Tuesday 6th July 2010

This morning we visited a vocational training centre; another place of real positivity. There was a joinery workshop where the guys were making beautiful furniture, often used in schools. In the next room the ladies were sewing and knitting, both to clothe their own families, and also to provide school uniforms. One of them let me have a go on the knitting machine. It’s exciting to think that somewhere a child will be wearing a jumper for school with my 91 lines of knitting!

After lunch we went back to the building site. Today we were filling in the blocks which are making up the foundations. After yesterday’s block shifting, my arms were thankful for less heavy work! Still the temperature is so pleasant for working in and the local builders seem to be enjoying having the extra help.   

Many of the same kids as yesterday came to see us. There was one little boy who wears a full pumpkin costume! Clearly it’s been donated, but he seems just happy that it fits.

Finally, we had dinner with two of the team from the ‘Fountain of Hope’ Centre. I could have listened to them talk all night, as they shared their incredible stories. They were once living on the streets, but have turned their lives around and now run the centre which helped them off the street. After how moving tonight was, I hope I have the right words to say to encourage the boys we meet tomorrow on our visit.

In true African style we’ve had our first power cut tonight so I best leave it there…

Monday 5th July 2010

Today was our first project visit; ‘House of Moses’. It's a centre for abandoned babies and the most uplifting and inspirational place. Unloved babies, born into such harsh situations, are now receiving a second chance. Sobering stuff, yet such a place of hope!

We then drove to our building site for the next fortnight; parking the minibus and walking to the site of the new school. The first glimpse of horrific poverty really takes your breath away. Rubbish on the street, children with no shoes and dirty faces, women sat round precariously balanced fires. Yet they all have wonderful smiles and waves.

We are the first team of five travelling with Mission Direct from the UK this summer to work on the school building project. Therefore, our role is to lay the foundations. So we spent most of the time today shifting the breeze blocks and positioning them (under the instructions of the local builders!). Hard work, but as a team you could see the progress.

Many kids came out of the woodwork looking for love and attention so some of the team did ‘Ring-a-Ring-a-Roses’ and ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’ which went down well. Action songs seem to overcome the language barrier and it just shows the power of music to connect people.

Such a treat in store when we got back, as the local tailor visited to measure everyone for their African clothes. Such colourful fabrics to pick from! I can’t wait to see the results.

Sunday 4th July 2010

I’m sat here under a huge mosquito net which took ½ hour work out how to put up! We finally made it to our Chamba Valley at 4am and are staying in basic bungalows owned by the Evangelical Church of Zambia (ECZ). After a few hours shut-eye we were up and about this morning for church. The choir sounded beautiful, Africans have such an innate rhythm! I was really surprised to hear them singing songs that we sing back home in the UK; small world or what!

Afterwards, we walked to Kiine School where the headteacher shared his vision for educating 1,000 children. I was surprised how cool it was today and I was too much of a wuss to go in the pool, although a couple of the team braved the cold and had a dip!

It was great to then have a proper sit-down, home-cooked meal after what felt like days of plane-food and nibbles! I was curious as to what we would be eating here in Zambia but we had a lovely bean casserole and rice with loads of butternut squash. I needn’t have worried!

Sunday 4th July 2010 (just!)

Well, we are on the third and final flight to Lusaka, Zambia. I can’t get over the fact that people see the world as such a small place and it’s amazing to think people are doing epic journeys like this every single day. Hearing people’s stories on the plane is an inspiration.  On the last flight (Nairobi to Lilongwe) I sat with a couple from Texas who have been in Malawi for 8 years building and establishing orphanages. He had such trust in God’s plan for him and had resigned from a position as a hospital executive to do this voluntary work- incredible!

Having never done a long haul journey before, I wasn’t quite sure what it would be like but on the first flight (9 hours) the plane was comfy and really spacious. I watched ‘Dear John’ and not surprisingly discovered that the book was better than the film! Despite such a long day the team is still in good spirits. There are 15 of us from the UK, ranging in age from 14 to late 60s. We are just taking off and climbing above Lilongwe but we can’t see much out of the window as it’s dark and apparently only 6% of the housing has electricity, so no lights!

New Beginnings

Some people like to keep diaries, I'm not naturally such a person. However, when travelling I make an exception.

The other day I stumbled across a diary that I kept for two weeks, documenting my time spent on a Mission Direct  trip to Zambia in 2010. As someone who has spent most of my holidays in a much-loved caravan in the English countryside, I felt it was important to record on paper such a unique experience.

This was also the beginning of quite a journey for me, as now 3 years on, I'm sat in the Mission Direct office, working full time for the charity. I could never have dreamt of the domino effect that signing up for that trip 3 years ago would have had.

So, over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to share with you the daily anecdotes, thoughts and experiences of a newbie to overseas mission. If you're thinking about coming on a trip, this is a taster of my journey. Welcome aboard...