Beginning Life Together in Zambia

Beginning Life Together in Zambia

Karen and I would really covet your prayers as we begin married life together seeking to use every opportunity we can to share the love of Jesus with children especially both here and around the world.
After much prayer, we believe the Lord is calling us to start married life together ministering to our Matilda and our children at the Village of Hope in Zambia.

On Oct. 11th, we will be traveling to the Village of Hope in Zambia, looking to do Kidz Klubs Programs with the Hope Club, ministering at the School and to the children in the Village and helping in a new work in Kabwe about 40 minutes away, where the Village of Hope is partnering with the Hamelyrcks, as they minister to handicapped children/orphans.

Oh and there is this cargo container that had been delayed from a place called Delaware, so we’ll be helping with that also and taking many pictures.

Please really pray for us as we seek to go and encourage our brothers and sisters there in Zambia and share the love of Jesus with all we meet.
• Pray for traveling safety and for all luggage to arrive with us and for flights to be on time

• No problems with customs

• Many opportunities to share the Gospel

• We would stay healthy and my leg would not cause problems

• We would be an encouragement to the missionaries there

• Hottest time of year with most “varmints” around, pray for safety

• Safe return on the 23rd and no lingering illnesses as we begin life together here in the States.

• Wisdom as we seek more opportunities to minster to children and orphans here and around the world. (Papua New Guinea too!)

Thank you so much for all your encouragement and prayers, God has blessed so richly and we can’t wait to see what He does next!

Keep shining for Jesus all.

Until Every Child Knows,
Big Jim and Karen
Matt. 19:14
James 1:27

Our Wedding

Our Wedding Day

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

On October 10, 2010 (10/10/10) at 3 PM, Karen Madonna and I (Jim Kramer) are getting married at Bible Fellowship Church Newark. Those of you that will be in the area, we would ask the honor of your presence on this very special day of celebration as we exchange vows of Holy Matrimony seeking to spend the rest of our lives together glorifying God as we minister to children and teens in this area and to children throughout the world.

There will not be a formal reception after; however, there will be a time of fellowship with light refreshments after the ceremony here at the church. Please plan to come and stay joining Karen and I in fellowship as we begin married life together.

We are asking that our Junior High (CORE) and Senior High (SNL) be our wedding photographers as we celebrate this joyous occasion.

Since our goal is to Glorify God in all we do and we already have a house, Karen and I would ask that those who desire to give a gift would prayerfully consider giving a love gift instead to one of the Orphan Care/At Risk Children’s Ministries we support. Nothing would give us greater joy than to see these ministries richly blessed through your gifts of love as we join together in marriage and ministry.

The ministries we feel God leading us to target are:

• Children’s Village Ministry Papua New Guinea (Bill & Lori Smith)


• Maggie Lampkins Institute in Liberia


• Sarah’s Kidz in India (DBI Partnership)


• Village of Hope in Zambia (All Kids Can Learn International)


• Youth for Christ Wilmington Outreach (Ralph & Justine Lampkins)

Checks can be written to BFCN with note designating one or more of the above ministries. If unable to come but desire to bless one of these ministries, you can send love gifts to Bible Fellowship Church, 808 Old Baltimore Pike, Newark, De 19701 and the church will make sure it is given to the proper ministries.



We can’t wait to see what God does next!

Until Every Child Knows,
Big Jim and Karen (soon to be) Kramer
Matt. 19:14
James 1:27

Watching God Work in Zambia 1

Greetings Prayer Warriors Around the World!!!!!



Thank you so much for all your prayers!! We are now back in the US and getting settled back in as we adapt to life here in the States.

 This pic is of the team with the children the day they did a special program for us,

 and one of my Finace' Karen wearing a special dress & necklace that Kimberly Kamau had very graciously helped me to pick out for her while at the market in Lusaka. Kimberly looked at Karen's picture and picked out the perfect size for her. Thanks again Kimberly for all your help; makes a nice wedding dress.

