Christmas Celebrations Begin

It has been awhile since I have blogged because we were busy with a team and lately the internet just hasn’t been cooperating. It “seems” to be working better today, so I’m going to try to finish and upload this blog.


The last few weeks have been busy here at New Day as usual. A team from Clanton, Alabama came and helped us with painting and cabinet making in the guest house and volunteer hut. They also did some Bible stories, games, and crafts with the kids in the afternoon, as well as some evangelism and teaching with Mapanza Baptist Church.

After the team left, we had to get busy with Christmas celebrations, as several of our staff members were heading home for the holidays. The day before they left, we had our staff Christmas party, but of course we included the children in the activities.

The adults played a white elephant game where they each had to choose a gift either from the pile in the middle of the floor, or they could steal one from someone else who had already opened theirs. It was lots of fun, but poor Eness, the assistant cook, everyone kept stealing her gift.

The children also played a little game similar to musical chairs. They walked around a circle with Christmas music, stepping from one number to the next. If they were on the number that was drawn from the basket, they received a goody bag. Of course everyone received one. Although Axer is the youngest, she kept pushing the others as they were just not moving fast enough for her!

We celebrated four birthdays at the party with cake, popcorn, drinks and sweeties (candy). We celebrated the birth of Jesus, little Laurie’s birthday, Cynthia’s birthday, and Michelle’s spiritual birthday. The morning of the party, Michelle had come to realize she did not have a true relationship with Jesus, and she made the choice to give her life to Him.

A birthday party at New Day is not complete without a little water being thrown on the birthday people, so after the party, the children and adults filled their cups, bowls and buckets and had a water party. I (Laurie) just happened to mention that Josh would not be here for his birthday, so everyone decided that Josh looked a little too dry. Somehow I managed to stay dry, but I know that my day will come!

It is the rainy season here in Zambia now, that means lots of bugs, mud and humidity, but for the Zambians it means time to plant and hope for the future. Here at New Day we want the children to learn the good things of Zambian culture, and one of those is how to plant a field. So, that is what the children are learning to do. Each morning they go out to the field with their hand plows to dig up the ground, plant seed, and learn how to do things the Zambian way.

Well, that’s all for now. Hope I’m successful at uploading this blog. It is doubtful the pictures will upload, but I will try to add them bit by bit.