The kids who live in Lumbemba, a remote village in Zambia, are getting very excited. Soon, they’ll be able to go to school right inside their own village!
They’ve watched as slowly, buildings took shape before their eyes under the management of ITMI partner, Eugene Kalunga. Each wondering, will it be open in time for me to attend?
They probably stopped to stare each time the large trucks arrived with building materials and tools. Maybe they worked alongside some of their fathers, digging the foundation and helping speed up the timeline of the project by providing some of the labor.
But, most likely, they don’t even know some of the most exciting things about this future village school. Here are three reasons it’s exciting to see this village school nearing completion.
1.Rural Africa needs Biblical influence.
Remote areas are neglected when it comes to services and help. They are left to battle their poverty and struggle to survive.
The general lack of education makes remote villages easy targets for con men and prosperity preachers to use the name of Jesus to take advantage of their vulnerability.
Many villages even lack a sense of community, camaraderie and neighborliness you might expect to find in an isolated group of people.
Many villages even lack a sense of community, camaraderie and neighborliness you might expect to find in an isolated group of people.
Good citizenship and common neighborliness that seem pedestrian to us, it turns out, are actually benefits of living in a society with a Judeo-Christian history.
ITMI’s Timothy Keller, who has been ministering in remote places around Africa for over a decade, says,
"Rural Africa is deeply entrenched in witchcraft, suspicion and fear. Where God is ignored, so is love, charity, and kindness. Mercy and generosity towards the less fortunate are foreign to the indigenous worldview."
A Christian school will bring Christian principles into the life and culture of this village, changing families and lives.
The school will change the entire culture of this village by weaving the Gospel into the very way the children view the world.
2.A better quality education for more children.
Our partner, Eugene Kalunga has demonstrated effectiveness in reaching families in Zambia with the Gospel through our long-time project, Excellence Christian Academy.
The children at ECA often share what they are learning at school with their families.
ITMI's Steve Evers encouraging the students at Excellence Christian Academy in truth and in the Lord.
The Zambian government recognizes the quality of Eugene's work at Excellence Christian Academy.
The Zambian government has pleaded with Eugene for years to duplicate the success that they see in Excellence Christian Academy. They recognize the quality of what he’s done and the benefits of Christian education.
This school will have the benefit of Eugene’s 20+ years of educational experience and managing Excellence Christian Academy, and will be able to offer a higher quality education than most bush schools are equipped to offer.
Until this school is complete, the nearest school for this village is just over 6 miles (10km) away. That means most children in this village aren’t able to make the daily trek until they are 10 years old.
With classrooms near their village, the opportunity for growth gets extended to children while they are younger and more formative.
3.Our brother, Eugene, needs our help.
Eugene is passionate to disciple children in Zambia with a Bible-based, Christ-centered education.
He makes sure the students of the school he’s principled for over 20 years know how to share the Gospel and get to practice taking it to villages in need.
Eugene is passionate to disciple children in Zambia with a Bible-based, Christ-centered education.
Eugene has worked tirelessly and faithfully to disciple children in Zambia. He longs to extend the goodness of Excellence Christian Academy to even more children.
And he’s almost there!
That’s thanks to many who have already come along side Eugene to reach village children with the Gospel and disciple them in Christ.
This year, we’ve seen exciting progress toward realizing Eugene’s vision for these village children’s futures to be impacted with an education and the Gospel.
Here’s what the buildings looked like at the beginning of 2019.
Progress on the village school as of early 2019.
Clean water is now available on the premises, expediting construction!
Construction progress at the end of 2019!
Over the course of this year, the walls and roofs of two buildings were completed.
The people of Ascension Lutheran Church in Tucson, Arizona came together and raised funds to provide a water system that delivers clean, safe water right on the premises.
The generous believers of Ascension Lutheran Church gave over and above the goal of accomplishing the water system, so a septic system and steel door and window frames were also provided!
In this short video, Timothy Keller shows what was accomplished through their generosity!
We’re getting close to seeing Eugene’s vision to disciple the next generation of Zambia come to reality in this remote location!
In the first week of our Christmas Giving Catalog’s publication, people like you are already jumping on board to help Eugene declare God’s love and care for the people of this village!
One family donated a chair for each of their own children and a table, wanting to provide for the village children “as if they were our own. We pray for their education and their opportunities to learn.”
Another set of grandparents, who have four grandchildren, donated a table and chairs to go with it, which accommodates about 4 students each.
Providing just one chair or table is a great way to join in and make an impact, even if you have a smaller budget.
One chair costs just $8 and a table can be purchased in Zambia for $13.
But perhaps the Spirit is leading several of you participate in His work in Lubemba village by helping with a stack of chairs, or a set of four chairs and a table.
Together, we can come alongside Eugene as he works tirelessly to raise up the next generation of believers in Zambia and fund the tables and chairs that will make this dream a reality!
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