As we start to share today about the trip and some of the things God did while we were there, I'd like to first introduce you to the very special folks that we worked in at the Village of Hope and share a few prayer requests that they have followed by some personal observations of changes that I've seen from last years visit to this year.
There are three families living at the Village of Hope below are some prayer requests from each:

• Ben and Kathleen Schwartz, Ben, modern day Heorge Mueller, is the founder & director of the ministry here. At 61 stood in the corner of this property and claimed it for God; Dream big dreams folks, our God is big enough to do it! Kathleen is in charge of hospitality, worship at the church, of course the school & so much more. Ben has asked for prayer for folks to help support the children. They currently have 42 children living at the Village with 16 more looking to join them in September. At this point 21 of the children are being sponsored and the rest of the support is being taken from other sources to provide for them. It costs them roughly $108 a month to feed, clothe and educate each child. Great family, small group, Sunday School & etc cup of cold water project.They have also asked for prayer as they interview and hire more teachers for Hope School.

Special Note: Ben, Kathleen, daughter Sena & honorary daughter, Isha (from Zimbabwe) will be in the States in Nov/Dec. Ben does have a few Sundays open if you would want him to come and share at your church/fellowship & etc. let me know and I'll put you in contact with them.

 Also, on Nov.7, National Orphan Care Sunday, they will be at my home church, Bible Fellowship Church Newark, sharing and Kathleen & the girls will be sharing at my Kidz Klubs that morning.

• Francis and Kimberly Kamau, in charge of the ministry at the Village, outreach & so much more. Kamau has asked for prayer for wisdom as they look to hire 2 more house mothers. Last year they had to let two go and that can really be traumatic for the children. Kimberly has asked for prayer that the Lord would make it clear to her, the older children that He would have her set aside and start more intensely disciplining & training to teach. Kamau (Francis) plans to start taking the children to near by villages & giving them the opportunity to share what Jesus has done in their lives.

• Paul and Ann Rachel Hamelryck, Paul is in charge of construction at the Village, Ann Rachel runs the outreach to our children at Green Farm, some basic medical outreach and also makes sure all the children have clothes and shoes, they also lead an adult Bible Study with the Zim Farmers & are involved in a local outreach program to handicapped children. One big thing they have asked for prayer for is that the Lord would provide sets of laminated posters/cards with pictures showing basic methods to treat burns. Folks there tend to put manure in the wounds causing major infections and etc. Also have great need for gauze pads, tape & ointment to treat the burns. Great project for small groups families and etc. They also ask for prayer for their daughter, Gabrielle, who will be returning to the States in a few weeks to begin her sophomore year at Messiah College & for their daughter, Page, who will be coming back in Feb, for another heart check-up.

One prayer request all the missionaries shared was a request for wisdom as they children start to get older; how to separate the boys and girls without causing too much trauma. Today the set-up is three bedroom cottages, boys in one, girls in one with the house mother in the third room. They have a plan but are really seeking God's direction on the way He would have them to do this.
Some observed changes since last year:

• Last year we were burning off the land to build the school, this year the school is open!
• Last year Hope Church started, just children from Village; today average attendance of children around 100 as children from the Village at Green Farm walk almost 2 miles to come to church, many carrying baby brothers and sisters on their backs.
• Today there is another cottage finished, another started and the infirmary being finished, not to mention the restaurant opened and children house.
• Last year 25 children lived in the Village, this year 42 with as many as 16 more due to arrive in September.




• Last year Matilda was barely able to get around, today she goes everywhere with her walker and now has a new wheelchair and walker! Thank you Jesus! (Video of both on my Facebook page, along with Matilda praying for us)
• Last year children being discipled, this year looking at children going out to disciple, " to whom much is given, much is expected" if only we would catch the vision here in the States of allowing and encouraging our children to share His love. (Our oldest in the Village is Paul 13, told me that some day he would be teaching and I would be helping him. Can't wait!)

• Last year Green Farm outreach started, now every Wednesday the children walk to the community center/church where we do Hope Club, last week had 120+ children walk to join us and hear the good news of Jesus. As we talked about the Fruit of the Spirit, a few of the children from our Village of Hope taught them to sing the verse, a song that they had just themselves learned that Kimberly had written.
• Last year children led worship, this year there are three worship teams that take turns leading and picking the songs.

