As I meander my way through Dzelaka Refugee Camp, I see house after house. Outside a few kids are playing with a homemade ball of plastic bags, some women are washing clothes or cooking, a few teenagers are pumping water from the well, and some men are chatting along the road.
The camp did not strike me as a busy place. Instead it is quite the opposite. Dzelaka is full of able bodied people who are willing to work. No, they long to work. They just don’t have a job. Many of these people are educated and had jobs in their home country, but because of the war, they were forced to leave their home.
Refugees are not able to work in Malawi unless they have training. Educational training is not an option. There is a several month orientation process for refugees who are medical professionals, if they have money to pay the orientation fee. Wherever I go and whoever I talk to, they always tell me that there are just not enough jobs.
It’s hard to see all of these people who want to work, they just don’t have the opportunity and don’t know how to find an opportunity. There is Hope is an organization that is giving refugees opportunities to get out of this hopeless situation. They provide vocational training, scholarships, and help refugees with previous training get oriented into the Malawian system so that they can work again.
The problem is large, and helping takes time. But we serve a God who is not daunted by these tasks. Instead, He has always been in the business of drawing people out of their present situation and giving them a new life. May God continue this process, strengthen There is Hope staff, and build a flourishing community out of what looks like a hopeless camp of refugees.
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
The Days at Partners in Hope
We start off the day with a time of worship and mini sermon. [Jesus knew what He was doing when He created the church. We need each other, we learn from each other, and we are challenged by each other. I’m thankful to be a part of the Body of Christ!]
At the beginning of my time at Partner’s in Hope, I spent my shift in the day wards, gave medications, learned the process of how to refill ART medication (HIV treatment), and shadowed the nurses during their various duties. I got to observe an abdominal paracentesis, lumbar punctures, and the casting of a little girl’s arm. After a few days, I began helping the patient attendants (nurse’s aids) take vital signs, perform rapid malaria diagnostic tests, and draw blood for viral loads, CD4’s, creatinine, etc.
The staff at Partner’s in Hope is incredible. They are welcoming, love the patients, value each member of the team, and enjoy their work. They taught me a great deal about malaria, tuberculosis, HIV symptoms, diagnostics, and treatments. I’m thankful for the many memories made with my dear friends at PIH!
At the beginning of my time at Partner’s in Hope, I spent my shift in the day wards, gave medications, learned the process of how to refill ART medication (HIV treatment), and shadowed the nurses during their various duties. I got to observe an abdominal paracentesis, lumbar punctures, and the casting of a little girl’s arm. After a few days, I began helping the patient attendants (nurse’s aids) take vital signs, perform rapid malaria diagnostic tests, and draw blood for viral loads, CD4’s, creatinine, etc.
The staff at Partner’s in Hope is incredible. They are welcoming, love the patients, value each member of the team, and enjoy their work. They taught me a great deal about malaria, tuberculosis, HIV symptoms, diagnostics, and treatments. I’m thankful for the many memories made with my dear friends at PIH!
Berta, A Dear Friend
I met Berta a few weeks ago. She cooks for the men who are constructing an addition onto a building at There Is Hope Center. “Jambo,” she said with a wide grin. When we met again, we tried to talk. Berta speaks Swahili, but through a translator I discovered that Berta is Congolese and lives in Dzelaka Refugee Camp.
For several days, we spent our time teaching each other our own languages. By pointing at objects and saying the word in our respective languages, we learned to names of many things. We scratched the words into the red dust, wiped the words away, and tried to write the words from memory. Together we came up with a list of about 20 words. Day after day we quizzed each other.
One day Berta invited me to her house. When her work was finished, we meandered our way through the camp to where she stays. Berta has lives with her husband, Asumani, and their four children. She has two daughters and two sons: Salia, Nonbe, Sofia, and Alonda. They range in age from 2 to 10. They have lived in Dzelaka for five years. Before they fled to Malawi, both Berta and her husband were students. Berta was a community leader in Congo, but now she and her husband do not have jobs, because there are very few employment options available.
Although their situation is bleak, Berta is a beacon of light. A smile radiates from her face, and she is always thinking of others. Berta loves to spend time with people and just chat…which becomes challenging when we don’t speak the same language. Thankfully Berta has some neighbors who enjoying chatting and want to practice their English.
An example of Berta’s kindness is her gift generous gift of a live chicken. Though the language barrier, I eventually convinced Berta to keep the chicken for me so that she could teach me how she cooks it! A few days later we deep fried to chicken, made ugali, and an African version of fried spaghetti. We had quite the feast!
Every day with Berta is a pleasure—whether we walked to the market, waited for hours at the clinic, cooked, practiced languages, or played with her kids. She is an eager learner, generous giver, and joyful friend. I can’t wait for the day when we are reunited!
Thursday, June 16, 2016
A story of how God inspires His people to bring about community transformation.
This is my friend Joseph. He works for Partner’s in Hope, the clinic where I have been working.
When Joseph considered this situation, God planted in him the dream of building a secondary school (high school) in his own community. It took a lot of planning and talking with the local chiefs. In faith, Joseph place a sign at the entrance of the school property in June saying that school would open in September of 2015.
