Brenda in the Tension!

What Would Sandy Say

2008-02-07T01:11:00.000-08:00

I am in Christchurch with some friends. They call themselves Light Others...(instead of the C word) maybe a bit lame but I will go with it. My friend knows a guy at his work who is a light other but "doesn't know it yet". Now this is a new concept for me but I am going with it. I am entertaining it and to be honest I like it.
What makes us like Jesus anyway? Is being like Jesus and not knowing it make you part of the final count?

Anyway back to Sandy.... Sandy bowls up to you and tells you about his break down. Not because he needs a crutch but because he is real. Maybe he senses your pain, or sees your soul. He doesn't small talk. He deep talks in an unasuming and non judgemental way.
Like Sandy we have decided tonight that we need to cut through the crap and get down to the honest and often, more than we realise HARD truth. The stuff the hurts worse than the pain on the outside.

I think that I have come to the conclusion... as I hope you can in someway follow from the above rambilings that to live in community demands honesty. Honesty that hurts. Not just with each other but first with ourselves.
We are broken people and as the Guru would say... People know if you have made friends with your shadows......

Village Life

2007-09-23T22:12:00.000-07:00

I think Kamatipa was everyones favorite. This village is definately a special place for me. A few days of no electricity, pit toilets and hard floors really make a mark.
Although there was only twenty children that where part of the Bright Hope partnership, we had around a hundred. The kids where hard to control due to the number but everyone had fun. Chloe's bear hunt ended in a small stampede but all in all everyone had fun.

The people where so friendly, and it was definately the poorest place we have been to. It was sad that the people live in such poverty. The people travel three hours to the store to buy soap and salt. The children have lots of runny noses and coughs, many older ones walk five hours to school once a week. The partner there, Jeremiah is such an amazing man as he has given up a good life to live in poverty. He is an inspiration. - Chloe.

TO PUSH START

2007-09-23T13:35:00.000-07:00

I have to say that I am the official queen of push starting the van. well.....not the pushing part, but definately the starting part.

I am not sure if we had watered down fuel or if there is some other reason but it took us eight hours to do a four hour trip as the van only went about 50km/hr when it was going.

Marcus and Tim are the hero's of the day jumping out to push the van in the darkness and then having to run and jump into the moving van as we where unable to stop!

Chingola Street Children

2007-09-23T13:12:00.001-07:00

We spent every morning with some children in the city of Chingola. These children where rough, high and generaly unpleasant. The did try hard to stay quiet and cut down to only a few fights an hour. We tried our best to keep them occupied and share Jesus love with them.

We really gained confidence and feel that we portrayed the Gospel well and have planted or watered seeds. - Marcus.

It was a challenge - Tim

Lulamba Lighthouse Orphanage

2007-09-23T12:28:00.000-07:00

Three afternoons last week we spent time with around 30 children in a village called Lulamba. The children are a part of a Bright Hope partnership and are sponsored to school and a monthly meal. This help allows the children to remain with their extended families.

The team had a lot of fun with songs, skits and games.

It was great to see the children being supported in their homes - Marilyn.

The highlight was a bear hunt run by Chloe. The children where led around the house over various obstacles until they met a very scaaary John Bear.
The children where really well behaved and I really enjoyed them. -Tim.

Marcus and Tim preparing for balloon game. Kids singing father Abraham.

Brenda making bead braclets with some kids.

N'Shima

2007-09-23T05:11:00.000-07:00

Shima is the staple in Zambia. Members of the team had a lot of fun trying to stir it. Sad to say they didn't last long.

Chisomo

2007-09-15T12:39:00.000-07:00

KALIKILIKI

2007-09-15T06:29:00.000-07:00

The team was able to go to a local compound (very poor area) church and listen to a lesson on 'gender'. The theology that men and women are equal is shocking at times. It was an interesting cultural orientation for them and a crash course in 'Bemba' the local language.

Here you can see Marilyn with some children outside singing the 'ABC song'. The other two shots are within the church during the study.

