bless you.

In Christ,

Erin Hartzell

P.S. Thank you for your prayers and consideration! If you are interested in donating, you have the option of either sending a check payable to Overland Missions to:

Erin Hartzell
c/o Overland Missions
P.O. Box 566
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920 USA

Or you may email the following credit card form to give online (I can email it to you). Paypal is also an option and payments can be made to office@overlandmissions.com though there is a processing fee for Paypal and credit cards that will be deducted from the monies I receive.

Please make sure to note on a separate piece of paper that your money is allocated for Erin Hartzell. Do not write my name on the check. You will receive confirmation of the qualifying donation and 501(c)3 status directly. Also, by checking with your employer about a corporate matching gift program, your donation could go even further.

A New Path

2009-11-14T06:25:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile since I have written a blog…The Lord has done a lot in the past month in the way of molding me and teaching me as well as leading me on a new path. Since the school was out of session, I spent a large amount of time at the orphanage helping the children improve their English. There is one boy in particular with a learning disability who I worked with over and over again using clay. It became so discouraging at times because he would spell the word over and over and then forget the next second. Even though it was hard, the time I spent with each child was so special. The rest of my time was spent covering library books with plastic so that the children can use them. Each day, God had to give me his grace sufficient for me because I did not feel I was being used in the area I am called to and I was not trusted by the organization, due to many untrustworthy people who have worked there in the past. The Lord has now led me in a new direction that seems it was planned for me before I came back to Zambia.

Before I came, I had spoken to an organization called Overland Missions about possibly doing a project with them, but I lost contact until I came to Livingstone and found myself surrounded by many missionaries working for this organization. I had a meeting with the director of the project and he explained more about the project and that they really needed a social worker. I explained my situation with Ebenezer and I was told to pray if this was the right place for me. After meeting many people working on the project of Overland Missions and feeling God’s release for me to leave Ebenezer, I decided to pursue the position at Overland Missions. It is a Christian organization committed to spreading the gospel deep into the bush of Africa. The project I am working with is called the LIFE project and is considered the humanitarian arm of the organization. They have started 18 preschools in many different villages and want to connect healthcare and care for orphans and vulnerable children to these schools. Their vision is to empower the people and give them enough support for them to be self-sustainable so that they can move onto other villages. The project is exactly my heart for Africa and the approach is the approach of a social worker, very holistic. I have gone into one of the villages with one of the project leaders to see the preschools and was amazed to see how well a preschool can run in the middle of the bush in a mud hut. They have toys made from local materials (bottles, caps, cans, egg cartons, milk cartons, etc.) and the teachers are from the community.

They would like to bring immunizations from the local clinics into the preschools so that they are available to the children who may not otherwise receive them. They are also helping the community to start community gardens which will help feed orphans and vulnerable children. Overall, the gospel is given to each community through each project and God’s love is evident. As we drove out to the village, we brought a little girl with us who had recently undergone three operations on her arm which had been fused to her body after she fell into a fire pit. Overland Missions helped pay for these operations and allowed the girl to recover at their base. I have never seen such a beautiful smile and her big brown eyes filled with such joy when she returned home. I am looking forward to all the excitement and challenges that come through this project. The one thing God has asked me to let go of is the great desire for a paycheck and instead desiring to be where God wants me because He will provide for ALL my needs. I will need to raise $2000 a month for living expenses, retirement, and administration costs. I will also need to raise $5000 for a three month training as well as money for a car to drive into the bush and to the base which is in a village outside of town. I will need a work permit next year as well. I know my God is big enough to provide these things though I still need prayers to trust Him that He will provide where He has sent me.

