Realities

I feel that I need to share some of the harsh realities that I have come to know about Zambia and its culture. The hardest lesson learned is this: we can’t help everybody. Everyone needs more food, water, coal, clothing, shoes, money…and we don’t always have the resources to supply them with all that they need. A couple of days ago, there was no water in Mutendere (providence where we live) and we were sitting on a bus outside of the Every Orphan’s Hope office. The security guard, David was giving people water in a hose. We watched him fill a couple of buckets full of water, but then he started shooing the people away and watering the plants and the ground. We all got confused as to why he wasn’t generous with the water. One of the EOH staff, Ester, asked David why he stopped, and that’s when he pointed behind us. We spotted a huge crowd of people with water buckets filling the road behind us, all walking towards the EOH office. They all looked so tired and so desperate. David said that he didn’t have enough water to give to everybody, so he had to stop giving it out.

It’s hard to understand that a Zambian might have to walk for an hour to get water for his/her family for a day. They don’t complain, because that’s their life and they don’t know anything else. I guess that is why it’s so important to give these people the love of Jesus in their lives. He is the only way that we can truly help these people. 

            What’s also hard to understand is the hierarchy of respect in Zambia. The men always come first. Then women and children come last. In American society, children are always regarded as first priority because they are helpless without adults. But here, it’s mind boggling sometimes to see how their culture works. Last Sunday we had a grand opening for the children living in My Father’s House in Chongwe. The big celebration was set up with a tent and chairs, and a mat outside. Big important head men in the village, as well as businessmen, and the head chief of the village was invited to participate in the ceremony, so they were all invited to sit in the chairs in the tent. The children sat outside. The ceremony was wonderful, the children got to sing, dance, and give some testimonies about how they use to live before coming to My Father’s House. Throughout all the speeches that the people made, the emphasis of the ceremony was celebrating the children. When it came time to serve snacks and food to the crowd, it was planned for the children to get food first. But the headmen and the businessmen jumping in line first, grabbing all the sodas and grabbing seconds so there was barely any food left for the children. The women got in line next, and then the children, who the ceremony was for, finally got some food. It’s heartbreaking though to see, that even when you are celebrating children in the name of God, that the Zambian culture will always be observed. So I guess I have to realize that it’s not our job to change their culture, but just to change their hearts toward God and God’s children.