So much more, I could share, to God be the glory, great things He is doing.

The next update we'll share some of the neat Godincidences that we saw and some of our team adventures with wild dogs, snakes and very large spiders; did I mention the lion that took an interest in little Katie Meredith?

Have a great day with Jesus all; use everything that comes your way as an opportunity to shine brightly for Him.

Until Every Child Knows,
Big Jim
Matt. 19:14
James 1:27

Last minute Zambia Needs

If anyone has any of the items below to donate for our children there, please contact me.

From Kathleen at the Village of Hope

In about a week you will be on your way to Zambia. As is usually the case, we need some things, and forgive me if I have mentioned them before. Also forgive this last minute notice. I have been extremely busy with teaching and the current volunteers here. If any one can bring these, we would be very appreciative.


Red pens for teachers to mark papers

Candles (and don’t forget flashlights. Electricity goes off many evenings.)

If anyone has a digital camera(s) they aren’t using, we could sure use it for school. It doesn’t have to be fancy or have lots of features. It is for teachers to take simple pictures on the projects we are working on.

I have a whole lot of hanging file folders, like you put in file drawers. What I need are those plastic things that slip into the top to make tabs so that you know what is in the file. They often come with little pieces of heavy weight paper that fit into the plastic tabs. Staples probably has them.

At our EC meeting today, we were discussing our boutique. This may be a difficult thing to find and maybe expensive. We could use a little machine like used clothing stores use, like Goodwill, to put prices on clothes. It has a piece of plastic that actually goes through the clothes with the price on one side. If anyone is able to get that with a whole bunch of the price tag things, that would be great.

On a personal note, if anyone is in Walmart in the magazine section, if you could get me a word puzzle variety magazine. They usually have all kinds of different word puzzles in them. Thanks!

Reminder, if anyone has old picture calendars, the Chimwemwe Ladies could use them.

I think I asked for this before, but pencils erasers, and individual pencil sharpeners. They often come in a bunch.

At our Dollar Store in Aberdeen they have a section of supplies for teachers. They have this “tape” with the alphabet – 36 alphabets in a little carton. They could be put on a desk or the top of a notebook since they have a sticky backing. I got some when I was home last but it is for cursive. So if anyone is in the Dollar Store and sees them for printing not cursive, that would be great. One pack would do it for now.

Ann Rachel asked if anyone could get some tools for “tooling” – paper curling. It would be great to have for the ladies making the beads. They are probably at JoAnn’s or Michael’s. Depending on the price we cold use 10-15 of them.

Sena put in a request for those little packets for making drinks with bottled water. So if anyone is able to get those it would be great.

Thank you so, so much. We are looking forward to all of you coming. Kathleen

Loading the Cargo Container for Zambia

Good Morning Saints!


Thank you Jesus! This Saturday June 19th at 11 AM the truck will be arriving at Bible Fellowship Church Newark with our 40x40x8 foot cargo container that we will be loading for our children at the Village of Hope in Zambia and for folks to use in the area and beyond. There will also be a few pallets of supplies for a college and medical hospital there. (Church adress is 808 Old Baltimore Pike, Newark, Del 19702. 302-366-8539)
www.akcli.org

You are all invited to come and see what God has done and is doing! Bring the family and friends as we look in absolute awe at what God has done as our kids and you have prayed.

We are planning to start at 6 AM on Saturday to unload the church garage and have everything out and ready when the truck comes. To quote Russ Meredith, "the garage is at the tipping point!" This is a 2 car garage with a loft and does not include the bikes the folks at Wooden Wheels have reconditioned for us or the pianos. Did I mention the 200+ pairs of shoes Shoes to Share gave us? Over 7,000 items of clothes, over 5,000 books, hundreds of Bibles and so much more.

If you'd like to come to help, please contact Russ Meredith or myself if can with times available. We have 2 hours to load the truck and our goal is to finish by 1 PM.

