Are are just a few of the stories we've built up during the life of the project. If you have any, be it about travelling to Zambia or being involved with the project just email to us and we'll make sure they appear soon.
  
Becky's visit 2005
Kacie's visit 2005
Dave's visit 2005
Andy's visit 2006

 

Becky Gordon visited the school in summer 2005, this is her personal account of that visit:

Looking back at first it seems challenging to write about my Zambian experience. But as I look through the photo's of beaming smiles from the school children in Kitwe's poorest part of town it soon all comes flooding back with many a mulishani (hello).

 
The visits to Ituna community school made a huge impact on me. To see so many vulnerable children gave me such a mix of emotions but one of the most immediate was one of feeling completely humble. These kids have nothing but they are just so thankful for what they do have. Despite their circumstances they all had an amazing attitude to learning. I've never seen children get so excited over a felt tip and paper before in my life! 
 
In the pre-school class where I was helping, children as young as 5 were able to do their times table and they loved to read. We helped them with their alphabet, drew pictures and one of my favourite memories is attempting to teach English with Kacie, my fellow travel bud and class helper trying to story tell while pretending to be crocodiles can be very challenging, but great fun!
 
Our attempts at learning Bemba the local dialect was interesting to say the least. With instructions and grateful advice from the classes voluntary teacher we did our best to communicate with the children in a language they would understand. I doubt they understood but the enthusiasm on both sides made up for what we didn't know.  
 
While having fun with the kids it was hard not to think about the poverty they were living in. Many of the children had sores and illnesses and with many of them orphans, missing either one or both parents it was heart breaking to leave when it came for the time to say goodbye. However, with the hopes of providing a secure place of education for the children through the Ituna school project it is promising to think their futures will become brighter, and will impact their lives and those of their family and community. 

 

 

Kacie Ferell visited the school in summer 2005, this is her personal account of that visit:
 
The children that attend the Ituna school are ones that are on the edge of society.  Many of them have lost one or both of their parents to disease or tragedy.  Most do not have enough money to attend the public schools in the area.  Their homes are huts, their clothes are few, and most only eat one meal a day.  In many people’s eyes these children have no significance, no worth, nothing to add to the community.  They are pushed to the side and quickly forgotten. 
 
On the way to the Ituna school, I sat in the front seat as our friend Justin drove and explained to us why these children had touched his heart.  They were looking for someone to show them that they were significant, that they had worth, that someone wanted them.  He told me that by just going to the school we were helping show them these things.  It was hard for me to comprehend this never having experienced it myself, but I tried to keep that in my mind as we worked at the school each day.
 

When we arrived at the school each day we were immediately surrounded by these small faces that were eager to be seen, acknowledged, and touched.  Our presence caused quite a stir for a while.  In the classroom I helped with the youngest kids.  They did not know English and it was hard to communicate verbally with them. What they could not comprehend in my words I hope the caught in my actions.  I sat with them and held them in my arms.  I played games with them and held their hands.  What I wanted to convey to them that my words could not is that they are valuable, that they are worth more than anything money could buy.  I wanted them to know that they are important to me and have so much to offer the world. 
 
I hope that through our presence we were able to offer these children the knowledge that someone cares about them.  The knowledge that the rest of the world has not forgotten about them, and that we are willing to do what we can to show them their worth. 

 

David Edleston visited the school in summer 2005, this is his personal account of that visit:

The experience I had in Zambia was incredibly mixed, it was impossible not to be impacted by the huge poverty and need in the area, the vast contrasts between our schools in the UK and in the Racecourse community. But what struck me the most were the similarities, the individual characters of the children, the way that they played and learnt together their friendships and rivalries. The way that the teacher captivated the class and how the children worked industriously to complete there work. It seemed that all the elements that really made a school were there but they just didn’t have the equipment and funding of western schools.

One child in the group I assisted was called Beatrice, who was about 10 years old, she was obviously incredibly bright, as she could even understand me with my very limited Bemba vocabulary; as I tried to demonstrate how to do long multiplications she would listen intently and watch how I worked the answers out then proceed to explain to the others. It really made me think, this little girl has so much potential, she was already a far better teacher than I was and if she had half the chances I had been given growing up she could be capable of amazing things.

For me the biggest shame for those children is that without help most will never see even a glimmer of their true potential, and that is what defined my experience and why I see what we are doing now as so very important for those children, their future and their community.

Andy Grafton visited the school in summer 2006, this is his story about travel in Zambia:

Travelling and working in Africa is not without it's risks. Road accidents are much more common than in the UK and regularly fatal. We often pray for safety on the roads when travelling in Zambia. The team were being driven by Justin from Livingstone to Lusaka towards the end of the visit. Without warning the car started behaving erratically and sensed  we have a puncture on a rear wheel. We were travelling at around 60mph, so Justin avoided the breaks and struggled to keep the car straight, just as another car appears coming towards us on the other side of the carriageway. Suddenly the car lurched to the left and we watched disconcertingly as the left rear wheel bounced off into the bush! Somehow Justin managed to keep the car straight and we slid to a halt, shaken but not stirred.

As we looked at the wheel we realised the bolts that held the wheel on had sheered off. There is no way the spare tyre could be attached. So there we were, 20 miles from any where, no mobile phone reception and only 3 hours from darkness. There is no such thing as the AA/RAC in Zambia. After a few minutes of chat and realisation of our predicament we decided we had to pray. As a small group we clustered under a tree and prayed that our God, who owns all things and can do all things, would help and rescue us. No more than 30 seconds after finishing praying a car pulled up. A South African stepped out and asked how he could help. He just happened to own the car engineering works 20 miles back, and looking at our car confirmed that the sheered bolts need drilling out before a spare tyre could be used - this is usually done in a workshop. He proceeded to take Adam and Susie to Lusaka, and when in Mobile reception phoned his works who sent his son and about 5 workers who proceed to strip the rear wheel and repair it at the road side for us! We offered some payment, which was declined. Within 3 hours we were on the road again, back to Lusaka. A new best friend made, and grateful to God. Just a coincidence of timing? or, as my old vicar used to say, a 'God'incident...'? You decide.

 

 

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