Four years ago, called by God, I began my journey to a remote village in Mbayi, Zambia. Together with the inhabitants and with the help of Canadians, a number of initiatives were started which dramatically improved the lives of people living in this impoverished community as well as the nearby city of Chingola . . .
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I introduced you to Samuel a few years ago, a young man, orphaned as an infant and raised by his grandmother. At that time he was looking after her as best he could in such a poverty stricken environment. He was, and is, an ambitious and hard working lad. When his grandmother died I asked Samuel his hopes for the future and he promptly replied that he would like to be a carpenter. I had often observed him working with his hands. For many years a Canadian woman has been sending support funds to this family and when she heard of his ambition, not only paid for carpentry training but also the tools he requested. But Samuel had one more surprise. A member of the team from Canada in May befriended him and added a few more tools to his collection. Newly married, Samuel now has a promising future.
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Shortly after Easter (the rain was very heavy this Rainy Season and the mornings so cool it has been difficult to get people out to our meeting place, hence the delay) we had a party, the Mamies and Grandmamies. Some of the women walk for several hours every Tuesday to meet with me and each other for Bible Study and fellowship but today were gathering for something very special. The Moms Group at Caledonia Presbyterian Church had sent funds for an Easter celebration.As we arrived with all the goodies the women began to sing and dance in joyful anticipation of the service and luncheon party to come. They were praising God for this blessing and worshipping Him. We talked about the Last Supper and took Holy Communion.
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Getrude is a very hard working woman. Whenever there is a job to be done she is first in line to volunteer. A leader on our Neighbourhood Health Committee, she comes to town for meetings at the Kabundi Clinic to arrange things such as a mobile under 5 health clinic, to visit our remote Mbayi monthly in order to weigh babies and give vaccinations. When we needed a cook for our school feeding program, she was there and continues to help out. Head of our mamies group, she helps me with organization and administration of activities. So when she told me of her desire to open a small store in her area of Mbayi I considered her request very seriously. As you can see from the photos she is on her way—the store constructed, starting supplies purchased. I knew she would make it a great success and she has!
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Poverty offers few options. So for many years villagers in Mbayi have turned to charcoal burning (making and selling charcoal) as a means of survival, a way to combat the repeating occurrence of hunger which dominates their lives. Unfortunately this rather easy solution has caused deforestation in the area. One of the ways the Zambian Government has addressed this concern is through the provision of a Beekeeping Initiative (bees need trees). For those interested in being trained in apiculture, they supply the artificial hives.
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Recently little Moses fainted at school because he hadn't eaten in several days. Hunger is rampant in Mbayi. Children who walk long distances to school with empty tummies have little energy to concentrate in class. Poor nutrition is affecting their mental development. Hit hard by the incident with Moses and concerned about the plight of these kids, I met with teachers at Mbayi Primary School. It was clear we needed to devise some sort of feeding program. I had some bags of dehydrated vegetables brought by recent visitors and offered to buy mealie-meal (corn flour) for the traditional nshima (the staple cornmeal food). So the other day amidst much excitement two volunteer mothers prepared lunch. Fifty children were at school that day (there are about 200 registered), for the most part tattered and hungry, and I felt a tug at my heartstrings as they seriously then joyfully had a meal together.
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This month marks my third anniversary in Mbayi. Many positive changes have come about during this time but the lack of medical care remains an ongoing concern. George Lufunda, Chairman of Mbayi, while pleading for a Health Post (small clinic) has been known to exclaim—“We have suffered for too long!”. Many have died untimely deaths because we do not have a health care facility for diagnosis, treatment and referral to hospital if necessary. Deaths from treatable diseases like TB and malaria, for example, are heartbreaking, expecting mothers have died on the 2 1/2 hour walk to the nearest clinic, children have perished on their mom's back before reaching this very far destination.
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"Love is the answerLove will find a way When we love one another It’s a brighter day."
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Zambians from the village of Mbayi and Canadians from Ontario worked side by side making blocks (bricks) from ant hill soil to construct a Health Post. It was a community experience with women hauling well water from a distance and men shovelling earth and pounding soil into moulds to make blocks. After 8 days over 3,000 were formed—hard, physical labour that our Zambian colleagues were better adapted to than the softer Canadians. The sense of camaraderie and fellowship while working together was an exhilarating experience and each day we walked back to our accommodation in Mbayi tired but grateful for the opportunity to work together.
