House Hunting

We are so very glad to have arrived in Zambia in one piece with all of our suitcases, and to have had a great start returning to work with both of our organizations. I (Amy) have been sick since December 30 which made for a very scatterbrained packing and travel process, and an even more tricky time when we arrived. I didn't leave the room we're staying in for an entire week, had a slight pneumonia scare, but am happy to announce that I'm almost back to 100%.

In the middle of the mystery illness (aka bronchitis, we're pretty sure), we had an open afternoon to go house hunting. We're currently staying in one room of the Family Legacy housing complex which is now full up with families living and serving here. We are grateful to have this comfortable place to stay while we're searching, but are ready to find a home of our own to really settle into life here.

House hunting here is difficult and far from the glamorous open houses with free candy like in America. I keep stalking the same 3 Zambian real estate websites for new rent listings, and sometimes I'll get a word of someone who knows someone who has a house up for rent. So when we were lined up with an agent to take us to a few properties last week, we were ecstatic. Except that the showings turned out to be a game to see if we'd like the kinda bad or the pretty bad. At the end of our search we had to choose between the house that had only 3 dead roaches in the kitchen with rotting cabinets, the house that looked as if it was rotting, the overpriced cottage in a bad location, the dream house located off of about 20 minutes of a dirt road covered with craters and boulders, or the farm house with 3" spaces around the door frames big enough for black mambas to come cuddle in our bed. Needless to say, we're still hunting.

The rotting house

The only-3-roaches house

The dream house off the Land-Rover-ad road

The black mamba farm house

We know we probably won't find perfect, but we're trying to find a little Bardi nest, somewhere livable that can be our home here in Zambia. It's turning out to be a bit harder than we anticipated due to rent prices increasing from an overall national inflation (some houses we've found in our requested area are upwards at KR 30,000/month for rent which is nearly $6,000. for 3 BR, 2 Bath. in a third world country. crazy, right?!). We found a few more places to view sometime this week and are just praying God makes it very known to us which house is to be our home. We would be so honored if you'd join us in praying, too!

Love,
A&W

Acclimate

Hello friends, Wyatt here.  This is my first solo blog so I'll make this brief, though I hope it paints a picture of my time in Lusaka so far.

The only way I know to describe my time here so far is to compare it side-by-side with a concept that many of you football fans will understand.  To clarify, I am talking about "football" as it's known internationally.  Sorry, my fellow Americans, I'm talking about soccer, not American football.  In the modern football era---specifically in English Premier League football (COYG)---there is lots of business being done between a team in one country and a team in another.  For example England has one of the most physically demanding leagues in the world, with each team playing multiple matches per week against rough and tough opponents.  However they realize that some of the world's best football players live abroad.  They engage in business during transfer season to sign players from other club teams around the world.  After day, weeks, or months of contract talks, a team will sign a big-name player with a lot of hype, talent, and promise.

Once this talented and promising player arrives, however, they are often not their talented, consistent selves for the first several months in the new league.  Language barriers, new squad mates, a new coach, a new style of play, and a game far more physical than they are used to.  These are just a few of the things that hinder their abilities.  There is often an initial adrenaline rush to be had and that world-class star shows a few great performances, but after a while their form lessens.  This player is often criticized for being a flop who's not worth his wages.  In reality, this player will probably become more and more consistent as time goes on.  By the next season (hopefully) they are at their best, proving how worth their wages they are.

Transition to Wyatt living in Lusaka.

I feel like I've been in the adrenaline rush phase this past week.  I'm in a new place, working a new job with new people, and I'm ready to prove my worth and to continue life with my new bride.  However, I can hear the whispers of a season of growth and acclimation calling for me.  Pretty soon the adrenaline will wear off and I'll be stretched to my limits.  Not because this place is worse than home, but because it's just different.  Living in a place where you are always on high alert takes some getting used to.  In many ways, living in Lusaka, Zambia is like playing in a very physically demanding football league where I have to get used to the new culture, language, people, and everyday demands.  I'm not saying I'll become a flop, because it's not in my nature to just stop trying; however, what I am saying is that I will be stretched.  Some days I will want to scream from new frustrations like terrible internet or slow service at the store.  Some days I will not want to be around a lot of people because I just need to recharge my introverted self.  Some days I will get discouraged and just flat out tired.  This is a good thing.

