Blog 2 (Jon)

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.