Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Bikes, Bikes, Bikes

We are just back in town tonight after a day spent participating in the first World Bicycle Relief distrbution of bikes to students who will need them for transportation to attend school both now and in the future in zambia...we distributed 100 bikes to students and teachers at a primary school in Chongwe...there was a big celebration and ceremony with the whole school and community to mark this event...the high school students would attend after finishing 9th grade is over 12 miles away, making it basically impossible for them to attend without transportation...some students live in shacks by themselves away from their families and on their own in every way currently to continue their education...

The ceremony featured dancing and skits and poems and thank yous from the students and parents in the community, and our team sang several verses we created to fit the context of He's Got the Whole World in His Hands and a poem a few of the guys wrote entitled an Ode to Bikes...

All of the students spent a couple hours hanging out and being hung on by hundreds of children...playing duck duck goose, follow the leader, and hearing the stories of people in this village area...I am always amazed by the immediate connection created between students from Chicago and the children of Zambia...lots of joy is so present...and I was reminded today of how a rather small gift our students provided from many students in Zambia will have dramatic life-long implications for their future, theie current families, and the next generations of Zambians as they are able to receive the gift of education...

We spent a great time sharing together as a team about what our hopes were for this trip (after an African dinner complete with the chance to watch and dance with a real life Zambian dance group!) and I was so blessed by the real desire so many have to be so open to God's voice and leading here in a place far from our known culture and lives...thanks for your prayers that God's Spirit will be moving thru the experiences we encounter...we closed last night thinking about Genesis 1 and the incredible implications of the reality that each person and each life we know at home and will see in Zambia is made in the image of God and bears His love and character...that truth causes us to care so deeply about the lives we see as we drive thru this land and meet in all the places we go...

We are headed out to dinner in Lusaka and then will be spending our day tomorrow in a community seeing a school, platying soccer, and going out with caregivers who are caring for those suffering with AIDS in villages here before heading out to Kakolo Village on Friday...

We had a wonderful day today and I love watching students grow, embrace people here, and be able to participate in life changing experiences...so much fun to see first hand what many WA students made possible this past school year...

We Love You and Miss You...CHIP

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

So great to read daily updates! Praying for the team.
Aunt Ruth (Michael & Thomas)

Julie Grant said...

So good to hear from you. We are praying and reading the blog daily.
Special kisses and hugs to Meggie-Moo. Love, mom and dad

MPCurato said...

Chip, Thanks so much for taking the time to keep us in the loop from across the world...we so appreciate it! We will continue to pray and already it sounds like God is stirring hearts and minds for His glory! Keep up the good works! : )

Anonymous said...

Chip, thanks for taking the time to share with us back home. Your way of telling has actually made me feel I am there. I love the update of Bikes, Bikes, Bikes. The picture you painted of the kids hanging on our kids and all the love and joy, it was a tearful reminder of God and His goodness to us and how He has created us all in His image. Thank you, Thank you! We are praying for all of you. (tell Caleb I love him and miss him very much)
Jana Polivka

Jenna Lee Luetkehans said...

Chip, WBR chicago staff were pleased to read this :). Positive feedback from our Zambia staff of the distribution as well, said the WA students were just great.

Chris R. said...

Thanks so much for the update. We are all so glad to hear that all is going well so far. It is heart-warming to hear that change for the better can still happen. Hoping and praying for the best!
Mike, Agnes, and Chris
(friends of Polina)