A Pythons Tails

2007-09-15T06:21:00.001-07:00

This sooooo trumps Russells 'Helen Clark' picture!

Is it over yet?

Maybe I will take up modeling with Hallenstines.

2007-09-10T02:40:00.001-07:00

Here is Chloe in one of the markets trying on some stunning wigs!!. A lot of women in Zambia where wigs or hair extensions as there hair often doesn't grow long.

2007-09-10T02:34:00.001-07:00

This is our accommodation. Yesterday we had Zebra wandering around but you will have to hit Tim Christie up for that.

The Team ARRIVES

2007-09-09T05:07:00.001-07:00

Look at this stunning bunch fresh off the plane...... Here they are already suffering in Zambia.

The Team A

2007-09-09T05:07:00.000-07:00

Chisomo - a visit

2007-08-14T13:42:00.001-07:00

Here are some pics of me and Irene and some of the children at Chisomo practicing their dancing.

They are looking forward to the BCC/ TeAtatu team visiting and will be dancing for them.

I hope the team are preparing a special dance too!

There are around 20 children living at this drop in center for street children. Many are waiting for sponsorship to school. Waiting for life to start.

They are such awesome young people and some of the people I will miss the most.

Re-Test

2007-08-14T13:34:00.001-07:00

You may remember three months ago I went with ten teenagers to get HIV/AIDS tests. This was a huge deal for these young men and women as they have all been on the receiving end of various kinds abuse.

I can't say it was anything short of a miracle that they where all HIV negative. Meaning that they do not have the virus.

This last week I went with four of them for a follow up test which is required after three months as the virus can remainlatent for this period and undetectable. The other six teens are still away at boarding school so they get there test in November.
Praise God that all four are now completely clear of HIV!!

Please pray for them as they fight to stay pure and remember that they are unique, beautiful, loved children of a God who provides for all their needs.

Say A Little Prayer For US!

2007-08-14T13:24:00.001-07:00

You may remember this little boy (Joshua) on the left. He is the little boy that I named 10 months ago. He was born when his mother was staying with me. Below is his big sister Leise.

Please remember to pray for this little family. Rennie (mum) is struggling to make a small business work and recently thieves broke into her house and took all of her things. She is back at square one again. She still believes that God is faithful to her and is trusting in him for help and provision. She is trusting in him for protection!
Please remember them in your prayers as it is very difficult to be a single mum in this culture.

a short pause

2007-08-13T00:38:00.000-07:00

Well It’s a bit embarrassing how long it has been since I updated this blog!
Shame really.

Well time is really ticking down now but things are still going at full speed!
I had a couple weeks at Maplehurst farm catching up on reports and starting to sort through stuff and now I find myself up in Samfya! The amazing thing is that now we have internet!

The guys from Willow Creek have put in satellite internet to keep Samfya in contact with the world. Which is nice since it is up here that I find myself with a little time.

The next few months are super busy right up till after I leave!!
August is full of HIV/AIDS teaching. During the first week of August I have been asked to run a workshop at and African leaders conference regarding HIV/AIDS in the community. This is a really great opportunity for me to stretch and grow my scope. I will be discussing Bright Hope project models and hopefully facilitating some great networking and strategizing amongst these courageous people.
The second and third week will be spent back at Chisomo running HIV workshops with the teenagers as it is their holiday period. I will be repeating the course I wrote to you about in my last news letter with a new group. Please pray for these kids as this is ultimately a life changing time and has a potential to really make or break them.
The last week of August I will be preparing for the team and packing up my stuff so I am ready. I will also be making a trip up to Samfya to start my goodbyes! It’s amazing how time flies.

Septemeber will be saying goodbye and packing up the first week and then the team arrives so it's all go from the 9th until I leave!

I have put a few photo’s to show you some of the people I have been hanging out with lately.
I hope you enjoy
PEACE

SAMFYA INTERVIEWS

2007-07-14T05:26:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the children and there families that I have been spending time with lately in Samfya. These children are on the Samfya Community Care Providers program and are recipeints of food and school fee's.
We have been following fifty children for the last three years that Bright Hope has been involved. For many life is still just bearable.

