Zim Team '09: July 2009

Westover Church's 2009 Zimbabwe Short Term Mission Team

Front Row: Lauren Sastre, Carolyn Huskins, Diona Slaughter
2nd Row: Sara Rogers, Jessie Scherlacher, Judy Everswick
3rd Row: Jenna Granger, English Davidson, Candi Burrows
4th Row: Chip Slaughter, Cameron Sastre, Jeff Routh

Individual prayer requests are listed at the bottom of this page. We humbly ask that you please lift us up in prayer as we seek to be the feet and hands of Jesus to a hurting people.

II Timothy 4:17 – "But the Lord stood by my side, and gave me strength, so that through me the message might fully be proclaimed……."

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Just a few more of our favorite pics & people!.

From left: Susan, Rezina, Jephat, Garikai, Virginia & Farayi.
Thank you all again for everything!!!

English is too funny! Ask her to do her goat impression for you sometime...

Our man William!! He is one of the sweetest children we have ever had the privilege of meeting in our entire life!

The Belvedere house dog, Jessie, who fell in love with our team! She would've packed herself up in a suitcase to come with us if she could have...trust us!

The famous Chiremba Balancing Rocks...only explainable as a God thing!

Just drying the school uniform on the bob wire that surrounds the homes. Most homes either have barbed wire or shards of glass along the top of the fence line.

Jenna and Sara had children running & jumping into their arms wherever they went! I can only imagine how much their students in the states, that have them all year, must love them.

Cameron being the hands & feet of Jesus...spreading and receiving love thru Zimbabwe.

Praying for the hurting people of Zimbabwe was, by far, the most meaningful time we were given the opportunity to have been blessed with.

Cooking up a big pot of sadza, calls for a BIG sadza spoon!

The big Cholera issue...

Esnati's immaculate mud hut home! And how gracious of her to have all of us over for a great sadza meal. It was VERY good by the way!

Young little girls taking care of babies...and always with a smile on their face.

Inflation in Zimbabwe! $500 "TRILLION" Zim dollars to $500 US dollars!

Taking a stroll through the town alongside the Karanda Mission Hospital.

Can you guess who's African feet these are??

Now "SFS" Sara...there you go, up to your shenanigans again!

Candi blessing us with song once again...what a beautiful voice God has given to this woman!

Running into the U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, James D. McGee. What an honor!

We all fell in love with Judith!! Miss Jessie, our team photographer, gladly handed over her camera to let lil Judith try our her talents for taking photographs. She was a natural!!

A picture on the computer at a feeding station we were at, of the actual children there praying over their Samaritan Purse Christmas boxes before opening, and wandering what they were about to enjoy! How precious!

Carolyn...the baby whisperer! They love her!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Our final day and night in Zimbabwe...at Bally Vaughan...sad but fun!

Hold on tight!

Our fabulous hosts...Gordon & Debbie Putterill.

Sara, Jessie & English having a cup of tea. TIA!

Jenna, Lauren & Candi getting toasty.

Looks like one BIG happy family!

Nice elephant...English likes this side...no tusk.

Oh yeah...just a little to the left now; but very carefully!

Brother & sisterly love.

What lovely locks you have...

Chip finally found his cobra! Or is it??

Need a lift?

Judy was a great backseat driver...hardly said a word about what to do & did most of the work! Great job Mama J!

Jenna & Sara...love you guys!!

Don't mess with this guy!

Absolutely georgeous!

Karanda Mission Hospital

Pastor James...that big bright smile says it all about him!

We were able to walk around freely and give the patients that weren't in ICU some candy.

A mother smiling down on her young child.

We enjoyed giving the kids, along with several adult women, some toys to play with as they spend their time at Karanda healing. They all were so appreciative!

Mr. Personality Leo Missoni.

A woman who was praising Jesus as we spent time talking and praying with her.

The patients at Karanda all seem to be very pleased with the great care they are given by all the devoted doctors, nurses and other missionaries on staff.

Prayer Requests From Our Team As We Travel

Please pray for Sara to have continued guidance as she looks at the possibility of pursuing a Master’s degree. Her heart’s desire is that she have meaningful and God honoring relationships with family, friends and co workers. Sara wants a heart that loves HIM above all else.

Please pray for Kelly, Jeff’s wife and his children, Matthew (8) and Lindsey (6). This is the longest that he will have been away from them. Pray that the time will go smoothly for them while Dad is away.

Please pray for Jenna. Her desire is that God would open her eyes and ears to see other people’s needs. She wants to think of others first and be the Hands and Feet of Jesus. Pray that Jenna will not experience stomach problems while she is in Zimbabwe.

Please pray for Candi and for her three grown children. She has been having some foot problems and asks that you pray that it might not be a problem while we are on the trip.

Please pray for Jesse, as she is the youngest member of our team, but also has had several physical issues. Her prayer is that she will be healthy on the trip so that she can fully serve God each day she is away (and that her Mom and Dad won’t worry).

Pray for Chip today. His business is in the area of Finance. Please pray that the enemy will be defeated and that he won’t be worried or have his joy of serving Jesus affected while he is in Africa.

Pray for Diona. This is her first Missions trip and the first time that she has left her two children for such a long time. Her prayer is for their safety and that they would know that she and Chip are thinking of them as they serve in Zimbabwe. Pray that their hearts and mind would be protected from anything that is outside of God’s will.

Pray for Cameron today. He is a school teacher and wants to find a full time teaching position for the fall. With the economic turndown, finding a position could be challenging…..BUT GOD!

Please remember Lauren today. Her desire is that she be more bold in sharing her faith. Pray with Lauren and each of us on the team that our families, who are not in a relationship with the Lord, will have opportunities to share more about God and what HE is doing around the world when we return.

Please pray that Carolyn would not be troubled with migraines while we are in Zimbabwe. Her desire is that she might focus would be on God and that she would wear HIS name well. Please pray for her parents to stay healthy while she is gone.

Please remember English today. She has made a decision about moving in the fall believing that this is God’s next step for her. Pray for her to be strong in her decision.

Please remember Judy today as she drives the van, and once again says "goodbye" to Zimbabwe. Her desire is that she be a reflector of Jesus thru word and deed to the hurting people of Zimbabwe.

Thanks to each of you for praying with us thru our two weeks in Zimbabwe. We go with the knowledge that you are holding the ropes for us. What a blessing to know that YOU are praying and know that it will be serving God together as a team.

‘WE THANK GOD UPON EVERY REMEMBRANCE OF YOU"
Zimbabwe 09 Team.

Zim Team '09