Looking back. Looking forward...

You will be pleased to hear that the school was completed in the autumn and on the 4th November 2010 the school handover celebration took place. 81 volunteers came from the UK with Mission Direct and were involved in the building. £32,000 was also raised to support Fountain of Hope, Old Macdonald's Farm, Kumbaya, House of Moses and the Home Based Care Volunteers. In addition, two boys who died whilst living on the streets had funerals paid for by volunteers, allowing them to be buried with dignity.

The Mission Direct trips to Zambia are still as popular as ever and we have now branched out into running Medical Teams also. If you are at all curious about these opportunities feel free to ring the UK office on 01582 720056. 

Saturday 17th July 2010

Well, we are on the plane to Nairobi and the whole trip feels a bit of a dream. What an amazing experience this has been and I can truthfully say it has not only been the best thing I’ve ever done but it has also brought out the best in me. I feel so blessed and privileged to have met the people I have and so inspired by what I have seen. It’s going to be so hard to express effectively to people back home how this has changed me. I am half dreading the ‘How was Zambia?’ question as you can’t ever really understand it until you’ve soaked it up yourself.

All I can say is that I wish everyone had the opportunity to see what I’ve seen and meet both a wonderful team and also local people with such strength and trust in God. All apprehensions about the trip have been dealt with and I have learnt more than I could have ever imagined. As I once heard, ‘Courage is not the absence of fear, just the belief that there is something more important than fear’. I have felt that with God at my side, trusting is the key to coping with unfamiliarity and challenges. If you just throw yourself into life, then what you learn from experiences will over-ride any fear you had to take the plunge.   

Thursday 15th July 2010

As with any Mission Direct trip, the last couple of days are spent exploring the country a bit further and having 'downtime'. In our case Livingstone! After the 5.30am start yesterday, we piled on the bus for the 8 hour journey. The scenery was beautiful, vast African savannah! Mainly tarmacked road but got stopped at umpteen checkpoints, but that’s Africa for you. I was so impressed by our driver who calmly navigated the last 30km of dirt road.

After a quick settle in and shower (much appreciated!) we were whisked off for a sunset cruise down the Zambezi River. The most civilised thing I’ve ever done! We sat on the top deck, the sun was shining and we had drinks and nibbles. There were plenty of hippos, exotic birds and crocs (apparently we were told that there is a crocodile for every 5 metres of water, can you believe it!)    

Today started off eventfully as I lay awake listening to things crawl about in the thatch roof of the lodge (it doesn’t bare thinking about!) Just as I wondered what was scurrying above my head my mosquito net came out of the ceiling, on top of me! My poor roomie awoke to find me trying to suppress the giggles as I balanced on my bed by torchlight trying to screw the hook back in. Not a pretty sight at that time in the morning, but hysterical all the same!

Anyway, in the morning we headed to Victoria Falls. After donning our lovely ponchos we headed through the forest park. The sheer size of the falls is just mind-blowing. The best bit (that really let you know you’re alive!) was walking across a footbridge over the gorge. As you walked across you are immediately soaked as it felt like you’d stepped into torrential rain, crazy!

We then headed to the other side and saw the Victoria Falls Bridge before awkwardly bumping into a guy skinny dipping in the Zambezi. Whatever floats your boat! We then headed back out to the market but not before being stopped in our tracks by a few huge baboons that seem to have free reign of the place. Anyway, next we were swept off to the country club which was so upmarket!

Afterward a lovely lunch was the safari. Our guide picked us up  before we headed out of the town on the open sided safari bus. A classic African experience as we saw zebra, giraffe, buffalo, wildebeest, wart hogs, impala and of course the highlight, the elephants! After such a packed day we headed back to the lodge just after sunset to freshen up before going out to a lovely restaurant. It was really special just to spend time, enjoying the company of the team. I can’t quite believe that we didn’t know each other until last week. When you live like this you get to know everyone so well and have such a laugh, alongside the challenges of each day.  

 

Tuesday 13th July 2010

It was sad to say 'goodbye' to the builders and the local kids today as it was our last session at the site. But we were able to play some games and leave some balloons behind which was lovely.

Afterwards, we headed to the Kumbayah Centre to help with a feeding programme. We were mobbed by hundreds of kids on arrival! It was so overwhelming to see them running down the street to us like a stampede. Such an impoverish area, much like where we have been building. The shock of seeing people live like this is never really dulled.

When we arrived the sun was beating down, but the feeding centre volunteers played their African drums and danced for us.  The kids then did a poetry recital and drama also. What an honour!

