Lusaka is the capital city in Zambia. There are cars, buses, round-abouts, restaurants, one movie theater, a few coffee shops, stores, supermarkets, etc. It's a city. In the midst of the hubbub of city life, there are compounds where orphans live. They may only see the city life a few times a year if they are lucky. Notice I said, "see" not "experience". They see the buses, the cars, the shops or the market place, but they never get to experience a sit down restaurant, or a movie at the theater, or shopping for groceries. They live on what their guardian can provide for them and most of the time it isn't something the city offers. This is the city of Lusaka. Where the wealthy drive in nice cars and live in nice homes, and where the less fortunate walk for miles and live in the gutters.
But this is one city. Not one of many. Most of Zambia is the "real Africa." What people in American call "The Bush" and people in Zambia call "The Village". The thatch huts and 6.5 ft tall grass. Where people live a simple simple life. These people may see the city life once a year if they decide to walk or pay transit for it. Of course it may take them 3-5 hours to walk to a paved road and get a bus that comes once a day to take people to the city. These people learn to make do with what they have.
They grow tomatoes and vegetables, they burn branches in the field to heat the pot they have for cooking. There is no charcoal, no supermarket, no easy access to resources for living... and yet, they are some of the most joyful people I've met. They praise God for the land they live on, and make a living by using the resources creation has to offer. Simplicity is how they live and opportunity for their children is what they desire. Family Legacy has a sponsorship program called the Father's Heart. It partners a willing person or family with a needy child in Zambia. Amon is one of our boys in the Father's Heart program. Through unfortunate circumstances with his dad and aunt, Amon was sent out to the village to live with his mom and grandmother. Unfortunately, Family Legacy isn't able to cater to children in the village because it takes a long time and a lot of transit money to get out there and find them. But the devil was not going to steal an opportunity away from Amon.
I accompanied our social services department out to the village to find Amon and place him in one of our Community Resource Centers so that he would have an opportunity to be educated and cared for. It was an amazing experience to see how his family lives in the village. When I met his grandmother, she had the biggest smile on her face and she even gave me a hand-made pot, corn, and pumpkins. I met a school director who, with the aid of World Vision, is able to cook for the children in the village every day during school. Of course the quality of teaching isn't amazing because they are teachers who live in the bush with everyone else. Most of them don't speak English and I would bet they may have only attended 7 years of school or so. This man, who tries to offer an education to kids who live in the village, brought us out in the middle of tall grass to give us tomatoes that he grows.
I am overwhelmed that the hearts of these people are so big. They do what they can with what they have and seem to get by. Not comfortably and not without loads of work, but they get by. They live a simple life and are joyful about what comes their way. They do what they can for the children they raise and some praise God for the opportunities that come their way. Like Amon's family. As we were leaving the grandmother said, "Amon, you be good and study hard." and she looked at me and said, "Praise God." I could see that it was hard for her emotionally to send him away, but she knows the opportunity is too good for Amon to pass it up. And I believe when Amon graduates from 12th grade, he will have so much more to offer his family!
The people of the village are similar in many ways to the people of the slums. They live with what they have and they try to make a decent living day by day. Going to the village makes me think of how much stuff America has that makes our life not anywhere near simple. Even the city-life of Lusaka offers more stuff t
han the slums within do, and yet, people are still wanting more. It's a life of survival where people literally only have what they grow or what they earn day to day. They may want more, but they don't have resources available or the money required that can help them gain more. It's amazing how corrupt your heart gets when the devil places a desire for earthly things in your mind. "I have to get the new iPhone4" or "I need to save my money so I can buy a bigger house." or "If I eat less this week, then I can treat myself to a nice dinner next week." Whatever it is, your mind is corrupt in thinking that anything hear on earth has value. The Lord will exalt the humble and humble the exalted. I am truly humbled that I have SO much more than I need. Why should I make goals in life that will give me worldly pleasure? None of the experiences of the city-life will go with me to Heaven. Living a God-glorifying life is already producing treasures in Heaven that will last for eternity.
It's that simple.
But this is one city. Not one of many. Most of Zambia is the "real Africa." What people in American call "The Bush" and people in Zambia call "The Village". The thatch huts and 6.5 ft tall grass. Where people live a simple simple life. These people may see the city life once a year if they decide to walk or pay transit for it. Of course it may take them 3-5 hours to walk to a paved road and get a bus that comes once a day to take people to the city. These people learn to make do with what they have.
They grow tomatoes and vegetables, they burn branches in the field to heat the pot they have for cooking. There is no charcoal, no supermarket, no easy access to resources for living... and yet, they are some of the most joyful people I've met. They praise God for the land they live on, and make a living by using the resources creation has to offer. Simplicity is how they live and opportunity for their children is what they desire. Family Legacy has a sponsorship program called the Father's Heart. It partners a willing person or family with a needy child in Zambia. Amon is one of our boys in the Father's Heart program. Through unfortunate circumstances with his dad and aunt, Amon was sent out to the village to live with his mom and grandmother. Unfortunately, Family Legacy isn't able to cater to children in the village because it takes a long time and a lot of transit money to get out there and find them. But the devil was not going to steal an opportunity away from Amon.
I accompanied our social services department out to the village to find Amon and place him in one of our Community Resource Centers so that he would have an opportunity to be educated and cared for. It was an amazing experience to see how his family lives in the village. When I met his grandmother, she had the biggest smile on her face and she even gave me a hand-made pot, corn, and pumpkins. I met a school director who, with the aid of World Vision, is able to cook for the children in the village every day during school. Of course the quality of teaching isn't amazing because they are teachers who live in the bush with everyone else. Most of them don't speak English and I would bet they may have only attended 7 years of school or so. This man, who tries to offer an education to kids who live in the village, brought us out in the middle of tall grass to give us tomatoes that he grows.
I am overwhelmed that the hearts of these people are so big. They do what they can with what they have and seem to get by. Not comfortably and not without loads of work, but they get by. They live a simple life and are joyful about what comes their way. They do what they can for the children they raise and some praise God for the opportunities that come their way. Like Amon's family. As we were leaving the grandmother said, "Amon, you be good and study hard." and she looked at me and said, "Praise God." I could see that it was hard for her emotionally to send him away, but she knows the opportunity is too good for Amon to pass it up. And I believe when Amon graduates from 12th grade, he will have so much more to offer his family!
The people of the village are similar in many ways to the people of the slums. They live with what they have and they try to make a decent living day by day. Going to the village makes me think of how much stuff America has that makes our life not anywhere near simple. Even the city-life of Lusaka offers more stuff t
han the slums within do, and yet, people are still wanting more. It's a life of survival where people literally only have what they grow or what they earn day to day. They may want more, but they don't have resources available or the money required that can help them gain more. It's amazing how corrupt your heart gets when the devil places a desire for earthly things in your mind. "I have to get the new iPhone4" or "I need to save my money so I can buy a bigger house." or "If I eat less this week, then I can treat myself to a nice dinner next week." Whatever it is, your mind is corrupt in thinking that anything hear on earth has value. The Lord will exalt the humble and humble the exalted. I am truly humbled that I have SO much more than I need. Why should I make goals in life that will give me worldly pleasure? None of the experiences of the city-life will go with me to Heaven. Living a God-glorifying life is already producing treasures in Heaven that will last for eternity.It's that simple.
Auntie Megan! You are so young to understand so much!! A wise woman you are becoming, sweet friend! Keep writing what the Lord is allowing to see and He will give you all the ETERNAL wishes of your wonderful heart----love you!
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