Wednesday Update

Thank you so much for all of your prayers, visits and e-mails of encouragement.  Today has been another good day.  This morning at 7:00 am, Kerri had a second MRI.  The results of the scan showed that the blood clot had begun to resolve itself.  A new development is that some of the smaller vessels that drain into that main vessel are showing blockage.  The doctor said that it was not surprising.  He equated it to a main highway being blocked and the surrounding roads getting backed up with traffic.

The good news is that Kerri has now progressed to the point where the neurologist feels safe releasing her from the hospital.  So, tomorrow, it looks like we'll be heading back to my parents house.  The plan going forward is for Kerri to begin blood thinning medication on her own and continue on the medicine for the next three months.  Please continue to pray for her as she recovers.

We cannot express how thankful we are for each of you praying on our behalf.  We've been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, support and encouragement we have received.  You have truly blessed us during this difficult time.

Update on Kerri

Just wanted to give you a quick update on Kerri.  She is doing better today.  At 3:30 pm, her headache was all but gone and she has reduced her pain meds from morphine to darvocet.  Her left arm and leg are still not 100%, but are getting better.  She is scheduled for an MRI tomorrow to see if there has been any progress with the blood clot.  Thank you for your continued prayers and encouragement.

Please pray for us

For those of you who didn't know, Kerri has been in the midst of a medical emergency the past 24 hours.  We figured the best way to keep you up to date and let you know how to pray, would be to post updates to our blog.  Below is all of the information that we know to date.  We'll use this post to keep you up to date with what is going on.  Please be in prayer for Kerri and our family.

3:00 AM:

Last night, Kerri and I ended up going to the emergency room at 11:00 pm. Kerri has had a headache for the past four days and tonight started experiencing other symptoms. She has lost partial control of her left arm and has at times lost motor control of her right leg.  Initial CAT scans revealed that she had a small amount of bleeding on the brain. They have scheduled an MRI tomorrow morning to do some further investigation before deciding on treatment options. Best case scenario, it fixes itself with no treatment. 

2:00 PM:

Kerri had her MRI.  We are awaiting the results.  During the MRI, her whole body went numb and her headache has gotten worse.

7:30 PM

The doctors have told us that Kerri has a blood clot on the outside of her brain right at the top of her head.  We're waiting on the specialist to provide a plan of treatment.

9:30 PM:

The specialist came by and looked at Kerri's tests.  He has told us that it can be treated without surgery.  She has started taking a blood thinner that should break the clot up and allow it to be absorbed into her body.  He informed us that she will be here for the next several days for observation and another MRI.  All signs point to this being able to be treated with little to no long term effects.

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New Years Resolutions

It's that time of year again. The time of year where everyone, including me, makes New Year's resolutions--some they stick to and some they don't. A few years ago, someone challenged me that while making resolutions, I should probably focus more on the ones that could really make an impact on my life. Yes, losing a few pounds is always good and makes me feel a lot better, but what are the resolutions that I can make that will benefit my soul.

So, in gearing up for your New Year's resolutions, I encourage you to ask yourself what God would have you work on over the next year:

• Maybe you've never read the bible from cover to cover. Why not make it a goal to do this over the next year. There are many different plans to help you do this. One that I have found helpful is http://www.bibleplan.org/.

• Maybe there are some areas of your life that you are struggling to give over to God. Why not make it a goal to memorize 10 bible verses and pray for spiritual freedom on the area of struggle. (i.e. Unforgiveness- Matthew 5:44, Lust 5:27-28, etc...)

• Maybe you desire to know the bible better. Why not make it a goal to memorize 52 random verses (1 per week) and do a focused study on one specific book of the bible?

• Maybe your prayer life is struggling. Why not do a topical study from Scripture on prayer and commit to praying 5 & 5 (5 minutes / 5 days a week)? Of course you can pray longer, but start small and work up.

So, think about it. Pray over it. What would God have you do over the next year to benefit your soul. What changes need to take place in your life that will bring about more intimacy between you and your heavenly Father? What spiritual disciplines can you develop that will help you to foster an attitude of dependence on God for all things?

