Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Hello from Zambia

Hey Everyone,

Right now you are sleeping and it is morning for me. I am seven hours ahead of you. I arrived yesterday in Zambia, they have lost all of my luggage, that is tough when it is so hot. After a two day trip finishing with a 13 hour flight across the Sahara the last thing I need is no clothes. O well, you make do. They took us to our rooms, which were huts. Our mosquito nets were hanging above our beds. I got some rest and then went to a briefing this morning to help me understand a world that is so different from ours. Zambia is so poor, they have a 70 percent unemployment rate and aids is beyond belief. Three out of every ten people you meet have it and the majority of the aids are among the young people. It is a world of pain. To think that when you see or meet a young man he will likely be dead before his 35th birthday because of aids. Tomorrow morning I speak, the conference begins tonight. I am excited to meet pastors from around the country. I have already built a bond with a pastor named George, he pastors a church and operates an orphanage for children. There are 1.1 million children without parents, they have been orphaned by this disease. Many live on the streets and survive by means that we could never grasp. It was good to get a little rest last night and I am excited to see what God is going to teach me while I am here. I already miss you, I love the people that God allows me to pastor.


Your Friend, Pastor Jim

II Cor 4:1

2 comments:

Sarah said...

Thats nuts, I guess we dont realize it until we see it or remind ourselfs how BLESSED we are in our country. That's really sad!

-Sarah Fox

DeAnda Bentley said...

Glad to hear you are both well. We prayed for you tonight as a church and there are some that have been praying for you both since your departure. I guess we should have prayed for your clothes. Guess God is speaking to you about something. Maybe you'll both wind up with some African garb. Just wanted you both to know you were missed and definatly in our prayers. Love in Christ, DeAnda