I have been delinquent in writing last week for a very nice reason.  The team from Mississippi came to build three Tabernacles.  It was a successful week! Before I tell you about the work days, I must share an African cuisine story.  At the clinics, they make us lunch along with theirs.  It's usually nshima with some type of greens, maybe some chicken or eggs or hungarian sausage.  Last Tuesday it was chicken innards day.  So I ate heart, intestines and liver.  I love heart, gave the rest of the liver back and thought the intestines tasted pretty good.  They told me I didn't have to eat the chicken heads--only some Zambians even like them.  They aren't pictured below b/c my camera batteries died. (much to the relief of the cook).  Unfortunately an American stomach in Zambia 7 months is still an American stomach.  In case anyone was considering it, food poisoning is not the most pleasant way to lose weight.  

 I rested most of Wednesday and headed out with the team to Mungule on Thursday.  There I got my first try of mopani worms.  These are fried caterpillars.  I said, "Not bad" and a fellow missionary friend responded, "But not good."  No argument here.

The team put up one Tabernacle with each denomination we work with here.  I missed the building of the Chainda Grace Ministries church because of my food poisoning but was told the day went wonderfully.  While the men put up the Tabernacle, the women played with the kids and fellowshiped with the women and kept everyone hydrated.  It is hot!

Below is the church building the Mungule church was meeting in-outside and inside views.  About 120 people meet every week in that space.  The pastor is a woman from Lusaka who takes a minibus every Sunday 45 minutes north of the city and then walks about 45 minutes on a dirt road to get to this congregation.  Her husband pastors a church in a compound in Lusaka.  This is a church plant.  She has the sweetest spirit.  

 Below is the finished Tabernacle for Mungule PAOG church. The congregation will build walls, put in a floor, tile etc as they can afford it. I had a precious time eating lunch with the pastor as she shared, face glowing, how faithful God is.

 Below is the process of the beams going up in Kabanana A/G church.  The design of these newer Tabernacles is so much better then the old ones.  It goes up much quicker and safer.  Another day I'll share the story of the man behind the design, Bobby Smith.  He came also to help the team. The next picture is Bobby playing with the kids.

 Sunday we had three services to officially hand over the building to each church.  In the morning the team was split between Kabanana and Mungule.  Below is the service at Kabanana.  It was amazing to see they had already pounded in stakes and split wood for wooden benches for seats.  The roof sheeting around is from their old building that was falling apart.  The week earlier a storm had blown the tin sheet roof off.

 In the afternoon, we all gathered at Upper Room Grace Ministries church for their hand over service.  It was a lovely time of singing, dancing and praising God.  The guest of honor was a bishop in the United Church of Zambia that the pastor and our bishop are friends with.  He and the pastor from Mississippi both gave very good sermons.

 This is the road on the way to the Kabanana church.  Rainy season has arrived.

 Fun picture of the chairs going back from whence they came.

The team from Mississippi was 11 people from 3 different churches with each pastor coming.  They did an incredible job in hot weather---up on the roof.  They graciously tried all the traditional Zambian food made at the worksite each day for lunch.  Relationships were formed between church leaders and congregants from each side of the pond.  We are praying the changes made in people's lives and communities has a lasting impact on the Kingdom.