Blessings in the New Year!

Ellison Elizabeth Roberts Has Arrived

Just wanted to announce that at 3:01 pm this afternoon, Ellison Elizabeth Roberts was born at Palmetto Health Baptist hospital. She was 7 lbs, 12 oz and 20 inches long. The delivery went great and mother and baby are doing well. They are now resting. Thank you so much for all of your prayers.

Quick Updates

It's been nice being home in South Carolina visiting with family and friends.  Our first month has been rather busy.  Just thought I would give you a quick update to let you know what's been happening and what will be happening with the Roberts.

• Baby #4 will be delivered at Baptist Hospital tomorrow, as we have a scheduled induction.  Kerri and I are interested to see how Maddie treats the new baby.  Her favorite toy is her baby doll.  So, we think we're going to have to keep an eye out to make sure she doesn't try to pick the new baby up.  Please continue to pray for mother and baby.

• You might call us crazy, but we have also started the process for adopting when we return to Zambia.  We had our first home study last week and are trying to get a bunch of paperwork done so that we can be approved for adoption.  Please pray that all of the logistics and paperwork will go smoothly.

• Since being back, we've got to spend time with some different friends.  A couple of weeks ago, we went down to Kiawah to run in the Kiawah Island marathon/half marathon with a group from our church.  It was a great weekend except for having to run such a long way.  It has been great getting to catch up with all of our friends.

• The food has been great, but costly.  I've already gained 12 pounds and I'm not pregnant.  It wouldn't be that bad if I hadn't been running over that same period.

• We've really enjoyed spending time with our parents.  We're staying with my parents, and Kerri's parents have been by often.  It has been such a blessing to see them again.

Thank you so much for continuing to pray for us.  We covet your prayers.

To be a Blessing

Genesis 12:1-3

The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.  "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

Psalm 67

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, "Selah"  That your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.

Why does God choose to bless us? And how should we express thankfulness for His blessings? Is it just by our words or is a heart of thanksgiving also dictated by our actions? These were just some of the questions I was pondering as I read some verses from Genesis12. Although this particular passage of Scripture was a promise from God to Abraham about the Messiah one day being born through his seed, God was also showing me that He blesses His children so that they can be a blessing to others.

As I thought about this, I then began to think about Psalm 67, where the Psalmist is asking the Lord to bless His people so that His ways would be known on the earth, His salvation among the nations. As I sat there and meditated on these two verses, I then began to think about how the Lord had blessed me. I have been blessed with a healthy and beautiful family, I have been blessed with a Godly and beautiful wife, I have been blessed with friends who love me, I have been blessed financially (compared to the rest of the world), and most importantly, I have received the spiritual blessings that can only be found in Christ (joy in the midst of trials, love in the midst of being wronged, hope in the life everlasting).

But why? Why does God choose to bless me? And why does He choose to bless me in so many ways? It's not because of anything that I've done. I'm a sinner. Apart from Christ, I have nothing to offer God. All of my works are useless chaff. And He doesn't bless me in certain ways because He loves me more than someone else. He loves everyone the same. So, why does He bless me? Why?

I believe that part of the answer lies in the above verses. He blesses me so that I can be a blessing. He blesses me so that His name may be great among all the peoples of the earth. He blesses me so that His salvation can be known by many. He blesses me so that I can be a blessing to others. He blesses me in the ways He has blessed me, both spiritually and physically, so that I can fulfill His purposes to those He wants me to reach. Too many times, I feel like I fail in this endeavor, but I press on knowing that His strength is perfected in my weakness and knowing that despite my flaws, He still wants to bless others through me.

What about you? How and why has God blessed you? How would He have you use these blessings to bless others?

22nd or Bust!!!

Just wanted to give you a quick update on the pregnancy. Kerri had another scheduled checkup with the doctor yesterday. The baby is doing well. If she does not go into labor by the 22nd of December, she will be induced that morning. So in less than three weeks time we will be welcoming a new family member into the world. Please be in prayer for us during this time.

Zambian Politics Update

After returning home, we have had several people ask us what ever happened with the political situation in Zambia. I'm sorry that I didn't give a follow-up post on this, as a lot of you had been praying for us during this time.

