March Update

Mwapona Buti? (Hi. How are you?) Ndili Kabotu. (I am fine.)
March has just flown by. For the first weeks in March, I attended Chitonga School. It is a school for those who are interested in learning the Chitonga language. Chitonga is the heart language of the people in the southern province in Zambia, where I am working. The school itself was held in Monze. Monze is a village a couple of hours north of Zimba. The course I just finished was 4 weeks long. The days were crammed full. It was challenging, and difficult, but very good. School consisted of lots of memorization, study, and writing. It was pretty intense.
Learning the heart language of the people is one of the most important things to do as a missionary. Although some people know English, there is still a barrier between the Zambians and me because I do not know the heart language. In order to break down those barriers and build relationships there is a need for me to learn Chitonga.
Now that I am back to work at the hospital, I have been practicing Chitonag with the employees. Dennis, the Zambian maintenance man that I work with, has been a very good tutor for me. He speaks to me all day long in Chitonga until I can’t understand, then he will speak in English. I feel like a little child who is just learning how to speak and to put sentences together. The other people in the hospital also are very patient and helpful. I try to say something in Chitonga and everyone just laughs. I am learning patience and humility.
Now that the rainy season is past, teams are beginning to come again. Right now there are two medical residents working at the hospital and a man from Battle Creek, MI, who is here working on the water system. He is working on putting in a new borehole in order to separate the staff housing and the hospital. This will help the hospital from running out of water all the time.
Thank you for your continued support. I do appreciate your prayers. The team here in Zimba needs to be lifted up in prayer often.

Jesse