Andrea’s Transformational Journey…
Jubilee Centre October 21st, 2009
I made my first visit to the Jubilee Centre in Zambia in July 2008 in a Transform Team through Tearfund, it 
was an experience I couldn’t forget and a place that rested heavily on my heart. Myself and three other girls from the team met up and prayed for guidance from God and his will in our lives. The answer to our prayers was amazing, we raised enough funds and continued monthly support for two years from our church family and friends. This enabled us to set up the Zambia Feeding Centre Project. I was overjoyed to be back in Zambia in June this year and I want to share a bit of my journey with you…….
Feeding Programmes : Through the Zambia Feeding Centre Project 150 kids receive a meal three days a week. This project is split into two communities: 100 orphans are fed in Chifubu and 50 are fed in Kawama. We visited Chifubu first and participated in cooking the food for the children alongside the volunteers. We would love to say there was an improvement from last year when it came to us helping to cook the nshima, but we have to be honest and say there wasn’t!! We were as bad as ever, but the volunteers had lots of laughs watching us!!
In Kawama we noticed that some of the kids there are very ill and emotionally this was challenging. One boy in particular - 9 years old and looked no older than 4 years old. His eyesight was bad, stomach swollen and very hard, and his organs were failing him. The pastor said this was quite common when children became so malnourished and this was just one case of many. To physically see what the feeding programme is doing in both these communities really was such a blessing for us and to see the massive change it makes to these kids lives.
The centres are run by volunteers from local churches, taking it in turn to cook the food. The kids are fed in both centres on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Volunteers arrive early in the morning to get wood
for the fires, prepare and cook the food. Kids start arriving from 11 am, some being carried because they are too weak to walk. Some kids couldn’t even make it to the centre – little lunch boxes are sent to them. It was hard to watch mum’s longingly look at the food as it was served. There was enough to share with them, after the kids had been fed. A check list is kept of each kid, ensuring they come or are sent meals, their weight and progress is recorded and a close eye kept on their medical conditions with them being taken to hospital as and when necessary.
The vegetable gardens are going well, these also being managed by volunteers. The volunteers take so much time and care in insuring that they are maintained. They also built a chicken house and all the chicks (300 of them)
Volunteers Training: This was a two day programme for us to encourage the volunteers who care for people dying of HIV/AIDS. These are people, who themselves, are living in poverty but as Christians are serving in their Churches, giving what they can back into their community. What an amazing time we spent with these people. We began by reading the passage from John 13
: 1-17 and then washing their feet. What a humbling and moving experience this was. We went to give, but these folk gave us so much in return.
Guardians Training: This was a workshop to encourage guardians/parents who care for orphans and we went into three communities to do this - Chifubu, Kawama and Mapalo. We have to be honest and say we were way out of our comfort zones here, but what an experience. It was tough, but we had fun too; we laughed and then we cried; we shared, gave and received. The hardest part was when we asked what their biggest struggles were. Nothing would have prepared us for the reply we received from so many – ‘We love our kids, but have nothing to give them. Every day we have to go looking for food for them and so have little time to spend with them.’
At the end of the programme we gave out paper and coloured pens, the idea being that cards were made for the guardians to give to the kids they care for. Again, this was a very moving experience for us as we helped women, who could not read or write, to make cards. These were women who care so much for vulnerable kids, but who themselves have so many needs.
As we listened to the personal struggles these volunteers, guardians and parents had, it challenged us so much. We don’t think we can ever appreciate enough how much we have and the simple day to day things we take for granted.
Pastors & Their Families: Pastors are heading up the work locally as the Jubilee Centre works with the local churches. None of the Pastors receive a salary – some of their wives work to fund their families, but even
their income is minimal. We were challenged so many times by their faith and dependence on God. Prayer covers everything they do. Their love for God and the people in their churches was so evident. On talking to them, it didn’t take too long to hear their hearts and love for the people, hearts that are broken by the needs they witness every day. We asked the question ‘How, when you have so little, do you decide who to help?’ The reply came: ‘The question we have to ask is not who to help, but who not to help’. What a decision!
We were only there for two weeks and to think they see this extreme poverty on a daily basis is hard to imagine. It was a real privilege to spend time with the staff at the Jubilee Centre, to walk with them and see the challenges they face daily. To experience something of the work they are involved in and to see God at work massively in each one of their lives. I forgot to mention this at the beginning, I was a Christian for only 7 months when I made my first trip to Zambia, I never thought God could have used me the way he did and I never thought I would have been back again this year. Isn’t it amazing what God can do when we surrender our lives to him? Who knows what will happen this year……..I can’t wait to find out!!
Andrea
