Day 1: World Vision Zambia and more...

The morning meeting time was earlier than any of us would have preferred, but all the jet-lagged GoTeamers were in good moods. On our agenda today: World Vision National office, money exchange, buying Bibles, and a city tour.

We were greeted at the World Vision office by people who know Lake Grove: Wampembe Lukonde, Fordson Kafweku, and Chim Maseka. Soon the new national director joined us, Mike Veizenhans (pictured putting on a Lake Grove cap), from the state of Washington. Overviews were shared and mutual encouragement occurred, and we were later also able to visit the partnership department, through which all our letters to sponsored children are processed.

Money exchanged and lunch consumed, we went to "Bible House" where the International Bible Society is housed, to purchase over 200 Bibles for distribution in Sinazongwe.
As we drove through Lusaka, our WV facilitator (and Tongan) Alfonsius pointed out places of interest. He and our driver Francis are taking good good care of us. Our final visit today was to a home for orphans and widows called Chikumbuso or "remembrance." The women of this cooperative community support themselves and over 300 children by making items from single-use plastic bags and items that they sew. Remarkable women. (See photograph of a handbag handle being made.)On the way back to our hotel we stopped to pay our respects at the tomb of Levy Mwanawasa, president of Zambia until he died a couple years ago. He is looked at with growing fondness as dissatisfaction in current government mounts. A filling dinner helped prepare us for bed and hopefully a full and restorative night's sle

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS.

One of the quotes of the day:

(During meeting with World Vision Zambia leaders)
"Even though this is my first trip to Zambia, through the stories I've heard and the depth of relationship I can feel, this seems like coming home." - Alan Shiffer