Easter at the Arise Home
This past Easter was especially fun for me since I am usually not in Zambia to celebrate the holiday.
Without really thinking about what it involved, I invited any and all staff or friends to come to the Arise Home on Easter Sunday for lunch. Before I knew it we had 30 people coming which means you need to prepare a meal for all of them! Suddenly I was in over my head. I went home a bit panicked, considering my cooking skill aren’t stellar and I consulted with experts that know what they are doing more than me. After discussing with the Zambian housekeeper that keeps me organized whom I stay with when I am in Zambia, Susan, helped me see that I could pull it off. Well Susan and Megan and others really helped me.
I had a plan. She helped me make the grocery list and I ran out the door telling Susan I was “going to dominate” the meal and prove to others that I could actually feed the masses.
After getting the groceries Megan came over to help me cook. I couldn’t have done it without another set of hands chopping up 9 whole chickens, cooking 5 pounds of spaghetti, and shredding 12 cups of cheese. It was controlled chaos I would say. At the end of the day we had spaghetti chicken casseroles everywhere:
Right about this time there was a huge storm and the power went out. We crammed the casseroles in the freezer and prayed for power to return.
The next morning still with no power I went to church with the Arise Home kids. I learned that the Arise Home also did not have power. Hmmm how do you cook casseroles? After church I headed to the market for some last minute purchases we needed with Lucy and the Arise Home boys. The Arise Home girls went home with Dailes to help set up for Easter lunch.
Megan went to pick up the casseroles which weren’t frozen but luckily the freezer was cool enough overnight to keep them at a good temp. Megan then drove across town to a house that had electricity to use the oven. She got all seven casseroles cooked and made it to the home just in time for lunch!
We had a great Easter with friends, staff, and staff’s kids.
Uncle Chipa and aunt Katiba’s Table: 
Mamma Dailes and her kids and Susan and her kids.
Lucy’s and Mamma Acqiline’s table 
Fred, Alliness, and Dorothy 
Nelly and Mamma Acquiline 
After lunch we had some awesome cupcakes that I did not make, I mean I can only do so much. 🙂 
Then we had an egg hunt which I would say went well, we have some competitive kids! 
Alliness proudly holding her eggs 
You know it isn’t really and Arise Africa gathering if the fake snake doesn’t show up somewhere
After the egg hunt we all got to hang out which was a perfect way to end the day.
The boys played alot of basketball with the new hoop:
Easter was a great celebration for the one who gave his life for us. For all of us sinners who fail and are selfish everyday, God gave his son!
What not a better way to spend Easter with than with those you love and a staff that try to serve the Lord and kids everyday. What not a better way than to spend Easter at the Arise Home with kids the Lord has blessed us with to love on and care for! What not a better way than to spend Easter with staff member’s kids whom we love so much and are privilaged to watch grow up. And what not a better way than to Spend Easter with friends we have in Zambia who love us and support Arise Africa, even enough to bake cupcakes for us and let us steal casserole dishes. It was a day that the Lord reminded me just how blessed and lucky I am for ALL he has given us and the ultimate sacrafice on the cross.
“I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.” Proverbs 8:17