Both of the youth in the portrait photo's are 15 years old. I would never have guessed.

CHISOMO

2007-07-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

These are some of the children at Chisomo Street Childrens Centre. They are doing some learning despite the lurking papparazi.

After a hard morning of work we are playing wink murder. Anne is trying to guess who exactly is knocking everyone else off.

CHABA

2007-04-04T05:46:00.000-07:00

Chaba is a new project that Bright Hope is looking into. I spent seven hours on a boat to go and visit it. Its not that it is that far away but it can take 9-12 hours to drive the 200kms. It was so nice going across in the boat and even getting to swim for a few minutes. I was so nice to swim in moving water!!
The people in Chaba are amazing especially those running the project. They have 230 orphans, widows and disabled that they want to assist. They have a great garden project going on and are working hard to make what little they have go a long, long way.

Despite Chaba being a fishing village we were fed tough village chicken- (I know i don't eat chicken but you have to do what you have to do!!!!) I also got to taste cassava nshima which is ground up cassava made into a porridge- YUCK!! It tasted (and smelled) like wet dog!.

Anywho it was a fun time.

BIRTHDAY

2007-04-04T04:51:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who sent birthday wishes and presents. I can't believe I have reached the big quarter century!!
I had a really great day with Tim, Andrea and Ireen- some Action friends the day before my birthday. Andrea made me birthday cup cakes!!!!Mmmmmm.
On the big day I headed off to Protea with the Suttons, the Boddys and Mercy for one huge buffet lunch and lots of relaxation.

Samfya

2007-04-04T04:11:00.000-07:00

Samfya is a village of around 30,000 people way up in the northern part of Zambia. It is situated beside a huge lake and is host to countless seasonal fisherman.
Samfya is the largest orphan project that I am assisting with. It has one thousand children on the program. They each receive nutritional support, school fees, shoes, books, and pens. For many this sponsorship is their only hope for an education. For most it is their only hope of getting a meal everyday.
My role in this project is following up 50 children who randomly represent all the children on the project. I help make sure that they are getting what is being given and try and monitor problems and progress amongst them. It has been an incredibly stretching and moving task. You would not believe how these kids life even if I told you. I find it hard to believe the depths of poverty that I see.
At the moment I am also working on a literacy program. A large number of children in high school can not read. This program is in its infancy and at this stage I cannot discuss many details. We did have Mrs. Sheryl Humphrey a teacher from Tirau out for a week to teach students to tutor others. This was a great beginning to something I hope will develop immensely. (Pictures of: Girl in Samfya, The Vilage, Hayley and I on a boat on the lake.)

SECONDED

2007-04-04T04:04:00.000-07:00

There is much debate regarding the pronunciation of the word 'seconded'. It is sa-conded is it second-ed etc and so forth.
Regardless of this for me it is an exciting new development which has broadened my scope here in Zambia.
Over the next few months I will be working with Bright Hope World, helping with their reporting and project management.
But what does this mean? well in a nutshell.... lots of traveling, lots of talking and lots or writing.
For an in depth meaning you will have to watch as the months unfold.

2007-01-14T03:58:00.000-08:00

South Luangwa

Many of you would have heard that my flatmate Julie is heading back to the states January 18^th. We decided last week that she couldn’t go before we went to see the wonders of South Luangwa. This is a huge game park on the north eastern part of Zambia.

It was really amazing to be there. We spent 6:00am- 10:00am and then 4:00pm-8:00pm riding around on four wheel drives looking at God’s creation. The animals so used to having cars and people around didn’t really pay much attention and where just got on with there lives despite our presence. It was great to be so close, sometimes just meters away. I clocked 24 hours just staring at animals!!

2007-01-14T03:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas BLAST!!

