A Student Success Story

I have spent the last few days sending out letters to the 100 plus sponsors who fund the education of 150 students at Namwianga Christian Secondary School and George Benson Christian College.  The motto of the US Sponsorship program is Building Leaders, Changing Lives.  The story of Gift is an ideal illustration of how the sponsorship program does just that.  I interviewed Gift last summer during our trip to Zambia.  It was a tough interview for me, because I was so touched by this young man's story that I had to hold back my tears.  I hope that Gift's resilience and faith will encourage all of us to have faith in difficult times.  

Gift is an impressive young man.  Articulate, smart, and confident, it is not surprising that he was chosen to serve as NCSS Headboy , the highest leadership position in the school.  The title of Headboy is respected in Zambia, and for the rest of Gift’s life, it will be something that shows his excellence and leadership.  Americans would compare it to having “Eagle Scout” on a resume. 

When you hear Gift’s story, it makes his achievements even more remarkable.  At age 13, Gift lived in the capital city of Lusaka with his parents and 5-year-old sister.  His father managed a supply company for the government, and they lived in a comfortable, modern house.  Gift attended a private boys’ school. 

All of that changed in an instant when his parents were killed in a car accident.  A week after his parents died, Gift was sent to live with his grandmother in a remote village in the bush.  He had never met his grandmother, nor had he ever been exposed to village life.  He was separated from his sister who stayed in Lusaka, and he was also separated from the only lifestyle he had ever known.  He went from a house with electricity and running water to a thatched hut shared with his grandmother and four other orphans she is raising.  Instead of the private boys’ school, he attended a rural school with other village kids. 

Gift tells his story without emotion, but one can imagine how hard it must have been.  At first he was miserable, refusing to go to school or to cooperate with his grandmother.  Eventually he decided that he had to make the best of his situation.  He worked hard in school and became part of his village family and community.  The transition, he knows, was made easier by three George Benson Christian College graduates who were teaching at his village school.  “They called me over to their house to watch TV,” he recalls, and their friendship and influence helped him adjust.  Gift excelled in school and became a student leader.  His GBCC mentors made sure that he applied for sponsorship at Namwianga Christian Secondary School and gave him good recommendations.  Gift knows that sponsorship changed his life:  “I would be sitting at home in the village if not for my sponsorship.  There was no one who would have paid for my high school fees.” 

Gift is very grateful for the opportunities he was given, and he has high hopes for the future.  He wants to become a doctor.   Gift’s remarkable story is another example of how the sponsorship program is fulfilling its mission of Building Leaders and Changing Lives.  

There are hundreds of other young people like Gift waiting for sponsors so that they can go to school at Namwianga.  If you would like more information about how to sponsor a student, please reply to this blog post with your contact information.  I will answer you personally and will not post your  reply or information.  

Orphans in Zambia

Linda’s note:  My thanks to Meagan Hawley and her blog for the poem and for inspiring me to write about the plight of orphans.

A few years ago I didn’t know any children who were orphans. Then I moved to Zambia and became sponsorship coordinator.  And that’s when I met orphans.  One afternoon I interviewed each sponsored student individually.  I was dazed as I walked home.  I threw myself on the bed and sobbed.  How else do you respond to story after story of death, desertion, and desperation? 

That particular group of students has moved on, but three of the current sponsored students have similar stories.  Grace’s mother died when Grace was 13, and her father died five years later.  At the funeral, an uncle that Grace had just met was assigned to be her guardian.  Grace tells about how this affects her:  “My uncle provides me with shelter and food, but I can’t ask him for anything else because he is looking after 16 other people.  I have no one to confide in.” 

At age nine, Kenny was sent to live with an aunt in a remote village when his parents died.  His aunt is unable to provide him with any financial support beyond food and shelter.  When Kinny found out he had a sponsorship at Namwianga, he walked 40 miles to enroll in high school.  Without sponsorship, Kinny would never have left the village. 

David is an eighth grader at Namwianga. He lived with an aunt for three years after his parents died.  She was not caring toward him, and life was miserable.  David left that home and lived on the streets of Lusaka for a year.  A relative found out about David and took him to Namwianga’s orphanage.