If can't help still we would love for you to come. bring your families, relatives and friends and be a part of this great celebration of God's wonderful provisions for our children in Zambia.

Come meet our Zambia team!

My dream is for all of us to hold hands and form a circle around the truck after it is loaded to thank God and pray for the contents to make it safely, to pray for our children at the Village and for the two Delaware teams going. It'll be a day to remember and treasure.

What an awesome God we serve!

Our prayer is to need 4 or 5 men to close the doors of the truck!

There are some supplies we can still use youth socks size large, chewable vitamins for the children, 5 gallon buckets, 5 gallon water jugs, men's coveralls, paint brushes, garden hoses, nail, screws, and of course a quality wheelchair for our Matilda. What a sweetheart!

Hope to see you there, as we celebrate this huge blessing from God.


Have a great day with Jesus all as you shine for Him.



Until Every Child Knows,
Big Jim
Matt. 19:14
James 1:27

Container Godinicdences/Kathleen's Piano/ Shoes off, Holy Ground

Greetings Saints Around the World!!!


Just had to send this out to all of you.

As we wind down on collecting for the container, God is just so amazing. Below are only a few, so many can't list all but a few of the things God has done and is doing. Kathleen! Last Monday I sent you an E-mail asking if you would like a piano; shared had not been offered one or asked for one but felt led to ask you.Your response was it would be great but there were serious concerns about it surviving the trip and the need for tuning at your end. Shared back could possibly crate it but again had no idea where one would come from.

This morning at church one of our members came up and asked me if I'd like a piano for the cargo container, in very good condition! Chills ran down my spine. What an awesome God you are!

Answered yes to that very special Godincidence! Piano music welcome!

After sharing piano story with kids in Sunday School, Tabitha, our children's ministry leader came in with the collection bank for our Matilda from the Village of Hope, as we were passing the bank around shared with Tab the need to crate the piano. Her eyes lit up! Seems she knows someone who does that professionally and is going to ask if he would do that for us! Shared that immediately with the children as we all were in awe.

Have to admit it was hard teaching this morning with the room once again filled to overflowing and sharing the supplies in the garage had grown by at least a third this past week as families, adults, teens and kids came and helped sort clothing, books, school supplies and etc, in awe of what God is doing.

Note, our dream goal was to ship the 10th, because still need funds, not shipped and now a piano and so much more is coming!

Many folks came over to the garage to see all that was there, including a nice sized almost new gas generator and 10 large totes filled with tools that we had gotten the day before. Shared with a few of the deacons was praying the floor in the loft held as we continued to carry totes and boxes up there.

To date, we have over $1,000 worth of totes alone that are and will be filled with supplies, (200+ and many giant Ziploc bags and boxes filled),

We still have a 12 foot trailer of supplies, a motorcycle, medical equipment and etc coming as we watch God work as only He can. Did I mention the 5 foot mechanics tool chest coming loading with tools?

At this point it looks like we will be shipping and loading the cargo container from Bible Fellowship Church, my home church with NO AIR SPACE in the container; waiting to hear from CMTS on that.

In closing have two financial testimonies.

Our Sunday School children last month collected $50 for Matilda, children in a local school plus one love gift from one of our special kids collected $105 for the cargo container coming to $155 to be given to All Kids from our children. Someone matched that amount and then it was matched a second time by someone else.

In other words, using God's Math, explained to our kids this morning that out of the $50 they collected, $155 is being given to Matilda and $310 towards the container. $465 given out of the $50 they collected. Thank you Jesus.

Shared with the children, need around $12,000 to ship our Totes of Love but God already has it for us, just hasn't released it yet holding things up telling us to open us mouths wide so He can fill them and put everything He wants on the container; but when it is time He will provide all needed and do it so that is obviously of Him.

Shoes off please, Kleenex needed. After Sunday School, one of our girls and her mother came up to me. She had a birthday party this past week and had asked everyone to, instead of gifts, give funds or clothes for the cargo container. The daughter handed me $59 and a gift bag of new clothes for our children at the Village. These clothes will be packed separately and given as a special gift there. Know already the $59 is going to be matched. Keyboard getting wet as I share this pure and Holy offering from one of our precious children. (Special note, had no idea this was happening but gave this special young girl one of our very small bags made by our ladies at the village; another Godincidence.