Hey! I hope everyone had a great Christmas. I certainly did. It was really a great time and I feel really blessed to have had such a great day. My flatmate Julie and I headed up to Ndola with the Bright Hope crew (NZers running a farm and orphan projects in Zambia). There we met up with three people from the U.K. One a missionary and the others just come to help out for a while. We all got on so well and ate, drank and played games till the wee hours of the morning.

Food wise we didn’t miss out on anything that we would have had at home. We even had a flaming Christmas pudding with brandy butter!!

2007-01-14T03:47:00.000-08:00

READING

My new project at Chisomo is teaching the kids how to read. The week before Christmas we had classes every day to introduce a new phonetics curriculum to the teachers and children. Chisomo has a few volunteer teachers that it employs. With their help as well as myself and Mercy we where able to divide the kids into groups of four or five to teach them. They really made great progress and were very determined to learn as much as possible.

It was really a great week. Of the children ranging from 8-18 only a third of them could read. Of this group none where reading higher than a standard three or four level.

Please pray for the continued lessons through out the year. That by the end most of them will be able to read. Please pray that they will have the concentration to focus long enough and to remember. Many of them have very small concentration spans and little to no recall due to drug abuse.

The New MAN

2006-11-04T02:35:00.000-08:00

This gorgeous young fellow is the new main man in my life. Joshua Enos Vasco was born on October 17 and is our newest house guest.

Joshua along with his big sister and mother (Rennie) will be staying until we can find them their own place. Please pray for us during this time. Pray that we will find them an affordable house that has both electricity and water. Pray that we can also find means for Rennie to provide for her family.

Mercy Dube

2006-11-04T02:29:00.000-08:00

Mercy Dube

Tribe: Nsenga

Age: 25

Mercy is a very special friend of mine here in Zambia. I met her a few months after I arrived here when we were both helping out with a camp for street children. We team up each week to teach God’s word to girls who live or used to live on the street. Mercy has a special heart for orphans because she is one herself. Both of her parents past away by the time she was twelve years old and she spent the rest of her adolescence being passed around family, friends and boarding school. Mercy had a strong faith from a young age and spent most of her youth wrestling with God over his decision to take her parents and giver her this life. Orphans in Zambia although usually cared for by their families are the lowest of the low. They eat when everyone else is finished. They often don’t get the same privileges or rights as the other children. The often don’t go to school, and are put to work full time around the house, begging or selling things on the streets. Despite her situation in life God blessed Mercy with a high school education. These adverse circumstances played a significant role in developing a deep seeded faith in Mercy. Mercy is really one of a kind, steadfast in Christ, refusing to bend her beliefs to please her own culture.
Starting with a small kids club for orphans; teaching sports, dancing and the bible Mercy suddenly had 70 kids coming along to hear about Jesus. She is excited about what God is doing in Chongwe a small AIDS ravaged village an hour outside of Lusaka. She is determined that even orphans should have a place to play, learn and be filled with the love and hope that Jesus brings.

Please pray for Mercy
- as she continues to stand firm against sinful cultural practices.
- as she witnesses to her family and tries to make them understand her life choices.
- as she develops evangelistic youth orientated programs.
- for faith to do so much with so little.
- for physical and emotional renewal as she works with kids who are starving, abused, and alone.

Welcome to Zambia

2006-11-04T02:08:00.000-08:00

I was horrified that I subjected my poor innocent friends to riots on their second day in Zambia.
Nick, Katie and I went to watch Chipolopolo the Zambian National Football team play South Africa. The game was interesting and Zambia had a lot of shots on goal but in the end they just weren't strong enough to overcome South Africa and lost 1-0.

On the way to our pick up point (where Jo was going to meet us) we walked amongst a huge crown of however many thousand went to the game. People where upset and the crowds chants for their team turned political. I began to get nervous and urged Katie and Nick to go a little faster. Minutes later everyone started screaming and running. I turned to see the police arriving and started running leading Nick and Katie down the road. Everyone calmed down again after a few minutes but we kept running. Then the crowd started to run again as the police drove full speed up and down the road firing tear gas cannons at us!!!
We rounded a corner and some random yelled at us to go into his house. Inside we sat and waited for about and hour until the explosions stopped, then continued on our way.