In 2006, there was widespread rioting. The challenger, Michael Sata, was ahead by a wide margin, but when the final results were announced, the ruling party and their candidate won. There were allegations of vote tampering and a lot of unrest. Pretty much the same scenario unfolded this year. The challenger, the same Michael Sata, was leading by over 100,000 votes (a wide margin considering only 1.5 million people voted) but ended up losing by over 30,000 votes. Where most provinces had a 45% voter turnout, the last ones to come in had nearly double the turnout 75%.

As we waited for the final announcement, we learned that all of the machetes in Lusaka were nowhere to be found. What we didn't know was if it was the police who had rounded them up or the people who had bought them. We also heard rumors of political coups which if came true could split a young democracy. So, there was a lot to be concerned about. So, as the weekend progressed, we just hunkered down in our house behind a locked gate and awaited the results.

When they finally announced the winner, what we were expecting (widespread rioting and potential violence), never came to fruition. There were a couple of small riots in two of Lusaka's compounds, but really nothing more than that. Since returning home, we have had so many of you ask us about what happened and told us that you had been praying for us. You were also united in prayer with our brothers and sisters in Christ here in Zambia. Many churches were holding week long fasting for these elections. So, thank you for lifting us and the people of Zambia up in prayer. The Lord surely answered the petitions of His saints!

Tempted

(Ultrasound Pictures)

If receiving this via e-mail, you might need to visit the website to view the pictures

In Zambia, Kerri had several ultrasounds as she progressed through this pregnancy. But the common theme throughout all of them was that the doctor would not tell us the gender of the baby. Because of tribal traditions many Zambians, including our ultrasound tech, will not venture to find out the gender of babies while they are still in the womb. So, for the past 35 weeks, we have remained in the dark.

Yesterday, we went for our first stateside doctors appointment and got to see another ultrasound of the baby, but this time, we had the option to find out baby #4's gender. Since we have already waited for most of the pregnancy, we figured that a few more weeks wouldn't hurt. As we sat there in the office, though, I think we both were still tempted. But we were strong and will just have to wait to find out.

Other than not learning the sex of the baby, the doctor said that he/she looks healthy. Kerri is measuring a little ahead of schedule, but the due date is still December 27th. Hope it's not a Christmas baby! Please continue to pray for a safe and healthy delivery.

Home Improvement 101

In trying to get prepared to return to the States, we had some stuff that had to get done. One of those was to replace the kitchen faucet. I thought this post would serve to assist you if you ever wanted to change a kitchen faucet in Africa and didn't know just how to do it. Enjoy...

Step 1 - Stopping the water flow

In Zambia, we're not allowed to turn off the water to our house without having someone from the water company come out and turn it off for us. If we have a shut-off valve somewhere after the meter, we can turn it off there, but unfortunately for us, the shut-off valve for our cold water is stripped and therefore, we were unable to shut it off.  So, how did I get around this first challenge?  Easy, I went into the bathroom and turned on the cold water full blast.  This took the water pressure from the kitchen sink and allowed me to remove the old faucet.

Step 2 - Plugging up the cold water outlet

When I got the new faucet ready to install and began to screw it on, the bolt for the connection on the new faucet cracked - meaning that I needed to get another one.  I couldn't leave the cold water running in the bathroom while I went to the store.  So, I had to seal the pipe and turn off the water in the bathroom.  How did I do this?  Even easier, a potato!  It works rather nice, don't you think?

Step 3 - Drilling a hole

The reason the new faucet cracked was because the hot water pipe (on the left) was coming through the wall at an angle.  The angle was too great to get the new faucet back on.  So, I grabbed a screwdriver and a hammer and began chipping away.  After getting help from our guard Charles, we finally were able to get through the entire wall and loosen the pipe.

Step 4 - Seal the Joint

After unsuccessfully trying to seal the joint using pipe tape (several different times) I had to resort to desperate measures.  I bought some PVC sealant from a local hardware store (there was nothing else in the stores here to use).  After coating the joint several times, I proved what I expected, PVC sealant doesn't work on metal pipes.