At this point it was degenerating into a ‘Lost in Translation’ feeling as everything was in the local language which left us completely clueless. We just clapped, waved and danced as appropriate!

After being hustled into two tiny classrooms we began the food distribution. About 70 of the tiniest kids were squeezed into there to eat so that they didn’t get trampled in the crush. It was total mayhem as big pots of Nshima merrily cooked at the back of the room. There was only one door meaning there were riots as kids begged to be fed. It was heart-breaking.

Our team leader stepped in as crowd control as locals began using sticks to hold the kids back. I couldn’t get over the desperation on their faces as they tried to grab the food through the bars at the windows. The hardest thing of all is that there wasn’t enough food to go round so some kids were turned away. It was really hard stuff to deal with. I will never forget the desperation I saw today; to see what it really means to be hungry.

 

Monday 12th July 2010

This morning for me was the emotional climax of the visits that Mission Direct had prepared. We picked up the leaders from 'Fountain of Hope' and accompanied them on their daily street outreach.

I can't even begin to verbalise the downtown city markets where we met with the street kids. They were sat on top of huge rubbish piles with flies everywhere. It stunk of fish as some people were sat in the dirt trying to sell these tiny fish. Although most of the boys we met were in their mid-teens, they had the faces of old men. They were so filthy, covered in a dense grim from not washing for so long. Most were high on ‘sticka’ which they sniff from bottles or cloths. They were so spaced out with vacant eyes and not walking straight. Some spoke English, others didn’t.

Our team looked out for each other as we manoeuvred through crowds and dodgy bridges over dirty water and rubbish. The four guys from FOH who were brillaint at looking after us. It was quite a threatening environment and I was surprised how relaxed I felt. I never felt unsafe and once you realise that kids are just kids you can do your best to chat with them and try to encourage them to go to FOH to receive some help.

A couple of the team stayed on the bus when we went out on the street, so once we’d finished, we re-grouped and drove to the building site. We have now filled in the foundations ready for the next team who will do the concrete floor and start building the walls. It was probably the most physically challenging afternoon so far. We were all starting to flag a bit as the temperature crept up. It is now nearer to 30°C, yet the locals are still in their winter attire as it is the middle of the Zambian winter!

    

Sunday 11th July 2010

‘Fountain of Life’ Church this morning. There was a roof and walls but no windows, but that certainly didnt' dampen the mood! Such a unique experience in a very deprived area. The service was very long, like any African service, but we got another dose of incredible choir singing. The vuvuzela in the praise team was definitely a surprise but it is the World Cup final today after all!

After refreshments (Coke, Fanta or Sprite from authentic glass bottles) we went straight to Old Macdonald’s Farm. Owned by a Scottish couple who had moved to Zambia originally on business, I was overwhelmed with awe for such an amazing place. The farm grows vegetables and coffee as well as nurturing its livestock and fish pond.

After moving to the Ex-pat community of Lusaka, the family quickly became involved in the lives of the boys living on the streets and began taking food to them. The first boy that they adopted had fallen ill and after they nursed him back to health, they didn’t feel they could send him back to the streets! Before long they began opening their house to the boys for a Sunday lunch club. There are now over 25 boys living on the farm. 

They stressed that the farm isn’t an orphanage, but a family, and you can really see the love shared between them all. It was interesting to see what life is like for Ex-pats living in Zambia. They also have two biological daughters who said how much they had loved growing up in Zambia. What an inspirational family!

Saturday 10th July 2010

After yesterday's time spent with the home care volunteers it was lovely to see some more of the work that they are doing in the community today.

In addition to the weekly visits to the sick in the community, they also run a monthly clinic, which happened to fall today. The volunteers had such limited facilities but at least they had four qualified doctors visting from the local hospital. Eye tests were carried out, check-ups were also offered, along with dispensing some basic medicine. The 8 year old HIV positive girl we visited yesterday was there for her check-up, and came up to me with a big beam on her face. She is feeling much better today and her temperature has gone down.

The contrast was this afternoon's visit to the shopping centre. Very surreal to be suddenly aware of western familiarites for the first time since we arrived in Zambia. There was a cinema, Spar and Subway, but the context was far from the high street back home. I was pleased to be able to go to the internet cafe and send an email home.To complete the shopping trip, Zambian stamps, newspaper and of course a postcard were bought!

The day finished nicely with ‘Bangers n Mash’ (not very African but still very welcomed!) and then worship with the praise group from ECZ Church. Finally, we rehearsed for our singing slot in the service tomorrow; one word....hysterical! We simply don’t have the musical capabilities of the Zambians and don’t get me started on attempting to choreograph swaying as a group!

