The first week of our time here was filled with bonding between the Zambikes team and the Acirfa team. It was really enjoyable to get one-on-one time with each of the members of this incredible group and hear their hearts for Zambikes. Each Monday the management team gathers to bond and discuss issues for the week. The motivation of this team is undeniable. One of the more exciting pieces of information was that our marketing intern, Ali Bennett, has been meeting with the largest cooperation of microfinance institutions in Zambia. She was able to present the Zambikes vision to not only the president, but also to a group of managers representing these microfinance institutions.
After spending a few days getting oriented with the greater Lusaka area, our team headed down to Livingston to enjoy our one sight-seeing trip, a visit to Victoria Falls. On the way we stayed with a group called the Namwianga Zambia medical mission. This group welcomes 200 doctors and healthcare specialists to Zambia each summer to perform health clinics in the bush. In addition the group has an orphanage, school, small university(accredited by the University of Zambia), and home for troubled teens. It was exciting to hear about their ministry and also get to share our hearts for impacting Zambia through bikes.
Livingston was great. We saw the falls and they were just as magestic as one would imagine them being. We visited a game park in Botswana on a one-day safari. There were so many wild animals; crocodiles, hippos, wild boar, antelope, and lots of elephants.
One of the interesting observations for me was to see many of the trucks that transport goods from South Africa to Zambia going through Livingston. The roads they travel are so poor and they even have to wait in long lines to travel on fairies that take them from Botswana to Zambia. No wonder transportation into Zambia is such a big issue. By the end of the trip all of us were ready to get back to Lusaka and see all of our new Zambian friends.
The past week Ryan, Naomi, and I have spent the majority of our time at the land and with the construction/assembly team. I have been able to sit down and have a personal conversation with almost every member of the team. The opportunity to hear their stories has been truly impactful.
One man, a forty year old named Jameson, father of four children, who had lost his job before coming to Zambikes, explained to me:
“Zambikes is very different than any job I have ever had. Zambikes helps me learn valuable skills. You know, Zambikes is like Jesus, Jesus came to the people with no opportunity.”
Another man name Stain shared with me, “My mother died when I was five. Zambikes is helping me provide for my children what my mother couldn’t provide to me.”
Gift, who has been a mechanic with us since the beginning, shared with me, “Since coming to Zambikes, I have gone back to school again. I always wanted to finish my high school education.”
Tonight Zambikes is hosting a city-wide benefit concert that will donate to local orphanages in Lusaka. The artists performing are some of the biggest names in Zambian music. They have been on TV, the radio, and the newspaper promoting the event. Vaughn was even on a TV commercial dancing! 5,000 people are expected to come and this is an exciting chance to expose the greater population to the work Zambikes is doing.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The First Three Days
Hi everyone! We made it to Zambia safely! After about 10 movies(yes, I did resort to "Fools Gold") and a long 25 hour flight, we made it safely to Lusaka. After stepping out of the plane we were greeted by the smiling face of our Zambian Director, Gershom Sikaala. Though we had spoken many times over the phone, it was exciting to meet him in person! It was amazing to see the way Zambikes has fostered such healthy relationships with the local government. The airport police escorted us through customs quickly and we were helped to find our luggage and extra bike supplies. With the exception of two lost bags(which we later found), we were all in tact and quickly made our way to the Zambikes team home and office. Within the next three hours we met almost all of our Zambian management team:
Gershom Sikaala- One of our Zambian directors, a exhuberant social networker who seems to have a connection to everyone in Lusaka one way or another(the Zambian version of Kevin Bacon).
Vierra Funjika- Our organized admin manager who has a sweet British accent from six years studying in Britain and has a smile that lights up the room.
Jeremiah Mutala- An excellent communicator of the Zambikes vision and young leader here in Lusaka. He works as development director in Zambia.
Mwewa Chumba- Another Zambian who is extremely personal, business savvy, and a wise leader with an enormous ammount of experience.
In addition we were able to meet some other people who have really sparked for the Zambikes vision. They include local popstars(two of them had TV interviews within our first two days!), local famous church leaders, and very influential local goverment leaders.
