The Mwandi United Church of Zambia Orphans and Vulnerable Children Project was established in 2004 by Fiona Dixon-Thompson to support the orphans and vulnerable children of Mwandi Village educationally, nutritionally, socially and spiritually.

During our stay a number of us have been helping with the ongoing programs of the OVC. We have led staff training and devotions, children devotions, and tutored children in math and computer skills. Friday night was Youth Group (15-18 year old boys and girls) which began with a very spirited game of volleyball. Kay Hudson, Melanie Nolan, Emily Vinez and I joined in on the fun. These children had a distinct advantage … their accomplished ‘football’ skills came in handy on the volleyball court … using hands, feet and head with amazing confidence and agility. While both Kay and I believe mightily in the power of prayer we confess that we also have a great deal of appreciation for the power of Alieve.

Nutrition / Feeding Programme

The Feeding Programme commenced in September 2005 with around 40 children receiving one balanced meal a day. The program now has grown to over 235 children. For many of the children on the program this meal they receive is the only meal they will get each day.

Education Support

A significant part of the OVC Project is Education Support. The belief is that education is a fundamental right for children and that through basic education a community can begin to develop and its people can be empowered to improve their quality of life.

Social Support

Social support covers a wide range of activities including distributing clothes, blankets, mosquito nets and fishing nets. A major role of the committee is to visit the homes of the children to assess their living conditions, meet the family and those responsible for the children.

In the 2008 version of this trip we had a close encounter with some extraordinarily tough beef in Livingstone. (aka Holy Cow) Rury Waddell insisted that Zambian beef was as good as anything we’ve enjoyed in the States and he grilled steaks for us on Friday night. I am happy to report that the beef was not only tender it was delicious. There were no leftovers!!!!

Originally a leprosy colony, Kandiana is the old people’s home built on the site of Mwandi Mission. Most of the elderly in Zambia are looked after by their family, but there are a few who have no living family, have been excommunicated or are unable to stay with their family for some other reason. The 13 residents of Kandiana have their food cooked by the hospital, which they sometimes supplement by doing some fishing. Kandiana is funded by a Government Grant, which is normally about 2 million kwacha a month, ($385) and gifts from other donors. The Agricultural Project is also supplementing their diet with eggs, milk, and vegetables.

It’s hard to capture the essence of Kandiana. Like a lot of what we are experiencing of Africa it is both wonderful and disturbing. In the context of their surroundings this is a wonderful place … they are family to one another … they have good food, adequate shelter and eagerly receive any love and well wishes from visitors both near and far who come by each day. It’s a disturbing place as the residents have no future seemingly content to sit for hours day after day after day, year after year … just waiting to die.

I confess that I don’t like going to Kandiana … it makes me very uncomfortable as a battle invariably wells up within my heart. A part of me wants to sit down and just abide for awhile with them and another part of me just wants to get out of there as fast as I can. To date the latter has always won. I wish I was that person who could fill a bucket of warm water and soap and drop by for a visit and just wash their feet. I know in my heart of hearts that I would be washing the feet of Jesus … oh what a privilege that would be!!!!

But I’m not there yet … not even close.

Our team is blessed to have two professionals with special training in working with youth and young adults.  Melanie Nolan BSW and Abby Vinez MDIV created and are teaching a curriculum for the staff and leadership of the Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Project that will help them identify important signs of children who may be abusing alcohol or who may be the victims of sexual abuse. Both Melanie and Abby work at the Barium Springs Home for Children. Melanie is an Individual Family Teacher and Abby is the Chaplain. I was privileged to sit in on a small part of the Symposium and could see how much the participants were appreciative of the help and absorbing the material.  The final session will be on Friday and will include other community leaders including the Police.

Greetings to all,

We’ve been without power most of the last 36 hours so I haven’t been able to update the blog. When we have no power we have no internet. It’s nearly 2 pm here and if we still have power I will update the blog later this evening.  All is well … much more to share,

Mike

PS: Note to myself … next time you go to bathroom leave your camera in your bedroom. Camera’s don’t work as well after being in the bottom of a well used (think full) toilet. Don’t ask …