 “Some relatives just pretend you do not exist, no matter how much you might be struggling,” says David.  “The worst thing of being an orphan is not receiving love from parents. Anyone can love you and care for you, but no one will ever love you like your mother would.” 

A poem of unknown origin circulates in Zambia: 

My heart bleeds when I see an adult pass by.

I look in the face, hoping to see my lost father and mother.

Hoping to hear their comforting voices, hoping for a hug.

But nobody has time for me since my parents died.

I have become a scavenger.

I must roam the streets to look for food.

I have nowhere to sleep.

I cannot go to school.

When my relatives take me in I must be beaten because I am naughty.

I must do all the work because I am lazy they say.

I must be given little food because I eat too much.

If I laugh, I am making noise.

If I cry I am not grateful.

O God, it’s terrible to be an orphan.

Almost half of the sponsored students at Namwianga are considered orphans in the Zambian culture because they have lost at least one parent.  And twenty percent are full orphans because both of their parents are dead.  Many others are de facto orphans because of parental desertion or neglect.  It is easy to feel powerless in the face of such need.   And yet sponsorship is an important way to help orphans.  Students who attend Namwianga have their needs met in a caring environment that helps them grow academically, socially, and spiritually.   For most, it is a life-changing experience. 

If you are interested in changing a life, consider sponsoring an orphan or needy student in school at Namwianga.  High school students need $140 per month, and college students need $150 per month.  Partial sponsorships of $25 per month or one-time gifts are welcome. 

Sponsorship payments may be made by check, automatic debit, debit/credit card, or PayPal.  Checks should be made payable to Zambia Mission Fund and mailed to Zambia Mission Fund, Box 3393, Abilene, TX  79604. Automatic debit requests should be sent to the same address.   Paypal or credit/debit card payments may be made on the Zambia Mission website:  www.zambiamission.org.  Click on Donate and be sure to specify that your donation is for student sponsorship.  If you have questions, please post them as a comment and I will get back to you.  Your comment will not be posted unless you request it to be. 

Student Teachers Accomplish Great Things

They faced crowded classrooms, worked long hours, and lived in basic accommodations with few conveniences.  They were asked to coach teams, sponsor clubs, and take on extra duties.  And they also jumped into the local congregations and became leaders.  These were the challenges faced by student teachers who fanned out from George Benson Christian College in May to do their Student Teaching Practice, or STP as it is called.   For three months, over 150 student teachers made a difference for students, schools, and churches all over Zambia. 

One student teacher walked 12 kilometers in order to attend the nearest congregation. She studied with two college students who were also student teaching, and they were baptized.

Another found that the local congregation had all but disbanded.  He and others who were doing their student teaching helped to reconcile the broken relationships and started the congregation meeting again.  They also formed two new singing groups. 

A student teacher was selected to lead a Scripture Club.  The club led two outreaches that resulted in five baptisms. 

One student teacher writes:  “I want to tell you that my experience as a student teacher was very wonderful!  I enjoyed every bit of it because it made me feel good . . . to know that I can shape another person’s future as a role model—because that is what being a teacher is about.”

On student taught at Kalomo High School where there is congregation composed entirely of high school students.  He writes:  “I congregated with the pupils from this school who did not have an (older) person to guide them in certain things.  It was an inspiration to the pupils having someone from a Christian college.  We started a singing group . . .    We also evangelized to the people within our vicinity. “

Another student teacher was appointed to coordinate the Christian Movement Choir in his school and led them on three outreaches.  He also coached the soccer team and helped them win first place in two tournaments. 

These teachers in training are already fulfilling the purpose of  George Benson Christian College:  to prepare self-supporting evangelists who will spread the gospel in the communities where they teach.  

Many students cannot attend college without sponsorship.  The new school year starts in January.  Won’t you consider investing in the future of Zambia by sponsoring a college student?  Just $150 per month provides tuition, boarding, and fees to send a student to college.  When that student graduates, he or she will be ready to serve a community, a congregation, and the country of Zambia.  For more information, see the Zambia Mission website or contact Linda Gregersen at dlgregersen@mac.com.  