Step 5 - Ask for help

After trying several different things over the period of a few days, I finally gave up and enlisted the help of my teammate Graham Melville.  He quickly diagnosed that the joint was too loose and that the answer was to use pipe tape, which I had tried to use, but to use a lot more of it.  After spending 2 days trying to fix the leak, Graham fixed it in 15 minutes.

Step 6 - Cover the hole with cement and live with a leaning faucet

Because the pipes are so old, I didn't want to risk breaking them by putting undue pressure on them.  So, instead of trying to bend the pipe upward to give a level faucet, we just covered the hole with cement and left the sink leaning a little to the left.  It may not look all that great, but it isn't leaking!

We've Arrived!

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who prayed for our trip back to the States.  We left Lusaka on Wed at 9:00 am Zambia time and arrived this afternoon in Columbia at 12:00 pm (about 34 hours of travel and lay-overs).

Anyways, the trip went wonderful.  Maddie, who we were worried about being difficult to handle, was perfect.  She slept when she was supposed to sleep and didn't fuss too much.  Thank you for your prayers.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

We fly out this morning at 9:00 am our time.  Please pray for safety during the flights and pray also for Maddie.  Pray that she will do okay in transit.  She is a very busy 19 month old and we have an 18 hour flight across the ocean.  We look forward to seeing many of you very soon.

Preaching and Singing at Great Commission

Today, Kerri and I will be worshipping at Great Commission Baptist Church for the last time before we head home.  Kerri and a few of the members of the church will be singing during the worship time and Pastor Kandela has asked me to preach.  I'm writing this post a week in advance.  So, sorry we won't have any pictures.  I'll try to write a post about the service once we return to the States.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Thank you so much for all of you who contacted us about sharing what God is doing here in Zambia. It's beginning to look like our time in the States will be sort of a whirlwind trip. After arriving on the 13th, we have several speaking engagements. Our last available Sunday morning is November 23rd, but we do have some openings to share at bible studies and other mid-week gatherings. If you would like for us to come and share about what God is doing in Zambia, please contact us.

Schedule of Events for Home Visit

November

• Thurs 13 Arrive in Columbia
• Sat 15 Dinner at the Birds
• Mon 17 Lutheran Men’s Group, Living Springs 7:00 pm
• Wed 19 Kerri to share at Ladies Bible Study
• Thurs 20 Dept of Juvenile Justice 10:00-11:15
• Fri 21  Cason Group Bible Study
• Thurs 27 Thanksgiving
• Sun 30 Virginia Wingard UMC, both services

December

• Thurs 4 FBC Special Ed. Dinner 7:00 pm, singing only
  
• Sat 6 Kiawah Marathon
• Sat 27 Baby Roberts # 4 is Due

January

• Sun 4 NE Presbyterian, sing and share/interview
  
• Fri 9 Brent & Kerri's 10th Wedding Anniversary
• Sun 11 Columbia Crossroads (Home Church), share
• Wed 14 - 19 Out of Town
• Sun 25 FBC Sunday School Classes, 9:00 am, share
  
• Sun 25 Rehoboth UMC, 11:00 am, sing and share
  
• Thurs 29 Kerri - UMC Womens Group @ Virginia Wingard, 7:00

February

• Sun 1 Lee and Shannon Winters' Church in Whitmire
  
• Sun 1 Charleston Baptist, 6:00 pm
  
• Thurs 5 - 8 Out of Town
• Sun 15 Lake Oconee Presbyterian Church, Sunday School & morning service
  
• Thurs 19 Leave for Zambia
  

Meet the Discipleship for Leaders Class

For the past 10 weeks, we have been meeting with 12 pastors and church leaders and teaching them how to disciple members of their own congregations.  Graham Melville recently brought in a video camera and interviewed the participants to see how the class has affected them personally.  Below is a link to those interviews.  Please take the time to learn more about the men we are working with on a weekly basis.