Nick, Jo and Katie

2006-11-04T01:51:00.000-08:00

Last month a few of my old Cambridge buddies came to visit me. I really had a great time with them. We did a lot of touristy things around Zambia. We managed to go to Kafue national park and visit Godfrey and a few other friends from Chisomo who are at a boarding school there. We also got down to Livingstone. Besides hanging out with old friends the highlight was definately white water rafting the low point was vomitting for almost three days after food poisoning and missing taking Katie to the airport because I was stuck in Livingstone.

C.R.O.S.S. Project

2006-10-05T03:04:00.000-07:00

I have now officially joined Action’s HIV team the C.R.O.S.S Project. It stands for Churches Ready to Overcome Silence and Stigma.
The whole point of it is of course that the cross of Jesus is the only way we can get anywhere in this battle against HIV and sin.
Churches who are already reaching out to their communities through HIV are selected for our five month programme. Each week members of the team meet with the church ‘care team’. They are taught the Bible’s stance on issues like STIGMA, ABUSE, SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION, SEX, SIN etc. The aim is to equip the church to address the heart issues of families and individuals who are either infected or affected by HIV. (In other words the whole population of this country).

Did you know that those with the highest transmission rate of HIV are girls in their teens. We have a lot to teach about Christ’s love for individuals, about self worth in Christ, about what God says the implications of sex are (and not just physically). Over the next few months myself and other members of the C.R.O.S.S. team will be writing a curriculum for churches to use with their youth groups to teach them a foundation of faith, other topics around those mentioned above and importantly how to disciple them. Most young people in this culture are ignored by the church until they get married. By that time it’s usually to late. Unbeknownst to them they have made decisions which will cost their life.

The Folks Come To Visit

2006-10-05T02:37:00.000-07:00

Wow
It’s amazing how time flies and you get so behind on things like keeping everyone up to date!
My wonderful parents came to visit me for a few weeks in September and it was really great!!
It's amazing how much you appreciate your parents more when you are older, or maybe it’s because they are old.
Ha Ha!
Anyway we spent time around Lusaka just experiencing my usually comings and goings and then of course we went to Vic Falls (one of the 7 wonders of the world). It was really amazing. Although it was low season we still had fun. Dad and I found a guide to take us on a walk across the top of the falls (since the water is very low). We got to stand and look at some of the main water falls. It was really beautiful! I really have to admit that it was a little scary as well. Mum and dad also managed to make their way to GLO Bible School in Ndola (In-doo-lah) where the Honore’s used to stay.

THE LIST

2006-08-31T04:56:00.000-07:00

One of my most faithful supporters has asked me to write a list of things that I miss or would like sent over. So here we go.
Black Liquorice- RJ's (BLACK)
Good books
News from NZ- Mags or clippings from newspaper.
chocolate mousse mix
Cookie Time -triple chocolate cookies.
DVD's of tv series- if your feeling generous
thai green curry mix

Thats all for now.
Thanx

2006-08-29T06:18:00.000-07:00

Grade: Kindergarten
Age: 7 or 8 years Tribe: Tonga

There are so many stories about how this boy appeared on the radar at Chisomo. Some say he was stolen from his parents and was caught with a child trafficker on his way to be sold. Others say that his parents lost him maybe on purpose maybe accidentally in the city somewhere. Unable to recall his address or his parent’s names he remains at Chisomo Drop in Centre. When he first arrived he wouldn’t speak, for months he remained silent. I can only guess it resulted from shock, fear and whatever else he experienced before social welfare found him.
Now he speaks well and is even trying to learn English. We have found him a place at a small home for children. It is run by a church that Action works with and takes in five orphans who are cared for by two mothers until they are old enough to leave home.
The sad thing is that this is not an unusual story. Today as I visited Chisomo I noticed a boy even younger than Blessing. He looked about six and he too was lost in the city. Sometimes they are lost by accident but people have told me that these are desperate times and parents would rather try and give their children a chance to survive on the street than watch them starve to death.

