The mission’s trip to Zambia was truly life changing. Our days began early and were filled with unforgettable experiences.

Our focus the first week was VBS.  We organized and carried out two one-week camps, a time where our team members played, laughed, and painted with the kids.  They prayed, worshipped, and shared at every possible opportunity, and in the process build trust relationships, and were truly the hands, feet and voice of Jesus, as they invested into the lives of the Zambian kids. At Grace Academy, countless games of soccer were played with the students, many students were piggy-backed, and it was a sheer pleasure to observe the friendships developed.

Our team had the great privilege of washing the feet of poverty-stricken children. We gave them shoes and prayed blessings over them. We traveled to Nsobe Game Park for a picnic lunch, canoe rides, swim and safari truck ride with 12 of Buseko’s orphaned children.  On the eve of Easter Sunday, our team spent the evening and night at Grace Academy where we “camped out” in mosquito net tents.

Africa worship services were a delightful highlight for us! We worshipped in the Chiplokusu compound church, at the Glad Tidings Church in Ndola, and we experienced a sunrise service at Grace Academy. We were given many opportunities to enjoy the Zambian people; from the market place to the bush school to the late afternoons with the Buseko Home children. Visiting the Children’s Hospital brought us to a halt. To see parents sit next to their dying children in over crowded wards was heart-breaking.

Every evening we shared our thoughts and feelings about the day.  Journaling, devotions (led by team members) and debriefing were an integral part of our evening routine. The team members were moved to tears and prolonged silence by the abject poverty and suffering of the Zambian people.

In the last days of our trip, we were treated to the spectacular views around the Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. We stood in awe once again to the God who created it all, the same God we serve, the God we had the privilege to share with the Zambian children. We also enjoyed a safari ride and dinner/sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River.

“Life changing?” This phrase is often overused, but in the case of the Zambia Mission’s trip, our whole team agrees that this phrase is actually an understatement. We saw the heart of God in the wide eyes and smiles of the children, and our reward was to see God reach out His hand to these precious children, through our actions.  We were all humbled and chastened by the Zambian children’s spiritual strength, grace, gratitude and willingness to seek after God, and we will never be the same again.

The bright smiling faces of the Zambian people, amidst the poverty, truly put into perspective what is important in life."  Matthew 6: 19-21 ‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there you heart is also.” Kailie P

"Africa was an amazing trip, one that will never be forgotten. People sometimes walk away from missions trip never changed.  Our team has been changed and forever will be.  The people we met, the faces we saw won’t be forgotten.”  Corey V

The Zambian people are in need of so many things that we just take for granted, so  a group of grade six and eleven girls wanted to make some quilts to send with the Zambian missions team.  Ten girls got together on Wednesdays after school.  The grade eleven girls knew that they would be handing out the quilts to needy children, and six of the grade six girls knew that their love and caring contributions would be put to good use in Africa.  Mrs. Kristjanson and I had the pleasure of working with these eager seamstresses.  For some of them it was their first time sewing.  We worked, talked, picked out wayward stitches, and laughed, all the while imagining who would get one of our brilliantly coloured quilts.  God's love was stitched into each quilt, and the Zambian people who received the quilts were overjoyed.  What precious gifts God has instilled into the hearts of the very young.  Together we were able to make and give such practical gifts.  Love, hope and comfort were wrapped around the shoulders of the needy.  These young women of God are our future, and the world is in good hands

written by Bonny Voth & Karin Loots

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