The Bardi Party: 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...