ZMF-C Works in Zambia

We live at Namwianga because that's where Ruhtt and Shepherd Mbumwae live. Currently, Ruhtt and Shepherd and their three children are in the US, while Shepherd is on a study leave. Shepherd teaches Computers at George Benson College and he does the book keeping for Zambia Mission Fund - Canada (ZMF-C) projects. Ruhtt takes care of the ZMF-C student sponsorship program and the construction of community schools.

While they're away, we also get to maintain and use the wonderful garden in their yard! Along the right side and overhanging, you can see bananas (not yet ready). In the far back left are mangoes (almost ready). We also have oranges (almost ready), guava (almost ready), lettuce, onions, green beans, rape, squash, cucumbers, strawberries all at various stages!

Other projects of ZMF-C are orphan care, shipping of large containers from Canada, and an HIV patient program. Rod and Sue Calder live at the farm called Seven Fountains farm and manage the two ZMF-C orphan homes. Seven Fountains Farm was acquired by ZMF-C a few years so that we could have a rural environment for the orphans and so that perhaps one day (if the farming economy improves), the farm can help finance the orphan homes. Seven Fountains farm adjoins Namwianga Mission and the farm buildings are only seven km from where we live, so we are in constant contact with our working partners, Rod and Sue Calder and their family.

Some others involved in ZMF-C include Nancy and Wilson Siazilo, who run the second orphan home at Seven Fountains Farm, and Kadonsi Kasiya, who is our neighbour at Namwianga Mission. Besides teaching at the Secondary school at the mission Kadonsi also assists with supervision of our community school teachers and many other things, so, we keep him busy!

Richard and I look after approximately one hundred fifty sponsored students at the moment. Timmy is one of them. We pay their school fees, review their report cards (as any parent would!) and ensure that those who are day students have enough food to eat. Most of the students are boarding students and that is a good thing!


The day students typically live with their granny or an uncle or an aunt because most of our students are orphans. We provide some food to the grannies and families of some of our kids. The photo shows Granny Kanana, who cares for our sponsored students (her grandkids) Cynthia and Woodgate.

We also attend our 'kids' graduation when we are able to get to them and if they tell us they are happening! Last Saturday we attended the graduation of Cynthia Sing'ombe and Kafuna Kalunga. We were the parents for Cynthia as she had no one else and while Kafuna had an uncle there, he was excited that we were there for him. They both received watches as a ZMF-C graduation gift and let me tell you, they were excited!!