Exciting News: School is Back in Session in Zambia!
Thank you for supporting vulnerable kids around the world. We’re excited to share some good news today from Kristie Cobb and our team in Zambia–.
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Life in 2020 hasn’t been easy for anyone under any circumstances …
So imagine life in 2020 in a developing country!
There has been no online learning, no opportunities to stay connected to our students on an individual basis day to day, no way to make sure that they are learning something new every day … or to be sure that they are being loved and well-fed.
Until today. Today we have good news.
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“We knew this day would come eventually.”
Today, September 21, 2020—literally 6 months to the day since we had to close school here in Zambia due to COVID-19—school is re-opening. Keep in mind, we are on a year-around school calendar, so our students have missed nearly 4 months of school.
But today is an exciting day!
We knew this day would come eventually. The government here has become increasingly concerned about early marriages and pregnancies with young Zambian girls, as well as a lack of interest from the boys in returning to school. Some of these concerns even began to eclipse concerns of COVID.
So, as a school, we began to plan, and it’s a good thing we did. Two weeks ago we received the news that we could re-open school today!
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“We trusted that if we opened the gates, the children would come.”
We made plans to separate our desks in the classrooms, made sure we had enough face masks for all of our students, as well as hand-washing basins and soap. Because of new restrictions concerning the number of students in each classroom, we had to split two classes to meet government regulations.
We began to spread the word to our students through word-of-mouth, hoping that they were also hearing the news made by the government. The girls in grades 4, 5, and 6 that had been pulled into boarding early were beside themselves with excitement when I told them school was re-opening!
See the Instagram video of their reaction.
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We trusted that if we opened the gates, the children would come. But after six months, how would they look? How would they act? Would we struggle getting back into a good routine?
This morning we opened the gates … and the kids were waiting!
What a beautiful sight. And they looked so good. They were very excited. It is such an answer to prayer to have them back!
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Would you pray for us?
Would you pray that we don’t have any instances of COVID-19? Fortunately for us in our small compound, we don’t believe that we have had the virus here. We’re pretty sure that if it came to our area, because of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, HIV/Aids, and other compromised immune systems, our area could be devastated. Many lives would likely be lost. So we praise God that this hasn’t happened. But please keep praying.
Would you pray that the kids settle back into their routines quickly and smoothly? Please pray for our teachers to inspire a great love for learning and a deep love for Jesus and His Word.
Would you pray for our health? Since we are no longer under the protective cover of quarantine, we’ll be working closely with each other. Please pray God keeps all of us—teachers and students alike—healthy.
6 months feels like a lifetime. But what a blessing to be slowly returning to normal … a new normal, which will allow us to continue pouring into our children, staff, teachers, and each other.
Thank you for your part in this incredible ministry in Zambia. You are part of our story.