Over the whispers of acclimation and stretching I hear the loud shouts of contentment.  A contentment that allows me to sprint towards the rough and tough that is life in a different place.  A contentment that will be a place for me to unleash my talent and quality, the quality that will prove that I'm worth my wages.  But friends, hear this:  It isn't by my own doing.  Let me say that again, I am not and will not become some super-human.  Ever.  I will be able to see more and more clearly how good the Lord's grace is.  His Spirit is what strengthens me and what allows me to unleash my full ability.  That strength enables me to enjoy the adrenaline rush and it allows me not to just endure the season of stretching but find joy and contentment in the midst of it.  My weapons Arsenal (see what I did there?) is equipped with one thing, the Spirit of God.  Through Him am I able to remain steadfast as I seek to love my wife and lead her through life in Zambia.  Through Him am able to go above and beyond for the Lord in my work.  Through Him am I sanctified in the midst of stretching.  Through Him, with Him, in Him, in the Unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is Yours, Almighty Father, forever and ever.


Cheers,
W.

Unexpected Grace

So in case y'all didn't know, the trip to Zambia is pretty brutal. No matter what airline/route you choose, you're looking at 24 hours of flying time, at the very least. Some include 12-hour layovers, overnights, strange connections, and that's just the beginning. It's tiring on the body to go a full (stressful) day without sleep, eating at breakfast at 1am our time, and running down the terminal to catch close connections. With so much that could've gone wrong, we were so grateful for the quickest route without any major issues.

When we were making our way down the plush Business Class of the plane from all the way back in crying-baby-alley to exit our DC-Dubai flight, we casually mentioned to each other, "Someday we're going to make it happen to fly just one flight in Business Class. Someday." We were dreamin' big, y'all. We knew we could never afford it on our tight support-raised budget. We knew it was outrageously priced for these super long flights. We knew we would never get to ride Business Class, but it was fun to dream and pretend we might possibly be able to.

We had a 20-minute connection in what has to be one of the world's largest airports in Dubai before the gate closed for check-in. Basically running like those goobers you always stare at in the airport, we weaved our way though wrestling with our obnoxiously heavy carry-ons, determined to make it. And we did. Hallelujah. We slammed our Passports on the ticketing counter and waited for the Emirates man to do his thing, not really paying attention. He interrupts us to say "You have been upgraded to Business Class." Bam. Just like that.

UM, WHAT?! We were stunned. In shock. Someone might as well have told us we just won a million dollars. Upgraded, fo' free. Wyatt blurted out, "What did we do to deserve this?!" Right on point with that thought. We were the late ones, the last ones to check-in from our back-of-the-plane economy seats with our stinky clothes and sweaty faces. But this sweet man chose us for a free upgrade. When we sat down in our plush leather seats (that laid all the way down!), we just had to stop everything else and soak up the moment. The little dumb dream we dreamt just minutes before had come true. We did absolutely nothing to deserve it. Yet God chose that man to show us His infinite grace that is always immeasurably more than all we could ask for or imagine (or dream of). It wasn't chance or luck. It was Jesus giving His children good gifts by grace alone, giving two people (one sicky) the gift of a few hours of sleep after a sleepless flight. It was all Him. And it was such an incredible moment to view the act of being given the upgrade as the heart of Jesus. We didn't worship the Business Class (though it was a sweet set-up); we worshiped the creator and giver of grace, God. Boy was that a fun surprise.