Building a school takes a lot of money. An organization was helping Joseph with funding, but then it fell through. Apparently the organization only funded government schools, not private schools. There were only three weeks left until September and the school property was empty. The only option left was to ask the bank for a loan. The bank denied the request. Joseph did not know what to do except to pray. He believed that God gave him this vision, but did not know how it was going to come about.
Two weeks before school was to start, Joseph received a call. The bank granted his loan! Although the buildings did not have roofs for the first day of school, there was a schoolhouse!
Only three students came in the first week. Then one of the kids ran away because it was so small. Eventually more and more students came, and the student who ran away came back. Now there are 42 students! Next year Maya Secondary School will include forms 1-4, which is 9th-12th grade.
Joseph has a vision to see this school grow. He earnestly desires to see the kids in his community educated so that they can have “success through Christ,” as the memo states. Malawi is an extremely poor country, undeveloped, lacking in jobs, and suffering desperately. Through an education founded on scripture, Joseph believes that the next generation can bring about change in Malawi. I have to agree.
I had the opportunity to visit Maya Secondary School on two different occasions. It was such a joy to chat with the students, encourage them to keep studying even when it is tough, and most of all keep seeking God, because He is worthy and will provide. Although I’m not a teacher, the teachers convinced me to teach a quick anatomy lesson. It was great honor to be in a room full of young men and women who are eager to learn and ask questions about the heart!
On my next visit, the kids stayed after school so that they we could play volleyball and net ball, and then teach me some dances. These students are energetic, competitive, and a ton of fun. We had a blast!
I share this story for three reasons:
1) To encourage you to notice gaps in the way you do life and then ask God to show you how to bridge those gaps. Joseph’s faith and boldness have challenged me greatly. I pray that his story will to the same for you.
2) If you have any books, sports equipment, or school supplies, Maya Secondary School could use them! Joseph is starting a library. It’s a very nice room, but is currently empty. If you are finished with any type of book, send them to Malawi. ☺ (Contact Joseph Wowa: josephwowa@gmail.com)
3) Will you join me in praying for Maya Secondary School? I’m praying that God would inspire the students to study diligently, provide financially for their school fees, and raise up these young men and women to shape the culture of Malawi. I’m praying that God would grow the school, guide the teachers, and provide funds for the school to expand. I’m praying that Joseph would have great wisdom as he leads this project and that he would be encouraged to press on even when it is tough. Thanks for your prayers!
He lives with his two children and niece. No school is in the area, so Joseph sent his children to a boarding school many kilometers away. Joseph and many other parents in the area had to spend a considerable amount of money for transportation. Many more kids do not go to school at all because they do not have the funds to travel, therefore were not receiving an education.
When Joseph considered this situation, God planted in him the dream of building a secondary school (high school) in his own community. It took a lot of planning and talking with the local chiefs. In faith, Joseph place a sign at the entrance of the school property in June saying that school would open in September of 2015.
Building a school takes a lot of money. An organization was helping Joseph with funding, but then it fell through. Apparently the organization only funded government schools, not private schools. There were only three weeks left until September and the school property was empty. The only option left was to ask the bank for a loan. The bank denied the request. Joseph did not know what to do except to pray. He believed that God gave him this vision, but did not know how it was going to come about.
Two weeks before school was to start, Joseph received a call. The bank granted his loan! Although the buildings did not have roofs for the first day of school, there was a schoolhouse!
Only three students came in the first week. Then one of the kids ran away because it was so small. Eventually more and more students came, and the student who ran away came back. Now there are 42 students! Next year Maya Secondary School will include forms 1-4, which is 9th-12th grade.
Joseph has a vision to see this school grow. He earnestly desires to see the kids in his community educated so that they can have “success through Christ,” as the memo states. Malawi is an extremely poor country, undeveloped, lacking in jobs, and suffering desperately. Through an education founded on scripture, Joseph believes that the next generation can bring about change in Malawi. I have to agree.
I had the opportunity to visit Maya Secondary School on two different occasions. It was such a joy to chat with the students, encourage them to keep studying even when it is tough, and most of all keep seeking God, because He is worthy and will provide. Although I’m not a teacher, the teachers convinced me to teach a quick anatomy lesson. It was great honor to be in a room full of young men and women who are eager to learn and ask questions about the heart!
On my next visit, the kids stayed after school so that they we could play volleyball and net ball, and then teach me some dances. These students are energetic, competitive, and a ton of fun. We had a blast!
I share this story for three reasons:
1) To encourage you to notice gaps in the way you do life and then ask God to show you how to bridge those gaps. Joseph’s faith and boldness have challenged me greatly. I pray that his story will to the same for you.
2) If you have any books, sports equipment, or school supplies, Maya Secondary School could use them! Joseph is starting a library. It’s a very nice room, but is currently empty. If you are finished with any type of book, send them to Malawi. ☺ (Contact Joseph Wowa: josephwowa@gmail.com)
3) Will you join me in praying for Maya Secondary School? I’m praying that God would inspire the students to study diligently, provide financially for their school fees, and raise up these young men and women to shape the culture of Malawi. I’m praying that God would grow the school, guide the teachers, and provide funds for the school to expand. I’m praying that Joseph would have great wisdom as he leads this project and that he would be encouraged to press on even when it is tough. Thanks for your prayers!
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