Hello From Heathrow

Greetings friends! 

We're on hour six at Heathrow airport, enjoying the slowness of pace while we await our next flight to Lusaka.  Starbucks and some British sandwiches have revived us, and I finally realizing--with excitement--that we'll be in Africa come morning.  I'm thinking back on the last time I endured a European airport layover, complete with a toddler and baby.  I see parents pushing carriages, carrying backpacks full of stuffed toys and snacks and think:  did I do that?  This sitting around and chatting, window shopping at Duty Free and reading is a breeze!  And so I am struck today by this new season of life, serving as a pastor in a congregation like St. John's with global passion, and with children just old enough to appreciate (or at least endure) their Mom's two-week vision trip and sense of call to visit Zambia.  I am also once again feeling that pulse of pluralism as people from all over the planet pass through airports like Heathrow, on their way to every continent on earth.  God's earth.  And we are on our way to meet and begin to know some of God's people:  Juliet and the community of New Horizons, Prs. Strasser and Chana and some congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia (ELC-Z).  I think Jan and Laurie would agree:  we feel humbled already by their preparations and pray we can truly, genuinely receive their hospitality and welcome.

Long story short: we're having an easy trip thus far, which gives me hope that we'll feel relatively well-rested once we get to Lusaka.  We did have a funny (worrisome?) few minutes when we first arrived at O'Hare, for we assumed that our international flight left from the, go figure, International Terminal.  We disembarked from the Peoria Charter bus, collected our six suitacases, rented a luggage cart, and were on our way with confidence when we realized that American Airlines' international flights don't leave from Terminal 5, but 3.  Okay.  No problem.  Unless you take the wrong elevator up and down, whilst schlepping six suitcases and 3 purses, and then need to take three more elevators and an airport tram to land in your correct Terminal!  All was fine, but it was a slight injection of stress!  From then on, all was well.  We ate dinner, walked to our gate, left on time, and slept a lot.  For some reason, I appeared to have slept the longest, evidenced by a hideous photo taken of me--eye mask and all--and accompanied by laughs and a flash, all of which I was completely unaware. 

I'm grateful to journey with these good travelmates, and one of us will blog next from Lusaka!

Prayer Requests

Pray for spiritual strength and God’s peace for all Team members and their families.

Pray for travel safety and physical well-being for the Team throughout the Vision trip.

Pray that each Team member may experience continued spiritual growth and be overflowing with joy, peace, and hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pray for God’s wisdom and listening hearts as we discern the best means of helping Juliet Chilengi achieve ongoing sustainability for New Horizons.

Pray that the trauma and hardships which the girls have endured before coming to New Horizons Orphanage can be overcome through the love and care they receive there.

Pray for the Lord’s guidance and direction as we meet and work with Pastor Arden Strasser and the ELC-Zambia pastors for the development of an ongoing mutual relationship.

Pray for all who live in poverty and suffer from HIV-AIDS, malaria, and other diseases so prevalent in Southern Africa.

Pray for the ELCA’s global ministries of accompaniment, of walking with and learning from other Christians across many cultures.

Welcome to St. John's Zambia Travel Blog

Thank You for your prayer support as we make final preparations for our departure on September 28th, 2010.

Laurie Helms, Pastor Elyse Nelson-Winger, Jan Pritts