You know, it's really not, but at this point the cargo container and what is being loaded is almost incidental; lives are being changed and only God knows the eternal results as watch God load this container.

So much more to share, but enough for now.

Have a great day with Jesus all! He tells us in His Holy Word that if we have the faith of a grain of a mustard seed we can tell that mountain to move and it will!

Can't think of anything more exciting than seeing those mountains jump into the sea as we see God at work.

Until Every Child Knows,
Big Jim
Matt. 19:14
James 1:27

Zambia Cargo Container Update

Greetings Saints!

What a beautiful day as we prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior; Jesus!

Just a few quick FYI's here.

We are finishing up on the collecting for the container but are still taking donations, also can use hands to help sort things. If available to sort please contact me. As far as I know we'll be there every day from Tuesday to Friday 9:30-2:30, but please check first. (By presorting and condensing, we estimate we are freeing up as much as 20% more space for supplies.)

Also welcome to come during these times and we'll be glad to take you to the garage and show you what God is doing. What you will see is not including the 12 foot trailer of supplies coming and the 2 pallets coming form Messiah College for another ministry in Zambia.

One really big need still is technical books, books, Bibles, shoes and as you'll see below even more clothing (18 gallon totes to pack in also). Goal is to fill the container to the doors and have to force them shut. These things are so precious and bless so many want to pack as full as possible.
Bikes can still be dropped at Wooden Wheels. Owner there, Tom, has a passion for missions and has been a huge blessing. Is even considering going with us on a future trip.

Tomorrow as we celebrate Easter, if weather is dry, I'll be taking our Kidz Klubs Kids over to our church garage to see what God is doing as they have prayed.

Please also continue to pray for the funding of the container; still need app. $12,000 and will let you know how God does that!

I should be hearing back from our good friends at CMTS (Christian Missionary Technical Services) about costs and whether it is better to ship from Newark or there in Bernville.

Thank you for your generous gifts and especially for your prayers for our children there in Zambia.

I can't wait to send you pics of the container from Zambia and send reports of the lives changed as a result of you!

Below is an E-mail from All Kids Can Learn about the container; what a joy to be a part of God's Forever Family.

Until Every Child Knows,
Big Jim
Matt. 19:14
James 1:27

Hey Jim,

Blessings on this Easter weekend. I hope you are taking a moment to enjoy the weather the Lord is giving us right now.

Talking with Benedict during this past week, the importance of our container business has come to the fore. While we are experiencing a time of diminished giving during the beginning of the year, the sale of books and clothing combined with growth in sales of chickens and other food products from our fields is contributing significantly to covering regular costs at Villages of Hope--diesel, payroll, taxes, etc. We have opened a "boutique" for clothing from the containers and set up a "bookstore" in the community center.

Our conclusion is that making clothing available in our local rural area at low prices makes a big difference to lots of people and children living at a subsistence around us.

There is a wonderful project begun by a man named Pastor Joseph and his wife in a town in the north of Zambia on the border with Congo. They began to feed orphans in their town of 20,000 in 1997 on their own. They are not backed by any Zambian or international organizations other than a family from Florida that comes once a year to teach AIDS classes in the local community. They currently raise enough food to feed about 250 orphans daily and to support their school uniforms and fees. Pastor Joseph has been making the 6 hour bus trip to us to take clothes and books on consignment up to their location for sales. He manages to triple the cost of books and clothes from us (If he buys a book from us for $1, he sells it for $3) Since I was there in January he has managed to buy the uniforms and pay the school fees for 8 teenaged orphans for this next year in school at the high school level. These school fees are pretty hefty. At the same time, Pastor Joseph's purchases have contributed about 10 million kwacha to our daily needs.

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Delaware container to augment our inventory of clothes in particular right now.

Blessings,
Terry Brandon