A Happy Work Day!

Two friends, one lame and one blind from Simakakata, the blind community, are happy today! This community received a donation from the Regina Church of Christ—seed and fertilizer. After the seed and fertilizer were given to the community Mr. Shebby (right side of picture) shared with me about a course for handicapped people where they can learn how to make brooms and baskets. A few weeks ago Mr. Shebby told me that he’d been consulting with another NGO in Kalomo for a lengthy period over funding for the course and was getting pretty discouraged. He said it would cost 1.6 million kwacha for four people to attend the week long course in the Copperbelt region.

Mr. Shebby walks to our house a couple times a month from his village, approximately fourteen km away. He is always accompanied by someone because Mr. Shebby is blind! Last week one day, during one of our visits I asked him if there was any action with the NGO. He said, “No.” I said the amount was too much for ZMF-C to handle. Immediately, he asked, “How about 800,000 kwacha and only two of us from Siamakakata go?” What could I say? He said that when two of them return from the course, they will make brooms and baskets and from those profits send two more! This group of people are so encouraging to be with! They always make me smile! They are courageous, grateful, hard-working and respectful, and give thanks continually.

After I gave Mr. Shebby the K800,000 and he signed (with a thumbprint!) in the receipt book, he got on his knees on our patio and said a prayer in Tonga. He is a humble and grateful servant. When the toilets were being built at Simakakata, guess who got the last one? Mr. Shebby—he put his other community members ahead of himself. This is what leaders in the church will do!