God has continued to reveal more of his nature through a Bible study I have been going to every week with some other missionaries on the tabernacle. It is so fascinating how the pattern He gave to the Israelites to build the tabernacle represents so much in our relationship with Him today. Perhaps the biggest thing I have learned this week is about Elizabeth and Zechariah who were “righteous” in the sight of God yet could not bear a child. What was so easy for everyone else seemed impossible to them and yet it was because God chose them to do something supernatural in them. Zechariah entered the holy place and spoke with God and his prayer was heard. They bore John the Baptist who paved the way for our Savior. I want to believe that for myself during the times where it seems so easy for everyone else, but so difficult for myself. God will make a way for me, but He may choose me to make a supernatural way for me.

I have also seen God’s hand this week when I visited the only hospice in Livingstone, set up by a Catholic Priest, with some others from my church. Men, women, and children are given dignity and comfort as they die of all kinds of diseases there. Many have HIV and have been abandoned by their families. I was shocked as I walked in and saw people who looked like skeletons as they were so thin from their disease. We shared with them the good news of Jesus and rejoiced as many knew Him already or accepted Him for the first time. We listened to them, touched them, and loved them in whatever state they were in and God was glorified. I look forward to returning and continuing in prayer for each of them. Vincent, a 14-year-old boy who is blind and cannot walk or talk; Alice, an old women, in pain for 11 years from sores on her legs, Paulina; a woman with TB (most likely AIDS) whose family abandoned her, but says she is not afraid to die; John, an old man who cannot talk, but was able to communicate his desire to receive Jesus; and many more who’s names and stories I cannot remember, but they are remembered by the Father…

God has molded and shaped me and is continuing to do so. He has provided an American my age named Nicole and several American missionaries to love me and care for me at my point of need. I have been filled as I pour out to others though I continue to yearn for your prayers.

If you feel lead to give toward my new role in Overland Missions, please contact me and I can give you the information as it is not quite ready yet. I will be coming back to the U.S. at the end of December as well to visit and fundraise. Please also contact me if you are interested in helping me put together a fundraiser. God bless.

erinnhartzell@yahoo.com

Love

2009-09-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

"Love is when someone doesn't have clothes and you feel like that person is you, but it's not." Martha, age 10, Livingstone, Zambia
This is the beautiful quote that one of the girls at the orphanage said during a time of encouragement. All of the children are so beautiful and have so much to offer. Ebenezer truly has been a place of refuge for them. For little Martha who was the head of the household - cleaning and taking care of her baby sister, for Anna who's sister was selling each pair of clothing she would obtain, for Sheila who had a hole in her heart that no one knew about and was taken to South Africa for surgery paid for by Nelson Mandela, for baby Esther - a child so malnourished and full of intestinal worms that her stomach was literally making it hard for her to breath, and for so many others who have a story I haven't yet heard about. All of the children come from desperate circumstances, the lowest of low, the most vulnerable, and yet God has redeemed each one of them. They have so much to offer as you have seen from Martha and they never cease to humble those around them.

This week was a sad week because one of the teachers in the school passed away suddenly. The day before I was in her classroom talking and laughing with her and the next morning she was gone. It is still unknown how she died, though it is suspected it was an aneurysm. It was heartbreaking and a huge blow to Ebenezer school. Please continue to pray for her family (her husband and 3 children), and the rest of the staff as they suffer this huge loss. This is an all too common thing here in Africa for many reasons I'm sure. It made me realize once again how fragile life is and the mere moments I have with someone could really be their last. I am learning to take advantage of these small moments to learn from these people, share Christ, and share life. Today, I met a man on the streets who told me he has AIDS and is on ARV's. He wanted something to eat as he had not eaten in 2 days and was very weak. He smelt of beer so I asked if he had been drinking and though he denied at first, he told me sometimes he felt so much pain he just wanted to cover it. I shared with him about the overwhelming love of Christ and the freedom found in him and then I prayed for the man. I bought some food for him and prayed that this man would be set free from his addiction and his pain. I don't know where his heart is, but I know God is faithful in working in people's hearts. His name is Meshach. I pray he will have the same faith as Meshach in the Bible and will face hardships with that same presence of God. Please continue to pray for him as well.

