A Conference, a Clinic and a Car in the Capital

We spent most of last week in Lusaka, the Zambian Capital, at a YWAM conference. With people coming together from all sorts of nations (Angola, Namibia, Uganda, Mozambique, Malawi, Germany, Argentina and of course the U.K.) it was quite an experience. The worship was lively, the teaching engaging and everything (including the humour) translated well.

While most of the team camped at the YWAM base, some of those with families stayed at a local lodge - under development, but still a relative luxury. Having already enjoyed lunch at our favourite cafe, where we always used to stop on our way to Lusaka in the past, and now finding ourselves at a place with a swimming pool, the week was looking great.

👆🏻A healthy Hannah loving a chocolate brownie at Fig Tree midway to Lusaka.👇🏻Abigail enjoying a refreshing dip at the lodge. 

But on the very first night of our stay Hannah started with a temperature and woke up in the morning with what looked like bites and a rash. Every day the rash would fade as the hours passed but then be back in a vengeance the following morning - to the point where her lips were and feet were so swollen she didn't want to go out without something covering her face and she found walking quite painful. To be honest it felt a bit like a nightmare!

There were plenty of doctors at the conference willing to help us but time was running out before our long journey back to Mkushi, and we really didn’t want to have to come back to Lusaka again (where the better clinics are) if Hannah didn’t recover fully. So despite her being so brave and joining in the activities as much as she could, the night before we were due to leave Lusaka, we took Hannah for blood tests and she was prescribed some very strong antibiotics for a streptococcal bacterial infection and possibly Typhoid as well.

With Hannah hopefully sorted out, and never wanting life to be too dull (hmm) at 5.30 the next morning, just to add to life’s craziness, we bought ourselves a new family car! - In case your thinking ‘that sounds like a rash decision’ (and enjoying perhaps the most appropriate pun ever!) it was actually after quite a few days of difficult deliberation and prayer.

Now back in Mkushi, with Hannah’s rash almost gone, and our independence to some extent restored, it all seems quite incredible really. We were only away 5 days! As usual, there's so much to be thankful for! 🙌🏻