Thanks for taking sometime to read my blog for my trip to Zambia this Summer. Prior to departure, I think it would only be nice if I took sometime to give an overview of what exactly the Lord has laid on my heart as well as what opportunities he has revealed to me so far and what it may entail for the future. This post is especially long just because of the fact that there has been a ton of preparation that has gone into this trip, and so many wonderful people to thank for their support. Just a side note, any attached pictures in this post are from my trip to Zambia two years ago. With the slow internet connection, I'm not so sure I'll be able to attach any pictures from this trip throughout this summer or next.
Below is a pretty prolonged summary of the different potential projects that God has laid on my heart as well as on Bianca's Heart. For those of you who would like a reader's digest version, just read the below paragraph, and then skip to the very bottom where I have listed some things you can pray for. This summer Bianca and I will be spending a total of 8 weeks in Linda Compound of Lusaka Zambia. In my trip with Bianca and Tiffany two years ago, Bianca and I were blessed to spend about a week in that community.
Linda is a population of about 25,000 people, a rural area farming community. Linda can be reached with a 20 minute bus ride from the capital of Zambia. Linda is a very impoverished community. While statistics cannot be for sure, based off of the national averages, 1 in nearly 5 adults in Linda compound is HIV positive. With only one local area clinic that provides some medical care, HIV patients are pretty much helpless. The community has limited to no electricity, no running water, no sanitation system, as well as not internet whatsoever.This summer we will be working with a local NGO named Light of Hope ran by Zambian Nationals. This organization's main goal is to serve the HIV positive community and has now expanded its services to combating issues of Malaria care, water sanitation, child care, alcoholism. The main vision the lord has laid on my heart is to enter into conversation with this community what are the resounding needs of the community coming from the community leaders, what has the lord blessed me with, and what are the potentials of meeting those needs if God would have me return the next year. With that here is a program by program summary.
I]. HIV Palliative Care Focus
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| LOH Caregivers |
About under a decade ago, Light of Hope was founded by Zambian nationals: a pastor and a carpenter. The two created a care giving program that kept track of the HIV positive patients of the community serving them in terms of trying to improve their lifestyle, praying with them, as well as providing Antiretroviral drugs if they don’t have TB (while ARVs are free in Zambia, most can’t be administered because patients have TB). What was once a caregiver program of over 50 individuals, has since then turned into a program of about 6 caregivers due to lack of incentives for the volunteer program. This summer, much of the 8 weeks will be exploring possibilities on how the organization can provide sources of profit to support caregivers. We will also explore ways to internally keep the organization together providing support to the caregivers themselves.
Aside from the research about best forms of profit for the organizations, the group will also explore ways to better utilize caregivers in terms of educating the community on issues such as sanitation, (latrines) as well as drinking water, to improve the lifestyle of HIV positive individuals in the community.
II]. Water purification and Sanitation
As stated above the focus of this research group is exploring is how to improve the living circumstances for HIV positive patients and the community in general. Working with local NGO, Light of Hope, the group hopes to work to understand certain needs in the community, look for ways that God has blessed us in the states and see how we can look to improve their lifestyle in the future.
Through connections through Aqua Clara as well as SWIM, the group will be bringing in two types of water purification technology into the community in order to explore what’s the best method to provide water in the most efficient and cost effective way. The team will also be conducting tests on e-coli and cholera content of water sources for the HIV patients that Light of Hope serves. This summer will consist of understanding the plausibility of providing these pieces of technology in a sustainable matter and seeing how God would use it to extend his kingdom.
One of these needs includes latrines for sanitation. These issues include ways of garbage disposal in alternative to burning. Light of Hope would also like to explore the easiest way of owning a pit latrine and also best methods for drainage systems for the community. Houses in the community are close quartered and the terrain consists mainly of dirt, gravel and reddish clay.
III]. Soccer Program
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| LOH Player, Michael Trying on donated shoes |
In this last decade Light of Hope has started to tackle the issue of alcoholism. In order to confront alcoholism, the organization worked to start a local area soccer team. In the last 3 years, the team makes no cuts for its girls and boys teams. The boy’s team has over 50 players. The key to these organizations is the fact that all the youth enjoy coming out to play soccer and practice daily thereby keeping youth out of bars and off the street as well. This summer under the blessings the Lord, God has provided many compassionate organizations including: Charity Ball/ Vox United, the Hope College Soccer Team, Calvary Baptist Academy of Midland Michigan, and Calvary Christian Schools of Holland Michigan. Through these organizations, we will be taking 15 brand new soccer balls, 20 pairs of soccer cleats, as well as two sets of uniforms, two sets of goal nets and 4 sets goal keeper gloves to support the efforts of Linda’s soccer program.
Please pray that under this program the Lord would just use this blessed equipment to extend this kingdom. Please also pray for accountability and wisdom for Bianca and myself as we would know who exactly to distribute all this equipment to amount these team members. Also pray that the Lord would raise up leaders among these team members that have a desire to create accountability groups to keep their fellow team and community members from making the mistake of falling into alcoholism and other damaging practices.
IV Clothing Program
In April of this year Manna Vintage Faith in collaboration with a multitude of wonderful volunteers across Hope Campus and the Holland Community held a large rummage sale at Manna. All proceeds from the fundraiser went towards a clothing fund that we will be establishing lord willing in Zambia this summer. The fund will be used to purchase clothing to distribute into the Linda Compound. Clothing will be sold to those in Linda can afford it to replenish resources, but in addition be given to the families (specifically those who are HIV positive) who can’t afford it.
*That the Lord would bless the ministry of LOH and provide many opportunities of
sharing the gospel through the spreading of used clothing to HIV + communities
*That the Lord would give Sam discernment during the evaluation and informational
interviews of the community on what the Lord would have him do to proceed.
*That Sam and Bianca can connect with local organizations in Lusaka to bring the
entire body of Christ together in serving one another in doing the Lord’s work
*That the Lord would be glorified through all things said, thought, and done on this
trip, Amen.
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| LOH Staff from 2009 |
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