A few months after my first trip to Africa, I decided to start sponsoring a child. This is Edina Chishimba, my sponsored child since November 2009 through Children International (www.children.org). After 4.5 years, I finally made my way to Lusaka, Zambia to visit her!! My 'I hope I can come visit you one day' in most of my letters to her finally happened and that 'one day' was April 24, 2014 :)
Children International picked me up from the hostel I was staying at and took me to their service center to show me around first. They have a pre-clinic, medical clinic, dental clinic, nutritional feeding room (this is where they cook meals for the children that are malnutritious), library, youth conference room, multipurpose room, and a warehouse where they store all the school supplies, food, blankets, clothes, etc to give out to the children there. They were doing Easter distribution when I came to visit so I can see where my Easter donation is going to now! :) There were a lot of volunteers running the service center, most of them are mothers of the sponsored children. They also have a little playground outside of the center with swings and slides. The center is open Mon-Sat and the children can come hang out there whenever they want.
My first couple of minutes touring the center, I was fighting back tears. I didn't expect that at all! I was overwhelmed with emotions as I watch the staffs and volunteers do their work with the children and their parents there. Some were being consulted, some were being weighed, some were reading in the library, lots were waiting to receive their distribution, and others were running and playing around outside with other fellow sponsored children. They took me into each room and introduced me to the staffs and volunteers. It was such an amazing experience to see the work that Children International do in Zambia and to physically see where my money is going to for Edina.
After the service center, they took me to visit Edina in her home. I was so nervous! Apparently, she was nervous too haha. I met her siblings, mom and grandmother. The father was out working so I didn't get to meet him. We had a short introduction and took some pictures before heading out for lunch. They were so welcoming and were surprised that I look so young also hahah We went to Manda Hill Mall and ate at Hungry Lion (it's like KFC). Edina's mom told me that Edina is 4th in her class of 88 students! She's a smart girl :) Edina spoke to me in the little English that she knew (She's in 7th grade right now so they haven't learn much English yet.. by the way, English is the primary language in Zambia! I was surprised to learn that when I got here) and told me that she wants to study to become a nurse. She told me that a few years ago in one of the first few letters that we exchanged. After lunch, we went to Shoprite so I can buy them some grocery. I definitely didn't bring enough cash for this trip but I was happy I had enough to buy them a big bag of flour to make xima, big bottle of oil, salt, sugar, laundry soap, and bath soap.
My luggage which contained clothes and capulanas I brought for Edina and her family (as well as my clothes so I had to wear the same thing for almost a week!) was lost during transit. It ended up being stuck in Dar es Salaam so I couldn't give it to them when I visited them. Luckily I was able to get the luggage the following day and had Children International picked it up to give it to them for me.
I am so happy to have had this opportunity to visit my sponsored child. My visit definitely made my sponsorship journey feel a lot more rewarding. It is amazing and fulfilling to know that the small sacrifice on my end each month can help improve the life quality of someone else so much. I am looking forward to continuing exchanging letters with Edina and watching her grow.
Anne, Betty, Brent, Bryan, Buu, Caroline, Christina, Daisy, Dang N, Dang P, David, Doan, Duong, Gary, Hai, Han, Hang, James, Jennifer, Jon, Katie, Kelly, Kevin, Kimly, Lan Khanh, Lena, Mimi, Napoleon, Richard, Shirley, Snow White, and Yorum
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