MAKING A DIFFERENCE ONE FAMILY, ONE LEADER AT A TIME

In a previous post, I introduced you to Dainess Chibuye (pictured below with her children), a young mother widowed shortly after the birth of her fifth child. She feeds her children through inadequate earnings received after breaking large rocks gathered by her children into smaller stones with a sledge hammer and selling the pieces as gravel. She attends the Matambo's church and they know her well.

Counter-clockwise from left to right: Kennedy, Dainess (mother), Within (yes it's her real name), Kasongo, and Musonda. Not pictured is oldest child John. December 2007

I knew before moving to Zambia that my most difficult challenge in living here would be feeling overwhelmed by the enormous needs. I was right. The day I went to the compounds with the Matambos to see their church and meet some of the people living in the surrounding area, we drove past hungry children, through raw sewage to reach the church which sits right in the middle of it all; AND this is within a forty-minute walk from our home.

As I toured the church, viewed the termite mound from which the bricks for the church were formed, and met several mothers along with their children, I smiled and chatted; yet inwardly I felt as if grief would crush me to the core. There is no way we can change the suffering of all the impoverished people living in this beautiful country. Yet if we concentrate on possibilities instead of limitations, we will accomplish our part of God's plan in Zambia. No one person or organization can erase the hardships most Zambians live with every day.

Dainess Chibuye, appears to be malnourished. One obvious solution to at least part of Zambia's orphan crisis is to help parents get/stay healthy so that they can raise and care for their own children. This woman's children have already experienced the death of their father. I pray they don't lose their mother as well.

"We" meaning all of those who support our work here, bought 50 kg of mealy meal and a jug of oil purchased at a "bring your own container" bulk oil center for Dainess and her children. Nshima, Zambia's staple food along with vegetables fried in oil, provides much needed calories for the strenuous work required for daily survival. We will continue our monthly support as long as it is needed.

I so wanted to deliver these treasured foods to the family myself but for a number of reasons, knew that it must be Augustine and Bridget who would present the gifts. When the poor of Zambia see a white person, they think "provision." They believe that we are capable of fixing their problems with large sums of money and we just can't nor should we.

I believe that it will take Zambian leaders of families all the way to leaders in government who are willing to believe, trust, and act as though there are solutions other than corruption that can change their lives for the better. Our part is identifying and training such leaders who will put God's ways to the test even when it seems the only path to success is to take advantage of people around them.

Why Augustine and Bridget? Because they are already ministering to the sick and feeding the poor here in Ndola. They and their church leaders have built a church from the ground up and planted the surrounding fields with peanuts and corn. We are only assisting what they already have in place. And our huge garden? We have more corn growing than we could ever eat. Augustine and Bridget will give much of the harvest to widows who will then sell it in the markets. With the money they earn from our garden, they can buy treated seeds (seeds are treated to prevent consumption by termites) and tools for planting their own gardens.

Zambians themselves must see that they are the people best suited for making lasting changes in their compounds and communities. They are smart and resourceful. They are incredibly strong. They know which plants, fruits and mushrooms growing in the wild are safe to eat. They are experts at surviving conditions I can't even imagine living in and they do so every day. I have tremendous admiration and respect for Zambia's people. It is "I" who learn from them instead of the other way around.

We sent Augustine with the boys' camera to get these photos after delivering the mealy meal and oil. The little boy on the left is not one of Dainess's children but the little one behind him is her youngest, Musonda.

Unfortunately, not all of Dainess's children were present when Augustine delivered the food. But for those of you who pray, please pray for each one of them by name: John, Kasongo, Kennedy, Within, and Musonda, the little one peeking from behind the mealie meal.

We are blessed to partner with the some of the most loving, gracious, caring people on the planet. TOGETHER we make a great team. We pray with thanksgiving for each and every one who supports our ministry with prayer, encouraging emails, and/or financial giving. Jason and I are truly humbled by knowing that so many believe in what God is doing through our family here in Zambia. We never take any of you for granted!

Blessings and joy,
Beckie