A New Day At MICS

It’s hard to believe that Dan & I (Greg) will be heading to the airport in less than 24 hours! I still have some business related calls to make, and even will be out of town tomorrow morning for my work but that couldn’t be helped.  Right now I am packing the final bag with airplane parts, uniforms and shoes. It’s always a puzzle to figure out what all I can get in the checked bags and stay within the allowed weight, but I love it! 

I really wanted to update you on what’s taken place just this week in Macha. Right now, Gil and Ronda’s son, Greg, is in Macha and has been working feverishly to get some things in order. One of the things that he helped with was raising the water tower and tank, and hooking up the existing pipes. I’m sure that there were shouts of joy when water came out of the faucets and the toilets started to fill once again. It has been over a year since that has happened.

Here’s how Gil and Ronda put it: “The water is running ....flowing actually. We had a hot shower last night for the first time!!! I did a load of wash straight through with no buckets!!! Toilets in the school are flushing!!!! Living the good life!!! . . . Boy, here in the States we sure take running water for granted, don’t we?

This week Greg Krause has been working with Mike, the general contractor (Zambian). They have put together a building materials list, and gone to Choma to purchase everything to complete the new building, and have unloaded them in a safe, secure location. Mike is helping to find reliable laborers and they will be ready to get to work when Dan and I arrive on Monday morning. The work has been planned out to be accomplished in two weeks! I am so grateful that Greg Krause is there on the ground to get things ready for our arrival.

There’s more good news! Ronda tells us that the teachers have been paid some of their outstanding wages in computers. She says: “Amazingly they have been able to sell them. People have been lining up and paying the asking price. We feel this is a God thing as we thought no one would want to buy these used computers for the price they are asking. God worked it out for good even though it was meant for harm.... just as in the Joseph story.”  

It sounds like the teachers are entitled to more pay yet, and that will likely be in computers as well. So that’s good! These teachers have been patiently waiting for their wages due them and they have been learning to band together and look out for each other, and negotiate their settlement as a group. It’s been a growing experience for each and I am looking forward to talking with them personally.

Good things are now happening at MICS and in Macha! A huge thank you goes out to each of you that have supported the work in Macha with your finances, prayers and student sponsorships. You are making a difference in the lives of many; some may be future leaders of Zambia!

On the right side of this blog you will see that we have kept this past year’s school verse posted where everyone who visits this site will see it. It says that “All things work together for good to those that love the Lord”. We are seeing the fulfillment of God’s promises right before our very eyes!

If you want to receive an “alert” when there is late-breaking-news out of Macha, send Kathy your email address and she will include you in that group. You’ll receive an email telling you that we have updated this site and how you can pray for Dan and I, and our time in Macha. Here’s Kathy’s email address:  kjhazsmith@gmail.com .

May God's blessings abound as we stand together in this work,

Greg