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It was the eve of our departure to Mbayi and I felt droplets of rain, almost as if the sky was sending us a warning of more to come. We all felt it—a light sprinkling—to which Wendy stated flatly, “Rain means poverty.”
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Stay tuned as the Canadian Team launches the construction of a Health Post in Mbayi. Watch us mould bricks from giant ant hills!!!
And so much more...
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Golden, a 54 year old volunteer teacher in Mbayi, was involved in a road traffic accident in 1978. He had just finished high school and was in the Zambian National Service. They took him to a hospital where the doctors performed a below the knee amputation. Then the hospital administration told him he would have to raise $300.00 (Canadian) for an artificial limb!!! Over the years he has managed, bit by bit, to pay money towards the new leg waiting for him in a storage room at the hospital.
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Last week Mbayi community experienced the loss of two of our seniors. They were neighbours and good friends, often found together relaxing and chatting in the shade after early morning chores. Lucy, 83, was the first to pass away, peacefully on Sunday morning, and Fly, 92, after hearing this followed her the very next day.
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Many of you have heard of Mrs. Bubala. She's the manager of the Mbayi poultry business (originally funded by Canadians) and known throughout the district for the plump and tasty chickens she raises. Born in Southern Province, Mrs. Bubala married in 1975 and has 9 children, 3 boys and 6 girls. She moved to Mbayi in 2003 and since she was brought up by a father who insisted his children be at work in the fields by 5am, she's very disciplined indeed! A hard worker, Mrs. Bubala has also made the most of seeds and fertilizer given to her by us for gardening.
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On Thursday night of this past week something unusual was happening in Mbayi. Little children were cuddling teddy bears, tummies satisfied, their mothers watching the cooking fire burning low while remembering a chicken in the pot. That's because a group of mothers in Canada raised funds to sponsor a Christmas party (again this year!) for Mbayi mamies. About eight months ago a container arrived with many gifts from these mothers for mothers here but it was the four boxes of teddy bears in various sizes & colours that caught my heart.
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Millet is one of the oldest foods known to mankind. In fact, it is mentioned in the Bible for making bread and, indigenous to Africa, has been used as a staple food for thousands of years. It is inexpensive, grows well in areas with poor soil fertility, has a short growing season and is highly nutritious. Maize (corn) was introduced into Africa by the Portuguese in the 16th century and has since become the staple crop. However, the subsistence farmers in Mbayi struggle to produce maize in soil that is infertile and requires both D Compound and Urea, fertilizer that is very expensive. Commonly, they must proceed without and hence after much hard work end up with very poor crops.
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According to the World Bank's International Development Association ' no continent suffers the ravages of malaria more than Africa. And in Africa, no country bears more of malaria's burden than Zambia.' It kills more children under the age of 5 than any other disease or illness and there is no vaccine. Driven by this information, the hearts of some Canadian mothers, the Moms Group at Caledonia Presbyterian Church, determined to make a vital difference in the lives of their friends, the mamies in Mbayi, worked in earnest to raise funds for mosquito nets, to provide a barrier between families and this fearsome disease. I've been in hospital and heard the anguished wail of a young mother whose infant just succumbed, a heartbreaking sound that lingers within me. Malaria is responsible for up to 40% of under 5 years and 20% of maternal mortality.
Read MoreCheck out the article here: Haldimand moms supporting moms in Mbayi village, Africa. Thanks again to The Caledonia Presbyterian Church Moms’ Group for all their contributions!
Read MoreThe Mississauga News has published an article on Wendy's work in their Friday (today) edition. An online version of the article can be found here: Mississauga Social Worker Finds Her Calling in Zambia
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“. . . people spoke of how long they had suffered, lugging sacks heavy with maize while hungry and tired, a days trip to get the grinding done and then finally—nshima for dinner. Freed from this drudgery and launching a business to serve the surrounding area, these people, once resigned to ongoing poverty are elated!”
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