Zambia 2/19/24 - The Heart of Ndola

Mulishani! 

On Friday, September 16th, we started off the day by visiting a museum about the Copperbelt Region of Zambia. Since we were currently staying in Ndola, it was crucial for us to learn about its history and culture. We gained some knowledge about Zambia's history, the lifestyle of Zambian tribes, the copper industry, and the unique geology of the Copperbelt Region in the informative tour we had. Later in the afternoon, after learning about Ndola, we were able to actually interact with the locals. We visited the Madalitso youth soccer team and gave them soccer balls, cleats, and equipment. This was an incredibly rewarding experience due to the fact that before coming to Zambia, we had spent three weeks fundraising for the soccer equipment. It was a joyful experience being able to donate the soccer items and play soccer with the youth. Their coach, Coach Brian, expressed gratitude for our presence and donations. We were inspired by his love and mentorship for the youth in Madalitso. Not only does he support his team in soccer, but he also helps them grow their lives of faith. At the end of the day, we received a guidance from Papa Lupili about his tribal messiahship efforts in a small, remote Zambian village called Chipata.

The next day, we had a packed schedule. We held a character education workshop for the Madalitso soccer team, the teachers at Mackenzie, and a Christian youth group. We started the event with icebreakers for the participants to have fun and get to know each other better. Afterward, we had a few GPA captains and first-years give talks and testimonies about the following topics: Leaving the Plus, Living For the Sake of Others, and Loving the Hardest Person / Doing the Hardest Thing. The talk about “Leaving the Plus” inspired us and the participants to create the environment we wished for us and others to enjoy. The talk about “Living For the Sake of Others” taught us that selflessness is the key to bringing joy to God, others, and ourselves. The talk about “Loving the Hardest Person / Doing the Hardest Thing” encouraged us to have empathy for others and trust that challenges will help us grow.

After each talk, we GPA members facilitated discussions in small teams to support the participants and ensure they gained something valuable from the content. This workshop was a success. The participants enjoyed meeting each other, listening to the talks, eating the delicious lunch made by the kitchen staff (a small team of GPA members), and being in a positive environment. We also had a valuable experience, being able to teach important character values to Zambian youth and hear their stories as well. This workshop was a wonderful experience for us to share the values we learned on GPA with others. “For most of us, it was our first time running the workshop, especially in a different country. I was given the opportunity to lead a group of people for discussion questions, and it was my first time leading a group for discussion, but it was a great opportunity to just connect with my Zambian brothers and sisters. I was really moved when the Pastor Cawe of the Christian youth group, Principal Bright, the principal of Mackenzie Community School, and Coach Bryan of the soccer club went on their knees in front of us to express their appreciation to all of us. Just us coming was a blessing for all of them, and I can really recognize their appreciation to us, which shows how big of an impact we made through this workshop.” - Timmy Ojeda, 1st year participant.

Sunday was our last day in Ndola. We cleaned up the center where we were staying and packed our bags. Before leaving, we attended their Sunday service. A couple of GPA members were able to share their testimonies about their experience as GPA participants. The small Ndola community was moved by their stories of how GPA helped them have gratitude, make memories, build true relationships, and grow in their lives of faith. After the service, we hopped on a bus and left to head back to more adventures in Lusaka!

Generation Peace Academy

Miki K.

Blogger, Zambia