Gifts

I really wanted to be in Zambia this June!  We had made plans to make the trip with two couples from our congregation and were looking forward to being at Namwianga and also doing some touristy things with them.  Then one couple found out their daughter was expecting a baby in late June. . . and we found out our daughter was expecting a baby in late June, and that ended our plans for a trip this year.  Of course we are thrilled about having more grandchildren and look forward to spending the rest of the summer loving on them.  

So now I am planning Namwianga events via e-mail and phone calls.  One of those events is the sponsorship reception.  There will be over 100 Americans at Namwianga in July for the annual Zambia Medical Mission.  Many of them sponsor students at the high school and college, so there is an afternoon reception planned for the sponsors to meet and interact with their sponsored students.  

Most sponsors want to give a gift at this reception, so Rajiv and I came up with a list of suggested gifts that sponsors can present to their students.  I thought you might be interested in what Zambian students like to receive.

Here's the list.

1. NIV Bible (Whenever I have offered gifts to students, this is the first thing to be selected!)  
2. T-shirt - Any color or logo is fine (You can often get freebies left over from an event) 
3. ball cap  for guys - gimme caps are great
4. Tote bag (for carrying books)
5. Socks, especially for high school students.  The boys have to wear gray dress socks with their uniforms, and they can also use other kinds of socks.  Girls wear white knee socks with their  uniforms, but they also like other kinds of socks (consider colorful, fun patterns or solid color knee socks).  College guys can use dress or athletic socks.  
6. For high schoolers, scientific calculators are a BIG help.  They need to have sine, cosine, and tangent functions, but do not need to be graphing calculators.  
7. Zipper pencil pouch and ink pens
8. Composition notebooks  
9. Sheet set for twin bed
10. Bath towel and washcloth
11. Sunglasses  

We are also offering to purchase pre-paid phone cards ($5.00) or blankets ($20.00) in Zambia for sponsors to give so that they do not have to make extra room in their luggage.  

Students love to get school supplies.  

Missionary Teacher

Dimuna Habeenzu was in the very first class I taught at George Benson Christian College in September, 2005. He recently visited Roy Merritt, and Roy sent out this report:

Dimuna Habeenzu has worked as a self-supporting missionary in North Western province for almost four and a half years.

He teaches school at Kabulamema—which means “There is no water” in the local Luvale language.

No water? The place sprawls a hill overlooking lush vegetation along the wide Kabompo River.

Dimuna and his college friend Joseph Moono have started two new congregations in North Western province, Kawanda and Manyinga. They revived a congregation in Kabompo.

“What is it like, Tongas preaching among Luvales?” I asked. “Are you welcome? Respected? Do you have problems communicating?”

“Luvales always welcome us Tongas,” Dimuna chuckled. “After all, we are cousins.”

A Teacher's Legacy

I am reposting a story from March, 2009, because I received a comment on the post just this week, and because it's good to remember that teachers leave a legacy--and sometimes we never know what that legacy is. Humphrey was hired by the government to teach in northern Zambia, and I have lost touch with him, but I hope that somehow he gets the word that he made a difference for one of his first students. Here's the original post. The comment is at the end.

Graduate Gives Back

Humphrey Syamate, a 2008 graduate of George Benson Christian College, exemplifies the best aspects of our training and sponsorship programs. An orphan with no one to support him, Humphrey came to GBCC under sponsorship and quickly distinguished himself in academics and leadership. Namwianga Secondary School recognized Humphrey’s potential and hired him to begin teaching math and science as soon as he finished his college courses.

In addition to his teaching duties, Humphrey now coordinates a math tutoring program for sponsored high school students. Humphrey trained George Benson college students to do the tutoring and then organized all the logistics of location and scheduling for the sessions at the secondary school. The college students are getting valuable teaching experience, and the high school pupils are thrilled to get some extra help in what for most is a difficult subject. Humphrey manages it all beautifully.

The training that Humphrey received at GBCC is now blessing the next generation of sponsored students at Namwianga.

