Bigger Impacts

Our work weeks consist of lots of emails, forms, errands, and organizing. We love when we get to be at the Chikondi Community Center with women who inspire us and remind us why we do all of the busy work.

It's great to stop and be reminded of the huge impact that Clothed in Hope has already made in the lives of the women in the skills training program.

During last week's devotional, Tresa, a March graduate and one who has been with us from the very start (and a great friend), introduced us to a fresh perspective- her own. Encouraging and challenging her peers and friends, she shared this idea:

"Our machines are our pulpits. Our skill, an opportunity to share the Gospel with our community."

Yes and Amen. While it's easy to be overwhelmed in the day-to-day or focus on the long-term quantifiable impact reports, it's so much better to hear firsthand how the program is impacting the souls and faith of many. Tresa shared with us that when she creates a dress for a client, she is building a relationship with that person through which she can invest and give testimony to the ultimate Hope and motivation in her life- Jesus.

So simple yet so profound, we are grateful for Tresa's willingness to share Truth with all of us. So if you ever find yourselves buying a Chikondi product made by the women in our program (which we would highly recommend ;)), know that it is also supporting the ministry of each woman in her own community.

Tresa showing off the Bow Clutch, the newest design for our Holiday 2014 collection- y'all get a sneak peek but please help us keep it a secret! :)

Hosting

Last night we hosted our first small group in our home! (Which is a big deal for multiple reasons, the first one being that the only other time we hosted people here I served mushy rice and was convinced I'd never host ever again. But I digress...)

Living in a transient expat culture, we are already having to say goodbye to half of our original small group as some start new endeavors in Rwanda, others head back home to Ghana, and a couple others pursue more studies and assignments in Zambia and Canada. We love that our small group has brought a global perspective and are so grateful to have made such wonderful friends with the easy link of living a life by faith in Jesus, regardless of our nations of origin.

So as we say goodbye to over half of our small group, we get to say hello to a new season. A season of rebuilding our small group, inviting others into the blessing of a small group, of sharing life together.

When the few of us got together to discuss a game plan for Small Group Take 2, we felt the pressures of packed schedules, busyness, and stressors from our workplaces, especially in this “summer” aka winter season that proves especially crammed. But we have all witnessed and felt the greatness of a small group, and we can’t turn away. Though it is difficult, we will fight for our community. We will fight for accountability, encouragement, mid-week Truth to our chaos, friendship, and togetherness. And when all else tries to pull us into a corner of busy-driven isolation, we will keep fighting. We were made for community, our souls need it, and being able to have it is just a huge helping of grace.

So with our boxing gloves on, we set a time that can’t be interrupted by anything else, to which we will commit ourselves fully to our small group and the incredible lives of which it is composed. Five of us met last night in our home to pray for the folks we haven’t even met yet but will join us in this walk of life. We thanked God for the blessing of community even in the crazy, and for hearts that are grateful for today regardless if tomorrow means goodbyes with dear friends.

Because every good small group demands good refreshments, and because gatherings in Zambia equal tea time.
(Thankfully the cookies didn't turn out like the rice)

Humbled and grateful to get to open our home to our friends & church family

Would you join us in praying for God to introduce us to people who also desire community for us to invite them into our small group? Would you pray for direction for our small group, that we would be missional and intentional together, building each other up in Christ so we can go out refreshed and refilled?

Thank you for your support that allows us to have a home here in Zambia that we can open up to others living in Lusaka, Zambians and folks from all around the world, to be encouraged and strengthened by community and Christ.

Love,

A&W

Best of Both Worlds

We're sorry we've been so quiet in the social media world these last couple of weeks. We've been quite busy because MY FAMILY CAME TO VISIT!!! As if you couldn't tell from the excessive exclamation marks, this was just so exciting for us. Yes we just got back to Zambia a few weeks ago so it seems like a strange time for a visit, but this trip was booked long before we even knew we'd be returning to the States for a bit. My smarty-pants brother just graduated from NYU with his MBA so this was the ultimate graduation present to celebrate his accomplishments and exciting future ahead.

And let me just tell y'all- there is no greater feeling in this overseas life than having your family come visit you. FaceTime is a treat, emails are great, snail mail letters add some excitement along the way, but there is just something so special about driving to the airport with a belly full of excited butterflies as you pick up your family and take them to the place you call home.

My family has been with me and Clothed in Hope from the beginning. My biggest fans, CiH's greatest supporters, I am so grateful for their sacrificial and dedicated involvement to seeing CiH grow and impact so many women here in Zambia. My brother designed our logo, mom keeps our books and fills our orders (sorry to bash any ideas that we have a legit warehouse somewhere- it's called the Woodell Residence in Cary, NC), and dad ties hangtags on products like a boss.

They last visited in 2012 when CiH just transitioned from dream to reality, training 6 women in Elina's home, threading needles together and learning about business management. So much has changed in 2 short years and it was my greatest joy to introduce them to the CiH of today, with a home at the Chikondi Community Center, impacting over 30 women (and counting). The CiH they have prayed over, worked so hard for, and told so many about. The CiH that wouldn't be the same without them.

Usually I feel the everyday tension of having to leave behind family in order to live this life here in Zambia, but for the past 2 weeks I was immensely blessed to have the best of both worlds- my Fam in Zam. And goodness did we have a blast!

Despite the setback of some lost luggage at the beginning, everyone was a trooper and made the most of their time here. We saw a lot, did a lot, ate a lot- the sure indicators of a great visit. Before I ramble on and on and on about how much it means to me that my family would fly 6,000 miles and take off 2 weeks of work to enter into our little life here, I'll wrap it up with just that. Deep gratitude, humbling thankfulness. Thank you so much Mark, Mom and Dad for loving and serving intentionally and sacrificially. Thank you for coming here to give, to learn, to share our burdens, to lighten the load, to encourage us so that we feel more filled than before you came. That is truly a gift! (Not to mention the HUGE gift of getting to join y'all in all the fun & travel to do things we couldn't even imagine getting to do on our own newlywed-support-raised-budget!)

We are so grateful for our friends and "family" here in Zambia, but nothing compares to the support of those who have known us for decades and years. So to our other family members and friends in America, we want y'all to know that you are truly our backbone. We couldn't make it without your support. We need y'all. Thank you for your encouragement, your patience with crazy internet, your persistence in friendship even when it's a bit tricky. And if you ever wanna visit too, we've got one comfy guest room waiting for you. ;)

And I can't wrap it all up without a few photos to highlight Mark's grad-trip-extravaganza 2014...

Dad working his Daddy magic with Harvest, one half of the Miracle Twins, Margret's sweet babies

Mark and Eddie, our caretaker and Elina's son, who have been friends since 2012

Safari day at a lodge outside Lusaka

Yep, Mark is walking a cheetah. And yes, we're all still alive. 

Christmas Card photo #1 with Chipo the Cheetah

We were gifted with the blessing to join our family in Cape Town for a week!!

Wintertime wine tastings in the Winelands of South Africa

View of Cape Town

Christmas Card photo #2 (don't mind the squints)

Oh & Great White Shark diving. Yes, we're all still alive. 

Me & my boo thang on top of Signal Hill at sunset

the BEST OF BOTH WORLDS! thankful for these 2 families.

Margret taught Mom how to make nshima & chiwawa. Watch out NC!

With so much joy & thankfulness,
Amy