Building hope for the future
On the 5th May 2009, 10 men stepped off an old army style truck tired, dirty, battered and bruised. After 27 hours of travelling, 10 of which were spent on a plane and 7 on Africa’s finest roads and dirt tracks, we had finally arrived at our destination Longezia, Zambia — and no amount of preparation could have readied us for what we were about to experience.
We were all part of a construction team sent by MV to help with an ongoing ministry in south Zambia led by Theuns and Karen Engelbrecht; our mission was to build and fix anything that needed building or fixing so that the team could continue their ministry with the Tonga people.
Preparation had been intense, collecting all the tools and equipment that we thought would be needed (exactly what we were going to be working on wasn’t clear until we reached our destination), any spare room was quickly taken up with gifts from the church to aid the other projects being led at the mission base at Longezia. We all had different skills to offer, some practical (carpentry, electrical, structural) some less so.
For the majority of us this was the first time doing any mission work and so we were all a little apprehensive about the task ahead (let alone the challenge of dealing with mosquitoes, snakes and malaria) but as the date finally arrived excitement was the overwhelming emotion.
The mission in the south of Zambia has been going since 2000, working with the Tongan people, earning the right to preach the gospel. Some of the work carried out at the base includes nutrition and aid programs for babies and young people with malnutrition, adult health programs, farming programs as well as ongoing children’s ministry and a bible school. Throughout the time the base has grown and the ministry expanded to new areas; through all this the mission has required construction teams to go and help with maintenance and building.
Based on the shores of Lake Kariba the base accommodation was simple but comfortable, with the younger guys sleeping in tents and those of a more mature disposition sleeping in various buildings around the camp. Breakfast was served at 8 o’clock sharp after which it was on with the work, breaking for lunch and then finishing at sunset.
Our main jobs for the week included extending and rewiring one of the current accommodation blocks, plumbing works on a new base, and designing and constructing several bits of furniture from the supplies available.
Despite the relative poverty of the area, we were lucky enough to have three (delicious) meals a day and even had the luxury of running hot and cold water. Resources and equipment are scarce in south Zambia, and where they are available they are very expensive, but God always provided and it was amazing to work with people who could get the most out of the provision, never letting anything go to waste.
As well as the construction work we were lucky enough to see firsthand some of the work that is being carried out in the area; attending local church services with pastors from the bible school; walking with the ministry team in the local villages; playing with the children and helping in the clinic. The mission team in Zambia is doing an amazing job of doing God’s work and helping local communities, and the results are clear to see. Surprisingly, one of the best parts of the trip was getting to know the team that I was with better, through our daily devotion time in the morning, through the construction work and through the quieter times spent together in the evenings.
The trip gave me time reflect and advance my walk with God as an individual, but it was also great to bond as a team, worship, pray and bless the mission in Zambia with our skills and support together.
It’s difficult to explain with a few words and pictures what an amazing experience this was, and what a privilege it was to be able to use our skills to bless God and help such a worthy mission. To really understand that, maybe you need to get involved yourself…
Tim Edwards
Burton upon Trent
To see more pictures visit the Burton Riverside Church Website.