Within our first day we were able to meet and speak to a group of young leaders at Generation Impact, visit a local orphanage called Noah's Ark, and even see our new Zambikes production facility project!
My favorite part of the day was taking a bike ride around our neighborhood with Vaughn. I was able to see the poverty that is so evident here and experience really riding a bike amidst the people. Each Zambian pointed and laughed at the crazy Muzungus(the Nyanja word for "Westerners"). Riding with Vaughn was trully special after the hard work he and I have done in this past year. I found myself humbled with thankfullness for being a part of this team and of the work that we are doing here.
Seeing the production facility project was just as exciting as I had imagined. Upon arrival we met one of our chief mechanics, Dililence, who immediately began sharing his testimony of how God had worked in his life and how he had been impacted by the Zambikes vision. The frame for the production facility was already up and the hydroform bricks have all been filled. We took a safari through the other 20 acres of land. It was so amazing to realize we are part of something that is trully world-changing.
The land is just as great as the guys had portrayed it. It is only 5 minutes from some of the major logistics yards in Lusaka. It is about 5 minutes from the Kampampa community. It is beautiful and contains rich soil and plenty of room to grow. It is amazing that this is now so much bigger than we could have ever expected. We will have three loading docks and tons of room for assembly and operations within the facility.
After the trip to the land we spent some time over in Kampampa with many of our assembly guys(Chrispen, Themba, Levvy and others). We talked around a thatch hut while a fire blazed within a small grass wall. It was very special and a magical way of experiencing the beauty of exchange that is happening within this organization's community.
Tomorrow we head to Livingston for a bike distribution. Our bikes next two consignments arrive in less than a week! I can't wait to see the faces of the mechanics as they get back in the zone and started up with assembly!
Gershom Sikaala- One of our Zambian directors, a exhuberant social networker who seems to have a connection to everyone in Lusaka one way or another(the Zambian version of Kevin Bacon).
Vierra Funjika- Our organized admin manager who has a sweet British accent from six years studying in Britain and has a smile that lights up the room.
Jeremiah Mutala- An excellent communicator of the Zambikes vision and young leader here in Lusaka. He works as development director in Zambia.
Mwewa Chumba- Another Zambian who is extremely personal, business savvy, and a wise leader with an enormous ammount of experience.
In addition we were able to meet some other people who have really sparked for the Zambikes vision. They include local popstars(two of them had TV interviews within our first two days!), local famous church leaders, and very influential local goverment leaders.
Within our first day we were able to meet and speak to a group of young leaders at Generation Impact, visit a local orphanage called Noah's Ark, and even see our new Zambikes production facility project!
My favorite part of the day was taking a bike ride around our neighborhood with Vaughn. I was able to see the poverty that is so evident here and experience really riding a bike amidst the people. Each Zambian pointed and laughed at the crazy Muzungus(the Nyanja word for "Westerners"). Riding with Vaughn was trully special after the hard work he and I have done in this past year. I found myself humbled with thankfullness for being a part of this team and of the work that we are doing here.
Seeing the production facility project was just as exciting as I had imagined. Upon arrival we met one of our chief mechanics, Dililence, who immediately began sharing his testimony of how God had worked in his life and how he had been impacted by the Zambikes vision. The frame for the production facility was already up and the hydroform bricks have all been filled. We took a safari through the other 20 acres of land. It was so amazing to realize we are part of something that is trully world-changing.
The land is just as great as the guys had portrayed it. It is only 5 minutes from some of the major logistics yards in Lusaka. It is about 5 minutes from the Kampampa community. It is beautiful and contains rich soil and plenty of room to grow. It is amazing that this is now so much bigger than we could have ever expected. We will have three loading docks and tons of room for assembly and operations within the facility.
After the trip to the land we spent some time over in Kampampa with many of our assembly guys(Chrispen, Themba, Levvy and others). We talked around a thatch hut while a fire blazed within a small grass wall. It was very special and a magical way of experiencing the beauty of exchange that is happening within this organization's community.
Tomorrow we head to Livingston for a bike distribution. Our bikes next two consignments arrive in less than a week! I can't wait to see the faces of the mechanics as they get back in the zone and started up with assembly!
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