 

Friday 9th July 2010

As with everything here, each new day brings new challenges but also new blessings. I didn’t quite know how I’d cope with the home care visits. We accompanyed the local volunteers on their visits to the sick in the community. The first two houses we visited were home to families caring for HIV positive relatives, one of whom was only 8 years old and being cared for by her mother’s cousin, since her mother’s death. In the second house there were 16 people living under one roof, with only one regular income. Suddenly poverty has faces, names and stories.

I found the final visit particularly poignant as you simply feel so helpless. The gentleman that we visited had been an accountant and there were English management books on the shelf. You could tell he was once a very able man, but three years ago he had a stroke which left him with paralyzed legs. He was so frail and skeletal with the thinnest legs I have ever seen. His wheelchair wasn’t at all padded, had part of an arm missing and the tyres had seen better days.

Having worked as an assistant to a disabled woman back home, to see the lack of support he receives was just heart-breaking. The pressure on his wife is huge as she is also a teacher so can't be with him in the day. He enjoys reading but lacks stimulation as he is housebound since the stroke. He tries to go to the clinic when he can, but sometimes they simply can’t afford the taxi fare. His chair can't be used outside as the rocks, rubbish and dust forming the streets make it so uneven.

We were able to leave some blankets and Nshima (local maize staple) mix today, but only as Mission Direct  had paid for it. The fact that the home based care volunteers are regularly visiting these people who are so isolated from the community, is really encouraging.  

On a lighter note, the tailor came back with my dress this afternoon. He has worked wonders and I feel really privileged to have had something specially made. I have also now fathomed how to tie my Chatenga (a wrap-round skirt that all local women wear) and the Zambian’s are thrilled that we are making an effort to blend in with them. Unfortunatly, I don't quite the same blending in skills when it comes to carrying washing on my head as the local ladies do with such ease!

 

Thursday 8th July 2010

This really is the best thing that has ever happened to me and it's so hard to express emotion this rich on paper! This morning the guys went to the building site and the girls went to a Maid Training Centre. We were able to give out some wool and dress patterns from the UK and it was such a special moment to pass on such appreciated gifts.

We spent most of the morning knitting with the ladies, which is just what we needed after such a busy few days! The tailor then came back to the compound and had sewn my dress. He has a few adjustments to make and then it’ll be done!

We then had a prep meeting for the home care visits we are doing tomorrow. The team of local volunteers support those in the community who are ill and we will be accompanying them on their rounds. I spoke at length to one local volunteer who was so passionate about his country and told me all about the problems facing Zambians, including flooding and the copper market collapse. I wish I could listen to him talk for 3 hours every Tuesday morning rather than my current social development lecturer! So much better to hear it from the people whose lives are directly impacted.  

I am so overwhelmed with the love we have in this team. We seem to be growing so close now and all reserve has been replaced by banter and laughter! I am leading our morning devotion tomorrow and this closeness has inspired me to explore Romans 12. After our discussion this morning on the protection of Christ’s love being like that of an eagle's wing (linked in well to the eagle on the Zambian flag) I hope tomorrows message can be as useful to the group.

Wednesday 7th July 2010

I literally can’t begin to put into words the emotional rollercoaster which was today.

Walking through the ramshackle housing to the building site still doesn't get any easier. There is always something to stop you in your tracks. Today the kids were waving at us and I was waving to one boy and couldn’t work out what he was waving back at me. As we got closer I saw he was dangling dead mice by their tails! Mind you, if there are no toys available, the kids just learn to play with whatever is to hand.

It was warmer today but we still made good progress on the foundations. After lunch we drove to ‘Fountain of Hope’ (FOH). What an incredible place! The journey itself took longer than expected as the President’s convoy passed and the police stopped all the traffic. We went through a different part of the city and it was a shock to see western looking buildings and tarmacked car parks with painted bays! It's funny the things that strike you most are things you've never really considered before. Car park bays in this case!

After each introducing ourselves to the boys (90% of Zambia's street kids are boys), we were left to mingle. I ended up playing volleyball with some of them and the most eccentric teacher. As the sun set we headed to the dining room where the boys sang the most incredible songs and our team, as expected also, (less tunefully, but in good heart) sang a couple. The energy in that room blew me away and by the end of the night I was as hoarse as if I’d been to a gig!  Such a party atmosphere and many boys spoke and cried so openly as they shared their stories.  

We then shared Nshima (local staple maize mash) and cabbage before shaking hands with every boy as they thanked and hugged us all; such a special moment. I was so moved in fact that I sobbed most of the way home. Such beautiful moments of connection with people from such a different world to my own. This has been one of the most special nights of my life.