Let’s pray for Blessing:
- That God will help him adjust to his new life.
- For his salvation
- For his health and safety
-That he would know Gods hand upon his life.

2006-08-29T06:14:00.000-07:00

Medical Ministry Projects:
This month I have spent a lot of time praying, thinking and talking with others about medical ministry and my involvement in it. Although I still have a lot of decisions to make about what I will be doing, I have really come to some firm convictions about what I won’t be doing. It seems a little strange to me that I have had to put so much time into figuring out what I won’t be doing but it has really helped.
As the months have been going by I realized that I was spending more and more time helping a few people rather than putting time and effort into focusing on teaching or training or equipping people.
Although many of the things I have done have been very valuable such as being able to pray and share with a woman dying of AIDS, helping people get better, seeing many children beat diseases like scabies, ring worm or worms. It’s so hard when the whole of Zambia seems to be sick and not know what to do or even be able to afford to do anything.
At the same time I am really convicted that if I am to be here it should be for a purpose that is not need driven, that is not for self or donor satisfied, and that is primarily for the glory of God. Please pray with me over the next few weeks as to the actual direction to take.

Godfrey goes to School

2006-08-19T03:32:00.000-07:00

Godfrey goes to School
It’s so moving to see people get a second chance, especially one of the kids that I have come to care about. A few months ago I had a serious talk with Godfrey about his life. I accused him of liking his street life. He looked at me shocked. I suddenly realised what a harsh accusation it was and wished I could have taken

it back. I had put my foot in it (again) and there was no turning back…. so I continued to challenge Godfrey to get off the street. I told him that if he got off the street I would look for a donor for him to go to school. Over the following two months Godfrey struggled to make a change. Immediately after getting settled in a centre he started bugging me to go to school.
I started to pray and within the week through a chance g-mail conversation one of my good friends has pledge to send him to school. Isn’t God amazing?
I visit him and he is so excited, he runs to change into his uniform to show me, gets out his school bag so I can admire it. He shows me his tests and how well he did in each one. I am excited to see how the Lord is at work and will continue to work in his precious child.A few weeks ago I threw a birthday party for seven of the kids who have managed to climb out of the pit of street life into homes or centres and start school. They each gave their testimony summarising what God had done in their life. It was so encouraging to see Godfrey and some of the kids I have written about previously get up and speak. Godfrey started off talking about life on the street and his brother soon called out “and Brenda said you liked it” and Godfrey continued that he then had to prove me wrong and with Gods help he is now going to school. The battle is not over for Godfrey or his friends the street is always calling, a strong temptation difficult to break. We need to war with these boys and grils!!

Holiday?

2006-08-19T03:18:00.000-07:00

I have had a great opportunity to have a little break over the last month from the usual comings and goings around here. Kevin and Helen, Jared and Ruth Honore were kind enough to let me join in them as they travelled around the northern part of Zambia.
They picked me up one Tuesday and we went to stay a night at Jude Goatley’s wee house at Maplehurst farm. The next day we set off for Ndola where we spent the week at the GLO Bible School. It was nice to look around where the Honore’s lived all those years ago and walk down memory lane with Jared.
After that we headed off to Samfya a little village in the middle of a lot of other little villages.
On the way we stopped at a huge farm owned by some white Zambians. It was huge and had its own game reserve with all sorts of gazelle type things and giraffes and zebra and other cool animals.
Samfya was really nice to see again. I went there with Kevin and Helen two years ago to help them survey and orphan project. It was really great to go back and see the project in full swing. They are a collection of 21 churches supporting over 1000 orphans and vulnerable children to go to school and get better nutrition.
They highlight of the trip was just hanging out with some old friends and people especially from NZ. It was great to be understood.

just a little look

2006-07-11T02:40:00.000-07:00

The LATEST and GREATEST!