Click Here

The Calm Before the Storm

It is 10:00 pm on Friday October 31st and the Zambian election results are about to be announced at midnight.  I wish we had internet access tomorrow so I could share with you who won and how it has affected Lusaka and the surrounding areas, but unfortunately, this will have posted before all of that stuff happens.  Since Zambians are so into politics (they follow their politics as well as U.S. politics very closely), we thought we would give you an update and peek into their presidential elections happening right now as I type.

In the last election (2006), there was widespread speculation of vote tampering by the MMD (the current ruling party).  I'm not saying that was the case, but it was the sentiments of many Zambians we have spoken with.  On the eve of the announcement, Michael Sata of the PF party was winning.  Then suddenly, the last count was announced and MMD representative Levy Mwanawasa was declared the winner.  Shortly after the announcement, riots broke out in many of the shanty compounds in Lusaka, including Garden which is less than a half a mile from our home.  The riot police were called in and Sata went on public radio and requested his supporters to stand down.  Eventually, everything settled down, but there are many many Zambians that believe that the true winner wasn't declared the President of Zambia.

In this year's election, Zambians are telling us that things are beginning to look very similar to the 2006 elections.  There is suspected vote tampering (i.e. Earlier this week, MMD staff were caught driving a truck carrying over 600,000 additional ballots.  Also, early today, an MMD representative was caught and is being investigated for putting pre-filled ballots into an already secure ballot box).  And Michael Sata, just like in 2006, is leading by a substantial margin (As of tonight at 8:30 pm, Michael Sata was leading by nearly 50,000 votes.  In fact, he has had a substantial lead all day).  But unlike in 2006 when Sata requested his supporters to stop the rioting and violence, rumor has it, he will not do the same this time.

This is what is beginning to concern us.  We're outsiders.  We don't know which political leader would best meet the needs of this country.  It could be Banda or it could be Sata.  But we are aware that if the 2008 elections end the same way as the 2006 elections, this presents the biggest opportunity for widespread rioting, violence and political unrest.  

We are well aware that it is the Lord who establishes rulers and authorities, and our prayer is that this appointment will come in peace, whoever it is.  And our prayer is, also, that whoever is appointed leader will fear God and govern the people by His wisdom.  Would you join us in this prayer?  Would you pray for our safety and the safety of our team?  We are less than a mile from where the votes are being counted and the announcement will be made.  And we are also less than 1/2 a mile from one of the largest compounds in Lusaka and one that is primarily a Sata supporter.  Pray that if violence breaks out that it will be contained as much as possible and that we will be safe in our homes.

One advantage of being in Zambia as opposed to some other countries in the world is that Zambians are usually a peace loving and tranquil people.  As one Zambian put it "We might get upset, but hey, we're Zambians.  We won't stay mad for too long."

Silence

This post is just to inform you that we will be without internet access beginning tonight at 12:00 am our time.  Since we are leaving for the States in 12 days, we decided not to pay for another month's worth of coverage.  It doesn't mean that you will stop hearing from us though.  We have written a few blogs that will post periodically over the next two weeks.  We'll update you as soon as we have landed and settled back in good-ole South Carolina.  We look forward to seeing and sharing with many of you while we're back on baby furlough.  Also, keep an eye out for our latest prayer letter.  It should be coming out soon!

Blessings

Brent & Kerri

Pay Backs !!!

A while ago my dear friends, the Robert's, hijacked my blog...well Brent, next time you sign out you need to watch out for Graham and his stealth computer skills.

This is a photo of Brent being a complete chicken after falling out of a raft while white water rafting...SO CUTE!!! This photo has been put out for a caption competition...so far we have "Oh dear, I've wet my pants"..."Our Father, who art in heaven..." Please submit your "caption" in the comments below.

As you all know, the Roberts are leaving us in a few weeks...please take care of them while they are at home so they can return to us quickly! We are so blessed to have them on our AZ team...

Consider this payback for the countless number of dirty "Maddy" diapers hidden in various vehicles for weeks on end!!! We will miss you!!!

Megan & Graham for the "AZ Victims of Brent's Shenanigans"

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FYI....(Updated after I found out that I had been dooped!)

This is what the boat looked like just before the above picture was taken. Just thought I would give some perspective. Thanks Megan for the post.

~Brent