Breaking Camp (Final Post from Sikalongo)

Thursday, October 2.

It hardly seems possible that we have been here five weeks and tomorrow we will begin making our way back to the U.S. On the other hand, it seems so long ago that we were in America and it all feels very far away - almost non-existent.

[Grocery Store Security]

Life here has been totally consuming with the details of daily living, interactions with the people, visiting places of mission significance in the surrounding area and fulfilling our responsibilities at the schools.

[Remembering to keep left]

And it has been good. We’ve been encouraged, inspired and challenged by the lives of many people here. Last week we went to Macha. When we return you will want to see the short video of the journey in the van on that road. It rivals anything at Hershey Park and goes on and on for two hours. But the ride was worth it.

[Macha Road]

We were warmly welcomed and hosted by John and Esther Spurrier who have fully immersed themselves in the culture and lives of the people here for the sake of Christ in a way that is challenging and inspiring to those of us who are privileged to experience them in action.


Macha was a joy and inspiration. This is the mission station started by Gene’s Grandmother, Adda Engle and Francis Davidson in 1906 and where Myron Taylor and Adda were married in 1909. From its very humble beginnings Macha now hosts a
world class Malaria research station developed and led by Phil Thuma, a large secondary school, a substantial BIC congregation, a major hospital where John Spurrier is the lead physician, Experimental School and a recently built airstrip.

[All the TV Dishes at Macha caught our attention]

[Macha International Airport]

Last Sunday Gene preached at both the Secondary School service and later for the Sikalongo BIC Church. At the first service he spoke about “Trusting Our Guide” using our experience on the Zambezi River with our guide as an extended illustration. For the second service he challenged people to not just sing the praises of Myron Taylor (which everyone here does) but to live their lives for Jesus in the same way that Myron did. This message was “inspired” by a remark made by someone that a monument should be built for Myron Taylor, to which Gene responded, “You are the monument to Myron Taylor, seen by everyone.” During the service we sang “Bringing in the Sheaves” which was emotional for us in this setting, realizing that we were sitting among “sheaves” which were the planting of Myron Taylor and the early missionaries.

Gene completed his classes at SBI on Tuesday but still has one final examination to administer on Friday. Darlene had her last day with the pre-school on Wednesday.

Over the past weekend and for the first part of the week, we experienced a major “first” for our time here. The electricity was on for 4 days straight wiithout any interruption, but on Wednesday it went back to its old habits, though only briefly. It’s nice to be able to leave on a good note in this department. Today we have had power all day.


As we conclude our time in Zambia, we express our deep gratitude to many people who have provided counsel, perspective and assistance for our time here, and so this special thanks to:

Dwight and Carol Thomas & Bryan and Karah Leaman for much needed perpectives prior to coming to Zambia.

Esther and John Spurrier for wise counsel prior to our coming, facilitating in-country travel and for being wonderful hosts for our brief stay at Macha.

Marian Buckwalter - always available for counsel, assistance and fabulous meals.

Dennis and Jane Mweetwa for making all the necessary connections for us here at Sikalongo and guiding our work with SBI.

Peter Pwetenge - trail guide, interpreter, expediter, jack-of-all-trades, and ever-present help in time of need



Rosa Muleya - our housekeeper, cook, purchasing agent, companion, and never to be forgotten friend.

And to all of you who have prayed for us and encouraged us on our way.

Each of you, in your own special way, has greatly enriched our time with the people of Zambia. May you all be blessed in your endeavors in the Lord’s service.

[Myron Taylor Grave]

We will be flying out of Lusaka on Monday, arriving at JFK in New York on Tuesday morning. Our month will be spent wrapping up readings, writings and reflections from our entire sabbatical experience at an ocean-front hideout on the Outer Banks.

Encampment 9: Sikalongo (Continued)

The week began very cold in the mornings and with a moderate breeze, but towards the end of the week, things really have become quite hot. In spite of this we took a five hour hike with Peter Pwetenge and one of his daughters on Saturday to a lovely waterfalls in the hills to the east of us.


We made sure we took along plenty of water and made the trip across fields, through the woods and on bush trails quite well. The view at the falls was definitely worth the effort.




Along the way we were privileged to speak with an elderly man, Aaron Kanyandi, who was present when Myron Taylor was buried.


At his village we also saw these quaint little huts for the chickens.


Gene’s classes at the Bible Institute settled down into a routine and although we’re running a day or more behind in each class he’s determined to respond to issues as they come up and get as far as we can rather than just skimming the surface and covering all the material.

On Tuesday Gene visited the carpentry shop and watched Peter Pwetenge teach the Bible Institute students how to build a bed.


It is a passion of his to help the students learn a skill or trade with which to partially support themselves financially since most of the churches they are likely to serve would not be able to do so.

Thursday, Peter also took Gene to the hills to a place where Myron Taylor is said to have gone and prayed. It was an emotional experience to be at the place where this man of God sought the Divine guidance and strength he needed for service and to also take time to pray here.


Friday, the teacher of the Pre-school where Darlene assists needed to be absent and planned to leave the children in her care - alone. We didn’t feel that was the best scenario given language and protocol issues, so we asked our housekeeper, Rosa, to go along with her, which she did and they both had a delightful time with the children.

This week we have been hosting the students in our home for tea - a couple of them each evening.


They bring all their children along so we have as many as ten youngsters under the age of 10 all sitting quietly in the living room with their tea and cookies while the adults carry on their conversation.


These have been delightful times which often involve responding to their questions about life in America. The three unmarried students had lots of questions about how a pastor should choose a wife and were quite intentional about it. One student had questions about the Amish and we spent an hour talking about them, the shootings at Nickel Mines School and the book Amish Grace.

Power outages have become more frequent and longer and are a regular but unpredictable part of our life here. Two nights in a row we were not able to cook an evening meal and, since Darlene had bread ready to go in the oven, we needed to wait until 9:30 in the evening ‘till she could actually bake them. In like manner, the two evenings where we were invited to the homes of local families for dinner were shared by candlelight.


Sunday, September 21,

Today, we went to the Sianchekulo BIC about five miles north of Sikalongo, a half hour over a road more difficult. We took along Vincent Habeenzu, one of the SBI students who preaches there. There were about 60 people in attendance, attentively engaged in the Sunday School lesson and then with the worship service. Vincent preached a fine message on evangelism.


Again, the singing was enthusiastic and deeply moving. A hot meal was provided for us by the local ladies after the service. Driving is a huge challenge with deeply rutted and washed out dirt roads alternating with deep sand and Gene is always relieved then the journey is done and are all safe, the people we have with us are safe, the vehicle, which must still serve us and others, is safe.

Next Wednesday we travel to Macha for three days, where the Brethren in Christ mission work was first begun in Zambia by Francis Davidson and Gene’s grandmother, Adda Engle who later was married to Myron Taylor at Macha. On our way back we stop in Choma to get our visas extended.

We have certainly lived life to the full these three months and for the past month, we’ve had very little time to assimilate it all. Our time here has been totally filled with teaching, preparations for preaching (four times this coming week), visiting with people who have family connections with people who knew Myron Taylor, talking with students, having them for tea and dealing with the many requests which daily come to our door. And this was to be a laid-back time in a laid-back culture! Not!

Today we both found ourselves needing to consciously think about what things look like back in the States - even inside our own house! Our “world” has definitely shrunk to what is happening right here, right now, even as it is being expanded with new experiences. Nevertheless, we rejoice to be here, and to give and receive spiritual encouragement with the people of God in this place.