Julie Burkholder's Mission to Zambia

Dear Heroes,

Julie Burkholder came to Zambia to explore a call to missions she has had in her heart since she was about 8 years old.  She turned 17 on the night she arrived!  Photos of her below show her praying with a woman from Girppis and making friends with the kids. She shares her experiences in her note below the photos. Her Mom adds a note also.

Dear Miss Tanya,

I told you that you would hear my thoughts on the trip once I processed them.  So here is the best I can work out for now. Arriving at Heroes Farm Monday night was wonderful.  Over time, that house became like a home away from home because of the people that were in it. I really enjoyed David's character, attitude, and perspective nature.   I loved the simplicity of the house itself.  There wasn't much there beyond what was needed (in an American viewpoint), but that allowed us to be focused on the mission instead of wishing to get back to whatever luxury we had left at the house.  As far as the living style at Heroes, I found it to be just about like we live at home just a little plainer.
  

  Grippis was wonderful.  I loved seeing the people that you keep talking about and the places that show the improvement in their lives.  I'm excited by the vision and excitement that is sweeping the village as more and more people are getting the idea that they don't have to stay in the same situation forever.  The children are precious and the teachers are so inspiring, I had no chance to be depressed.  All I could do was praise God for where he had brought this community and where He was leading them.  I know there are still lots of huge obstacles to overcome, but if God has brought them this far in this short amount of time, how much farther will he take them in the years ahead, just like you said at the well dedication day.
    

About Chief Chipepo's village, it was so Godish the way everything worked out. The smallest amount of people were in that village, but we got to do two chief's and you got to talk to almost all of them!  
    I think that was all the major observations about Zambia.  It is a lot easier to understand the Bible now.  The way Jesus did His ministry makes so much more sense as does the way the Israelites lived in the OT.  It also makes sense why God sent Jesus to be in the "third-world culture," because that is what most of the world lives in, if He had sent Him to a "First-world culture," most people wouldn't understand the Bible.   I hope to go again sometime so I can learn to know the people more instead of just the situation.              Julie.

 

Julie’s Mom, Marilyn who accompanied Julie to Zambia adds these observations as well, “Our time in Zambia was even more precious as I watched Julie's call to missions was affirmed, knowing that I will one day be releasing her to follow that call to places and persons to which we were ministering.  She willing returned home, but her heart was left there in a totally different way then mine.  We came to love the people and desire to see their hearts following the Lord.”

Marilyn