hey guys! :) hey all, first of all let me say that you guys are amazing!!! i cant wait to hear the stories!!! you all have been in my thoughts and prayers for the last couple weeks. i wish you a safe journey home and i will be waiting anxiously for your arrival. :) sarah- believe it or not, i miss you. it is really weird not having you around. i cant wait for you to get home!!!! oh, i just gave your hours to the Dunwody's yesterday.. haha life has been a little hectic.. LOVE YOU ALL!!
-Randy Patzner
So the experience is almost over I cannot believe that this experience for all of you is almost finished. We can hardly wait for you to fill in some more of the details. Can Victoria Falls in any way compete with the personal experiences you have encountered? We love you, especicially the McDonough/Blaskowsis, but all of you by extension. We wait for your safe return. Love to all.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEAN!!! Sounds like you are all having an incredible journey! As for you Sean, how many of your friends will be able to say they spent their 15th birthday in Africa (excluding the ones who are with you)!!!???
Wishing you a wonderful day!
Happy 4th Just wanted to wish everyone a happy 4th of July. Monica can you sneak some of those fried bugs in your bag for Nano? He is known to eat just about anything. I can't wait to see you and hear about all of your adventures. Everyone is thinking about you and will miss you tomorrow. We will shoot some fireworks in your honor. I love you.
Hungry for more Thanks for the update. So many stories and events are hinted at, we cannot help but want to hear more. Those of us who are with you in spirit are hungry for as many details as you can share with us about all that is happening. A special shout out to the kids - would love to hear from Stephen or Artie or Anna or Monica (of course) or any of the other young people about your experiences and your perspectives on your incredible pilgrimage. Think of it as feeding us a virtual fried caterpillar...
Wow! We have loved hearing about your experiences and we are SO proud of you all. You have experienced something we all wish we could have shared. Looking forward to hearing about it when you come home. We also miss you all so much.....seems like a void in our OLP Community not having you here. We ARE a family here and we are proud of the new family you are coming to know in Zambia. Keep smiling!
Hi Sarah! Do you guys get these comments????
I hope so. I sense some sarcasm in Sarah's 'voice'! :)
We are asking... and we do love you... and we do miss you more than you'll know!
We are so excited to read these blogs! We especially love the pictures! We know you are having the time of your life and we hope you still like us when you get back here in our neck of the Conifer woods. We know you'll be a changed person when you get home. Good news, or bad news.....we haven't changed at all! :)
Be safe and enjoy every God-filled moment over there!
We love you! Mom
"Awesome" Work Also, thank you for the blogs! I have enjoyed reading about all of your awesome experiences. Wishing all of you a safe trip home and can't wait to hear about the wonderful things that you have done for the Zambian people.
The Poe's (Mike and Katie Jo's neighbors)
Amazing Thank you for the blog. Sounds like an amazing array of opportunities and interactions with the Zambian communities and people. We are so proud of all of you!
What an adventure... You're an amazing and wonderful group. How those folks must love and appreciate you all.
Glad you're having lots of fun, as well as doing such meaningful work.
Enjoy the rest of your time there.
Great Stuff Following your progress - geographic and spiritual - with great interest. Matt, I look forward to more thoughts on the music when you return.
Stay well.
Mark
Glad you are dancing! So glad to hear of your appreciation of the choir and the dancing, and of course Turkish style toilets. Sure do miss you here - it pours every day and everything is green like the south! Enjoy being without internet!
Photos Thinking of all on this trip praticluary the Colorado Wickhams! Love seeing the photos of all of you. Loved the hacky-sack...as if I wasnt surprized to see Matt doing that! Love to Matt ME Andy and Artie! Lindsley
Thinking of you all! Loved one of the last pictures of Matt doing hacky-sack...as if it wasnt a surprize! :-) Good to see that Artie and Andy are in pix sothat we can pick them out as well as Matt and ME! Thinking of you all!
What an experience you are having Greetings to the service family. That's what it seems that you are forming there. I suspect that you will never again be able to turn you face away from the poor, with the memory of Chawama compound in you minds and hearts. It's so good that you are sharing your personal response to the experience to all that visit the blog. And it's good for us "elders" to hear that all is well except for a nose injury. Thanks for sharing your reflections and experiences.
Hi from Jackie Hi to the Wickham's, sounds like you are having a wonderful time. Nice picture of Artie learning the new dance, you'll have to teach it to me when you get home. Congrats on winning the football match. All is well here in OH. Mom and Dad say Hi. Love reading the blogs! Talk to you soon. Love Jacks
Croc Bait!! I have loved keeping up with all of you!! We are so proud of everything you are doing over in Zambia to truly make a difference in our world. The Mahaffey's are starting to save for the next mission trip because we do not want to miss this opportunity again. Love to you all and know you are in our thoughts and prayers. Dorothy, Bill, Lucas and Zach
Hello! Welcome to our travel blog. We are a group from Colorado traveling to Zambia to provide service, build relationships, and have cultural exchange. We will be bringing donated books, medical supplies, school supplies, and recreational equipment. We will also be teaching in schools and will be working in community nutrition and medical centers. Feel free to read all about our trip, post comments, send us messages and subscribe to our blog. We will keep you updated!... full info
Grace
non-member comment
Thank you again
Sandy, thank you so much for adding these final blog entries, and all the wonderful photos.