Today was our first real day with purpose beyond our own wants and needs. We started the day with a meeting and by 9:30am we were on our way to the first village of Samson. This village has 700 households, average of 5 people in each household. We ended up there around 11am and first swung by the school just outside the village to deliver the first set soccer uniforms and balls for the children.
The school was very welcoming and was very thankful for the gifts. With over 300 children attending they appreciate the help. Incredible to see the success rate on their board go from 60% in 2010 to almost 90% last year. These children are really trying!
We drove through a dry creek bed to get to the actual village, it’s an incredibly rough terrain, especially for the larger passenger bus we rented. This river bed is bone dry right now but in the next few weeks the rain will be starting and this creek not only will become a raging river but becomes filled with alligators from The Zambezi river.
This river cuts off the village of Samson from the rest you the world during all of the rainy season plus a while after, so about 6 months out of the year. The government has put in one water well and drilled a hole for a second one but will not finish installing a pump till at least January, which is to late since rain season is almost here. Our team has scouted the area and with the blessing from the head of the village we are trying to get at least one water well there done next week. They are very grateful!
We met a few villagers and Enjoyed talking to them about the Love of God. Showing them how we are all family and that even though we all have struggles in this life that God gives us strength to get through. They have hope that their future is better through Christ. Zambia is the only official Christian nation in the world so I think it’s perfect that us fellow brothers and sisters in Christ can help out our extended family.
Seeing these conditions first hand is truly and eye opening experience. Though a lot of white people come through these villages for photo ops, which is great for the visitors, but we really need to do all we can to help those who are truly in need!
Tomorrow we are off to Botswana for our Safari adventure, so excited to see elephants and possibly large cats. Feels weird going from villages with nothing to events on our own. But we are all taking this down time and adventure time while we can as after this things will really pick up!
God Bless!