Through many discouragements and feelings of hopelessness, there have been lights through people like Boyd and Betty. Boyd had been living on the streets when I first came and through much work and determination, he is now in school doing well, very involved in church, very polite, and he loves God. Betty lives with her brothers and father in a very small shack with no electricity or plumbing and many times no food. She is 17 and will finish high school next year. Every time she needs school fees, the Lord provides in miraculous ways and her faith is so strong. I listened as she told me that even when she has no food, she knows her God is faithful and loving. She humbles me so much and draws me closer to God. She knows He is the only reason she is still alive and passing 2nd in her class. She will go on to do great things and continue to encourage those around her.

Please continue to pray for these people, the children and staff at Ebenezer, strength through discouragement, and a closer relationship with God. I have prepared to do many things here that I have not been able to do which has been discouraging, but I'm always being taught to WAIT and hear from God. It is very hard as I like to do things and see results, but that is not always what he wants. There is always blessing in the waiting and I have started to see it through having time to spend with the children, blessing the staff through organizing and encouragement, and allowing resources to be used through sorting them (books and donations), but I still need encouragement that what I am doing is making a difference. I would also appreciate prayer for continued financial assistance and direction as to where the Lord is leading me (for how long I will stay here and with Ebenezer, etc).

Please enjoy some pictures of the kids and the school/orphanage on facebook. If you don't have facebook and would like to see the pictures, I can send a link to you.

Adjustment Once More

2009-09-05T05:30:00.001-07:00

I’m back home in Zambia and feeling so many feelings once more. Each time I come back there is a whirlwind of emotions that flows over me. I feel so happy to be here again amidst people so hungry for God and community, lonely for girls my age to pour my heart out to, sad at all the pain and heartache that I see people face here, and angry that I feel helpless and out of place at times.

My first week here was certainly interesting, difficult, and exciting all at the same time. The second night I was here, the power company turned off the power at the place I am staying and took Alice to the police station saying she was using an illegal connection. We had to go find her to see if she was alright. It ended up being fine, but we have not had power for a week now because she is negotiating how much she will pay with the power company and she is waiting for school fees to start coming in. There was also a domestic dispute in the house with some people living here so they had to leave. I had to help calm them down. I also found out that the neighbor boy who lived behind us last time had fallen out of a truck and it ran over his leg. He had to have it amputated which was very sad to hear because he was studying so hard to be a plumber and electrician. Now, I don’t know if he will be able to get a prosthetic one or what will happen.

Despite all the craziness, I have been able to see so many people that I had missed and see some of the fruits of my work from last time. Many of the children I was working with last time are doing so well. This week I started at Ebenezer though it has been a little crazy with visitors coming from Australia. I met the children and heard some of their stories and helped clean the houses for the visitors. I am blown away by the way God has provided for this organization and raised up these children. These are children who come from the lowest of low in the most desperate situations and they are being raised up as leaders. What a story of restoration! I can’t wait to hear more and be a part of their lives. Next week I will have more of a schedule to help me to understand my role, but for now I am enjoying friends and the visitors who have come. Ebenezer just bought land for a farm in order to grow food for the children and the workers and to teach the children farming techniques. They are also building a home for babies. I’ll be moving next week to a one bedroom place by myself until my friend Charity can move in with me (after 2 months).

The Lord has reminded me once again that it is not about the skills and knowledge that I have, but about what He can do. Every time I rely on my own knowledge and skills, He brings me back to reality and I feel helpless until I see the work He can use me for if I am just willing…

2009-07-14T09:16:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,
I have some exciting news to share with you. On August 26th, 2009, I will be boarding a plane for Livingstone, Zambia to begin a 6-12 month period of community service with Ebenezer Child-Care Trust, a non-profit Christian organization committed to serving orphans and vulnerable children in Zambia.