Humphrey (far right) with the GBCC math tutors he trained

This week a former student wrote a comment:

I was once a pupil at the school from grade 10 to 11. I would love to congratulate this man for his outstanding job. He used to teach us mathematics during my time (2009), and I graduated in 2010. I was one of his best math pupils then. I liked his teaching dearly; as a result, I passed my high school with flying colors holding a distinction (1) in maths. I am now @ the university of Namibia studying financial mathematics (math+economics), heading to be an actuarial analyst.

Determined to Succeed

During our years in Zambia, I heard many heart-breaking stories from students who came to apply for sponsorship. But the story of Aaron touched me once again with the reality of how hard life can be for the children of poverty.

Ellie Hamby tells Aaron's story: Aaron comes from a village not too far from Namwianga. His parents abandoned him when he was young, and he survived by staying in the village and getting help from whatever source he could find. In 1998 Aaron was bitten by a Cobra and had to have his leg amputated. He is a very determined young man, and against all odds went to the village school and did well by studying hard. The only way he paid for his education at a government school was to go around begging for help with his school fees. I was in Zambia last August and met Aaron for the first time. He walked five miles on his crutch from the town of Kalomo to Namwianga Mission. He came to me to ask for help with his school fees for a government school in Kalomo. I asked him why he hadn't applied to Namwianga, and he said his scores were just a few points below the required score. I asked him how he was doing in the government school, and he said he was one of the top students and did much better than other students who had higher scores. He carried a letter in his pocket from the school to back that up. The church leader from his village said he was a strong Christian man and was very active in the local Church of Christ. When I asked Aaron if he would like to come to Namwianga, he responded with tears in his eyes and said that would be one of the best things that had ever happened to him.

Aaron is now at Namwianga Christian High School. A generous sponsor has agreed to pay for his education, and I am sure he will do well.

There are others with stories of need--perhaps not quite as dramatic as Aaron's, but many students have no chance of getting an education without help from someone. If you are interested in sponsoring a student at Namwianga, please e-mail me at dlgregersen@mac.com

Award Winning Students

Patricia Machalele and Sylvia Siachalinga won awards at a recent JETS (Junior Engineers, Technicians, and Scientists) competition.

Four area schools sent students to present projects and compete in quizzes. For the second year in a row, Patricia won first place for her Village Development project. Patricia produced a natural medicine to ease coughs and throat pain, especially in cases of tuberculosis. Patricia used her grandmother’s recipe to create tablets from cassava powder, mweeye leaves, and red wild spinach.

Sylvia Siachalinga (left) won second place in the Math and Science Quiz division. Students had to answer questions orally in spelling bee format. Subject matter included all areas of math and science.

Back to School

Some personal news: I started a new job last week. I am teaching second grade in Carthage, a town about 30 miles west of Mount Vernon. So far I've had six days of in-service training and spent many hours getting my classroom ready for the first day of school on August 18.

I have thought many times about the contrast between back-to-school preparations here in the US and those in Zambia, so I thought I would re-post a blog from 2007 about Brian Siakuba's student teaching experience.

Today we made another grueling drive to Chiili to pick up Brian Siakuba, a GBCC student teacher who had been there since May. The community came to say goodbye and gathered for this final photo. Brian is on the left side in the front row wearing a white shirt.


The community leaders were sad to see him go. He had proven himself to be an excellent teacher and a great worker in the local congregation. The woman who serves as head of the village begged us to send more teachers from GBCC. We hope to do just that!


On the way home, I asked Brian to describe the greatest challenge he encountered. He told us about facing the start of the term alone. We had taken him to Chiili on the first Saturday in May before the term was to begin on Monday. No other teachers were there, but we assumed they would be arriving on Sunday. As it turns out, Brian was the only teacher at the school for the first two weeks of the term. One teacher arrived after two weeks, and the head teacher arrived three weeks after the term began. Poor Brian had to figure out what to teach without any guidance! He seemed to have taken it all in stride and recommended that we send more student teachers there next year.


We are proud of students like Brian and look forward to hearing more of their stories as they return from their first experiences in the field.

Update on Brian: Brian graduated in 2008 and spent two years working with a newly planted church in northern Zambia. Currently he is back in the Namwianga area and teaches in a rural school. His wife is also a graduate of GBCC and teaches at the same school.