Preparing for Next Steps

We have now been in Zambia for just over a month and I thought I would share a quick update. We are so thankful for how God has cared for us and blessed us with new things to experience and learn each day!

Although we anticipated that we would be able to spend our first 90 days in Zambia as visitors, we found out that was not the case. When we arrived, we were given a 30-day visa. It was not possible to renew the 30-day visitor’s visa. We were required to get a temporary working permit. After a number of visits to the local immigration office, multiple letters written on our behalf from both World Renew, and the United Church of Zambia, and finally a very long visit to the immigration office at the Namibia border, we were able to get the visas we needed which now allow us to stay until August 2. At that time, we will need to renew once again.

We are thankful for the four to one funding that the project finally received on April 25th from the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB). Although the project was already approved and funded by World Renew the significance of the four to one funding from the CFGB is that this project will be able to continue after this initial phase and work on much needed development to help people here in Zambia learn how to deal with the climate changes they are experiencing.

We have learned a lot about the project over the past month and have been preparing for the food distributions. Next week we will do our first community visit. Each day, we will go to two different communities. The goal for this first community meeting is to explain the project to the people in the communities and ask them to choose from among themselves 10 people who will represent their community as a Community Advisory Committee (CAC). These CACs will be trained on how to choose those from the community who will become beneficiaries of the food. Although many people in these communities are hungry, there is only enough money in this first phase of the project to provide food for the most vulnerable. As such, it will be vitally important that the members of the CAC are fair and honest. For this project the following criteria will be used for the selection of beneficiaries for food assistance:

• Drought affected, agriculturally dependent households who will realize less than one month's food supply from the current harvest;
• Drought affected, agriculturally dependent households who, as a result of the drought, are eating two meals or less per day; and
• Drought affected, agriculturally dependent households that do not have any other source of income.

Within the above noted group of drought affected, agriculturally dependent eligible beneficiaries, priority will be given to:

• Households that are eating one or less meals per day; and
• Highly vulnerable households (e.g., child headed household, women headed households, families with orphans, elderly, and people who are chronically ill, have HIV/AIDS, or are disabled.

Please pray that as the project team meets with the people in these 10 communities, that only fair and honest representatives will be chosen to form the CACs and that in turn they will be able to present the names of people who are most deserving as beneficiaries. 

On a more personal note, I am very happy to report that my knee continues to heal and everyday I can tell that it is a little better. I am now able to walk around as much as needed at a pretty good pace, with no discomfort. The next steps in my healing will be to regain the movement that I need to bend it fully and without discomfort. 

We so much appreciate all of the prayers people have spoken on our behalf. We are thankful for God's goodness and the opportunity to work alongside other believers here to help those who are suffering from hunger due to the drought that this part of the country is experiencing.