Day Two - Visit to George Community in Lusaka

Hello everyone!

We loaded onto our bus and Lawrence's SUV from Jubilee Centre for a 20 minute drive to George Community for worship this morning. As we drove along deeply rutted roads, past unbelievable poverty, we arrived at our destination. The group split into three to join Pastor Paul, Pastors Crosby (John & Laura) and Pastor Mike Owen of World Vision as they led the worship in three church locations.

The services were amazing as we entered the churches to glorious choirs sounds. We were welcomed guests, and some of us even sang a song in Bemba in front of the congregation. As the respectful laughter subsided, they all joined in and we were at home. There is such amazing grace, faith and belief amongst such difficult living conditions. It truly inspired us. More inspiring was the fact that we were supposed to be there to support them in their ministry. And, their congregation prayed for us, our families, our businesses and our relationship with God. When the songs, sermons and prayers subsided, we were led out - the first to be welcomed by every member of the congregation with special handshake. Many pictures of shy and boisterous children followed.

We drove out of George a truly enriched and moved group who realized that we had suddenly become more blessed than ever.

Blessings and be well!!

Brian Fudenberg

Safe and sound!

All here and accounted for including all the bags. That's no small feat - thanks be to God!

We connected with Musonda.  So good to see her again!  We arrived in Lusaka very late (it's 2AM on Sunday now) so we're all looking forward to seeing the area in daylight, starting with church tomorrow.  Paul, John & Laura and Mike Owen from World Vision will preach at three different churches within the George community.  We're are looking forward to seeing Lawrence too.  We learned two Bemba songs so we're ready if called upon to sign.  More soon but for now we gotta try to sleep fast.

Elizabeth (Eli) Mansfield

Hello Zambia Team followers,

We made it to Amsterdam and we're relaxing before our next leg of the flight.  The team is very excited to be en route.  Everyone did a great job mobilizing 13 extra huge duffles + their own luggage to the airport for a total of 27 checked bags for 14 people.  It was amazing the plane even got off the ground!

Nicaragua: Transformed Communities (Days One & Two)

So far it has been an amazing trip. Opportunity International is a fabulous organization that is 

changing lives for generations to come. God’s presence is felt everywhere we go. Day one was 

our agriculture day where we met with Ernesto Reyes at his Yucca farm. He is a leader amongst 

his group, and throughout his community. Through loans provided by Opportunity International he 

has been able to prosper, employ many others, and change the life of his family. Later that afternoon 

we visited with a family where OI had helped provide a new roof. Something so small as a roof 

greatly transformed the lives of many families in that community. Their house consisted of nine family 

members and was made of patched wood and dirt floors. 

Day two began our artisan day. We had direct contact with a potter named Pedro Guerrero, 

who showed us his store where we purchased his wonderful works of art followed by a visit to the 

OI technical high school for kids ages eleven through fourteen. Currently only serving kids grades 7-8, 

the school will add a grade each year, eventually serving all high school grades. The school uses a self-sustainable model, providing academic coursework in tandem with technical classes and apprenticeship within reach of people living in rural poverty. This school Is changing the lives of 

many  Nicaraguan youth. 

The afternoon artisans were two brothers who showed us their skills of woodcarving.

We learned more about how they partnered with OI to promote their sales and business. 

Geralyn Sheehan, OI Nicaragua's Program Director, and Hawell Ponce, the project manager, 

have played a major role throughout all of our travel with their vision and strong leadership. We are feeling the love and trust between Opportunity International and the community members.

Maggie Johnston (on behalf of the team).

CPC Visits Opportunity International in Nicaragua: June 2013

On Sunday a group of CPC families will depart for Nicaragua. They are being led by Missions Pastor, Paul Tshihamba, as they learn more about microfinance and the overall economic situation facing people in Granada, Nicaragua. Watch the video below to hear how Opportunity International was able to empower Rosa, a baker in Nicaragua.



Follow this blog and the stories of people from Christ Presbyterian Church as they journey to Granada, Nicaragua. 

Zambia: Justice and Mercy

We greeted our fourth day in Zambia with bright sun and the faint smell of charcoal which is used as cooking fuel. After a hearty breakfast – yes, we are privileged to have three meals a day - we drove to the International Justice Mission (IJM) to introduce ourselves and to meet its new director Claire Wilkinson and her staff. The IJM’s mission is to provide legal assistance to disadvantaged Zambians. For example, widows and orphans often face land and property grabs which means their property is taken by paternal relatives when the father of the household dies. Similar to US law property flows to widows and children, so IJM fights for those rights. Claire’s energy and passion for this difficult work was hopeful.

Our afternoon was filled with feeding program visits sponsored by three churches within a 26 church network that is supported by the Jubilee Center, one of CPC’s Zambian partners. Beautiful children crowded around, welcoming us with outstretched hands and wide smiles. Kiersti gave a two minute kids sermon, based upon Psalms 139: 14 “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made”. The team all took turns cooking nshima, a thick, cream-of-wheat type staple which is often eaten at each meal. Volunteers lovingly make these meals. We are never far from seeing God’s hand at work.

Over eighty percent of the children we served today are HIV positive. Their antiretroviral drugs (ARV’s) are to be taken with food, so these feeding programs are literally life saving. The children showered us with love and joy. Though we left with nshima, dust, dirty dishwater, and sticky who-knows-what on our clothes, we left having received more than we gave.

Our evenings have closed with intimate, reflective, candlelight (due to intermittent power outages) conversation. We share what we have sensed and felt. We ask tough questions and try to wrap our heads around each day. And we also laugh. A lot. We are blessed to have Pastors Paul and Rich shepherding this trip. As Rich would say. “It’s another beautiful day in Africa.” Amen.

Anne and George West

Zambia: Humbled and Inspired

This is our first trip to Zambia and we were greeted with, “Welcome to Zambia, you are home, you are family. We are inspired and humbled by the hospitality that our hosts have shown, the stories of the people, the compassion they show to others, and their deep faith in Christ. When we arrived and saw the landscape, the condition of the streets, the housing, and the poverty, it was a shock. The longer we are here the more we have discovered the beauty within. We spent the last couple of days visiting schools that are the size of five small rooms. Some of these schools educate up to 543 kids and do it with none of the tools we have at home. Ventilation, light, and room to sit and move are not luxuries afforded them, but they do have passion, hope and a sense of duty to the kids and their communities.

We have visited sick people who are supported by the church home-based caregivers who volunteer their time and support them with food, compassion and their time. The sick have allowed us to come to their homes and sit and talk with them. I can say I am not that gracious when I am sick. We have met with members of support groups who shared the challenges they face and the support they give each other. We also have met people who are HIV positive themselves who reach out to others in their communities to support and care for them.

We have met a ton of kids who are friendly, curious about “white people”, love to show off and have their picture taken. They soak up the attention and will be with you as long as you let them. They are fun to be with too. We asked one child how was doing and his response was a simple and amazing: “Happy.” We learned something today.

The week is barely half over and we are still processing all that we are taking in. The churches and their leaders are the soul of the support we are experiencing and seeing. I feel hopeful because of them.

Karen and Dave Parrin