2006-07-11T02:32:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends,
It has been a while since I sat down and thought about what to write. This last month has been characterized by a lot of experimenting, thinking and praying on my part as to my role here over the next eighteen months. Suddenly feeling completely overwhelmed by the magnitude of my potential job I have decided a lot of God searching needs to be done to see how I can better focus my attentions. In other words I can’t cope working thirteen hour days six days a week. I don’t think running around like a headless rooster is worthwhile to me or the people I am trying to help and I have come to a crossroads. Now that I have spent time learning and experiencing what God is doing here. Where exactly does he want me to fit?? I have really been blessed to have Kevin and Helen Honore and Rob Purdue come for a visit and make some time to sit down with me and really talk over what is going on and be able to pick their brains and utilize their vast experience.

I have been really enjoying Thursday Health classes with some of the Action Employee’s. These last couple of weeks we have been talking about family planning- what responsibilities they have, what God says and how their culture affects their decisions. Not being married was a good excuse to pull in other members of the team to help with discussions.
I am using these classes to help develop and practice a basic health curriculum.

Mercy (a Zambian missionary with Action) and I have begun a Bible study with some of the girls living on the street. This last we talked about concepts of God and what they thought God was like. It’s interesting that none of the girls really doubt God is there but they all seem to think of him as a creator and appeared to never have thought of him as anything else. Please pray for us as we attempt to make God a very real father to these girls.

I am looking forward to my first holiday in the last two weeks of July. I am going to Samfya and Ndola with Kevin, Helen, Jared and Ruth Honore and Jude Goatley. Let me tell you I am extremely excited to be with some NZer’s again. Just hear the accent and be completely understood again. How refreshing.

Malawi

2006-04-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

Left: An old abandoned catholic church in Sunga.
Below:Us on the way to the Sunga

Kids clubs at the village
The clinic we were scoping out. The only one in a 70km radius.

Chet(Burns), Alice and I wandering around.

some more Apartment

2006-04-15T11:53:00.000-07:00

These are my beloved curtains

Bathroom

I know these photo's are incredibly boring but people like my mother want to see them!

The APARTMENT

2006-04-15T11:34:00.000-07:00

Sorry these photo's are a little dark.
Left is the kitchen and below is Julie's bedroom.
Below: Julie lounging in the lounge.

Left: My room- just drying my sheets. (can't put them outside because I will have larave living under my skin if I do.)
Dining room.

Street Kid Camp April 3-5

2006-04-08T08:43:00.000-07:00

(Below) Me doing my medical thing.

(Left) NEW SHOES!!
(Left) Everyone at the camp. You can see the kids all wearing the shirts that they made!

CHIKANKATA

2006-04-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we went to the opening of a bore hole for the villages in Chikankata. (Action has has built a replica village their to hold camps). A church in the U.S. has provided the well so that villagers no longer have to walk up to five km's just to get water!

We stayed in mud huts with no power or water. We cooked over fire's. We even got up at the crack of dawn to walk up a hill and watch the sunrise.
This is where the street kid camp will be held so I will have more pictures of this place next week.
It really is beautiful country.

FUN WITH CARS!!

2006-04-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have been crazy. It seems that every car we have has broken down.
If you could see the state of the roads i am sure you would understand why.
I don't think I have pushed as many cars in my life as I have in the past few weeks. I have found muscles I didn't know I had- I suppose thats a bonus!!

I think this is the answer. We need to buy a cart with oxen to pull it. Atleast if they break down we can eat them right!

Godfrey Chanda

2006-03-22T22:25:00.000-08:00

Let's pray that this boy will find the strength to get off the street!

Lets give this boy a second chance!

Chisomo Revisited

2006-03-12T09:45:00.000-08:00

Patrick
Left: Kelvin Below: Richard

Kaunda

My Birthday

2006-03-12T07:59:00.000-08:00

First we picked up Godfrey from one of his main hang out points- The Hungry Lion- (They do chicken and chips)

Then we picked up Jo from this compound.
They wanted to eat PIZZA- Jo had never even had it before, look at him go though he is a pro!
From right to left: Joseph, Godfrey, Vasco
Me and the boys