As many of you know, I graduated from California State University, Long Beach this May with my Master’s degree in social work. I also volunteered for 9 months last year in Zambia where I started a child sponsorship program and raised money for a small preschool. It has been a lifelong goal of mine to achieve an advanced degree in counseling and continue to work in Africa where I can serve people in great need. This dream is finally becoming real.

Ebenezer Child Care Trust was founded in 2001 as a small feeding program for street kids. Mrs. Ranji Chara, pioneered this project. They were initially able to feed street kids a few times a week, according to the funding they received. As funds grew they rented out the 1st house in June 2001 and moved the street kids into it. They now had a stable home environment and a sense of family life. Today, Ebenezer has built three houses for Orphans and Vulnerable children. Construction is presently on the way in building a Home for Babies who have been abandoned or neglected due to the death of their mothers. By the Grace of God Ebenezer has been able to acquire land for building their new children’s homes. They have also been able to acquire a 40 acre farm land for Agriculture purposes. This would enable the project to be more sustainable. They also hope to put up a building to train orphans and vulnerable children in Agriculture, so that they may learn a life-skill as well as open a Medical Center when funds are available. A medical center would provide basic health services and education to orphans and staff at the homes and also those from the school and surrounding communities.

Ebenezer currently provides accommodation for 30 orphans and street kids. The children receive parental care from the house-mother and staff in these homes. Ebenezer also runs a Primary School located a few kilometers away from the orphanage. The school provides free education for over 280 orphans and vulnerable children and also supplements their diet with a highly enriched porridge, and lunch. The children enrolled in this school come from the neediest parts of townships in Livingstone. They are provided with all school supplies, clothes, shoes, food, counseling and loving care by caring staff.

For 6-12 months I will work with orphans and vulnerable children helping them to gain the skills and resources they need to become healthy adults. This means I will be counseling children who need additional support after losing key family members, tutoring children, teaching English courses, and responding to circumstances as they present themselves. This is a chance to use the skills and knowledge I have gained to serve others.

To be able to help at Ebenezer, I need to find a way to raise $1800 to cover my plane ticket and $400-500 a month to cover basic living expenses and to meet tangible needs while in Zambia. I am writing to ask you to prayerfully consider offering your support and prayers and I am very appreciative of any donation you can offer. All gifts are tax-deductible through a 501(c)3 organization called Generosity in Action that Ebenezer uses in the U.S. Ebenezer is a registered charitable organization in Zambia under Registration Number C/697. It is governed by a Board of Directors in Zambia. Quarterly financial statements are sent to their main donors and close supervision of this project is undertaken at all times.
If you are interested in donating, you have the option of either donating on-line at www.generosityinaction.org or sending a check payable to Philanthropic Ventures Foundation to:

Generosity in Action
c/o Philanthropic Ventures Foundation
1222 Preservation Park Way
Oakland, CA 94612-1201

Please make sure to note that the money is allocated for Ebenezer Child-Care Trust-Erin Hartzell. You will receive confirmation of the qualifying donation and 501(c)3 status directly. Also, by checking with your employer about a corporate matching gift program, your donation could go even further.

Thanks very much for your kind consideration. I appreciate your continued prayer for me and the entire organization, in addition to the countless numbers of hurting people in Zambia.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding my trip, please feel free to contact me via the contacts seen below. I also encourage you to visit http://www.ebenezerchildcare.org to find out more information about the organization itself.

Again, thank you so much for all of your support. Know that your donations are not only helping me, but are helping a very needy community in Zambia.

Sincerely,

Erin Hartzell
erinnhartzell@yahoo.com

Ebenezer Child-Care Trust Mission Statement:
“A place to call home and someone to call Mother.”
* To rehabilitate orphans/street kids and to help them become responsible citizens one day.
* To educate orphans in formal education and in vocations such as carpentry, agriculture etc.
* To make the project as self-sustaining as possible by growing our own vegetables, raising
chickens and goats for meat and building homes to eliminate rental costs.