Here are a few pics of our journey of over 20,000 miles across the globe. Oh and by the way, we have safely arrived in Zambia with all of our luggage here! Praise like woah.

Thank you for all of your prayers and encouragement that have made for one wonderful start to married Zamlife!

Love,

A&W

And We're Off!

Y'all. It has taken us quite some time (and headaches and vacuum space bags and professional-style packing skills... and maybe a few tears) to get our entire lives packed into 6 checked bags and 4 carry-on bags. We're rolling 10 deep in our Bardi tribe yet it's crazy how little really fits into these bags.

Here's a before and after photo to show you just what we've been up to since New Years:

...And this doesn't even include our clothes. 

The Bardi Party tribe, Zambia-bound

These aren't just army surplus store bags and wedding gift bags. They are our life. Sounds dramatic, but for real. It's nerve-wracking. It's exciting. It's scary. It's fun. It's humbling. It's a million emotions all jumbled up to express just what this next step means to us. We are starting a new life together on a new continent, and we swing between incredibly excited and incredibly overwhelmed minute by minute.

So off we go. Two one-way tickets, two months into our marriage, with no idea when we'll be back or what this next chapter holds for us. With so much unknown we do know one thing. God is for us, God is with us and He goes before us. And that's about all we know as the Bardi Party moves to Zambia.

We would love for y'all to join us in praying for these next few days of travel and so many logistics to be worked out- for our bags to get checked in without problems, to arrive in Lusaka in one piece and with all pieces inside, for our tight connections to be easy with on-time arrivals and departures. Pray for grace for us in our interactions with lots of people and for grace for them to help us get to Lusaka safely and without having to pay millions of dollars in baggage fees. And most of all, pray that we could let go and let God take care of what He's already worked out for His glory and for our good.

We love y'all and are so blessed to have so many people who love us, pray for us and encourage us.

Love,
A&W

2-Month Life Recap

We figured for our very first "Bardi Party" blog post, we'd catch y'all up with what we've been up to the past couple of months. They've sure been busy!

On November 9, we got married! After a year and a half of long-distance dating and engagement, we were so grateful for the day we began the rest of our lives together without Skype call interruptions, 6-hour time zone differences, and not enough date nights. It was a beautiful fall day in Asheville for the wedding of our dreams. We are so blessed by all of our friends and family who supported us that day and who continue to encourage, love, and challenge us.

The day after our wedding, we flew to Jamaica for our honeymoon! We unplugged from all-things technology and soaked up some great R&R together. We ate way too much, swam with horses, got a little bronzer and made friends with the peacocks who lived outside our room. It was pretty great. 

We drove 15 hours to Coppell, TX for Wyatt to finish his Stateside portion of his internship with Family Legacy Missions International. We celebrated Thanksgiving with Amy's family who flew out to enjoy some must-sees with us in the Dallas area.

We bought our first Christmas tree, ordered Chinese takeout and decorated our quaint apartment to begin some good ol' family traditions. We also braved a very unexpected ice storm in Dallas with an intense case of cabin fever. Thank goodness for Netflix and heat, am I right?

After a little over a month of life in Texas, we were overjoyed to head back to our South in the Carolinas. We realized how great it was to be home when we spotted the first Cook Out in Augusta (and obviously had to stop). 

We visited with both of our families which made for a wonderful Christmas. Amy's dog, Milly, even dressed up in her Christmas jammies to celebrate (which can be viewed on our Instagram accounts @wyattgbardi and @amybardi). We made a trip to Columbia, SC to spend time with our best friends after the start of the New Year and it was the perfect "see you later."

And here we are! We're just 4 days away from jumping on a plane to Zambia with two one-way tickets. Y'all would not believe the amount of stuff we're about to try to fit into 6 bags. Photos will follow, don't y'all worry. 

Be sure to sign up to receive these updates via email with the form on the right-hand side of our blog. And we'll be sure to keep y'all updated as the Bardi Party moves to Zambia!

Love,

W&A