Happy Youth Day!

Today has been a very full day here at New Day! It is March 12th, which is a national holiday in Zambia entitled Youth Day! How neat that a country has a day that they set aside strictly to celebrate young people. As I looked out over the 156 kids at Kids Club, I was reminded of what an amazing opportunity God has given us to reach the young people of Zambia and to give them an entirely different future than what their parents have had - not because of food, or shelter, or even education, but because of the Gospel that we are pouring into them each week! Anyway, we started our day with some Youth Day celebrations here among the New Day family!

Lots of relay races put together by our awesome volunteer girls - Cason & Misheck in the 3 legged race!

Oh no...the annual balloon toss!

Caedmon & Misheck tied for 1st!

Alas, Papa Wes and Mama Liz just cannot be knocked off of their throne! They won in 2012, 2013, and now in 2016!

Sweet Ben

Teacher Carolyn and some of her babies!

A bat-spinning, clothes-wearing, jump-roping relay race! Mallory helped Agness, whose quick run surprised me! (Agness, not Mal!)

Caedmon jump roping with Papa Wes's clothes on!

Uh oh - some sibling rivalry!

Go Cason go!

Lulu got after that jump rope!

Malilwe

Phillip

Prince

Terry & Jamee - Terry had a hard time going fast because his eyes stayed on all of us most of the time to see if we were watching him!

And then....it was time for Blu's "Dump Tank!" He rigged up a tank that would dump on us whenever the kids threw a ball at a target - priceless! We had the house mothers sit and the kids in their house got to be the ones to throw the ball!

Teacher Abby (I promise that's her under there!)

The 3 Tidwell kids threw for us... ;)

Uncle Brian got dumped on!

Even Teacher Carolyn got into the action!

Teacher Hildah!

Mama Liz!

Mama Loveness!

Papa AND Mama Tembo!

And Papa Wes!

The "babies" had their own fun!

Wheelbarrow races!

Meanwhile, a few other things happening around here...

Rachel has been a huge help in tutoring Misheck in Math! Rachel has an awesome blog that you can check out at www.newdaynewchapter.blogspot.com or just click here!

Mallory with kids at Kabanga Basic School

Just a little story time with the kids & Mallory!

We love volunteers - check out our new bulletin board in the dining hall!

And our "welcome" board for volunteers!

These girls are awesome! You can also check out Kailyn's blog at www.kailynatsbu.blogspot.com and Jamee's blog at www.jameeatsbu.blogspot.com

Getting some chiseling work done out at my parents' house!

Hanging out with my Cambree..

As I look back at these pictures, I am grateful for youth...for young people with their lives ahead of them who have so much desire to follow God. I am thankful for volunteers who will give up between 2-6 months of their lives to come and live an uncomfortable life to make a difference for the Kingdom. I am thankful for the New Day kids who have been with us for 5 years this year who will grow to be leaders in their community and eventually country. And finally, I am thankful for those who invested in me as a youth - my parents - my amazing youth minister Garrett Layne & his wife Kim - - Jason & Kim Sanders - Scott Matthews - Coach Cain - the Phipps family - and countless others. I am who I am today because of their teaching, influence, and obedience to God's Word!

"Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. - 1 Timothy 4:12